What have you done to your Wheel Horse today?

[sqrlgtr 1,604]

Put juice to my new headlights on 1257 today. Halogen bulbs and pretty bright, 2nd pic is in shop and pitch dark. Dont remember what the watts are. Thought about going with led bulbs but IDK if it would  be worth the extra coin.

[kpinnc 16,355]

54 minutes ago, sqrlgtr said:

Thought about going with led bulbs but IDK if it would  be worth the extra coin.

 

I'm a huge fan of LEDs. That being said, so long as the regular bulbs don't over tax your charging system- I'd just use them as they are. They look plenty bright enough. 

[Blue Chips 466]

1 hour ago, ranger said:

Yes, that’s what I was getting at, having solid contact across the hub flange and puller faces, so when all wheel bolts? are tight, there is no gap between the hub and puller. The hub flange then becomes effectively much more rigid. A spacer to match his puller, but bored to clear the hub spigot would work, as he already has the puller made, but as you say, if you were building one from scratch, then your suggestion, in my opinion, would be the way to go.

 

Yeah, I think that redoing it from scratch is the way to go, since adding a spacer might make the puller plate too thick to use with a hub that has been converted to studs, unless I cut some countersinks. I'm up to my elbows with projects at the moment, but if I find some breathing room I'll see if I can crank one out some evening. Thanks for your input.

 

 

Edited December 31, 2025 by Blue Chips

[lynnmor 8,306]

7 hours ago, Red Stallion said:

Thanks, but looks like its all sold out!

I'll keep am eye.on them in case the lack of stock is temporary.  But frieghy to Australia is gping to kill me again!

 

There are a number of companies that make valve seats, you will need someone experienced in installing the seats and they will know what is available.   The block will need to be trued on the diameter and made flat on the bottom of the seat area.  Then a seat will need to be fitted so that it has at least .0055" press fit.  In order to install the seat the block will be heated (I use a heat gun) and the seat cooled (I use denatured alcohol and dry ice).  I also have an installation tool to hold the seat while driving it in.  The installation tool should be cooled along with the seat so that the seat will stay as cold as possible.  You need to work fast because the seat is quickly being heated by the block, with luck the seat will go in with one light tap of a mallet.  Onan had tools in their service kit but they are nearly impossible to find, I made my own.  The last tool you should have is a staking tool that has an angle that upsets a small amount of aluminum over the edge of the seat, the seat should have a small chamfered corner to accept the upset.  Standard valve grinding procedures are then done to have the proper seat diameters and angles.  The Onan Service Manual is what you need.

[Racinbob 12,484]

4 hours ago, Blue Chips said:

 

Yeah, I think that redoing it from scratch is the way to go, since adding a spacer might make the puller plate too thick to use with a hub that has been converted to studs, unless I cut some countersinks. I'm up to my elbows with projects at the moment, but if I find some breathing room I'll see if I can crank one out some evening. Thanks for your input.

 

 

This is what I did. Larger diameter plates with the five bolts to the outside of the hub would let it work with studs but just back them out if you need to remove the hub. I've got another blank plate to make a backer that can fit behind the entire hub but I haven't needed that so it's not drilled out. I will if the need arises or I just feel like it. Sometimes there isn’t the clearance between the hub and tranny case. 

[ebinmaine 76,185]

10 hours ago, Racinbob said:

I've got another blank plate to make a backer that can fit behind the entire hub but I haven't needed that so it's not drilled out. I will if the need arises or I just feel like it.

 

Is that a 1 1/8 center?

Something you made?

 

10 hours ago, Racinbob said:

Sometimes there isn’t the clearance between the hub and tranny case. 

 

3 & 4 speeds and all hydros were tight to the case. 

6 & 8 speeds have room. 

[Blue Chips 466]

36 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

3 & 4 speeds and all hydros were tight to the case. 

6 & 8 speeds have room. 

 

And the 5xi series hub is tight against the case as well, with a plastic (nylon? delrin?) washer sandwiched between the hub and the case.

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 02:12 PM by Blue Chips

[Racinbob 12,484]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Is that a 1 1/8 center?

Something you made?

 

That backer plate has a 3" hole so it can butt up to the hub flange. 

I would probably go 1 3/16" on the plate to go around the axle. 

The plates are a pretty mild steel and I drilled/cut the holes with a quality hole saw and bits. Lots of go-juice to help. 

 

3 & 4 speeds and all hydros were tight to the case. 

6 & 8 speeds have room. 

 

Unless the hub has been pushed back tight. I've had a couple like that.

 

 

[Racinbob 12,484]

This is a good spot for this. You may remember me struggling to get a lug bolt out of a wheel a while back. It was a regular 7/16" bolt apparently driven in with an impact wrench WAAAAAY too tight. It was from a 68 Raider 9 that I have parted out. I tried everything up to welding a nut on it that was my last attempt at failing before I just set it aside to regain some form of sanity. Even though I doubt that I will be needing them I try real hard to save wheels that have the correct setback for Wheel Horses. They are a bit of an oddball. The same goes for saving hubs. These especially as they are the heavy hubs with factory double setscrews. Over the weeks of it just sitting in the garage I decided that the hubs were more important if I couldn't save both. I already had the bolt drilled out to something under 3/8". This morning I went ahead and drilled it to 3/8" which was as far as I wanted with hoped of not damaging the threads. It looked like this.

 

 

I set it on 4x4's and smacked the hub opposite of the stuck bolt. It actually didn't take much. It snapped off clean and the culprit came right out.

 

 

The hub threads didn't look bad at all. I chased them all with a 7/16" tap and a 3/8" for the setscrews and these hubs are in dandy shape!

 

An added bonus is that the wheel is fine as well. You can see where the jammed bolt was but it's not harmed. Bottom hole.

 

 

My only New Years resolution is to never make resolutions. But I'd say this is a good start. Happy New Years!

 

 

[sqrlgtr 1,604]

25 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

I set it on 4x4's and smacked the hub opposite of the stuck bolt. It actually didn't take much. It snapped off clean and the culprit came right out.

Are you saying you drove it out from the hub backside or?

[Racinbob 12,484]

8 minutes ago, sqrlgtr said:

Are you saying you drove it out from the hub backside or?

 

From the front forcing the hub back. Hitting opposite to the stuck lug had quite a bit of leverage on the bolt and with it drilled out there wasn't much left to fight me. It just snapped. 

Edited 23 hours ago by Racinbob

[peter lena 9,608]

@sqrlgtr    am a a serious fan of  , LED TAIL LIGHTS  , the red gow  on the back of the tractor , says it all , just  takes center stage  of  night safety , usually my local  / walmart  has a good  , light  selection . regularly check over anything  , to verify function , pete 

[JoeM 9,347]

Put some bushing in a hydro belt take up. The old ones were shot. 

Got some bunting flange bearings at Amazon. reamed out the hole with a 5/8 drill, but started in straight with a step drill first.

Worked okay was trying to keep it simple.  I did add a keeper bolt threaded in the end to keep it all together due to eliminating the e clips on the shaft to accept the thicker flange bearings.

Bearing were $3 and change each.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CD Long Jr 22]

Bought one, 1992 312-8 with deck and front blade. Engine needs work.

[peter lena 9,608]

@Dan 312-8 recently got a set of those straps , was skeptical   of grip  against chains , but have to say  they are  very  good  at the job , and without the  asphalt  scratching , somethin added  was tractor supply  welded rings at wheel centers for  added extension springs  , the recommended  tight  fitting  , with a  long  thin flat screwdriver , made  spring additions simple easy.  btw  like everything else , spring prices are  nuts , bought a couple  of  long 3/8 x 12"  + springs  and made a few of my own.  pete      

[WHX?? 53,521]

 @CD Long Jr

[kpinnc 16,355]

30 minutes ago, CD Long Jr said:

Bought one, 1992 312-8 with deck and front blade. Engine needs work.

 

That Magnum 12 is definitely worth getting back running. 

 

And a 312-8 is an awesome "middle of the road" tractor. It can run a 48 inch deck, a rear tiller, and a snow blower with ease. Very solid machines! 

[peter lena 9,608]

@JoeM   thats what i,m talking about ! its like people dent even  think about  bushings / bearings , often  say , make the rust run out  ! like red aerosol  spray tube lube , to get into areas , also have been a fan of SUPER LUBE , HYDRAULIC  OIL / GREASE , incredible  temp range . how dare you take care of a neglected area ! just kidding , do that all the time , just got in from  plowing , with my graphite sprayed blade , ridiculous  angular slide off  , another experiment , on my heavily  improved  plow blade frame , did  that years ago , heim joints  , steering quadrant  , lever detailing  , for  smooth  easy  , blade swing . your  improvement area  , is what you want to get after , like a REPEDITIVE PROBLEM ? take it apart and kill it !  very common to find  problem , a  functional stage issue , a collection of neglect . good job , keep in touch , pete  

[peter lena 9,608]

@CD Long Jr   welcome ! what's goin on ?  status of any / all issues ?  what kind of work area do you  have ,?  makes a world of difference , a  closed shop  heat / light  ,  lots of baseline areas , what's your   mechanical  background ?  let us know  we can  give you a hand .  pete

[CD Long Jr 22]

Thank you all for your replies. I have a packed shed with propane heater & lights. I can move my snowblower & Cub Cadet out to work on the Wheel Horse.  I can work in the cold when I have to. I;m retired but my career was in Industrial Services. I was outside. My current issue is getting the correct ignition module. The engine shroud was not on the tractor & I'm seeing 2 modules for the 1992 M12. The PTO issue has been resolved, I hope. Engine has to be running to engage the PTO at idle. Have to free up the choke cable & get ignition keys. 

[peter lena 9,608]

@CD Long Jr  worked at PFIZER  30 yr  as a maintenance  millwright , some chassis / model # ,s  on the  underseat area , probably steer  you in the right direction , for now a good penetrant soaking  and attempt to move , that choke cable , unhook it  so its a vertical drop down soaking / creep . engine has to be running to  engage  / drive clutch on pto set up , lots of  small  enhancements  makes that set up  work with ease . think you will fit right into this groupe , pete 

[peter lena 9,608]

@CD Long Jr  worked at PFIZER  30 yr  as a maintenance  millwright , some chassis / model # ,s  on the  underseat area , probably steer  you in the right direction , for now a good penetrant soaking  and attempt to move , that choke cable , unhook it  so its a vertical drop down soaking / creep . engine has to be running to  engage  / drive clutch on pto set up , lots of  small  enhancements  makes that set up  work with ease . think you will fit right into this groupe , https://www.google.com/search?q=1992+wheel+horse+ignition+module+%2C+12+hp&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS866US866&oq=1992+wheel+horse+ignition+module+%2C+12+hp+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigATIHCAYQIRirAjIHCAcQIRirAtIBCTI0NDg3ajBqNKgCAbACAfEFFT2vAQlK13M&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8   pete

[Shynon 7,517]

Changed out the powered worm gear snowblower chute with a powered chain drive.

[CD Long Jr 22]

peter lena, thanks a million. Your post isa big help. I'll research the tractor seral number.

[peter lena 9,608]

@Shynon  awesome ! thats what  i,m talking about  ! sure you have already done a detail functional  check out , NAPA has MAC,S chain / cable lube , for that chain set up . makes / keeps chains  moving like they should , also hit that chain , idler pulley , bearings fail regularly  , oil slick is better than rust  . maybe  CABLE WRAP for that , wiring set up ? , try a lot of experiments , look for any issues now , no sarcasm  intended .  make it seamless , good job , pete