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Well, I guess that puts me back on topic as well! (albeit a temporary mount) 

I added a "peep hole" on my Onan just to make sure I could inspect the fins without removing all the tins. I just added snap-in plastic plugs to ensure airflow wasn't lost. Worked very well just to inspect between disassembly and cleaning. The hole is large enough to allow a compressed air nozzle to pass if debris needs removal in a pinch. @Red Stallion All of this may seem a bit like overkill, but a good running Onan is worth the trouble. This is especially true if the machine will be mowing in hot weather. The Onan has massive air flow near the nose of the cutting deck and left wheel, and tends to ingest blown clippings regularly. But you can see the theme here: protect the cooling of the rear cylinder as much as possible. We'll never have confirmed test results, but every little bit helps to ensure you get more life from that engine. My 520-H carried a 60 inch deck in the hot humid summers I live in for several years without issue, and this engine was around 1,000 hours on the clock as well.

No snow here but brrr cold so hard water fishing ... should be working on horse projects.

Got my tires mounted up. One side painted and mounted. They look good, but they are very small. I had read they ran a little on the small side, but I didn't realize just how small they are. No complaints other than how hard they are to put on. They won't come off the wheels for a long time, that is for certain. At least not by me doing it.

Taryl will be so confused...

I beg to differ Bill. I think they have their good. better & best. In today's throw away mentality however the best is seldom seen. Offshores are giving them a run for the money. It seems that plastic cam gears, intake manifolds and now even complete carbs are the norm. Sure there are advances in plastics and manufacturing but with us old skool coots they are are a hard pill to swallow.

Probably just paid Cheech & Chong a few baggies

I didn’t do anything to the tractors, just picked up some of the parts lot I bought from Eric, @ebinmaine. At some point, I’ll get the last bit. Maybe this spring once it’s warmer. The ideas are a flowing though. I got bit by a horse😁

Well at least she ain't spoiled.

Life is better if I let her win ...

"I'll just fix this one thing. Should be quick and easy..."

I cut my belt guard in two, you don't need it on a hydro like you do on an 8 speed.

I thought I would start a dedicated thread where I can put all my questions, and document my restoration journey. And also ask the brain trust for advice and guidance as I go. I posted in another thread, and was quickly advised that because I live in Australia, I should consider the mod to remove the tins and and increase airflow around back cylinder. Are the tins people referring to, the heat shield looking things around the cylinder head? I have pulled off all the panels, and plan to get them blasted and then repaint. Then it needs a good bath and it has a lot of build up of dirty and lawn clippings.

Even the big box stores of yesterday had a decent basic tractor that could mow grass and pull a wagon for years. I have a garage we deliver oil to every so often, one time he had an old probably early to mid 70's Montgomery wards tractor ....in great shape sitting out front - looking it over he said it mowed grass for years - now uses it to pull the cars and trucks in the garage that won't start - I just pondered it all day thinking of the green ones that passed through my neighborhood people paid 5-7k - broke 75% time and/or the transmissions couldn't handle the slight hills here with a rider . Me and my 40 year old horses watched a lot plastic green/orange stuff come and go broken - I did sell one neighbor a horse so he could lose his plastic green .

The TaperLock by its design squeezes down onto the shaft on its full diameter.Properly torqued, should be just fine...

Let me climb back up on my 55 yo. box. Quality isn't really important. We, USA consumers, can not afford to continue the financing of the CCP. Nothing political, just basic Military Science 101.

Just to confirm for anyone finding this topic at a later date.. I measured my axle and it is 1" on the 1983 WorkHorse GT-1642 with 8 speed trans..

National Bagel Day is January 15. Bagels have a history that is richer than your favorite cream cheese spread! These rounds of dough can be found just about anywhere: breakfast joints, coffee shops, supermarkets, or even your kitchen pantry. In fact, 2018 saw more than 354 million bagels sold. The beginnings of the modern bagel can be traced to the Polish obwarzanek, a thin, boiled, then baked ring of dough.

Just finished my poppy (lightly toasted and buttered) with a dark roast coffee. No drug tests scheduled!

A little late, but thank you. Engine tins, shrouds, heat shields, call it what you like. This is the ductwork that directs the cooling air over the engine cooling fins. Unfortunately the flywheel fan also sucks up grass clippings and blows them across the cooling fins where they become stuck if there is any leaking oil on the fins. Remove the ductwork Locate and repair any oil leaks..look closely around the oil filter base plate Clean the fins..do not paint Remove the heads and decarbon the chamber Set the valves Seal the oil filter to the duct work with the grommet or if not available make your own with a peel and stick door insulation. Does venting the belt guard improve air flow across the rear cylinder But it will not restrict it I do not use my 520 or any twin engine tractor for mowing. IMO they are inefficient using excessive fuel that is converted to heat instead of HP. I only use 10 and 12 HP singles for mowing and dedicate the the 520 to winter snow removal. It excels in this duty using all that heat to warm the cab. Just my based on my limited experience.

Toasted regular whole wheat piled high with extra chunky peanut butter and orange marmalade. Had to have one this morning.

Onion bagel,onion baked in, not on. Toasted with cream cheese.

I never seen one in person, and maybe not even on Classic Tractor Fever. There were 3 versions, two with Chrysler 6 cylinder engines made in 1951 and 1952. And one with a 4 cylinder engine made in 1941-42 called the Twin Row. This one, I believe, is a Twin Row. AQOYdvuhcGcYYR3LUZxDzPg3gdNLP6h7_p_fXR8hQlxPgmwvpxULafc6wuiJqXsuy-QnzLc7YYMKmUuURSomq5Dm.mp4

V twins don't have this issue...

Wheel Horse Makes it But Rehlko Skakes It ? @Vinylguy better get busy making new decals.

What's next ? Gigbrs & Nattorts

I want to agree with this, but my dad used to joke that this is why WH went out of business in the first place. They made them so good you bought one and never had to buy another. The fact that my 855 is still going at 60 years old is kind of evidence that he may not have been wrong.

John Kohler (1844-1900) started the Kohler Co. in Sheboygan, WI in 1873 making plows and farm implements. In 1920, Kohler Co. started to make engines. John's son, Herb Kohler Sr. (1891-1968) took over running the company from his father. Then, Herb Kohler Jr. (1939-2022) took over for his father. In 2019, the engine division was relocated from Kohler, WI. to Hattiesburg, MS. It is my understanding the reason for the move was to try and make the engine business profitable. As many of us know the deep south has a highly unskilled labor force along with high turnover which results in quality issues. It is also my understanding Stanley/Black & Decker, after acquiring MTD, was interested in purchasing the engine division but decided to purchase less expensive engines built in China. FYI, a 22HP Predator from Harbor Freight is $950 versus a Kohler Command 22HP is $2500, 2.6 times the cost. How can you compete? After Herb Kohler Jr's. death in Sept. 2022, both the engine and generator division was sold to Platinum Equity in May 2024. My understanding is Platinum Equity is the same firm that acquired Tecumseh.

Size? Brand?

105763 is 1-1/8 105762 1"

Deailing with A-to-Z will be helpful if (as is likely) your axle is munged around the woodruff key slot. Avoiding the transaxle disassembly needed to replace an axle can make the cost of the taper lock hub look pretty reasonable!

I can get my calipers out and measure my hub / axle to be sure but I've read a lot over the years that the 8speed work horse has 1" and the hydros have 1- 1/8.. but what part number correlates to what size? LOL I use Jacks and other sites more for looking up parts for part numbers.. as above reply states.. I get the number and then go search for that number often times finds a brand new part much cheaper.. Thanks to Paul for the parts download pdf.. now I don't have to use these sites to look up the numbers..

Partstree lists 2, not sure of the difference. https://www.partstree.com/models/a1-164202-gt-1642-toro-garden-tractor-1983/wheels-and-tires-22/

Use a proper puller. They are a little pricey for my hobby. I can save them.

Should be a one inch axle. A-Z sells a taper lock hub that will work with a damaged keyway.

What a great idea. If my engine tins ever need to come off, several peep/cleanout holes will be punched.

The only job title more dangerous than "engineer". ...And as an engineer, I fully agree with my statement!

Eh... @WHX?? I'm noticing her's is bigger...

whhhaaa? Crazy talk I tell ya. Crazy talk. 🤪

I added 120lbs to the front axle this year, it made a world of difference vs nothing before except washer fluid in the tires. I've never needed down pressure but my font end would get pushed around when the plow was angled.

gwest --ca (File Mod) should be along soon to give you a list. I'm no help we don't need them down here.

While I agree this doesn't affect decades-old engines, I still think it's sad to see any successful manufacturer "sign off" after such a storied history. Yeah, I know most of us wouldn't purchase anything they've built in the past 15 years. But this being a sign of our times is still a downer. The days of quality and longevity being part of a company mission statement are now a thing of the past. It's not only sad, it's also a bit frightening in my opinion. Of course that discussion is a slippery slope within our forum guidelines. Our history included a bit of pride in our manufacturing standards. We had as many flops as successes, but overall quality has suffered greatly as we outsourced so much. When everything is junk- down to the building material itself, that's a problem.

Kohler would probably be gone completely if they didn't get bought out. Just like Cub Cadet would be gone if it weren't for MTD. Our Wheel Horses were built till 2007 (18 years ago) You think Kohler would still be making Valves and pistons for a K181 today? Heck WH got bought out by AMC and bought out again. Where is the thread complaining about TORO on the side of our 520H's. Kohler was a big company with engines, pluming and generators. It happened to be purchased by a power generating company. The stock holders approved a sale to Platinum Energy and it's stockholders decided to change the name to Rehlko. As far as our tractors are concerned, This is a lot about nothing. The hospital I work at announced an "affiliation" with a big city hospital about a year and a half ago. They said it was not a take over. Well money was spent for all new signs at every campus with the city hospital in giant letters and the old name in small letters. They want us to shave 6% off of our operating budget but want to re-paint the entire interior in the city colors. The IT dept is taking over office space like it's going out of style. I tell the boys you can use the word " affiliation" but it is getting taken over slowly but surely. So either accept the change or do without. (company closing)

A properly installed taper lock hub is a good investment in several ways.... requires even torque to seat and MUST be installed on an axle that is not chewed up. It may be used either with or without a woodruff key. It ie easy to install and remove later on - it is it's own puller! It is transferrable to another Unidrive of the same axle diameter - The inner TaperLok bushing should be of an Industry standard design - there are different sized "families" - MAY be possible to change to a storebought 1" bushing???

There were two versions of Montgomery Wards tractors; pre World War Two and Post World War Two. I did a Tractor Trivia post on them last year.

We have had a few days of light flurries so I thought I might as well give the driveway a quick cleanup. Yes it is gravel so I have the blade raised up a bit on it's skids.

RIP Jim , you will be missed by us all . I remember the first time we met at the 2016 show . He came up to me and introduced himself and said you must be Jeff “ACman” . I said what gave me away the tracked chair I’m in or the T-shirt with my profile picture and ACman printed in big bright red letters on the front . We both had a good laugh and talked for about a half hour . I’m in disbelief that I totally missed this and came across Seeing the green statues of his name

520-8 … Kerosene flush and drain of the transmission and two qts of 80/90 back in. Will most likely do a better flush when it’s not so darn cold here. Removed the garage door spring and installed the proper clutch return spring. Speaking of cold, it was 5 degrees over freezing this afternoon so I gave it a quick pressure wash.

And it doesn't take much. I used 3/8" foam under my steel pole barn roof....no indoor rain.

@ebinmaine Hey Eric, I’m not sure when the diamond plate was added or the decals were changed? It’s definitely been painted before, but again I’m not sure when. That tractor was given to me by an older gentleman who owned it for almost thirty years. He lives a few towns over and heard I collected Wheel Horse Tractors. He straight up gave it to me, said it wasn’t about the money but he wanted it to go to a good home where someone would appreciate it. The funny thing is that we have since become friends! He actually missed the tractor after giving it to me so he bought a C-125 and someone just gave him a C-160 8-Speed. The 125 had a damaged plastic fender pan so I gave him a metal one. The 160 needs axle seals, so I’m going to his place to help him with that. He saw my lift table and liked it so much that he went and bought one!! Currently he’s recovering from heart surgery so as soon as he is ready I’m going to help him. It’s really remarkable how many nice people that have become friends of mine through these tractors! I’ll post pictures when we do the seals.