314-8 value

[RetroFlyer 2]

I’ve been hanging around here for quite some time and finally joined because I’m looking to purchase my first wheel horse. I have an opportunity to purchase a 314–8 that has a Kohler command engine. It will come with a nice mower deck, a snowplow, tiller, wheel weights, tire chains, a pair of rear wheels with ag tires, a pair of front wheels with tires. It looks a little bit rough, but the owner has used it only to till his garden. He claims it starts and runs fine and there seems to be a slight weep of oil from the tiller which he thinks might be from a crack, but he is unable to find it. It mainly shows up when he starts using it. I am trying to find out what I should offer for everything and what to look for.

[kpinnc 15,367]

The tiller is likely weeping from an axle seal. I rebuilt mine years ago and they still weep a little. It think the short axle tied to those big tines are just a good recipe for that. The tiller uses double seals on each side, so that tells me it was an engineer's cheap fix to a common issue. 

 

The tractor you mention has alot of extras that make providing its worth difficult without some pictures. 

Edited Wednesday at 05:26 AM by kpinnc

[Brockport Bill 2,029]

if he used a tiller and plow i suggest before you buy it --  or settle on price ---------- you get on the ground and from under a foot rest look under the frame to see the rear frame plate that attaches to the transmission - -there are 4 bolts that connect the frame to the tranny -- it can happen from the stress of the tiller and/or plow that it causes a stress fracture from a bolt hole for a couple inches across the plate??????? Good luck - 314's are nice versatile multi use tractors - check out the photos attached for frame plate cracks

[kpinnc 15,367]

1 hour ago, Brockport Bill said:

that it causes a stress fracture from a bolt hole for a couple inches across the plate???

 

Good point. While they are common and easily repaired it definitely plays to your advantage to point out flaws. 

 

I'm not for cheating anyone. That being said, folks sometimes get delusions of grandeur when thinking about the value of selling old machines, especially Wheel Horses. I can't tell you how many times a seller mentions this website and others that somehow add value to the tractor in thier mind. 

[ri702bill 9,893]

Welcome!

The crack(s) around the bolt holes are all too common  - the vibration, twist, and push-pull on the F plate from tilling & plowing do that. It reruires stpipping everything off the frame to fix it right. And that is a straightforward but time consuming task. The C series & later models had the lower strap reinforcement and the added ribs from the factory to "address" this issue.... Looks like onlt one so far, unlike on the 854 frame.

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 08:52 AM by ri702bill

[ri702bill 9,893]

Do look this over before you purchse it... a LOT of good info in it.

 

 

[RetroFlyer 2]

Thank you to everyone for the information. I haven’t seen it in person, but will look for the cracks on the underside. It appears that it was used more for tilling and pushing. The mower deck looks to be remarkably good for its age and the plow shows usage. Here is one photo of the tractor.

[953 nut 61,682]

That appears to be a good honest worker. If it runs well and drives well you will probably get many more years of service from it. The only thing I see wrong in the photo is the front wheel is mounted backward, the side with the valve stem should face inward, no big deal.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate posting them, we are here to help.

[OutdoorEnvy 1,785]

Regions vary and so does availability and pricing.  I'm in the South and we don't have quite the supply as up North.  But in my mind these are what I think are fair pricing for user rigs and align with what usually selling prices seem to be in my parts.  Rigs and attachments sell for more by themselves so a package deal usually gets you better pricing.  Some sellers are willing to break up the attachments and some aren't.  

 

These of course vary by exact condition accordingly:

 

Good working 8 speed variety with mower deck (assuming a 42" or under, the 48" would go higher) - $400-600

Complete Tiller with the belt and front pulley bracket - $250-400

Plow with rear mount bracket - $100-200

 

Don't take this as gospel, just offering up a starting point for you to think on.  

[Handy Don 14,493]

Those are reasonable selling numbers. Asking is all over the place!

 

Noticed that a really hefty PO has been climbing on from the right side. I’d look at the steering wheel on the assumption that he or she used it to pull themselves aboard! 

[RetroFlyer 2]

I didn’t notice the bent floorboard, but did notice there seems to be a panel missing connecting that floorboard to the fender. 

[OutdoorEnvy 1,785]

5 minutes ago, RetroFlyer said:

I didn’t notice the bent floorboard, but did notice there seems to be a panel missing connecting that floorboard to the fender. 

 

I bet it got bent from the heavy bending it endured and then at some point caught the chain on the wheel and got mostly ripped off or mangled to the point they just cut it.  

[kpinnc 15,367]

Front wheel is also not correct for that tractor. Right side anyway...

 

That tractor has been left outside alot for a later model. I would go over it very closely. 

[RetroFlyer 2]

On the right front of this tractor, is that a 6 inch wheel? The seller isn’t real computer savvy and the photos will probably come through as he’s able to figure out how to get them to me. I just got another one.

[Handy Don 14,493]

Fronts both appear to me to be 6-inch diameter hubs, but with different tires and possibly different rim widths.

[kpinnc 15,367]

That later model 314-8 should have wide 8 inch diameter front wheels and 16x6.50-8 tires. Those appear to be older model narrow wheels with 4x8 tires similar to what came on many roundhood models in the 1960s. 

 

The PO may have felt they tracked better when using a moldboard plow, and they probably were easier to steer when mowing. I can think of no other reason to change them out. 

 

That model tractor should also have the heavy 8 speed with 1.125 axles and 8 pinion differential. 

 

Depending on the mechanical condition of the engine and tranny, this could be a good machine that was worked hard or one that was badly neglected. You'll have to look in person or have much better pics to be certain one way or the other. 

 

The cracked up Craftsman seat and pink color of the paint says it spent alot of time in sunlight. May have been under a shed but it got alot of UV in it's life. 

 

Definitely check the transmission dipstick. If the oil is clear it just got alot of sun under a shed. If milky it slept in the rain. Not a deal breaker but something else you can leverage value with. 

Edited Wednesday at 08:22 PM by kpinnc

[Lee1977 7,356]

The chain must have got loose and destroyed the foot board, your going to need a good used replacement for that. Check with A-Z Tractor for one.

[RetroFlyer 2]

The owner seems to think the deck is 54 inch cut deck. I don’t see where there was a 54 inch deck. Attached is a picture of the deck. If anybody could tell me what size it is by the photo. I also got a photo of the top of the motor. I don’t like the fact that it’s missing the airbox cover, but I think worse than that is the fact that air cleaner looks so bad.

He would like $500 for everything.

[kpinnc 15,367]

That is a 48 side discharge deck. The outer shell measures around 54 inches, mainly due to the extended discharge chute. 

 

1 hour ago, RetroFlyer said:

He would like $500 for everything

 

Given the extras, this is actually a very good deal. The tractor isn't in the best shape, but even if the engine was bad you'd be able to recover your cost in parts and attachments alone. 

 

The deck and tiller would likely cost more than the asking price by themselves if bought separately. 

 

The cosmetic flaws on the tractor are easily remedied. With the implements being interchangeable with any classic model built after 1972, you can get a second machine later and use the attachments on it as well. 

[953 nut 61,682]

1 hour ago, RetroFlyer said:

He would like $500 for everything.

Have you already hooked up the trailer to go get it?       If not, why not?

[kpinnc 15,367]

3 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

Have you already hooked up the trailer to go get it?

 

And be sure to ask if he still has the original front wheels. 

[RetroFlyer 2]

17 hours ago, 953 nut said:

Have you already hooked up the trailer to go get it?       If not, why not?

That’s kind of funny because there was an issue from with my trailer, which has just recently gotten resolved. Now my schedule is not coinciding with the sellers so that we can finish the deal.

[RetroFlyer 2]

17 hours ago, kpinnc said:

 

And be sure to ask if he still has the original front wheels. 

He does have another pair of front tires and rims that will come with the tractor but he doesn’t know if they are the correct size for this model.