New to me Work Horse

[edgro 680]

New addition to the herd, intact and functional, needs to be gone thru, checked over.  The deck seemed to be a little difficult to get back on, and I noticed the center grease fitting on  the deck has been digging into the lift arm. I'm going to put taller wheels on the deck to get the cutting height up to where I've been cutting with the Toro. Have not seen a gray seat before. Powerflo really sucks up the leaves and grass. It was a choice of a pull behind lawn vac, or a tractor/bagger, I got this for less  than the used pull behinds were listed for locally

[Gregor 4,847]

I have seen a few references to Work Horse tractors. They obviously seem to be manufactured by Toro, but with a Work Horse branding. Were they the sme tractor as a Wheel Horse, and simply marketed by another company? What's the story on them?

[kpinnc 14,671]

Short version of the story:

Wheel Horses were sold by dealers, and Work Horses were a way to get into big box stores. They used Briggs engines, and had fewer options, but otherwise identical to Wheel Horse. 

[Pullstart 67,016]

Can’t quote me on this, but I believe they all had 1” axles as well, even the 8 speeds.  
 

nice clean find @edgro!

[Skwerl58 766]

Nice, I really like the looks of it! The tractor looks like it has been taken care of and it is complete. Enjoy it and it will make getting up leaves a lot easier!

[Racinbob 11,983]

1 hour ago, pullstart said:

Can’t quote me on this, but I believe they all had 1” axles as well, even the 8 speeds.  
 

nice clean find @edgro!

 

You're right on the 1" axles on the 8 speeds at least. I'm not sure about the hydros. I bought an 1984 GT-1100 brand new at a dealer. 100% Wheel Horse made just without some of the bells and whistles. At least here in northern Indiana they never sold at the big box stores. I've never seen a Wheel Horse at those places. Years ago I was told more than once that my beloved red tractors were being sold at a big box and when I'd go check it out the red tractors were Dynamarks. 

[Pullstart 67,016]

10 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

Years ago I was told more than once that my beloved red tractors were being sold at a big box and when I'd go check it out the red tractors were Dynamarks. 

Poor, uneducated folks.  That’s like my in-laws trying to explain to someone that I have a collection of lawn mowers.  I have one lawn mower and multiple garden tractors.  

[kpinnc 14,671]

2 hours ago, pullstart said:

Can’t quote me on this, but I believe they all had 1” axles as well, even the 8 speeds.

 

The tractors were on par with 300 series Wheel Horses. I have owned one and seen one other 8 speed, and they did have 1 inch axles.

 

But to my knowledge, all Eaton hydros had 1.125 axles, whether on a Wheel Horse or Work Horse.

 

Some older Sundstrands (before Work Horse) had 1 inch axles, but not the Eatons.

[Bill D 2,270]

I may be wrong, but I believe the hydro Work Horses have the same gearing as the 520HC.  I know they came with the same wide rear wheels as the 520's.

[Goldnboy 1,035]

 @Bill Dyou are correct  they do have the same rear end with different gear ratio. I found that out first hand!. However, I believe the Briggs Twin just doesn't have the ability to handle 35+ years of abuse as a Kohler!

 

 

Edited September 28, 2021 by Goldnboy

[Sparky-(Admin) 23,266]

35 minutes ago, Goldnboy said:

 @Bill Dyou are correct  they do have the same rear end with different gear ratio. I found that out first hand!. However, I believe the Briggs Twin just doesn't have the ability to handle 35+ years of abuse as a Kohler!

 

 

 I agree…this is my GT-1600 with a Kohler Mag10

[cschannuth 3,817]

2 hours ago, Goldnboy said:

 @Bill Dyou are correct  they do have the same rear end with different gear ratio. I found that out first hand!. However, I believe the Briggs Twin just doesn't have the ability to handle 35+ years of abuse as a Kohler!

 

 

My 1978 twin Briggs is still all original and I can’t say that about any of my Kohlers. In fact, the reason they had to turn to Briggs was because the twin Kohlers in the late 70s had quality issues.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my Kohlers  but I also love my Briggs and Onans, neither of which have given me any issues in decades of service.

[c-series don 10,132]

2 hours ago, Goldnboy said:

 @Bill Dyou are correct  they do have the same rear end with different gear ratio. I found that out first hand!. However, I believe the Briggs Twin just doesn't have the ability to handle 35+ years of abuse as a Kohler!

 

 

@GoldnboyI’m sorry but I totally disagree with you in reference to the Briggs. Maybe it won’t handle abuse but I’ve never abused mine.l changed the oil maybe more often than I should have, but I’m here to tell you that tractor has thousands of hours in it and still runs like a top.I purchased my Work Horse GT-1800 brand new in 1984 and used it commercially for 8 years. I mowed, tilled countless gardens and plowed tons of snow with it and it’s never let me down. I gave it a well deserved restoration a few years ago and still use it occasionally. Like I’ve said here before many times, a Work Horse is a Wheel Horse through and through. 

Edited September 28, 2021 by c-series don

[Horse Newbie 7,395]

On 9/28/2021 at 7:29 AM, pullstart said:

Can’t quote me on this, but I believe they all had 1” axles as well, even the 8 speeds.  
 

nice clean find @edgro!

1 inch axles...Is that good/ heavier than others ?

Sorry...asked before I read farther down...

Edited October 4, 2021 by Horse Newbie