tom2p 2,394 #26 Posted June 10, 2020 32 minutes ago, horseyheaven said: I started messing around with Wheel Horse mowers when I was about eight years old. I found an old frame and sheet metal with no engine and bought a blade for the front for 10 bucks. Within a few days I had it running and ready to plow driveways in the winter time. I put chains and weights on it and my the snow that that thing would push. From then on I was sold on Wheel Horse. I liked how easy they were to work on and how tough they held up. So I guess that’s how it all got started. My dad was always very mechanical and he just kind of step back and let me work on the machine when I was a kid. He was very impressed with what I did and I guess I never stopped. I only use Wheel Horse and Allis-Chalmers or Simplicity garden tractor. Those have always been my favorite and it seems like I always have one that I am bringing back to life from a neglected previous owner. My collection is getting to be too many. However I enjoy having an attachment on each tractor so I do not have to change attachments. I currently have a 500 special, a 100, C120 auto, C161 Eight speed, 414-8, 416-8, 417 automatic, 520 H, and a 520 HC. I would not trade them for anything that was new. I keep them well-maintained and they will probably outlast anything that is made today. That is why I like Wheel Horse. curious - how does the C-161 8 spd compare to 416-8 ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 73,015 #27 Posted June 10, 2020 2 hours ago, tom2p said: curious - how does the C-161 8 spd compare to 416-8 ? I agree. I'm curious too. Also, What engines do you have in each machine? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 51,916 #28 Posted June 10, 2020 4 hours ago, pullstart said: SOLD! I’ll give $350 for that! I would but I want it to go to a home that gives it a BATH every now and then!! 9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 73,015 #29 Posted June 10, 2020 1 minute ago, WHX24 said: I would but I want it to go to a home that gives it a BATH every now and then!! Ouch 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 18,714 #30 Posted June 10, 2020 It is said a perfect design needs nothing added and has nothing that can be taken away. The C-160 would come close to that. about the only unnecessary thing on older WHs was the cigarette lighter. However, even WH fell victim to adding unnecessary stuff ln later models like a 416 with idiot lights extra gauges and wiring complexity (admittedly some was due to CPSC regulations and the damn lawyers.) 4 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ronhatch 406 #31 Posted June 10, 2020 (edited) Simple, straight forward design, easy to work on and relatively nice looking....at least the units made approximately between the mid 60's to the late 70's. Like pfredderi said, they couldn't resist covering everything up, complicating most things and, IMHO, distracting from the looks with those big fat oversized hoods. I much prefer my 867 to my '79 C-101. Now my 1964 round fender 110 John Deere; that's special! Edited June 10, 2020 by ronhatch 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 67,081 #32 Posted June 10, 2020 1 hour ago, WHX24 said: I would but I want it to go to a home that gives it a BATH every now and then!! hand mitt and all! 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 28,612 #33 Posted June 10, 2020 ...Just got us... Lots of wind and rain but no hail... All good - power is still on! And - I got my semi-annual free car wash!!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tom2p 2,394 #34 Posted June 10, 2020 1 hour ago, pfrederi said: It is said a perfect design needs nothing added and has nothing that can be taken away. The C-160 would come close to that. about the only unnecessary thing on older WHs was the cigarette lighter. However, even WH fell victim to adding unnecessary stuff ln later models like a 416 with idiot lights extra gauges and wiring complexity (admittedly some was due to CPSC regulations and the damn lawyers.) this is why they installed seat safety switches and imagine if that had been a 520 running at 3K rpm 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 60,373 #35 Posted June 10, 2020 36 minutes ago, tom2p said: this is why they installed seat safety switches Seat switch wouldn't have saved @Buzz, the PTO would have to be on for the seat switch to work. Clutch switch and neutral/safety switches wouldn't have been any help, they only work when starting the engine. Slip-on shoes would have saved the day, dangling shoe laces can't be made safe by any switch I know of. 8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RandyLittrell 3,906 #36 Posted June 10, 2020 (edited) Honestly it's this forum! WH, CC, JD and many others are all good machines, but this forum is what kept me with Wheel Horse. I have Cub and they have some things better than WH, but WH has some features better than CC. The cub forums either are not very active or is very tightnit and not welcoming. I would rather hang my hat here and use the others for reference. WH has a lot more variety the some other brands too. Randy Edited June 10, 2020 by RandyLittrell 5 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
horseyheaven 113 #37 Posted June 10, 2020 Tom2p and ebinmaine, I like them both. I have mowed and pushed snow with both. The C161 has a Kohler K341. The 416-8 has an Onan P216. I have owned the C161 for over 20 years and it has been a very good machine. I have owned the 416-8 for about three years and so far it has been fine. Honestly, for longevity I would probably pick the Kohler but the Onan has really impressed me. Both will go right through tall grass with a 42 inch deck and never look back. Hours on the C161 are unknown, but I have never rebuilt the engine. It’s still uses no oil and runs great. The Onan has about 1350 hours on it and it runs good and uses no oil. My aunt has a 416-8 with a Kohler magnum single cylinder 16 horse on it. She has 2000 hours on it and it still doesn’t use any while it runs good. Best sound has to go to the Onans though. I love the sound of them. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 51,916 #38 Posted June 11, 2020 4 hours ago, pullstart said: hand mitt and all! I'm talking the horse and not the owner walkin out in the rain with a bar of soap! 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muz123 1,192 #39 Posted June 11, 2020 The simplicity, interchangeable attachments over 25+ years, parts, easy to fix, great community full of awesome people! The comfortable ride especially when I use my 520! feels like I'm using the caddy of tractors! I could go on and on! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sam Pasch 450 #40 Posted June 11, 2020 (edited) All of that and more! The torque that the transmitions put out, the simplicity of them, the easy repairs plus the fact that I have lots of family that have owned and worked on them. My 867 is also my first real garden tractor. Edited June 11, 2020 by Sam Pasch 3 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 28,612 #41 Posted June 11, 2020 7 hours ago, WHX24 said: I'm talking the horse and not the owner walkin out in the rain with a bar of soap! Thank goodness it’s not the owner your talking about... that’s a visual we really don’t need... 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tractorhead 9,212 #42 Posted June 11, 2020 My Beast, an iseki 1300 with with it’s 13HP Dieselengine and 4WD is a huge brut worker on rough hard terrains, even with the Extreme sharp ricefield tyres it seems unstoppable, but it is not really handy at all. That is one of my reason i prefer my Horse, also because of its simple start procedure and the easy of it‘s use. The Iseki needs it’s preglow time, and it needs much more Service after working, because Of the 4WD. The horse just fire up and do the Work and needs in compared only a little Service after work. i like the low electrics on both machines, they just have things they be useful. That was my reason, to search for another (older) Wheelhorse, what i have finally found with my 656. The 212-5 is a nice little Tractor and not bad at all even it is just a Sheet metal Machine, but it have it‘s limits on the Gearbox i don’t like to overload or even kill it. I like, how simple this old Wheelhorses are built. No mass of electronic trash on it, they simply built for the needs. And even if my 212 can not be 100% compared to the bigger older horses in stability, it still is my No.1 in use. The horse have more agility and needs much less space for work compared to the Beast. but the most important thing for me is the Shape, i love the optics of the Wheelhorses. 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chex313 123 #43 Posted June 11, 2020 (edited) My Dad and I bought are first 1975 B 80 together, so that made it a lasting memory. I needed to mow his yard and my own. I would lift it onto my pickup I put in gear, lifted up the front and put it on the tailgate. Than get out from under it and lift the back end up and shoved it into the truck.. every week and take it to his house to mow and than visit with him. He was near the end at 85 and we would sit out on his porch and reminisce about hunting and fishing. I finally got tired out of hauling it back forth and bought another one..I only remember it has a Kawasaki engine... The funny part is after he passed and my mom sold the house to one of my sister's...I still went there every week for 2 years (summers) and mowed her grass with the B 80...I finally got around to asking her if she was going to have her husband or son start mowing... She acted exasberated and said Oh Ok...where is the key...wasn't to happy when I told her I was taking the B 80 home...she figured it came with the house... lol So it's all the memories that are intertwined with our WH's. That make them memorable. Edited June 11, 2020 by chex313 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lee1977 7,232 #44 Posted June 11, 2020 19 hours ago, ebinmaine said: I agree. I'm curious too. Also, What engines do you have in each machine? It's almost the same tractor with exception of the shaker plate on the C-161. You could change all the sheet metal from one to the other if you changed the top section of the steering tower. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oliver2-44 10,782 #45 Posted June 11, 2020 Using them puts a smile on my face!!!! Knowing that a 12hp Kohler will out perform a 20 hp big box mower As a teenager I worked at a Ford Tractor shop and became the shops garden tractor flunky. I despised working on the Ford/ Jacobsen due to their complexity, Then I worked on some JDS and swore Id never work on a GT if I could afford to have some one else do it Today I love working on my 1860-1980,s WH 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
clueless 3,263 #46 Posted June 11, 2020 On 6/9/2020 at 8:44 PM, pullstart said: The thing that drew me in? The style. What kept me coming back for more? The strength. What’s so special about them? The Community! One more reason? The smiles the create! Putt Putt was my first and will never leave my possession.. until my will sets in! Kev, from the looks of your property there is plenty of room to dig a big enough hole to put you an Putt-Putt in when the time comes. 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 67,081 #47 Posted June 11, 2020 2 hours ago, clueless said: Kev, from the looks of your property there is plenty of room to dig a big enough hole to put you an Putt-Putt in when the time comes. like the greedy old man who demanded to buried with all his millions... so she wrote him a check? 2 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
echris 1,425 #48 Posted June 11, 2020 3 hours ago, oliver2-44 said: Using them puts a smile on my face!!!! Knowing that a 12hp Kohler will out perform a 20 hp big box mower My 310-8 has way more power than my old late 1990's Husky with a Briggs 18HP OHV v-twin that I just gave to my nephew. Way more! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob R 977 #49 Posted June 11, 2020 Simple every time I cut my lawn the old timers (like me) slow down or stop completely wave and/or smile with a twinkle in their eyes...….. no speech or text necessary.....! 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PeacemakerJack 10,743 #50 Posted June 11, 2020 Agree with most of what is said above other than Jim and Kevin and the shower stuff Durability, longevity, and simplicity which is found in a machine that can make a TON of memories for a whole family should a person keep it long enough... 1978 1983 2015 and... a couple of weeks ago! Thanks Dad for never getting rid of the Iron Horse 875... 1 3 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
