What have you done to your Wheel Horse today?

[ZXT 2,394]

3 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I've done several. 

I've found harnesses so shredded by PO "repairs" I literally removed EVERYTHING and started fresh with higher quality and capacity wiring, right off the schematic. 

New grounds. Extra grounds. 

 

Solved. 

Best thing to do for sure. Most "repairs" consist of wires twisted together and taped, wire nutted, or those stupid little clip together connectors that only pierce the insulation to make a connection. 

Solder connections are really the only way to go when it comes to splicing wires if you want it to last!

[ebinmaine 63,217]

12 minutes ago, ZXT said:

Best thing to do for sure. Most "repairs" consist of wires twisted together and taped, wire nutted, or those stupid little clip together connectors that only pierce the insulation to make a connection. 

Solder connections are really the only way to go when it comes to splicing wires if you want it to last!

 

I hand crimp mine but I also use sealed type connectors  and / or heat shrink tubing with additional sealer. 

Weather around here is tough on equipment. 

As much as I enjoy working on Horses I'd like them to last a bit between builds. 

 

 

[ZXT 2,394]

27 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

I hand crimp mine but I also use sealed type connectors  and / or heat shrink tubing with additional sealer. 

Weather around here is tough on equipment. 

As much as I enjoy working on Horses I'd like them to last a bit between builds. 

 

 

Using sealed connectors and shrink tubing should help a lot. I still tend to solder connections on things I need to last, because I've repaired more than a few crimp connections that had managed to get moisture in them and corrode, causing issues. As cheap as soldering irons are ($10 on ebay for a decent one) and with solder being cheap, I solder and heat shrink my connections to ensure that I never have to mess with them again. Takes a little extra time, but it's worth it.

We don't get a ton of rain or snow (maybe an inch in the last 5 years) but I've still seen crimp connections fail. I can only imagine corrosion being a bigger issue up north.

Edited December 17, 2020 by ZXT

[ohiofarmer 3,157]

 You guys are right about all of that I could have saved time just rewiring the entire thing.   ,,one thing that I do for wiring is to save old appliance wiring off old stoves and heavy duty appliances. there are all different colors of wiring with at least one usable end of solid brass that is crinped perfectly.

[953 nut 51,791]

5 minutes ago, ohiofarmer said:

 You guys are right about all of that I could have saved time just rewiring the entire thing.   ,,one thing that I do for wiring is to save old appliance wiring off old stoves and heavy duty appliances. there are all different colors of wiring with at least one usable end of solid brass that is crinped perfectly.

Waste not, want not!                      Had an old treadmill that developed a mind of it's own, electronics were dead.  I stripped the wiring and have a variety of colors and sizes to choose from.

[Burnerman 758]

Made a quick belt guard for the big blower and chained up the plow tractor. 16-24” predicted here. 

[Shed 241]

Well I couldnt get any pictures that came out well in the dark but I gave the 59 rj a good work out. It tried really hard but just couldnt push in a foot of snow had to get the backhoe and push some snow around. But with the backhoe out I made a huge pile for the kids to play on in the morning. Another foots still expected so I'll give the 59 ago again in the day light some some action shots. 

[RandyLittrell 3,827]

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

I hand crimp mine but I also use sealed type connectors  and / or heat shrink tubing with additional sealer. 

Weather around here is tough on equipment. 

As much as I enjoy working on Horses I'd like them to last a bit between builds. 

 

 

 

I love to solder, but I am fairly sure all the cars and truck running down the road have crimped connections and I have read that the solder joint is more prone to breaking from vibration than crimping. I think you are right on the sealing them up well!!! 

 

 

 

 

 

Randy

[adsm08 1,439]

6 minutes ago, RandyLittrell said:

 

I love to solder, but I am fairly sure all the cars and truck running down the road have crimped connections and I have read that the solder joint is more prone to breaking from vibration than crimping. I think you are right on the sealing them up well!!! 

 

 

 

 

 

Randy

You are spot on.

 

Extremely fine gauge wires need to be soldered to keep a good connection, but anything 18 and up gets crimped. Even with smaller wires I usually fold them over double, crimp, then solder to secure it.

 

But solder joints are rigid and don't flex like the wire needs to.

[8ntruck 6,379]

15 hours ago, 953 nut said:

right rear axle on my GT-14 let lose! My presumption was that the snap ring had broken allowing the axle to come out. I finally got around to tearing into it and  this is what I found. Fortunately there was no other damage done and I will be replacing bearing and seals to freshen it up

GT-14 was owned by a landscaping company and used with a front end loader and landscape rake for about forty years prior to the time I bought it. It has a limited slip differential, wheel weights and loaded tires, it hasn't been pampered. Since the failure took place in the differential housing I don't think weight was an issue, just torque and metal fatigue. Here is another picture of the pieces.

 

 

Yup.  Company tractor, FEL, lots of forward/reverse moves, probably operators in a hurry with a bit of a "it's not mine" attitude.  The GT 14's are all automatics, right?  The brakes probably not used very often between forward and reverse.

 

I agree, that is a torsional failure, not a bending load failure.

 

That crack has been growing for a while.  Again, without inspecting the pieces in person, I'll gues either the axle spline or the gear spline wore, creating some slop in the assembly as well as a notch of some sort.  The slop in the spline would allow a little bit of 'wind up' when reversing direction and a small hammer like impact load on the spline.  The impact load would probably be higher than the drive torque load supplied by the transmission.  The more the spline wore, the more the impact was.

Edited December 17, 2020 by 8ntruck

[8ntruck 6,379]

35 minutes ago, RandyLittrell said:

 

I love to solder, but I am fairly sure all the cars and truck running down the road have crimped connections and I have read that the solder joint is more prone to breaking from vibration than crimping. I think you are right on the sealing them up well!!! 

 

 

 

 

 

Randy

 

Soldiered joints do fail due to vibration.  I had a Trimuph Spitfire for a while.  In an attempt to improve the Lucas ignition system, I installed a capacitive discharge system.  The installation required splicing into the distributor wiring.  I soldered the joints.  Worked for a while, then stranded me.  Opened the hood and found a broken solder joint.

Edited December 17, 2020 by 8ntruck

[8ntruck 6,379]

10 hours ago, lynnmor said:

Most Wheel Horse axles have needle bearings running right on the axles.  The bearing area is induction hardened and the remainder is left soft.  My thought is that the transition point is right where the failure occurred and the metal may be brittle there.  Years ago, Wheel Horse included axles that were completely heat treated for use with dual rear wheels.  I don't know the type of steel used with any of the axles.

 

For an axle, you would want toughness for most of the axle.  If I were to build a replacement axle, I'd try something like 4140 pre hard.  That is in the low 30's on the Rockwel C scale, and can be hardened.  Have to have somebody who knows what they are doing harden it.  Get it wrong, you will have a chunk of glass that is all but impossible to machine.

 

One of the uses this steel was developed for was landing gear components.

[Horse Newbie 6,876]

9 minutes ago, 8ntruck said:

One of the uses this steel was developed for was landing gear components

Invented during WW2 ?

[8ntruck 6,379]

6 minutes ago, Horse Newbie said:

Invented during WW2 ?

Not sure.  That is a bit of trivia that I don't recall.  The trade name for the alloy was Flexor M.  Basically a 4140 with propitary alloying and heat treat.

[Maxwell-8 4,270]

I am new here, and just bought a Wheel Horse last week. Someone has a broken axle on this forum, everybody in shock, i don't know how many times I broke a Tecumseh 5 speed trans, or blew the chain on chain driven mowers. Just love the quality of Wheel Horses already.

So today i am going to pick up a second Wheel Horse: a 312-8 looking brand new whit a 1000 hours, original seat in new condition. 300$. I don't know if that is cheap or expensive in the US but here its cheap, and i am glad i found one. Cause here the don't see now value in those machines.  I have seen plenty push mowers going for 300$.

Edited December 17, 2020 by Maxwell-8

[rjg854 10,752]

 @Maxwell-8 sure would like some  of those horses when you get the chance.

[Maxwell-8 4,270]

7 minutes ago, rjg854 said:

 @Maxwell-8 sure would like some  of those horses when you get the chance.

yeah i will send some it will be tomorrow for you guys. My first Wheel Horse is a raider 12, 4speed, tecumsh has been replaced by a M12 Kohler,  The mower was found in a mud hole, where they didn't bother getting it out. 

Edited December 17, 2020 by Maxwell-8

[ebinmaine 63,217]

1 minute ago, Maxwell-8 said:

yeah i will send some, why first one is a raider 12, found in a mud hole, where they didn't bother getting it out. 

Nice save!

[SylvanLakeWH 24,175]

 @Maxwell-8!!!

[Maxwell-8 4,270]

1 minute ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

 @Maxwell-8!!!

Thanks I am getting in the hobby fast and hard!

[953 nut 51,791]

2 hours ago, Maxwell-8 said:

So today i am going to pick up a second Wheel Horse: a 312-8 looking brand new whit a 1000 hours, original seat in new condition. 300$. I don't know if that is cheap or expensive in the US but here its cheap, and i am glad i found one.

That is a very good price for such a fine tractor. When you have some pictures please start a new thread on here so we can seer it and your Raider 12.    https://www.wheelhorseforum.com/forum/3-wheel-horse-tractors/?do=add

[Tractorhead 8,611]

 to 

[Greentored 3,201]

Just want you snow plow guys to know I am living vicariously through you all.

30 years in upstate NY with no tractors, now suddenly a heavy Horse addict with capable machines and a nice blade........and living in North Carolina, where we MIGHT get 4-5" one or two times per winter.

When(if) that happens, rest assured I will probably plow my driveways, friends driveways, half the streets in the housing development and business park as the town usually tends to those last, if at all......

Edited December 17, 2020 by Greentored

[peter lena 8,072]

echris , hiding in plane site , on that new pulley , is the wide type pop off  grease seals , a hi temp grease refill will insure no more bearing noise or failure , pocket screwdriver , gently removes the seal , LEE1977, like your over axel rear hitch mount , did you buy it ,or make it ? looking for ideas for rear weight attachment, that angle steel would be nice , pete 

[Handy Don 10,640]

10 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

 

For an axle, you would want toughness for most of the axle.  If I were to build a replacement axle, I'd try something like 4140 pre hard.  That is in the low 30's on the Rockwel C scale, and can be hardened.  Have to have somebody who knows what they are doing harden it.  Get it wrong, you will have a chunk of glass that is all but impossible to machine.

 

One of the uses this steel was developed for was landing gear components.

Cool unexpected new knowledge! Thanks.