I found an older tractor, and have plenty of questions...

[dlpaw 3]

Hello,

I brought home a tractor last night, that is clearly an earlier model. I did some comparisons with photos on this site and think it may be a 401...would you agree? Is this what you would call a suburban model?

It has a Kohler K91, likely original to the tractor. The owner said it ran recently, but it does not have the drive belt or brake linkage hooked up.

The previous owner got it with a broken transmission and he had replaced it with a later style 3 speed, similar to the one in my 62 lawn ranger. He did not save the the original transmission parts, but he claimed the transmission looked totally different, with steel plates that bolted to the frame (a model 5010? ). He had to make a bracket to attach a later style transmission to the frame. I want to find an original type transmission for it, if anyone can help, I would be grateful. (see my add in the wanted section)

The previous owner said he had a bunch of sheet metal guards and parts for it that were taken off, and I can get those when he has time to find them again. It looks to be missing fenders, tool box, implement lever, belt guards and exhaust shield. Anyone else notice other parts that I should put on the list for the previous owner to check for?

The exhaust stack is homemade from stainless steel, very nicely made with baffles and a rain flap, not sure if I will keep it or not.

As far as implements go, I plan on posting a want ad for a snow plow or mower for it....

I imagine that due to the rear engine, the decks from the front engine models will not fit, so would I need to find an early deck specific to the suburbans or RJs?

What about snow plows...does this type use the earlier single tube style plow frame, or do later plows fit?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Daniel

[Calebintn 1]

Oh wow what a neat little tractor. Great find, I cant wait to get my first ball burner.

[dlpaw 3]

Hmmm, previous owner must have been scared by the "ball-burner" moniker, I notice he moved the seat back a safe distance..... :dunno:

[fireman 1,021]

Yes, That was originally a 401.

[Rooster 191]

viewtopic.php?f=31&t=7750

You can find several pictures on that thread.

As many parts as you would need to put that back original you almost need a parts tractor!

You have many of the critical parts on the front half though.

:dunno:

[twisted metal 49]

Must have been a long legged operater to need to lengthen the frame!

[CasualObserver 3,406]

As far as implements go, I plan on posting a want ad for a snow plow or mower for it....

I imagine that due to the rear engine, the decks from the front engine models will not fit, so would I need to find an early deck specific to the suburbans or RJs?

What about snow plows...does this type use the earlier single tube style plow frame, or do later plows fit?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Daniel

The mower deck you're looking for is the RMR-3261, has wheels on the four outside corners. Can't find a picture right now, but I know there's been one here before.

Edit... found it. (please ignore the green arrows... they were in reference to the original thread for that picture.)

Snow plows... the SPR-42 (single tube) might work, but I don't know of it would hit the front axle. this is the correct plow.

HD-42 (1960) or BD-4261 (1961)

[dlpaw 3]

Thank you folks for the replies!

I found a serial number tag after I cleaned it up today, tag is stamped 48188.

I appreciate the pictures of the deck and plow, that should help a lot.

What was the big round hole in the hoods by the steering where for, the one with the metal cover snapped into it...ammeter?

Daniel

[Rooster 191]

Spark Plug

[Rooster 191]

And I have heard those covers are hard to come by.

[dlpaw 3]

Ahh haa! Spark plug access makes perfect sense.

So if the covers are hard to come by, I will definitely keep in touch with the seller. He said he all the pieces except for the original transmission, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that he finds them.

Daniel

[corn53 4]

I like the custom stack!!! It gives it character!!! :dunno:

[KC9KAS 4,741]

Hmmm, previous owner must have been scared by the "ball-burner" moniker, I notice he moved the seat back a safe distance.....

If you read the 1st post, he explains that the PO switched transmissions and had to "make" a mounting bracket for the transmission...hence the additional length in the frame.

[Jake Kuhn 1,547]

What was the big round hole in the hoods by the steering where for, the one with the metal cover snapped into it...ammeter?

As rooster said it was for the the spark plug but there is supposed to be a toggle switch in the hole too.,Jake

[dlpaw 3]

As rooster said it was for the the spark plug but there is supposed to be a toggle switch in the hole too.,Jake

I looked and it doesn't seem to ever had a hole for a switch, unless it is a replacement hole plug

I assume the toggle would be a kill switch for the engine...where else would they have mounted it, if not in the hole plug?

Daniel

[Jake Kuhn 1,547]

I may be wrong but when I got mine it had the switch and when I bought a replacement plug for when I restored mine it had the hole too,Jake

[SkyhawkTL 19]

Great Tractor - Here is another photo of the mower deck. I powdercoated this to take the wear better (It's on a working Horse)

[Rooster 191]

As rooster said it was for the the spark plug but there is supposed to be a toggle switch in the hole too.,Jake

I looked and it doesn't seem to ever had a hole for a switch, unless it is a replacement hole plug

I assume the toggle would be a kill switch for the engine...where else would they have mounted it, if not in the hole plug?

Daniel

I Have never seen a kill switch on one.....but I have never seen a complete 401 in person either, lol.

I have seen where guys added a toggled kill switch in that area.

The 400 had lever style choke and throttle in that area, on the 401 they changed to a pull style. I have also seen the levers added in place of the plug. Then when the choke cable gets hung while your pushing it, it gets into the plug, and since the little plastic handle is cracked.......your seat gets wet!

[tunahead72 2,347]

I found a serial number tag after I cleaned it up today, tag is stamped 48188.

Interesting, where did you locate your ID tag?

Reason I ask, I just started a thread about the first Wheel Horse I ever owned, which turns out to be a hybrid of several different tractors. Mine was serial number 48191, but the two tractors are very different, I would have thought they'd be more alike with the numbers so close together.

Here's my thread if you're interested:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=32895

Nice tractor you have there, have fun getting it fixed up the way you want it! :dunno:

[tunahead72 2,347]

Here is another photo of the mower deck. I powdercoated this to take the wear better (It's on a working Horse)

Wow, that is so cool! :wh:

[dlpaw 3]

Hello,

tunahead, I found the Metal ID tag screwed to the front of the riser that holds up the rear of the hood....

I am not sure about the serial number sequencing, maybe the company started counting over again, or maybe each model had it's own range of numbers?

Nice looking mower deck, thanks for the photo! I have a line on a fixer upper mower deck, but just need to work out a way to pick it up. Plans are to make this one our lawn mower, as it sure turns nice and sharp, even sharper than my son's lawn ranger.

Thanks for the replies!

Daniel

[tunahead72 2,347]

tunahead, I found the Metal ID tag screwed to the front of the riser that holds up the rear of the hood....

I am not sure about the serial number sequencing, maybe the company started counting over again, or maybe each model had it's own range of numbers?

Yeah, I don't know much about that either, I know it's been addressed in other threads here. There's a guy at the Yahoo Wheel Horse Group who's also a member here who tries to keep track of these things, maybe he'll chime in at some point (Garry / gwest_ca).

Your tag doesn't look at all like mine, nor is it in the same location. Weird. Here's a shot of mine (top tag), best guess right now is that my hoodstand came off a 701.