520H - How Well Does It Handle a 60 Inch Deck?

[leeave96 488]

520H with swept forward axle, is the 20hp Onan stout enough to handle the 60 inch deck in taller grass?

 

Other questions regarding the deck itself in the implement section.

 

Thanks!

Bill

[littleredrider 409]

Mine works just fine. I did hit a hi spot and slipped the PTO, think it got glazed, if I hit tall or wet grass too fast it slips. 

[8ntruck 7,416]

Not having, or ever used a 520H or a 60" deck,  I think that the swept forward axle was developed for the 60" deck.  It ought to work.  

 

For taller grass, you probably want to make sure the blades are sharp.

[tom2p 2,394]

not a proponent of 60" deck on Wheel Horse from what I have read / heard - but they appear to work well for many ?

the 520 was possibly designed to run a 60" deck and vice versa - and the 520 might be as good as it gets for Wheel Horse / 60" deck performance ?

P220G is 782 cc and has around 32/33 ft lbs of torque - the power is there - just gotta be sure to maintain properly ...

 

do not run with intake screen loaded with debris and overheat engine 

 

cannot run lean (with carb, fuel, or intake issues) 

 

[EricF 589]

The 520/522xi series is probably the very best for the 60" deck. The wider frame helps with stability and stress; there are cases where the 520H frame has cracked due to the weight of the 60" deck, especially if it's routinely running over rough ground. The 20HP Onan certainly has the power to run it, though.

[tom2p 2,394]

20 minutes ago, EricF said:

The 520/522xi series is probably the very best for the 60" deck. The wider frame helps with stability and stress; there are cases where the 520H frame has cracked due to the weight of the 60" deck, especially if it's routinely running over rough ground. The 20HP Onan certainly has the power to run it, though.

I was focused on the 60" deck that will attach to the classic series tractors (with different mule drive) - but forgot about the 520/522xi series ...  that definitely is a big powerful tractor 

 

maybe the 60" deck for the 520/522xi tractors is not the behemoth size of the 60" deck fitted to the 520 classic tractor ?

 

Edited May 17, 2021 by tom2p

[EricF 589]

It's the same deck, just different mounting brackets to accommodate the difference in frame width between the classic WH frame and the Xi frame. As already mentioned, the forward-swept axle on the classic 520H was added mid-run to clear the new 60" deck. It's something that the original 520H wasn't designed with in mind, but engineering figured out it was possible with just the axle tweak.

 

Hindsight has shown that the deck weight is probably at the limit of the original design's weigh limit for an under-hung implement bouncing around and putting shock forces into the frame. 520s already have a beefed-up rear mount plate where the frame and the transaxle connect, which cures the occasional issue with cracks there on higher-powered tractors. If the classic 520 design had continued being built, they probably would have added reinforcements in the middle of the frame where it's punched or drilled for the various pivots and mount points -- that's where it tends to crack due to overloading.

 

Actually, it's amazing how tough the basic WH frame is -- only occasional tweaks have been needed over the years to keep up with engine output increases and bigger, heavier implements -- all without having to change the original design in any major ways.

[tom2p 2,394]

I believe some xi models also had power steering - many would welcome this ... although that is another system that can require additional maintenance 

 

I believe gear reduction steering was offered for 520 classic - or could be retrofitted (?)

 

520 classic has the larger hub / front spindle with nut - does xi have similar front spindles ?

520 classic also has the wider wheels and rubber ...  xi might also have this (?)

 

[EricF 589]

I think the gear reduction steering appeared along with the swept axle -- but I might be off there. I'm pretty sure some folks on the forums here have done retrofits of the gear-reduction steering -- given that WH standardizes so much of its designs, a lot of things can be shared across "families" of tractors. The 520HC (commercial model) was where a lot of the changes/upgrades started showing up, and all but the higher-speed final drive gearing was applied to the line in short order.

 

Xi - series tractors are all very beefy machines with big tires/hubs/spindles/everything. The Xi series were big garden tractors, and starting to edge into the then-fairly-new subcompact tractor class at the high end with liquid-cooled and diesel engines. They did retain the "Attach-A-Matic" hitches, although all implements using them had to be set up for the wider frame. And they were set up as shaft-drive, with the engines set longitudinally instead of cross-wise -- so the mule drive to the deck is different from the "classic" WH design that wraps the belt over/under/behind the front axle.

[Maxwell-8 4,366]

2 hours ago, tom2p said:

P220G is 782 cc and has around 32/33 ft lbs of torque

 That's at much as a some of the cars driving here. HAHAHA

[JCM 10,026]

I believe the forward swept axle started on the 520 in 1990 and in 1991 the gear reduction steering was introduced.

[Adams94 1,068]

It’s like mowing on a Cadillac.  Love mowing with mine, dad has the same outfit 

[DougC 2,642]

Just remember the bigger is always heavier and as my dealer talked me into a 48 inch deck he said would do a better job mowing. 

At my age I can barely swap decks, tillers ect. by myself. I would never be able to deal with a 60 inch for cleaning, blade sharpening  or removal for winter storage. 

As for mowing really tall grass a mid mount rotary mower will clog and not discharge  efficiently and slip the pto clutch or break the deck serpentine belt even on a 48 inch.  

Always choose the best tool for the job if you can and really tall grass requires a bush hog style pull behind run by a rear pto or it's own motor.

Just my 2 cents. 

[Pollack Pete 2,273]

46 minutes ago, DougC said:

 

At my age I can barely swap decks, tillers ect. by myself. I would never be able to deal with a 60 inch for cleaning, blade sharpening  or removal for winter storage. 

As for mowing really tall grass a mid mount rotary mower will clog and not discharge  efficiently and slip the pto clutch or break the deck serpentine belt even on a 48 inch.  

Always choose the best tool for the job if you can and really tall grass requires a bush hog style pull behind run by a rear pto or it's own motor.

 

Amen to that!!

[bds1984 1,466]

22 hours ago, Maxwell-8 said:

 That's at much as a some of the cars driving here. HAHAHA

Not far off for the displacement.  In March I traded in a 2015 Focus that had a 997cc 3-cylinder engine that had 123 hp and 148 ft/lb of torque.  Not really fast, but adequate enough for long hauls on the expressway achieving 41-51 mpg.

Edited May 18, 2021 by bds1984

[leeave96 488]

Thanks everyone for the replies - much appreciated!!!

[wh500special 2,249]

On 5/17/2021 at 8:08 AM, EricF said:

It's the same deck, just different mounting brackets to accommodate the difference in frame width between the classic WH frame and the Xi frame. As already mentioned, the forward-swept axle on the classic 520H was added mid-run to clear the new 60" deck. It's something that the original 520H wasn't designed with in mind, but engineering figured out it was possible with just the axle tweak....

 

The 520's were released in 1988.  While it's true the standard 520-H model used the standard straight axle, the commercial version 520-HC was available from the start in the same model year with the wide, forward swept axle.  All 520's got the swept axle in 1990 (including the elusive 520-8) and the commercial was dropped.  I don't recall when the gear reduction was added, but it was probably 1992 when the more attractive hood decal appeared and replaced the first version that had the Toro name applied (1990-1991).

 

The Onan P220 was selected expressly because it had significantly more torque than the Kohlers of the day so that it could handle the 60" deck. 

 

I kind of infer that the tractor was designed to accommodate the 60" deck and not the other way around.  I believe the deck itself was originally -  or at least similar to - a Dixie Chopper design used on the then current and earlier zero turn tractors (720-Z).  I believe there was some connection or collaboration between WH and Dixie Chopper in those years with the 5018, 718, 720 etc.  While WH built the 60" deck (or at least contracted it for themselves) previous 60-inchers were provided by Deere for the D250, Woods for the rear mount D-series, and by Ariens for the C-195.  They kind of had a trend going with 5-footers being adoptees...

 

The frame-to-transaxle mounting method was always a weak link the the WH design all the way back to, what, the 550/401/551/701?  That front section cantilevered off the four little screws on the front of the transaxle just isn't as strong as it could have been had they instead captured the transaxle from above.  But it was "good enough" for all those years and apparently most held up through normal use.  Decades later, they break.  I had a 312 that was held together in the center by the sheetmetal tunnel/seat support...it rocked back and forth like it was on a suspension system.

 

No doubt the weight of that heavy 60" deck, the heavy engine, and the weight of the operator were all conspiring to tear out that frame mounting plate.  Surprisingly, most of them seemed to have survived at least initially.  Thankfully, WH decks when mowing were always ground-supported on these style tractors.  Unfortunately, the narrow width of the frame meant that the mid Tach-a-matic hitch struggled with the leverage exerted by the wide 60" deck's gage wheels hitting bumps and obstacles.  You can often identify a 520 that had a 60" deck by the loosy-goosy, worn out tach-a-matic.

 

The 5xi solved these weaknesses by capturing the transaxle from in front, above, and behind and by having a much wider spread on the mid hitch.  They really hit their stride with these tractors in so many ways.

 

So to answer your original query...yes, the Onan in the 520 is well-matched to the 60" deck.

 

Steve

Edited May 20, 2021 by wh500special
forgot something...

[wh500special 2,249]

I should add that I think think the Onan in the 520 feels stronger than the 20 and 22 horse Kohlers in the 5xi's.  Probably about the same as the Kawasaki in the 520Lxi.  Not even close to the Daihatsu diesel in the 523Dxi though.  Vroom!

 

The Liquid cooled 520Lxi is deceptive.  Because it's quiet it doesn't give off the same powerful feeling as the Onan.  It's kind of like the relatively loud dishwashers marketed for so long in the US...they could have been as quiet as European models but it was determined Americans equated noise with performance.

 

That Onan is a monster.  Given its perceived power and thirst, I wonder if it was underrated by Onan...

 

Steve

Edited May 21, 2021 by wh500special

[6wheeler 668]

Mine handles its NOS 60" deck with no trouble. It does steer a bit harder when lifted though. It can mow quite well in tall grass. But? You may need to drive slower for a clean cut. It does use a different mule drive with a spring tensioner. Exclusively for that deck. Now? The bad stuff. The big deck can. And? Does scalp in some spots. If you have very uneven ground? It is very easy to hang it up. With the weight of the tractor. And? The deck? I have to use the D-250 or something bigger to un- hang it. The deck is around 275 lbs. It is not something you are just going to pick up. Sliding it under the tractor is a chore all in itself. I sharpen my blades once a year. That is all the time I want spend wrestling with that hog. I am lucky enough to have some large open areas to cut. It is nice for that. Oh. And? One more thing? She will drink more gas too. But hey? You'll have a bigger deck than your neighbor....

[tom2p 2,394]

On 5/20/2021 at 4:43 PM, wh500special said:

I should add that I think think the Onan in the 520 feels stronger than the 20 and 22 horse Kohlers in the 5xi's.  Probably about the same as the Kawasaki in the 520Lxi.  Not even close to the Daihatsu diesel in the 523Dxi though.  Vroom!

 

The Liquid cooled 520Lxi is deceptive.  Because it's quiet it doesn't give off the same powerful feeling as the Onan.  It's kind of like the relatively loud dishwashers marketed for so long in the US...they could have been as quiet as European models but it was determined Americans equated noise with performance.

 

That Onan is a monster.  Given its perceived power and thirst, I wonder if it was underrated by Onan...

 

Steve

from my dated 'notes' -

 

some Kaw 20's have around 31-32 ft lbs torque - similar to Onan P218 but P218 develops the torque tad earlier ... (P220 is around 32-33 ft lbs torque)

 

some other Kaw 20's are slightly larger (increased displacement) and might have torque number  similar to Onan P220

 

displacement - 

 

Kaw 20hp FD611 is 585 cc 

Kaw 20 hp FD620 is 617 cc

Onan P218 and P220 are 782 cc

 

Edited May 22, 2021 by tom2p

[c-series don 9,466]

I’ve had a 60” deck on my 416-H for years, it’s my weekly mower. It has 6” front wheels that allow it to turn around 95% before they hit the deck. Since my yard is mostly wide open it’s not a problem. I’ve never tried to mow tall grass with it, I usually mow weekly so I’m never cutting a lot off. The 16 HP Onan runs that deck with no trouble at all, however I cannot believe how much fuel it consumes. I can mow with my other tractors that have K series Kohler’s and use about half the amount of fuel. 

[B J 23]

I found a good deal on a 520-H with a 60 inch deck an almost new 48" deck, snowblower, soft cab, snow blade, and tiller. It is around 775 hours about the same as my other 520. I have never had bigger than a 48 inch deck and was excited to get the 60 inch deck. The first thing I noticed was holy crap that thing is heavy. I didn't try sliding it under I drove over it. I got into some heavier grass a few weeks ago and engine power was not an issue but the 1/2 inch drive belt from the engine to deck is the limiting factor it will sing to you if overloaded. I have the spring loaded mule drive adjusted to about 3/4 inch from having no travel.

[lynnmor 7,595]

1 hour ago, B J said:

I found a good deal on a 520-H with a 60 inch deck an almost new 48" deck, snowblower, soft cab, snow blade, and tiller. It is around 775 hours about the same as my other 520. I have never had bigger than a 48 inch deck and was excited to get the 60 inch deck. The first thing I noticed was holy crap that thing is heavy. I didn't try sliding it under I drove over it. I got into some heavier grass a few weeks ago and engine power was not an issue but the 1/2 inch drive belt from the engine to deck is the limiting factor it will sing to you if overloaded. I have the spring loaded mule drive adjusted to about 3/4 inch from having no travel.

 

The weight is about 340 lbs.   I slide mine under but I have a very smooth concrete floor.  To clean and sharpen, I hoist up the deck with a come-along.  Your spring loading sounds about right.

 

At 775 hours you should be adjusting the valves and doing a very complete cleaning under the engine tins.  Make sure that the rubber gasket around the oil filter is in place, most are long gone.  Your engine will run a long time if you keep it cool and the oil fresh.

[Adams94 1,068]

5 hours ago, B J said:

I found a good deal on a 520-H with a 60 inch deck an almost new 48" deck, snowblower, soft cab, snow blade, and tiller. It is around 775 hours about the same as my other 520. I have never had bigger than a 48 inch deck and was excited to get the 60 inch deck. The first thing I noticed was holy crap that thing is heavy. I didn't try sliding it under I drove over it. I got into some heavier grass a few weeks ago and engine power was not an issue but the 1/2 inch drive belt from the engine to deck is the limiting factor it will sing to you if overloaded. I have the spring loaded mule drive adjusted to about 3/4 inch from having no travel.

I keep my belt tight and when I hit tall thick grass she doesn’t slip just uses more fuel lol