GT1800 Hydro refresh for our friends!

[ebinmaine 67,415]

Trina and I have been looking for a tractor for friends of ours. 

We've had several people contact us. We decided to go with this GT1800 from @Jayzauto  

Here's me Bear 🐻 EB driving it outta his shop. 

 

 

We picked up a cab and wheel weights for this rig  as well.

Also got a Single Stage Tall Chute Snowblower for me to try out. 

We already have a Dual Stage Snowblower that @PWL216 was nice enough to drop by the house last week.  

Our friends machine will be outfitted with that. 

I'll supply a 48" mowing deck too. 

They'll have a good complete outfit...

And even better.... BBT as the Lead Maintenance Technician.   

 

Trina started tearing into the GT1800 today.  

 

Here's a pile of pics in no particular order.  

 

We'll have a few questions coming up as we've had VERY little experience with the 80s rides.  

 

 

[c-series don 8,687]

Ha! I see the Rolle Brothers decal on it, and also can tell it’s a 1984. There’s a good chance that tractor and my Work Horse sat on the showroom floor together! Their showroom was like a car dealer, with huge plate glass windows but instead of cars it was full of Wheel Horses. The decal shows a picture of the building to kinda give you an idea of what I’m talking about. I’d be happy to answer any questions you have Eric. If I can!!! 

[c-series don 8,687]

@ebinmaine Looks like he has another one in the corner?

[ebinmaine 67,415]

Just now, c-series don said:

Ha! I see the Rolle Brothers decal on it, and also can tell it’s a 1984. There’s a good chance that tractor and my Work Horse sat on the showroom floor together! Their showroom was like a car dealer, with huge plate glass windows but instead of cars it was full of Wheel Horses. The decal shows a picture of the building to kinda give you an idea of what I’m talking about. I’d be happy to answer any questions you have Eric. If I can!!! 

 

Much appreciated Don!! 

 

[ebinmaine 67,415]

Just now, c-series don said:

@ebinmaine Looks like he has another one in the corner?

Yepp ..  that was an 11 series I think?? 

[Pullstart 62,834]

Awesome story so far!

[Horse Newbie 7,067]

That’s a Work Horse… not a bonafide Wheel Horse…

They were marketed to consumers who didn’t wanna shuck the bucks for a real Wheel Horse

Edited October 17, 2023 by Horse Newbie

[Horse Newbie 7,067]

Well I was gonna see who jumped me first…

To be straight up, I agree with @c-series don, who I believe has said something to the effect of Work Horses are Wheel Horses through and through. more than once.

I love my 1984 Work Horse GT-1600.

I was just seeing what would happen, but no one wasted their energy…😆

[JoeM 7,873]

Good looking machine, looks like it was adult driven too!

Those are the most fun just tinkering and tuning maybe a bit of paint. 

 

Got to keep that choke on yap shut.

Or shove a rag in it. 

Don't ask.  

[kpinnc 12,002]

11 hours ago, Horse Newbie said:

Well I was gonna see who jumped me first…

To be straight up, I agree with @c-series don, who I believe has said something to the effect of Work Horses are Wheel Horses through and through.

 

Your Work Horse definitely qualifies as the real thing. Same for Don's. 

 

When compared to what JD and Cub did with their "big store" models, it's a completely different animal. Mechanically the same machine with different engines, tires, and a few bells and whistles. But still a bleeping HD garden tractor!

[ebinmaine 67,415]

54 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

bells and whistles

 

Do we know what those were?

 

I find it interesting that if this was built in 1984, it was the most powerful except a d series, and the 18 HP has the heavy duty 1100 transmission.

 

 

[Horse Newbie 7,067]

Here’s some inspiration…

[Lee1977 6,656]

There are two weak places that need reinforcing on the 85 and later models. First a flange bearing bolted to the upper hood stand to support the steering sha

I use the 6472 like on the lower steering shaft bolted below the upper hood stand. The second is the lower hood stand where the gas tank and fender support bolts up.

I can see cracks around the bolt hole on the right side. I used 1/8" x 1 1/2" on top under the shifter plate with a short piece below bolted in with the existing bolts. You'll need to notch out for the belt release.

 

The bells and whistles. It's a basic 300 series with Briggs engine, 1100 transmisson and gray paint.

Edited October 17, 2023 by Lee1977

[953 nut 55,182]

14 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Here's me Bear 🐻 EB driving it outta his shop.

@Jayzauto has on a coat and long pants an @ebinmaine is in shorts and a t-shirt. Someone forgot about the changing seasons.        

Edited October 17, 2023 by 953 nut
fat finger

[bds1984 1,429]

31 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Do we know what those were?

 

I find it interesting that if this was built in 1984, it was the most powerful except a d series, and the 18 HP has the heavy duty 1100 transmission.

 

 

I'd put an asterisk next to that.  I love the Briggs flat twins, but having both engines in tractors, I don't think I'd say it is more powerful than a K341 per say.  But, and this is a big but, don't forget there was this little tractor made in 1984 called the C195.  I had one and sold it, regrettably. 

[ebinmaine 67,415]

43 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

shorts and a t-shirt

Richard I never did say I was The brightest bulb on the tree....

It's possible I might run a little warmer than most. 🥵

[ebinmaine 67,415]

[ebinmaine 67,415]

[Horse Newbie 7,067]

7 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Paint department…

[kpinnc 12,002]

11 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Do we know what those were?

 

Less instrumentation, cheaper tires, thinner castings on things like the pedals, cheaper stamps on the rear fender. The engines were obviously cheaper that a Kohler equivalent of the time.

 

I'm sure there are other things, but even with these a Work Horse is massively heavy duty compared to some stamped frame JD or Cub. 

[Horse Newbie 7,067]

4 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

Less instrumentation, cheaper tires, thinner castings on things like the pedals, cheaper stamps on the rear fender. The engines were obviously cheaper that a Kohler equivalent of the time.

 

I'm sure there are other things

[kpinnc 12,002]

Perhaps I should've said "less expensive" instead of cheaper.

 

Absolutely nothing cheap about a Work Horse! 

[Horse Newbie 7,067]

@kpinnc
Just poking… I should be more observant. 
I should know more about Wheel Horses, but Wheel Horses are like Jr. High school…

 

I’m having so much fun, I forget to study…

😆

Edited October 18, 2023 by Horse Newbie

[Horse Newbie 7,067]

6 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

Perhaps I should've said "less expensive" instead of cheaper

No worries… got to have thick skin on the Redsquare… 

[kpinnc 12,002]

36 minutes ago, Horse Newbie said:

I’m having so much fun, I forget to study…

 

I'm using that one! 

 

No need for thick skin. I've seen and driven your Work Horse, and it's one of the nicest machines ever in my opinion. I would be proud to own it!