serious business of garden tractors

[W9JAB 156]

SEVEN THINGS A NEW

WHEEL HORSE OWNER

SHOULD KNOW

1.LUBERCATION, Metal on metal = worn out parts, motors, axels, bushings, and gears need oil and grease. So know where your lubrication points are, keep motor oil, trans oil, axles and bushing well lubricated. And the same for attachments mower decks, snow blowers and the like.

2. Small engines (air and oil cooled) are made to run at full speed. With splash oil systems, lubrication is decreased at low or idle speeds, also the cooling fan air volume is also decreased. Engine temp. raises dramatically at low speeds. Also maximum H.P. is at achieved only at full speed.

3. Belts, If you can, try to get O.E.M. But if not genuine Wheel Horse there are some things to consider when replacing a belt. Wheel Horse belts for the most part are "A" or "4L" size. this refers to the top width and top to bottom thickness, 1/2" wide 5/16" thick. Belts also come in smooth or notched styles. The notched belt "AX" runs cooler and can make tighter radius turns, but have a more aggressive grip and cannot be used in "clutching" applications were loosening the belt is needed to clutch. If a belt is used for clutching it's best to get a Kevlar wrapped belt. The wrapping keeps the rubber from burning when the it is "slipping" on the sheave or pulley.

4. Electrical. Older tractor wiring suffers from two main problems. UV (ultra violet/sun light) degrading of insulation and corroded wire and connections were wires meet or are terminated. When replacing wire in vehicles use a stranded style wire of the same gauge or larger of the wire your replacing. NEVER use a solid wire as vibration will work stress and break it in time. Also to help with corroded connections using silicone dielectric on the connectors helps a lot.

5. The shifter. This is a garden tractor not a race car. They should have called it the speed selector, If you here grinding noises when changing speeds you are shifting too fast, the belt need to stop before you change speeds. You will probably be able to take off in any gear from a dead stop. So you don't need to "run through the gears" like a car.

6. Keep an eye on things, Old parts can just plain were out. Once I found a fuel line not leaking but when move just a small amount fell apart, a real fire hazard.

7. The Old Wheel Horse was made before O.S.H.A. and lawyers took over our life, none the less there is some inherent dangers in the older models, open belts, pinch points, marginal breaks, lack of safety shut offs, etc. Know the dangers and limitations of you tractor. :hide:

[earlleecliffton 38]

Well put . :hide:

[DoctorHfuhruhurr 137]

and fuel stabilizer and Seafoam come in handy also

[chazm 413]

And might I add, a little mechanical common sense ...

Chaz :WRS:

[SousaKerry 503]

:hide:

dead on

[305 380]

agree 100%

[JC 1965 1,532]

:hide: Everything you said is dead on. I would add, keep the engine and tractor clean. A clean engine will run cooler and it is much easier to find problems when parts are clean. Just my opinion!!

[Jim_M 179]

Lots of good points brought up here. I only have one thing to add. Marginal breaks is a good thing, marginal brakes are a bad thing.

[sscotsman 186]

Thanks Jab!

great tips!

[Duff 206]

Good questions, Scot. Some of the answers are in the manuals, others are more intuitive.

My "rule of thumb" is any place there are metal parts in contact with each other and one or both of the pieces moves should be lubricated. I don't know much about the "early" 'Horses, but even during the '80's I see the factory started adding grease fittings in places they didn't used to be (clutch and brake pedals come to mind).

For small parts that don't get a lot of stress, like carb linkages and the throttle/choke controls, I give them an occasional drop of machine oil (3-in-1, Marvel, etc.). Those under more pressure like the brake and clutch actuation rods get greased at least twice a season. This may mean taking a few things apart but it gives me chance to clean out any grit that's built up and replace it with fresh grease. One of my Horses doesn't have grease fittings on the clutch and brake pedals (yet) so I have to take the footrests off to slide them off and regrease, but I figure it's time well spent. The only place I have a problem getting fresh lube into is the upper bushing in the dash tower that supports the steering column. I oil this with a long, flexible spout on an oil can. Grease would be betrter I think, but oil is better than nothing.

Because it's a more involved job, I only grease the shaft that runs across/through the frame between the clutch actuator rod and the drive belt tensioner pulley once a season.

Just my personal preferences - not necessarily right by any means!

~Duff :hide:

[sscotsman 186]

Thanks Duff!

sounds good..

Unfortunately the Round hood manuals seem quite lacking in detailed lube info..

this is all the 854 manual has to say:

Tomorrow afternoon im going to take a video of my 854 asking about various grease\oil points..I will post it in my "Spring Maintenance" thread..

thanks,

Scot

[312Hydro 474]

Good post! Thank you for the information! :hide:

[farmer 1,078]

I find point #2 interesting, I'm sure its correct to say that under load, engine power/cooling are optimum at max rpm, but who rolls their lawn in first gear flat out? I don't have the technology to record engine temp for given tasks, but I'm sure there are members that do.

Hoeing

rolling

fertilizing ect, to me are high gear "tick over" jobs ,a blast of throttle to get back to the barn when I'm done. Harmful? Maybe someone could check this out? :hide:

[mr.pipes 4]

I don't have the technology to record engine temp for given tasks, but I'm sure there are members that do.

Lowes has a General Tools & Instruments Infrared Thermometer for $20.

[shorts 182]

:hide:

All good posts.

I like to keep some white lithium grease in the spray can with straw around for hard to reach places like the upper steering column bearing.

another handy spray is a high shear, high cling lube like motorcycle chain spray

[MalMac 1,332]

I agree 100 % on the points brought out on lubrication. I myself do and use a lot of the suggestions above. With that said I think we must remember that oil and grease are magnets for dirt and grime. Sometimes over lubricating and not cleaning it up does just the opposite of what we are trying to prevent and that is wear. The lube ends up attracting dirt or worse yet sand. All that does is act like a big piece of sand paper or grinding wheel and speeds up the were factor. Believe it or not some metal to metal parts are designed to run metal to metal. I know that goes against common sense. Some times metal to metal will wear slower than it would if it had grease with sand in it. I think all the point brought up are wonderful we just need to use common sense on where we lube and how much and what type. This is a great thread with a lot of good info. Especially for those just starting out.

[Retired Wrencher 5,830]

:hide: I also use Marvel in the gas because how the gas is made to day for moving parts like the valves and also I use star bright enzyme for the fule to keep it fresh. also I totaly belive in Lucas oil additive.Gary B..............................

[squonk 43,918]

No sandals when mowing with these open drive belt PTO's!! I've seen pics on this forum of people doing that! :hide:

[SAM58 30]

:hide:

[mr.pipes 4]

No sandals when mowing with these open drive belt PTO's!! I've seen pics on this forum of people doing that!

Links? :)

[HorseFixer 2,013]

Good Stuff Maynard No pun to Bob Intended.

Cheers ~Duke

:)

[horsefeathers 15]

W9jab, I didn't know you were so serious!!!

"Zen and the art of lawnmower maintance"

You hit one out'a da' park here! Great post!

#8 (if you will) always disengage the pto and set the brake...

before geting off!

And PLEASE never ride small children while working yer horse!

GOOD STUFF HERE FRIENDS!

HORSEFEATHERS!

[JUSS10 250]

squonk is probably referring to pictures of me while i was mowing with my dad once with our pair of round hoods.... i do it on occasion and have never had a problem but i understand the safety hazard... that said there are plenty more pinch points and more dangerous parts to these tractors that you need to be careful with...

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,539]

Good post. One add-

When driving your HYDRO tractor do not go from driving full speed (or any speed forward) directly into reverse. You need to make sure you are at a full stop when changing from forward to reverse and reverse to forward. Think about doing that in your car :hide:

[Redbirdman 7]

6. Keep an eye on things, Old parts can just plain were out

yesseree Bob............but some just get better.....

And pay attention to where (and how) you store it too! Mice under hoods and birds in rafters do a lot of caustic chemical damage as well as wire and seat damage. and tires should never be left to sit on dirt or bare concrete. (something about an electrochemical reaction between the caustic in the concrete and the natural rubber in the tires, which I understand is why tires sometimes look 'dusty') And just draping a blue plastic or heavy tarp over it can cause mold, rust and insects to thrive. And that's not to mention Black widows, Brown recluse and wolfshead spiders taking up residence.......and SNAKES!

PS: everything I mentioned above I have seen do damage already (specially them damn cute chipmunks back east.)........pow,pow, ........pow pow pow!

ed :WRS: