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There's quite a breadth of models with the 200 series and thei offspring. When the letter series (A, B, C...) tractors were replaced with the numbered "hundred" series tractors, the new 200 series with the new hood design were largely carried over from the previous B's and vertical shaft Work Horses (e.g. B-165, LT-1137, etc). The upper end of this range were tiller capable. I think they were all gear drive. A special YT-12A was also offered with a Tecumseh and a hydro. These were the B-chassis tractors. In 1987 a completely new 200-series was introduced. These are the L-chassis tractors like the 212-6 pictured above and are identified by their "aero" headlamps. Initially, all were gear drive but eventually around 1990 (when the Toro decal appeared) hydrostatic transaxles were offered. In 1989 - I think - the hoods on these 200 series were lengthened to allow for a bigger muffler and the eventual Briggs twin powered 216-h. Occasionally you'll see the suffix "SB" on these, as in the 208-SB. This meant it came with a standard 30" single bladed mower deck and dinky tires. These were the Super Baggers (yes, seriously). In 1988, the continuation of the B-chassis was reintroduced as the 250-series. All were hydros with single cylinder a Kawasaki engines. Either 12.5 or 17 hp. Great tractors and were marketed as "yard" tractors instead of "lawn" tractors. Interestingly if you look underneath them, you'll see that while the engine has a vertical shaft, the eaton 7 hydro pump in the rear is a horizontal shaft input. Classic WH shenanigans with twisting V-belts. For whatever reason, the max speed on the 250's is quite slow. Attachments from the L-chassis 200- Series and the 250's do not interchange. In about 1990, the 250's were cancelled and replaced with the 240 series. These looked the same as the smaller 200's but were longer and had a unique, heavy duty chassis weldments instead of a stamping. Onan single 14 hp engines and Briggs vanguard v-twin 16's were offered. Gear or hydro. 244-5, 244-h, and 246-h models. The 240's look like 200's, but nothing interchanges between them. This tractor was short lived and not particularly common. They were updated and restyled and reintroduced as the 260 series with new styling Fully enclosed, stylized hoods that you'll recognize The 260's persisted a long time The top of the line models had a cool electric-hydraulic lift. Originally the kohler command vertical topped out at 19 hp so the top model wasthe 269-h. Later kohler gave it another hp and the subsequent top dog 260 series became the 270-h. Yes, seriously. The 260's eventually were replaced with the 400-xt series. 260's and 400-xt's could take a tiller. The 400xt's could accept cSeries implements believe it or not. 260-series attachments are - I'm pretty sure - backward compatible with 240's. the light duty Toro-WH "xl-series" share nothing with any of these. The Euro 220-series were improved versions of the old B-chassis and looked like 250's I'm obviously a fan of these things. steve

You are in luck. About an hour from you on the 1st Saturday this October we are having a Meet & Greet at Scott's in Leesburg, Indiana. Here is the link... http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/topic/57977-6th-annual-north-central-indiana-meet-greet/ Bring the horse and sell it, or meet the guys and learn why maybe you should keep it. It is a great group of members with about 200 garden tractors showing up. Good food, good company...lots to look at. Welcome to Red Square

The more I read your comments the more I started thinking. I truley have become a better person as a result of doing my project. I had NO patience, and was a results oriented mind all the way. But those little issues, which you seem to be experiencing as well, have made me a new person!! At first, they just pissed me off. But after awhile, I began to accept them, and ... waaalaaa ... a new attitude!! And I like it!! Hope you feel the same!! Nice project by the way!! bob

I have a 252H, a 257H, A 216h, a 211-3 and a few others. Here is the 257H with a plow. The 257H feels like something more than a 200 series but not quite a 300 series. It has the coveted Kawasaki 17 hp engine. I believe it has the largest rear tires of any 200 series and the same steering wheel as my 1989 520 HC. The tractor has a little over 100 hours on the meter. It is in very nice original condition. It is perhaps the king of the 200 series?

My '92 246H, bought it used around 2002 with 500 some odd hours on it for $850. Now has 810 hours on it. Has the 16 HP Briggs Steve mentioned earlier. Very little problems with it other than minor stuff and the PTO clutch. Went thru the deck once. Just put new rubber & semi sealed bearings on the front and shimmed the spindles/axles. One of my main workers This bugger has been the only real problem. Bearings where shot in it and it was rusted & siezed on the motor shaft. My own fault ........too much wash water from washing deck. Had to wreck it get it off and replace it to the tune of 283 bucks. It started growling again this year so bearings were going out again. This time it sild right off....thanks Permatex anti-seize. Ground out the stakes holding the bearings in and with some heat got them out. Two bearings later from fleabay and nice and quiet.

Just finished a repaint on my brinly toolbar that I picked up a couple weeks ago. Just thought I'd share a pic of it behind my 856.

After a dipper broke off the connecting rod, which caused the engine to throw a rod, it was time for a rebuild. I also decided, since thre engine was out and looking so good, I'd do a refresh of the entire tractor. Below are the before and after pictures of the engine refresh. Tractor pictures to follow.

I couldn't find any pics with the blower attached. but I did find a pic of the blower separate as well as a pic with the good seat I kept and with both sd and rd decks I had.

That model looks good all black, Definitely meaner looking than the green or the traditional red. Maybe someone should start a thread entitled 'Horse of a Different Color"? Besides black there is army green and grey and camouflage as well as darker reds that may look good on certain models. Pullers are often painted in a variety of colors.

That is a CLASSIC response to a moron and the idiot he is married to...I love it!!! Can I use that sometime or is the response "copy righted"???

Looks like a normal F 150 to me!

Muz, It will take some time and digging for pics but what I can tell you that the blower was the common 60's-80's blower that Simplicity/ Allis used. It was for a horizontal shaft engine. I took a heavy plate and made the same holes in it as the 210 snowplow had to mount it. Welded a plate on each side of it with a hole to accept pins to attach the blower and make it pivot up and down. Took a heavy piece of flat stock and made a "Y" with it. Mounted that upside dowm on the blower. One side was a pivot for it and the other side was mounted a flat pulley. The opposite end was drilled a hole to hook a tension spring. The other end of the spring was hooked to the plateon the tractor. Then the belt was just a single twist to go from vertical to horizontal. Worked very well After the storm of 93 I went to the dealer I bought the tractor from and told them I wanted a blower. They were JD guys and told me even though a blower wasmade for it the tractor wouldn't have enough power to run it. My neighbor had a pile of Allis attachments and no tractor and sold me the blower for $100. Best $100 I've ever spent.

we need to go back and check for proper operation of the pressure switch by using the resistance range on the multimeter engine off - no wires connected to pressure switch - multimeter set to 200 ohms range - measure from the metal switch body to each terminal one terminal should show a near 0 ohms reading, the other should show an open (over range) reading start the engine - the two wiring terminals on the pressure switch should REVERSE their resistance readings - 0 ohms should go over range - over range should now read near 0 ohms simply put, the two screw terminals on he switch should never have the same resistance value engine on or engine off let's get these switch conditions verified before going any further.

What model do you want?...pm me and I'll put it on the trailer when I go to Slammers M&G next month!!

Reason I was asking is if you are looking for a good comfortable no-nonsense tractor I was going to recommend a 312-8. Find one of those with low hours and you've got something good.

Several years ago when my bride and I were combining households we had a few yard sales to liquidate our duplicate stuff. After substantial negotiations a used dryer was purchased by a neighbor for $20, about six weeks later she said she was not happy with it so we took it back and refunded the $20. The lint filter weighed about five pounds, no wonder it wasn't working well. What she didn't know was that our son's dryer had stopped working a couple days earlier and we were kicking ourselves for letting it go for so little. Some times God answers when you haven't even asked!

I think I still had something missing, so I contacted the folks at the Badge Factory and they sent me this the other day. I think I can finally say I am done with this one.

Knobs and final engine and deck decals installed. All decals by Denny Clarke and http://www.RedoYourHorse.com! Finally done!

I can now say it's completed! Even cut the grass with it today.

I am interested how many members have a 200 series. post some pictures of them working around the yard or winter work! I hope I'm not the only one! LOL Heres some pictures of my 212-6 working.

Cutting and hauling logs today. Used the FEL to carry logs and lift for easy cutting. Many have said these FEL can't pick up much, well I say many just don't have any idea what these are capable of. The short 12' log is an Oak the large end is 16" the other is around 12". The long log is a Jack pine very wet. Close to 30' long.

I know what most of the readership is thinking. Another KT Kohler with rod damage and the owner wants to transplant another engine in his 417. Well...no. I have a 2nd 417-8 Speed but it came to me with a 60's vintage 14 horse Kohler K under it's hood. Bought a KT17 Series II from Scotty the other week to drop in it. Hopefully I'll have another 8 speed with an electric lift soon. I got both the tractor and the engine pretty cheap so I won't have much in this machine as opposed to the refreshed one I did in June.

Agreed. 1k would have made me choose the road trip as well. its looking like I will be doing a road trip. He is compensating me and I get a road trip which ordinarily I would jump at. Oh well. I am sure I'll make another WH friend and spend half the day chatting about tractors. Probably be a blast and well worth putting off the list of other stuff stacking up:-)

Good idea Jack, "horse of a differant color thread". That baby looks bad azz black. Nice job. Glenn

I am thinking that you have received no answers because I am stumped also. Understand, I know nothing about automatics, but I do know the guys that do could use a little more information. Have you had this horse and now it is not running...did you just get this horse and you are trying to get it running?? A little back ground sometimes goes a long way in getting someone to offer help. If I read what you are typing literally, it sounds like it should be...don't know. Anyway, Welcome to Red Square and I hope my response will initiate some responses from the people that can help. It should have the Eaton 6 transmission.

Good morning. New to the forum and thanks for all the information you have posted. I live in Northwest Indiana and I was wondering the value of what appears to be an all original 653 in running working condition. The only thing that is not working properly is the starter. It was given to me not running and I cleaned the carb and it fired right up. So I am contemplating selling or keeping it but curious what it is worth. Thanks.

Fix your starter, then give it a bath=$400.

since you said it was a worker, and the hood has already been notched and modified, I'd just patch the existing hole and move the new opening to fit the new tank.

Love those GTs, restoring mine may be my next project.

Had to get up, run back out there, and do just that yesterday Van. Guess that's why the PO had the STOP key chain installed.

I'm searching for words! The usual ones don't seem to be adequate! I'll get back to you...

I really like the simpleness and looks of an old tractor, such as lawn ranger or rj with a pull start engine, something simple, yet easily transformed into a "work" horse, from plow attachment, or rear disc, etc.

My tractors are hardly show quality but they are workers. Without the fleet of Wheel horse D's or cabin in michigan would still be brush covered forest. I will try to load them up though.

I forgot to tell you "Woo Hoo!!!" for scoring another 420SLE Scott I can only hope for one of those in my lifetime

Here's were i'm at with the lawn ranger still need to buy a new carb and my new deck belt showed up yesterday but thats going to be a winter project.

Is that snowblower correct for that tractor? Or was it modded to fit? Its looks huge on that small tractor. Mike......

I'll see If I can dig up some of my 210-h pics. I had an Allis-Chalmers snowblower on it.If I find them I don't know if I can get the pics downloaded onto this new site though.

Drop the oil pan an plastigauge the rod...then you will know for sure.

That's just to keep someone from stealing it Jim. Oldest trick in the book.

Though there was nothing major wrong with the machine before the engine failure, there were several "personality" issues it possessed. Things like safety switches not always activating, stray rattles and loose components, etc. It's nice to jump on the machine and with the turn of the key, off you go. Very refreshing indeed. Funny thing is that the last few weekends, while working in the yard, I've had several people pass by the house, turn around at the next street, and head back to pull into my driveway, just to take a closer look. Surprising how many people still long for the days, and recognize the quality, of these machines.

Viola! - Finished 1973 10HP 8-Speed "Refresh" So what started out as a spun rod, turned into an engine rebuild, which turned into a full blown engine restore, which turned into a tractor "refresh", which ultimately turned into this shiny red picture of beauty! LOL All in less than 30 calendar days, too. Sheesh! Time for a rest. Glad the BIG Show is only a few days away.

I feel your pain, Bob. Been there many times. It'll come, just don't force it. Hell, I was thinking I didn't get all done I wanted to get done this weekend. I didn't get the hood and pan buffed out! LOL

That's the funny thing Bob, I sanded and spot primed, then finish sanded to 400. I wonder if the 400 wasn't "mechanical" enough? You'll see at the show perhaps, it "pruned" in several places on the frame. Since this is a refresh vs. a restore, I'm really not sweating it that far. UPDATE: Just enough daylight left to get one more part ...

Final coats of paint on the hood and fender pan. Dashboard finished and pre-fit to control tower. Seat brackets and hinge restored and installed awaiting the fender pan.

A bit more progress today before the rain threatened to open up the skies. Got almost everything blasted and in paint, all the painting that's left are the running boards and belt guards. Dash tower and steering back in, as is the seat forward cross-member and amp meter. Let these parts dry for five days and I'll wet-sand the hood and fender pan and apply clear-coat. The rest of the painted parts will be re-installed as-is. Also got the dash cleaned and re-colored, and have the first coat of white added to the lettering. The dash should only need one more coat I think. Everything moving along nicely. Might even have this ready for the BIG Show. We'll see.

Moving right along ... Frame, Hood and half a fender pan today.

Wasn't a bad looker... before it became a work of art.

Little more progress done this week, hopefully in a couple weeks it will be running.

Looks great every time I read one of your threads it makes me inspired to get my projects done you do great work

Here is the difference between my 96 520h and a older c125 black hood, I thought that Toro slowed down the tractors when they took over for safety sake. My 96 now halls a__!