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Been working for a month or so trying to buy this 654 finally made a deal for $150.00 and brought her home,new carb,fuel line & a good scrubbing its original skin cleaned up pretty good...

Last night I was going through some things looking for a specific manual for something. I didn't find that, but I did happen across the owner's packet that came with the 420LSE that's now in my possession. Included in the embossed vinyl pouch was the hang tags affixed to the tractor, the owner's manuals, the detailing instructions for the 48" deck, warranty card, and return envelop for the little chrome plate that attaches to the hood. Apparently you'd send the plate to Ireland Rd. with your 18 character personalization request, they'd engrave it and send it back. Thought you all might like to see this stuff. Also note the extra chrome-plated, hairpin cotter enclosed. Steve

Golf cart ...that is. Complete with beverage holder, foot control (permits drinking while driving), and heater for the cold weather duffers.

Hey all, look what I grabbed for 500 bucks! I'm out in SLC Utah and these just don't exist out here, in fact its the only one that I've ever seen. It came with a 42 inch rear discharge, and a 2 stage snow thrower. I have one other garden tractor a JD 317, and several throw-aways. My wife thinks I'm crazy, maybe a mid-life crisis or something, but I'm in love . It had been stored outside for years, the paint is bubbled, the deck spindles were frozen. I lubed them up, took a wrench to them, and presto they freed up. I drained the gas, changed the oil which smelled like gas btw, and it fired right up. The engine sounds more like a Harley than a mower which doesn't suck. I'll be going through the carb, changing plugs, and adjusting valves. It's low and mid range seem to be a bit rough. I'm also going to clean around the shrouds make sure there aren't any rats living in there. So to commemorate the 4th and wheelhorse, I put it in our neighborhood parade, and dragged the wife, kids and neighbors kids around in it. The float sign says "oh say can you see" in case it is tough to read on the pictures. I also did something I now regret, which was hook a power inverter on it and powered a smoke machine. I think I may have damage the stator. It doesn't seem to charge anymore. So I could use some help on where to start with that one. I have it on a battery tender charging it and can mow just fine, but each time I try and restart it cranks slower. I know this should be in the electrical section but I wanted to show it off here. Also, does anyone else's throttle creep down when they mow? If there is an easy fix for that it would be much appreciated. I'm planning a repaint, in fact purchased the Earlex HVLP that I saw someone mention on Red Square. Any bits of knowledge that are obvious to long term WH owners but maybe not to me are appreciated. Anyway thanks for the great community, hope you like the pics. Edit- found the forum post on how to fix the throttle

that is pretty darn cool. best part is if you hit into rough that you think is a little to thick just flip the pto and turn it into a fairway

Gorgeous ... some guys have all the luck.

here's some more oh and Neil, that bloke to the left looks awfully lot like this bloke Koen

Who is the good looking geezer in the background to the left of the picture?

Cheap no name oils will smoke. SAE 30 in Shell Rotella T1, or a nice 15w-40 diesel oil in a pinch. Set points at like 18 or so, and see if there is a knock. I will say this carefully, an oil burning kohler that does NOT knock, can still last a lifetime. But the problem is even the best maintainers can slip up and forget to check the level, or push it another 20min and she's toast. So it would be best to re-ring it.

Hey Guys I have 2 312's, a 1987 A and a 1990 H both with 12hp Kohler Magnums. The 312A has 1175 hrs on it and smokes and burns oil quite a bit, still runs good but leaves you stinking pretty good by the time your done. A rebuild is definitely in order but...... I like most of you watch local CL and found a early 90's 314-8 that someone is selling with a 14hp Magnum. Tractor is not in the greatest shape but that's fine because I just want it for parts mainly the motor. Don't know a ton of info on it yet including not knowing the hours but I am told it runs great and is mechanically sound just has cosmetic issues. So I am contemplating buying this 314-8 stripping it down for backup parts and transplanting the 14hp onto one of my current machines. What are the community opinions on this idea? How much stronger is the 14hp then the 12hp? I only mow with 42" decks and blow snow with 42" blowers so the 12's really do just fine, there has only been a handful of times where I thought I could use more power. My thoughts are this would save me from rebuilding a motor right now and id get a machine with a lot of good parts and a currently good running stronger 14hp motor. I would think id put the 14 in my "H" which is all redone and my main machine and then take the 12 that's on the "H" and put it on the "A" then just put the smoking 12 in the corner for a possible future rebuild. I welcome all opinions. And if I were to do this would the 14hp magnum swap right out with the 12 without changing anything? Thanks Paul

here is one for now, wil be a few more once i find them on my other pc Koen

I went to the local brake relining shop and got a 7" square of 3/32 lining. Charged me $1. Marked it out, cut the center hole, JB Weld to the plate with a weight on it over night, trimmed the outside the next day. Works perfect! Also use JB Weld to reline the brake band. Yep... I'm cheap!

Good looking tractor Mike

Epoxy paints come in one or two components plus a reducer. Single part epoxy paints are OK and are better than enamels for corrosion and chemical resistance but a true 2 part or 2K epoxy is best for chemical resistance. Oil refinery tanks that hold gas and components to make gas all are lined with special 2K epoxy systems. Where epoxy paints fall short is they don't do well in the sun, they chalk bad fast. That is where a 2K urethane topcoat makes an excellent system. CARC paint on Military stuff is a moisture cure or 2 K water based urethane with a 2K epoxy underneath...

Definitely nice. No need to restore that one. Looks great as is.

Looks good, and at $150 I'd say it was a pretty good deal.

That is the patina that I love in my herd for sure !!

"Quiet on the course Quiet on the course..." "what the heck is that lopey idle golf cart doing?!?"

If grounding doesn't help it, I would run a hot wire from the battery to the positive side of the coil, which will bypass the ignition switch, solonoid, etc. If it starts with the hot wire, the problem lies somewhere in the ignition system, or possibly one of the safety switches. Its worth a shot...

Now that's cool. He needs to work on his landing though.

I hear he ate well!

Your going to need to put rear steering on it if you plan on keeping the greens nice and tidy!

I am sure that experts will chime in but I think it is running rich at high throttle and unburned gases ignite in mufler when throttle is lowered. My Electro 12 does the same thing. If I shut it off right from high throttle it backfires really loud and shoots a long flame out of exhaust. I just lower throttle gradually and let it idle for a few seconds prior to shut off.

Without being there looking at the two, I'd say its all just unbolt one and bolt in the other when you are talking abut 12 and 14 horsepower magnums.

I know my rights, I know my rights, I know my rights! I have seen that one and another one where the guy Pee's along the road while on a GT. Sorry to bust anyone's bubble, but it is all "staged".

neither can I...... without getting into a big story about the decals, they are getting sorted, with a very big amount of time put in by Terry to try and keep me happy......... Thank you, Terry...... (hang in there, were almost there, I hope!!!!) not ready for any pics, just yet.....

Nice every one on the greens will be jealous. Nice work :)

I like the new sunshade Ed.

I looked at the first picture and thought ... now if that just had a place to hold a beverage of choice, George Jones would be in tears right now. Then I went to the second picture and it all came together!! lol Great Job. So I assume the hydraulic cylinder is for added stability and control when using the foot control to cut down on jerky movements? Also like your heater. Might get so hot in there you may have to rig a flap or something to let some cold air in ... or open the door I guess... I am glad I am not the only one working on a cab in the middle of July. PS I also had fear of your 520 being turned into some kind of sulky when I read the title. That would be cruel and unusual punishment for a horse

Bob, I would say that your spare #3523 gear would be Ok in a horse that is not a worker. I think it would pop out under a load like moving snow. Don't throw it away.

yes it is leather I had the contents of my pouch in a 24x36 frame on display at the wheel horse show this year with the tractor Brian

That would be your call Paul. With both motors in top condition I don't see where there would be any advantage in doing a double swap. The 14 is a bit more powerful so if you really wanted it in the 312-H the swap is quite easy. I'm not sure if the PTO is the same on your two and the donor but even if it isn't it still will be a direct swap. You'll have all the parts you need and things will bolt right up.

Nice to see another member out west... Especially from Salt Lake City. (I've been waiting for someone from SLC to join!) It is curious that we don't have more.... I'll elaborate in a minute, but first, a question.... is your climate out there hard on equipment (i.e. garden tractors?) I just honestly don't know if the "Salt Lake City" air is corrosive to metal like the winter salt roads are to people where it snows. I ask because I've always had a theory that there should be more early Wheel Horses (Rjs and Suburbans) found out west.... and there haven't been. From lots of searching over the years, I found this ad some time ago.... This was a late 1957 or early 1958 ad for Boyd Martin Co, who was one of the early distributors for Wheel Horse. Looking on Google Earth at the address you can easily tell the building at that address was a large distribution/sales facility... Surely they must have actually sold some... so where did they go? I can't tell when they stopped being a distributor, or when they went out of business. As a local to SLC, do you have any insight?

Was in Illinois visiting family for the 4th this past weekend, and took a whirlwind trip over to southern Michigan and back to pick up a tractor and attachment. Wish I would have had time to arrange to meet up with some members since I know there are a bunch of you over in that area, but it was already busy being a holiday weekend and I needed to get back for a family cookout in the evening. Anyone live near this dealer? It's at the edge of Bridgman on the corner of Lemon Creek Road and Red Arrow Highway. Just curious, as obviously the old Wheel Horse sign on the left caught my eye. Or anyone live by Nyes Apple Barn? Stopped for some fresh produce at Dutch Market Farm in South Haven... fresh blueberries and sweet cherries.... can you say yummy!!!??? Also stopped at Lemon Creek Winery just outside Berrien Springs for a few more souvenir flavors to take home. I knew Michigan had some good fruit, but have never been there to experience it first hand. As a kid grown up on orchard fruit I know there's nothing better in the world than fresh fruit. Very jealous of what you south western Michigan guys have readily at hand! I had never heard of the area being such a wine producer though.... going to have to bring the wife back for a few days and check it out more thoroughly when we can. One last memory I'll share from the trip.... at the stop when I met and got my new tractor and attachment was the parking lot of a good old Mickey D's.... you know fast food restaurants don't allow walk-ups to the drive thru.... guess that doesn't apply when the vehicle itself is walking?

Do you know the model number of this deck and the serial number? This may apply The spindles should stay in good alignment on the 48" decks because of the heavy reinforcement plate on top of the deck pan. Possibly a spindle assembly has been replaced with one a little different? Garry

Now that looks like one "HAPPY HORSE". You should start a thread in the electrical forum for help on the charging issue. Detailed info will come on how to locate the problem. Hopefully it is a bad regulator ..... a $20 five minute replacement.

I'll be sure to let you know when I make it back over there Jake... never had such fresh blueberries before... they were pretty awesome. Appears to be the prime of your season... are you busy harvesting?

Ahhhhh!!! She runs! And it's awesome - we got new tires, 6.5 width but they fit - we couldn't find any original size - our starter has a soft spot so were looking for a new one, if anyone has a rebuildable one ... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Give it a shot of carb cleaner or starting fluid and see if she pops off It may be flooded

The C-165 is a shaker plate mounted motor. Check for a GOOD ground between the engine and shaker plate to frame. A bad ground will give you a weak spark...at best. You can try running a separate ground from motor to neg. side of battery too.

Thanks for posting that one up Koen! I'm a tad camera shy so Steve had to coerce me into stepping in front of the laptop.......glad I did now ! Mike.......

Sounds like you have it figured out. Yes, sometimes that is all it takes is a few pieces of wire stuck in the right pace, Glad you found it and figured it out...you should be good now. Let us know if that works for you.

I wonder what the line workers thought as they were putting together the last of the Wheel Horses. I met a gentleman last year who had recently retired (after 40 years of service) from Toro. He told me the day Toro stopped production of the Wheel Horse was one of the saddest days of his life.

You can avoid trying to take up slop with shims by taking up any slop with a split shaft collar. And you won't have to trust to a flimsy C clip to hold the wheel on. I switched to these collars some years ago on my two "C" chassis; one of the niftiest ideas obtained here in Red Square. http://www.usabearingsandbelts.com/m7/1SC-075--3-4-single-split-shaft-collar.html

Hope this comes up so you can see it, but it is the only pic I have so far. Not me driving, it is my neice's son. It was also quite windy so the skirt blew up, exposing the wagon. Someone in my family took a video, but havent seen it. It was a real hit, everyone loved it. It's a 1965 Lawn Ranger With fenders, seat and tools box from something older. I worked at Toro, so it was disasembled and powder coated at Toro. Also got to see the last classic get crated up, and shipped out. Was kind of a sad day!

Old school mid '80's Lamborghini Countach with the gull wing doors.

So after I got my 310-8. I scanned thru this forum quite a bit, because I needed to split the transmission, but after that, I kept checking up and observing different things. Before being here, I had no idea that a dirt plow could be attached to these tractors, or really, all that much else about them. I really have learned quite a bit from being here. So, after researching, and getting a plow and a disc, and doing some planting, I have a garden that is coming along great! I have a little bit of everything growing in it, and learning things here and there about it. I am just so excited that I was able to go thru and make a garden this year! If I had told myself two years ago that I'd have a garden growing at this time, I wouldn't have believed it! but hey, things interest you, and you get into it! Here is my garden, as of 3 days ago: I have to do some de-weeding tomorrow I think!

Thats what I was thinking. My hydraulic guy said he has hundreds of customers with Sundstrand pumps, everything from wood chippers to vibrating rollers, and they ALL use hydraulic oil.

Not making much progress ... friggen HOT!!! Anyway, I had some old magnets laying around, so I bolted them to an old wood rack, and came up with a great table top tool for holding part. They are strong enough to hold whatever I put up there ... well, not the axles!! You can see one here holding a fender, plus a few other little pieces.

Roger, I heard that Terry's shop is getting really busy again so he may not be checking the forum regularly. If you go directly to his web site (ReDoYourHorse.com), you may get a quicker reply. I can tell you, though, that his decals are of the best quality you'll find anywhere! Duff :thumbs: