Wheel Horse 520H Hydro lift arm

[lynnmor 7,308]

35 minutes ago, Mister_520H said:

Hmm. Perhaps flipping the seat forward as you said would help. Do you leave the forward brackets installed or remove them with the seat bracket? I always leave the springs mounted. 

I only remove the 4 bolts that go down thru the fender.  If you have 2 long bolts with the heads cut off they can be used to guide.

[Ed Kennell 38,227]

2 hours ago, Mister_520H said:

Handy,

 

 What is this “big show” you speak of and where is it held? That sounds like a good idea. 

The Big Show  and other shows and events are on our Red Square calendar found on the upper right corner of our home page .     Just click on for all the details.

[cleat 6,052]

30 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

I only remove the 4 bolts that go down thru the fender.  If you have 2 long bolts with the heads cut off they can be used to guide.

And leave the lift assist shock off until the seat is bolted down if you have one.

[Handy Don 12,237]

Ok, I don’t know what calendar I was looking at, but the show is Thursday-Sunday after Fathers’ Day, June 20-23. Thursday is a “set-up” day but usually pretty busy.

 

 

Edited May 27 by Handy Don

[mrc 812]

hello mister 520H,

 

   i will have to look and see where i got the 8 inch deck wheels. i cannot remember right now.   it was NOT tractor supply. 

   thru a twist of fate i have many extra's.    i would sell you a set for small money plus shipping. 

   pm me for details if interested.

 

regards

mike

 

 

[Mister_520H 57]

Mike,

 

 I’m interested. I’ll send you a pm. Thanks

 

 So I inherited my granddad’s horse and a “parts tractor” from my old man a few years ago. They’re in the queue but dang the queue is long.  Anyone know much about these units?

 

First photo is my grandpas wheel horse, second parts. He bought it new back in the 50’s I believe. Used it in the yard on the family farm down in Enon Valley. 

[Handy Don 12,237]

42 minutes ago, Mister_520H said:

This one is most probably a 1963 or 1964. Round hood with the dashboard integrated with the fuel tank and the two-spoke steering wheel. The belt guard would normally have an indented rectangle with a decal of the model (603, 653, or 854 for example based on horsepower, engine manufacturer, recoil or electric start, and model year) so it may be off an earlier ’61 or ’62.

 

 

42 minutes ago, Mister_520H said:

This one is 1970 plus or minus a year or two. The Six Speed was the start of the high/low range in the 1-2-3-R gearbox, so six forward  speeds. These were also 10-pinion and Limited Slip differentials.

 

These are in remarkably good condition with what appear to be original tires and paint. 

 

Lucky you!

Edited May 28 by Handy Don

[Mister_520H 57]

Handy,

 

 Great info. I really don’t know much at all about them. Sadly my grandfather passed when I was 4 years old so my memories are few but I’d like to get his running, which according to my father shouldn’t take much. He gave me an extra motor or two, a rebuilt starter and boxes of parts as well as the original deck for the earlier tractor. Now I’m itching to pull it out and get it into my workshop. There just isn’t enough time in the day for all the work and projects I want to do. I have no idea how anyone could ever be bored. When he gave these tractors to me he said his dad’s would just need a new battery and it would run. That was only about 5 years ago now. 

I’m a child of the 80’s and have vivid memories of watching my father pull start our old wheel horse with a rope that seemed to be nothing more than a regular old scrap of rope with a knot in it. It was a slightly later model than these I’d guess but could’ve been 70’s. It wasn’t new at the time. I’ll have to ask him about it but here’s a photo of one that looks similar to my memory. 
 

 

[Handy Don 12,237]

Many machines in my youth started using a knotted rope with a wood handle.

I was thrilled that my dad would stand back and let me do the honors! 

 

By the time I was a teen forget electric start, I would have been happy with a recoil. 

[Mister_520H 57]

I’m looking to improve the performance of my 60” deck and would love some blade specific feedback. I’m currently running standard blades that I sharpen regularly but I’ve read good reviews on some of the more modern designs that apparently produce better mulching results etc. 
 

Has anyone used these and if so, good experiences? If not, is there another design offered amongst guys running the big deck? 
 

Thanks!