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New here to this web site and new to a just purchased 1995 Wheel Horse 520H. There is so much info here that by the time I read thru everything I'll have to go back to to the beginning and start over. I have been looking for a Wheel Horse in my area for quite some. Recently found one for sale in Dunn, NC., about an hour away from me. She ran good on trial so we loaded her onto the trailer. Brought her home, checked all the fluids and what not, and then proceeded to mow. Afterward it was to time to clean her up and take a few pictures.

I am a firm believer that tablets tv and the internet are ruining peoples lives!! Now I say this but work in the IT field, but for kids 3, 4, 5 and so on to be on a tablet most of the day and watching tv the rest of the day that is why none of them want to get outside like we use to! My daughter is 8 and has a tablet however we manage it heavily and give her very limited access to use it. I make them go outside and get dirty and play in the rain! I hope to one day be re restoring one of my horses with a grandkid or my kids when they are older! I know as long as I am here I will try to tear every one of them apart and piece it back together!!! IMG_0292.MOV

I'm 36 and got into these machines 10 years ago after purchasing a house. I grew up watching my dad run a gravely 2 wheeled tractor, and while I was on the look out for one of those I ran across these red machines called "wheel horses". The reason I wanted an old machine is because they were easy to work on, and I get a lot more for my money than buying one of those plastic box store machines. However, I am the only person my age who is in to old machines like this. Not many folks my age have a yard big enough to warrant a ride on tractor, and those who do have big yards just use zero turns. I dunno guys. My outlook is a little more negative. I want to think that all these machines will find their way to people that care, but I think my generation is going to be taking a bunch of stuff to the scrap yard. I see folks of my generation not holding on to things like my parents did. My grandparents were born in 1920 and lived in the mountains of southern VA. Growing up in the depression, they learned how to "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." There was no money to hire folks to fix things. My dad was raised to fix stuff, and he has accumulated a ton of tools. I spent a lot of time "holding the flashlight" watching him fix stuff. My first instinct when something breaks is to fix it myself. But more and more, I find myself taking my car to a mechanic, or calling the repair guy. With the pandemic and now inflation, prices of parts and labor have gone way up to the point where I think twice about calling the repair guy, or taking my wife's car in. But I'm the only one that I know who fixes their own stuff. What's my point? I guess my point is, that folks of my generation just don't fix stuff like the older generation. They put things on the credit card. They don't have a garage full of tools. They don't fix their kids toys. They throw them out and go buy another. Honestly, it depresses me to think about my generation and what is going on. Anyways, as for me and my plan. If I die sooner rather than later, my wife knows a couple folks to call, and I've told her to take whatever offer she gets.

As long as it's on pavement or concrete, pick up a couple cheap furniture dollies from Horror Fright or the cheap online vendor of your choice. Jack the rear end and put them under the tires

The 1100s can be easily pushed by a large male bear or two small females . The 700s require a whole herd of bears.

Hi My name is @ebinmaine. You shoulda put tubes in right from the start...

Got her put back together and running again today!

Always a fav show of mine and this year no different. I joined last year as a member of the club and did abit of work on the grounds. Next year maybe abit more as I ease into it. This year they had the BIG 150 Case brought in. More on the history of it later but they lay claim to the biggest steamer in North America. Lots of it on FB for you FBers. So story has it ther was none remaining out of nine or so built but a privateer copied a remaining boiler. Got the orginal drawings from Case and built one in his garage. Well maybe not his garage but had to buy a machine shop and a foundry to build it. @Wild Bill 633 help me out here on the factuals. More show pics to follow... Club says about 4000 to come in through the gate all weekend on an average show... this year hopefully 4-5000 a day for Case feature.

Mounted up front tires on wheels I bought from @squonk at this years WHS. Thanks Mike! Just might be the nicest wheels in my small fleet

Why? They can help push...

Make sure the kids are out of it!

On grass / dirt / wood chips I used a plastic rolled slide-a-boggan under my yard art rear wheels with locked trans...slid right along...

Similarly, this won't improve the WHEEL-HORSE flavor but is about as useless when applied.

She was on me the entire time asking for more rocks to fill a hole the neighbor dog dug under the fence

I'll throw a few of my pic's up. First up this little Avery. This Rat Rod / doodle bug was quite interesting. Really liked the rare engine that was used in it. A great cut away display of a threshing machine. It was powered by small gas engine for slow speed movement. Another builder reaching for the extreme. There were a lot of really nice Case displays. One that caught my eye was this Case automobile. A pic of the 150hp Case steam traction engine hooked on to an eliminator.

Another wonderful day of my annual birthday W-H tractor rides for the kids at our local farm.

Looks to be a dandy and Nothing like a 520 for big yards. Don't be shy with questions...plenty of 520 pros here. I have four of them and only wished I was a pro on them!

Oh the trusty hammer!!! Do you take boxes apart with this said “box wrench”? I may have to consult the expert in this case as he was showing me how to weedeat today!

I'm just wondering why you put it down there in the first place....

You can’t employ the loader tractor you guys have? Some chain and that front bucket should lift the rear of the hydro machine and off ya go

Only the Shadow (of @ebinmaine) knows... Actually, I heard he's with Big Foot, Loch Nessy, and Jimmy Hoffa down in Bolivia somewhere...

Per the manuals, it can be moved very slowly by pushing. As noted above, the internal acceleration valves (which allow for smooth starting under power) will close once the “motor” side of the system builds up a certain pressure due to being rotated by the tractor’s motion. When the valves close (unless there is a lot of internal wear) the transmission locks up. (The locking up is a good thing, as it means that in normal operation there is little to no pumped fluid bypassing the hydro motor meaning it’s very efficient. The inefficiency of hydros comes largely from the friction of moving the oil around and the heat it generates.) ’93-’96 520-H Owners manual: HAND PUSHING TRACTOR Hand push tractor only. Do not tow. Towing can cause severe damage to hydrostatic transmission. Hydrostatic transmission tractors can be pushed at a slow speed. To do this, move motion control lever fully forward; tractor will then move when pushed. Transaxle service manual HYDROSTATICTRANSMISSION 1. Rear wheels should "lock up" if tractor is pushed at about walking speed. This is a rough check of transmission condition. If all other parts of the system are good and tractor’s wheels do not lock, it is likely that transmission has excessive internal wear or an internal failure. Conduct a charge pressure and power test.

If you use linseed oil for anything the most important consideration is the fire hazard associated with the cotton cloth you apply it with. Always take the cloth outside of your building, spread it out and let it air dry where there is good ventilation. The risk for spontaneous combustion if linseed oil is absorbed by porous organic material (cotton waste or rag). This oxidation, which give rise to heat can happen even at room temperature, but raised temperature increases the risk.

Brush on and walk away.

There is linseed oil and boiled linseed oil. Both used in the business of refinishing wood. Neither is applied hot. One will give wood a more aged look. Neither will do anything for painted metal.

Years and years of plowing means a lot of vibration and twisting forces were sent into the rear axle bracket and you NEED to look at the rear plate on the frame where the Unidrive bolts on to check for visual cracks. If it is cracked, it can be fixed, but requires disassembling it to repair / reinforce the frame right. Also check the condition of the lower steering support - it is cast iron and WILL break if the frame twists. This 854 parts tractor frame was used only for plowing - frame is cracked and twisted, yet fixable.....

The A-xxxx serial numbers were first used in 1962 for attachments and the tractors used a 62-xxxx serial. The serial tags left over from 1962 got used on the following years until they were used up. In 1964 the last of the A-xxxxx attachment tags got applied to tractors. Click on the tractor in the link to see what has surfaced.

Just some off the cuff ride around shots.

Ok, ok. 50. I was working from memory, which is nowhere as dependable as it used to be.

More show pics... EB might like this first one... Wild Bill with his ride around Simplecity

Very cool. One question - Can it handle a 60" WH mower deck?

You might have a decent option there too. Dave I ain't not never sayed I were bright.

The BBT and I have held much counsel over tractor colors. We've concluded that Oliver green is allowed. The other green is not. 😂

Believe it or not this isn't a huge concern. If you can tell one end of a box wrench from a ball peen hammer you'll be just fine. @stevasaurus has a bunch of good videos out there. I made one about splitting the case open. Easy peasy.

@JCM Jim check out this thread, it kind of answers the question you asked me about pushing the tractor.

I’m no expert but I am pretty sure water is not suppose to be dripping from the rear end…. Looks like I will be tearing into my first rear end/gearbox down the road…

That'll free up a few billion gigs of memory...

Damn did that make me laugh!! Eric…you’re outa here 🤣🤣

As rmaynard said, you do not boil the linseed oil and apply it hot! You use boiled linseed oil. I don't think it's a magic solution to paintwork. There are better products you can use made for the job.

The really cheap rolled up ones work great. They roll right to the wheel all around and i just used gorilla tape to keep it from sliding off...

Works beautifully on metal and fiberglass...

Good answers folks. Thanks. The location is the challenge. I can't pull/push etc with another tractor slowly because of lack of traction going uphill. I do like the sled under rear axle idea. @OldWorkHorse Steve this is for your other machine here.

just knowing what inside of an 1100 makes it a no no to tow. here is what have learned about it. when towing or pushing the oil from the output side is greater than the input side and a intensification of pressure can occur. the check valves prohibit the oil from back flowing into the charge system and to the sump. there are o-rings in the unit that can be compromised due to this high pressure. you could get away with towing slow on older machines with "wear" as this oil can bypass the input. if you notice when pushing an 1100 you can hear those click it t clacks. (it means you got a good tight one) that is the acceleration valves. I usually tow or push xi machines that have a neutral on the trans and this is not a issue, on the other machines with no neutral I will trailer them or use the FEL under the back wheels to go longer distance. to be safe I would stick to slow hand push only.

Hopefully my daughter will continue my collection.

Eric, thanks for your response! I've picked up 5 W H tractors that the owner left out for a long time. Haven't really checked on whether the motors run, the decks can be used OK, or even found out what models I have! Hope I can save them. I have a GT1142 and GT1100 completely torn down to the frame I want to refurbish. One of them my wife had when we married and that got me started on my interest in Wheel Horse's 20 years ago. I'll be 80 yoa Sept. 1, so probably got in over my head but it keeps me going! Sorry for being so long winded!! r responding

Who REALLY did the heavy work here???