Leaderboard

The property next door to me has been abandon for over two years. I offered to keep it mowed but the mortgage company declined my offer so it sat empty and unmowed for two years. Last night when I got home a young lady was attempting to mow with a push mower. I introduced myself and discovered she was the new owner. After thinking about this last evening, I decided the Raider should make a contribution to this young lady's project. Four gallons of gas and four hours later, we had the place mowed. We ran with the deck @‌ max height @‌ WOT in low 1st and 2nd. Seat time !!! I hope She is surprised and pleased when she returns.

Towed another one home for the barn today. Had too much room to move I guess and the price was right... Its a 77 or 78 C-81 8 speed that lost the original K-181 and has been repowered with a K-301 12 horsepower. I have been watching this tractor mow for 2 years now. At the end of last year it disappeared and a shiny plastic white and yellow thing showed up in its place. Two weeks ago I had the GT-14 cutting about a half acre up the road from the farm here (Before the steering broke and I had to limp home) where we used to have a building and the neighbor came over and thanked me for keeping it mowed. We spoke for awhile and he commented on seeing many horses about the farm. I asked where his disappeared last year and he said he couldn't get it started 1 weekend and after a local dealer looked at it, said it was junk and promptly sold him a 26 horse plastic Cub with a bagger. He asked me if I wanted the ol' girl and I told him heck yes. He wouldn't take anything for it because it didnt run. SO I got me a free tractor.... Jeb and I ran up with his Charger 12 tonight and towed it home.... 1 mile home...Literally stole it from my back yard almost. It wont turn over, battery dead, oil in engine is clear and tranny gear lube is clear as well. I can spin the engine with a ratchet so its not seized. Just gotta figure out whats her trouble is.... Not sure what she's going to end up being....Probably a worker restoration. It needs back tires but I have a pretty decent set of old turf Savers for it... Probably paint and definitely some Vinyl Guy specials of the C121 variety. It had headlights at one time so I will get a set as well at the upcoming show hopefully... Getting the Allied Dethatcher put on her because its a late 70's model. I haven't decided where the 42Rdeck is going either..maybe sell it. Or maybe I'll mow with it...Lord knows the GT-1 4 is broke more than it runs and the 12 should be less fuel compared to the '74 C-160 8 speed...

could have used a sickle for that stuff. A hay baler might be in order....

A couple of weeks ago I asked Brian to send me a couple of his diaphragms that he makes for Kohler vacuum-style fuel pumps. They have been sitting on my desk, in front of the computer since they arrived. Well, today I started my 857 for the first time since putting it away in the shed last fall. When I parked it last year, I noticed that the engine would not keep running without being choked. I figured that I has some junk in the carburetor. But after removing the carburetor and cleaning it, I still had the problem. So I removed the fuel pump to find that the diaphragm was quite deformed, and actually stuck to the bottom of the pump. So I grabbed a new "buckaphragm", installed it, and voila, problem solved. Thanks again Brian for your quality part.

Even ore impressive than the job the Raider did is your kindness and caring to welcome your new neighbor. I hope she realizes how blessed she is to have you as a neighbor.

I was trying to find a picture of somebody that would try to mow that lawn with a push mower...she kept popping up.

This thread is worthless with out pictures......of your new Neighbor!!!

Steve, cents you're retired you have no time to mow it more often! Ed, those pics are calendar shots!

My Mom's grass looks close to that every week when I go over there to mow it. Excellent pictures Ed and very nice of you to do that for her.

Exactly my thoughts! That would have been a fantastic yard to be able to try out a side-mounted sickle! That's mighty neighborly of you Ed. It's a shame that the mortgage company turned down your offer, but the reality is that it's just them protecting themselves. If you damaged the property or got hurt doing it they could have potential liability, and they they don't want to put that risk into a property that they're just sitting on. I am surprised they don't contract a lawn service to mow it though, just to keep the varmints and squatters at bay.

Ed, mighty nice of you. And holy smokes, how high that grass is. Plenty for the horse to chew on. Glenn

In my neck of the woods, you would have passed out before you finished by the amount of blood loss from the ticks that would have inhabited that. It did a nice job! I hope she appreciates it and that they are good neighbors.

Would love to see that first one in the calender.

Good story and pics Ed!

Well, I could always try and borrow this one from a friend our ours Here's a picture from a couple years ago when I was just finishing up the 401 and a friend was working on building the stack for me. Sure looks different with single wheels on the rear. Sure could fit some horses in this rig though! Anyways as for what we'll bring, probalby going to take our flatbed from the farm this year, has a 12ft long bed on it so should be able to bring a couple horses and still have room just in case we find anything we can't live without. Don't have any pictures of it.

Always nice to see someone "pay it forward"

Someone could " learn " from this!

I had the herd outside today to do some cleaning and first start's of the yr. in preparation for the Big Show... Even shot a quick video... http://vid187.photobucket.com/albums/x201/flyinaceman/20150610_180322_zpsxej6u5gn.mp4

Most of my tractors have Brian's diaphragm in the fuel pump too, Bob. Sure glad he sells those.

we had our UK meeting last weekend and after a few beers we decided to see who was the daddy ​http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7PV3UYBUdM

​Hope you enjoy mowing her yard, because I hear her hubby and kid are lazy as all get out. lol

​I found If I only took a 2/3 cut, using the left and center blades to cut and the right one to chop the hay, it would not clog up. When I took a full cut, the right blade was trying to push out 2' long grass and it would get caught on the back side of the chute opening and keep building up and closing the opening. ​Plenty of ticks here also BOO. But they don't bite me as I have had Lyme Disease for 35 years , so ticks, vampires and rabid dogs are afraid to taste my blood. I am hoping for a good neighbor also. She didn't show up today. I hope she isn't out looking for a person to mow, or worse shopping at HD or Lowes for a green tractor.

Bill, I pulled out all my plaques, and I seem to be missing the 14th Annual Wheel Horse Show plaque from 2012. Would you have one of those extra? Please. Thanks Bill

looking good just did the same thing for my brothers new property

Someone from RS has offered to take this - Thank everyone for the comments and looking. Denny This little Suburban needs a home. I have had this for 15 plus years and had planned to restore it but I just have more than I can handle. Its time for someone else to restore it to its former glory. I was given this free so I'm giving it free to anyone who comes to pick it up (Brainerd, Minnesota). It comes with a 32" deck. The engine is a Clinton. Everything is original as far as I can tell but the seat is different from any that I have seen as it is solid without holes. Denny (612) 764-2543

Impromptu random acts of kindness and charity. Awesome example to set!

good stuff Ed!! I too like to help the neighbors out with my horses but most of the time its for my own enjoyment I mowed lawn for my neighbor earlier this year that was probably about half as tall with my 42" sd on my new 417-a with the kt twin. I went right at it deck full down and only had some small issues with it clumping and not flying out of the chute, never enough to stop me though. Did you have any issues with all that grass or did your eat right through it?

That's cuz he's too busy out front... posing for Dino on the bench.

​I luv my HH120 in the C-120 Ken, But I elected to use the Raider and Kohler Power. The guv was full open most of the time.

Nice Job Ed. I bet the ole Tecky was gettin into the governor on that grass cuttin!

Well I'm glad, (I think), I'm not the only one who saw this before. This 417 was garaged it's whole life which is why I'm doing a restore even though it will be a worker. The member I bought it from who most likely doesn't visit anymore since this was his only WH reminds me of Brad Garrett on Everybody Loves Raymond. Nice guy and big! Not fat at all! Just 6'5" and BIG! His father is a big guy too so I can see the tower having some "stress" on it especially if mowing sidehills, etc, after 1200 hours. I'll post some pics once I'm done with it. I just hope I still want to mow and blow with it. I hate to keep parade tractors but my 857 has turned into one and it doesn't look that nice.

I'll be campin out in the Hippie van...

I had that problem on my dad's old blower, turned out it was the fuel lines becoming dry and getting micro cracks. It wouldn't be enough to leak, but was enough to let air through and not prime. New fuel and vent lines solved it right up! My current equipment has not shown any of these symptoms.

yep, its really coming on! thanks for the kind words everyone! nice to here there is still plenty of interest, if you feel i have missed something out, or have any suggestions i would love to here them. I'm up for a challenge! the project isn't part of my course but me, the engineering teacher and technician get on well, the technician is into all things vintage/old. i did get an A for another piece of course work though, i made a lathe counter shaft with motor clutch. Its good to hear somebody else has modded an A-series, they are great little lawn tractors (mine a soon-to-be garden tractor!) I welded up the front spindles today, first time welding, i think it went pretty well. after a quick grind and file I installed them putting plenty of grease on the hub spindle so the hubs will come off if i ever need them to. i love the new bigger wheel! here's some pictures, what do you reckon to my first welds? you can see i got some good heat in there: ground back, then filed in the places i couldn't reach: hubs installed: looking very heavy duty: from the front, plenty of ground clearance now: heard back from the transmission company, i was quoted £500 for a 70nm angle drive!!!!!! I asked for anything cheaper and for the same specs i have got them down to just over £300. still pretty pricey, not sure what you guys make of this? they are good units, cast iron, oil filed helical cut gears, plenty HD enough. I might start work on an idler pulley, its a bit risky doing it before getting the angle drive but it will be out of the way i reckon. hope you enjoyed this update, Callum

Thanks for the information, I appreciate it. Matt suspended production for now, he plans to ramp up production with a vendor from what I understand. I am sure it's worth the wait.

Not tried it yet, but bendy made mincemeat of C4 when we did the first tug of war

​Cool Ad. I have to ask... I've seen the old gear drive mower decks with the side shields mounted upside down like in the picture above as well as mounted in place on the side. Is there a reason for this? Seems kind of dangerous with the sides open while mowing????

I just added one to my 551, i still need to work on the pedal and clutch. those photos will help me also thanks,

I'll make you feel better Mike. I'll go one under you with my Ranger and a 5'x8'.

That is sowing some good seed Denny! You show how the Red Square family is Tops!

Well lemme start by introducing myself. I live in Indianapolis IN and I work in aviation building interiors for private airplanes. I'm 29 and I think my love for Wheel Horse's started way back when I was very young. I spent every summer at my grandparents house and one thing that has always been a great memory to me is Grandpa's tractor. He always owned a Wheel Horse from when I can remember. I remember many days after riding on his knee mowing the yard we would stop for lunch and you'd be sure to find me sitting on the tractor eating mine. I would do anything I could to ride on the tractor with him, who can resist such a cute face :). Many times me and my older brother would sneak down to the barn just to try and start it with out Grandpa knowing about it. We would wash and wax the tractor any chance we could get. I'm sure he was appreciative of that since it kept his Horse clean and kept him from having to do it! We would ride around in the cart hooked up to it until he kicked us out! So many great childhood and teenage year memories were made with Grandpa and his tractor. He sold his Wheel horse in about 2007/08 and got a zero turn. He couldn't swing his leg over the shifter and steering wheel anymore. This is me and him on what I think is his old C-120. Here is my older brother on the same tractor Here's me eating lunch as usual on his last Wheel Horse. The same model I picked up , a 312-8 Me (in the red hoodie) and my Cousin riding on Grandpas lap on his C-120 My mom is driving in this picture. She thinks its around 1975-1976. Not sure of the model tractor. Heres me and all the cousins getting pulled in the cart with his 312-8 One last one, me on his lap, my brother on the bar and my cousin in the cart. Grandpa passed away in 2010 and life kinda went on for me just enjoying those memories. Until recently. Me and my wife moved into a house in October of 2014. We got a decent amount of snow her in Indy and there was no way I could shovel our driveway. So I decided I could just smash it all down with my truck. That worked kinda until I got the car stuck in the driveway on my way to work one morning. After about 20-30 min I was able to get out and once I was at work I text my wife and told her we are either getting a new car, a snow blower or a tractor with a plow. Well, she wasnt going for the car and a good snow blower will run you $450-650 so I opted to find a tractor with a plow. I knew it had to be a Wheel Horse since I knew how reliable and versatile they are. I also have a soft spot for them since I have so many good memories with one. To Craigslist I went and until two weeks ago I couldn't find a good deal. I found this 1990 312-8. I came with a snow blower a 42" deck, wheel weights, chains, and all the original owners manuals. Tractor ran great and started right up when I went to look at it. By no means is this thing pristine though, but it had everything I needed and it was all in working order. Here she is on all her glory. Only paid $450 for everything. I will upload many more tomorrow, but for now I have to go, the wife is requesting my presence! Hope you guys enjoy and hopefully this turns out as nice as I hope it will!

It doesn't haul a lot of tractors, but it'll be a great place to sleep

That's perfectly fine for the axles. Check the end play on the input shaft with it in 3rd gear. If there's any then it could mean the input gear is slightly disengaging from the 3rd/2nd gear. Not a good thing.

And a little more progress today...

I finally get to do this! Leaving the previous owner: Heading down the intercoastal:

imagine the news headlines "local police deputy outrun by lawn mower... air to ground team clocks the red blurr at triple digit speeds"

For me... This one really hits the spot ​Very bad ass! Is that front wheel camber intentional for handling?

Store probably forgot to put oil in it.