854 question

[moe1965 766]

Hello all just wondering what the 8:54 numbers meant 8 obviously is the horsepower does 54 have any significance I see tractors such as c141 excetera do the numbers mean anything other than horsepower for the first two numbers? Just wandering 

[Buckeyes 238]

8=horsepower

5=electric start

4=year (1964)

 

I'm sure others will chime in if this is incorrect. Great model tractor!

[stevasaurus 23,307]

This does not work for all the horses, but it does kind of work for the 1960s.  We do have exceptions...the 702 is an electric start...the 502 is not.  You almost need to pull up the chart in the :Manuals Section" to see what came with what and when. 

[Buckeyes 238]

In the later models, the middle number would designate the type of transmission. For instance an 867 would be a 1967 8 horse engine with a 6 speed transmission. A 1277 would be a 1967 12 horse engine with an automatic transmission. Hope that helps.

Brian

[Buckeyes 238]

Thanks Steve!I knew I would forget something.

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,613]

The guys are pretty much got you straight on the '60s era Wheel Horses, but let's investigate further from then on.  After the numbered series, i.e. 753, 854, 1267, etc., came the named series, i.e. Raider 10, Charger V8, Electro 12, GT-14, etc.  The "V" in some names identified a vertical shaft tractor.  The number in the name signified the engine horse power.  Then came 1973, and the no name series.  These were identified by 12 Automatic, 12 8 Speed, etc.  As you may guess, the first number whether it be a 8, 10, 12, or.....was the horsepower and as you can also guess, the Automatic was for hydrostatic drive while the 8 speed speaks for itself.

 

In 1974, came the letter series, A, B, C and D.  The first few version of this had a "0" on the end, i.e B-80, B-100, C-120, C-160, etc.  The first number or two, would be the horsepower, 8, 10, 12, etc.  As I mentioned, the last number would be a zero indicating the 1974 to 1977 version which more or less had the fuel tank under the hood (exception would be the D series, which had the first two numbers as horsepower, but the fuel tank was behind the seat on most D models). Note: exception on the D-series as the D-250 had a 20 horsepower engine and was a considerably different animal from the D-160, D-180, and D-200 tractors.  The B and C series also would identify rather they were hydrostatic or gear drive by having the words Automatic or 8 Speed on the end of the model nomenclature.

 

In 1978, came the C-121, C-141. The B series also had a "1" on the end, but were now vertical shaft engine models, and totally different than the 1974 to 1977 B series tractors.  Again, the letter would identify the series, i.e A, B, C or D and the first one or two numbers identify the horespower, i.e. C-81 was a C series 8 horsepower, while a C-101 was a C series 10 horsepower.  The last number would be a "1".  The C series now had the fuel tank underneath the fender deck and the engine would be iso mounted.  As in the '74 to '77 tractors the word Automatic or 8 Speed would identify what drive train it had.

 

1980 came the C-105, C-125, etc.  Hoods were now fiberglass as was the fender deck, and are now known as the Black Hood tractors.  Everything as before is the same as reference to the numbering and lettering system, except now there was a "5" on the end.  Hydrostatic drive tractors were still identified as Automatics and of course, the gear drives had 8 Speed in the name.

 

Then came the 200, 300, 400 and 500 series.  These are identified by having the first number identify the series and the next two numbers identify the horsepower.  A 308 was a 300 series with a 8 horsepower engine, and a 416 was a 400 series with a 16 horsepower engine.  If it was a hydrostatic drive tractor, either a "H" or an "A" was at the end of the number, i.e. 416H.

 

Note: D series tractors had their model numbers the same throughout their run, regardless of what era they were made in, so they didn't follow the other series, i.e. C series which progress with the last number changing from a 0 to a 1 to a 5, i.e. C-120 became a C-121 in 1978 to a C-125 in 1980.  A D-200 or a D-180, for instance, kept the same number on the end.

 

As per Wheel Horse operating procedure, the above had exceptions, i.e Lawn Rangers don't fall into that mix, neither does the 500 Special. And I didn't get into the XI series nor the 240, 260 series.  I have to be more knowledgeable than I am now to go into detail on those models.

 

I know I missed some points, but the above describes Wheel Horse throughout the years in a condense way.