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Uncle Jim! Dang you’re old! But I love ya anyway! Happy birthday!

So I picked this up from my neighbor for almost nothing. It's a 2011 Honda PCX 125 . He bought it brand new when he lived in Cali. Then he moved to AZ where it was last registered. 10 years ago he moved here to NY where it has been parked in the garage ever since. 10 years of bad gas, 10 years never been started, 10 years of dust. I rolled it over to my house and my cousin and I started removing all the plastics. Let me tell you, that alone ain't easy. Siphon out what was in the tank. Flushed, rinse repeat, repeat, repeat. Put new gas and battery in it. Turned key, nothing. Checked all safety switches and the key and kill switch. Turned out bad kill switch. Made a little jumper wire and it was cranking with spark but not starting. Not getting fuel. Pulled the fuel pump out of tank and ordered a new motor fior the pump and kill switch and fuel injector. Parts came in and we put it all back together. Had some few extra screws when finished ! Ya know how that goes. Anyways it's running like a champ now. I have owned a few motorcycles in my day. Riding this is nothing like riding a motorcycle. Being it's automatic im always looking to clutch, shift, use foot brake. None of that applies on this. Also the sitting position is strange. But is it fun ??? Heck yeah !!! Today i take it to get inspected. When title comes in most likely sell it, until then....... que the Born To Be Wild music. 20250808_192300.mp4

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Happy Birthday Jim! Maybe a new wardrobe to celebrate!

Believe it or not, we have all our legal ducks in a row if something were to happen to us…

We have 7 grandkids, so my wife "Nanny" declared we need a larger dining room table so everyone could sit together. So now you know what I've been working on for the last month! I did some measuring and determined a 10 ft table would fill our space. We did some looking, but really didn't find anything we liked, and the prices were high. she asked if we could build a granite table for less that the store bought one. I had suggested I have some heavy antique cast iron legs and could build a metal frame for the granite. When I calculated that a 42" x 120" granite slab would weigh 1225 I knew this frame needed some engineering. I had a "strength of Materials" class back in collage 50 years ago. I remembered the basis, but never used the calculations part of it. It occurred to me that maybe AI could help me with the calculations. So I dug out my old textbook. So I use the free version of CHATGPT and asked if it could do steel design calculations. Of course it answered. I gave it the granite size and weight, the cast iron legs size and weight and asked it to design a frame using rectangular tubing. I went through several calculation iterations, giving it more information as I remembered various inputs it needed. I also asked it to include a safety factor in the design, Then even asked it to do a tipping analysis of what it would take to tip it over. During this process it told me it could make a drawing, build me a metal cut list, specify the welding requirements and even suggested designing some under table LED lights. First it told me I could download this design package at a "link" that didn't work Then it told me it could put it all on a USB and mail it to me and I pay for the USB and shipping using PayPal I asked it for its PayPal address and it gave me a copy of the instructions of how to set up a PayPal account. I again asked it for "its PayPal address and it finally told me it couldn't have a PayPal account because it was a computer. It did make a a simple sketch of the frame using "dash" lines to draw the frame and a material cut list. As this point I texted my techie son and he said it was having "AI Hallucinations" telling me it could do the mailing when in reality it couldn't A friend from when our sons were in Scouts together has a metal roofing and light fabrication business. I cut out the parts and laid it out on his large long flat fab table. I started to tack it together, but his guys are such better welders that me and they just took over. I payed him for a days work by one welder, a great deal. I had access to some leftover (low cost to me) 1-1/2 x 2-1/2 11ga steel tubing. so I asked AI to use this for the design. Cast leg set weigh 70lb each. its solid and heavy. The legs set have a 4" wide top that already had bolt holes in them. The legs bolt onto this flat plate. I welded the nuts since you can't get to them once the granites in place. After Sunday evening dinner with my sons and families, I had them help me haul the steel frame inside and bolt it together. Granite delivered and set in place by 6 guys yesterday. After they set the granite in place, my wife exclaimed "it's Huge" So I think I did good! I briefly wondered if I mad enough brownie points to buy another tractor- Not My existing 8 ft table and chairs are going to one of my sons. The granite guys were great, and carried it out and put it on my trailer. New chairs are expensive these days #200 - $300 each and up. I came across well build commercial used chairs at Restaurant Supply Businesses. We found a simple design we liked advertised on Facebook Marketplace and I bought 14 for $20 each. So my next project is to sand and paint the chairs a medium gray to match the colors in the granite,

@Achto lost his wallet on the plow field now he has a money tree. He was planning for the future but then bought more horses ...

Unfortunately, our Country has been doing the Candid Camera routine since the advent of the Great Society... sooner... later... we run out of ink and paper...

just a thought, how much play is in the axle bearing? excessive bearing play might allow shaft work out the seal. New bearings have about .003 play I tested a new bearing on a good shaft.

My wife prefers her 2013 Subaru over my recent Volvo--smaller, more nimble, and less “helpful” stuff. 😁 In that vein, she shared this image with me today...

Back in the 60s, 70s and early 80s we sold Jacobsen Chief tractors and later after Ariens brought the New Holland lawn and garden tractors, their tractors too. So we were already handling some pretty nice tractors and then in the early 80s we took on Wheel Horse. I didn't know anything about W/H but soon learned and figured out a lot! By this time we had dropped Jacobsen (mainly because of a switch in distributors, about the time that Textron got involved with them). Ariens didn't have a small garden tractor, like the C125 and the C-series turned out to be our biggest seller. I quickly grew a love for these tractors, they were a great size, great price and rugged. When I went to the W/H School of Business in South Bend in 1989 they advised that their garden tractors were lasting an average of 23 years with average use and care. Back then our competitors were mainly JD, Cub Cadet, Bolens, Simplicity, and Sears. Some of the customers I talked to and lost told me later that they were sold on JD because of their reputation, so I didn't have a cure if someone needed to have green paint. For others comparing W/H to Sears I would ask them to compare the weights of the two and for some that helped justify the price difference. I've been out of the W/H business for a long time and still love them! I have 4 complete tractors and a couple of parts tractors, not nearly as many as many of you, but I love my little fleet! C-85

Axle move in out a bit OK Any movement up down... front rear is NOT

I have told my wife it is like we are all sitting around in the workshop helping each other with our projects or problems. Occasionally we attempt to solve the world's problems but for the most part we are satisfied being helpful and supportive.

Just a reminder loctite won't do any good if surfaces are greasy or oily.

Please... no visuals... please...

I hope @Pullhosen’s Pony Express keeps @Pullstart away from any angle grinder within 100 miles!

Use Loctite green bearing retainer on the outside of the seal. Clean the surfaces good with non-flammable CRC Brakleen in the red can.

Hey hey hey... I represent that

Those brackets can be seen on the left side of this photo; bagger uses the same ones. Don't ask , this was sold years ago.

Visuals alert...

Continued with the deep cleaning of the C-85. A few before and after pics:

I didn't think to post it when this happened, and I didn't take any pictures. About 2 weeks ago I had a cut-off wheel on my angle grinder and was about to cut 2 rusted bolts off a WH deck bracket, and when I went to push the button to the "lock-on" position, my left hand slipped forward as the grinder started spinning. The wheel briefly hit the back of the 2 middle fingers on my left hand. Dropped the grinder, pieces of the wheel flying everywhere when it hit the floor, but I didn't care. Thin skin there, didn't look like they needed stitches, but luckily I had some rubbing alcohol and a first aid kit nearby. Cleaned them quickly, and slapped a couple of Steri-strips on them. Don't think I hit bone but might have. Both cuts were about an inch long. I kept them clean and put fresh Steri-strips on daily for about 10 days and they've healed nicely. One of the first things I did was order a few pairs of those "can't cut through them" gloves, and now I wear them when using anything that wants to cut through my hands. Sorry I don't have any bloody pictures to share.

Is Red Square the only place you have it advertised? I know many people are not fans of FaceBook but…Facebook Marketplace is a great place to advertise. Huge audience!

That's a nice score there,

We keep AAA state maps and renew them every couple of years. The “video” of backing up, though, really cracks me up.

\ don't you wisj you looked as good as that old tractor. Especially since your both about the same age. Go get some seat time

Happy Birthday Jim! Go buy another tractor and celebrate!!

@c-series don re-introduced me to Red Square in 2021 after meeting at the Big Show and discussing the issues that I was having with my two stage snowblower linkage hanging up from time to time. We must have talked for an hour, exchanged cell #s, and have become very good friends, all because of a little red machine. Thanks Don. I am happy too say that I have never cut the grass or plowed/blew snow on anything but a Wheel Horse, dating back to the mid/late 70s on a brand new B-80 8 speed that my dad bought. I thought I was king of the hill on that thing. As someone said, we all have our quirks, but the common thread of Wheel Horse and the desire to see the legacy of the brand prosper is what draws us together. I have gotten good advice here more than once, and without the smart@ss remarks found elsewhere. I have two WHs now and occasionally have three, then the garage is full. As long as my wife's Passat fits in the garage my hobby is safe.

Have you got the woods exhaust fan too?

Happy birthday Jim!!

Save your money on that flea bay crap I will look when I get home. Sure I have one that will work. Up nort right now so it may be abit. Since yer a plow bro yours for shipping.

Happy Birthday JIM, thank you for all you do for us. Have you done any Wheel Horse field stripping lately? Thank you!

Leave it up to Eric, he even has a Kohler toilet 🤣

Picked up a couple of 314's with some extras today in a package deal The one with the bagger is going to be my SIL's for her smaller yard and I think she'll be happy with it. I need give it some it some maintenance items and lots of grease and lubricant. Basically she'll get all the best stuff in the package and I'll have the leftovers for pickup and I'll be maintaining it when I do mine each year. There are 2 sets of chrome hubcaps, one set rough with some dents and lots of rust. and other set is nice. Lots of light scratches, but They will shine when cleaned up. It has about 400 hrs. Deck is very nice and solid. Both were from original owners and got to chat with the gentleman for over an hour even though i was in for a long trip back home. Such nice guy to deal with. I was able to get some original papers as well! Even came with a new iSaveTractors carb. Not sure exactly what I'm doing with the other one yet... it runs very good despite higher hours.

The young'uns had a fold up tape, but that didn't pass "Nanny's" muster I looked into adding a 3rd leaf. I would have had to replace the whole sliding mechanism. Then grind a custom router/shaper bit to match the edge of the existing table. Then again i think she had her mind made up to replace the wooden table......I like wood....but!

The trans would need to be opened up to replace bearings. @stevasaurus has done plenty of videos and instruction concerning how to. You should be able to find all you need in the trans section https://www.wheelhorseforum.com/forum/49-transmissions-and-transaxles/

Trina still keeps a paper copy of the old school DeLorme Maine gazetteer with her at all times.

And a fold-up paper triple A map in the glove box for the "manual" GPS...

Glad you didn't get hurt worse are healing up well. Last year while sharpening mower blades with my older Skil die grinder the disc came apart hitting me on my right arm at the shoulder. It didn't cut me but it bruised me through my shirt and I still have a scar there. After that I looked for a shield for my grinder but couldn't find one so I replaced it with a new one. That incident spooked me because I realized that this could have ended badly. Safety is the best policy and sometimes we do get more chances to do it right.

Boy that is lucky that nut didn't get in there while it was running and destroy a bunch of things.

The likely cause of the seal failure in the first place was a failed axle bearing. A new seal won't do any good if the bearing behind it is bad.

I third that.

Years ago I was pulling a disc harrow with an old Farmall. At the time I was having extremely severe back and neck pain. Looking forward and backward while doing this was almost unbearable. At one point after looking backwards for a while I quickly looked forward and almost passed out in pain. I started to blackout and immediately stopped the tractor in time. This tractor was wide open with just a spring seat. Had I actually passed out and fell off the seat, the tractor would have continued on and the disc would have ran me over. Without a doubt it would have killed me. With the tractor shut down I got off and walked back to the barn. I told the guy who was my boss at the time what happened and he just asked me when I was going back to finish? I realized right then and there that he was more concerned about the work than my safety.

I used krylon ih paint with out hardner and boy it took a good 4 days to dry and it still let's me put my nail into it.

@squonk I got some stuff done on the engine swap! RH side step off, belt and guard off. PTO sleeve off. This is for my own future reference. So..... I was fiddling around with the engine. Tried to spin it over. movement!! What. THEE ??!! Well ok..... I know it was running on the floor of the engine shop a couple weeks ago. Turn one way. Stop. Turn the other way. Stop. Awesome. The BBT recommended dissection. Engine sheet metal off. Flywheel off... and then..... What's this?? That's a loose nut behind the wheel.

Ohio has a sales tax holiday and TSC has a sale on heating pellets. The limit is 500.00 So i bought four tons for five hundred and got some rewards points Stacking them in this heat was two tons a day. Not bad from an old guy

This came from a local former Wheel Horse collector. I’m awaiting his name but I heard he was on this site. The gentleman who built this or owned this passed away in April of this year. former owner/builder: Thomas Evans Edit: Found Him Member Name: TJ out of Burlington, MI.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATE !!

Groove in the axle?