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Most of you know Bob Ellison, he is the one who was making the seats for the Wheel Horse Garden Tractors. His wife, Donna posted yesterday on Facebook that Bob had a mild heart attack on Monday and she is asking for prayers. I know some of you may not have Facebook and so I asked her if it would be okay to put it on Red Square to inform y'all of her request for prayers for Bob. I know and have seen with my own eyes the miracles that happen because of your prayers and how we all rally around our very own. Please keep Bob, Donna and their family in your thoughts and prayers and may God Bless each and everyone of you!

Lowell and I would like to give you a bit of an update on Scottie. This past summer Scottie had attended a few tractor shows, hanging out with his friends, learning how to drive, getting ready for his SENIOR year in high school, getting himself ready to attend school on a regular basis since the day of the car accident, and finally figuring out what he wanted to do for his Senior photos. Scottie was laying low and was letting his body heal and taking it easy. School started the weekend before Labor day and he attended school the first week and he came home sick. He was tested positive for COVID because it was going around the school. Scottie just took it easy while he was out of school for 2 weeks. He went back to school and he came home and said that he was not feeling well, had a headache, lower back pain, difficulty urinating, having bladder spasms, and was really irratiable. I call his urologist in Rochester and he had ordered a urine sample. Sure enough Scottie had another bladder infection, so he started Scottie on antibiotics and scheduled us to come and see him later that next week. Scottie's infection is all cleared up and we went to our appointments. The Dr. ordered x-rays of his pelvis area, ultrasound on his kidneys, liver, bladder, and urethra and a urine flow study. We met with the urologist later that afternoon to see what our next steps were. The Dr. was so amazed at what the results were that he could not believe his own eyes. Scottie's tests results were showing he had no issues. His urethra is completely healed and connected to his bladder, his kidneys and liver are functioning at a 100%, his bladder is healthy, his pelvis is all healed, and he is emptying in bladder completely on his own. PRAISE Our Lord and Savoir Jesus for this miracle. That day of the accident Scottie's prognosis was to have a suprapubic catheter in for the rest of his life and today he is urinating all on his own. One thing that Scottie will have to deal with for the rest of his life is having bladder infections and being on antibiotics for that when they occur, but that is minimal considering the alternative. Scottie is still leaking at night and sometimes during the day but the urologist said that is because the sphincter is not strong enough to stay closed, but there is therapy for that and we have to do other things at home first before we can start the therapy. Scottie is still suffering from his traumatic brain injury and is having bad lingering headaches and there are days where he needs to take brain breaks to help his brain out. We are asking for continued prayers for Scottie and his headaches. We know that God performs miracles everyday and we have seen our fair share of miracles with Scottie since the car accident. We know that God can handle this too, so please pray that Scottie's traumatic brain injury heals to help him with his headaches. We want to say...Thank you to all of you for your prayers, kind words, your thoughts, and most importantly for being family to us when we needed it the most. May God bless you and your families.

My finally finished 1973 no name electric 12 almost restored lol

So some might remember last July I scored a nice 856 at auction for a nice price. With it came a box of old and new parts along with tools including a high tech tools of a 8 penny nail with the point cut off labeled as a "shifter detent tool" and a 1" washer labeled as a axle seal installer". Really showed this PO was serious about his horse. All parts were labeled as to what they were for. Springs, old cotter keys you name it. Manuals with hand written notes you name it. So the guy that brought the tractor to the auction had some kind of relationship with the PO. Guessing caretaker, neighbor or possibly kin?? He made sure that all things went to the auction winner. After the auction he approached me and said he was glad the tractor was going to a good collector and that it was going to have a good home. I must have given him one of my cards as a couple of days ago he called me and said he had some more things that belonged with the tractor and he wanted my address so he could send them to me. This is what he sent..... cost him 88 cents. A cd and a tag for the deck. Now didn't have the heart to tell him I had already downloaded everything from here. It was obviously very important to him make sure I had everything that the PO had for the tractor. Also didn't have the heart to tell him I gave the deck to the 'Hosen @Pullstart who is probably going to butcher it up and try and make a hover craft out of it! Must be a homemade cd right fellas? I have not yet viewed it but ther was notes on some stuff in the box referring to things and downloads from RS.

Stormy’s got a Little Monster on his tail!

Bougt me some PAR36 for my C-175, as they are harder and harder to find. I could only find the plain ones in 12V. Have to say they turned out nicely!

I see some have included this

Really all you need…

You may want to ask BBT what she prefers?

This plow (Serial A-45089) came along with Chloe the 953 a couple weeks back. What a sweet runner! Hooking it up today, I noticed it’s crooked. I tried to loosen top/tighten bottom of the plow bracket on one side, opposite the other, with no real change. I figure I’m off about an inch over 4 feet. My plan now is to use shim stock on the axle bracket short side to push the mounting point forward.

A card with the number for AAA on it. There is not much you can fix by the side of the road on a new car unless you have code reader and a service manual...

My in car toolbox is pretty complete, and I use it quite often. People know I carry tools on the road and had to use it mutliple times to get people back on the road. Oh yeah, what you do, don't forget to put a WH sticker on there! Fuses, wrenches, screwdrivers, compressor, jumpbox, ducktape, wire and pliers are the things I have used the most.

Meh… get back to work on Colossus…

The owner was across the field in some woods cutting trees. He turned around and instantly started looking for pup. Mrs. P used Facebook to post on a community site and within minutes they were here. They too have chickens and haven’t had issues. The guy offered his flock to me if for any reason we lost layers. His sincere condolences and honest willingness to right the wrong were great. Tonight after some time in hiding, all 15 birds are in the roost.

Funny how a story & some heart felt actions will change your mind about a tractor. It belongs in your herd.

You might remember EB this tractor has a carb I was going to send to you for a throttle shaft bush job. I swear it has a 1/4 inch slop but runs the eight quite well! Needs a new choke cable and a few other minor things but is very complete. Sadly the PO gave it a very poor rattle can job but oh well. A good candidate for a resto. So anyhoo back to the tractor it was donated to the show promoter with proceeds to benny his WWII museum. Like I said just gotta love guys like this. Pic of the tractor and only one I have so far... Jack's boy @PeacemakerJack driving it back to camp. You might want to hold off on turning the deck into a heligyro Kev... might need it for a full blown resto yet!

I've been seeing lots of references to this new California law on the various automotive, fishing, and tractor enthusiast forums I peruse. Most of the responses are predictable in their indignation and anticipated for their content. This was the first thread I've seen that actually posted a link to the legislation rather than just make oblique references to what was assumed to be defined in the law. Kudos to Steve for that. Bear with my scattershot organization and poor writing as I move along, I was a bit distracted while pounding this out... There are a lot of interesting points both in the law and in the myriad posted opinions. But a few things jump out at me: First, the law is written in amazingly plain language. I was all geared up to be infuriated by the complexity of the document yet found it was easy to breeze right through. I'm impressed that the California lawmakers kept us common folk in mind when they crafted this thing. Second, I can infer from what I've read about this law and its implementation that there was actual research that went into gathering facts and data to support what they want to do. Certainly they cherry-picked the scenarios that make their case easier to sell, but we all do that in every aspect of our lives and work. As we learn more about how seemingly unrelated things interact, we redraw conclusions as to what our best actions should be. And we tend to use supporting data that best makes our case. Third, a lot of folks are framing this as a climate change initiative but I don't view it that way at all. While eliminating individual CO2 emissions at the point-of-use location is certainly an end, the law pretty clearly defines this as a non-CO2 pollution issue. They're focusing on localized pollution emissions...smoke, smog, vapors, fumes, etc. These things have real acute and chronic health effects - which have societal costs - and I believe that is the immediate intent of what's going on here. And all of these things really weren't practically solvable until battery powered tools evolved to their current state. Not many members of this forum live in California. That's not a surprise as suburban lawns there aren't quite what they are in the eastern half of the US. Couple that reality with the facts that Wheel Horse's biggest distributor served the PA and Mid Atlantic area and the company itself was a Midwestern centralized entity. So what happens in CA is, for most of us, a spectator activity. But they are our most populous state and the 5th largest economy in the world, so what they do eventually affects us all. From my distant perspective, it's hard to embrace the realities of California's geography, topography, climate, and population distribution. The key point in this whole regulatory reach looks to be a means of curbing the excessive pollution emissions small engines pose. These simple, cheap engines don't have any kind of emissions controls and tend to run with much more crude combustion dynamics than any auto since the late 1970's. This is spelled out by the law specifically mentioning Nitrogen oxide and reactive organic compounds being emitted. These are the very things that create ground level Ozone and smog. And these are the things that pool in valleys and tend to linger in the very stable atmosphere that they have out there. Without saddling these small engines with computer controls and catalytic converters, there isn't any hope of cleaning them up. Sure, you can make them run lean and sort of clean but then you force them to produce more NOx. Richen them up a little bit to correct this, and they belch a comparatively high amount of unburned fuel. It's also hard to seal their fuel systems to prevent evaporative emissions without charcoal canisters, fuel pumps, and fuel injection. We could hang a catalyst on the exhaust I suppose. But those require tight engine control and cost a bunch. We could add fuel injection to curb the evaporation, but carburetors are cheaper and lighter, both of which matter in these applications. Combustion engine technology is straight forward and proven, but the cost increases on a small device like a leaf blower or lawnmower would be tough to swallow. Surely their prices would make the electric alternatives really the only current solution. And even with these updates these little engines probably would continue to be comparative gross polluters due to their unusual duty cycle. Essentially, mandating battery electric power fast forwards the whole operation a few steps and avoids an intermediate stage that would probably create more wailing and gnashing of teeth. I wonder if the 25 hp cutoff is where they expect that equipping a device with a smarter and cleaner engine becomes economically viable. Equipment sized for an engine this large is going to be expensive anyway, so perhaps the thought is the internal combustion engine - thusly equipped - represents a competitive alternative to an electric solution. And this is also probably a power output range where battery technology doesn't offer adequate bang for the buck. I'm not philosophically of the persuasion that regulation is the first course of action we should take as a society. I'd rather see people be given the chance to "do the right thing" on their own. However, there are things we tend not to do for ourselves without being nudged. Think speeding, texting behind the wheel, not having insurance, dumping used motor oil on the ground, etc. We have a long history of taking shortcuts when the environment is concerned. We also tend not to worry about health effects to other people until there is a smoking gun involved...figuratively or literally. Sadly, this is an area where our states - and sometimes the feds - have had to take the reigns in the past. It is usually upsetting, is sometimes disruptive, often it hurts, and it always costs me money in some way. But we adapt. I'm old enough to remember all the Chicken Little cries that the sky was falling when we were planning to do away with leaded gas and stick a catalytic converter under the family's Dodge Diplomat, but the world didn't end. Cars got cleaner and measurably better as we found ways to make it work. We discovered that we really didn't need to be breathing lead for the sake of our valves. I think this law is analogous to that. One of the things our society has focused on lately is the ability for our states to take the lead in issues where the federal government really shouldn't be sticking its nose. This California measure is, essentially, a real-life lesson in that sensibility. I'm not sure all states will follow the CA lead on this, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see the other states who usually adopt CA's automotive emission standards quickly sign up for the same measures. Fourth, there is a surfeit of these "where is the electricity going to come from?" sorts of comments. Interestingly, the law explicitly tells the Air Resources Board that this is something they need to evaluate when devising their regulations and plans. I would guess that research and assumptions probably indicated that for household use that most battery power would be used during the day and recharged during lower demand periods. It won't work everywhere for everybody, but the laws of large numbers probably smooth the added load on the grid from this. It's also curious to me how up-in-arms we often get about the added electric demands from charging batteries from the grid when most of us live our lives with plenty of extra junk plugged-in and wasting energy for no reason 24/7. I'm sure the average household is constantly burning a few extra lights, has a few wall warts plugged in wasting power, has a fridge in the basement or garage keeping a few beers and pops cold, and has the the thermostats set to an ideal level all day and night. We - and I mean me too - like to cherry pick our concerns. California has been and probably will remain a net importer of power. There isn't much impetus to build new fuel-fired or nuclear plants and there is only so much we can do in a reasonable amount of time with solar and wind. We know they suffer from the combined effects of an aging grid and exploding development. Scheduled and emergency blackouts are a way of life for millions. Contrary to our gut opinons, Industry isn't just idly standing by since there is money to be made in providing the needed power. You can bet they are making plans and motions to do what they can to capitalize. The big bet is on the rate of ramping up and if we can get there fast enough. This law also mentions studying generators. Surely, this is in preemptive response to the musings that grass mowing contractors will be riding around with dirty generators in the backs of their trucks. I think this reveals that this wasn't just a "let's shake things up and see what falls out" sort of thing. It actually - again from an outsider's perspective - looks like a lot of thought and consideration went into this. Thoughts and considerations don't make it actionable I realize, but it takes away the sting of it being arbitrary. When I heard about this law I instinctively thought to myself "here we go again. California lawmakers are still dictating to their people from their ivory tower..." But then I thought about it. CA consistently has, over the last several decades, been doing things like this. They continue to have elections and have the same revolving door approach to politicians that all of the rest of our states do, and yet they have - with few exceptions - been way out in front on environmental issues. I can conclude a lot of sarcastic things about this, but the one thing that keeps popping back in my mind is that this sort of thing must be what the people of CA want. So whether I like it or not, they continue to push the ball down the field toward this same goal line. I could probably go on forever, but I'm running out of wind and interest for now. So I'll skip over the "what about those toxic chemical batteries" and "yeah, but China is building all these coal plants..." arguments. There are plenty of challenges and disasters going around. Chipping away at them is really all we can do at this point. Is this law ideal? No. Is it going to solve all of our pollution issues? No. Is it what I want? Probably not. Is it a reasonable step forward despite these things? It sure looks that way. There are a lot of variables at play. On the face of things this seems like a stupid, intrusive law. But given a little thought and consideration of the big picture, maybe it isn't completely off target. And it's apparently representative. We'll see. Your mileage and thoughts will certainly vary. Steve

...and lots of 10 mm sockets....

All: A bit of humor concerning a pesky dog and its bad owner, 50 years ago. I grew up in the capital city where the three deckers were no more than a driveway apart. We were fortunate - we had a one car driveway, a four foot wide strip of grass beside it that adjoined the nextdoor driveway. There was a dog that would come to do its business on the grass almost every day, right where my Dad would step to get into the car. The owner lived four houses down and would walk with the dog up the street to the Gas Station where he worked. My father confronted him one day as they both watched the dog do its thing - the dog owner refused do anything about the situation. My father borrowed my brother - in -law's Daisy pump up air pistol. The dog was the kind of mutt that had a curled up tail all the time - that made it easy! Wait for the dog to squat, one pump and aim for the pink target - ping! - Yip!. The dog was a slow learner - next time 2 pumps, PING - YIPE YIPE!! After that the dog would just look at that strip of grass and whimper as it walked by. Bill

Sockets, wrenches, 12V test light, needle nose, visegrips, multimeter, spark tester, multibit screwdriver.

Hello all and thank you for allowing me to join. New Horse owner here - recently purchased a 417 - 8. Looking to put it to work doing some gardening and lawn care. Have been searching for a Clevis Hitch for my unit to attach a Brinly plough and/or culivator. Seems they are as hard to find as hens teeth - up here in Ontario, Canada. While browsing this site a few weeks back I saw a few photos of this hitch. Wondering - where does a guy find one like this or the plans to build one? Looks like a sweet hitch that would fit my needs. If you have any other suggestions on what to use I am open to all suggestions. If you can advise where I could find one - again - open to hearing from you. Given I am in Canada - would much prefer to find one somewhere in Ontario as shipping costs to bring across the border I am sure would be prohibitive. Many thanks for your assistance! Cheers, Poppa Bear

I was thinking gyro copter attachment, but hover craft is a good second!

What a mighty God we serve! Don

Ease of manufacturing. Person on the assembly line does not have to put the washer on the screw before installing it. Also quality, the assembler does not forget to put the washer on the screw.

Rattle cans - GOT to leave room for red rattle cans .....

Well my 11h started bleeding from her bottom, so I yanked her out and almost finished a conversion to a 14h ohv Briggs on my b115, I know she's a baby tractor compared to most of yours, but with everything I've done to it and upgraded she's a tough pulling little horse. I'm excited to fit the clutch and fill her up to see what new life the swap gives her. I'm gonna try to rebuild the 11h that way it can be put back on if ever needed, that is if I can get parts for it. Thanks for reading my rambling, just exited to get her done. Oh yeah got the blinker I needed for the tail light I added, I now alot around dusk into dark, so I felt it'll be more noticeable along roadside if it blinks

Umm, 20 years? Could be due.

It should be changed...

Geez... and I was jus hoping to prevent the Hosen from running another 9/steens into his hand!

Came home to a package in the mailbox. @19richie66 you do awesome work...thanks again

I keep running with you Hosen I'm gonna start carrying a set of side cutters to disconnect those flaming tractors!

I just wet my thumb, hold it up to the wind, close my eyes and say a prayer

Power outages ? I've lived in my home for 33 years. I think the power has been out for a total of about 5 hours. I know I'm due. Now when I worked at the hospital, different story. Get called in on a Sat night for an outage. Power comes back and I spent an hour getting stuff up and running again and another hour babysitting in case some thing critical isn't working correctly. Go home and 10 min. later and WHAMMO! Phone rings and I go back and start all all over again!

Kevin is that where you make all your money being a daycare provider

Multiple cracks, parts of cylinders gone, torn up cranks ect.

Check out the welded up feet on this blade!

Stormy wins! Tuesday, she slept an hour and a half with Chloe the 953 idling. Now, I’ll keep an eye on her while I hook up a 54” snow plow

Awesomeness!

Prayers for Scott and his health, he's a great young man.

Great news!!! Continued prayers..,

Thank you so much for this update! It made my day to read the details of Scottie’s progress. Whenever I look at the pictures of the car from the day of the accident and realize how tragic the outcome of that accident could have been, I thank God for his protection of both the boys! What a blessing to read of the healing that has taken place and I’ll continue to pray for the headaches, etc. I hope that Scottie can have a great senior year and begin to put this traumatic experience behind him and look forward to the next phase of his life. I also hope that he never forgets that he was given a great gift of life even through that dark accident for a purpose. God has a plan for Scottie and I look forward to seeing that unfold in upcoming years… We should all consider every day on “the right side of the dirt” is a gift and we need to enjoy it to the fullest. I can’t wait to see you all again!🙌🏻

As long as we are on the subject of hardware, I'd like to bring up the subject of split lock washers. The useless fantasy used by many manufacturers and mechanics for years. They are generally more harm than good. https://engineerdog.com/2015/01/11/10-tricks-engineers-need-to-know-about-fasteners/

@BOB ELLISON get well soon, buddy!

Finally got back to the Wheel Horse after a summer filled with other projects. I've still got a few things left to do like rebuild the PTO clutch, install the rear wheel weights I picked up this week, and change the cable on the front plow and then I think I'm ready for winter. The PTO clutch might wait as I have no intention of using it until next year.

I forgot. A kitty litter scoop if your driving thru Wisconsin!

Wait till it breaks, then fix the transmission and reuse the old oil.

@Jeff-C175 I was thinking more on these lines.

I replace those bolts with grade 8. On 2 Kohlers I have done, I felt that the original bolts were going to break while I was torquing them to spec. They just kept on stretching and I knew if I went any further at least one or two would break. Of the four bolts, 2-3 mite torque, and the fourth would just keep on stretching. I’d have to look it up to be sure, but I think torque was only 35 ft. lbs. No problem with Grade 8 bolts. Just my opinion. I’d look up that torque to be sure. My memory ain’t what it was.