By
kwksand
Hi there,
I'm new to the forum. I come from a family of tractor enthusiasts, but I am currently just looking for a dependable mower. I know very little about wheel horses, other than I was impressed by one I used when I was a teenager. I am hoping to get advice about a 520h in my area. I checked it out tonight in the dark. It is very clean, and appears to have been maintained by a careful old man (RIP). The son in law started it after I struggled with the choke. It was chilly out, and I thought I heard a little tick in the onan 20hp. I took it for a short ride. Everything works. Hydro deck lift, pto, gauges, lights all seem good. The 48" deck sounded different than I expected, but keep in mind I haven't used a riding mower for years. After the ride I idled it down and she purred without the tick I heard upon starting. I did a final walk around and noticed a little grease shining from the left transaxle. Right side looked clean and dry. I don't have a trailer, so I left it there until Thursday. I am a little concerned about the engine tick, the left transaxle grease, and the general reliability of all this hydro. I am not shopping for a collection piece, so I would rather go simple if the hydraulics are prone to problems. We agreed on $1,000 final price. Am I worrying too much about the (very quiet) engine tick and the transaxle grease? Thank you