1997 Wheel Horse 520H Questions

[ssarg95 1]

My dad gifted me his old wheel horse lawn mower. It is a 1997 (I believe) 520 Hydro (MN: 73502)   I have been using it to mow my yard for several years. The deck is in really bad shape from a gumball tree I have.  The deck is a 48'' MN 78360.  I was curious what year range this deck worked for and if there were any other deck years that would fit the 1997 mower.   Any recommendations for finding a replacement deck?  Or best to buy a mower that has a deck that fits?  I am about to move and will have ~1 acre to mow so a different mower altogether may be what I do, but looking at my options.  

 

Thanks in advance

[ri702bill 8,823]

Look thru the Interchange Chart...

 

 

[8ntruck 7,287]

to the forum.

 

The 520 is a good machine.  Just about any deck that Wheel Horse built since the early 1970s will fit your tractor, as the interchange chart posted by @ri702bill shows.  Keep an eye in the classified portion of this forum.  42" and 48" decks come up frequently.  

 

I'm on the lookout for a 48" deck myself.  Given our locations, we might be looking in the same pool of possible sellers.

 

This forum is a wonderful place for most anything Wheel Horse related.  I'm convinced that the folks here have broken and fixed just about anything that can be broken and fixed on a Wheel Horse.  Best of all, the folks here are share help and advice.

[ssarg95 1]

47 minutes ago, 8ntruck said:

to the forum.

 

The 520 is a good machine.  Just about any deck that Wheel Horse built since the early 1970s will fit your tractor, as the interchange chart posted by @ri702bill shows.  Keep an eye in the classified portion of this forum.  42" and 48" decks come up frequently.  

 

I'm on the lookout for a 48" deck myself.  Given our locations, we might be looking in the same pool of possible sellers.

 

This forum is a wonderful place for most anything Wheel Horse related.  I'm convinced that the folks here have broken and fixed just about anything that can be broken and fixed on a Wheel Horse.  Best of all, the folks here are share help and advice.

I see that that model mower deck works for anything from 1993-1997. I do not see where it shows that the 48'' deck from prior to '93 would work for my 520H.  Maybe i am reading the interchange table wrong

[c-series don 9,315]

@8ntruck is correct, any 42-48” deck from a C-series or 300,400,500 series will fit. Except a 60” deck unless you have a forward swept front axle. 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,195]

Best option is a deck that uses blades with a 3/4 center hole. Early decks used blades with a 5/8" x 3/4" double-D hole which are now hard if not impossible to find.

Not sure a 42" side discharge deck will fit. Possibly rear tire clearance. A 42" rear discharge or recycler deck will fit.

 

Note - 3/4" or .750" is 19.05mm

1977 model 75-48MS02 - Uses 6203 bearings with 3/4" ID - (First deck to use blades with 3/4" center hole) - Originally had a nylon-insert nut holding spindle pulley on.

1978 model 85-48MS01 - Uses 6203 bearings with 3/4" ID - Originally had a nylon-insert nut holding spindle pulley on.

1979 model 95-48MS00 - Uses 6203 bearings with 3/4" ID - Originally had a nylon-insert nut holding spindle pulley on.

1979 model 95-48MS01 - Uses 6203 bearings with 3/4" ID - Originally had a nylon-insert nut holding spindle pulley on.

1980 model 05-48MS01 - Uses 6203 bearings with 3/4" ID - Originally had a nylon-insert nut holding spindle pulley on.

1981-1983 model 05-48MS02 - Uses 6203 bearings with 3/4" ID - Originally had a nylon-insert nut holding spindle pulley on.

1984 model 05-48MS03 - Uses 6203 bearings with 3/4" ID - Originally had a nylon-insert nut holding spindle pulley on.

 

Note - 17mm is .669"

1985 model 05-48MS04 - Uses 6203 bearings with 17mm ID - Originally had a standard nut and lockwasher holding spindle pulley on. Single rear shaft for 2 rollers

1986-1988 model 05-48MS05 - Uses 6203 bearings with 17mm ID - Originally had a standard nut and lockwasher holding spindle pulley on. Single rear shaft for 2 rollers

1987-1988 model 05-48SC01 - Uses 6203 bearings with 17mm ID - Originally had a standard nut and lockwasher holding spindle pulley on. Single rear shaft for 2 rollers

1989 model 15-48SC01 - Uses 6203 bearings with 17mm ID - Originally had a standard nut and lockwasher holding spindle pulley on. Two rear shafts for 2 rollers

1990 model 15-48SC02 - Uses 6203 bearings with 17mm ID - Originally had a standard nut and lockwasher holding spindle pulley on. Two rear shafts for 2 rollers

1991-1992 model 15-48SC03 - Uses 6203 bearings with 17mm ID - Originally had a standard nut and lockwasher holding spindle pulley on. Two rear shafts for 2 rollers

1993-1997 model 78360 - Uses 6203 bearings with 17mm ID - Originally had a standard nut and lockwasher holding spindle pulley on. Two rear shafts for 2 rollers

1998-2007 and 2009-12 model 78361 - Uses 6203 bearings with 17mm ID - (These all use blades with 3/4" center hole) - Originally had a standard nut and lockwasher holding spindle pulley on. Two rear shafts for 2 rollers

[cleat 6,894]

30 minutes ago, c-series don said:

@8ntruck is correct, any 42-48” deck from a C-series or 300,400,500 series will fit. Except a 60” deck unless you have a forward swept front axle. 

The 42" side discharge deck will not fit with the wide tires on the 520 as the deck wheels will hit the tractor tires.

You are best off looking for another 48" deck.

As Gwest_ca said, also try and find a later one that uses standard blades.

 

What exactly is wrong with your deck ?

 

 

 

[JCM 9,964]

1 hour ago, cleat said:

The 42" side discharge deck will not fit with the wide tires on the 520 as the deck wheels will hit the tractor tires.

You are best off looking for another 48" deck

 

    

 

 

[lynnmor 7,514]

 

Your 1997 is the newest 520H tractor you can buy, please don't call this fine machine "an old wheel horse lawn mower."

 

The sweet gum balls are probably the best thing for your deck since they will help clean the grass buildup that is what caused the deck rot.  Always clean the deck after each use if you want it to last.

[c-series don 9,315]

@gwest_ca @cleat you guys are correct, I didn’t think about the tires hitting the gauge wheels with a 42” deck. I think even though the early 520’s came with 23x10.50’s I believe they didn’t have the deep dish wheels that made the tires sit out more. Full disclaimer: I am not a 520 expert! 😂 

[23 Reo 229]

48" is the way to go. I wedged a 42" side discharge on to my 95 520 once and it did mow but the deck wheels were too close to the rear tractor wheels.

[ssarg95 1]

18 hours ago, cleat said:

The 42" side discharge deck will not fit with the wide tires on the 520 as the deck wheels will hit the tractor tires.

You are best off looking for another 48" deck.

As Gwest_ca said, also try and find a later one that uses standard blades.

 

What exactly is wrong with your deck ?

 

 

 

The metal had become weak over the years - grass doing fine which is all my dad dealt with. 1st year of mowing my place, the sweet gumballs shot holes through the deck everywhere.  I have about a 9''W x 4''H opening in the front of the mower and a 3''D opening near the discharge on top. Just getting too dangerous for flying objects.  

[oliver2-44 10,145]

I bought a C101 last fall with a 42” deck that had significant fiberglass hole repair. PO said he did the fiberglass 10 years ago and mowed 2 acres with it. Now the rest of the deck was worn out. 

[daveoman1966 3,772]

The 48" deck I use on my Bronco 14 (1972) is from a 1975 C-160.  I made this "Upgrade" in 1995 or so and ---to this day---no more rust or rot-out. I cost me no more than a single 'C' note and is a perfect permanent fix---

I also had the problem of deck-rot out from rust.  My solution:  I made a Stainless Steel liner for the 48" deck.  Not difficult to do.  Just strip EVERYTHING off the deck...EVERYTHING.  Flip it and make a cardboard template of the FLAT are of the deck shell...to include the rear slope and ALL mounting holes.  Use that template & cut a SS sheet metal to exact shape of the deck shell and BOLT it in place...all except the 3 spindles.  

Next, cut a strip of SS metal about 5 to 6" wide and long enough to form the ONE-PIECE front and sides of the deck. Locate the APPROXIMATE 'corner' bends of this strip and make 1" cuts so it will form around the left and right corner sides without crumpling.  This strip should also overlap-- by at least one inch-- the main flat SS piece already bolted in place.  Having made an approximate fit, use several 'C' clamps to hold in place. Drill 6 or 8 holes thru the front and sides to mount permanently.  Now, using a Ball-Peen hammer, gradually hammer the 1" 'overlap'  to better fit the contour of the front and side.