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About 20 years ago, I helped my son buy a house on 10 acres. His grand father in law gave him two 417s to mow about 5 acres of lawn. Mike bought a yellow CC zero when the one 417 died. After it sat for a few years, Mike asked me to try to sell it. I got it running and liked the way the 48" SD mowed, so I bought it from Mike. After mowing with for about 5 years, it started to act like it was running out of fuel. Right after I got it, I had put a primer bulb in in the fuel line to prime the fuel pump. The primer bulb was showing some cracks and I suspected it was sucking air and the fuel flow to the carb was minimal, so instead of replacing the primer and pump, I installed an electric pump. The new pump did not help the problem, but I now had good fuel flow to the carb. While searching for a carb rebuild kit, I saw a new carb for $18, so I bought it since it was cheaper than a kit. Installed the carb today and like most imports, I found the choke lever backwards. Everything else looked good. I made a new lever and bolted it to the existing lever. All back together. As it turns out, I don't even need the choke. She started right up and runs great from idle to WOT. I didn't touch the jet settings The 417 is alive....again.

Here is good ole rusty. A Raider 12 that smokes a little bit and needs rings. it’s my lawn stock pulling tractor. Even tho it smokes it still does great and it’s a top 5 pulling tractor. IMG_0584.MOV

Just brought this old girl - I wanted a diesel mixer with a large drum, and this was 10 minutes away from us! Very happy, lots of concrete work to do, and now no excuses! Should tow nicely behind the wheelhorse for any projects around the farm.

This was this past weeks project at our house. Our job was to keep them hydrated. WH's are going to be busy when it starts snowing. Does anyone have a power broom attachment for sale in the midwest? Before: During: After:

If I ever wanted to get the restoration started of my RJ-58 for the big 25th Annual Wheel Horse Show next year the fame had to come out of the garage! Well, that doesn't sound hard to do, does it? Argh the RJ frame was underneath the front of a model 704 and the rear of a 1966 Lawn Ranger with only the top of the RJ-58's hood stand showing in the 8-inch-wide space. If you study the pictures the red gas can in the center is sitting on the seat of my Senior and the toolboxes off to the right is where the Lawn Ranger and 704 are hiding the RJ-58 frame. Under the brown cardboard box is my 633 Diesel Beast, you can just see the chrome exhaust stack. Oh yes, all this stuff has to be moved to get the tractors out to bring them to the show. Wild Bill in Richmond VA

So my parents bought a new 310-8 back in 1989. I used that machine in high school to start my lawn mowing business and really started my passion for these machines. My parents divorced years later and mom ended up with tractor. She has been remarried for over 25 years to her husband Bobby who could not be a better guy. Well he wanted to restore the Wheelhorse and started on it last winter. I told him I would paint tins for him when the weather got better. So we painted tins when Ken b and I painted the 417 machines. So I went over today to put Terry’s awesome decals on and as we were finishing up he said I did this restoration for you… I want you to have the tractor. For those of you that don’t know I lost my dad back in 2012. Bobby said this was your fathers machine and I want you to have it. I honestly had no idea this was coming but it will be my most favorite machine in my collection. What a great gift by a wonderful man. I am sure that big Jim would be happy to know I have his Wheelhorse that he loved. My mom even had the original brochure and sales recipe. $2400 back in the day was a lot of money for my parents!

Only able to get a few picks before we got rained out...

to the forum. There is a safety switch on the PTO lever. If the lever is in the engaged position, the engine won't crank. This lesson sank in for me when I was mowing down at the lake house. I shut the engine down for some reason, then it would not start when I went back to it. Pushed the tractor up hill about 100 yards to my shop and started troubleshooting. Maybe 15 or 20 minutes later, I noticed that the PTO lever was still engaged. Shut the PTO off, and the problem magically disappeared. I gained some knowledge, by telling this story, I'm passing wisdom to you all.

Screw campfires.... pull up a chair and a cooler and sit in front of this... Yah I know... my stacks are tall, many will think too tall. I like them like that... maybe I'll cut a few inches off bottom pipe if I get sick of it. Lol From right--C160 with rear engine rider steering wheel and heavy patina. Exhaust is a hacked off pipe from a Ford pickup. Got it this way and like the "rat" look Middle is a 310 on its 3rd engine and second set of tins. Came from show 2 years ago with a beat 12 hp K on it. I swapped a good Mag 10 on it and it's my favorite work tractor Left is a C160 that left factory with a Tecumseh OHV16 that's gone. Then it got a 16 hp Kohler out of a Hydro---that's how I got it. Then I put the Mag 16 on it with the correct drive pulley. The Hydro 16 with its Hydro pulley is going onto another C160 Hydro with a very bad knock Happy Weekend All!! 20220806_190828.mp4

Thanks for posting this picture Bill! Showed it to my wife and she began to realize I'm not the only Wheel Horse owner that has several UFOs (un-finished-objects).

Been messing with getting my neighbor Grady’s grandkids go cart fit for riding… cut new plywood and put the seat covers back on today… the top of the backrest part was a little rough around the edges… fixed that with black go-rill-a tape.

First trip on the new trail with real live passengers… by all accounts they loved it, but of course noted that speed was “lacking”… They suggest more straitaways to maximize speed…. After the trail they all loaded up for the trip down to the beach… great day!!! IMG_1762.MOV

I got my tire changer(s) all done. Now just have to drill some holes in the concrete and put some drip in anchors and bolt it down. I think it’s going to work out nicely. Little changer is about waist/belly high which gives you pretty good leverage I’m thinking. We’ll see. Giddy up, cheers!

Got he 1276 painted put together in Foreball Red Pearl closes I could find to a brochure of the 1276 form 1966 it came out nice need to wait 2 weeks before I bush it and can put decals on it still tryin to find a dash with the round knobs without the light switch but I’m going to a tractor show soon I bet I can find one there that and if any you guys know a company or someone who makes the white black redone seats let me know tryin to make it all original

been upgrading my grandsons pick up , hot metal , really helps in lubrication spreading, confined areas / seams , boxed joint areas . quickly spread from the starting spot , use a penetrant first , so the flow and spread , easily gets into hot metal , spread points, also replaced front control arms , 4 wheel alignment . then over spray following day , with a heavy open gear spray , that is easily drawn in by the penetrant first spray. I use a Tyvek paper suit , gloves , mask . tailgate oil seam is total , so are doors and body seams , did a thorough baseline service , verified everything and went new on worn areas . the truck looks transformed, most important , everything works , total rustproofing , should be good , grandpa , pete

Hi Bill. I’ve heard the 500-600 number of Seniors before too, but I’ve never really believed there were that many. If you go back to the old timers (Joe P, Larry G, Dan and Dustin, Bob, Dave and Mary…) I know at least a few of them thought that 200-300 might be a more reasonable number. Of course I haven’t spoken to any of them in years so perhaps there’s been some evolution of thought or I’m misremembering. Who knows… There were almost undoubtedly only around 50 of the Levers. Somebody turned up an order from Rockford Clutch that showed 50 clutches were sold to “E. Pond” in 1946. Presumably they built at least one tractor before they bought 50 Clutches, but it was probably a small quantity. I had a chance to sit down and talk to Betty and Cecil Pond at length and I asked how many Levers and Seniors were built. Unfortunately, he didn’t remember. He didn’t suggest it was very many of either though. Was this mentioned in Martino’s book? Perhaps Cecil’s memory was better when he spent all that time with him. I wish I had, but unfortunately I didn’t ask about when the transition to what we call the Senior was made from the Lever. There seems to be general agreement that Levers were probably only made in 1946 and 1947. But I’m not sure production of the RideAway began immediately thereafter. Rather I think the Ponds might have been too busy building walk behind tractors and likely still tinkering with the new Ride Away to be producing it serially. Instead I think 1953/54 might have been the start of the RideAway (Senior). I wonder too if Lever production with whatever was left of those Rockford Clutches bled over into the years after 1947 to fill the gap. I don’t recall any reports of Wisconsin Engines older than 1953 showing up on RideAways. I don’t pay as close attention to these forums anymore so perhaps something older has indeed surfaced. But if I had to guess, I would say the large tractor was a 1953-1956 offering and nothing but walk behinds and maybe an occasional Lever trickled out of the garage from 1948-1953. Still, 600 isn’t an unreasonable number. Even if production was squeezed into just the four years I hypothesize, that’s only about three tractors a week. But during this time they were working out of their garage and then the small shop on Dixieway on the north end of town (near to where I used to live!) so having the capacity to do them might have been a stretch. at the same time the Pond boys were building Levers and Rideaways, the IH Cub was hitting the scene. It was similarly priced but a profoundly more advanced tractor. It seems like it would have been a tough animal to sell against that. Too bad Elmer and Cecil didn’t know there would be a bunch of idiots (like me) obsessing over their workaday lives 70 years after they got started. Maybe one of them would have kept a diary. Fun to think and talk about though. Steve

Happens every time when you run out of gas.

Well, I live in the country and usually get away with whatever I’d like but happened to acquire enough stuff outside that it set off the township officials and I got cited. Just a warning… but a good time for a cleansing of stuff that might not even be mine. Finally out with the race car, in with projects, parts vehicles and a lot of sweeping! I have a Suburban, Allis Chalmers and Jeep Wrangler to put back inside before too long. The race car might be here another few days but I finally got it ready for FIL to come get and it’ll be right at the door. No excuses. For now, the wood shed will house two vehicles, Jada’s Suburban and it’s engine donor parts truck. Even though there is no door or wall in the front and rear, it’s under roof and therefore compliant.

Took this pic of a couple of my RJs and had it framed.

I got 6 packs of playing cards today for a buck a pack! Put some in your spokes!

So the ne steering wheel showed up yesterday and the metal I ordered also came. I mounted the quick connect for the steering wheel so can take the hood off. I also modified the belt guard and that is almost complete now. Then I made the new tool box for the fenders. That took a little bit of time but it is just tacked together for now. Steady progress is always nice.

Them amminals is gonna be upset with you foggin up their living room. 🐭🐀

Oooooooohhhh…, PETA gone be mad at you… and the global warming implications are simply disturbing… oh wait, you’re sequestering carbon!!! Great idea!!!

Moved the GT14 out to work in the barn and it happened to land directly over a hole in the ground….

No, I need to better manage what I have first…. As much as another barn sounds great, I should be able to manage 40x80 for STORAGE and maybe some day put a few items stored in the SHOP back there too!

Been there, done that...

Soo.. spending $2000 on a new tractor is okay but $150 on new ignition parts is not? I would advise you to stick with what you got and learn to fix it (if you don't already know how to do that). It will build your skill and help you appreciate the tractor more than to just buy something somebody else has fixed and like @Pullstart said still might need a few things to make it 'perfect'

One loses track of time. I had a battery load tested due to a starter issue and wouldn’t you know it? Source of problem located and corrected. I couldn’t believe the amount of time that had passed since I installed it. That time went somewhere. Where it went, I have no clue! But it took the battery with it.

Me and Trina along with her mom and our good friend have been working hard getting the acreage ready for the upcoming wedding. Today we used the Cinnamon Horse C160-8 and Mackissic chipper shredder to take care of a BUNCH of brush. Also used it to drag the portable toilet that Trina and her mom made down to it's next usable position.

I've tried repairing ignition switches in the past and now consider it a fool's errand. Replace it with the correct switch--straightforward and sure.

@Horse Newbie... I have a caption for you... Don

After the go cart seat work, Libby and me got a little seat time… first since the Big Show ! IMG_1532.MOV

@Pullstart They did go in second gear high after the first trip…!!! So fast in fact that my video department (Aunt Sylvanlakewh) was too busy telling me to slow down instead of getting awesome video of terrified (not) kids… That is a draw back to the E 141s. They’re so quiet that I can hear the aunts, moms and other assorted bubble wrap types… Gotta add some noise…

If it wasn’t mentioned, it would be a great idea to have the battery load tested too.

Is the battery charged? Are all connections secure and NOT corroded? Will tractor start by jumpin the solenoid...with key ON? If ans to all is YES, then take the starter off and clean it up. Easy to do. Be sure to reassembly location marks on body and end caps BEFORE you tear it apart. These get all crudded up and usually (not always) just need cleaned out & lubed. Be sure the BENDIX GEAR isn't badly worn or chipped...it can be had new. The MAGNETS on the inside should not be grossly chipped...blow out any tiny chips that may impair function. Use LUCAS sticky red grease on BOTH bearings. The FOUR BRUSHES should be smooth, equally worn, and not worn down to the wire. If so, replace the 4 brushes. For reassembly, hold the 4 brushes in position with a trimmed-out piece of stiff metal...then lower the magnetic field down onto the end cap. slide the metal out when the brushes are positioned.

Boggles my mind. I (now) have an odd shaped ½ circle loop driveway. 365' frontage. 2 entrances about 100' apart. One was an old cart/logging twitch trail from (centuries?) ago. The other was the main drive as the house was constructed. When I asked if I needed a permit to connect the two the Code Enforcement Officer nearly laughed.... "Of course not." The only reason I had to consult the town was to see if I needed a drainage culvert. I did not.

Ed, I love your idea of making that choke work. I too have a 417-A and it’s my dedicated snowblower tractor. If I ever have to replace the carburetor I’ll keep that in mind. I got one of those Chinese carbs for my C-141 and the choke was backwards, I just remember that the choke lever works backwards. If I used this tractor a lot it would drive me crazy but I have a C-48” Sweepster rotary broom on the front and hardly ever use it. I must say some guys have no luck with those carbs but mine runs great! This by no means is an endorsement for goods from china! 😂

Before assembling, I’ll give the front end the ole’ Greasy Pete and clean/repack the bearings too. @peter lena you’d be proud, I even found some vertical slop in the right side spindle I can shim out!

Changed the carb and cleaned her up a little. Running perfect now and even dug a little test hole. She's not pretty paint wise but she sure has big attachments. LoL

S T O P !!!!!!!!!! Its just too much… I… I… I thought I saw a green tractor just now in my garage…!!!!!!! My eyes…!!!

There isn't anything like working on drains when there in a slab! Several years ago the hospital I worked at started a new $50,000,000 expansion project. There was no Clerk of the Works. Our lead mechanic had been out for month's during the planning meetings. Only the "higher ups " were included. After all the architect's drawings were approved and bids were accepted construction began. Guess who had to get involved whenever there was an issue? ME that's who. They were putting plastic pipe in the floor of the boiler room for drains. I'm asking, How in the %$#^ is this gonna work? Contractors just doing what the prints say. I raise a stink but to no avail. 3 months after the boiler room is fired up a pipe from a lift pump is sagging and melting from the boiler steam condensate! Well guess what. So is the piping you cant see. But the drains are "Working" so they only replace the pipe from the pump that you can see with iron. Couple of years later the room started flooding. Out of warranty now and management was too scared to get admin involved as it should have been redone from the start. Shortly before I left we marked the floor so it could be jackhammered to replace the piping. I think they still haven't done it!

Dang wood chuck! Quit chuckin’ my wood! It’s been 40 minutes. I figure I’ll set an alarm for another 40 or so and cover up the hole for observation.

Is that $150 quote for a brand new ignition trigger? Buying used electronic parts from “strangers” can be risky…but I wouldn’t hesitate to contact Lincoln at AZ Tractor to see if he has a good used one. Get into our vendors section and send him a message.

I got a piece of 1/2" OD steel tubing from Home Depot and cut it to length. Then take a 3/8" grade 8 bolt with a tight fitting thick fender washer on both ends. Much cheaper.

Pulled apart the deck from the 416-H I bought this week. Not bad... putting some newer blades and blade nuts on it, lubing it all up. I think it's otherwise good to go. Got about a half acre mowed with the GT-1848.

I spent some time on my 42" SD deck trying to mount it to Clyde the C-195. Learned some in the process, too. I tried swapping the lift bar from the 48" deck that came with Clyde. From this, I learned that the connection to the gage wheel rod is in different places on the 42" and 48" decks. I did more measuring and discovered that if I placed the lift pin on the C-195 in the round hole behind the lift pin slot in the 42" lift bar, the deck will latch up in the C-195 mid hitch. However, the deck binds up when the hydraulic lift tries to lift it - that hole needs to be a slot. The answer seems to be to make a slot in the 42" lift bar to match the slot in the 48" lift bar. Got to figure out to do this without access to a mill. Drill and cut off wheel, I guess. Think I'll make a separate thread on this subject. Greased up the spindles and sharpened the blades while I was working on the deck, too.

Don't let that 520-8 go. You will regret it later and may not find another one for a reasonable price when you are ready for another one. Keep it stored properly until you can get the money together for an ignition module. Maybe you can do odd jobs for people until you save up the money. $150 shouldn't take too long to earn. It will teach you about managing money and also the skills necessary to repair the 520. I did a module in my 520-HC and it's not too difficult if you take your time and use the proper tools. Plenty of help here if you need it, just ask.

The 520-8 is a hard to find Wheel Horse model with only 225 ever built AND A BEAST OF A TRACTOR, the Raider-14 looks very nice ...... i would explain to your folks you that you just need to keep them both. Wild Bill in Richmond VA

Got 3 of the 4 "kids" out for some sunshine and fresh air today. B-100 is still on blocks in the garage.... Hoping to get a stack (or 2?) on the GT maybe over the winter, and repair the hood.... hopefully by then the 416-8 will be sold.

I wish.