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Good morning, all! My name is Derek. I'm from Churubusco, Indiana. I was told about this forum from a guy named Bob. He said that this forum was the place to be to find info from some really helpful people. Bob drove 1.5 hours to buy a Wheel Horse mower deck that I was selling and he told me about this forum. I've just recently gotten my first Wheel Horse tractor. It's a '98 312, at least I think its a '98. The tractor came with a mower deck and a snow blower attachment but I don't have a need for the mower deck nor the snowblower. I just want the tractor. I want to use it as a trail rider. I bought two other brand tractors for my wife and my daughter because the prices were nice. I'll be doing the wrenching, as needed, so that we can go riding together. Anyway, I'll keep this short for now. I'll browse the forum and I'm sure I'll be back to ask questions and share pics and stories.

This past weekend I acquired this tractor from one of the tractor pulling families. They said it ran 4-5 years ago. (Maybe I believe it) Anyway, Over this past week me and @TonyToro have replaced a few ends on the battery cables, new solenoid, good used starter as ants were coming from the old one, all new fuel lines, new ignition switch, carb cleaning, rebuilt the metal Kohler fuel pump, new spark plug and changed the oil. Today we finally got everything put back on and within a few minutes it fired right up. It also came with a snowplow which I believe is a 48”. Needs a good degreasing and a PB blaster and scotch brite pad cleaning. We did a little on the fenders and it came out pretty good and at least smooth. Going to run it for a little bit and change the oil again as it was very black. More additions to come soon as this will mostly be a plowing snow and dozer blade work tractor. Enjoy the pictures! IMG_1006.mov

So replaced the brake lining on my 857 today and wanted to give a review of the brake lining I got from @rmaynard. I am very pleased with outcome. This little tractor has always been a bear to stop going backwards especially with a load behind it. I'm glad to report it has brakes going backwards know .

Just in time for Halloween VID_20251023_182838325.mp4

Finally got to replace the O-rings in the pump for the Hydro motion control on my 1973 12 auto. Thanks to @pfrederi he was kind to send them to me . I decided to have a go without separating the trans. It’s doable thanks to the cut out on the right side ,was able to remove the motion control out of the way enough to replace the o-rings. hard part was putting it all back together. Some how one seal was smashed as if someone had this apart at some point and didn’t line it up correctly. I also replaced the axle seals wile I was it. Already for winter,hope fully we get some snow this yr

Its stored in a metal shed behind my shop out of the elements along with a bunch of generators and saws, i dont really go back there much unless im trimming but i needed something this afternoon, its sat since about May, untouched. Hopped on, key on..meter said 11v, choke...turned over 6-7 times...started up, backed it out...let it run to recharge the battery. I remembered i had wheel covers to put on it from earlier in the year. The old Kohlers do run smoothly, this is the K181S that i did a quick refresh on in 2023, popped the piston out, put on new rings, new piston, put it back together in about an hour...didnt touch the bore..it was consuming about an ounch of oil in 10 minutes prior to😆. This is the Horse that started it all for me in 2002, the WH Yahoo Groups, all that. Side note...the ebay seat covers suck, they get sticky after about a year and turn dark..never sits outside, never rained on.

Finished spraying wheels and installing new bearings for the C-160. Put mew brake lining that came from @rmaynard and went ahead and replaced brake shaft seal while I was into it and replaced lug bolts with studs. Sure makes mounting them loaded tires and wheels easier.

IndyFord2. : save yourself some money, time and grief! Apparently, you never ran into me at a tractor show either Wheel Horse garden tractors! For over ten years i have been giving away FREE front wheel covers at tractor dhows! I have given over three hundred sets at shows, swap meets etc of my NESTLE COFFEE CREAMER cup caps! The secret is the packing foam cut into one inch strips wrapped around the hub and twisting the creamer cup caps off! One 80 years old guy said “and Lane you can open them up snd grease the wheels”! We have used this coffee creamer for 15 years and i just keep the caps in a five gallon bucket for FREE distribution at shows!

Thank you. It's not as grippy as I'd hoped but I had them bent up for me 20+ years ago so I've stayed with them. Best so far is what I put on the 523-H. Those things are like magnetic gravity boots! Wherever you set your feet, they stay.

I built an adapter to mount the sears 3pt. Used a tiller/blade bracket as part of it, and the drop stop/hitch is an old Deere deck lift. Its all removable in about 10 minutes by removing the seat spring bolts, and the axle bracket bolts.

October 23 between 6.02 am and 6:02pm is Mole Day. It’s a basic chemistry algorithm, and not about those funny looking creatures called moles. It commemorates chemistry’s measuring unit called “Avogadro’s Number”. The day is celebrated as a means to bring awareness and create interest in the study of Chemistry. The day is celebrated by schools around the USA by doing mole and chemistry themed activities. In scientific terms, a mole is in relation to the molar mass of a given molecule. A mole is literally a unit of measurement to reflect an amount of a chemical substance.

Looks like it is very complete and unmolested. Hope the hydro works well too.

Moles... Did someone say moles. Do I need to bring the Mole Busters.

Thank you! The bracket for the weights was originally made to fit under a hood that stuck out a bit, and to fit the front hitch. The bracket was made to be easily swapped from my Bronco over to a classic. Other than being crazy heavy it works very well. This tractor has a much shorter hood and that bracket sticks out too far in my opinion. I may make a shorter bracket for this one. Two of these weights are plenty anyway. All 4 are about 110lbs. The rear hitch is the last part on this machine. It's gonna be a couple weeks before I get that finished, but I hope it's gonna work out.

@ri702bill that's just a little chain clevis/D ring, there's one on the other side also really serve no purpose but suppose you could use them to tie down tractor on trailer. I really just stuck then in there so as not to lose them. That was probably 10 years ago....

Are the 1533 bearings bad along with the needle bearings? If you put it together I wouldn't paint it. That way whoever wants it, if they have a patina tractor it would look good. If they painted their tractor or are going to paint it, they can paint the trans to match the rest.

My 92 312-8, I’m the third owner.

Thank you for the good review.

Maybe not for joining, but certainly for continuing membership! 🤣

Lowell offers some softer plastic ones that seem to stay put. I've had good luck with them anyway. https://wheelhorsepartsandmore.com/product-category/knobs-grips-more/

Following with interest Steve. I have one on the shelf in pieces and wondering if I should put it together or not. Shelf spare maybe? Or a replacement for the one in a noisy 1055. If one had to do 1533s and/or a 3rd gear I doubt one would be able to sell for what is in it.

A little bit of silicone works well, but is still easy enough to remove and clean up afterward

Finally, a day worth celebrating! Avogadro’s number pops up at least once a week in my work for some calculation or another. While a six with 23 zeros after it doesn’t intuitively seem like it would come in handy, it shows up in all kinds of places and in many scientific disciplines. One of my office mates is a biochemist and another is a fellow chemical engineer. Both greeted me with “Happy Mole Day” this morning. They get me. The rest of the place…not so much. happy mole day, Steve

@RED-Z06 that is a mighty fine looking round Hood. I hope you enjoy it for a long time when you could find more time to use it. Enjoy your day.

I think the older machines benefit from several things: as you say, the older cylinders were high quality. The older machines also had lower charge pump volume and lower volume spool valves. That means slower (not weaker) travel. Might help protect them as well.

When I'm tryin to move something, I reply: Steerin' don't matter----'Pushin' do. (that's from an old-time Amish saying: Kissin' don't last---cookin' do.) As to bending the ram...never happened in the 25+ years I've had this on my C-160 Auto. These older hyd cylinders (#6618) are pretty tuff...

Yes Sir. After i got it together a couple years ago

After a lull, today was fix up the seat, touch up the latch for the hood, and get the overspray off the drive lever on the C-141 day. Not a ton of time invested. I figured I’d spruce it up for the new decals that are on the way.

This ass’y is apart with some quick cuts and a press! Salvaged the pulleys! Get it cleaned up and paint refreshed, new parts in route

I've stumbled onto a Massey Ferguson CG1700 series tractor for sale. It comes with a FEL , small backhoe, and a trailer. 450 hours, 20hp diesel and the possibility of some other implements - most of them I'm not really interested in. Asking price $13k. Best of all, I guess, is that it is red. Sounds tempting and would be very useful in our 20 acre wood. I dunno, though.....

Previewing an auction today saw this... Kohler's label maker was dyslexic ???? 1976 C-160 Spec number is correct for that model but K431????

I have an interesting problem. I switched out the #5053 transmission in my 857 for a new #5053 transmission this last spring. I have torn apart the old #5053 3 speed with the idea of rebuilding it. This is where I need help...should I spend the money for bearings, new seals and gasket? Should I paint the old transmission so it looks brand new, or maybe someone wants that old worn look for an original look? I do not need to keep this transmission (store it) as I am getting old and the one horse I have that would use this trans, has a new trans already. Know this...all of the bearings were bad enough to be replaced (compete set of new bearings). All of the gears are in good shape...except I want to replace the 2nd & 3rd fork gear. The 857 would pop out of 3rd gear when plowing heavy snow. In the end, I will want to sell this trans. (1) It is cleaned up and in pieces now. (could sell as is, need to put 3rd fork gear, all bearings, seals and gasket) and the buyer can buy the parts and build it. (2) I can, at least, paint the castings to look like new. (3) I can buy the bearings, seals, gear and gasket, paint it and sell it as a new rebuilt/trans. I would never be looking to make money here, but I think I should break even. I have no idea what it might cost me to make this trans whole, but it will cost some bucks. Give this some thought you guys, I know some of you think or have to think this way. Ask me any questions you may have. Maybe one of you out there is interested in this trans...couple of picks as is now.

We do. Yes. Or just swap from one rig to another for whatever reason.

EXCELLENT upgrade. We do this to every tractor.

I've even had the great pleasure of meeting @nylyon @stevebo and @Sparky And YET I'm allowed to stay around..... Baffling.

@ri702bill @Achto also prefer the soft vinyl caps to the hard plastic , they just stay in place with no issues , also have them on the top of my front axel spindles , , keeps the crud out and protects / retains lucas green chassis grease . got them on line , pete

Looked into that but that is going to require at least removing carburetor again. Its in the back of property, I am going to have to tow it to shop to work on it. Getting tired of walking back and forth to get another tool.

Would this Bob happen to be @Racinbob?

Welcome (and thanks to “Bob” for referring you)! As an FYI, know that you can often find relevant posts from the forum using Google and including “wheelhorseforum.com” as a search term. Two things Google cannot see are PMs (private messages) and documents/files from the forum's library of owners’ manuals, illustrated parts lists, wiring schematics, and more.

I prefer the soft silicone ones over the hard plastic - the silicone ones stay put.

Exactly Randy... doesn't take much with all new bearings these days. I'm the kinda guy that would replace all bearings. I always thought Parts n more was proud of his bearings & seals but other checking other sources it's very close. Have you checked with Motion on bearings lately Steve? I found this place and they appear to have most of the bearings & seals. Decent price and availability https://www.mrosupply.com/

I made a bracket for suitcase weights that can be transferred front to rear but it’s for a Snapper for ballast using the wheel horse finish mower. Amazing what difference a hundred lbs can make in steering!

Most of what I plow is gravel or dirt so i use a chain, do not need or want to scrape it bare. I do have a short section with pavers, I use the solid link and a plastic plow edge as i want to scrape it clear with out scratching the pavers.

If that Suburban is/was a 551 with the 2 piece trans then yes. If it has the 3 piece then you need to make an adapter plate and some other mods. @Lane Ranger has an adapter.

Best custom work that I have had the liberty to view, greatly impressed! Really loving the suitcase weights to top it off! puts me in mind of “cyclops “

Today was sausage making day. I grind 1 lb of bacon with 5 lb of venison.

I think I'm finally figuring this rustoleum paint out. Even with hardener it cures like bovine feces! In other words, very slow! Been a couple weeks since I shot this hood, and during lunch I broke out the buffer for a second attempt. It's much better now and while not perfect, at least now I understand what to expect. Minimum 2-3 weeks to cure enough to polish.

I use the chain set-up on the C160, for the flexibility on my stone driveway. Doesn't dig in as much over the undulations of said driveway.

Pa. muzzle loader opened this week. This is for doe only and I had a doe tag. A cool 45F morning and a good day to butcher. 7:15 this fat doe stopped at 30 yds and the smoke pole did the deed. 9:am 10am ready to make sausage.

Glad I got those parts tractors to @WHX??'s plow day so I could make room for this RJ. Saw it on Marketplace when I got home yesterday and picked it up on my way home from work. Not running but has compression and shifts into all gears. Sheet metal is in great shape and looks to be all there. Came with mower deck and plow blade.