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I picked up this steering wheel for my Suburban at the big show. It was decent but did need a little work. I didn’t take any before shots but you all know what happens to these old wheels. After patching deep gouges, cracks, etc. smooth things up and do any reshaping if needed. Clean up the spokes, prime and paint. Mask the finished spokes stopping about 1/16” short of where the plastic coating on the rim started. I used Dupli-Color Truck Bed Coating in a spray can. They make two bed coatings. The blue can that I used and the Bed Armor in the black can. The Bed Armor might be a bit better for a truck bed but I really don’t think it’s best for this application. I held the wheel with a ¾” wood dowel and had several coats on in just a few minutes. Even in this Florida humidity you could actually see each coat dry literally in seconds. I applied enough to get the finish I liked and to blend it into the painted spokes. I love the texture and feel of it and it should be durable.

I just got back from Le Sueur, we had a good turnout of horses and members. I got a few pics of the horses and some pics of some of the other cool stuff that was at the show. I'm hoping some of the other guys will post some "people" pics. This is a huge show with lots to see, an auction that lasted most of the day on Friday and the parade on Saturday lasted well over an hour. And lots of good food! Here's a few pics for the "Connecticut" guys.

Here are some of the pictures I have, will try not to repeat someone else's. Was a great weekend met a few new Red Square members new to the show. Glad you could make it.

I think Georg Ohm just rolled over in his grave.

Autographs are only $5 each!

I worked on the 5xi project for 3 years. The average person doesn't realize how many man hours and money go into the development of some products. They see the end result and judge it from there. Another person helped me on the 5xi build. I think the demise of the 5xi was the price. If you could afford over $10,000.00 for a garden tractor with a deck you would probably hire someone to mow your yard. There were 4 wheel drives out there that were better at the use of attachments. There were about 7 designers, a head engineer in charge of the project, an engineer working on the power for the tractor, an engineer from Wheel Horse was brought out of retirement to design the transmission, and the 2 of us building the prototypes - all who were dedicated to the project for the 3 years. There were 2 people from test dept, an electrical engineer, the toro stylist designing the look of the tractor, someone doing the finitite analysis insuring it was structurally sound and the marketing team that was driving the build of the 5xi. The cost of development along with the costs for production - Tooling for all the stamped steel and plastic parts and setting up the lines for production were a lot to recover. A differential lock was designed but never made it even into the prototype.

Clearly then... them bars are too small.

And they brought this in when they heard Steve was coming.

The box is all welded and holes for gloves and window are cut.

I just noticed this on CL i was curios what you guys thought about this setup i hardly ever see magnum 16 for sale so thought i would share it with you guys

Just finished reading (cover to cover) the recent issue. As always, lots of good articles and top quality photos. I didn't get front page billing, or a center fold, BUT....On the back jacket there is a photo of a Lawn-Boy and if you look to the left of the photo, you will see my 1975 B-100 with trailer (and seat) with my 18' "Horse Hauler" behind! I made the magazine this time! Woo-Hoo!

Been wanting/needing a pressure washer. Wife has been looking at reviews on washers and everyone on the market has something that folks don't like. We found this one that has been repaired due to a damaged wand and was $150 off the regular price.

When the 15 amp fuse blows, everything is dead....no nothing, nada, zilch....Replace the fuse, it starts right up and runs a minute or 2 then pop and nothing.....dead in the water. Haven't done much trouble shooting yet, but (before all this trouble) every time I turn the lights "on", the volt meter drops to 12 volts or <. Probably start at the lights. According to the schematic, the pink wire from the accessory terminal on the key switch goes (fuse 1st) then to the headlight switch and to an air filter switch as well as ALL the other gauges on the panel (except vacuum gauge).. I just finished troubleshooting with another member here - 15 amp fuse would blow and tractor would not run without a fuse in place. Turns out the 15 amp and 30 amp fuses were reversed in their positions in the fuse holder. When I checked the wiring diagram for the 15 amp fuse, all it controlled were the gauges, headlights and indicator pod power. Might be worth checking the fuse positions. http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/topic/58405-520-h-wont-start-hour-meteroil-sensor/?page=2#comment-539906 near the end - post #37

I'm so upset because I put a brand new battery in the tractor and used it off and on for about a month, and I just thought that it was the old battery not being able to hold a charge, but i was wrong. I have one of those things that you put into your 12V outlet in your car and it give you a digital readout of the voltage, and I did stick it in the lighter on the tractor twice and it read close to 12 volts if I remember right, but it was like 2 months ago. I have to put in another battery and try what you said and then report back.

HF is all that I have used for the 10 years since retiring. I have found no difference in the quality of my welds now compared to when I was working and using mainly LINCOLN, MILLER, and ESAB products. That is to say my welding ability is the controlling factor for me, not the price if the consumable. The one factor I do stress is to store the wire in a warm dry environment , and to weld inside with no air currents to keep all the cover gas in place when using flux core wire w/o bottled cover gas. BTW, the $13.99 is for a 2 lb spool that normally sells for $19.99. I do like the 2 lb spools. I can keep more of my wire sealed.

It is madness. ...61 with a solid seat pan??? I though only '60's had a...... never mind....nice tractor any hoo...

Yeah, next thing you know mama will tell me she is with child!

Shout out to thor, nice rig there. Wellcome to red square, dont be a stranger. Glenn

You probably need a new project anyway.

Block the left front and rear tractor wheels up on a flat surface the depth you want to plow. Now lower the plow and adjust so it sets flat on the ground. This is how everything is positioned when the right wheels are in a plowed furrow. If you are not getting the depth you want tip the front of the plow down a bit. If it is going too deep raise the front of the plow a bit. It does not take much of a change to get results. This is called adjusting the suck. By design the plow will pull it's self into the ground. Garry

Got a bug and bubbles right in the center of the hood, I'll have to fix... You can see it if you zoom in on this pic. I'm not real worried bout it though...its not like its show room paint job anyway lol

Yep, to all the above. Thats three for three Muz

Thanks again, Paints dry so it was time to put the weights and blade on it and try a little light yard work. After I figured out I needed to change the position of the springs in the blade (after pic), and lower the air in the rear tires it did ok. Not crazy about these deestone rear tires, there supposed to be 10.50s but are tiny. My local hardware store's flyer has rv anti freeze on sale so I believe they are getting filled...... I ordered up some of Miller's 23-10.50 Firestones for my C105, I hope they bite a bit better.

glenn I checked gates belt 6969 looks to be right

Sit the seat on there with a 2x4 under it....I believe that's the right amount of clearance I'm gonna need...my just use that for now until I can get a piece of tubing. I'll just paint it black or something so its not "as noticeable". I'll try n get it all mounted up tomorrow n see what happens.

Go ahead, spend the $20 at Wally world Tom... ...will save you a lot of time.

It's an Autolite 458. And yes, it's wet. Thanks, I'll tackle the carb rebuild soon, I just got a rebuild kit off ebay thinking this could be part of my problem. I always use Seafoam as a preservative in my fuel so that should rule out issues related to gas and the fuel line is new as well. Sounds like a problem with the ignition switch, If it stops firing when you stop cranking, the switch may be wired wrong, or the ignition contacts bad. I thought of that as well but it was running fine before I sort of tinkered with the governor. The switch is a new one but unless the stuff of ebay is pure crap, and this one looks good to me and did work just fine I'm leaning to carb issues from sitting. I'll put a volt tester on the switch to see what it shows. It's wired just like it was prior to restoration, I took a lot of photos and have the WH manual with the wiring diagram.

Flooding is generally not caused by ignition problems. Since it has been sitting for some time I would suggest that you start by cleaning the carburetor and replace the needle and seat. A bit of Seafoam in the gas tank could help eliminate other deposits in the system. If you had been using gas that contains ethanol you may also need to replace the fuel line. Hope this helps.

Swap in a good known battery and see what voltage you have before you start it and after it is running. Garry

You are doing a great job !!

I bought 2 sets of 8.5 wide rims from a 520 and a workhorse 1800 this weekend, and tonight I was looking at how clean rust wise one set was well I should say no rust, then I saw a scrape in the paint and it was shiny under it so I grabed a rag and some thinner and cleaned the paint off, mind you it took a hour to clean what you see trying not to scratch the chrome yes I said chrome, they look to have been painted when new primed and painted silver I think these are 420LSE wheels, now if I had the fronts I ask the seller if they have them. I guess buy enough junk you get a prize now and then.

I did an 18 HP Vanguard in a C-120 It's a tight fit. I didn't buy a kit as I did it in 1990 with a 16 HP and up graded to the 18 in 2010. The 18 and the 23 are the same size. In a 416 you shouldn't have any problems as there is a lot more room.. I'm not sure how high your power take off shaft is on your engine. I had to raise the engine 7/8" to get mine to get it to the same height as the 12 Kohler. Buy the engine with the wiring and switch already on the engine and with a 1 1/8" shaft you don't really need a kit If your good a doing a little metal work.

lol good luck

One thing I have notice in differences between the 60 and 61 Suburban's is that the 60's have a crease on the front top of the hood that stops at the gas cap and the 61's it continues down the rest of the hood. I think this was just a strengthening crease to stiffen up the metal.

The Clinton engine thing on the 401 has been discussed before between many of the long time collectors and the consensus points to them being a factory supplied engine. I also have a Clinton powered 401 (although I switched it to a K91). rj35hunter (Clay) keeps a list of serial numbers from these engines. Too bad he's not as active on here as he used to be since his depth of knowledge is deep. Back in the day, I used to read and research everything I could find concerning the 58 - 61 because I own those tractors. It's also easy to know the differences when you take them apart and put them back together so many times. There are many things with these old tractors which will not be in any Wheel Horse documentation, such as the solid seat pan. It was definitely an evolving production run which made changes during the year of building tractors. Especially in the early years. This is what makes it more interesting!

I believe the best way to fix it is to install a K-series 321 crank shaft. The key ways are both 3/16" wide. The magnum has a Woodworth key and the K has a square key.

All rattle can here:

Now, if you can document that jimi hendrix owned it to. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ skys the limit. Glenn

I have three (1998 518xi, 2000 520xi, and a 1998 523Dxi) and I am happy with all of them. Don't let the lack of power steering be an issue with the 518xi and 520xi. They have a cross between the 520-H steering reduction and regular steering. I pull my Cyclone Rake with the 518 (13' total length!) without a steering issue. Other than the base 518, they have cruise control as well. Because of this Toro equipped them with a mechanical system to automatically lower the speed (7.2 mph in Hi) when turning. You could be potentially thrown off the tractor otherwise! The power steering is a hydraulic system done without a mechanical link so more parts. Not to say I don't like it on the diesel though. It is nice steering with just using the spinner while clearing snow. The tractor portion is virtually bulletproof with normal use. In that regard it is just like a classic Wheel Horse. The Eaton 11 is improved with a Hi-Lo range along with a neutral position handy for pushing it around or even towing. If pushing, it does weigh approximately 1100 pounds bare (add the deck of about 200-300 pounds depending what size) but I can do it. The step-though platform is nice for getting on or off. The attachments go on the same way as a Wheel Horse, some even easier. The engines are what differentiate between the models. Brandon already mentioned the Kawasaki-engined 520Lxi. I don't have one so won't comment. With the three Kohler engined models, I feel the Kohler Command has less issues than an Onan, but more than a Kohler K-series. I would say that these are the most common and readily available. Also easiest to own. With technology improvements comes more technical/fit issues. Kohler recommends that the engine shrouds be removed every 100 hours. The problem is that the engine needs to be pulled from the tractor to gain access. It is four bolts for the engine, two bolts for the driveshaft, electrical connections, and throttle and choke cables. But the engine needs to be pulled vertically because of the oil drain spigot. Most owners don't know this maintenance requirement until they start questioning the oil temperature gauge rising.This is more an engine issue than tractor problem. That said though, the diesel has become my favorite. I bought it with 605 hours and have used it for approximately 20 hours removing snow. I was in the midst of changing over to mow with when I was laid up with a broken ankle. At this point in the season, I'll just put the Winter equipment on again. The diesel does have the potential for being the most expensive to repair if the engine develops any issue. The injector pump, for example, is rather pricey! It does have a water/fuel separator so with normal startup procedures, it should not be an issue. I garage mine in an unheated attached garage but never failed to start last winter. Attachments are out there. They seem to be more readily available today than when I got my first five years ago as these tractors age. Toro also produced a clone tractor for New Holland (black attachments) so they are another source. Good luck in your search!

Lucky you!! Mike.........

Nice getting quality time with the G'kids. Was the surprise the steel wheel horse sign? Because it it looks pretty nice.

Awesome! It sure sounds like you had a super birthday.

Just finished a repaint on my brinly toolbar that I picked up a couple weeks ago. Just thought I'd share a pic of it behind my 856.

I have 850+ hours on my 1992 416-8. It's been at 850+ for 6 years now. So I guess I'm only going to get about 850 hours on this Onan. Unless I get a new hour meter for it.

Welcome to Thursday and an update from inside the workshop.... The bench WN was on ended up looking like this!! After the struggle of lifting her off the bench last time we decided the easiest thing to do this time was to slide drag the bench to the doorway and roll her down some ramps,,, To be fair on the bench it has put up with a lot of punishment for the past er... many years including the weight of the 6x6 being built on it.. The bench will be rebuilt a lot stronger and on castor wheels I'm very happy to report that all the changes that have happened on WN have been worth it.. Thanks to the new higher fuel outlet on the tank she starts up straight away with no hassles or queasy-start.. A little choke, no throttle push the starter button and she roars into life.. I also realized that I was no longer thinking about the brakes when using then, I guess the relocated front master cylinder is doing it's job now And now the big one.. Steering.. Gone is the twitchyness that was there under hard throttle while turning.. There is even a fair amount of self centering going on.. Oh, and the steering is so much lighter than what it was The only downside was the amount of wheel turning needed to steer.. It was about 1/2 a turn lock to lock, the A35 steering box made that 2.2 turns lock to lock!! This was sorted by drilling and extra hole in the drop link a bit closer to the wheel and giving the connecting rod a bend so it didn't hit the exhaust or anywhere else.. The lock is now 1.5 turns lock to lock which feels right.. In fact it now has so much lock that the front brake calipers hit the front axle on full lock, so I need to make a couple of simple stoppers to stop that happening.. The fender pan is as done as it's going to get before the shows, it still needs loads more work but that can wait until I get her ready for final paint. I have also installed a plug under the dash.. Nope, it's not for plugging in headphones It is in fact wired into the bikes stop/run circuit. The plan is to grind out some of the plastic bit that separates the positive and negative and weld both bits together. The idea being when it's plugged in to the stop/run circuit will be in run mode.. So if the plug is attached to the driver and the driver get thrown off for some reason, the plug get pulled and the engine stops Have some photo's of WN out in the wild. And for your Viewing pleasure, here's Part 17 and 18 of the build videos. Sorry you have to click on the links to see the vid's, if I post them up the normal way for some strange reason it changes the video links in my other posts! Why Not Build Part 17 Why Not Build Part 18

Almost up to date now guy's.. A close up of that gauge for you. After looking at the photo's of the front of the hood, I just wasn't happy with the way the new slot's looked... A reminder for you. But what if the slot's were wider to match the original slots?? A quick bit of masking and a squirt of matt black paint to trick the brain into seeing wider than they are slot's and it looks much better.. So Monday the slot's will be widened and tidied up. I didn't enjoy the filler work on the wheels at all.. Too small a space to sand easily!! But once the wheels had had a coat of IH white paint it was worth it I didn't plan to go quite so far with the bodywork before the shows, but I may of got a bit carried away.. The fender pan was panel beaten to get the shape as best I could before being hit with filler/bondo.. A bit more filling and sanding to go but it's almost there now.. Oh, and a bit of news... Nigel and I were explaining to a Gent yesterday about WN and telling him that we were struggling to find somewhere to do some speed testing, and the car park is just too small.. The said Gent said, "No problem, bring it up to my place"..

Well, I did try to get a photo of all the finished steering in place, but my lens isn't that wide.. So have a photo of the new steering box, it looks far neater than the old box. Buried behind the column is the relocated expansion bottle... Not the ideal place to get a funnel into but it's the only place it can fit.. You can also just about see part of the crankcase breather, yes it's the bit held down with the zip tie. Getting a bit more pressure to the front brakes turned out to be quite easy in the end. Rather than raise the whole master cylinder as I have previously mentioned I just raised one end.. The front brakes won't lock up but they will certainly help with slowing down which is just how I want it. So, with WN steering and stopping I thought it was time to make a start on the electrical side of things,,, I needed somewhere to put the starter button and warning lights and maybe the choke.. And I also needed a new dash plate.... I think this panel came from a WH 314-8 I bought for parts years ago.. That fills a hole I just need to work out where to put the lights and starter button... That's something for tomorrow..

Thanks Pullstart, your daughter has great taste in machines I think there is a long list of people wanting to have a drive at the couple of shows I'm taking WN to this year... Maybe I should start selling tickets Thanks dude. WN went back up on the bench something my back is very much regretting! Even though there were three of us lifting! So I spent that day doing some gentle paint stripping and knocking out a few dents on the front of the hood. I managed to get a bit more done the following day, the fender pan this time. as you can see the fender pan does not quite reach the foot plates! Some more recycling, this was part of a Spear and Jackson sign. Two plates tacked on.. Both sides done and on the bench to be fully welded. As you can see a little trimming of length is needed.. The new metal on the front of the fender pan has now been fully welded up, mostly shaped and the welds ground down.. Just in need of a splash of red oxide in these photo's. .