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I stopped over SteveBo's and borrowed one of his 702s to see how it would look with the loader in position. I think it is to big for it. I then rolled out my C-160 and put the loader in position on that. It looks to me like that's the perfect combination. I think I'll build a subframe like the Kwik-Way or ARK loaders used. This way I won't have to modify the C-160 at all.

I have been using that 704 that we had on the trailer for sale ever since the Mentone Swap Meet! When I saw these pictures again today I said to myself what was I thinking !

I bought a work horse brand new in August 1984 still have it. Although it doesn't have an hour meter on it I know it has thousands of hours on it. That Briggs has never let me down. I mowed commercially with it for almost ten years,tilled gardens,plowed driveways,etc. She is still going strong!

That's a great deal at that price! Run don't walk! Buy it and get it home before someone else does seeing as you showed the telephone number on his for sale tag. The 3 point parts alone are worth $350 to $400. The deck is probably worth $200 to $400 depending on true condition. Sheet metal looks real straight and don't see rust. I would be all over it like a Hobo on a ham sandwich! Just my $.02. If you can get it any cheaper then better yet.

Picked up a Work Horse last year, 16 hp 2-cylinder Briggs, runs fine. I've used the Work Horse for snow (48" blade), mowing (48" SD deck), pulling a 17 cu ft loaded cart. No problems what-so-ever. Not a Briggs fan, love Kohlers (older models) and my 520-8 Onan. I could be wrong 'cause this Briggs puts out! The lift / height adjust was not on Work Horses. Via eBay, I added the height adjust parts, easy enough to install. Don't care for the all gray Horse so, painted the right and left belt guard sheet metal Rustoleum Regal Red. I've used a lot of Rustoleum Regal Red over the years.

It's been pretty wet in northeast Ohio this summer. These guys haven't had much time in the lawn. Great day to give them some fresh air.

I'm a guy who would want it! But I can't find the add anywhere on Pennsylvania's Craiglists! I checked Lehigh Valley, Scranton, Poconos, all of them. Nothing! I wonder if it is a classified add in a newspaper!

The picture on my screen is pretty close to accurate. it is not white, but it is not GREY either...it is kind of an "Egg Shell"...that is...no brown (which would give it an almond hint).

You guys are awesome. Thank you for all the ideas. Got that monster up and running. It was a combination of 2 things. PTO switch dirty and not working correctly. And, part major dork on my part. Put too much seafoam in not enough gas. . I will take my lumps for that any day. When it makes fixing that easy in the end.

So how do we distinguish between the 1958 and 1959 RJs? I highly doubt you will ever see an ORIGINAL sticker on a tractor that reads RJ-59 but there has been some distinguishing modifications that can help with an educated guess. A solid seat pan was used on tractors in 1960 and some RJs which seem to be completely original also had a solid seat pan which could indicate a 1959 Some will have a height selector for the lift arm which was used on the 1960 tractors. Transmission casting code could also indicate 1959 Then there are early 1958 RJs too. Round rear wheel hubs with only 3 holes which came from the Walk Aways. Leather shifter boot RJ-35 style front rims Rear hitch had separate welded flat pieces vs. the newer style one piece which was bent into shape Some of the foot pedal and lift arm pieces looked more crude the way they were cut and welded. The seat pan was a little bit deeper

Mine was the 11hp. When I bought it new I didn't get any attachments with it. I had an extra 48" deck to put on it. I also used the snow blade on it with the blower on a 16hp. I didn't think the motor would hold up and I just figured I'd put a Kohler on it when it blew but that thing just kept going. Even a total submersion in a pond didn't phase it.

At least through 62 they referred to Suburbans. Note in the 62 brochure they had "Three New Suburban Tractors". The numbering system back then was as you mentioned with exceptions through the years. The 701 was electric start. Typically a 5 as the second digit indicated electric while a 0 was recoil. Of course the 701 was the first with the engine mounted at the front of the frame and used a double starter/gen pulley.

Great job! Seems a lot of us are doing rust repair

Yup, what Don said. The mid 80's were gray but the earlier ones were red. Apparently they were intended to compete better price wise with the cheapies of the time. Along with no dial-a-height and the Briggs the 8 speeds had the 4 pinion/1" axles. Back in the mid 80's I walked in to a dealer in Elkhart and saw a GT1100 on display. The thing was priced so right that it came home with me.

The "Work Horse" is, as stated, Briggs powered. Every bit of a tractor as a Wheel Horse. The first Wheel Horse I owned was a GT-1142, 11hp Briggs engine that was up to anything I could throw at it...tough as nails. I've had several since then and wouldn't hesitate to have another. Usually you can find them lower priced because of the Briggs engine but don't be shy, you won't regret having one...all Wheel Horse tachamatic implements interchange.

Wheel Horse lore has it that that the Work Horse line was a more affordable line for the consumer. No Kohlers or Onans for engines, only Briggs. otherwise, all the other parts were the same. Curious that while the Black hoods style were being sold, the Work Horses GT's hood/dash and metal fender pan were the future style until the end.

Hi Mike, There is no drop in and go engine other than the Onan P216, P218 and P220's that were designed to fit the Onan Powered tractors. Early 416's were powered by a Kohler single cyl 16 HP motor but you would need to rewire the tractor to make it work. There are 10, 12 and 14 horse Kohlers that would bolt right on that tractor of yours Any Kohler K series, KT series and Kohler Magnum will work that have been in Wheelhorse tractors but you need to rewire the harness that is currently on your tractor. It is specific to the Onan engine that is on it. If you can find a donor Wheelhorse tractor with a Kohler engine that has a 15 amp charging circuit on it, it wouldn't be too difficult but you just can't drop another motor in it and hook it up to your existing harness. The crankshaft of another engine must be at least 2.7 inches in length. It must have a diameter of inch and an eighth and have a quarter inch keyway or you can't use your Wheelhorse PTO or the stock drive pulley. There are many Kohler engines that use a little 3 amp charging circuit where as your Onan has a 15 amp charging circuit. You would need the muffler/bracket and all the tins, (shrouds), with another engine. You could conceivably use your existing throttle and choke controls but again, depending on the engine, yours may be too long or too short to work properly with another engine. I'm sure swaps have been done by some members on here from their Onan to a Kohler or perhaps another brand. Small Engine Warehouse and Small Engines for less have new drop in engines for the 500 series Wheelhorse and I'm sure it would work with little effort on a 416 Onan tractor but you'll be paying out 1800 plus dollars for a new engine. I saw your earlier post and I don't know how much money you have to put into this tractor but if your unsure what to do yourself, find a small engine guy/shop that has a reputable history close to you and ask him/her to look at the tractor and especially the carburetor. There is also a crankcase breather element under the carb assembly that will need cleaned out. You may have bad valve seals and even a hammered valve seat in that engine but for a little money, a good shop can look at it and tell you pretty quickly if it's a carb issue and filthy crankcase breather assembly issue or if there is an internal problem. The glowing muffler is a lean mixture of fuel. That muffler isn't glowing because of too much fuel. Also check your oil level and make sure it isn't over filled and also make sure it doesn't have a gasoline smell to it. On the Onan's, you pull the stick out and whip it off and put it back in all the way including turning it snug then pull it out and read the stick. Some folks don't screw it in and overfill the crankcase. I hope this long-winded post helps some!

Truly not much will drain out. I'm scared to death of contaminating my hydro so I wouldn't reuse any fluid. You won't lose much. I had a hard time getting my seals out. Bought a seal puller and that helped. A couple of other things to think about. If your hubs have been slipping the keyway will have a little lip on the edge. You will need to file that down to get it back in plane with the rest if the axle and polish the axle with some emery cloth. I would do that first. I cleaned mine with brake cleaner when I was done. Several people recommended putting tape around the axle over the keyway before sliding the new seal into place. That burr on the keyway can damage the new seal. I used several PVC connections in series to place over the bearing and tapped in them to seat the new seal. Even when you just put the seal on it seals the axle and doesn't leak. Take the tape off Then I cleaned the axle with brake cleaner again and also ran the new key through the slot in the hub and cleaned the inside of the hub with emery cloth and brake cleaner very well before trying to re install. If the key won't move through the slot in the hub before you mount it, it sure as hell won't slide in the slot when you do try to mount it Good luck. This is very doable. Another thing. The set screw(s) should be cupped on the end that engages the key. If it isn't its holding power is diminished

Nics Lawn Ranger has always been able to hold its own. Probably my favorite Wheel Horse of all time...

Its not necessarily whats in my mirror but more what the mirror itself is in.... Got me a new Horse Hauler....The YJ is gone and has been replaced by a JK Unlimited Rubicon... Good enough for towing 3500 pounds of Horses...I can't wait to pull with it...Plus with the back seats folded down it is big enough to sleep 2.. Mobile camper too!!

Everybody's brother is different....I would loan a tractor to my brother (or father) without a second thought, but I know they wouldn't abuse it. How about loaning him a machine and then "donating" a Saturday to get the motor swap done in the New Holland. You'll get your Wheel Horse back much quicker that way and get some quality time with your brother and father. Mike.............

The rebuild has officially began. I got the motor unstuck and most of the replacement tins purchased. My son gave me a good set of rear wheels. So far I've had 2 bolts break off. The transmission shifter bolt and one belt guard bolt. I will be needing a left fender, gas cap,lift cable and choke and throttle cables so far. I'm shure a lot more before i'm finished. I can move it around slot easier now but it shure doesn't look like a tractor any more. My wife said it looks like a pile of junk.

Hi. i just got my first wheel horse, its a 1977 mod C120. this was used by a local fottball field. it hava been standing still for 7-10 years before i bougt it. the tractor seemd to be in ok condission at first, but transmission have som problems. mower deck having som problems too.. I have start too take it apart for ordering some parts. parts arrived yesterday, but i am missing one bearing (1533) here are some pics:)

Sorry to hear about the 520! Sounds like the damage could be localized to the deck, may need some bearings or spindle parts. Hopefully the deck shell isnt tweaked!

My dad has a New Holland lawn tractor and he and my brother have put hundreds if not thousands of hours on this thing since 2000. Now the engine is in bad shape and they have a "parts" tractor and my brother says he will swap engines.....some time... My brother just came over and asked "do you have a mower I can borrow"? Kind of hard to say no when he knows I have 10 running GT's several with mowing decks! Guess I could give him the push mower

I did a "Custom " White Hood a couple of years ago.

en From what I've gathered there's not only a specific Wheel Horse "Suburban" as noted in actual WH manuals referring specifically to the 1960s but also a sort of general term "Suburban Tractors" used by Wheel Horse to refer to their small, suburban usage, tractors. Obviously the top picture has a straight axle indicating it is definitely NOT a 1960 "Suburban" but rather a prior model RJ so I'm thinking this is from 1958 or 59 and just shows how the "Suburban" named did evolve! While I doubt this is an example of a wrong picture, and I don't even know what year it's from, I have been warned that the "Official Wheel Horse" brochures, ads and flyers were NOT always accurate and I'm pretty sure I've seen examples of the wrong pictures being used. Would love to see any examples of Wheel Horse prints with "wrong model" pictures that anyone out there has and even more references to "Suburban" in either manuals, brochures or IPLs. Thanks so much for this example! Dennis Thornton

way to nip it I the bud.

They are rebuild able most the time Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

I paid about $90 for my front mower mount. Luckily when i bought the carrier it came with everything. I agree with @bmsgaffer about the price ranges.

.Buy it

I offered to repair a 48" deck for a co-worker only because its a and it turned out so good I impressed myself, so I thought id share it here with the horse crowd. He has a 1990 520 so we obviously talk a lot but he isn't nearly as into it as I am, we do gang up on another co-worker who just bought a brand new cub though . Anyway he just wanted it patched to the point it didn't throw grass at him anymore but I generally don't work like that and honestly the spots were so far gone im not even sure I could have done that. It had 3 rot through spots in the common areas, back right, back left, and front middle. I didn't intend on taking it as far as I did and have it come out this good so unfortunately I don't have any before or during pics( I really gotta get better at that) but I think the after pics I took will tell the story good enough. I hope the photos come through well and do it justice. These 2 photos show the rotten pieces I cutout and remade laying on top of the repair. These 3 show the underside which will give an idea on what I cut out. Ive learned after doing a few decks now to weld both sides and leave some weld build up on the inside for strength. I just knock a little off the top of all the welds and make sure nothings sticking up. These last ones are the finished product. I have about 6 hours total into this and did it through my hour lunch breaks only. The piece that I made to replace the entire left corner took me a full lunch break alone. I did it by hand with just a cutoff wheel dead blow hammer, and ball peen hammer. Really had fun making that piece. A tip I have is ive started to use JB weld kind of like bondo to fill in any low areas and mismatches so I don't have to grind the material so thin works pretty good. Sorry I make such long posts but I don't know how to share what I want to share in just a few sentences. Thanks for looking Paul

Check out the engine. Ask if you can do a compression test on the engine.

The oil level is below the axle and whatever is on the axle was splashed there. By elevating the side you're working on just a bit you won't have any leak out. Do make sure you follow the common sense practices to protect the new seal as mentioned.

1) With the cutting blades off, set ALL THREEE spindles into equal-height cylinders of 6" long or so. I used three COFFEE CANS. 1a) cement blocks may work too....not sure. As long as the spindle fits into the hole of the block...good to go. 2) Remove top pulley NUT and grease zerk. 3) Use a BRASS DRIFT of some sort (double-faced peen hammer) as a striking surface, hold the brass hammer on top of the spindle shaft. 4) With all the force you can muster, with ONE VIOLENTL SWING, smack that BRASS PEEN with BIG HEAVY STEEL HAMMER. 4a)...don't be bashful....hit it HARD. 5) This will drive the spindle shaft down thru the pulley and housing....landing in the coffee can.

It runs and cuts and he's looking to get close to 300? It is probably not the tractor for you but for some guys that is a great deal, the electric lift alone is worth almost that. If it had a belt guard and the seat wasn't trashed I think some of the opinions here would be different. The pipe around the steering shaft is what looks to be the factory plastic steering shaft tube that is faded... If it runs good with no smoke and everything else worked as in gears and the deck ran smooth I'd check that charging system to see if it is working... The tractor itself looks like it would clean up real nice...

Kelsey, I'm glad you asked because I never wanted to, for fear of asking a totally obvious question - even though it wasn't obvious to me either. The first time I noticed that on my 310 I thought it was the most half-azzed thing on earth. Now we both have the answer. Lol. Thanks!

I'm not sure its rare. Rare rarely matters if its not a tractor that is desirable and value is always a reflection of desirability.. Most models were only made for one year... With that said an 800 Special is a pretty neat little tractor. I'm pretty sure they had a Briggs motor and maybe electric pto clutch? Most guys here don't go nuts for Briggs powered Wheel Horse's...

Oh man! So much for finding the uber rare albino special order Wheel Horse.

Well, I just saw a lady mowing on it while driving by. I'm not even sure what house it was, as I was looking at the tractor. I'll keep an eye out every time I drive by, and if I ever see it again, I'll stop. Hopefully, she doesn't mace me. or worse.

Well, I had an unexpected day off... So I hitched up a trailer and went for a ride to see the 522xi. It's now the newest horse (literally and figuratively) in the stable. Not sure the exact number of hours because the meter stopped. But, I saw his property and know when it was purchased, and his estimate of 750-800 hours seems likely. Functionally, it's near perfect and has been very well maintained. There are two issues: the seat is shot, and the paint is pretty scratched/rubbed/worn. It is in great shape otherwise. The PO fashioned an awesome rear suitcase weight complete with a ball hitch, and it still maintains clearance to use the drawbar hitch beneath. The 2-stage 44-inch snowthrower looks brand new. That thing is three times the size of the single stage on my 520-H... It's a real monster. The PO is including a great offset pull-behind mower deck that he made from a 48" deck from a 520-H powered by a 16 HP Kohler. Nice. He had very good maintenance records which also support his claim for hours. It was always serviced at a reputable Wheel Horse dealer, and the service records are recorded (and signed/dated) by the dealer in his manual. And I thought I was anal about certain things. I am extremely impressed with the 522xi. It is what Wheel Horse should have offered 10-20 years earlier. Some of the systems are more complicated, but still seem to be well engineered. Most areas are easier to access than the 520-H and the engineers actually thought and planned for how to service the machine. The service manual is very good and seems to cover most anything that I could encounter. As long as there are parts available when the time comes, this beast should last another decade or two. The 20 HP Onan in the 520-H seems a bit "torquier" to me, but the 22 HP Kohler V-Twin in the 522xi is WAY smoother running, quieter, and more fuel efficient (not hard to do compared the the Onan). I really like the horizontal positioning of the Kohler and love the driveshaft/front PTO configuration. The intake is a vastly superior design as well. For those of you not familiar, it is completely shrouded with screens on 3 sides--making it virtually impossible for any debris to make it to the flywheel screen (cue the angelic chorus). That's the one thing I really don't like about the super-sucking Onan on the 520-H... constantly clearing debris off the intake. The 2-speed Eaton 11 in the 522xi is also awesome with the HI and LO range, and seems smoother and more refined than the Eaton 11 found in the 520-H. I'm not sure if the driveshaft vs. belt drive has something to do with this. I wont really know which horse is truly stronger until I get some time behind the wheel of the 522xi. My instinct is that the 522xi will prove itself to be the stronger of the two, but it is also almost twice the weight and the operator is more disconnected from the equipment with power steering and shaft drive, smart turn, etc. This may be the reason that I don't initially FEEL the power like on the 520-H, even though there is a lot of it. But there is no question that the 522xi is HEAVY DUTY and refined, with all the modern features and comforts. It's the first WH I have driven that makes the 520-H appear to be fragile. I am really looking forward to owning this thing. To me, this model seems like the pinnacle of Wheel Horse. I think it's that good. I always felt the 520-H was great and powerful. This 522xi is just magical. It's like Wheel Horse finally figured it all out... and nailed it. (I don't wish to offend with this statement... everything WH did is great, that's why I have several... and I understand that some of you may have the opinion that a shaft drive WH is not a true WH) Thanks for letting me share the adventure. I will add some pics when I get a chance.

RULE #1...WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER!!! RULE #2...YOUR COMFORT MATTERS!!! RULE #3...DON'T FORGET THE CHOCKS!!!

I understand they actually had to tell a little old lady that her non-Wheel Horse she was riding was not allowed at this year's show. At an "All Wheel Horse" show, that's the way it should be.

Instead of the bolt, I like to keep the new filter loose/cracked open. It will help speed the fill until it reaches that point. I also always pre-fill the filter before installing it to help as well. Second, on the Napa 1410.

If you take out one of the bolts on top, make sure you clean around it Very Good, you don`t want ANY dirt getting in the hydro!!!!!!

If you take out a top bolt and fill to much, oil will run out of the hole and make a mess. If you haven't gotten the filter yet, get a Napa 1410. A better filter and usually cheaper than Toro

Probably not so much draining as filling - removing the dip stick should facilitate getting air for draining, but filling can be a pain. Bobs method of removing one of those bolts works great, but if for some reason its difficult to get to then scrounge around and find a small piece of tubing 10-12" long and feed it down the fill tube and put your funnel in to hold it in place. This allows air to get into the case and allows the fluid to flow with out 'burping' constantly.

Thanks for posting pictures guys! We had a great turn out for as bad as the weather was. I was side tracked and never took any pictures since I was taking care of the food stuff as well. My food vender dropped out on me about three or so weeks ago and I got my first experience on how much food to buy for get togethers like this. The larger area was a success. We got all the parts in one area and all the shoppers parked in another area. We had about 38 rigs come in to sell parts and a lot of other brands besides just WH as it usually is. I want to thank Scott Mehlberg, Mike Biser, Chuck McColley and of corse my partner Ken Stephens for all the help and advise along the way. The fall Mentone Garden Tractor Show & Swap meet is September 11th and 12th... Mark it on your calendars! And last but not least a big thanks to RedSquare for sponsoring the Mentone spring swap meet! Thanks, Gene Simpson

Ok. Shifter out. A peek inside.