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Every year I restore a Wheel Horse with my class. This year’s project is a C105. My students are getting good at bringing Wheel Horses back to life. I really enjoy passing my knowledge down to the kids. Some of them have even started their own collection of wheel horses.

Just acquired this machine from my dad. Been sitting in the barn for a few years, but still runs. Plans are to do a complete restore/mod.

Thanks. It’s really rewarding to see the kids work on the tractors. I have the 1st year students do the degreasing and disassembly, the 2nd year students do the prep work and the 3rd year students paint and assembly . There is a lot of teamwork to complete the project. All the kids like to bring their family members in at our open house and show them everything they are working one.

Our bum cat that I caught in a shop warehouse some years ago with some fried chicken... I can’t say whether he likes the picture or the big sock!

I totally get that. My main hobby is restoring old telescopes. The kind of scopes I like are the bit heavy beasts of days gone by that not many people want these days because they don’t have all of the bells, whistles, and computerized gizmos that the modern models have. Then again that is why they are also lost looking at the night sky trying to find something without a computer. Most of mine are really rough when I get them. Most of the time I will have more money in the restoration than what the market value is. The one I’m working on right now is a prime example of this. Stored in barn for 25 years and a big mess, but I love it and it will be a show stopper when it is done. Sometimes you just do it for the love of it. If I did not restore these, they would go to the dump.

I basically got it with the blade and the hubcaps, I bought it basically from a friend whose father had passed away, the po Used it to push snow Last winter, I wouldn’t mind re-powering it and clean it up and using it as a custom modified wheelhorse. Just to be fair and show the previous owners ability that he had this is a 32 Chevy 1 ton truck that he modified and mounted on to a 90 Dodge 1 ton frame and then mounted a gravity fed old wagon onto it for the box

I was able to finally dig out the 856 and get some pictures.

I had a few minutes today and was able to bench test the solenoid. I tested it for resistance and voltage and it worked perfectly. I am pretty sure it is a replacement unless WH was using solenoids sourced from Mexico. I reinstalled the solenoid, cleaned all the contact points and still nothing when I turn the key. So now where am I at? Somehow I am not getting power from the ignition switch to the solenoid it appears. So safety switches causing a problem? I found at least 3 of these, one on the brake pedal, one on the seat, and one on the PTO. I did take some more pictures of all 3 WH's because everyone loves pictures! Someone has been doing a lot of brazing to the top of that muffler!

That’s a shame you didn’t learn anything. I try to keep it interesting for my students. If I see that they have skills, I give them advanced tasks to do. This year’s new students didn’t even know what a Phillips head screwdriver was or what way to turn a wrench to remove a bolt. Kids aren’t very hands on anymore unless its with their phone but I’m changing that.

I was hoping to see people say >1200 because I like it a little higher and felt a little guilty being that there a lot of "as low as she'll go" fans out there now I dont

Going lower is not a good idea as it impacts the splash lubrication Kohler spec'd 1200 for a reason.

Good eye Garry!!!!

I know some design engineers who still don't know these things.

I'm very happy to see what your doing!! I think every one should have an opportunity to learn some type of mechanical skills. It seems like for a period of time classes were more focused on training kids for office type jobs and skilled labor took a hit because of this. Right now skilled labor is in high demand, if you are a machinist, welder, mechanic, etc good paying jobs are not hard to find.

Thanks everyone! I will definitely be including pictures throughout the entire process. This is a first for me (restoring a garden tractor). Also I’m very green to the wheel horse nostalgia. Thank you 953nut for the brochure, it will definitely come in handy. I’m not sure on the year yet, was told a ‘72, but as I’m seeing it wasn’t made in that year. Glad to be a part of this big community! Plans are to have a bit of custom fabrication on the sheet metal, and a slightly custom paint, carrying the red, but more metallic with pearl, and at what would be “show car quality”. I might be going the route of stretching the frame out about18 inches, lowering the front, and possibly a bigger engine (this could all change as the process goes). But, I’m very excited to get started and see what comes of it.

I also got some pictures of the #2 C-120. It is in much rougher condition than the first that I am messing with now. I think it has been sitting much longer unused. All of the soft components like rubber and wiring are much more deteriorated and there is more corrosion on other parts than the #1 machine.

I got a nice Christmas package from Wheelhorseman yesterday. Got it all installed today. Made a trip around the property to see If I got evert thing back together just before it rained.

I updated my signature about 12 times today since I first created it tweaking things here and there. You think I would have seen that This thanks you!

You guys are something else!! Let me at least say a little bit about her. Born in Chicago in 1928...a lot of you guys are not going to know what that date means. It means that you were a kid during the Depression. It means that you were a kid after the 1st war to end all wars. It means that you were going through the 2nd war to end all wars as a teenager. It meant that you were probably farmed out to relatives or a home to take care of you because your parents could not take care of all of their kids. My mom and her sister were brought up as cousins...not knowing they were sisters until their 20's. My Dad's story is pretty much the same. I have a ton of friends my age, and the story of their parents is always so similar it knocks you out. My Mom and Dad married at 21...their birthdays are 1 week apart. They had me the next year...(might be the best thing that happened to them). Anyway, if you wanted to play TOP THIS for scars, you would not stand a chance. She was almost bionic...quadruple heart by-pass, both hip replacements and some others that I should keep in the family. She was strong until the end, and I got to spend her last days with her at her home. I am blessed that I was able to do that...and I am so happy that she lived a full life...and I am missing her already. She was into the horses, because my Dad bought them and got into a business. After he passed, she was out there in the shed with me getting the 4 of them out of moth balls and running again. That's when we found Red Square. I brought her home a T-Shirt from the 1st Big Show that I went to...and T-Shirts from some of the other shows that were going on during those years. She always enjoyed looking at all the pictures I brought back to share with her. I'll tell you this...if our house would have been near the railroad tracks (back in the day)...the hobo's would have marked her mail box as a safe place to get a good meal and a place to rest. Rest in Peace Mom...I love you.

I been here for a number of weeks figure I better introduce this ol fart. Really not much to tell except Im an ol fart that will tackle anything and everything. Ive had my wheel Horse given to me by an excellent Uncle who is a wizard when it comes to anything metal that has to be machined. He gave Big Red to me I think about 2004. I would use it almost everyday for moving and collecting wood, rocks or even stuff thats discarded at the side of the road....doesnt bother me a bit to grab someone elses garbage heheheh, I say one mans garbage is another mans gold. I love making an item special again when someone else sais its junk, like giving it a second chance to proove itself. Some items just seem to come to life of there own. I know my wheel horse is old, hmmm not sure of its year exactly but I do know its late 60's early 70's........and ever since my uncle and I wipped it back to life it has touched young and old alike, even to the point everyone calls her Big Red. By about 2011 I had to start working out of province far more then Id care for and Big Red even though she was always on my mind was sitting there withering away. So about a month ago I decided I couldnt take it any longer......well I was also tired of shovelling snow by hand lol, but dont get me wrong I always missed her and it hurt to see her in this state so I said to her....come baby, everything I had to fix is basically finished and now it is your turn for some long over due pampering. I swear I heard her giggle. So slowly but surely Big Red is now getting the attention she always deserved. From here we will just keep making history and helping anyone who needs and asks.....Thats Just Big Red, non stop giving, my baby.......smiles.

I get that question a lot, but it is not so easy to answer. The magnification is calculated according to the focal length of the telescope and the focal length of the eyepiece being used. So for this scope, about the most magnification I use with this one is around 300x. The one I am working on now would be over 440x because it has a larger diameter mirror with a longer focal length.

OK my bearings are the correct size is there any numbers on that bearing because that is bigger than a 1533 can you get me a outside diameter of that bearing I know there was a substitution for a 1533 for a short time and you might have it

McMaster

My “telescope” is as big as the little dude attached to the top right of the one in your picture...!!!

The one I am doing now is about 16” longer than this one and another 2” bigger in diameter. We do call them “yard cannons”!

The grout is coming along!

whaaazoooo thats no telescope you you foolin hahaha thats a dang canon to scare anyone who even thinks of trespassing .....thats huge!

The “Elf on the Shelf” did that candy cane job!

Maybe a full belly after seeing that empty candy cane box!

From someone else who recently inherited the hobby, You couldn't have found a better, or more helpful community than you have here. With tons of resources available, and plenty of people willing to share their experience and opinions here I am sure your project will turn out great!

Ok Guys so I took the plunge and picked up the 953 tractor. I'm sure I will be looking to the boys for advice and I'm sure a few parts. I took off the mower deck and a front bracket that the previous owner had installed. I think it looks great in my humble opinion. (rear tires are BF Goodrich Silvertown) I haven't had time to get into the engine but my plan is to flush the gas tank and instal an inline fuel filter clean the carb put in a new plug and pray lol. New front rubber as well. Thanks again for all the feedback

I always love to hear about a being passed down in the family and loved by subsequent generations. If questions arise during your restoration please feel free to ask for assistance and advice. This manual should be helpful, nor sure of the year but guessed it was a '75. The decal on the front of the grill side looks interesting, was that a military insignia?

This was his daily driver

Well today I found out Dooley setup on a garden tractor is not the best idea for plowing snow LOL 😁 but it was really fun doing it

Same great tractor bones, just a few sign of the times safety systems added. Hey, we don’t get traffic lights until enough people get side swiped... Toro had to add a few “lights” to keep the idiots safe too

Don't mean to offend you here 'timer just being honest. That looks like a parts tractor to me unless you really like a project. We've all seen a lot worse here and we have seen them turned into silk purses but that one gives labor of love a whole new meaning. On the upside I do see things that could revive another.

Jim...thanks for that. It is truly amazing how much those people that are/would have been in their late 80's and early 90's had so much in common. Some history was lost today with her passing, but I also remember a lot of what she told me. Take the time to listen to what your Mom can tell you.

This is listed as a 1965. I see many clues telling me it’s not... such as a 300+ series muffler, front and mid mount tach-a-matics, 8 speed transmission, (did the 65 model have that headlight lens?), larger PTO bell and belt guard, etc. what would you attempt to label it as? B and C-80 is gear starter, correct? Did the Charger/Bronco come with any of these features?

I think so I ordered them from wheelhorsepartsandmore...his email on the recipt is wheelhorseman would that be him?

Lookin good 👍

I'm a mentor for the local high school's robotics team. Each year the team designs, and builds a robot to compete in the FIRST robotics worldwide competition series. Similar experiences with the kids - what tools do what, which way to turn bolts, basic lathe, mill, and hand tool operation etc.. We assign the upper class team members to work with the under class team members with teaching/management type tasks to develop leadership skills. I'll bet that rebuilding a Wheel Horse is much less expensive than building and competing in the FIRST robotics series. Good program. Thanks for running it.

When I rebuilt both the tall single and the deuce , I used "THE BIG BEARING STORE.com" for the bearings sprockets and chain.

Not enough thumbs for that statement! So true @Achto and I talk about that all the time and recall our years in HS shop classes where they had auto mechanics, power mechanics, machine shop, welding, wood working you name it. Heck we even had a small but effective foundry in my machine shop classes! and budget constraints. Seems like the schools nowadays monies are sucked up by trying to keep up with changing technologies.

Awesome Bob! Keep us in the loop now, will ya?

Sorry to be reading this news Steve. My thoughts are with you and your family.

Hello everyone, I am new to the wheel horse world and I am lucky enough to be restoring a 416-H . What fluids should I be using in the rear diff ?

Great job!! It's good that you're boys are willing to turn some wrenches and that they enjoy it.

Tonight, I moved Blackbeard into the main garage tonight and realized it was the first time that I had him next to "RED" (my Wife's Dxi). I thought it was a cool pic with the biggest model of the WH line in 1970 and the biggest of the ToroWH line about 30 years later! I purposely turned on the headlights on both tractors to show the different between the VLEDS in RED vs the old incandescent bulbs in Blackbeard! cool stable mates I think!

Sometimes it takes a fresh pair of eyes!!!!! Last night I had a long time friend over to my house to help me rebuild a Ross steering box for my sons CC 100. He worked for Chief equipment, the same farm implement dealer that my dad worked for. Pat was responsible for setting up the new Cub Cadets and repairing any GT's that came in needing servicing. He has that responsibility for about a decade and therefore became very familiar with the Kohler engines. I asked him if he would mind taking a look at Blackbeard. After playing with the carb adjustments for a minute or two, he pointed out that the piece on top of the throttle assembly was loose, real loose! He pushed that down where it should set and tightened the screw. Instantly the engine began to run much smoother. I'm not saying that the ignition system is completely glitch free yet. However, as we discussed that finding, I recalled hitting a fairly large bump both times that it killed out. It seems somewhat far fetched to think that a huge gulp of air would kill the engine that fast but Pat did say it was possible. He also said that much of the sputtering and missing was from the constant change in air/fuel ratio mixture... I'll you posted on that as updates warrant. For the mean time it is back to the refurbish. Next up, cleaning the tunnel area. Lots of caked on grease. I did note one thing after cleaning that area. This thing didn't spend too long outdoors. Look at the bottom side of the footrests... and the lift ram... It made me feel good to see this. I can paint to top side of the sheet metal and know that the undercarriage will be just fine until Zac and I do an official restore in about 10 years!