kpinnc 17,427 #1 Posted March 5 I've talked about having a black hood for years, and periodically picked up parts for just such a thing over a long while. Also, I just don't know how to have one project at a time. This will be tinkered on along side my long-lived 701 project. I have enough to get started, and the tire/ wheel combination was one part of the puzzle that I've at least solved. I'll be using another brand front axle with 1 inch spindles and 4 bolt trailer hubs with very wide front tires because I likes em wide... The engine choice is still not confirmed but I am of course leaning towards another Vanguard 14. I have a Magnum 20 that was disassembled by the PO for a completely wrong reason but I'm just not sure if I want to dive into that rabbit hole yet or not. I have options either way. I still have a few parts to pick up, and as always my stuff changes faster than my 3 daughters change outfits... The first wheel and tire got painted, so 3 more to go in the next week or so. My frame, transmission and sheetmetal are pretty typical for tractors in the south, meaning they have a generous coat of rust and faded paint to work through. But anyway, this thread might last a long time but it's finally started. 3 12 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lee1977 7,590 #2 Posted March 5 I've look at thoes tires but din't want to go that wide. I would like to 16 x 6.50 x 8 they cost more then the wide ones. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 17,427 #3 Posted March 5 19 minutes ago, Lee1977 said: I've look at thoes tires but din't want to go that wide. I would like to 16 x 6.50 x 8 they cost more then the wide ones. Yeah I really like the tread pattern on these, and plan to use them on the back as well. I doubt these would even hook up on the bead without tubes on standard 8 inch front wheels. If I remember what you told me previously, many 8 inch wheels on the later machines were something like 5 and 3/8 wide. I had some 8x7 wheels to work with, so that's why I chose the 16x8.50-8 size. I'm hoping wide wheels and tires will look good with the huge hood on this style tractor. Might take some time but we're gonna find out! 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlexR 2,678 #4 Posted March 5 I think it's a tie between you and Pullstart for the widest front tires on a Wheelhorse 2 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 30,728 #5 Posted March 5 Love the Black Hoods!!! 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peter lena 9,789 #11 Posted March 6 @kpinnc bought my black hood in 82 , new , still have it , my favorite , also been my experimental test / trial bed , for issue's / repetitive problem trials . on my other 2 horses , regularly refer to opportunistic issue of problem , love a nagging issue , its always there . break it down , find / change out / enhance / eliminate , you don't even see the improvement , the things that I have changed , years ago , function , with out effort , especially like bearing failures ? those are cake to me , linkage / levers , heim joints kill those , needle bearing pto cone failure ? original , wrong lubricant , production , cost saving , 550 degree , lucas green chassis grease , minimal ammount , my cone is still spinning , with engine off , zero drag . like those tires , might give them a look , pete 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 69,092 #12 Posted March 7 (edited) On 3/5/2026 at 2:43 PM, AlexR said: I think it's a tie between you and Pullstart for the widest front tires on a Wheelhorse @Skipper has us all beat! But I like a fat tire, front or rear. Edited March 7 by Pullstart 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 17,427 #13 Posted March 8 On 3/6/2026 at 10:11 PM, Pullstart said: But I like a fat tire, front or rear. Me too sir! Definitely got me beat on those fronts and rears. That tractor is a little beast! One thing I have to do is widen a set of standard WH rear wheels. Not gonna go 14 inches wide but at least 9 or 10. At least that is the plan... 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 77,654 #14 Posted March 8 6 hours ago, kpinnc said: Me too sir! Definitely got me beat on those fronts and rears. That tractor is a little beast! One thing I have to do is widen a set of standard WH rear wheels. Not gonna go 14 inches wide but at least 9 or 10. At least that is the plan... Gonna combine a pair of originals or get a set of wide blanks? I'd like to learn this someday. Definitely a bit beyond my welding skillset right now. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 17,427 #15 Posted March 8 6 hours ago, ebinmaine said: Gonna combine a pair of originals or get a set of wide blanks? Probably split a couple myself. I have a set of WH and another brand with a silly backspacing and a backwards dish set. Hoping to at least make use of those oddballs. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 17,427 #16 Posted March 15 My heavy front axle is from another brand (JD ) machine, and the 1 inch steering knuckles are too short for the trailer hub mod. So I am gonna try to modify them. They have a 3/8 tapped retainer hole drilled instead of using a castle nut like the 520. I'm gonna try and weld on some length using a 1 inch spacer drilled for 3/8 and make a different retainer. I'll grind out a deep "V" and weld it back up. We'll see how it goes... 1 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 17,427 #17 Posted March 15 (edited) Well I welded the axles up, and the turned out ok. Not machine shop level but for a sub 10mph application they will be fine. I grooved them pretty deep and then ground the welds down flush. Test fit with bearings when I finished and I think this is gonna work well. And no the bolts won't turn because I used keyed washers, and the last 1/2 of the axle was ground flat. Again this is for a slow application and this should hold just fine. Unfortunately my wheels won't work. They must be from a gokart or similar because the center bore is about a half inch too small for the hub body. I guess I'll find another set. It happens! Edited March 15 by kpinnc 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlexR 2,678 #18 Posted March 15 37 minutes ago, kpinnc said: Unfortunately my wheels won't work. They must be from a gokart or similar because the center bore is about a half inch too small for the hub body. Could you possibly cut the center bore bigger? Or is it just easier to get another set of wheels? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lee1977 7,590 #19 Posted March 16 Turn a piece of wood to fit the existing hole and add a center hole for a hole saw. Might need to fasten it all down anothe piece of wood. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 17,427 #20 Posted March 16 (edited) 4 hours ago, AlexR said: Could you possibly cut the center bore bigger? Or is it just easier to get another set of wheels? Not sure yet. The wheels have two sets of holes and I am not sure if the correct diameter will hit the smaller pattern or not. Of course that won't really matter... Not a bad idea Don @Lee1977! I'll look into that. Edited March 16 by kpinnc 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thor27 855 #21 Posted Monday at 10:07 PM Beautiful job on those spindles. Thank you for sharing. Looking forward to this build. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 77,654 #22 Posted Monday at 11:20 PM 1 hour ago, Thor27 said: Beautiful job on those spindles. Thank you for sharing. Looking forward to this build. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 17,427 #23 Posted 8 hours ago @Lee1977 and @AlexR I took your collective advice. Made this little jig up to center my hole saw and it worked pretty well. As expected, it got just into the smaller bolt pattern so I just rounded them out the best I could. Looks sort of like ATV wheels now ... A little at least. Looks good enough for a garden tractor. Test fits OK. Sprayed a first coat of primer on so it won't flash rust and stopped there for tonight. The other wheel already has a tire mounted so that one might be interesting holding it while cutting the center out. Maybe some ratchet straps will hold it... 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 77,654 #24 Posted 20 minutes ago 8 hours ago, kpinnc said: The other wheel already has a tire mounted so that one might be interesting holding it while cutting the center out. Maybe some ratchet straps will hold it... Contemplate carefully how much time you'll spend fiddling around trying to hold the wheel vs removing and remounting the tire. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
