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I got this from the shop I work part time at to try on my yard and see how I like it the engine is a 25hp kohler command pro with 500 hours, it has a 60 inch deck this mows way faster and nicer than my old groundsmaster 52 the only complaint I have is that the controls are very sensitive but I have found a dampening kit that will take care of that problem. This thing opens up and is very user friendly I can service it from front to back in less than 1/2 hour without having to lay underneath it, the deck flips up for cleaning, blade removal and storage. I offered the shop $1,500 for it but was told I would get if for nothing more than cost which was $1,000 so I think I will be keeping it but will give it a good test drive before I make my final decision. If I decide I don't want it I am supposed craigslist it for $3,000 and keep half of the profit so it's a win win either way. I love working for a Toro dealer when I went to pick this up I also scored a pair of cast iron wheel horse rear wheel weights and a cab for FREE If anyone has used one of these or knows any problems I should watch out for please let me know before I purchase it so the potential problems can be taken care of.

My son helped me out with some machine work. Made up some 1/2 inch centers for my pulling tractors.

Finally after a lonnnnnng delay my camshaft has returned from hard chrome. here's some pics of the engine. I know the balloon decal wasn't there originally but i kinda like it maybe (not sure yet).

The centers are bolted to wheel hafts 5 star wheel are what we made.

The "jeep" is actually a Roof Palomino mower....see the attached site. Our dentist has one that he mows with. http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/12761-1968-roof-palomino-mini-jeep-mower

Happy Memorial Day all! Here's a couple pics from mowing the lawn yesterday. And then my neighbor started mowing with his Deere. He was gaping in awe when he saw my horse! :jaw:

I'm sure someone will disagree with me, but unless the top of the piston is really bad, I dont touch it. 100 years ago when I was a young apprentice I was told by one of the old-timers that if I disturbed the carbon on the top of the piston, it would start to burn oil. While I am sure that this is an old wives tale, I learnt a lot from that grumpy old ba$tard, and I still do a lot of what he said. You can smear a thin ring of grease around the bore, and then raise the piston over it. It will catch a lot of the crap that would otherwise get around the rings.

Elvis looks happy, sittin' there with his little buddy in the shade, and sporting a smile on his grill. :text-coolphotos:

It all depends on what you want your tractor to do. Ultimately what will happen (If you have a big yard) will be that you buy a zero turn to mow with, keep a 520 for a back up mower, get a C195 for a back up back up, pick up as many wheel horses that you can find and can afford, including round hoods, rare models, examples of each type, until you have all of your neighbors staring at you and wondering if you need to be locked up because of some rare OCD affliction. Fight it all you want, but this is the evolution of the wheel horse collector.

Well I am guilty too of what bean said. If you look in my shop you will see 2 520's setting in the back. Just recently I did bring one into service sort of. Usually though you will find me using my ol trusty C's they are the bread and butter of the Wheel Horse's always there when you need them. The 520's are nice but I like my C's better.

I like to stay in the 60's and 70's era. It seems to me that all the 300,400and 500 series tractors I come across are all beat up and rusted. I picked up a C160 parts tractor that had been in the weeds 3 years and was in better shape cosmetically than a lot of the newer ones I've seen. I was at an auction last week and there was a 72 Raider 14 there that out side of the seat and belt guard looked almost new

I've got a little different take on this - maybe... The 520H with swept forward axle and steering reduction is a mighty fine tractor. It looks awsome and the sound of the Onan is very cool. They are the BMW of Wheelhorse tractors - IMHO. I've got two 520H tractors and a 314-8. I still like the 314-8 better, but use both for mowing and different chores. I highly recommend having at minimum a gear drive tractor and a hydro tractor. That being said, your post might ought to read, "Does everyone end up with a 416-8 AND a 520H." Bill

That's funny...I started with a 520 and worked my way back to the roundhoods from there.

Personally I will never vote to go back to the old classified ways. You guys have no idea what a hassle it was for us Admins/Mods trying to keep it from turning into a discussion area and keeping it from being a platform to bash others about their prices or the condition of an item they were attemting to sell. On the main page here on the right side are a few "boxes" with the latest posting on the site. Under Birthdays and Upcoming Calender Events and Recent Topics and Recent Status Updates is Latest Classifieds. Your ad is right there Bob for all to see. I couldnt be happier that the classifieds are now something that I dont need to moderate, but I still go there everyday. Mike..............

More than likely the engines are not worth messing with. Most of the briggs 11hp engines were aluminum bore (Known as "Cool Bores") and when they are shot they are shot! They can be rebuilt, bored over and such, but if you are going to spend that much money, the Briggs 12 hp will bolt right in the same place, most of them are cast Iron bores and MUCH better engines! You should also be able to easily upgrade to an OHV Briggs engine as well, they will still bolt in. That would depend on clearance. You can often find the Briggs OHV engines still in great shape on many used mowers for little money.