D160 - big iron but no respect?

[JackC 617]

For those considering buying a D and wondering what they go for.

 

The D's are not going for big money and they take up a lot of room in the garage.

I use mine when I need a brute to move things around.

 

A nice looking D160 just sold for a measly $305 on eBay. Here is the description:

 

wheel horse d160 with blade no deck or other attachments. excellent running onan engine. no major leaks or oil consumption. has hydraulic lift and drive no power steering. needs a battery. blade needs trip springs and angle parts. great older machine pto clutch does also work. sold as is as seen. local pick up from 60135.

 

I almost bought a D160 with a bucket loader, 24 horse Honda V-Twin (nice conversion), foot control, 3 point hitch, power take off, plow and weigh box that sold at auction for about $1,700.  It was tempting but I already have 2 D-160s and I figured I would wait until I could get a good deal on a 4 wheel drive Kubota with a bucket.

[Wheel Horse Kid 105]

I also had that D160 on my watch list and was watching it up to the last minute. I thought it would shoot up at the end, but was really surprised that it did not. If I would have had some extra cash, I definitely would have put a bid on it! I guess the reason D series tractors are selling kinda cheap is that they are just not practical for most people due to their size. Plus, nowadays, you can get a tractor that is about the same size as a D tractor that has a lot more hp than the D series tractors and has power steering and all the other bells and whistles.

[coldone 35]

To me a D series is a a Garden Tractor that can mow. I dont think they were designed with mowing being their primary task. They are big and heavy, lots of brute force, large turning radius etc...  I beleive that they were marketed as an estate tractor, they were made before there was SCUTs and CUTs. They filled a gap that was present in the market.

 

I use my D primarily for mowing and as backup for my Garden tractor. It hauls trailers, runs a scrape blade, runs a drive way groomer, but primarly a mower. I dont think I would trade it.

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,401]

The D160 has the older ONAN 16hp which parts are hard to come by. If i were going for a D it would be a 180 or 200 only. 

[slufoot733 70]

I totally agree. I have a D-200 only because my father bought in 1986. He mowed two plus acres in the summer and moved snow in the winter. Now I use it ONLY for snow blowing in the winter and ONLY if the snow is too deep for my JD lawn tractor with the blade. I run it in the summer just to keep it exercised. It was my dad's tractor, therefore it means a lot to me.