Lowe's / Home Depot and WH

[Red Horse 33]

I would like to from anyone who may know the answer to my question with certainty. Conventional wisdom says WH sold certain models of tractors to the big box stores in the mid to late eighties while they still were an independent manufactirer. Other models of lawn and garden equipment was from a WH dealer only. Much the same as JD does today. I would like to know what models were sold to them. I don't ever remember seeing any WH products ever at the big box stores during that time and I'm a bit skeptical of the "conventional wisdom" that they were sold to them. Is there anyone out there who know for certain what they story is?

[walking horse 0]

i think they were called work horse

[can whlvr 993]

Some people have said that the 308-8 red hoods were a lowes model,i live in canada and bought my 308 red hood directly from my local dealer,still the same guy adnd i buy parts from him all the time,especially with 5 horse now,we did not have lowes or homedepot then and i know for sure that all the parts are exactly the same as all my others,the 308 was an econamy machine doesnt have all the goodies.

[kpinnc 11,795]

I remember seeing Wheel Horse (not Work Horse) tractors for sale at a big box store years ago (they were actually the first I'd ever seen up close), but I can't remember the models.

Seems 8-10 hp was all they had, as I recall- and they were the 300 series machines...

Kevin

[tranders 0]

I've wondered where the Work Horse tractors came into play.

[Crow Horse 8]

Conventional wisdom says WH sold certain models of tractors to the big box stores in the mid to late eighties while they still were an independent manufactirer.

I believe WH was sold in 1986.......

[bitten 134]

No certainty, but I have heard the red hoods were sold at K-Mart. My red hood came from the local Wheel Horse dealer, so I'm not sure.

[rustyoldjunk 127]

wheel horse was first sold long before the mid 80's,i dont know who the brand was first sold to or what year,maybe AMC in the late 60's?

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,494]

American Motors bought Wheel Horse in 1974, in fact, May 1974. AMC then sold it to Munn Investments in January 1982, which held it until it was sold to Toro in 1986.

[CasualObserver 3,407]

I've wondered where the Work Horse tractors came into play.

Aren't there Work Horse models clear back as early as the 1054? I'd swear I've seen a picture here, but can't find it.

There was definitely a Work Horse 700 in 1969.

[walking horse 0]

i just saw 1 at a wheel horse dealer in ohio they made them for 2 or 3 years thay where gray and red

[linen beige 14]

Aren't there Work Horse models clear back as early as the 1054? I'd swear I've seen a picture here, but can't find it.

This one comes into play every time I can get my girls on it!

Ladies and germs, may I present my 1965 model 1054A?

Some of the 953s were labeled as Work Horses.

[hodge 6]

This has been brought up before. I have a GT 1600, and the only appreciable difference from my red hoods is a briggs engine instead of Kohler or Onan. Otherwise, the same tractor. It may have 4 pinions instead of 8, and 1" axles instead of 1 1/8", but so do certain models of red hoods. The Workhorse series is nothing like the watered down stuff you find at the big boxes these days. If anything, they just had fewer frills, but they aren't lesser tractors.

Some may bring up the issue of having a briggs on my 1600, but it is 25 years old, and still strong. I'd hook to any of those John Deeres or Husqvarna's at the local Lowes...

I have never heard of Wheel Horses being sold through Kmart. Has anyone else?

[kpinnc 11,795]

This has been brought up before. I have a GT 1600, and the only appreciable difference from my red hoods is a briggs engine instead of Kohler or Onan. Otherwise, the same tractor. It may have 4 pinions instead of 8, and 1" axles instead of 1 1/8", but so do certain models of red hoods. The Workhorse series is nothing like the watered down stuff you find at the big boxes these days. If anything, they just had fewer frills, but they aren't lesser tractors.

Some may bring up the issue of having a briggs on my 1600, but it is 25 years old, and still strong. I'd hook to any of those John Deeres or Husqvarna's at the local Lowes...

You are correct Hodge, a Work Horse is virtually identical to most of the older 300/400/500 series tractors. The 8 speed versions were as you said, equipped with 4 pinion diffs/ 1 inch axles, but so were the 308-8, 310-8, and 312-8, as well as many others. The automatic Work Horse versions however, had the same transmission and hydraulics as the 520-H. Most definitely not a lightweight machine, by any account.

Kevin

[HorseFixer 2,012]

Well around here in the Michiana area they were never sold at a K-Mart store but then again there were plenty of WH dealers as this was were it all started. Maybe the Big Box stores sold them in areas distant from South Bend? :scratchead:

[wh500special 2,156]

I remember back about 20 years ago when I saw my first gray Horse for sale at a local dealership. He related that they were supposed to be sold at K-mart but there was a big fuss from the dealers and they ended up just being an economy line of tractors available at dealerships. "Economy" being a relative term since ALL Wheel Horses were quite expensive regardless of color.

Some may have been sold at retail outlets like Lowes and Kmart before this rumored dealer backlash, but they do appear in some of my older dealer literature and price lists so I'm betting that they were only sold alongside the reds at the same dealers. But at a lower price.

We had red-hooded 308's and 310's in St. Louis but Lowes didn't get into our area until the mid to late 90's. So the Lowe's connection could just be a myth. Sort of like the one I accidentally started about the 500 specials only being sold in a few states...too many have shown up across the country for that to be likely.

It seems doubtful to me that these were ever sold at chain stores, but I have been wrong many, many, many times before (if you don't believe me, ask my wife).

Steve

[Red Horse 33]

I remember back about 20 years ago when I saw my first gray Horse for sale at a local dealership. He related that they were supposed to be sold at K-mart but there was a big fuss from the dealers and they ended up just being an economy line of tractors available at dealerships. "Economy" being a relative term since ALL Wheel Horses were quite expensive regardless of color.

Some may have been sold at retail outlets like Lowes and Kmart before this rumored dealer backlash, but they do appear in some of my older dealer literature and price lists so I'm betting that they were only sold alongside the reds at the same dealers. But at a lower price.

We had red-hooded 308's and 310's in St. Louis but Lowes didn't get into our area until the mid to late 90's. So the Lowe's connection could just be a myth. Sort of like the one I accidentally started about the 500 specials only being sold in a few states...too many have shown up across the country for that to be likely.

It seems doubtful to me that these were ever sold at chain stores, but I have been wrong many, many, many times before (if you don't believe me, ask my wife).

Steve

Steve, I have heard this and heard this but I can't find any definitive evidence that they were sold through big box stores. I would give more creedence to the WH work horse models being sold there since I guess it was still the Ponds or AMC who were in control of WH. But I've always found it hard to believe that the 300 series was offered to any of the K-Mart/Home Depot/ Lowe's stores. These may have been cheaper by WH standards but too far above the big box stores in the price catagory. I would still like to hear from someone who was with WH or perhaps even Lowe's at the time. BTW Steve give yourself a little credit. You mean to tell me that your wife has NEVER been wrong. LOL.

[sorekiwi 761]

BTW Steve give yourself a little credit. You mean to tell me that your wife has NEVER been wrong. LOL.

My wife has told me countless times that she has never been wrong...

[mowerman1193 32]

Well the Work Horse models was definitly sold through dealers as I have one ( GT1600 ) that was bought new at the dealer by my dad..I still have all the sales papers ect..I would have to dig them out to be sure but I think the total price with a 42" rear discharge deck was like $2800..

[kpinnc 11,795]

Don't mean to throw this back into discussion- But I have seen the 300 series machines personally at big box stores. I can't remember whether it was a Lowe's, Home Depot, or TSC, as it was several years back. But I do specifically remember asking about them, and the salesman's talk of them being "on a whole different level" from the rest of the "lawnmowers" they sold. As I said in my first post- They were the first Wheel Horses I had ever seen at the time.

Also as I said before, all they had were a couple 308s or 310s, but they WERE there. The part I can't be sure of is the color of the hood stripes (silver or maroon), but the noses on all of them WERE black, just like any other 300/400/500 series.

I do not remember seeing any Work Horses though.

Kevin

[TT-(Moderator) 1,131]

It is my understanding that the 1982 to 1984 pewter gray WorkHorse LT/GT models were not manufactured to be sold at the big box stores, but rather to compete with other more inexpensive brands that were.

The use of the lower cost B&S engines on - for the most part - "plain jane" machines allowed WH to sell the WorkHorse models at prices low enough to potentially sway buyers into choosing their more reliable and longer lasting product over the "tin can" AYP, MTD, etc. machines.

As for the 308/310 stories..... I have no clue! :scratchead:

[wh500special 2,156]

...I have seen the 300 series machines personally at big box stores. I can't remember whether it was a Lowe's, Home Depot, or TSC....

Gator,

I'm not sure how I managed to ignore your prior post...sorry about that.

Being that you have first hand knowledge of this occurance I think that pretty much clinches it that some were indeed offered at a box store.

Speculating here, but I've seen some folks from NC and SC mention that there seem to be very few WH's out there. Until recently Lowes was not a nationwide chain. Perhaps that's how the tie in came to be...WH wanted an outlet for their stuff.

Very interesting and again, i apologize for glossing over your earlier posts.

Steve

[WheelHorse_of_course 99]

My wife has told me countless times that she has never been wrong...

Funny you should mention that. Earlier this week my wife and I had a er ah "discussion" about this very topic! :scratchead:

[Red Iron 1]

I have never seen Wheelhorses sold anywhere else but dealers. Maybe I just

live too close the original Wheelhorse factory!! I've seen dealers come

and go and some switched over to other brands. I always on lookout

for the red ones, anywhere and anytime, only to find it is a Troy-Bilt

at Lowe's or Home Depot. Did Toro sold to big box stores

back then and maybe the confusion?? Never seen Wheelhorse in Kmart/Sears during my youthful days, but not paying attention since I was still teenager. :scratchead:

[walking horse 0]

i was talking to to a frend that has one it is gray with a red strip on the hood that said work horse g t 1100 he said it was a 1983