Been offered a 518h for my 214 greenie

[artfull dodger 440]

I have been offered a 518h in good running condition, 48" mower deck and snow blade for my JD214 that I refurbished last year, it goes with a mower deck and snowblade. The 518 looks decent in the pics, has its rear embossed hubcabs still. I am aware of its weak point being the Eaton 700 Hydro pump. Will the Eaton 1100 bolt right up where the 700 pump is now? As I have not owned a hydro horse, just 8 speeds in the past, when swapping in the 1100, if I dont swap the whole rear end or the hydro lift, will I need to deal with the ports for the hydro lift. I may want to change it to hydro lift, is that a major job ect. It might be easier to get a 520h but they fetch big $$ around me. I wont need the ablities of the 1100 hydro pump unless the 700 lays down, atleast for awhile she would just be mowing grass and pushing a little snow. Plow days with the moldboard plow wont be for a couple years yet. My old WH moldboard is only a 6" share so it might be ok for a bit anyways. I usualy dont make more than a couple passes before standing around and taking pics anyways. Just looking for the pro's and cons for the 518h. Thanks Mike

[Wheel-N-It 2,976]

Not owning, but having been around JD214's and WH518's, I would lean toward keeping the JD if you are happy with how it does everything you need it to do. I say this only because you know the tractor and its abilities. On the other hand the 518 is a pure joy to mow with. I'm sure pushing some snow and a little topsoil or gravel is also easy/comfortable work for the 518.

You might want to think about buying the 518 outright if that is an option. I have a JD140 that I talk about selling, but as of yet have not made the effort. Read between the lines on that one. LOL!

[Kelly 1,033]

You said the JD was refurbished, not knowing what you did and how nice, a running mowing 214 around me in nice shape is $1000 a 518 is $600 maybe a bit more if nice.

[decksetter 50]

A 518 is unfortunately still not a high dollar tractor thanks to the hydro unit. Maintenance is key on that onan too, you're kind of trading a known for an unknown in your case.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[Sparky-(Admin) 23,253]

I'm a WH guy but I think I might hang on to the JD over the 518. If it was a nice C-160 or a C-165 Black Hood I would do the trade.

Mike.........

[6wheeler 669]

Myself? I would keep the 214. Having had one and selling it. If I could do it all over again? I wouldn't. Especially if the variable speed works good and the electric lift still works. If you are going to make a change, I would wait for a decent 520. JMO Pat

[artfull dodger 440]

Mine is manual lift, refurb was just a paint job as it didnt really need anything else. The deck is needing refurbed still, the 518 has a better and bigger mower deck. The hydro is a non issue for me, as is Onan maintance, as long as its issue free to start with. I havent heard back from the guy making the offer so I can look at it. Hydro horses do bring good money in my area, not so much for gear drive 200 series JD's. The area is absolutly flooded with them. Now a 318 still brings good money! I would upgrade the 518's hydro unit over time. Just need to to work and be able to mow and push a little snow right now. Not like we get boat loads of it normaly anyways. A hydro would be much welcomed over the gear drive for mowing. Eventual upgrade to hyd lift would be very very nice. A 520H in good shape pushes the $2000 mark localy if its really nice. Over that many times if it comes with a snowblower and or rear tiller. I am well versed in Onan work, I have worked as a professional small engine mechanic for the last several years. Mike

[ericj 1,579]

i jump at any chance i get to get an onan running or not, [ when i can afford to do so which isn't that often unfortunately ] but you said you refurbished the JD, i don't know what all that means, paint, motor rebuild and deck rebuild ? what has been done to the 518 ? I would at least do a compression check and run the tractor till it got hot and see if the trans would pull itself up hill. does the motor smoke or make any strange noises ? Does the trans make any noise ? can you push the tractor by hand ? every eaton 700 trans i had that was good i couldn't hand push but the one's that were bad you could. i swapped an eaton 700 for a 1100. all you need to is reroute the lines that go to the hydraulic control valve from tranny back to the trans. i eliminated one line and reused the other on one i did and on the 2nd one i had a new line made up at a local auto parts store or you can just make make it hydraulic lift. if you have a donor tractor it make thing a lot easier. good luck on your decisions and with you tractors

eric

[can whlvr 994]

remember your really not supposed to use ground engaging implements with the 700,that would include pushing snow

[artfull dodger 440]

Well, if I end up with it, it will push some snow, it has before as it comes with a snow blade. When the 700 pump dies, a 1100 will go in it. I havent heard back, I asked some specific questions to him, maybe he was trying to pawn off something with issues and he knew I would figure it out. Mike

[Sparky-(Admin) 23,253]

If your not afraid to do a 700 to 1100 tranny swap then I take back my previous comment about keeping the JD. A 518 with an 1100 and hydraulic lift would be a sweet ride.

Mike..........

[artfull dodger 440]

Doing either a pump swap or a whole rear end swap doesnt phase me one bit. Might take a bit for my wallet to manage buying the needed parts, but the actual work doesnt bother me. Neither does overhauling the Onan, although if it blew up beyond repair, I would stuff a 10hp Chinese Yanmar clone diesel into it. That Vtwin diesel project over in the custom catagory is nice, but definatly not for the tight budgeted or fabrication challenged! I can bolt one in, done that in a 653 and did a Honda into a 857. So repowering isnt anything new to me. Just cant afford to do that right now. I am hoping he emails me back and that the 518 does run and operate ok. Nothing so far. Mike

[Wheel-N-It 2,976]

I'm feeling safer now. I thought I was really sticking my neck out here advising Mike to hang on to the JD. :hide:

[artfull dodger 440]

Glad your feeling better now lol! I have a sneaking feeling that it already has hydro issues and thats why he wants to swap me for the JD. I have heard nothing since last night when I sent several specific questions about the hydro and any engine issues. He said he stripped the decals off and powerwashed it to start prepping for new paint. So one would assume it ran. maybe he drives a truck or something. He responded to my add about swapping my 214 for either a Sears SS16 or other tractor powered by an Onan. Mike

[Kelly 1,033]

If you get it, and need a Eaton 1100 I have a few couple I'd make you a deal on, i'm in lower MI, and the V twin I'm using on my C-195 was about double what you can buy a 13hp clone for, well the engine was only about $750 the shipping from China was the killer at about $600 to my door.

[artfull dodger 440]

I have heard good and bad things on those vtwin diesels on thier life span. I cant wait till you put that old girl to the test with a plow or other good load on it for a decent duration. I am supprised that someone isnt importing those to the states. Even at that price with shipping its competitive with smaller hp Lombardini's ect. I used to use the 4.5hp clone for small frame horses but you cant get those in the states anymore. Only the 6, 10 and 13hp singles now. I was watching the videos earlier, sounds great so far. Way beyond my ablities to fabricate in steel. I would have to pay someone to do one that nice for me. Mike

[wh-jason 33]

:WRS: nice to see another member so close. if you need and help with that hydro swap let me know, its not too hard to swap the whole transaxle.

i grew up in kokomo but moved to the peru area a few years ago.

[rexman72 210]

keep what you have sometimes the grass isnt greener on the other side so to speak

[artfull dodger 440]

The gentlemen called today, was out of town on business. Other than a paint job it doesnt have any problems he knows of. He is more into green stuff and would rather have my 214 than the horse. He is supposed to bring it over tomorrow for me to look at and we will go from there. Mike

[Duff 206]

Can't recommend one way or the other lacking the knowledge/experience, but I do want to say Welcome to !

Keep us posted on how the transaction plays out!

Duff :thumbs:

[artfull dodger 440]

The only green one I really want is a 318, and they are way out of my price range. Owning a WH is kind of an Hoosier tradition anyways! He is bringing the 518 over on Sunday, went to get his trailer from his dads and got the "oh BTW, I burnt the bearings on the front axle last week" message from his dad. SO, he has to do bearing replacements on Saturday. No rush, the 214 is keeping up with hauling firewood just fine. Was putting off refilling the garage wood racks to do it with the WH, but gonna have to get that done tomorrow. For the gentleman that posted he has a couple Eaton 1100 pumps. Shoot me a PM with a price on a complete pump I can install in my rear end. I will worry about going to hyd lift later. Manual lift will be fine for now, but I want to be able to use the moldboard in the garden come spring. Cheers Mike

[Kelly 1,033]

I'm not sure but I think you will have to change the whole trans, not just the pump, the 700 uses the pump and a very small reservoir to hold the fluid, and has a different oil in the trans. case, the eaton 1100 uses the trans case to hold all the oil for the pump and the gears it's all one, and if you remove the hyd lift, you have to loop a line back to the trans, you can't plug it off, I have a complete 1100 with OUT the lines, control valve or cyl. I'd sell for $100, or I have complete ones still in tractors with everything, for more money, send me a PM, as I said I'm in MI.

[JackC 617]

For anyone not familiar with the 318, it is still considered one of Deere's finest achievements.

http://www.weekendfreedommachines.org/300/model300.html

[artfull dodger 440]

I thought I read somewhere that the pumps could be switched without swapping out the whole rear end? Either way its not a big deal. I would need to find one here in Indiana, cant afford to travel real far right now. Maybe someone here that has one will be coming to the Portland IN show in May. Hate to have to pay for whole rear end to be shipped to me. Not a huge issue unless the 700 lays down on me. I have access to other tractors to do ground work for now, including a Case 444 with hyd tiller on the back. I put the garden in with it. Buddy just stops over with it around the time of the Portland show. The JD 318 is considered by many to be the best overall garden tractor ever built and hold thier value today. A nice 318 with healthy engine and mower deck will fetch $2000-2800 localy. Even with a dead Onan, they go for 800-900. The 520h is WH's answer to the 318. If I had the $$, I would love to have one of the final WH Classic GT's made near the very end of WH production, I just cant remember the model number at the moment. Mike

[decksetter 50]

A nice 318 with healthy engine and mower deck will fetch $2000-2800 localy. Even with a dead Onan, they go for 800-900.

That's good to know, looks like I need to talk my wife's grandpa out of his! It's been sitting untouched in his yard in Logansport for a few years next to the (also untouched) Case 530 backhoe.