Fair price for Wheel Horse 310-8?

[mwsmith84 2]

I was thinking about buying a 1990 wheel horse 310-8 that is in excellent condition.  The same guy has had it for the past 23 years and has taken great care of it.  I took it for a ride and cut some grass with it and everything works good.  The worst part of the whole tractor was a tear in the seat.  It comes with wheel weights and a barely used snow thrower.  I was going to pay $800 for everything and was just wondering what the experts here on RedSquare thought.

[AMC RULES 37,130]

Based on the condition you've described here, seems like a good pkg price to me. 

It's up to you and the seller to ultimately decide what's a fair price to pay.    

[bean 85]

I paid $550 for my 88 310-8. it had a rebuilt engine that was still in the break in period. it came with a 42" rd deck that is in great shape. I felt like that was a fair price. how many hours are on it?   $800 seems high to me, unless it has 250hrs and is in showroom condition. that is based on the area that I'm in. prices are higher in some parts of the country

condition is everything.

I just caught that it has a snow blower. if it is the same age,and in equal condition as the tractor, your probably in the right ballpark.

plastic wheel weights don't really add any value, if that is what they are.

Edited July 20, 2013 by bean

[cheesegrader 433]

I'm going to guess that we are talking about a single stage 42" snowthrower, and a 42" mower deck--most common on a 310.

Mechanically sound, no leaks, no smoke, all guages work.  

I'd make that deal unless you have a huge number of hours on the engine (over 1000).

Edited July 20, 2013 by cheesegrader

[Ken B 3,164]

i think the wheel weights add about 50-75 bucks into the deal, If you plan on using the snow thrower you are going to need a set. Not a bad package deal if its in EXCELLENT condition. i sold a mint 310-8 with only a mower deck and I got 850.00.

[mwsmith84 2]

The tractor has a 36" deck with a 42" snow thrower.  I appreciate everyones feedback so far I think I am going to try to pick it up tomorrow.  The tractor is in great condition.  The guy selling it is getting rid of it because he bought a new husquavarna for $3500.  I guess he said his Husky broke down already after he used it a couple times and he was using the wheel horse the last couple mows until he got the new tractor back from the dealer.

[AMC RULES 37,130]

I'd go get it asap...

before he comes to his senses, and realizes he's making a mistake in selling it.       

[bean 85]

the only drawback is the 36" deck, imo

if you are mowing with a 42" now, you'll probably notice the difference.

the 42" snowblower may make up for it, if you have the opportunity to use it. (100'+ driveway)

[mwsmith84 2]

Super excited about the snow thrower I have a pretty long uphill battle with the driveway.  Did have a 42" Noma that my parents gave me for free when I bought my house three years ago I was mowing with it last week and all of a sudden my seat pushed me into the steering wheel, when I got off the mower and looked the frame was just snapped in half.  So I have been on the internet ever since looking for a heavy duty tractor and came across this great forum.  All the great stuff I heard about Wheel Horses put me on the hunt.

[AMC RULES 37,130]

I seriously doubt you'll regret your    purchase.    

[Wheel-N-It 2,969]

You did not send any pics but i'd have to say go get it. Its a good one to get started with. You will probably keep it for a long long time.

[DoctorHfuhruhurr 137]

How big is the owners lawn and driveway?  That will give you a good general idea as to the usage.  Seems a bit high to me but I'm a bargain hunter.  I paid that same price for my 520H with a deck and two stage snow blower. 

[dcrage 628]

For what it's worth. I have the same tractor with a 37" SD, had it for 23 years. I would not sell it for $800 minus the value of the snowblower.

[boovuc 1,090]

The 37" SD deck is the best cutting deck of all the "Garden Tractor" Wheelhorses. (Of course this is my opinion).

It also works best in wet grass, real high grass and the combination of both. Yes it takes longer to mow the grass but honestly, between 4 mowing tractors and using the 48" and 42" SD decks and the 42" RD plus the RM decks, I rather use the 37" on my acre lot of maybe a little over a half acre of grass. If I had more to mow it would probably change my opinion.

(And all the deck's blades are sharpened and serviced).

Besides, the 37" deck just looks like it belongs on a single lung 300.

 

Well cared for 310-8 with the Magnum well under 1000 hrs with a blower................as long as it has zero issues and you know it had good care over those years, I would get it if I needed  to have it. I do believe it is a little high for a 10HP 300 but I stress the "needed it" part.

Pictures please!

[Warning:Unsupervised 81]

On 7/21/2013 at 7:32 AM, boovuc said:

The 37" SD deck is the best cutting deck of all the "Garden Tractor" Wheelhorses. (Of course this is my opinion).

It also works best in wet grass, real high grass and the combination of both. Yes it takes longer to mow the grass but honestly, between 4 mowing tractors and using the 48" and 42" SD decks and the 42" RD plus the RM decks, I rather use the 37" on my acre lot of maybe a little over a half acre of grass. If I had more to mow it would probably change my opinion.

(And all the deck's blades are sharpened and serviced).

Besides, the 37" deck just looks like it belongs on a single lung 300.

 

Well cared for 310-8 with the Magnum well under 1000 hrs with a blower................as long as it has zero issues and you know it had good care over those years, I would get it if I needed  to have it. I do believe it is a little high for a 10HP 300 but I stress the "needed it" part.

Pictures please!

 

  Rather the 37" SD is the best I don't know about but I will say I also like it better on mine too.

I have several things to mow around in my yard and some big hills to climb here so my bigger deck forces me to change speeds more often than my small deck does. 

 Also I can hold my clutch in and fly down my hills to save time & I still get a great cut every pass so it allows me to mow my yard faster when speed dont matter at all unlike my bigger deck does..lol 

Engine don't work hard at all either. It has its benefits no doubt!

Edited March 7, 2020 by 123GO

[SuzyQ52 6]

My Mom just bought my Dad a  Wheel Horse 310-8 for $400. Then the guy we bought it form is coming to get dads old mower a Craftsman and offered 100 for it. Thus we did a Craftsman trade in and paid $300. Guess from what I'm reading we got a great deal.

[pfrederi 17,739]

You did well.

[Pullstart 62,852]

 @SuzyQ52!  Nice rig!

[Tractorhead 9,064]

Welcome to 

 

good Deal 👍

[Warning:Unsupervised 81]

Hey SuzyQ52,

First let me just say welcome to the forum. Any help you'll ever need for your Wheel Horse you certainly found the right group to help you all out with it right here, the folks here know them backwards/forwards/left/right/up/down, well you get it? Just describe/ask here they'll sure help you out.

 

   Now you also got the right guy right here on Crapsman vs Horse trading because I too had a Crapsman (I bought brand new) I sold it 5yrs later just to buy a used Wheel Horse I found, that was several yrs ago. Not a single minute of regret for selling it either, well' except very few of us can seem to own just one Wheel Horse so I caught the bug and I purchased 2 more WH's since. You'll see...lol  

  I'll just start with what I know about these if thats ok?

  By far it's one of the best trades I & your dad too most likely made in our lives as far tractors/mowers go because these tractors are real brutes and their reliability is through the roof. Understand first thing, these are "Tractors" not "lawnmowers". These operate all sorts of different implements, tiller,snow blowers, side sickle, generators the list goes on as seen in link here. Hope its ok to post it here mod, sorry not sure so it may get moved SuzyQ52 but its on this website somewhere regardless okay?

 

   So far all that's ever been done is routine maintenance on my first WH since it rolled off the factory floor in Indiana (I have its full history), its a 1976 B100-8 spd. Same engine/trans your 310-8 has, actually they're the same tractors except hood/dash changes basically, aka "Sheet Metal changes"...

  My engine don't smoke nor burn oil between my yearly oil changes besides the fact it's almost 45yrs old now, it starts on a dime and runs very strong. It's an outstanding machine in every aspect! I've watched everyone I know haul they're newer Zero's and riding lawnmowers of all makes to their local scrap yards every few yrs yet' my old WH keeps right on humming along..lol Many times in their yards even between mowers..lol  Each and every single time I say' "Just go buy an old Wheel Horse it will end all the madness!".. idk maybe someday they'll catch on but they can't seem to resist buying another shiny new toy instead.

   My 2nd WH is a 1988 414-8 spd and was a farm used tractor so he mowed/pulled everything around a farm and wore the original engine out, I bought it after he put the new engine on it, very cheap in fact because it had set a few yrs inside his barn due to him having severe health issues right after installing its new engine.  Less than 50 hrs on it when he sold it to me.

   Now my 3rd horse is a 1981 C101-8, I just got a few weeks ago. It was dirt cheap I bought it for the perfect deck mainly and since its sat a while & history is not known on it I'm not sure about its true condition yet, complete tractor but it may/may not run, not tried any tinkering yet?

   

  Sorry' long here but now back to yours. It sure looks like a nice old tractor you got hold of, its getting hard to locate them in my area especially for such a good price you got this one for even though all the Wheel Horses were built  a couple hundred miles from me, its crazy. If it runs/operates good you folks really done alright kiddo. Even a brand new Crapsman will last just a fraction of the time an old Wheel Horse will last even if the WH is 3/4 wore out, I assure you that's a fact I'll be glad to bet money on. Now all that said, I had to go buy another Crapsman..lol  Yes' I bought another used one from a friend because my wife (also Suzy..btw) fell a few yrs ago and broke both her hips.     She can't clutch and brake any of mine now so she has to have a hydro rider and so far I've not located a hydro WH to date, I promise when I can afford it and find one cheap enough (be awhile) the Crapsman is history..lol. She don't use one very often,but' she gets cabin fever from time to time so she comes out in the yard to help me work on some nice days. So ya, sorry folks I bought the Crapsman but it will rarely be used so shoot me now folks..lol.  

 

  As far as my used Wheel Horses go, my #1 thing to check while changing plug/points and both engine/trans fluids and greasing it up good before I use mine is to always be sure nobody messed with the governor and throttle settings trying to rev them higher and check carb your settings. All these settings are critical imho..(all found on this site too btw).

  Set up correctly old Kohlers last for many decades, if wrong well' it's a gamble at best. Kohler's don't like high RPMs especially for for long periods, so just tell dad to make sure its governor/throttle speeds are still set up like factory intended (see link) and engine isn't being ran too lean like his manual shows or serious damage will occur and a good carb cleaning never hurts anything at all either. Older equipment here so I never just assume everything is all good, its always the first thing I do especially since l know how people like to mess with them without a care in the world.

  My first unit was actually lowered substantially by the owner so his two boys wouldn't do wheelies when they were younger, set it too low actually so the engine was working harder than needed while under load and my second WH was too high (may been why the farmers 1st engine went south even idk). People tend to raise the RPM on most mowers/tractors/tillers etc..trying to get more hp so I'd check it all out good, it's easy to do check, see in link how its done but please read all the posts there first before proceeding. Seems there's a few differences of opinions on the direction? Kohler manual diagram was correct on mine fwiw.. Sorry such a long post here, lot to take but I hope it helps. Congrats on your find and well done!  Again, welcome to the forum SuzyQ52 & Dad Too.

 

[The Tuul Crib 7,336]

T😎 

@SuzyQ52!! Youll find that these

horses 

tend to be a herding animal and will

have find another to hang out with!

Best you start making room now!! 
 

[Warning:Unsupervised 81]

More on governor settings...Also this website has everything there is to know on Kohlers. Nice one to keep handy.

http://gardentractorpullingtips.com/engine.htm#governorspeedcontrol