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Did some trading with my buddy Ken b. He ended up with a really clean/mint 417-8 that I got from him a while back and I got a really clean, low hour 523dxi. I have not had much more than a little while this afternoon to start to mess around with it but I did manage to swap out the stock rear meats with a set of trails I had from another xi I had. So far this thing is strong. I have a nice 60” deck she will spin next summer and maybe back up snow machine this winter. As always great doing some trading with Ken!

Building the she shed……

Me n BBT and several friends spent a long weekend up in Andover Maine to celebrate Trina 🥳 🎉 🎊 turning 50! She and our friend climbed Puzzle Mountian in Grafton Notch State Park ME on Friday. All 5 of us hiked a loop around the incredibly beautiful Dunn's Falls trail Saturday.

Hey guys. New here and just bought my first ever tractor: a Wheel Horse 312-8. No idea on year or hours, as there is no hours meter, but she seems to run very well and I'm excited to learn how to maintain this! I have a ton of questions and I'm hoping I can get some help here, as google researching isn't turning up much for me, and obviously Wheel Horse is no longer in business. I bought the tractor today but didn't have a way to get it to me, so will have it later this week and can get some photos/details if needed. Anyone know how I can get a parts manual? I'd like to have one in case I run into issues later on, and also just to get the basics sorted out: Spark Plug, Air Filter, Tire size, Light Bulb size, belt(s) etc... I like to keep spare parts on hand and would like to get some now! Likewise, I'd like to have a service manual too if there exists one, or just a general owners manual. Need to know oil capacity, how to remove the deck (won't be mowing with this so removing the 42" deck), how to replace a tire, etc Speaking of manuals, I found a few online but they seem to be for the newer Toro Wheel Horse models. Not sure how much they align with the older models Anything I should know specifically about this model or Wheel Horses in general? I will be using it primarily for hauling carts of firewood to and from the house during the heating season, and maybe for moving dirt and mulch in the summer I know I need a new seat for the tractor and am overwhelmed and confused when googling online. Any idea how I can figure out what seat would fit this model? I'm thinking I could maybe sell the 42" deck if there is a market for it. Anyone know if they are worth selling? That's all I can come up with now. I'm sure I'll come up with more! Unfortunately I'm busy with work the next week or so but plan on taking off a day next week to give this thing some TLC: wash her down, clean up any rusty spots, oil change, clean the air filter, check the tires, etc. Thanks all for your advice and I'm excited to be here!

He never would have went off the cliff if he had been riding a TOUGH Wheel Horse!

You gonna put any sheathing on? Might be breezy and leaky if you don't.......

More work on the 308 after work. It’s a good 10 foot IH Red paint job, The tractor is a worker and was pretty rough to start with. I’m going to take off the panel on the side with the lift lever to paint as it has small stuff to mask off.

I actually met Don Knotts on more than one occasion back in the mid eighties. My friends dad was the caretaker and pilot for the owner of a small private island nearby here. The owner of the island was friends with Don and he was there on several occasions when I was there with the caretakers sons. As I remember he was a very nice guy. The funny thing was that where I grew up it actually was a bit like Mayberry and a touch of the movie On Golden Pond!! Although I wasn’t old enough to drive a car, (there was a one lane bridge to access it) I could go to this little island by taking my 15’ boat there. I miss those days…..

Well, Just got home from a road trip to pick up this 1980 C-145 with a deck & snow blade. The guy said he paid $100 to have a shop diagnose it & it needs a tuneup.... points & condenser,,,the P.O. was really sad to see it go & funny thing was, he actually said this, " send me pictures as you get it going again & I will probably by it back from ya..." little does he know that's probably Never gonna happen because 1 I really do Not want to sell 1 of these to someone who has No Idea how to take care of & or repair it. These are a piece of History much like classic cars but another realm.... 2 I doubt he will like the new Price when I am done nursing it back to health & the amount of time & labor involved to do anything like this weather it's a '69 Mustang or a 45 year old lawn mower.... & to those of us who Know, this aint just some old lawnmower. ok.... stepping off the soapbox now.... The Tune Up Should be easy enough as I was raised on that system. Gonna order that & a few other things tonight, The 257-H will get attention tomorrow. I am super stoked to have found this smokin' deal... the blade needs a few pieces of the necessary hardware but that won't hold Moo-Wah back.... The fender & seat are in the back of the truck. I didn't know the fender was plastic but ok maybe I can find a steel 1 somewhere.... the seat yeah that's gonna get replaced with a really nice 1 at some point. Just super happy to have another & a start on my "herd". Here are some pictures for All enjoy as well. More tomorrow....

Well, it’s not every day one sees anything quite like that.

Actually started on the walls yesterday. Run out of steam

Blade looks to be too tall for a grader blade unless used on a tractor with much taller wheels. The rear frame looks like a tiller hitch has been added. The rusty blade at the top left looks more like a grader blade.

The Mercedes 123 and 126 are the most durable cars ever made specially if they have the legendary 5 cylinder engine. I owned a 126 which I sold with over 700,000 miles and I still see it occasionally on the road. By no means it is a fluke. I know of at least 8 of them in my area within that mileage range. An absolute tank. Still today when I stop at a light next to one I roll down the window to listen to it and ask owner how many miles on it. The sound of the 5 cylinder engine is unmistakable and an absolute pleasure to listen to. Today’s Mercedes which I also owned a couple have absolutely nothing to do with those from that time. In my opinion not even deserving of the name.

This weekend, I managed to get the second coat of black silicone on this side of the roof, and laid down the strip of river rock along the house. The upper right part that looks a bit lighter was done a few weeks ago - it seems to pick up some dust & such and isn't as black and shiny.... going to see later if a little light scrubbing can return its fresh blackness. The off-white section to the top left is a screened porch, which I'm either going to just clean up better with a pressure wash, or may coat with white silicone because it can be like an oven in there. Not pictured but also got some seeding mats laid out on the bare ground to get some new grass started, and about 1/2 of the other side of the roof second-coated. If anyone feels inclined to refresh a ribbed metal roof with silicone, I have a few tips. Get a drum-type pressure washer attachment and get the metal really clean. Buy and use the special yellow primer - otherwise the stuff may not stick well. Either invest in the expensive grooved rollers for ribbed metal (about $65 each ) or just use a 4" roller with 1/2" or deeper nap - you'll have to make 3 passes on each section to get both sides of the ribs with the roller tilted, then down the middle. Expect to throw away the roller every time you take a break longer than a few hours even if you put it in a plastic bag, because the stuff turns to rubber very fast after air exposure. Also, be extra careful walking on the coating after it cures - if it's wet, it's extremely slippery, and if it's dry, even "clean" shoes will leave footprints. I'm pretty happy with the results. Still not sure why white coating is only about $100 per 5 gallons, but the black is about $450 per 5 gallons . Still cheaper than a new roof.

When are you planning on moving She to the shed?

I an inclined to look at the exhaust system, could be something in there that works its way into the path not allowing enough air flow. Since the Magnum needs no external input for ignition for testing purposes you could disconnect the wiring plug (oil level, charging, and magneto) to the engine and then start it by jumping the solenoid. This will eliminate all external inputs that could be preventing the magneto from working.

It was castration day for my lawn today. Sixty 5gal pails full of black walnuts from one tree. I personally do not like the taste of black walnuts. The removal of these nuts from my yard has most likely upset my local squirrel population, but I hear tell that there is a colony of squirrels that live about 4 miles from me that feel that they have hit the jack pot.

Try searching 312-8 in manuals section: https://www.wheelhorseforum.com/search/?&q=312-8&type=downloads_file&nodes=31,32,33&search_and_or=or

I must admit that I had to look at a parts diagram, but I think you mean these? If so, there was/is some very minor pitting but overall things look to be in good shape (not the best picture): Your question was well timed, I didn't think I needed to do anything else on the front axle but discovered that one of the spindles was nearly frozen. I don't remember noticing this originally, but it led me to do a little more dismantling and I'm glad that I did. Water must have gotten into both sides at some point, lots of nasty gunk and grit: I got everything cleaned, reinstalled and fresh grease added - what a difference! Both sides spin completely freely now so time well spent. Jonathan

This has been a week of electrical education regarding my WH. Thank you to all for your suggestions. The problem was the loose ground wire. I started to remove the solenoid and noticed what was left of the terminal connector on the stud. So it was for the case ground. I attached a new terminal, put everything back together and she started right up.

Have you had the tins of this mint low hr. Magnum? Mice like to chew on the coil wire under the tins

Me neither, so I can’t understand why the squirrels go crazy for them!

You guys might be on to something. I've noticed that this thing is WAY louder than the 05 Command. I've got to head to Valpo right now but my next move is a muffler check.

Yes, the 520 uses the same frame as the 300 and 400 series. Some of them have a reinforcement plate where the trans bolts up but the only thing you need is the proper length bolts (just a little longer).

Now in stock : perfect reproductions of the 113445 lift bars as found on most of the Wheel Horse tractors. Replace that worn, damaged or missing lift bar with a brand new piece . These are completely manufactured in house, no wait time for a supplier to get them to us, no time lost waiting for the painter, and at a fraction of the current list price from Toro ( $110.00 or more ). Our price is $45.00 plus shipping , continental US only. Please DO NOT COMMENT ON THIS POST! If you have questions , comments , or would like to purchase , private message me here or call / text during normal business hours. Do not e-mail as they don't get checked regularly.

Thanks Eric...you know I consider Maine my Second State since we lived there for 3 years. It never fails to remind me how beautiful it is each of the 4 seasons. Most people go there for vacation, but to actually live there for a period of time, you get to experience the 4 seasons that Maine gives you. Happy Birthday Trina !! My birthday wish would be to play 10 pin a few more times and go fishing at Flander's Pond out side Winter Harbor.

Here's what I did on my 1974 C160-8 Cinnamon Horse. Note: I have NOT YET added a 90⁰ brace as some of the later model HD spindles had. Still a future plan. These front wheels are 12" trailer wheels ordered from etrailer. The hubs are 2,000 lb axle rated trailer hubs. Same bolt pattern as the rears. 5 x 4.5. I bought a pair of the least expensive trailer axle stubs I could find. Like these: As you can see I cut the "trailer side" off. Had a friend with a lathe drill 3/4" holes (3" deep??) I used JB Weld to fasten the drilled trailer stub on to the stock Wheelhorse spindle. I know this Pic is a little tough to make out. The seal rides on the plain steel part where the stub axle was cut off.

Don't need a chip... turn off the tv.

@Beap52 that cave is very similar to Lost River Cave in Bowling Green Ky. Another collapsed cave with a river flowing into a cave. We happen to be in Bowling Green this week. Have driven by it several times. Been a couple of decades since we last took the tour, though. We have a shed project going in our 20 acre wood just outside of Bowling Green. Got the roof rafters and a couple of pieces of roof sheathing on yesterday. Bought the sheets of siding this morning and got it installed on 3 sides today. Going to get a few hours in on it tomorrow before we leave for MO. location. Pictures to follow at a later date.

Most any seat labeled universal will fit ... it's all a matter of personal preference. We can tell yer excited right Plunge?!?! That's a good thing!

You need to measure the center to center measurements on the seat and seat springs. Tractor supply etc for the seat. Maybe a member on here.

You guys rock Thanks for the reassurance. Hey, I have to be honest, I had no clue what Wheel Horse even was yesterday, so I can't really be picky with model numbers! I'm excited. I'll post some photos on Wed!

Wow she is gorgeous! I tried looking at the few pictures I took again, none of the rear end... however I did see this sliver of something on the back. They kind of look like reflectors more than taillights to me after seeing yours, so you could very well be right... is the 310-8 still a good thing? Any other differences I should know of?

We've spent the past few days looking over the mid-eastern part of our state of Missouri. Bonne Terre Mine is a closed lead mine that had been operated from mid 1800's until 1962. I think the mine is 5 levels and 500 feet deep. The mine is mostly flooded so water level is something like 150 feed below surface. Apparently it's a location that attracts scuba divers. We rode the pontoon boat around and toured the mine--see picture below. We visited a earth berm walled civil war fort and Elephant Rocks State Park, a closed granite quarry from 1800's, I wondered how a fellow strolling around 150 years ago would decide to open a lead mine or granite quarry. If I just wondered through those woods, there would have been nothing that caught my attention to the point of establishing a mining operation. The last place we visited was a state park near Missouri and Arkansas border. The state park consists of a collapsed cave, a couple hundred feet wide and 3/4 mile long and more than 130 feet deep. A cave like hole, probably 10 feet tall drains the collapsed cave into a spring some 6 miles away. The collapsed cave void can fill with rain water in a few hours time up to 100 feet deep and may take days or weeks to drain. Hopefully you can enlarge the second picture and read more details about the cave.

just down at my friends shop for a tire refresh , general GMAX tires , while there a mercedes 123 turbo diesel wagon , over 40 years old , 70 k miles on it ! original owner , no rust / rot , just a bushing on the CONSOL shifter ! first thing I said was what a car to , oil soak ! preserve what's there , lives in a dry garage , said like a freight train , solid strong bombproof , without question , one of the most durable cars ever built , worldwide , great to see a strong survivor , would still personally get oil lube in every body cravase , to enhance it , easy too , pete

I bought a used 1965 D-100 Dodge in 1976 while I was building my house. The odometer showed about 20K so I figured it was probably 120K. the slant six ran great and would haul quite a load. One day a fellow was looking at the truck in a parking lot when I came out of the store. Turns out he had driven the truck for a previous owner and told me it had over 400K on it. In 1987 I traded it in on a new Dakota, by then it had a bit over 500K on it, never had a bit of trouble with it.

What caught my attention was the diesel was smokeless. If I remember, the diesels back in those days usually had the side of the trailers blackened behind the exhaust. I was at a circle track race several years ago. I fellow, who looked rather out of place in his nice shirt and slacks, sat nearby. We talked some and he had done some acting with Don Knotts. He said Don was a nice guy, somewhat of a ladies man and actually rather shy.

Well I'll be dipped in chicken poo & dragged through peanuts! They have a hulling station less than an hours drive from me. Never knew

Ummm, no pictures????

I had a 314 Magnum with a bad coil and a bad coil wire to the coil wire plug that baffled me for a while, The coils are not too expensive but you have to remove all the from tins/motor housings . it turned ourt a mouse must have chewed on the wiring for a while but didn't get all the way through the wires. It was in a tight spot thought that could not easily be seen or repaired.

Clutch and brake linkages will not be the same but they can be made or sourced from a 300/400 series parts tractor.

Happy Happy Josh !

@Jason Miller looks like worth making an offer , on the engine smoke issue , first thing I regularly do on any unknown engine is to run it in on fresh fuel with KROIL IN THE FUEL , no screaming engine , amazing varnish / crud cutter , overall look see , pete

I have voted early and have selected my 2025 Medicare supplemental and pharmacy coverages. Now I need to have someone invent a chip that can be used to block all of these political ads and Medicare ad on TV. Looking forward to seeing heemraad cream and ambulance chaser attorney ads again.

Full overhaul. Most likely bore cylinder not just erring If engine smokes that makes me wonder what was really “”redone”. Be cautious that it wasn’t just a paint job. Chain the hydro to a tree and see if it will spin the wheels to test it b

Weather & sun would kill them.

Thanks man!! She says, I am two candles short... for sure...

Last day on the Delaware Bay. Back to Pa tomorrow to concentrate on deer hunting. Hard to believe MRS. K took some of her first steps on this same sand over 75 years ago.