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I've been wanting to restore a small tractor (preferably a Wheel Horse) for a long time. I finally bit the bullet and found a 1967 Lawn Ranger in fair shape and very complete. My goal is to give it a "frame up" restoration. I'll try to document the project as I move forward.

A buddy sent me this tonight. What a prize, more than a big purse that could be spent easily!

Just picked up some weight bench weights for more ballast "stackable". I think they are going to work well

Reminds me of an old anecdote from my police days. We had a guy on our patch who had a brain disease, made him appear drunk and confused all the time. He couldn't speak and communicated via a series of grunts and arm waving semaphore to get his point across. He was harmless enough but not very hygienic and so he was barred from every shop, pub or restaurant in the area (he would wander in and upset the patrons and was usually propelled out the door with free a sandwich or drink). He also used to drink a lot and so pubs were his natural environment, somehow his fuddled brain would try to get him a pint usually without success because he was well known in the area. One day our sergeant was out on patrol in a tiny village about 5 miles from this guys usual haunts, he spies said vagrant wobbling toward a very up market village inn, full of the gentry. "Hello Dennis old lad what are you doing all the way out here?" Quoth the venerable sergeant as he gently guided Dennis into the back of his patrol car. "I'll give you a lift back home cock, you must be knackered walking all this way." Dennis waved his arms and grunted in protest but our hero simply fastened his seat belt and drove him back to more familiar surroundings, all windows open. Dennis had somehow recalled this village pub and reasoned that he was probably not barred from it, it had taken him all day to shamble his way there and he was halted yards from his goal by our stalwart stripey. On the dark winter evenings he would cause traffic carnage by wandering into the road, forcing drivers to avoid him. There were car wrecks all round but Dennis never got a scratch. One day a gang of road workers who had seen the chaos he wrought in their work area decided to act. They captured Dennis and despite stiff resistance they managed to get a hi-viz yellow vest on him which they superglued the zip shut on. There were no more road accidents now that a reflective Dennis could be identified at a distance. And you think you have problems with Raccoons lol.

Predator swap…

Wheel Horse had been involved with NASCAR for several years. They sponsored the Pole Sitter award for several races including the 1992 Mellow Yellow 500 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway where Alan Kulwicki won a new 416-8 Wheel Horse.

I think someone needs to give him a new set of tires! He must be tight in, loose off, burning that right front down!

Hey guys, I just saved another piece of old Iron from the scrap heap. A guy that works at my shop bought a small hobby farm from a deceased family member. He tried to use the tractor but broke a belt, so he parked it and went to Home Depot and bought a new unit. Got a call and was asked if I wanted it.....as my truck was being started I got the address. I have to say the OP must have cared for this tractor and maintained it well. Their are the normal things that go bad but it sure is in great shape for a 73. Having a hard time finding the belt sizes for it though. Sure one of you know offhand what they are. Need the belt for the 48in deck and for the drive unit. Thanks guys

ID tag says 1929 Waukesha . Notice both cracked heads .

Update: So Russ got back home a few days ago with new pacemaker installed but had a dizzy episode and was rushed to hospital. He has since been discharged and is now in a rehab place. Hopefully it will be a short stay and he can get back home.

@Oldskool... Did you literally "pick them up", or did you have to buy them ?

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I did all of them. 876, brought home March 08, 2021 Seems I lied. I brought the 141 home on Oct 28, 2020 Casper The 656 I brought home Nov 20 2020 Brought home the 125 Mar 28, 2021 The 175 is patiently waiting it's turn. I brought it home May 09, 2020 The first Massey I inherited from my Father In Law. I did that in 2017. I can't find a before pic. It's hiding in this computer somewhere. The 2nd Massey I brought home Sept 09, 2020 The John Deere I have had for a while. Just painted it Thursday.

I have started my Woodchuck control program. Paid for in sweet corn by my Amish truck farmer neighbor. I have been removing 15-20 every year around the 36 acre farm. They are really are destructive to the newly planted cantaloupe seedlings, walking down the plastic covered row and nipping off every plant. And a burrow in an area where a horse may step in a hole.... Oh, They do not get relocated to become some other farmers problem, they become food for the predators and scavengers.

No, grandpa hasn’t given him permission. I worked with him a number of years ago, he’s a bit odd. I know we all are in a way, but it seems he likes to stretch the rules and poke the bear. Now that I KNOW where the boundary is instead of ASSUMING, I can use the authoritive approach and let him know he doesn’t have permission, even if he ever did or thought he did before.

I think with your reasoning, you’re doing the right thing. As for the loft mechanism... do what makes you happy. Nobody gets rich on resale... so make it the way you want it and have fun.

Would you please apply for a consulting job with the Dept. of Homeland Security?

Spray paint the tails. Then you'll know . My guess is they will travel 2 mile to return. You may want to check with wildlife officials. It may not be legal to trap any wild animal in the spring after the breeding season.

A site search on the 6449 shows it crosses to the 11124 and is the correct Axle seal for the 1-1/8" axle hydro transmission. Width shouldn't be an issue.

We are booked!!!

Hi everyone.....I've been lurking around here for years, but always found answers to my questions by doing a quick search. I've had a 1985 314-8 for about 15 years and it has treated me well. I've had to do some repairs, some of which required me to learn how to weld. Last year we moved to a new house with a much bigger yard so I'm really beginning to appreciate how good of a tractor it is and want to make it last. I have been mowing with a 36" RD deck for those 15 years, but the larger yard was becoming a bit of a chore for it. So a few weeks ago I picked up a 72'-73' 48" SD deck that is in pretty rough shape. It needs a couple of holes patched, has a cracked spindle housing, and the main center pulley is cracked with the double D wallowed out to the point that is shot. Luckily I found a local guy with one for sale that I'm picking up on Sunday. I may also pick up his used spindles if they will work on my deck. I don't seem to have a decent pic of my whole tractor, but below is the deck repair I did on my 36" RD, and the condition of my "new" 48". Hopefully I can get this 48" cutting grass before the end of the season. I also have the plan to pick up a snow plow before next winter. I'm only a little over an hour from the big show, so I plan to roll out there later this month and do some parts hunting as well. The 36" RD repair from a few years ago. I thought it was a goner when I started. Not pretty, as it was my first ever welding, but its still holding up 2 years later The "new" 48" SD I just picked up

So wonderful an all American company supporting the most american car-racing

Literally picked them up and put them in my truck. Free for the taking.👍

Side shot from a John Deere... 🥳

Definitely tight in, needs a little track bar adjustment.

Just got a Kubota B2601. So far I love it. If you go bigger than 30hp, you get into the regen exhaust crap. No thanks. Pretty happy with it.

I'm on my 2nd year of my squirrel relocation program. I've live trapped a very very large number of them and amazingly have not made a dent in the neighborhood population. I think part of my success is I continually change baits. I think I will try some marshmallows as mentioned above. Sesame seeds work good, but also attract birds, so I stopped using them. I actually got some pecans for myself last year. I relocate them to a large green rectangular plastic container and pay a business to pick them up once a week from me along with other items that get picked up. I just don't tell certain "neighbors" how or where I relocate them to. But they don't become someone eases problem!

My brother got a Kioti a few months ago. Loves it. Built tough. We're told nearly identical to Kubota.

IMO, while you are doing it, repair or replace all worn parts.

Finding work in our area is not an issue. Landscapers and builders are backed up for months with work backlog. Finding workers/employees is almost impossible, however. Anyone who wants to work is employed. Those who don’t want to work won’t even bother to apply. Also, starting your own business can be very profitable but 60-100 hour work weeks are not uncommon. Most any tractor will last and provide good service if treated well. I would choose one with a good local service/parts department. Green is a dirty word around here but we have a 1994 JD 970 with a loader and it has been bulletproof.

It's such a nice day, I decided to drag all the tractors out and wash them. I don't know how they get so dusty and dirty, just sitting in my storage area. I got my first Wheel Horse last November I think. I had been searching for one for a while, but everyone thought they were selling gold bars I guess. Then the 141 popped up for $200. After that, they started falling out of the sky, and landing in my garage. I don't know if I could pick a favorite, but I really like to drive Casper (656) and the 876. I even pushed the `25 outside, It still has that big gaping hole in the middle of it. Waitng on the block. I The 175 is buried a little deep in the shed, waiting it's turn. Of course the other kids got jealous, so I had to take their pic. WARNING! If the color green offends you, look away now. There are a couple more green ones, but they were taking a nap.

Mahindra, Kioti or Kubota

@pullstart , great pick up on that ! love that post war anything , there was no failure built into them , just the idea of bringing it back to use and life, is wonderful. enjoy your work and marvel at its bombproof common sense durability , what a concept , pete

Don. Sounds like great advice. A good idea can turn out to be a bad one once it comes up against reality. A young lad near me asked for our advice as he fancied becoming a dog walker. I told him the same thing, study the market, find out if there are potential customers, think about insurance, think about security, you may be asked to collect dogs from peoples homes so how will you uphold their security, strong leads and harnesses as you can't always trust an owners gear, time management to be where you promised to be etc. Didn't take long for him to decide starting a business might not be for him.

You know the rules Matt... No “looking” allowed. Riding, sure!

Very nice work, Kevin!! Cant wait to stop over and take a look!

The only thing I’d do to it would be to change that gas cap

T😎 l would clean and inspect all connections first!

You can get the real thing on for$ 9.34 a pair shipped free. https://www.ebay.com/itm/142042768245

SKF 11124 is in the middle. Other seal types and widths they have. CRWA1 is the type/style of seal. Letter at the end identifies the lip type - R=Nitrile. One advantage of using different width seals is it allows you to install in a different location on the shaft if the shaft is worn or damaged by rust. 1.125 1.624 1.628 0.25 11123** CRW1 R 1.125 1.624 1.628 0.25 11111* CRW1 P 1.125 1.624 1.628 0.25 11130** HM21 R 1.125 1.624 1.628 0.256 11134* CRWA1 V 1.125 1.624 1.628 0.256 11133* CRW1 V 1.125 1.624 1.628 0.256 11124* CRWA1 R 1.125 1.624 1.628 0.256 562487* CRWA1 H 1.125 1.624 1.628 0.256 547585* CRWA1 H 1.125 1.624 1.628 0.256 547488* CRWA1 D 1.125 1.625 1.628 0.315 542621** CRWHA R

It looks like it has been restored making it a good candidate for a re-restoration. I would be hesitant to restore an original finish tractor.

Some other things to think about. There is no suspension on a WH. Multi ply ag tires can ride rough when aired up. (that is on hard ground). If you are planning a lot of seat time cutting / mowing might want to think this over.

I remember it. It's not near as funny as it was 50 years ago.

He is taking that 314 around the Indy 500.

My brother used pulleys made for electric motors. He drilled and tapped the pulley in the groove where the belt goes. Tightened the set screw on the flat of the double D shaft. Obviously you need the right length set screw so the belt won't hit. These pulleys aren't expensive and he's been using it like this for 3 years.... We'll be at the show...

@RMARNARD, yes that is the stuff, since converting over to it on all my bearing , and lubrication areas , its been bombproof . it stays with just about anything , its got a similar rating to the john deere polyurea grease above , that polyurea rating is terrific. when I do over my bearings , simply pop off the side rubber shields , carefully wipe out existing grease , and refill with the hi temp. no whining bearing noise just solid quiet bearing performance , no failures since change over , pete

Well, the spacers are about $15 bucks a wheel. I don't really like duallies, and this is one way to add some stability without as much chance of snapping an axle. ...Plus the wider rear end looks good.

Alright then.... Take this....