What’s the difference between a C160 and a C161?

[AHS 1,550]

All I know is that a C160 were made earlier than a C161. Is that it??

[pfrederi 18,719]

Shaker mounts on 161

[AHS 1,550]

8 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

Shaker mounts on 161

That musta made the C160 a teeth chattering ride!!😄

[squonk 43,947]

I was going to say 1! 

[ebinmaine 73,016]

Come on down and take the Cinnamon Horse for a cruise.

That's a 160.

[cafoose 3,456]

I believe the C160 has the gas tank in front of the dash and the C161 has the tank in the rear between the tires.

[oliver2-44 10,783]

9 minutes ago, cafoose said:

I believe the C160 has the gas tank in front of the dash and the C161 has the tank in the rear between the tires.

That's correct.

I have a C160 and a nonrunner C-161.  Early 1979 C161's had the slim long hood.  By somewhere mid 1979 the C-161 was a Blackhood.  C161's could have the Kohler 16 or the Briggs twin 16. As indicated above, the Kohler had the shaker plate motor mount.  Not sure what the Briggs had. 1979 and 1980 C161's had the Sundstrand transmission

[Ed Kennell 42,210]

2 hours ago, AHS said:

That musta made the C160 a teeth chattering ride!!😄

IMO, the shaker plates did nothing to decrease vibration and may have made it worse as the rubber mounts deteriorated.

Wheel Horse must have realized this as they went back to solid mounts  very quickly.

 

[AHS 1,550]

8 hours ago, oliver2-44 said:

That's correct.

I have a C160 and a nonrunner C-161.  Early 1979 C161's had the slim long hood.  By somewhere mid 1979 the C-161 was a Blackhood.  C161's could have the Kohler 16 or the Briggs twin 16. As indicated above, the Kohler had the shaker plate motor mount.  Not sure what the Briggs had. 1979 and 1980 C161's had the Sundstrand transmission

Ok! What years did they switch from front gas tanks to rear? I have a 73 and that has a front gas tank... so it must have been mid 70’s?

[ebinmaine 73,016]

2 minutes ago, AHS said:

Ok! What years did they switch from front gas tanks to rear? I have a 73 and that has a front gas tank... so it must have been mid 70’s?

78 I believe is the first rear tank.

[ebinmaine 73,016]

77 is a front tank tractor.

The Cinnamon Horse chassis is a 77.

[AHS 1,550]

9 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Come on down and take the Cinnamon Horse for a cruise.

That's a 160.

Ok! Sign me up!!

[ebinmaine 73,016]

2 minutes ago, AHS said:

Ok! Sign me up!!

Jump in the truck.

 

Bring a few bucks to go shopping in my parts pile and you would leave with most of a C series too.

 

[Racinbob 11,991]

In addition to what's been mentioned the 161 has a redesigned steering tower. The C-161 Twins had a Briggs instead of a Kohler and was the first black hood. It was also the only black hood that used the earlier style dash which I liked. 

[AHS 1,550]

10 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

In addition to what's been mentioned the 161 has a redesigned steering tower. The C-161 Twins had a Briggs instead of a Kohler and was the first black hood. It was also the only black hood that used the earlier style dash which I liked. 

Ya, as I remember the C160s had trouble with the steering post stripping? It may have been a lack of grease??

[Racinbob 11,991]

Stripping? What part? I've never heard of a common issue there. The later 3, 4 & 500 series left a little more to be desired but it's still not a common problem. 

[squonk 43,947]

23 minutes ago, AHS said:

Ya, as I remember the C160s had trouble with the steering post stripping? It may have been a lack of grease??

The big issue with C-160 was the hyd lift tractors wold crack the steering support. The lift arm would hit the support, crack it and then the gears would jump. My C-160 has had that happen to it.

[AHS 1,550]

3 hours ago, Racinbob said:

Stripping? What part? I've never heard of a common issue there. The later 3, 4 & 500 series left a little more to be desired but it's still not a common problem. 

That’s what I’ve have heard, I’ve only heard steering rack problems👍

[bds1984 1,500]

12 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

IMO, the shaker plates did nothing to decrease vibration and may have made it worse as the rubber mounts deteriorated.

Wheel Horse must have realized this as they went back to solid mounts  very quickly.

 

Six years of shaker mounts is an awful long time to take to revert back to the solid mount!  I have see a few with the rubber mounts that were pretty good at quelling vibrations, my C165 and former C145 were two of them that come to mind but the majority I've seen were only held on by two of the four mounts.  I think it is an interesting attempt at engineering a more refined garden tractor but I am sure the bean counters cheapened the designs of the mounts into what they are now.  I really believe if the rubber portions were thicker and larger in diameter, and an electric clutch for the PTO, the shaker mounts may have a better reputation.  When mine fail, I plan on spending some time to make my own.

[Lee1977 7,232]

My 1977 had bottom of the base of the hood and dash support to crack on the lift handle side. I welded it. What i found was there were hole in the frame for two more bolts  but there wasn't any in the base support. I drilled them added two 3/8" bolts to the rear of the base and haven't had a problem with it since. It was twenty five years old when it cracked.y

In my opinion the early C-Series were the toughest Wheel Horses ever made and also the easiest to change attachments.. I don't have any Blackhoods but I'm sure they have more problems the the early C-Series. They are still a tough Wheel Horse and the few problems can be fixed. Solid engine mount are available. The problem with the rear mounted can be fixed with an electric fuel pump, or if your cheap by closing the fuel shut off at the tank after shutting off the engine. I used both methods electric pump on the 520 and shut off the tank valve on the 312-8. My C-120/180 I also close the tank shut off and run it out of gas to keep any gas from draining back and getting into the crankcase.

If I had the choice of buying a  C-160 or a C-161 both in good condition I would just buy both. I have always wanted a Blackhood and would never turn down a good C-160.