WH factory?

[clueless 2,914]

When was the (Toro) Wheel Horse Factory closed in South Bend?

 

[1995 520H+96+97 935]

@clueless      1986 NOT.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_Horse

 

Redoyourhorse  ID decals show a 1990 520 made in South Bend, and 1991 made in Bloomington.

Edited February 24, 2019 by 1995 520H+96+97

[Racinbob 10,508]

1986 was the year Toro acquired Wheel Horse but they kept the plant open for several years. I believe it was 1991.....ish when they moved things to their home state and shut the plant down. 

[Pollack Pete 2,273]

1 hour ago, Racinbob said:

1986 was the year Toro acquired Wheel Horse but they kept the plant open for several years. I believe it was 1991.....ish when they moved things to their home state and shut the plant down. 

Sad day...……...

[Racinbob 10,508]

Yes, it was. I was fuming when they moved especially since they initially said they wouldn't. An interesting read is a book title 'Making the Grass Greener on Your Side' By the Toro CEO, Ken Melrose. There's a few pages about the purchase and how and why they just let Wheel Horse do their thing the first couple years as they sat back and watched the "tractor experts". They had a great deal of respect for the company and the product. The recession of the early 90's played a major part in the move to Minnesota.

[Blackhood Bill 720]

To bad we couldn't buy it back lock stock and barrel and revived this great machine. What a day that would be!!!!!!

[lynnmor 6,902]

1 minute ago, Whnewone said:

To bad we couldn't buy it back lock stock and barrel and revived this great machine. What a day that would be!!!!!!

I can't imagine that sales would be good, few people care about quality, they want cheap.

[Blackhood Bill 720]

Think about all the great marketing material we have here on red square. Who knows what could happen. I know I would try it it if I had enough $$$. 

[Guest 88vic]

I was at an Exmark update training a couple days ago. Exmark is owned by the Toro company, some higher ups were there. I asked them if they were ever thinking about bringing the wheel horse name back, I was told that they would never bring back "old, outdated technology". Yeah I wasnt a happy camper with that answer. 

[Blackhood Bill 720]

The only problem they just don't know what they have bought. They are all about cheaper is better. That's really sad in my book.

[Guest 88vic]

But they did acknowledge the unidrive transmission was a bulletproof design and was probably one of wheel horses best quality. So they buttered me up after that horrific comment. 

[Blackhood Bill 720]

Just like big executives. Just find something to make someone feel better!? Another problem is people don't want to take the time to work the implements and all associated things. I just wish I had the denero I would make them an offer. Then do some real smart marketing and then pray for the best. Just wishful thinkin but that's how I feel

[ohiofarmer 3,186]

These machines are so tough that you can find a nice one for a fraction of the cost of new. Pretty soon you will run out of customers because they keep what they have 

If you adjust what those machines cost new to today's dollars, they are not competitive with a zero turn .  

 In a way, that makes it better for the dedicated tinkerers like us 

 

Edited February 24, 2019 by ohiofarmer

[Blackhood Bill 720]

Someone needs to make a video of what these machines can do then ask the Toro people can your zero turn machine do this or this and just watch the look on their faces. I would love to be there.

[Digger 66 3,477]

7 hours ago, WHEELHORSEFAN3 said:

I was told that they would never bring back "old, outdated technology".

 

It's not good business to make things that people won't buy .

Why take care of something ..... just THROW IT AWAY !

 

Not this boy .

 

[midpack 814]

The way I look at it is this, you CAN buy a comparable machine as a Wheel Horse today. It would probably cost in the 20K range... and that would likely equate to the 4K range for my C-175 Hydro in 1980

[lynnmor 6,902]

5 hours ago, Digger 66 said:

 

It's not good business to make things that people won't buy .

Why take care of something ..... just THROW IT AWAY !

 

Not this boy .

 

Just look at many of the tractors brought back to life here.  Many were abused beyond belief and basically thrown away.  Why would someone pay a high price for something that won't even get the oil changed?  People just go through life leaving a trail of destruction behind them and depend on others to keep them after they wasted all their resources.

[The Tuul Crib 7,332]

12 hours ago, WHEELHORSEFAN3 said:

But they did acknowledge the unidrive transmission was a bulletproof design and was probably one of wheel horses best quality. So they buttered me up after that horrific comment. 

They would not have enough butter for that!!

 

[The Tuul Crib 7,332]

Things are designed to last five years at most . They couldn't make money on parts 

with no room room for inventory. We live in a disposable world. I just had this discussion with one of my coworkers. They design them to break down or should I say engineer them to!!

[AMC RULES 36,963]

  

Even the very best engineered equipment has failure designed into it from the get go.

Don't you know?   That's where the money is...in the buying, and the selling.   

 

[The Tuul Crib 7,332]

18 minutes ago, AMC RULES said:

  

Even the very best engineered equipment has failure designed into it from the get go.

Don't you know?   That's where the money is...in the buying, and the selling.   

 

is the discussion whe had exactly ! 

Designed for failure

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,368]

This has been hashed and rehashed here over and over.  Toro DID know what they were getting when they bought Wheel Horse, that's why they bought them.  But, to build one today would cost a lot which would make a new one priced so high, they would be competing, price wise, with the higher end market that is occupied by Deere, Simplicity, Kubota, etc.  As most probably don't know, Eastman Industries bought Ingersoll and pretty much kept the design of the old Case/Ingersoll tractors intact, but prices are very, very high.  So much so, that even die hard Case/Ingersoll owners wouldn't/couldn't afford a new one.  I would say, the same thing would be happening if Wheel Horse was still being made today using the old classic design/build that most here want.  What would happen, though you would be thrilled that they were still being made, you wouldn't buy one due to the high price compared to an used one that you may or may not own now.  Oh, you might say you would buy new, but most here won't due to the price.

 

As for non-Wheel Horse owners, they would just go buy a MTD or AYP product for a fraction of what a new Wheel Horse would cost.  All they want is something to "cut" the grass, they don't want something that they can admire, show off at shows, do extra work, etc.  And for those who had the money, they would buy a more updated design with diesel engine, 4WD, etc. or they would hire a land scaping company.  Believe it or not, but there is a lot of people who just aren't interested in owning, maintaining, bragging, showing off, etc., their classic garden tractor.

[ohiofarmer 3,186]

On 2/24/2019 at 10:35 AM, lynnmor said:

Just look at many of the tractors brought back to life here.  Many were abused beyond belief and basically thrown away.  Why would someone pay a high price for something that won't even get the oil changed?  People just go through life leaving a trail of destruction behind them and depend on others to keep them after they wasted all their resources.

 The fact that so many parts are backwards/forwards compatible to different tractors is what keeps us going in restoring.  4 speed and 8 speed transmissions will swap, for example..  Just a little secret...Honda Motorcycles are like that as well.  Cross reference charts and used parts on the internet have seen to that..When you see a Gold Wing part used on an ATV,that's when you get amazed

[953 nut 52,631]

6 hours ago, ohiofarmer said:

The fact that so many parts are backwards/forwards compatible to different tractors is what keeps us going in restoring.

Another big advantage we have is that  used conventional bearings, seals and other hardware. So many manufacturers used "propitiatory" hardware that could only be obtained from their dealers.