chev0545 236 #1 Posted December 10, 2014 looking at gt1642 work horse.is the only difference between it & a wheel horse the motor ? is the 16hp briggs twin any good ? thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmsgaffer 2,053 #2 Posted December 10, 2014 (edited) if its an 8 speed (dont know my work horses that well) then it has the "less sturdy" (But still quite strong) 1" rear axles with 4 pinion diff. If its a hydro then pretty much exactly the same. I can't comment on the Briggs, never owned one. Edited December 10, 2014 by bmsgaffer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tankman 3,523 #3 Posted December 11, 2014 I've only had a Work Horse 1642 for a couple of months. Seems sturdy enough although I'm a Kohler hugger. The B&S runs ok but, I've only just begun to use the Horse.......time'll tell. Purchased a height adjustment knob on eBay, waitin' for delivery. The Work Horses, as far as I know didn't come with one. I did plow a couple of inches of snow without any problems. Used wheel weights, no chains this time. Did some funky exhaust work, grandson likes the dual which I made from a safety handrail. I also changed some paint, don't like gray, doesn't fit the Horse image. Added a TSC seat which I had. The 42" SD deck was toast, the Work Horse came to me with a slightly used 48" SD deck and a new, in the box, mule drive, pulleys 'n all. Nice. Good luck with your new Stallion and by all means, keep us updated. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Racinbob 11,919 #4 Posted December 12, 2014 I had a GT1100 for years up north and it was worked hard. The Work Horses are Wheel horses to the bone and the differences are the things that have been mentioned. The 4 pinion tranny is plenty strong for most things. The one lung 11hp Briggs did a fine job handling a 48" deck and all the snow pushing and it moved a lot of dirt too. The blower was on the C-160. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky-(Admin) 23,138 #5 Posted December 12, 2014 I love mine.....of course the Briggs was long gone and a 10hp Kohler Magnum was in its place. Mike........... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Racinbob 11,919 #6 Posted December 12, 2014 (edited) Swapping to a Kohler was my plan too Mike. I bought the GT1100 brand new and figured when the Briggs died in goes a 'real' motor. It was still going strong 16 years later when it was sold to move here. It certainly wasn't a Kohler but it surprised me with it's durability. I actually thought the 48" deck would tax it too much and I'd get to replace it sooner. Edited December 12, 2014 by Racinbob 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
boovuc 1,090 #7 Posted December 12, 2014 Hi Neighbor! The only knock on the Briggs is the crank bearing on it verses the Kohlers. Using the PTO set up for Wheelhorse the knock is that the crankshaft bearing won't hold up as long as the Kohler due to stresses associated with engaging the PTO over time. And the Briggs carburetors can be more fussy with today's fuels verses the Kohlers. The 4 pinion rear is on a lot of Wheelhorse tractors and though it may not be as beefy as the 8 pinion, it is still way over engineered verses what is on a lot of superposed "Garden Tractors". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
clip 185 #8 Posted December 12, 2014 I've just started to tune up a GT1600 and the B&S runs like a champ. I prefer these to the Kohlers only because I've owned B&S by chance on almost everything outdoor-power related. The new 17hp Kohler I did have blew a head gasket in a season. Might be a fluke but still leaves a bad taste. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites