New home for a 520H

[kj4kicks 151]

Hi Guys, I'm sure most of you saw the 520H in Virginia that was on ebay recently. It has 45 original hours on it. After the auction ended, my buddy and I contacted the seller. Long story short, he bought it. It comes with a mid-mount blade that has never been installed (FOR SALE), and a front plow (unknown size as of right now), and dual rear wheels. We're going to pick it up next Friday.

He currently owns a 416H that he bought new 13 years ago. (I'll post the for sale info on the correct thread).

Now you know where it went, and I have dibs if he ever sells it!

Eldon.

[Rollerman 290]

Eldon.....

Sounds like a nice find with low hours!

[kj4kicks 151]

Well, we're going to pick up the (might as well be) new 520H tomorrow. I can't wait to see it, even though it's not mine.

Been thinking, though, I may buy his old 416H and sell the C-160. It's been a couple of months since I bought a tractor, and I'm getting the itch.

Merry Christmas to me!

Eldon.

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,259]

Gosh, sell the C-160 for a 416-H, man that's a tough decision... In my book they are #1 and #2. Wish I had tractor funds, I'd be all over that C-160.

Karl -- $0.00 in the tractor fund (at the moment)

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,259]

Oh, and have a safe trip!

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,496]

I think my tractor fund is in the RED! :D

[Rollerman 290]

Terry my tractor fund is beyond the red

Eldon I'm with Karl...thats a tuff call.

I'd lean towards the C 160 though cause it has the time tested K341 Kohler in it!

[kj4kicks 151]

Yep, it's a tough call. The Kohler runs great, and pulls like there's no tomorrow. Plus the hydro was just rebuilt, and works great.

But then, that twin cylinder sure does run smooth. Time for a C-416 ?

I bid on the 520 front end on ebay, but didn't get it. If I could find the parts to convert it, that 416 with a 520 stance would work great with the FEL. Same deal for the 160. So many choices......

Eldon.....needin' Tylenol

[Rollerman 290]

Eldon I know this is just me, but the biggest issue I have with Onan power is the parts price & availability.

They run great & are smooth when they run like they should.

I know what it costs to maintain a Kohler.

But Onans scare me ...I had a 416-8 with an Onan in it a while back..the price of a carb rebuild made me cry.

Just my opinion :D

[kj4kicks 151]

I agree with the Onan issues 100%. But I know this one was well cared for. The blower housing was always cleaned out, and it never overheated. With only 900 hours on it, it should last me a long time.

Yep, we made the deal.... I bought the 416, the NOS mid-mount blade, and the dual wheel kit with a set of wheels & tires.

So it will be home tomorrow night.

I know, I know.... pics....

ASAP, guys.

Eldon.

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,496]

Congratulations, Eldon, on picking up the 416 plus attachments. And yes, you got it.... :D

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,259]

It will be interesting to see the serial number for the new 94'. Mine is 4900479

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,259]

Hope you had a safe trip, now.....

:D

[kj4kicks 151]

OK guys, I'll get pics ASAP. However, this is my busiest weekend of the year, so it may be next week. Maybe that will be my Christmas day unwinding time....

Made it home safe and sound with the 520 and the 416. Also got the rear wheel weights in the deal. That mid mount grader blade is SWEET! In the bag of goodies was a never-assembled rear axle mount to go with it. Everything is still in the trailer. The garage walls are starting to bulge again!

Eldon.

[Rollerman 290]

Eldon...just curious if this is the 40" center mounted grader blade.

Or the much tricker looking, more usefull & sought after rear mounted 50" ?

[Curmudgeon 28]

Now now Stephen, since I have the narrower, OLDER, version, I'd say that is the more useful and valuable version.

Of course I am swayed by what I have.

Dale

[kj4kicks 151]

Well, I'm pretty sure that it's a 40", and it mounts to a rear axle hanger. However, when I saw it, I got so excited that my brain stopped working due to sudden lack of blood flow. LOL.

I'll try to get a better look at it tomorrow when it's daylight.

Eldon.

[Rollerman 290]

Eldon there were 2 styles...one that mounted in the center attach a matic & is the most common type I have seen.

They work good especially if you have hyd. or elec. power lift.

The other style that you don't see as many of mounted at the rear attachment bracket like a snow plow.

The were 50" across & do a better job of gradeing IMOP since you are pushing it off the rear axle instead of pulling it under the tractor.

Both are desirable & a few variations in each type

And Dale all mid mount graders are cool & usefull.....but you don't see many of the 50" mid mounts.

The 1st pic is the 40" mid mount blade

This is the 50" mid mount blade

[Nick 13]

The more common rear mount grader would look like my pictures below. The first picture is a factory grader and one I built then the finished project grader in the 2nd picture. Some vertical shaft lawn tractor snow blades had nearly the same parts as the grader blades, thats what I cut up to build this one.

If the Onans do have trouble its still a Wheel horse so about any engine can be made to fit. We put a 25hp Kohler in one. Didnt get around to a clutch just ran a loader pump direct.

Nick

[Curmudgeon 28]

LOL

Love it!!!!!

Notice how in two different posts the two different styles were BOTH listed as the most common? Guess it's all personal perspective.

I have the older, narrower one that attaches the mid-mount, which I've only used on manual lift tractors. It works just fine, I can dig in to point it'll stop the tractor, yet is the easiest to lift of any attachment I've ever had. Stephen, why do you think it would work best with a powered lift given my experience? Just kinda curious as to how you came to have that view.

As for the push or pull, I always thought it better to pull something rather than push if you needed a lot of moving power. Ever try to push start a dead tractor with a chain? LOL

Yup, everyone has their views, I'm just a curious type who doesn't mind rattling the can. Guess that's why I use spray bombs instead of those fancy air sprayers. It's the RATTLE!

Dale

[Rollerman 290]

Dale not sure why Nick beleives the rear mount mid grader is more common?

I have 3 of the mid mount type & see them pretty frequently at the swaps & on ebay.

I've had one of the rear mount mid grader types too & can say I've only seen a few on ebay & 1 at Portland last year.

So going by my personal expeirence I'd have to say the smaller mid mount version "that was produced for more years" is a more common.

Power lift is not needed to lift the blade, rather it is by far the slickest way to hold it down in a fixed postion.

With manual lift they tend to float up & down.

Yes you can adjust the stop on a manual lift & keep your feet on the blade.

I've done it that way alot too....but when I mounted up a 50" rear mount mid grader on my 416 with the hyd lift.....that was a gradeing machine!

As far or pushing or pulling a blade...I just believe that the rear mount mid grader works much better, Dale have you used one? :D

[TT-(Moderator) 1,131]

I guess I prefer the front mounted "drag style" grader blade over the push type. (After all, look at a real road grader.)

I built mine from parts of an old Sears tractor and 39" snowplow and have about $15 in it. I can't flip the blade over like the originals, but mine has a replacement "cutting edge" instead. Whenever it hits a solid object, it usually kicks up over it, where a push type can jam into it harder and either bend the axle bracket, or, worse yet, break the frame at the transaxle mount. (like over-zealous dozer blade operators have been known to do)

If I ever get time ( ), I'd also like to make a scarifier (tooth) bar to mount on the bottom of mine to assist in loosening hard material.

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,259]

Now I've been thinking of this 416-H / C-160 issue, and since I can't buy the C-160, you should keep it, it's just nice. Still wondering on that serial number, see how close our 416's are related.

Karl still with C-160 / C-520 / FEL / 2-Stage blower envy in NY

[Nick 13]

I did an edit on my original post so it wasnt as clear in the end. The Newer style rear mounted grader in my pictures is more common (easy to find) than the rear mounted A frame style in the parts drawing pictures above. Ive only ever seen one or two for sale.

There are a lot of both the front and rear mounted grader blades out there but the newer rear mounted style might have an edge there also. If for no other reason than collectors that have the older front mount style dont sell them.

Is front mount or rear better for a grader blade? I cant say, Ive never used a front mounted version. The rear mounted graders extra 10" of width is going to effect the difference in operation. Even the size tractor used might change the preference between the blades. Just looking at the designs, for my uses, think I prefer the rear mounted grader blade. Just a guess but the rear mount looks like it will dig into the packed gravel drive better. Have also thought about building a scarifier to help with that.

My blades are built with Wheel Horse garden tractor snow blades (42" and 54") and the angle adjustment section of WH vertical shaft snow blades.

Nick

[kj4kicks 151]

Well, it looks like I have the "more common" version LOL. The second pic in Nick's original post.

It is a model # 79351 rear-end mounted 50" blade. I think even on a 400 series with dual 8.50 tires & wheels, it would be wider than the duals. So I guess it would work best on something with 12.50 tires on the back, like a 520.

And Karl, I never said the 160 wasn't for sale.... or for that matter, the C-520....

Eldon.