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I pretty much got it finished up this week. A seat from Matt Castagno, I added seat springs so made a new steering wheel shaft and raised the steering wheel. New decals from Terry and a new headlight lens. A nice original paint tractor with a few added touches. I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.

I ran into all kinds of problems with the engine, the block was cracked, the replacement needed bored and all the other usual stuff. I finally found what I needed, had the machine work done and got it back together a few weeks ago.

A few months ago I got the tranny apart, found some nice gears to replace bad ones and had to get a new pulley for the 5/8” input shaft. The hub on front of the pulley needed turned down to allow belt alignment so I had that done and then added a couple more set screws to help hold it in place. I also added a second drain plug to the tranny case.

I thought I might play in the snow with this tractor so I picked up some weights and a very nice blade.

I picked up a well worn 867 several months ago. Took it apart to determine what I had to work with and started a list of parts I’d need to bring it back to life. I Found the matches under the fender pan.

Assembly went pretty easy, all new wiring, new switches & lighter.

With the warmer weather I was about ready to start reassembly. I bought a tranny kit from Lowell, had to find good pinion plates for the differential, mine were cracked. Got the tranny together and bolted to the frame. I decided to try the thrust bearings on the spindles so I had the front axle machined for that.

Last fall I found a decent set of 5.50 front tires, I got all 4 rims cleaned up, new tubes and a coat of Miller’s tire paint and got those ready to go. I was also able to make any repairs to the tins and frame before winter set in, the lower steering shaft was replaced and I had new bushings installed in a couple lower supports and added a zerk to the bottom bushing on the support I used on this project. I got the motor generator refreshed, while it was apart I drilled & tapped new regulator mounting holes to move the regulator terminals a bit farther away from the gas tank then filled the original holes with epoxy.

This tractor needed a lot of repair or replacement parts so I met up with a buddy who supplied me with most all the parts needed to put a nice tractor together.

Got the tri-ribs swapped over, replaced the front tie rods, and topped off the trans oil. Then gave my youngest a ride around the yard. It’s nice having this back up and running fully again.

I wiped it down with Penetrol last night. I kinda like that stuff! Top pic is before, bottom pic is after applying Penetrol.

More pictures of the diesel it almost done and looks good to me that All it matters 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁

The addition of a second 1/4" pipe plug in the forward well is an excellent idea.

Sorry no picture yet but the first humming bird of the year. Wife has had the feeder out for a couple days,. usually means the first Baltimore Oriole will be here in few days Will set out the orange slice and the grape jelly tomorrow SPRING!!!

May 1, 1967, in an intimate wedding before only 14 guests, music sensation Elvis Presley marries Priscilla Beaulieu in an eight-minute civil ceremony in a private suite at Las Vegas’ famed Aladdin Hotel. The couple wants to keep the nuptials very private, so they ditch reporters by flying on a private jet from Palm Springs in the wee hours and arriving in Las Vegas at 4 a.m. The couple met in 1959 while Elvis, 24, was stationed in Germany, where Priscilla’s father was stationed as a U.S. Air Force officer. Their seven-year courtship—she was only 14 when they met—culminated when he gave her a three-karat diamond engagement ring.

I finally decide to take the time to pay attention to this 704 that I bought last fall. First off - pull the rope & see if it runs. Yep that's right, I brought it home, and stuffed it in the shed. Never even tried to see if it ran. Good news, after a bunch of pulls and some coaxing I have it starting easy and running good with no smoke. Here are a couple pics of when I brought it home. There are a few discrepancies but most of the correct parts came with it. The correct gas tank and rear wheels where included in the purchase. Did a little shopping in my parts collection and also in Jim's collection to find the rest of the parts needed. Top tin for the engine, gas cap, a different set of front wheel covers, clutch spring, and a hood that is in better shape. Ready to show and enjoy now. This tractor is how ever on my resto list. Pictures after a light make over.

Just to clear up the confusion in this thread. He has a 1057 with a Kohler 10 start gen that he feels the motor is “all-done”. The Kohler 12 he is considering is gear start and he wants to eliminate that and swap over all the start gen components from his 10 to the 12.

Looks fantastic to me. To heck with a paint job, you took care of all the important stuff! Very nicely done sir! You even found OEM Kohler engine parts. Awesome!

Mounted some Vredstien V61’s, added some liquid ballast and got um back on 520H.

Not “to” my WH but “for” it. In the fall, I made a small cart to hold my 36” RD Gear mower deck for easier storage and movement during its off season. An unanticipated benefit was easy access for sharpening and cleaning and for re-greasing one of the gearboxes. Now that I’ve got the mower back on the tractor, I decided to upgrade the cart so that it’ll hold the blade. Here it is with the mower and now with the blade.

Replaced rectifier on the 520H and installed a Wheel Horse head fuse block cover gifted to me from @WHX??. Btw the rectifier fixed my charging problem, from looks of the gauge face must not have worked for a long time.

Should seal it unless he likes oil stains that don't go away. We had a carriage barn with plank floors when I grew up. There were 2 stains on the floor that weren't going anywhere. It was pretty cool though. We made a basketball court in there and there was one spot that was like a spring board. Felt like I was 8 feet tall!

Rebuilt the carb after the parts came in and reinstalled it. Cleaned the gas tank, installed new fuel line, filter, and shut off valve. Went to the local gas station that the net said had ethanol free gas. They did. $5.80 a gallon. Went to Walmart, bought a 5 gallon gas tank, and went back. Once I got home and put some in the WH it was time to check operation. Turned the key and it cranked, and cranked, and cranked until the battery wore down. Stuck the charger on it and started looking to see why it wouldn't start. 🤔 Low and behold I forgot to plug the new harness into the new fuel solenoid.🤦‍♂️ Started right up! I did not shut the gas off because I want to see if the new parts took care of the previous leak.

Plow day complete, pool shed complete, waiting on fence materials, it’s a good day to work on an engine! ARP head studs swapped in place of bolts, torqued to 80 ft lbs rather than not close to 65, blue loctite on block side threads. New rear main seal and oil pan gasket, fresh paint cooking next to the oil fire. Once it gets set up a bit, I’ll roll it over and finish assembling the top end IMG_4296.mov

not for my shop… kitchen floor? Sure!

For sale Denny? You know how I like buying tractors from you!!!

Well done! You really have a gem there Denny!

Nothing like a hot cup of coffee on a dreary day

Slowly getting the tractors outta storage in back shed. Wanna go thru them one at a time getting them ready for summer. Hasn't been easy cause we've had so much rain. Yard is like a swamp & don't wanna have a mess moving them from shed to garage. Got the rat rod all ready & added a simple belt guard. Have been fortunate so far not to get my jeans jammed up in pulleys/belt. Try to keep moving on to next ones....

The videos show the pros emphatically. There is a lot to like with propane and the hardware to switch a Kohler to propane (or to dual fuel) is readily obtained. Things to keep in mind: - Propane will yield somewhat lower horsepower than gasoline for a given engine displacement/compression ratio. - Sizing a propane tank big enough to run the engine for as long as you need it. The inter web tells us a standard 20 lb propane tank contains approximately 430,000 to 455,000 BTUs. In one gallon of gasoline there are approximately 114,000 to 125,000 BTUs. So about 3.5 gallons of gas (a full 300, 400, or 500 tank) equals one 20 lb tank. Near me a tank refill ~$20; a gas refill ~$15. - Where on the tractor to mount it safely, including plumbing - Refueling convenience (i.e. switching tanks and getting refills)

I asked CoPilot about my recollection and here's what it had to offer: What these red sealing sticks were Before liquid chemical sealers became common, mechanics and welders used torch‑applied copper sealing sticks to fix porosity, seepage, and pinholes in cast iron—especially on tractor housings, transmission cases, and engine blocks. They were: Red or reddish‑copper in color Very hard, almost like a metal crayon Applied by heating the casting with a torch until just below dull red Then rubbing/melting the stick into the pores, where the copper alloy wicked in and sealed the leak Often burnished or lightly peened afterward These were not welding rods—they were low‑temperature copper‑alloy sealing sticks, sometimes with small percentages of tin, phosphorus, or proprietary binders to improve flow into porous cast iron. They were extremely common in the 1970s–1990s in farm shops, radiator shops, and small engine rebuilders. Why you used them Cast iron—especially older tractor castings—often has graphite‑flake porosity or develops micro‑cracks after welding. Even when welded with nickel rods, you could still get: Weeping oil Coolant seepage Hydraulic fluid sweating through pores The red sealing sticks were a post‑weld porosity fix, not a structural repair. Why they disappeared By the late 1990s, these sticks were largely replaced by: Anaerobic penetrating sealers (e.g., SAF‑T‑LOK S90) that wick into pores at ~120–200°F and cure chemically. [^1] Metal‑filled epoxies (Devcon, Belzona, JB Weld) Better casting quality and machining practices Torch‑applied copper sticks are still made, but they’re niche and harder to find. What it wasn’t Just to rule out the common alternatives: Not brazing rod — brazing rod is yellow/gold, not red. Not nickel welding rod — nickel rods are silver/gray and used for structural welds. Not chemical sealers — those are liquids, not sticks. Your memory of a tough red stick that melted into hot cast iron matches the old‑school copper porosity‑sealing sticks exactly. If you want to track them down today They’re often sold under terms like: Copper sealing stick Cast iron porosity sealer stick Copper‑bond repair stick Low‑temp copper repair rod They still exist in welding‑supply catalogs, though not as common as they once were. If you want, I can help you identify the closest modern equivalent—or find a supplier that still sells the old‑style sticks. References (1) [^1]: Welds and Castings Porosities Sealing - SAF-T-LOK. https://www.saftlok.com/stl/Casting_Weld_Porosity_Sealing_Method.htm ANd Last, but not least, I also asked copilot to see if we could find even a shred of evidence of that old bulletin, which likely was never preserved, but giving specific detail of the situation, here is what CoPilot was able to come up with regarding those bolts and nuts: (Note it was almost certainly the distorted thread locknuts - Stover Nuts I seem to recall that now with the mention of "stover" ) You’re remembering this exactly the way old‑school Wheel Horse techs describe it — and the frustrating part is that the paper trail basically evaporated when Toro absorbed Wheel Horse in 1986. But the mechanical evidence, the parts supersessions, and the dealer recollections line up well enough that we can reconstruct what happened and when. Below is the clearest, most grounded picture of what that “lost” bulletin actually was. 🛠️ What We Can Confirm From Surviving Evidence 1. There was a running production change to the Uni‑Drive differential hardware Even though the bulletin itself is missing, the parts books tell the story: Early Uni‑Drive units (late 1970s–early 1980s) used standard-grade bolts with non-locking nuts on the differential carrier. Later units (mid‑1980s) switched to: Grade 8 bolts Distorted-thread locknuts (stover nuts) New part numbers for both bolt and nut A higher torque spec than the original service manual listed This matches your memory perfectly. 2. The failure mode was real and widespread Mechanics from that era consistently report: Nuts backing off the differential spider-gear bolts Bolts dropping into the bull gear Gear lock-up or case cracking Metal shrapnel circulating in the transaxle This wasn’t a rare failure — it was common enough that Wheel Horse had to address it. 3. The “fix” was a dealer‑level retrofit, not a customer-facing TSB Wheel Horse (pre‑Toro) handled many issues through: Dealer service letters District rep advisories Running production changes Updated parts kits shipped to dealers These were not formal TSBs in the modern sense, and almost none were archived. 🔍 What We Can Infer About the Missing Bulletin Based on: Parts supersession history Dealer recollections Surviving service practices The timing of Uni‑Drive revisions …it’s extremely likely the bulletin contained instructions similar to: 1. Replace all differential bolts with updated Grade 8 hardware The original bolts were prone to loosening under shock loads. 2. Use new distorted-thread locknuts These replaced the earlier plain nuts. 3. Apply a revised torque specification The original manuals listed a torque appropriate for standard hardware. The updated Grade 8 bolts required a higher torque, which was not reflected in the early service manuals. 4. Inspect the carrier for elongation or fretting Dealers were told to replace the carrier if the bolt holes showed wear. 5. Clean debris from the case If a bolt had already backed out, metal fragments often circulated. 6. Update the parts list on file Dealers were instructed to use the new part numbers for all future repairs. This is exactly the kind of advisory that would have been typed on a single sheet and mailed to dealers. 📅 When the Change Likely Happened Based on parts catalogs and serial number ranges: The change appears around 1983–1985, shortly before Toro’s acquisition. This corresponds to the later 8‑speed Uni‑Drive units. The updated hardware appears in the parts books for: 310‑8 312‑8 414‑8 416‑8 Late-production C‑Series Earlier models (1970s–early 1980s) list the older bolt/nut combination. 🧩 Why No One Can Find the Bulletin Today You nailed it: Most small engine shops didn’t have computers until the mid‑1990s, and Wheel Horse’s dealer network was small and informal. When Toro took over: Many independent dealers closed Paper files were tossed Toro only digitized owner’s manuals and parts lists Internal service letters were not preserved So the bulletin you remember almost certainly existed — it just never made it into the modern digital record.

Worked in an old mine, (opened in 1889 ish), that had underground horse stables and those floors were oak wood block. It was walk through time looking at stables and the old steam powered equipment. The mine when started required no outside power. The burned their own coal for steam pumps and winches. Hand dug coal seam. Of course later converted over to modern equipment and power.

Very good job, all important things fixed and redone, neat and nicely put together, great original patina. All that’s left is to enjoy it .

Nope! They were all intended to be "Workin' Girls". It's what they do best. The way Cecil & Elmer envisioned...

Beautiful work!!!

Turned out Nice , Denny !

Hot chocolate. I have 2 mugs at work. One is a Tazmanian Devil mug And another that says : " It's amazing what you can accomplish with a little whining!"

Many old machine shops had wood block floors, one reason is that expensive parts and tools might not be damaged if dropped. I worked at Sylvania where we had a wood block floor in the tool & die shop. Coolant was mixed and stored in a 55 gallon drum filled using a slow running garden hose. One time I lost track of time doing other things and the drum ran over soaking the wood blocks, you should have seen how high that swelling went and how the boss lost it in me.

Just remove the ring gear from the 301 flywheel. I've done 2 of them. Easy Peasy. You can slice the ring gear off with a cutting wheel.

Here's my daily coffee mug

With propane system there will be no problem with ethanol . That video is very interesting - Propane kit , NashFuel kit for 10,12 HP Kohler engines. Any advice regarding Propane conversion pros and cons? Thera are many videos with propane converted riding mowers, but no Wheel Horses

I was wondering about the use of sand over sawdust. That makes sense now

Someone getting ideas?

No "Prom Queens" here..... they all wear their working clothes for all the 4 seasons to get a spot in the garage.

Richard No I would like to convert a K301 to start/Gen set up.

I thought the idle mixture screw felt a little loose maybe there was an o ring to snug it up.

Back moving under its own power sooner than I anticipated. Need to have the AGS mounted next and swap the tri-ribs from the C120 over and remount the dozer blade.

That's slick set up right there. I put one my 314 it sits right behind the engine, The shifter boot is in the mail along with a seal kit for the transmission. The oil was a little brown in the gearbox, so I may as well fix the axle seals while I've got it apart