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here is a couple of my horse's in a local parade

A friend picked up a 702 but the grill was toasted. He managed to find another hood with a good front but the rear was hacked. So I took it and cut the bad grill behind the seam and the good hood and cut it in front of the seam. Ground out the spot welds and peeled out the sheetmetal. This stuff is thin but I turned down the heat and got them joined back together. I will weld the bad grill and bad hood top back together for a rat something. Didn't turn out bad.

So I saw an XI on Craigslist that looked like it was in decent condition for a decent price, this week. It just so happens I was his first message of hundreds that day! As usual the ad pictures made it look MUCH nicer than it was, I was pretty disappointed. Poor thing was so neglected, but I didn't need another project. I was ready to walk and I told the guy as much. He said "make me an offer, I am buying a zero turn tomorrow" so I made a low offer (I cant totally walk, but I really didnt want another project!) and he declined. I was just about back to the car and he caved and sold it to me! The positives I saw was the that hours were not terribly high (840) and there was not an ounce of rust in any of the usual spots. The paint is faded but no rust. It ran very smooth. The negatives: steering was very loose, wouldnt lift the deck very much, the whole bottom side was covered in oil and grease from engine and transmission leaks, grill and bumper cover cracked... the list of minutia goes on... I finally got a chance to look at it tonight and I am excited. These things are BEASTS, those frame rails are awe inspiring for the size of tractor. One of the lift rings for the deck arm is broke clean off, thus it wouldn't lift the 60" deck with one ring. The pin holding the back end of the steering cylinder is totally missing (HOW was this thing still steering at all!?). I am going to give it a degreasing / pressure washing, figure out how bad it is to clean out the tins, and maybe some color sanding/polishing. To all the XI owners: What would be your recommended things to check/change besides the usual fluids/filters and tins? I know I read I have to pull the engine to clean the engine shroud, right? How bad is it? Thanks for stopping by!

7-19-1942 George Washington Carver begins experimental project with Henry Ford On this day in 1942, the agricultural chemist George Washington Carver, head of Alabama’s famed Tuskegee Institute, arrives in Dearborn, Michigan at the invitation of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company. Born to slave parents in Missouri during the Civil War, Carver managed to get a high school education while working as a farmhand in Kansas in his late 20s. Turned away by a Kansas university because he was an African American, Carver later became the first black student at Iowa State Agricultural College in Ames, where he obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. In 1896, Carver left Iowa to head the department of agriculture at the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, a school founded by the leading black educator Booker T. Washington. By convincing farmers in the South to plant peanuts as an alternative to cotton, Carver helped resuscitate the region’s agriculture; in the process, he became one of the most respected and influential scientists in the country. Like Carver, Ford was deeply interested in the regenerative properties of soil and the potential of alternative crops such as peanuts and soybeans to produce plastics, paint, fuel and other products. Ford had long believed that the world would eventually need a substitute for gasoline, and supported the production of ethanol (or grain alcohol) as an alternative fuel. In 1942, he would showcase a car with a lightweight plastic body made from soybeans. Ford and Carver began corresponding via letter in 1934, and their mutual admiration deepened after Carver made a visit to Michigan in 1937. As Douglas Brinkley writes in “Wheels for the World,” his history of Ford, the automaker donated generously to the Tuskegee Institute, helping finance Carver’s experiments, and Carver in turn spent a period of time helping to oversee crops at the Ford plantation in Ways, Georgia. By the time World War II began, Ford had made repeated journeys to Tuskegee to convince Carver to come to Dearborn and help him develop a synthetic rubber to help compensate for wartime rubber shortages. Carver arrived on July 19, 1942, and set up a laboratory in an old water works building in Dearborn. He and Ford experimented with different crops, including sweet potatoes and dandelions, eventually devising a way to make the rubber substitute from goldenrod, a plant weed. Carver died in January 1943, Ford in April 1947, but the relationship between their two institutions continued to flourish: As recently as the late 1990s, Ford awarded grants of $4 million over two years to the George Washington Carver School at Tuskegee.

I picked this jewel up today. One owner low hrs. I will give it a good cleaning tomorrow.

I agree, If it runs strong and doesn't smoke, It is probably an easy fix. I would definitely check the hydro before buying it though. It could be a bigger problem than the engine. The $500 isn't a bad price if everything is perfect, but the engine problem is a good bargaining chip to get it much cheaper.

If it has one, replace the condenser....about a $5 item. Sometime they fail when the engine reaches normal oper temp. Its the little thingy bolted to the side terminal of the coil

Possibly a bad ignition coil, they have been known to heat up after running awhile then quit.

Well since it seems next to impossible to locate a decent grader/belly blade for less than an arm and leg, I decided to fashion my own blade with a 42" dozer blade I picked up for free earlier this year. I cut the blade in half lengthwise and added a six-inch section to each end to get a total width of 54". Here is my progress.

When I cleaned up the lawn cart I got at the auction on Sat., I noticed this angled plate welded to the rear lip. Apparently this was added to assist in digging in when pushing the cart back to complete the dumping procedure. The plate is not shown on my 7-2211 parts and instruction picture. Is this something WH added later, or is this an owners add on. Even with the plate, the cart did not dig in enough to raise the cart as the instructions indicate. I had to lift it by hand to dump the apples.

Could be any of the above or the vent in the fuel tank is plugged, or it could be a loose wire. Could be any number of things but chances are good its only a small thing.

Could be the fuel pump as that one has the gas tank under the hood.

Hi all, I've just finished building a trailer for my wheel horse, It was built almost entirely out of material I had lying around. As I'm sure is quite evident I am definitely not a woodworker But I think its come out quite well. I will be strengthening the tongue with angle section but in keeping with the theme of the project I would like to find this rather than buy it! My only complaint about it is that it is very heavy! but other than that I am very happy with it and even got the chance to test it out the other day. I'd say I had about 200-250KG of bench vices, cast iron stuff, tool boxes and other 'under the bench' workshop items and it didn't complain at all (nor did the wheel horse for that matter) I think I will attach some eyelets in strategic locations for securing stuff at a later date. Thanks for looking Callum

Looks like you got a good deal. Like you mentioned, do the obvious Get a gas cap before you pressure wash it. I would be concerned that the tank may have sediment floating around because of it. Get all the crud off. A good cleaning will really help, and you may spot some other issue. Check the hubs and make sure that they are tight. The key way sometimes can be an issue. Check the tie rods (looks like it is a '98) as the later years were beefed up. Repair the two obvious problems. Run the tractor to see how warm it gets. If it does run hot, then pull the engine but don't feel you need to immediately. Try and polish the paint to see if it comes back. I am amazed that the rubber boot on the steering column is intact! Usually they are torn.

I have a fuel pump on a 7hp kohler that needs a good rebuilding and I came across these kits on the internet. Has anyone here used these kits? I have 2 extra ones laying in the shop that need rebuild as well so if these work then I'll have 2 spare pumps. http://then-now-auto.com/product-category/fuel-pump-kits/kohler-fuel-pump-kits/

I have a 314 h and 522xi loader at the vacation home. They make our property maintenance much easier. What used to be an issue is no more. Stale gas in the carb and dead batteries. After having to clean out a few carbs I chose to take the easy road. These tractors don't see more than 20 hours a year. The gas would often go bad in the carb and leave me with more to do. The easy way around this is to shut off the fuel and let the carb run dry. Starting it up the next time could be an issue. I started by replacing all of the fuel line. Used a simple 1/4 turn inline valve, an inline marine fuel pump, and a fuel filter. Now i I turn the fuel off and let em run dry. When it's time to start a few pumps of the hand pump and they fire right up. No more waiting for the mechanical fuel pumps to pull fuel. Also started using solar chargers on the batteries. Haven't had a dead battery in 5 years. http://m.harborfreight.com/15-watt-solar-battery-charger-68692.html?utm_referrer=direct%2Fnot providedm

7hp kohler should be a vaccum style pump with no lever, I have purchased diaphragms from Buckrancher. I have never had to replace the check valves. I have also used the diaphragms on Pm me if you would like to know which ones I have used, and again I have replace many of these but never had to replace anything else, have bought a few complete kohler rebuild kits on but have yet to use one of them.

Bob and Ed, I hear what you guys are saying, I really do. But one of my biggest fears when I'm out walking in the woods, or about to enter one of my outbuildings, even with my long pants and leather work boots and big stick, is that I'll simply fail to recognize the signs that I'm in THEIR territory and need to do things way differently. My very first encounter with a rattlesnake occurred several years ago as I was going in and out of my shed for tools and such one hot August afternoon. Twice I walked in the door and heard a strange noise next to the step, just to the left of my left leg. I went about my business without thinking much about it, but on the third trip I heard the same noise, kind of sounded like cicadas, but actually inside the door this time. I stopped and looked, and saw a coiled-up rattler inside the shed, chattering away at me, ready to strike. I about sh*t myself, and my visits down there haven't been the same since. I realized that was the noise I heard next to my leg on those earlier visits to the shed, and to this day I don't know why he didn't strike when I walked in earlier, when he had the chance and was apparently threatened by my presence. I learned a lot that day, and I hope I'm smarter now, but walks in the woods aren't nearly as relaxing as they used to be. They are more educational now though, and that's not a bad thing. I've seen more rattlesnakes since then, and my wife has seen copperheads. I feel like I should have a shotgun handy while I'm down there, but I don't. Right now we just coexist somehow. I leave the black snake in the garden alone, because my wife won't let me have it any other way (she's even named him!), but we're certainly not friends. I just hope I remain "careful enough".

Looks like a fun day!

Surprisingly there aren't that many pieces that are plastic. The only plastic pieces are the front bumper valance, grille, steering wheel, dashboard overlay, and gas cap. Kohler uses plastic for the shrouds now, so the Kohler Command engine has plastic shrouds.

Light phase, taken from jobsite last year

Just wear high-top leather boots, and keep your ear and eyes open.

Sounds like a plan. I was thinking some kind of wall art Thanks guys. Not much of a bodywork kind of guy but giving it a shot.

I.....love-a-parade ... especially when it's chocked full of 's .

I went with the carbon fiber looking decals from terry and love them.

I went through the regulator like the specs showed now I'm getting 13.30 volts at the A terminal and when I ground the F terminal I'm getting 13.45 volts I think it charging

Bearing is 6007RS 35mmx 62mmx14mm

That looks great, all American. Good post. Glenn

Often wondered what that bearing is. As the need to repower increases I can see this system becoming a requirement on today's engines. It was once stated that the 106499 bearing was a 6007-2RSNR but I have no idea if this is correct. I'm thinking it is an angular contact design for thrust loads. How to install with the necessary preload. Garry

Best to use the timing mark on the flywheel and an ohm meter to set the points. If you use feelers instead, I have found the older Kohlers run better with points gap set 0.002" less than the manual.

I recently picked up this REAL nice 520-H from @Wheelhorse84 and has 1100 hours but runs and drives like a 100 hour machine!! I'm starting to think I may have to many 520's. Lol. Here are some pics of the beut after a good waxing!

Down here a lot of small farms still do the peanut-cotton rotation thank to Mr. Carver.

Looking good Ritchie!!

I think you will like it. Mine handles the front end loader like it's nothing. I use the NH GT22 (the twin to the XI series) to mow, and it does a great job, though I have never used the 60" deck yet. I decided 52" was big enough for me. And if you don't like it, I know a guy who just might take it off your hands, LOL

Very nice machine for sure. What model XI? It looks MUCH better than mine when I got it. Pressure washing is a must. Heavy duty compounding will bring it back. Pull the current decals and contact Terry for a new set. His makes them look really nice. If power steering model there is an in line filter behind the air screen on the side that you will want to take off an make sure it clean.

I always like the XIs, though I can see where some of that design was starting to take on more of the plasticity feel. They are equivalent to Deere's excellent 4X5 series that Deere had a few years ago. I never really had a chance to drive one yet, but I can imagine they're great at anything you do with them.

Beautiful animal. Interesting how the rattle remains black. Good advice Bob. When walking in the snakes territory, I also make it a practice to never step over a deadfall. I step up on the log and look around before stepping down. All wild animals will try to move away or hide from a threat, but If you step on a sleeping animals tail, he will defend himself.

wow! all oak, good job the wood was free! the main 'rails' are 3 x 3" fence post so its pretty heavy, 2 person lift i reckon. I got the axle in just the right spot so its almost perfectly balanced to keep the tongue weight down. I'd have loved to see a picture of your Dad's trailer, do you still have the Commando? thanks for the kind words Callum Haha yes it was, once I got moving it got worse too! I think it might have a slow puncture, I'll get some tubes at some point. Callum I would like to treat to bed with something, not sure what to use though really. Boiled linseed oil? At the moment its outside but it will have a home in the new workshop Callum

Thumbs up!

Yes ,that deck is not in bad shape at all.Can't wait to get that one going again. Yep those saw horses are definitely Heavy Duty. I have some BIG jobs setting on them while I weld. After work I mounted up the tires on the rims. The 875 will no longer be a static display on jack stands. Hope to mount wheels on the 875 tomorrow.

Great job Richie! Wish it were my hood.

Well, thanks for the input. Now I can remain the well loved member of this forum [ ] you are all accustomed to instead of committing a faux pas..

You answered your own question... no need to promote them. They take care of themselves. On this site we don't promote "heads up" type posts. You can do as Craig has suggested, but I would discourage making yourself the middle-man, especially in a transaction you have no vested interest in. There have been several times in the past when a member posted up a "heads up" that another member was already working a deal on, then by the time that member went to pick up their machine, the price had gone up because some other "helpful" member had let the seller know it was rare or being sold too cheap, or the item had been sold out from under them because the seller took another faster/better offer. Most times being helpful, is often more unhelpful. So, we just choose not to promote it. We are all here, obviously we know how to use a computer. We found our way to the forum, we can (and probably are) already searching ebay and/or craigslist if looking to buy. Nevermind the fact that neither Craigslist nor ebay pays us or you to advertise for them.

Reminds me of the singing frog wearing a top hat and tails sporting a cane on the old cartoons singing Hello my baby hello my darling hello my rag time gal on stage with the curtain closed and as soon as curtain opens all is silent but a ribbit

Nice find, you will enjoy it. John covered just about everything. Nice Subi-we have one just like it-same color too. I do not tow with my Subi-concerned about pulling with only 2.5L engine. If you ever do REALLY want that 48 inch xi deck, I have one, but I am mucho miles away from you.

Looks good....you can't beat FREE. The right tire on the trailer is complaining a little though. I need some air.

Nice job!

I have heard the same thing. Sad but true, and pitiful.

You need a name for it too........ Re-cycle ! How about a trike?