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Tossing together my new mowing tractor. Was a 418-8 but is going forward with either a M12 or a briggs i/c 18, haven't decided. Should have painted it silver, would be an easier choice then.

It was time to drag one home and do some fixing and maintenance. On draining the gearbox, I discovered that for an unknown number of years, it has been lubricated by a quart of water and a tablespoon of oil. I really should have changed it after it was under water in that flood way back when. Oh well no harm done, right? Then I found the cause of all the slop in the steering, a good spot weld will fix that because, who needs a new bolt thats gonna wear out again? Then, all the tires got a dose of flat-out tire sealer, because they were all flat and don't hold air for long. Then, that right back tire setup that is 1-1/2 wider at the spacer than the right had to be corrected. Yes green sewer pipe and carriage bolts, works well enough. They havent slipped or twisted yet so.... there ya go. I had to trim a good bit off the left pipe. Now they are more evenly space. And since that custom made fancy wooden workbench seat was broken when I ran into it with a backhoe, I just dug the old pan out and put it back on. Ill stick a nice pad on there for my butt....or maybe not. Also the engine was surging, so I put a new honda carb I had here for... some reason, on it. It still surged and hunted. So I took the plastic jet out and give it a good reaming out, which was good because honda didnt drill it out all the way to begin with. Now it runs nice and smooth, no surge no hunting and no backfiring. It needs an oil change and an air filter. It hasnt had an air filter on it for years but hey, new fancy honda carb, it really should have a proper fliter. Then it can go back out to live in the cow fields for another couple yrs.

FINALLY!

My 310-8 came with a broken Faria volt gauge. I opened it up, and after replacing a 220 ohm resistor and 1N914 diode, and she is back up and running. The hard part was figuring out the resistor size, but a variable resistor helped dial in the value.

Took the $25 project c-100 out for a spin in the woods today! Still some things to work out but all in all seeing a junk pile rig move again is cool! Currently have on the skinny 6-12 tires as I haven't got tubes for the 23x10.5-12 AG tires. those will be coming soon hopefully!

Had this old K241 sitting over in the corner for .... 6-7-8 yrs? Seemed I set it aside because the governor was wonky thinking - as usual - gotta tear into that and see whats what, and, well I finally did. And cant find a thing wrong with the governor so decided to ck out every thing else while I was that deep into it. Checked the crank first, it had this odd little ... streak? showing on it. Get the Mic out and .... whoa! check out the pic and that reading - 1.499 (one 9 got cropped) I have NEVER ran into that good a reading - remember new is 1.50 +- .001. Now the .. odd little streak, dont know what it is, seemingly just a dark spot, checking with the mic all around and cant seem to indicate any thing. rubbed it a bit with some 600 grit and didnt faze it, and rod looks OK. So, next wanted to ck the cylinder and ..... whoa, again! Check that reading too! 3.250 is what factory is! I went up and down the cyl and every reading was the same - 3.25. I cannot remember the origins of the 241, just that it was a pretty decent little tractor, and I remember I had a K341 that needed a home ... soooo. I'll put this thing back together see if I can sell it. I must have went back 5-6 times re checking my readings, just couldnt imagine they could be accurate!

We finally got a video put together, of the cruising, parades, show, etc. enjoy!

Sit down , have a slice or two of pie ,and take another another wack at the problem.

I just wanted to put this out there that my son found a Redner's rewards card on the ground at the show Saturday. If anybody is missing one just pm me and we can make arrangements for it's safe return. If this is in the wrong section or not allowed my apologies.

And the lights came in!!! And painted the front wheels

I started sanding a seat pan EBin Maine sent me. Tomorrow I go pick up project Hitch. Details to follow. Keep my fingers crossed.😜

Just don’t be sending any ‘s out of State… let ‘em eat cheese curds, buckeyes or lobsta’…

Does that include mental issues? You know. Asking for a friend of course.

Check tab bracket on clutch pulley, 1st pic shows clutch pushed all the way down, causing tab to pinch against guide, causing belt/pulleys to stop. Second pic shows clutch about half way back, starting to engage the belt...

It should be noted first that I don't mind fixing my "learning mistakes"... That said, I've had 2" spacers for years. I've also pulled some loads of wood and sand well over a thousand pounds. No issues. BEEFY!!

I think your question is "How do I get the belt to stop turning when I depress the clutch?" I'm not real familiar with the C-100 but I know that most WH's of that era need the belt cover on and properly fitted with the tab that rubs on and stops the loosened drive belt. Your model may also have other guide bars and even a guide on the clutch idler pulley. The belt may be too short to loosen adequately or the clutch idler pulley may not be moving far enough to fully loosen the belt. Any of these missing or out of whack will keep the belt from slowing quickly.

Picked this beast up this afternoon. Any info would be appreciated.

Hey All; I actually posted a couple times before I realized there was an intro forum but since I found it I figured this should be my next post. I hail from Durham, NC since the mid-80s where the Horses aren't as abundant as where I came from in PA. My family has all had Wheel Horses at one time or another so while I don't really have a need per se, I came across a package deal last month and decided that more projects were in my future. I'm fairly well versed in mechanics and while my wife and I only have a small plot of land (understatement #1), I told her that this to me is similar to what her art is to her, which is very true. I've since acquired a donor (an incomplete but clean 8-speed, 10hp yet to be discovered by my wife ) since my c-160 auto has a poorly repaired frame and will need to be a solid stable mate for my auto-12. I have two decks, one in decent working order, a dozer blade and a tiller as well as quite a few spare parts so I will likely be lurking and gathering knowledge from y'all who clearly have plenty of that. Anyway, I've already gained a bunch of information and it's clear that this is a great place for more than just the nuts and bolts of things which I can really appreciate. I'm replacing the deck on my house so work will probably commence slowly but I'm really looking forward to reviving some worthy subjects! v/r Randy

8 years... You're fine. No need to rush.

If you push down on the clutch the lower half of your drive belt will go slack, if the belt guard is not catching the belt it will not stop moving as the engine drive pulley continues to pull it.

Hmm, do you have the belt guard on?

Don's gotcha headed the right way I think. Check the position of the tab at the end of the belt GUARD/GUIDE (note they're 2 different words). Pull that off and check the idler pulley, it's swing arm, and it's tab as well. How old is the belt? What BRAND is the belt? I ask that way because I've had non OE belts fail to clutch properly. On my mid 70s C series I've switched over to using ONLY Wheelhorse brand belts. The price is about the same as most decent aftermarket ones.

The bench hook is a useful simple jig used on the bench to perform various tasks which would be somewhat difficult without it. It will last a long time but it is disposable, a new one being easily and quickly made from any scrap piece available. I make mine a combination of bench hook and shooting board to true miter or square cuts. Once one starts to use it , quickly it is realized how hard it was without it. A simple board with stops square to edges to hook on bench side and provide a stop or guide for work. Can be any convenient dimension and made from any scrap. Stops are made from rabbet cut off. Removable miter block for trimming mitered pieces Rabbet as guide for plane allowing cutter to be perfectly perpendicular to edge being worked on Trimming a mitered edge Trimming a square edge Opposite side used as a cutting stop not allowing saw to damage bench top. Mounting stop away from forward edge allows use with Japanese saws which cut on pull stroke Used as a stop to work on very small pieces

Got it back together and needed to test the the hydraulics cleaned the wiring up still torn between red or gray for the engine dont know yet. I was going with gray but now im leaning towards red..... new lights are coming for the hood need to wire that curcuit still wheels need paint and rear fender pan is being painted tonight.

You got me! I did sell one this weekend. I actually need a deck this gentlemen has and when he messaged me he told me he needed to part with a C-195 w/60” deck along with the deck I wanted. I truly wasn’t looking. And, he made a deal I couldn’t turn down. The kind of deals I haven’t seen in a long time.

Exercised Morgan today by chopping down the weed seed stalks in the neighbor's lot next door. Picked up a new drive belt for Clyde and a PTO bearing for him too. His replacement PTO bell is due on Thursday and some other PTO parts next week. Got some mid hitch replacement parts painted for him, too. Yes @peter lena, I will carefully dig out the seals in that new bearing and re grease with some Lucas red n tacky or high temp before putting it into service. After putting the tractor away, I took some target practice with my Daisy model 25 - a Daisy at 25 feet is supposed to be about the same as a 22 at 25 yards as far as target shooting goes.

Could it be a smudge from some plastigauge that wasn't removed.

This is for 1" spindle... THAT what you need? Put $20 in my Paypal and I'll send this set out to you. Paypal name is : daveoman@windstream.net

@Snoopy11 I couldnt wait til tomorrow to take another look at that --- whatever on the crank. I tried buffing with no change, and since that didnt faze it, I took it over to my pretty strong magnifier and gave it a close look see ... I really cant figure what it is, unless maybe it is a discoloration of a quick hot swipe of oil, I cant see anything except a very flat, smooth crank journal -- with a dark stripe!

Super cool. Really glad you could use that thing. I'll be looking forward to your next little vision here....

That, right there, is Maina’ Colossus-speak for “Uhm… well… er… BBT!!! - what tractor am I working on!!??!!??” BTW - Nice generator!!!

Thanks, it took long enough! Started this one 2014!

That probably applies to non-electrical issues too...

There are multiple reasons a tractor would win if I was searching for a vehicle to move snow. Here in Maine a plow truck that barely runs and drives and is falling apart will fetch $2,500 on its worst day. A decent truck in usable shape is worth $4,000 to $6,000 and I don't mean one that you can run on the road.... I'd rather spend $1,000 or even $2,000 on a nice old Wheelhorse that will run forever and ever and ever with minor maintenance. That too, maintenance, is another big factor in favor of a tractor. Most of the horses have air-cooled engines which are far easier and less expensive to repair and maintain. I can remove rebuild and replace an old Kohler carburetor in a couple hours but trucks have had complicated computer systems for which I don't have the tools to repair, for decades now. Another huge consideration is turning radius. You can whip a C series or even one of the larger tractors around in a circle that's about half the size of even the smallest trucks. I can see where warmth and bodily comfort would be a concern for most people. Not so much for me. I have plenty of clothes, nice warm boots, hand and foot warmers. If I get too cold I go inside.

Pic is of a C-81, that "front tab" is the belt guide. it's bolted on the tractor, no guide on the cover, same principle though...

Later models that I've seen don't have that second lower forward tab. The disengagement is done purely by the belt guide being the belt guard being the catcher for the belt.

I measured the tires' actual width; the old Goodyear's measured roughly 7.8 inches across the tread, and the new ones are 8.50 on the money. Here are the spacers I found on eBay, and I think I will get them. I am very confident that they will give me enough space. I bought those chains from TireChains.com. I also purchased the Heavy-duty V-bar chains for my 522-XI, my main plow tractor in the winter, and those babies have some traction, but they are expensive. Worth every penny when it takes me 4-5 hours of plowing with the big D-Series 56" blade on it (plus Ya got to love that power steering). Here are the chains I purchased for the 522XI. These are the ones that I got for the C-121. I bought those back around 2010 and wished I had purchased the V-Bars because those babies have some serious traction, even on glare ice. Anyway, I agree they are too wide for the tires, but when I purchased them, they listed for sizes 23x8.50, 9.50, and 10.50. Now they have more precise sizing. Comparing these to the typical eBay "peerless" cheapies, the links are at least twice as heavy. The links appear to be about 1/4" steel. Awesome chains that, even after 15 yrs. of use, still shine like new with virtually zero wear. Regarding pulling 20 links apart to shorten, that would be a task considering how difficult they are to bend, plus it would limit their flexibility to use on, say, my 520 with the 10.50 width tires. However, it would likely work well, but I would purchase new chains before taking that task on.

M12 will usually fit okay. It's m13 it's a problem. I've bought several sets of spacers and all of them have had half inch diameter studs. I've had to "clean out" the holes on the Wheel Horse wheels just a skosh. I pull some very very heavy weights but it's important to remember these are not highway vehicles. Your maximum speed is 6 or 7 mph. Absolutely agree with that. Later on today I can get you the differences. Chains for an 8, 8.5 tire should be around 11, 12 inch wide. I have several sets of chains for 10.5 tires and I think they are 14 inch across. Judging by the picture in the first post I'm going to go ahead and make the call that those are NOT the correct chains for those tires.

Pictures, as always would help tremendously.

Some of the C machines came with deeper back spacing on the rims. That would move the tire closer to the brake. Need to compare where the disc is located relative to the edge of the rim. The rims with the most clearance are about a 1/2" You can also put straight edge from back of rim to where the hub bolts on to see what the true backspace 1 1/2 will give most clearance. That rim looks like one that is deeper. Rim with the minimal back space.

Thanks for the photos Dick , only one problem is toooooooooooooooo many photos of pullstart " The male fashion model " . I have photos I haven't transferred to the puter . It was good to see you.

those would work, but you are still moving the load center of the wheel away from the bearing, which increases the load on the bearing by some amount - acts like a longer handle on a wrench. Example (very rough calculations)- I weigh about 225 pounds. One back wheel of my 14-8 is probably holding up 150 pounds of tractor. 150 pounds of tractor plus 112 pounds of me applied 3" from the outer axle bearing at stock wheel spacing , applies a bending moment at the bearing of about 495 inch pounds. Add a 2" spacer, and the bending moment increases to 825 inch pounds. That is actually the bending load of the axle at the bearing, but the radial load the bearing sees would increase at a similar proportion. Since the wheel spacer is not piloted on the axle, there will be a change in the bending load that the hub flange sees. This depends on where the hub flange is in relation to the center of the tire. If the center of the tire is in board of the hub flange, moving the tire out will decrease the bending load on the hub flange until the center of the tire moves outboard of the hub flange. At that point, the bending load on the hub flange changes sign and will increase as the tire is moved further out. Make sense? I'm going to guess that the Wheel Horse parts have enough beef in them that moving things around a few inches will not cause immediate damage under 'normal reasonable use'. Under extreme use like pulling? Well, things breaking from time to time is expected.

The thicker the spacer, the more you will increase the loads on the hub flanges and the bearings. At the low speeds we operate at, it probably won't make that much difference -assuming you are on reasonably smooth ground. If you operate over lots of lumps and bumps, those impact loads could start becoming an issue for the hub flanges and bearings. If I was doing this, I would use the thinnest spacer to give the required clearance. Another option would be to find wheels with smaller backspacing (distance between the inside rim flange and the mounting surface).

Replaced center spindle bearings on the 1969 re-purposed deck, put back on the No Name 12 auto & gave it a test mow, hums like new! Deck will be torn down & painted this winter. Brought in the C-120 in prep for a new fuel pump then opened up the new to me 520 H to clean her out, dirty ol' girl... This should look familiar to you 520 guys

Drove around the Show for a few hours this morning. After getting home... Old steering shaft: New steering shaft, courtesy of @RJ854 Oops, got the wrong tie rods: Even with the old worn out tie rods the steering is tons better, because most of the play was in the fan gear. Still going to get the right ones.

So Dave, I read that it did kick with starting fluid so I'm thinking the points are OK - unless something happened in the interim. Connect a lead from battery (+) to the + on the coil and crank it - should have a spark on both cranking and ignition on. If not, coil or points or plug or cap. If so, check the wiring and ignition switch. If the cap is bad, you can at least disconnect it and test for a spark and a good start. It won't rev and will likely backfire but it's a good cap test. Those switches are general garbage and who knows what the prior owner put in there. I repaired a tractor once that had a bad switch and the replacement that came was the wrong one. Had to install a diode to make it all right. Anyway, GOOD LUCK! Simple old tractor that is pretty easy to diagnose. Oh, you should get AC from those open leads when connected across a DMM.