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Oil is Oil!

Finally had a chance to bolt the fresh K-341 on my 76. I'm probably not going to get it going until after the big show. There's a few things I want to find for it. An ammeter or voltmeter, an OE style muffler, headlight lens, an OE style rectifier/regulator, brake liner, drawbar hitch (works great with the old tub cart) and probably a few other things. I installed a hourmeter in the shifter plate so I can track the hours on the 'new' motor.

If you have a bottle jack, some 3/8" all-thread and an old hub you can do this.

They made a blower that fit on the Ranger's which were only 6hp. I don't think that you will have any trouble running one with a 10hp. Unless you want an excuse to buy another tractor, then don't disclose the above info to your significant other.

My newly acquired 1981 C-105 that I picked up in a trade with @Chris T ... and MY first time mowing with it ( my dad already used it). Ran great and cut great! Very impressed with this 37 year old machine.

I picked this one up late last fall so I never was able to try the mower deck. Today I did. Mowed really well.

Let me go through this again. The C-Series has a 45.5" WB. The 74-75 B-Series had a 43.5" WB. The 76-77 B-Series had a 45.5" WB and were identical to the C-series save for the following. Horsepower, low back seat vs high back, 13" steering wheel vs 15", 22.750 rear tires vs 23-8.50, headlights optional vs standard and a couple other minor things but you get the picture. Download the brochures and check the specs. I have a 1976 B-80 that I bought new and then converted it to a C-160. The only thing that didn't get converted is the steering wheel because I preferred the 13". Measuring the 74-75 B-Series as 3" shorter is probably because the overall length is about that with the smaller rear tires. The WB is axle to axle and they are 2" shorter. Again, the 76-77 B and C series share the exact same frame. In 1978 the B's became lawn tractors and were entirely different.

What Malmac said. More HP is better but 10hp beats the heck out of 1 Manpower! You can drop speed to a crawl. Take smaller cuts. Try to divide the storm and blow during the storm. I'd want more than 10hp but it would certainly help!

A few of the views here... from my office window this week. Can you say, Trees? Or, the damage they sustained, has been the word of the week here, this week. So, for now, the crisis is over... the power grid has been restored... and, my happy little life can pick up where it left off.

Dead Dinosaurs are dead dinosaurs...

The other thing to consider is if is a hydro, the effective HP available is decreased some, just how much is not clear to me. I have used a single stage on a 10hp, a 14hp and a 20hp. There is definitely a difference. The lower hp does not have the oomph to barrel thru the snow at the end of the drive. But as one member said, 10 hp beats one manpower any day.

If you have a Lawn Ranger and a Lawn Ranger Snowblower a 6 HP motor will do just fine for blowing snow! Get a Horse , a Wheel Horse of Course~!

I've got one of those on my ebay watch list Jim but I'm kinda wondering about durability and if it would be visible in the sunlight. Nothing too fancy for this old girl. With the history of this tractor some may wonder why I'm not restoring it. In my little way it's a tribute to the late gentleman that had it for the 17 years we were living in Florida. He did do some painting on it and it could use some freshening up but he took such good care of it I've decided to leave it physically as is and work the snot out of it like I always did. His wifes words that I was the only person Larry would want to see with this tractor goes through my mind every time I look at it.

any spec over 24300 Series 2 Full pressure oiling system. Good engine...But even a good engine can be damaged by abuse, neglect or oaer use....

Yes the B-80 that Eric has from me was a 1976 8-speed. I ran it for many years until I got a princess of a 1974 B-80 4-speed. I then made the 76 a parts tractor. Same frame, known as a mid-frame. I just picked up a 77 C-160 (pictured) last weekend that I would like to restore with another long frame as well.

It is a foot pedal for engaging the deck on alot of 60's model WH.

My C-105 says "HI!" to his cousin... GREAT tractor! Cheers!

Mixing Oil Brands, You're real rebel Sparky!

You guys made me laugh!! Mixed it is! Has to be better that what came out .

Sorta related: My Power King transmission takes a 1/2 pint. It has a mix of 90 Wt., STP and Lucas oil stabilizer. Been in there for 5 yrs.

Yes. Other users specified oil filters. Why WH did not is anybodies guess. Look throughte Kohler engine parts website fo rKT17s. look at spec #s for cub cadet or others Some had filters. That will show what parts you have to round up.

Greyghost, The 417-As to the best of my knowledge all had the series II. The C-175 for example would have had the bad series one. Others will confirm for sure.

I may be spoiled on this, but to quote Homer: More power is more better! Basically you can only have to little power, no such thing as too much. Just my

Snowblower was used once.Paint isn't scratched on the pulley.

I had a blower on a 12hp Charger worked just great. I had one my 6hp Ranger...not so great. Problem is your first pass you have to take full width and depending on the type snow it may choke. You have to go very slowly and yet have engine RPM maxed. With a 3 speed that requires a lot of clutch slipping. If you have an 8 speed you can use low range for the first pass. Subsequent passes are not an issue as you can control how much snow you are taking.on

Morning Karl just saw the above, (still no power running on Wheel Horse Gen power)...… no damage to house MULTIPLE trees down, when this is over don't want to see a chainsaw for like 6 months!

I'm stealing both of your ideas!

Your seat back takes a pair of 1 3/4" 1/4-20 round head machine screws that will go into a pair of "T Nuts" in the seat back. I made up a devise that attaches to the plywood of seat cushion which does a good job of holding it down. you can make one up using any heavy wire and attach it to the seat bottom where it will go into the gas fill opening of the seat base. Mine is made of 1/8" spring wire and the screw eye bent in it is one inch from a 90* bend that positions it. There is one thing we request of all new members,

Type of snow is the biggest factor. Wet snow VS Dry powdery snow. Also I am assuming the snowblower in question here is a single stage. If we’re a 2 stage Blower then a 10hp would be severely under powered.

got an old hub...if so, try this setup

All this work to get this fan on here and it was pointed out to me I have the wrong direction fan. Thanks @wallfish. I was looking at it spinning from the wrong way. Back to the drawing board

The machine was a trade in and is being sold as is. It is in good shape otherwise but isn't something I really need. I thought about using the motor for parts for my other Onan if needed. These things are addictive. Bill

I spent some time during off season and restored the old girl she will out last me. I have a 416-8 and I love this one. I don't see many around well not here in Va.

Well, I've talked about it and thought about it a lot, and inspired by some of bobs fantastic creations and a few others I finally got started. For those who are wondering what the hell I'm on about here's a few of my faves - there's a doe triple d there too built by Simon here in the UK. The idea of a 4x4 wheel horse attracts me as well as the fact I like big tractors and the oversize ags that go with them. I've a big pile of spares and a Raider 10 minus the engine that looks like a start point Here's the first prototype.... It's a bit weak on power and steering - as well as a few other obvious omissions . This actually let's me see how the transmissions sit. This is more what I'm thinking though.... So armed with two gearboxes, I started the measurements and plans....

Hi, I wrtte from Spain. First thing excuse my english wrtting faults. One year ago I bught a 312-8, I am not mechanically oriented so I bring the WH in general mechanical workshop. One year working without much troubles in my horse property, very usefull, and very happy with it. But one wekk ago something was wrong when I started, first click sound ok but at the second try of starting no the everyday familiar sound only a zzzzmmmmm. My nearest machanical shop guy came and tol to me the starter had "explode". Well , the point is how can a I get a new or old but "in shape" starter, i don´t know the number a Kohler distributor in Spain asked me for. There is no number around the ttractor, nowhere. Help please.

Last night we had a violent storm pass through the area. It spawned a couple of tornado's (EF2 in Kent, NY and an EF1 in Patterson, NY) but there's investigation into whether or not there's been more. Here in my neighborhood there's a little property damage, one neighbor roof got partially ripped off, but elsewhere in town and the neighboring towns there's very significant damage. Here at my house, nothing more than a few leaves on the deck, and some branches on the grass. I know I'll miss some, but I hope that @Rob R @stevebo @fireman @Ken B @Uncle BO @Ed Stoller and anyone I missed are all okay.

Love the answers and so true. I'd flush that tranny and add fresh of whatever brand(s), run it for a few mowings and change it again and then as long at it's stored inside you'll be good for years.

best thing you did was drain out that slurry, don't forget to check out and probably ,replace the shift boot, cause of moisture entry. with the slow speeds that you are moving oil will not wear out, it will contaminate, and hold moisture,. that's your issue. I change mine on a regular basis, keep it clean and fresh and prevent bearing failure. mixing oils at the same spec and weight is not a problem, trashing your gear box with watered down oil is , you saved it. that gear oil had also flashed/ sheared by the double color look , you are lucky pete

That would be frame length but not wheelbase. The wheelbase as specified in the brochures is center to center from the front axle to rear. The brochures don't give the frame length.

That bottle jack looks familiar... as does that workshop...

I sure wish I had read this about a month ago, before I purchased my 417-A. It runs, it was abused, so in the process of clearing all of my Red Xs ln this girl. I pulled the points cover off to check since I had no spark on the front cyl after powerwashing. Thought it was moisture. Nope, dry but oily. Trimed plug wire and reinstalled in the coil. Cranked over and fired up, blowing lots of oil out of the bottom screw hole for points cover. Engine has a Knock at idle, diminishing with RPM increase. Drained oil and installed new Valoline High MaX blend. Stopped at my local small engine shop for tune up parts. When the owner saw what engine I'm working on. He said, Oh another Hand Gernade. When I asked him about it he said, yea this engine almost put Kohler out of business when the SERIES ONE came out. He said they fixed the problem in the Series Two. So I came home to see what series I have. Absolutely nothing marked on the ID Plate. SO MY QUESTION IS THIS. HOW DO I CONFIRM WHAT SERIES I HAVE ??? THANKS WHEEL HORSE 417-A Kohler 17HP MOD KT17 QS SPEC # 24363 S/N 15114031

I’ll get it figured out. As far as tires, I have ags on the tractor I mow with and they dig up my yard in the back pretty bad. Swapping my deck over to the 417 soon anyways and it has turf tires. I have a very sandy soil lot. Good for water drainage, bad for growing grass.

It would be very surprising if they bolted a medium frame to an 8-speed and sold it as a 76 but not so surprising at the same time. There are 4 model #'s for the 76 B-80, 8K801, 802, 803 and 804. If it's one of those and it can be confirmed that it left the Ireland Road factory with the shorter frame I think it would be pretty cool. Throw the 76 parts book out the door.

That would be the place.

I was thinking pretty much the same thing. It really does depend on what moisture level and How much snow? It'll move it.... Just how much of a small cut will it take?

Too much oil can be just as dangerous as no oil, Clueless makes a good point. Check it over very carefully.

It was at this point my hands were not too happy about beating and shaping metal, so I thought I do something less hand straining on the lathe.. This UJ was part of the drive system when I thought lot's of UJ's were a good idea! The problem is I had also welded a splined bit inside one end, and the said splined bit fit's the splined shaft that comes out the bike gearbox! It's a shame to chop a UJ up, but when needs must.. Here's what's left of the UJ on the lathe having just broken through one end so I can get to the splined bit. The hidden splines.. Knocked out with a hammer and drift. All that work for this little bit of steel slid on the gearbox shaft! Time to think about mounting this large lump of 90'd drive! This 10mm thick steel plate should be strong enough Lot's of lathe and drill action later... (all the action coming up in the next video). Bolted on..

Here's a couple of pictures with the 60" HD deck on it. I will try to make a video of it tilling, but I'm having problems with the sound on the video. Perhaps my phone isn't the best choice

So as I said, much more of a working girl than a show queen , but compared to before touchup, this ain't so bad. She runs strong and flawless now, and will get the job done for sure. I'll fabricate some engine side covers to guide the airflow, put a sticker on the fender, and set her up with a tiller and a 48" deck. Then she should be ready for a new owner.

Oh yeah...this is gonna be the new one to watch right here.