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Oh I have to chime in............Many many of the comments made in the thread are true. Horribly true! US companies also placed manufacturing facilities in the PRC to not only get a product on the market cheaper but to also enter a huge emerging market in China. Millions of Chinese citizens are becoming upwardly mobile. They are better educated and making money and US firms needed to get a facility on that soil to get into that market and that of other Southeast Asia countries. Another major contributor of the migration of our jobs for the middle class and the gutting of the US Manufacturing Sector was the high cost of unions. (Yes.....I can take the punishment of the union guys on here). Unions were and are needed everywhere and not just in the US. (Ask a lot of those Chinese workers). But there were unions that got too greedy! Everyone deserves a sustainable wage but assembly line workers making 24 bucks an hour plus overtime in the late 80's in companies that are 60 to 80 years old with many retirees that live longer than ever and you also see where these company's bottom lines were going. Then add the greed of the company officers and Board of Directors and their salaries and the "whatever it takes to keep our stock prices up" and everything began to unravel. This included the quality of products that the US was known for! Next add everyone suing everybody for stupid crap that added extra costs to manufacturing and government meddling with OSHA, EPA and DEP and it's a wonder that we manufacture anything at all in the USA. (I care about our environment and particularly clean streams but some of the mandates are unacceptable). Manufacturing jobs will and actually are coming back. But it will take time and it will take wise men with common sense values and ethics and workers that are willing to put in the hours and not expect instant gratification in a world where many of the youth and too many of my generation expect nothing less than instant success with minimum output. Wow! I wonder what I ate this evening that burst into my fingers! Sorry for the long rant! I just miss the days of quality products and wonder what the next generation is going to do for jobs!

Well I opened it up again, I think that was it. I think i put together a half a dozen times but i got it. works great. thanks Ben

I need any info I can get on this Wheel Horse. I am going to go over it, get it running, fix a steering issue,etc. I have no idea what model it is. I do know the engine model is a H60. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Picked up a 1987, 414-8speed. Runs great, drives great and "bonus" came with a blower and deck. All under 700.00. Really clean. Looking for one ring (plastic piece to go from hood to light) for the right headlamp. Anyone know if these rings are still available? (actually square). Need to fix lift arm, doesn't lock in upright position, will check that tonight when I clean it up and change all fluids. Also will do a couple other minor repairs. Very Happy this will be by main tractor for mowing the lawn and blowing snow. And here is a picture of the deck.

Hello fellow Wheel Horse collectors. First of all a big Thank you for the wealth of info on this site. Most of of my questions I always get answered with a search thru the forums. So I thought I would show you my latest addition to the barn. The pictures are in the gallery as i haven't figured out how to post hem here as the files are to big. I believe it is a 551. It came with a mower deck and front plow which I am waiting for more snow to test it out. I had to rewire it and put a new carb on but is running great now. Also i do need a clutch- brake pedal as the lower connection for the brake has broken off. Hopefully this will not be a diffucult to source. Thanks again to all Jerry edit nylyon (Use the "My Media" in the full editor to attach images from your gallery)

Thanks for the help and hello's! I can see where this could get to be an addicting hobby...Other than my horse I have a mid-60's Pennsylvania Panzer that was torn apart when I got it. They'll be a cool pair when I get em' restored. Jeff

The longest I've gone is 260 mi one way. but that was from home to Arendtsville to the show 3 years ago. It was my first time and I was planning on bringing a roundhood back come hell or high water!

Welcome to Redsquare, dont think it will stop with the 854...this time next year you may have 5 more, they have a way of multiplying...lol

I'm not sure if anyone commented on the electrical switch or wiring that can be seen on the side of the dash. That would be the key switch and the start-button. They both are relocated to make room for the HY-2 stet-up. The whole tractor looks real good to me.

You have been lured . . . :teasing-whipyellow:

I knew someone would nail it down. Here is something to help if you've not already found other information>go to manuals>misc...> and download for future reference.This site also has some good reference info: http://www.tractordata.com/lawn-tractors/tractor-brands/wheelhorse/wheelhorse-lawn-tractors.html

thanks guys, it runs ok. the fuel pump wasnt working and i couldn't get gas to flow so replaced fuel hoses as they were old and cracked, still more is needed as it wont run up high unless the choke is out. i will look at that sometime down the road as for now just wanted to see how it drove and check out the smoke issue and see how strong the hydro was..... hydro is strong and nice and quiet, lift works well, no complaints there, the hydros are always a worry for me if i get one not thats not running. everything i come across lately isnt running, and while its a bargaining thing sometimes, its still a worry that maybe you just bought a bunch of parts that look like an assembled tractor. ok if you are only giving $50 for it, but when its in the hundreds then it does concern me. except for the c160 which i gave 300 for, this is my next most expensive non runner at 250. i think i did ok, im happy with how it drives, didnt test out the mower deck as the pto clutch is bad, the seller told me the lining was worn out, so i will look at that later. the engine is noisy in the lower rpms, seems ok up high but a bit too noisy for me at idle and when starting and shutting down. i will post a video and see if any ideas come up. it runs strong and has a bunch of power. i think im going to let it sit for some time, might get it running better in the summer and mow with it this season. heres some pics and a video or two will follow..... gave it a good blow down with air, got in all the known areas, still need to pull the tins and check out the fins on the engine. gave the hood a pb blaster polish..... garage is getting a little crowded......

I think one the biggest things is who does it effect that your gone. If the wife stays home how understanding is she that you head out across state lines for a tractor! I sold an old Power king snow blade to a guy in Ohio on E bay. My wife thought the guy was nuts. He gets here with his wife and we talk a few min. Both wives are shaking their heads My son is in school in Buffalo so she has gone on my last 2 trips that way after tractors. We had some fun one time trying to find a gas station with a bathroom up north of Lockport. We were amazed at all of the porto-potties that were used and the boarded up bathrooms. Not many of them were on level ground either. most of them if you used it, you'd be peeing at an angle! :ROTF:

I'd like to thank everyone who responded. The opinions were certainly varied and most were quite interesting. Although I have seen many Wheel Horse tractors at shows and in print, I have no real background in them. I had no idea about the problems that you gentlemen face with this brand and upon learning about those issues, that explains a lot about the replies given. When companies like Wheel Horse began manufacturing garden and lawn tractors, I think it fair to say that they never imagined that their product would be "collected" in the future. Therefore, accurate record keeping did not seem very important. I face that problem with my choices of GT's and I find it very frustrating on one hand but also intriguing on the other. I am constantly on the lookout for "old paper" that will help me unravel some of the mysteries. Fortunately, paint colour is not one of those mysteries. This foray of mine into Red Square was done with the best of intentions to find out what this groups thinking was on a couple of key issues that are close to my heart. I hope that most of you found my questions interesting and that it gave some of you pause to reflect on what you do and why you do it that way. I make no conclusions nor any judgments. As always.......your tractor, your dime and your time. And I totally agree that this hobby should be about having fun and sharing good times over a common interest.

Sounds like you didn't get the high/low gear on the shift fork..if the gear is sitting on top of the shift fork when you push the high/low shifter to high it will move it to the high gear..if you bounce around the shifter will move and let the gear slide out of the high range and will not let it move to low range gear.....ask me how I know.. :*****: I have did it myself.. That would be my guess..hate to say it but I bet you will be splitting it again.