New Wheel Horse (ish) still being made

[CasualObserver 3,406]

Got a chance to tour the Toro corporate facility yesterday,

 

 

 

and thought I'd share with you guys that they are still making one tractor with the Wheel Horse name and emblem.

One small hiccup though if you want one. They're only made in the factory in the Czech Republic and marketed overseas. These pics are of the display model at Toro.

 

Edited August 14, 2019 by CasualObserver
replaced lost pictures

[MarkPalmer 80]

Even though Wheel Horse made some LT's, it's still impossible in my mind to consider any Toro LT being a real Wheel Horse other than a sticker making its claim on the name. I thought all Toro's lawn tractors were farmed out to MTD for manufacture now?

-Mark-

[MalMac 1,328]

There probably too scared to try and sell that here with the Wheel Horse name and Logo on it. For fear they might get stones thrown thru there windows. In my opinion it looks to be a joke. Shame on them for even thinking of calling that thing a Wheel Horse. Just my .02 cents worth.

[CasualObserver 3,406]

I thought all Toro's lawn tractors were farmed out to MTD for manufacture now?

-Mark-

Not all, only the USA produced models. There are a few other Toro tractors made overseas, but only this one model that carries a Wheel Horse name and emblem, and it's manufactured overseas. I was told the integrated bagger collection system is a requirement for the area it's made in.

[AMC RULES 36,941]

Yuk...too much plastic.

[zieg72 209]

I think I threw up a little...

[Duff 206]

My real 'horses just scurried across the yard and hid under a tarp!

Duff :thumbs:

[corn53 4]

Never be in my herd!! :deadhorse:

[CasualObserver 3,406]

Guess I shouldn't have shared.   I just thought it was cool that something was still being made with a Wheel Horse emblem, and that it's still actually made by Toro, not MTD.

[Don1977 604]

Just the "Wheel Horse Emblems" are still being made.

[Wheel Horse Kid 104]

On 6/7/2012 at 2:37 PM, CasualObserver said:

Guess I shouldn't have shared.  I just thought it was cool that something was still being made with a Wheel Horse emblem, and that it's still actually made by Toro, not MTD.

I think that it is cool that there is still something with some form of "wheel horse" on it! I do have to say however, that the tractor does look pretty cheap quality!

[Sparky-(Admin) 19,439]

I think that it is cool that there is still something with some form of "wheel horse" on it! I do have to say however, that the tractor does look pretty cheap quality!

I dont know if its cheapness can be determined from a snapshot Taylor. I bet if you bought it to mow a 1acre or less lawn and didnt ask it to pull stumps, push snow-dirt-gravel or haul firewood out of the woods if would be just fine. I think the biggest reason tractors of this caliber die early is because of poor maintenance and the owner using it for chores that a garden tractor should be doing, not because its a cheaply made machine.

Mike.......

[Pollack Pete 2,273]

Can't see where that would interest collectors in 30 or 40 years.........if it's still around.Yeah right.

[ben06351 19]

Thanks for the pics. I like the looks of the bagging system. It's a cute lawn mower, It's not like it's trying to be a garden tractor.. :hide:

[Wheel Horse Kid 104]

I think that it is cool that there is still something with some form of "wheel horse" on it! I do have to say however, that the tractor does look pretty cheap quality!

I dont know if its cheapness can be determined from a snapshot Taylor. I bet if you bought it to mow a 1acre or less lawn and didnt ask it to pull stumps, push snow-dirt-gravel or haul firewood out of the woods if would be just fine. I think the biggest reason tractors of this caliber die early is because of poor maintenance and the owner using it for chores that a garden tractor should be doing, not because its a cheaply made machine.

Mike.......

True Mike, but I don't think that it is going to be as long lasting or as good of quality as the old Wheel Horse tractors. Lawn Rangers are a "lawn" tractor and think about how many of them are still around running and being used and they are 40 years old! I just look at that tractor and think there is NO WAY that tractor will be around in 40 years regardless of whether you take good care of it or not.

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,114]

Jason, it looks like there's a hallway full of equipment, was there any other interesting products that we normally don't see?

[bowtiebutler956 649]

Thanks for the pics Jason. I didn't know the name was used on anything anymore, you learn something new every day. I must say that is a far cry from the heavy duty machines we are use to calling !!

Matt :flags-texas:

[Docwheelhorse 2,560]

Well Folks.....

Wheel Horse when it was Pure Wheel Horse made some "shaky" equipment too----remember the 200 series and all the vertical shaft setups? Wheel Horse has always turned out some lower cost equipment that definietly wouldnt stand up to the beatings we put our full fledged tractors through. I have a soft spot for Wheel Horse and like seeing new tractors of any caliber being produced and marketed.... Even those arguably junk mowers that where put in Home Depot etc.... where nice to see with Wheel Horse decals and emblems.

Would I buy one... definietly not.... Is it still nice to see "new" ones instead of having to realise that Wheel Horse is truly dead and buried definietly yes.

just my .02

Tony

[Iggy68 28]

Any piece of equipment can last a long time with the proper maintenance if it is used for the duties it was meant for. I have a Central Park that I have cut grass with for 17 years. One battery, a starter, and a muffler is all I have ever had to do to it. It has a 18 HP briggs. Starts every time no problems. It is all about knowing its limitations and using it for that. I wouldst even think about pulling a 10" moldboard plow behind it like i would my 953. Yeah tractors aren't like they used to be but businesses have to adapt to what people will buy to survive. My .02 cents worth.

[CasualObserver 3,406]

Jason, it looks like there's a hallway full of equipment, was there any other interesting products that we normally don't see?

Yes, the main hallways are lined with alot of current product from handheld stuff and snow blowers to pro zero turns with 72 inch decks. There was also alot of historical sort of milestone equipment too. Very neat, if anyone gets a chance to see it.

Sent from my Galaxy Tab using Tapatalk 2

[Ken B 3,116]

Maybe Toro is gearing up for a full fledged come back! Then again, probably not. Sometimes, its better to just burn out than it is too fade away.

It is very interesting that Toro still carries the Wheel Horse name on a tractor. Why? I think it would be nice if you were still able to special order a REAL Wheel Horse. There are probably a ton of reasons why this wouldn't be cost effective but it sure would be a nice gesture from Toro to all of the Wheel Horse's purists of the world. Even if there were no buyers waiting in line for a REAL Wheel Horse at least could say the offer was on the table.

Thanks for posting, it is pretty interesting.

[Wheel Horse Kid 104]

Maybe Toro is gearing up for a full fledged come back! Then again, probably not. Sometimes, its better to just burn out than it is too fade away.

It is very interesting that Toro still carries the Wheel Horse name on a tractor. Why? I think it would be nice if you were still able to special order a REAL Wheel Horse. There are probably a ton of reasons why this wouldn't be cost effective but it sure would be a nice gesture from Toro to all of the Wheel Horse's purists of the world. Even if there were no buyers waiting in line for a REAL Wheel Horse at least could say the offer was on the table.

Thanks for posting, it is pretty interesting.

I think I read somewhere that your Toro dealer can hook it up for you with Toro to have an actual Wheel Horse GT tractor made. I think I also read that Toro still has the molding for them, but I think that it cost $6000 to have one made. Maybe they do not do it anymore.

[546cowboy 301]

Personally I have never bought a "new" tractor/mower but I've never bought a "new" car or truck either. The cost of one of these old horses "new" was more than I could afford then or now. Spending $5000 or $6000 for a mower is ridiculous to me. That plastic thing in the pictures is not a true Wheel Horse and Toro should be very ashamed to label it as such. I recently sold a 269H and had to buy the emblem for the front and it wasn't cheap. But an emblem and decals don't make it a 'TRUE' Wheel Horse. :scared-ghostface:

[Ken B 3,116]

I suppose you can't really blame Toro too much. The modern day homeowner has changed so much in the past 25 yrs. it ain't even funny. Most homeowners these days want NOTHING to do with maintaining their property, they are either too busy or too lazy. With very little in the way of sales due to lack of demand the price goes up and we all know that a REAL Wheel Horse cost big money to build. At the end of the day Toro has been pretty good to us by having quite a bit of parts still available to us. A lot of outboard company's have turned to China to produce their motors in an effort to cut costs. No thanks, I'd rather row. I'd like to thank Toro for not outsourcing Wheel Horse to China. As the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end.

I'd like to tour the Toro plant if I'm ever in the area, it looks like it would be pretty interesting.

[MarkPalmer 80]

Wheel Horse was one lawn and garden equipment company that Toro had a lot of respect for when they took the company over. They even continued to produce the "Classic" GT model(s) until 2007 without butchering it in to something flimsy for some 20+ years after they bought Wheel Horse. It was in 2007 that they began farming out homeowner grade lawn tractor production to MTD, so business wise we can see where it would make no sense for them to continue producing a one off model garden tractor with a high price tag and limited sales. But that being the case, I think at that time out of respect Toro should have permanently stopped using and associating the Wheel Horse name and logo with their products, regardless if this new LT is only sold overseas. When younger generations unfamiliar with the Wheel Horse name see that little LT, instead of rightfully associating the name with tough garden tractors of the past, it will be just another tough sounding name on a cheap lawn tractor.

-Mark-