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Here is the reason - a family history since 1961 of owning Wheel Horse Garden Tractors! My dad, my brother and I do this! I even got my wife Ruth to like one model -the 1958 RJ ! 1961 50 years later!

This is my reason. This is my grandpa and myself at 1year old in the top picture. 26 years later grandpa took another photo with my twin boys on the same tractor which I now have. Not 6 months after the last picture grandpa passed away.

Flip? As in...

5 years old sitting on my dads 701 nuff said

It's so cold that my lawyer has his hands in his own pockets.

Here's what drugg home today electro 12 PTO is missing and one hub cap I will post better pics when I get it home

Wheel Horse tractors have a fascinating history from the early days in the Pond garage until Toro killed the brand. They are fun to ride, well constructed, easy to work on/repair/restore/rebuild, and for the most part, replacement parts are still readily available. Four years ago, I knew absolutely nothing about Wheel Horse tractors other than my dad bought one new in 1962 when I was 6 years old. He sold it sometime in the '70s. Flashforward some 40 years, my uncle found my dad's old Wheel Horse 3-1/2 years ago. He picked it up from the son of the gentleman who actually bought it from my dad. My uncle knew that I had driven this tractor as a youngster and was pretty sure that I'd be interested in it so he got it for free and then gave it me for free. It took me three years to restore it from this in 2011... ... to this in 2014... I now have collected 10 Wheel Horse tractors in the past 3-1/2 years including... ... a show quality 1955 RJ-35... ... a nearly original, early serial number 1958 RJ-58... ... a 1977 C-120 puller... ... my worker, a 1995 314-8 speed... ... and my most recent purchase last month of a 1990 520-H... Collecting and restoring Wheel Horse garden tractors is now my #1 hobby and best of all... you will not meet any better people than Wheel Horse collectors at the many garden tractor shows around the country... and here at RedSquare, the source where you will find everything you need to know about your Wheel Horses.

There was a red Work Horse also..

What started in 1973 was a lawn ranger to plow snow ...40 years later (an 40+ WHs later) I have proof that the addiction has become a friendship thing....one day I had to upgrade my cell phone..young gal started downloading my contact list (she said it would only take a minute)...minutes later she said "how many people do you know?...then she said did you know you have 364 contacts?...I said "is that all".....cause you see I have met a ton on people because of that little red ranger and I always save their phone number....probably half of the numbers belong to you guys....if I've ever met you or talked to you I've got your number and consider you as MY FRIEND....and my RS member number is seven (7) so proof that I know alot of you guys (including Mr Cecil Pond). So if you want to be added to my list of 364. just call me about anything that is faded red and makes noise...I'll probably add ya~~!!......816-806-9774 PS: I still have that little faded red Lawn Ranger and snow blade!!....might get to use it this week!!!

I got the sheet metal back from the welder. I had all the cracks TIG welded, and the weld goes all the way through the crack. Below is an example of the finished repair on the worst crack in the upper dash panel. My friend is a great welder (and Wheel Horse owner as well), and always does an excellent job. BEFORE AFTER WELD AND GRIND AFTER SAND AND PRIME More pictures will follow, but I am a little busy at the moment and can't devote as much time to the project as I'd like.

I decided I want to pull the engine and rebuild it this winter and have it ready for the Spring. I watched Ebay carefully and scored some great deals on what I need to do the job. I grabbed an NOS Kohler complete gasket kit for $20.00 with free shipping ! Then I scored a NOS STD. piston and ring set for $75.00 ! That's half what the Kohler wants. Not sure if it's gonna need valves but I'll see when it's completely dis-assembled. I'm hoping the crankshaft and the rest of the internals are good but we'll see.

My guy is great. Never wants any money, but ends up taking a little for "material". If you can't weld yourself, it's nice to know a good welder. If you don't know plumbing or electrical, it's nice to have friends that do. If you don't know "horses", it's great when you find RedSquare.

About 7 months ago, I had no idea what a Wheel Horse was. Then I saw my neighbor had this, what I thought was this ole' lawn mower with a snow blade on it. And I thought "man that would be nice for the winter" . So I asked him if he would sell it. Sure thing I was the owner of this rusty ole' lawn mower with a snow blade and would only start with starting fluid. So then I decided it was time to get this thing running better so I didn't have to use the starting fluid trick anymore. And then the rest of it is history. And the history goes like this. I was overwhelmed by the amount of people that were sincere about the Wheel Horse brand. Then I did my own research on the history of Wheel Horse. Found out they were based out of South bend, bonus! I'm a Notre Dame fanatic! Then there were the actual people on this site. Just reading the comments they posted about my "rusty ole' lawn mower", I could tell that they were excited at any progress I was making. And the help they have given me on all of my tractors drove home their passion for this tractor. And that passion was passed onto me and now these "rusty ole' lawn mowers" have consumed me. And I love every minute of it. And the friends I have made from this piece of metal are some of the best you can ask for. So is it the tractor itself or is the friends I have made? This logo " " is now very near and dear to me because it is a constant reminder of all of my friends around the world I have made because of this tractor! I think I'm tearing up now... Sorry for the wall of text... I guess I never answered the original question either. I guess I would call myself a collector. I usually buy the ones that don't run and get them running then keep them because I can't bring myself to sell any of them. My garage has turned into the stable, my truck now has to sit in the cold long winters and I have to scrape the ice and snow off my truck every morning. That's my sacrifice to keep the brand alive! Long Live

Not had a lot of time in the garage of late, so I had a few hours to spare (not really) so I decided to give my tractor a coat of Ducati red paint (virtual paint) what do you think?

Just picked up a 2002 F250 Super Duty 7.3 diesel 4x4 1 owner with 216456 miles.100% stock. Has a few issues, but one more thing off my Bucket list!

Colder than a Tibetan tin toilet top!

75 B80 with plow, 93 520H I put in Matt's hydro pedal. It works great! After using a cab, I won't go without one again.

Why do I buy?? That's a good question. It's my hobby, it's what I enjoy. Pretty simple to work on. Dad bought the first Wheel Horse in 72'. Yes it was a GT14. A fantastic tractor which I got to know quite well over a period of four years before Calif.. I plowed an awful lot of snow tilled more dirt than you can shake a stick at. Probably mowed about two acres a week sometimes more. With the pushing snow in mind I get out and clear the walks here in my neighborhood. So no one pays me I enjoy it! That's why I buy because its enjoyable to me and alot of my friends!! We have a fantastic time, go to the Big show!!!! Go to a swap meet, sell tractors or attachments, camp overnight and hang out with nothing but Good people. Once you get involved you'll Know

Why do I buy? Many times I ask myself that. I know that the first time the first one came home one beautifull afternoon, and as me and my oldest son were just in awe of it, knowing virtually nothing about it at the time, I did have a sense that somehow, due to the happiness and joy we felt, that this little faded red old tractor had just taken over our lives. I collect and have interest in all kinds of stuff, but this was just different. It was a life changing moment. It made an already great father/son relationship even greater. It made me aware of a great American story about survival, perseverence, ingenuity, and family. It gave me the opportunity to meet and to know a lot of great people and learn stuff I would not even dream of doing if not for that day. It made me apreciate even more the great things that were manafactured in a great period of this country. So still the question.Why do I buy? More definitely make me happier. More definitely allow me to learn more. More definitely expose me to more great people. More definitely increases the chance of saving pieces of history. More definitely exposes other people to them and and allows them to share the happiness. I use them all in a regular basis. Some to do serious work, some to just ride around, and some just to look at and enjoy them. There is also a great deal of sentimental value attached to a few of them and it is a fact that they will be around here for at least the next two generations.

All of the above, including the sentimental. Many threads exist on this site concerning why some of the members do what they do. I think if you spend some time going into the different sections on the main page...like...Restorations, Tractors, Show pictures, etc and do some reading, you will answer your own question. BTW, I got into it the same way you did. My Dad passed and he had 4 horses in his shed. I started fixing them up, found this place and never looked back. Welcome to the hobby.

I just got off the phone with Terry from REDO YOUR HORSE. I was able to select just the decals I needed for my upper and lower console on my 308-8. What a great guy, so easy to do business with. In a world of big corporations and take it or leave it philosophy, it is nice to see that customer service is alive and well here.

Its always exciting when another one gets dragged home!

According to the paper work that I have...the Raider 8 was only made in 1972. Model # 1-0330...Kohler 8 hsp engine # K181S-30461D...8 speed Wheel Horse transmission # 5086. (4 pinion differential with 1" axles). Welcome to Red Square With the 10 hsp Kohler in it, you might as well call it a 1972 Raider 10...model # 1-0301...the trans is the same. Here is a picture of my 1972 Raider 10...

pulled the horses out today for some sunshine but all we got was a cold windy day instead sorry about the pic guys I don't understand why it keeps turning them sideways

"Colder than my ex-wifes heart".

The horses need vitamin D for shinny coats.

I'd say cast iron. And even if it's steel I'd take to someone who knows how to weld iron. Pre heat, nickel rod and slow cool down.

Got down to -39.2F here yesterday plus windy. The Horses didn't start because I didn't. Garry

Warning: Long WInded. I grew up on a 1984 C-105 that my dad bought when he was building our house about 1987 (I was 1). Rode on it when I was a wee one and plowed snow on it and cut the 1 acre of grass for probably 10 years. My dad had no special attachment to it so when the engine went for a second time about 2010, he parked it and bought a Deere. I had so many memories growing up on it that I told him to keep it for me, I would restore it. I remember giving my cousins rides in the wagon and many many hours spend in the seat cutting grass (and cursing the 8 speed transmission when cutting the back corner of the yard ) I always LOVED when it snowed to get some seat time pushing snow. I remember always chatting with my dad about how much better built the WH seemed than all the other garden tractors we'd ever seen. When my dad bought the new Deere he had to pay nearly $200 for the kit to angle the snow blade from the seat! That feature CAME with the WH plow over 20 years prior! We always liked how the long plow frame put the pushing power right at the drive wheels. I signed up for the old RedSquare way back in the day (I just found my old registration email! I signed up on 2/1/2010) to find out information on them. I lurked without posting for many years but then I got bit by the bug after buying a C-125 to replace the engine in the C-105. After learning all about them I started searching for the grandaddy kohler powered C-165 with a hydro transmission. I found a ratty one on ebay and voila i owned my third tractor! Then I found a little round hood I want to have for my son(s) to work on too. I bought a 520 because I really wanted the gear reduction steering and swept axle for better turning radius, but then I got sucked in by the sound of the onan (dont get me wrong, Kohler for reliability, but Onan sounded sweet) so I am making a swept axle onan powered blackhood.

This has quickly become a really cool thread! Thanks for starting it nrowles.

I buy Wheel Horse tractors to use. None of mine are really "beauty queens", although I want to someday paint one up and keep it "for show" only. I actually started "messing" with mowers at an early age and have continued..... I was 2 years old when this photo was taken....May 1957.

Our Horses are social animals and require company. Stallions need hugs 'n rubs. That's why we ride 'em, fix their wounds, use hoof dressing, and polish the Horses. It is impossible to have a single, solitary, lonely Horse. He would scrap away. That's why we give the elegant gorgeous Horses company! It's like the Lone Ranger once said, "Hey! I need backup Horseys! Bring more Tonto!" Isn't that right Geno Autry? My 1st Horse, early '70's. Great hobby for myself, sons, and now grandsons. Sure, we've sold a few but only to make room for more. Our 1st tractor was a '32 Farmall, 4 cyl, crank start. I've been told but never confirmed, 1st year rubber tires were used on the Farmall's. Was a Rough 'n Tumble, Kinzers, PA member for many years. http://www.roughandtumble.org/

sayings or jokes here, keeping in mind it's a family forum. It's the perfect time for this with it being 6F here tonight and the cold snap that will be with us for awhile.. It's colder than a Mother in Law's kiss out there.

Being new to the Wheel Horse world, the following these tractors get amazes me. It seems many of you on this site have many in the herd and you buy more. I'm just curious why you buy more and what you guys do with them??? Do you use them all, fix them and sell them, just add them to the collection to sit around, flip them, etc. I got into this because my pap passed and I wanted a sentimental piece.

bryan please call on this, and i will walk you through it. 651 437 2826 cent time zone. thank you boomer ( the used onan engine parts guy )

I bought my first at the Florida Flywheelers show about twenty years ago. I had some property that we were developing and wanted a rouged mower to keep the weeds down. I saw my 1055 and took it for a test mow: I was hooked! I was telling a coworker (fellow old junk lover) about it just before he went on vacation, he emailed me a couple of pictures of my first 953 and offered to haul it home from Ohio; just $200, I couldn't pass it up! These are the two shown to the left. When we moved from Florida to North Carolina the house we bought came with a 312-8, I guess it was meant to be. I was so impressed with the first 953 that I soon had another 953 and a suburban and an RJ, then when I decided I wanted a front end loader the only logical thing to do was buy a GT-14 with a loader. They all serve a purpose, They make me HAPPY!

Yes,, what Geno said that Craig said.

Because if I didn't spend my money wisely on Wheel Horse collecting.....my wife would probably spend it fixing up the broken down car or on much needed house repairs!!!

Last night was so cold I had to make sure to bring my Brass Monkey indoors.

Colder than a well diggers azz in the Klondike.

That's a good looking herd Tristan, horses need sunshine.

I've lengthened a few frame. 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 4 1/2" long angle iron, two (2) pcs. 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 12" long angle iron, two (2) pcs. 1/2" dia rod x 4 1/2" long, one (1) pc. 1/8" dia rod x 36" long, one (1) pc. Cut the frame forward of the lift link. tack weld the 4 1/2" spacer in, both sides. Back up these smaller pcs using the 12" long angle iron, both sides. Stitch well the angle iron, securely. Cut the 1/2" dia angle rod (or whatever it's called), weld in the 1/2" x 4 1/2" rod. Bend the 1/8" dia rod to fit the angle pin release. Sounds like a lot of work but, easy enough and works well.

My horses are 30 to 60 years old and still perform like they are new. It's hard to not like something that reliable!

I have wanted one of these for years and it had to be the 7.3! I have worked on a lot of Diesels and in my experiance this is one of the easyest and most dependable. I am not a big Ford fan, But the Super Duty is the only one I like. And it finally has come down enough to fit my budget.

I see you guys haven't grown up yet! I had a 604 growing up. About 8 years ago I went to a local steam show and somebody had a mess of horses there. "WOW somebody collects these! The next day I found RED SQUARE! I all ready had a 210-H that had some old school parts still on it. Went to the Big Show in PA searching for a 604. Got a 704 with a KOHLER!!! . Wanted a bigger tractor to mow and plow with and found a C-160. Now I have 5 and that's the limit. I have found a few That I fixed up and resold to fund future trips to PA. I need extra money to buy parts so I can keep Steve entertained as I walk back and forth carrying stuff. If you go to the show, be careful of the seedy characters that hang around the bus stop!

I never heard of a Wheel Horse until the year I bought my 310-8 (1991) -- My neighbor had an old Raider (I think) and said he had purchased it on the recommendation of people who knew about garden and lawn tractors -- So I included Wheel Horse in my search for something new to mow a steep lawn and push snow -- Wheel Horse won my search effort because it was the least expensive (compared to JD; Honda, Cub; Oh yeah now I remember seriously considering a new Snapper that was in the same ball park in $s and capabilities as the 310-8) of real garden tractors at the time (well maybe Honda was a lawn tractor, but they were priced just like the other good stuff) -- 23+ years later still using the 310-8 and liked it enough to go out and purchase a 1987 418-A 2 years ago (just so I could say I had one of the bigger WH tractors and now I had a hydrostatic Wheel Horse) -- Also have started adding more attachments as I find them (mid-mount blade; tiller; and maybe a blower if I decide to spend a few bucks {a snow blower would be useful every 3-4 years in this part of the country}) -- So far I have purchased them to use them with a little bit of "now I can afford to buy some toys" collecting working its way in here in the last few years

Your 312-8 has magneto ignition that is self powered. The lone ignition wire is simply grounded to shut the engine off. When the wire is not grounded the engine should run. The safety switch under the seat must be open for the engine to run when the pto is ON. Operator falls out of seat with the pto ON and the engine quits because the seat switch closes. Sometimes this seat switch is very close to closing and a bump is all it takes to close it and stop the engine. When the pto is OFF the ignition switch should be the only thing that shuts the engine OFF. If the ignition wire has bad insulation from wearing on a sharp edge the bared wire will also shut the ignition down because the sharp edge is a chassis ground. The starter circuit has nothing to do with the ignition. Make sure you do not allow any battery power into the ignition wire because that will burn up the ignition coil. Here is a good wiring diagram that may help. Each circuit has it's own diagram. Let us know what you find. Garry

I always wanted an 50's, 60's or early 70's car to restore. I have always worked with my hands and went to school for auto mechanics in the 80's. By the time I had some money saved up in the early 90's the prices skyrocketed and I got married so it got put on the back burner. Well since the economy tanked and my house only has a one car garage that dream is going to have to wait till I retire and move south. So in the mean time about 8 years ago I began collecting the older Wheel Horse Tractors to restore. They don't cost nearly as much as a car would and they don't take up much space at all. My kids and I take them to shows and parades. They're not cars but they are actually just as much fun! That's my reason.

Once 'n awhile, grandson(s) say, "The Horses need to go outside for awhile." OK boys, let's do it.

Okay, so I got it off. First of all, do not try to twist it. The shaft has a flat side about 2-1/2" long inside the knob, and the knob is molded with a flat side on the inside. I got PB Blaster to soak in, and it softened the glue on the strip of double-sided tape that was applied to the flat on the shaft. Then I took an old adjustable wrench and placed it around the shaft and under the bottom edge of the knob. Then I tapped the wrench. The knob moved, so I kept on tapping until it was off.