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My First wheel horse was the one I grew up on. I have tons of awesome memories on this tractor mowing with my grandfather (him on his 416H which I own now) and me on my dad’s 12 Automatic. We mowed 5 acres twice a week. When I moved into my house (my grandparents house) my dad gave me his 12 auto. I remember my dad tearing it apart and repainting it and adding the 18HP Briggs and Stratton Vanguard V-twin to it in our basement. He had red paint everywhere lol. I used it a ton around here but unfortunately it sat for the last 5 plus years. Well I finally got it into the garage a few weeks ago. I dug into the carb. Had to get a new gasket. Cleaned the fuel pump and changed out the fuel lines and filter. Unfortunately Alex and I couldn’t get the starter to work so pull start it was. So happy to have it running again. Now to steal front tires back from @WheelHorse_Kid and get it out and stretching its legs. It should start first or second pull now that the fuel system is primed. I also ran it for a while after it died at the end of the video and it throttles up and down perfectly fine. this is the tractor that started my crazy addiction. So glad it’s back to running.

I bought this just before the end of the year. Drove 4 plus hours one way into a foreign country (Illinois) to pick it up. Runs good, but I'll need to add rear weight ballast. Either I buy a ballast box or I can use my Ford reversible scoop and add weight to it. Also, no power steering, so that's a bummer, but it won't see a lot of use, but will come in handy on occasion.

I have a pair of them. My dad did the engine swap in the mid 90’s when my parents built their house.Unknown to any of us my grandfather liked it so much he swapped out a tired 14hp in his Bronco 14 with the same 18hp Vanguard. When I first moved into my house my 12 auto had been sitting in my dad’s garage for probably 12 years and needed work. I had never spent any time or had any interest in small engines so the going was slow. I tried to enlist the help of my grandfather who was the best small Engine mechanic I’ve ever met but unfortunately that was right around the time we realized his memory was really starting to slip. He felt bad that he couldn’t figure it out and called me one day and said “come to my house bring your trailer”. So I backed in the driveway not knowing what was going on. He walks out to the shed and I hear an engine start and knew right away it was a 18hp vanguard. I spent so many hours on my dads as a kid that sound was burned into my brain. He came driving out on the Bronco 14 with a big smile on his face and drove it up On the trailer and said “it’s yours now”. We didn’t even know he owned it. He had a 1848 and never even knew the Bronco existed. Sorry long story.

Saving the soil while saving money A few thousand years before Christ walked the earth planting crops consisted of a stick penetrating the crust of the earth for a seed to be planted without disturbing the surrounding soil. The earliest known Egyptian farm implement is a stone sickle bar point from about 5200 BC. It would be tied to a stick to cut weeds down allowing the planted seeds to grow with less interference. As early as 1500 BC Wooden plows, pulled by domesticated animals, became the accepted tool to prepare the ground for planting. About 500 BC China's agriculture flourished with the development of an iron plow. It was a simple hammered iron sweep that penetrated the ground and rolled the soil in two directions to develop a furrow for planting. As progress toward greater crop yields on more acreage continued to grow in popularity larger and more effective methods of cutting into the soil were developed. Today there is a transition to no-till farming. One of the biggest contributors to soil degradation is the common practice of soil tilling. A growing number of farmers realize the importance of preserving and improving their soil by adopting no-till practices. It saves time, labor, and fuel when compared to conventional tillage practices. This practice will often result in a longer release of nitrogen as the cover crop breaks down over the summer. This will provide nitrogen throughout the summer, beneficial to crops like corn that utilize nitrogen. This reduces the need for fertilizer which saves time and money Our family farm in upstate New York is in the hands of a fourth-generation farmer (my cousin) and has transitioned to no-till farming with great success. The Roller Crimper has proven to be of great value. Rather than cutting a cover crop, plowing it under, preparing the plot and then coming back to plant a crop the planting apparatus is used with the roller crimper and only one pass over the soil is needed. Here is a bit of information about the process. The Roller Crimper is making no-till farming more popular today. Originally developed in South America, over the last decade roller-crimpers have become more popular in the U.S. as more no-tillers add cover crops to their system. Prior to the Roller Crimper a cover crop was cut with a mower and a selective herbicide that wouldn’t kill the crop being planted would be applied while seeding. Eliminating the cost of herbicides helps the bottom line and helps the environment. Win-Win situation! The crimping action helps crush the walls of the stem to facilitate drying down of the plant. There are several different types of roller crimpers available on the market. There are units available that mount on the front of the tractor, rear of the tractor, or even directly on the planting unit itself. Roller crimping cover crops has been utilized to terminate cover crops for many years. With the rapid expansion of cover crop implementation, roller crimping offers a viable option to managing cover crops in a no-till cropping system. The use of a roller crimper program helps to leave biomass on the soil surface, which drastically reduces risk of soil erosion and helps preserve soil moisture during the summer. The biomass on the soil surface will also keep the soil cooler during the summer reducing evaporation and heat stress on the cash crop. Rolling down high biomass cover crops also provides an excellent way to work towards improving spoil health. The use of the roller crimper will also suppress weeds early in the growing season potentially reducing the need for herbicides.

TL/DR - Shipped a 257-H from S. Elgin, IL to N. Attleboro, MA via Fastenal for $244. A few months back a member @Stratman(Dan) put up a 257-H with 95 original hours for sale in the classified section. I have a 520H with a loader, a 314H with a plow and a 314-8 - but the 257 struck my fancy for use as an everyday lawnmower. No hump, easy on, easy off. I really wanted it. I reached out to Dan to let him know that I was going to do some research into my options for shipping the mower from the Chicago area back to Boston. After getting several quotes ranging between $1,200 and $2,300, I sent Dan a note and said it looks like it isn’t going to happen. Then in a chat with @ebinmaine, I mentioned that there was a Fastenal store down the street from me and I was thinking of popping in and asking them what they might charge. So I did. The guy I spoke to in the office (Earl) was great and gave me the name and number for their sister company that does shipping - Blue Lane Freight Shipping. I called, the young lady asked me for the weight and dimensions of the tractor, which I provided. I had a quote emailed to me literally within five minutes. I called Dan back and said it looks like it’s possible for us to get this done. We had a quick conversation, and made the deal. Here are some things to know… - Blue Lane Shipping 855-978-5695 - Dispatcher: Tawnya Johnson (sent the quote) - They will not insure the shipment unless it’s fully crated. Mine was shipped on a skid Dan made. He also covered it with a furniture blanket and an old John Deere cover and strapped it down. - Your seller has to be willing to put it on a skid, drain the gas and oil (leave tranny oil in) and deliver it to a local Fastenal store. - You need to make an appointment at the store for drop off - no walk ins. - The receiving store will call you when it arrives. - They will not commit to shipping times, mine took 1 week. - The payment for shipping is paid at the pickup store by credit/debit card, no checks or cash. - The Fastenal store uses a forklift to load, unload and reload the machine onto your trailer. I hope this helps anyone who may have been thinking of a mower they like, but felt the distance/shipping made it unattainable. Paul

I put a 16 Vanguard in my C-120 back in 1989 it has a 18 now. Bought the C-120 new. I have parts of the 16 Vanguard running in a 312-8. Good to see yours back running.

Mixed bag this year helping out. WH 520, 418, Can-Am and JD. Had a good 10'' to deal with this past weekend. Almost gone now with the rain and warmer temps, crazy .

This was taken today out back at the Cabin. In the past 16 years this is only the third time I have seen it at this level. The sight and sound is something that makes this life worth living considering all that is going on around us. Enjoy

Vanguards are great engines. At least the "small block" 12-23hp versions. I have a couple of those and they work very well. Glad to see you got her going again!

Some members asked about hydro foot controls a while back. @RJC1965 @ebinmaine @Handy Don and others. I just found out the guy I bought the freshly rebuilt K341 also makes foot controls. Aside from the one on his tractor he has two more ready for new owners. He likely will build more if there's a demand. I don't want to post his information at this point but if you PM me I'd be happy to give it to you.

I used Fastenal to ship my EZ-rake de-thatcher from Illinois to here on Long Island. It was super easy using them. If I remember correctly it was only around $175. You just can’t be in a hurry, they say usually within 2 weeks.

I was watching American Picker's today when this pick happened...thought I would share this history. Sorry about the quality of the picture...it is a picture taken from the TV. The guys were picking Tim Corwin"s huge collection. Who is Tim Corwin you might ask?? He was the drummer for the Ohio Express in the 1960's. The 1st air date is 3-11-2019 if you want to do back and watch the show. One of their songs that I still know the words to !!!

We like long stories. One of the best parts of these little tractors is the history that comes with them!

Very cool! Awesome network of information we share on this site!

I’ve never shipped anything through them but have one of their stores about 10 minutes away. Maybe this will broaden my horizons on buying things that are further away than a quick drive. Thanks for the good report.

Those are cap seals, the bearings may be OK. Drain the trans and let's see what comes out. This might be a cheap fix, depends and what is inside. I would not order anything untill I opened it and had a cnance to see what you got. You can get all that you need from Lowell in a couple of days. Those are not the bearings, the bearings are on the inside of the case. Watch both of these videos. The 1st one is the 702 with pictures. The 2nd is a 4 speed, but it is the same (basically) inside. You can call me if you need any help...send me a PM for my phone number. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm going to edit the above. Those are capped bearings. They are both the seal and bearing. They tap out from the inside. I had a "Mini-stroke" like last October...I'm OK, but I need to be extra careful when I type anything. I need to read it over and over before I post. Sorry !!

That second one won't work, EB ain't Normal.

I’m partial to the 161 but it was my dad‘s. It mowed grass on steep hills and pushed snow for many years before I ended up with it. It still has its original Briggs engine and other than a different seat pan, 520 wheels on the rear, and a new seat, it’s pretty much like it was when he bought it.

Orginal Cab did horse cabs too Bill.

Matt, just make SURE your local Fastenal ships and receives large freight. I have two locations about an hour from me. One does. One does not. The "nice people on the long distance phone" do NOT know this. I'd highly advise walking into the location to speak to them directly. I really appreciate @PWL216 Paul sharing his story and ~ IMHO more importantly ~ the good contact information from the person he dealt with.

I tell you what I definitely have come to like, is every piece of equipment big or small has a history and tells a story. So cool.

Absolutely agreed! You tell all the long stories you want.

A year ago I visited a vineyard that was experimenting with techniques to overcome the increasingly dry climate in their area (southeastern Spain). Grapevines' roots can extend quite deeply into the ground, depending on the soil conditions--easily as far as six to eight feet. But grapes need a LOT of moisture at the right time in the growing season to thrive. The ground crew had started using a light, narrow tractor with a subsoiler/ripper to put two-foot-deep “slots” into the ground between the vines that would catch rainfall before it could run off. They had also begun maintaining, instead of killing or scraping, the low ground cover between the rows to lessen soil erosion and evaporation. Of course thorough “scientific" sampling of the wine ensued and was deemed successful!

And a 1257 and a 855 and a 702... couple a RJs... a Senior Well the guy thinks you have a museum now Mike!

Great story!! Anything we can do to reduce chemical use and increase nutrition of our food is great!! I remember reading a article in Mother Earth news a long time ago about how the amount of bushels of crops raised had went up, but the actual nutrition of the crops had went down over a course of 20 years they had been tracking it. Glad your family farm is doing it's part!! Randy

Awesome! It always feels good to hop on your first! Enjoy that first ride in years when you get the tires and wheels back on!

All the above situations are just one more reason I don't do Facebook. I'm sure I've missed out on some purchases but in reality I probably don't need more junk anyway. Craigslist is just as bad, maybe worse?? I've mostly had good experiences buying/selling, however I definitely make sure I've made my intentions clear! My 654 was for sale on Craigslist. 2hr trip- one way. I went to see it & later that week the seller delivered it for $50! When Buckeyes sold me the the 3 tractors that was so easy. 1st of all he's only 15min away from me. He gave me what I thought was more than fair prices on all them. I didn't have to travel or take time off work. Fuel, lost wages, etc.

Agree to disagree. Especially in places like where I live- they were artificially introduced where they never thrived naturally. I'm sure it was a good intention, but it wasn't well thought out. They target livestock, spread disease, and have attacked both children and adults on many occasions. All in the name controlling deer population. The same concieved result could have been achieved by raising the limit for hunters, and only adult deer would have been affected. The cure in this case caused more harm than the disease. Of course on paper it's deemed a success... The coyotes here around my house run in a few large packs. They put on quite a chorus at night, and are brazen enough to come right up to my back door. They certainly spook our animals, and my neighbor's cows. Hopefully our donkey is able to keep deterring them.

This almost always happens to me on marketplace. Except now I got t stuck in my head that I need a 1267 I really appreciate you trying anyway!!

Just buy them both, no second guessing. one is never enough!!

This is awesome! Hopefully when someone is looking for a good way to ship a machine I can remember to reference this one!

Don’t forget to Greasy Pete your door rubbers! @peter lena you’d be proud!

Glad to help!

There are also point contacts inside of the regulator. They don't seem to oxidize as fast as ignition points do for some reason but I've needed to clean some for the regulator to work.

Does this mean that plow days will become roller crimper and planter days? I don't know if a Brinly planter will work under those conditions. Somebody will need to develop a Wheel Horse sized roller crimper, though.

Buy both they are not making any more.

Growing up on a working farm in NE Iowa in the 60's we always used a 3 step field prep before planting. My dad went first with the 3 or 4 bottom plow to turn the furrow, my brother followed with the disc to break down the furrows and I finished with the "drag" that broke up the clumps and left a smoother, finer finish for planting. I'm sure the no till is much more prevalent today.

HEAT!!! Too much of it. Then when the valve stops sealing well it runs even hotter.

No way you could have drove there to get it for that! Very clean looking tractor PWL. I had a 246H that was a great daily mower.

One of the things I do on the mini plow field is to put rye in right after plow day. If it comes up late fall the deer love the tender red sprouts. Spring then plow it back under and it puts nitrogen back in.

Good point. He certainly knew electronic principles well enough to explain it in simple terms. Hope he is doing well!

Gotcha, ill make a Bat wire in the morning and get the new points/cond/coil on...then see if itll run.

Life's too short. If you thought he was a flake, trust your gut. My theory is to just walk away, try to stay factual with feedback. He can find a sucker somewhere else or let it rust into the ground before figuring out he should have taken the deal.

Whereas it was going to be a miserable day here in southwest Missouri, I decided it as a good day to double smoke a supple of bacon. Our son in law showed up last week with ten pounds of "restaurant style" bacon. (What ever restaurant style is--just looked like a big box of thin sliced bacon.) We ended up with about 20 bags of bacon of eight slices each. Then this afternoon, I played with model train.

Not for 22 clams & free shipping on fleabay Bill. That's for both valves too!

Early 2 HP version??

520 has something going on. You may be getting a phone call for electrical advice. @ebinmaine

It's a Lawn Chief made by Murray. The hood style says late 70's when it was made. Thank you for sharing !

It may be necessary to turn the key to the run position with the engine not running for the above to work.

Rick-I’m not sure why the whine but Zach’s is working good so far. He pulled a furrow plow around Jim’s plow day for about 3 hours without any incident. In our case, we are just going to continue to use it until it starts lacking the lugging power that it currently possesses…