520xi

[slammer302 2,155]

I picked this up a few weeks ago. I got the owners manuals and a copy of the sales add from when the last PO bought it. $1000 and it had 923hrs on it when bought and has 925hrs on it when i bought it so not much use by the PO it had sum issues. The front anti scalp wheels were not right and the front of the deck was out of adjustment so it would just dig into the ground when turning or on unlevel ground. Its a 2000 model no power steering unlike the 522xi but i kinda like it better i feel what the front end is doing and still is easy to turn. I have a hard time keeping a straight line with 522xi its so easy to turn and not much feed back through the steering wheel. The 60'' deck takes sum getting use too. Missing the front grill and has a busted head light lens but i do like it.      

[doc724 925]

Looks pretty nice and if you only paid $1000, it seems like a bargain to me.  These machines are complicated so it is likely that the PO may not have had the ability or desire to fix any issues.

[slammer302 2,155]

11 hours ago, doc724 said:

Looks pretty nice and if you only paid $1000, it seems like a bargain to me.  These machines are complicated so it is likely that the PO may not have had the ability or desire to fix any issues.

I actually only paid half that. The previous owner paid $1000 and didn't want to mess with problems and just wanted rid of it by the way it sounded.  

[doc724 925]

an even better deal!

[JERSEYHAWG / Glenn 4,497]

Slammer, a great purchase, plus your handy with tools. Best of luck.

 

Glenn

[slammer302 2,155]

Mowed the yard today I love it.

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,351]

I finally got the 60" deck back on my 520lxi today myself. I have been mowing up until today with a 520HC with 42" rd deck and most recently a 312-8 with 42" rd deck. While the others are nice once you mow with the xi and 60" deck nothing else compares! You will love it!

[slammer302 2,155]

That is true stevebo this is my first 60" deck and it is totally different mowing with it. I like that it sticks out so far from the tractor you can really get up next to obstacles with it and with the sharp turning xi steering it works well I can do a u turn with the xi that I can't make with my 310-8.

[biggin 36]

I don't have an xi, but I have two 520's, one with a 48" deck and the other is a 60". I really like how well the 60" mows. I definitely agree with what slammer says about being able around obstacles easier. 

[slammer302 2,155]

Made a temporary grill and added a bumper. I may have to break down and buy a new headlight lens for it.

[DennisThornton 4,769]

13 minutes ago, slammer302 said:

Made a temporary grill and added a bumper. I may have to break down and buy a new headlight lens for it.

Ya just gotta!  The rest looks SO nice!  Sweet machine!

[biggin 36]

Looks nice! I really would like to have an xi, maybe I'll get lucky and someone will have one for sale at the Mentone show this weekend, maybe even a dxi! 

Ok, question for you xi owners. With how deep the 60" deck is there is almost no room to lift the deck up more than an inch on the 520, is their more room under the xi to actually "lift" the deck?

[DennisThornton 4,769]

Can't help with the 60" deck but I would note that implements are harder to source. 

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

8 hours ago, DennisThornton said:

Can't help with the 60" deck but I would note that implements are harder to source. 

 

Dennis, I agree as the 5xi uses a different mount compared to other Wheel Horse tractors. I believe the same dilemma exists for short wheel base tractor owners as they can't be used with long attachments, for the most part..In the 5xi defense, I have found attachments are becoming more available as the series ages. However most are still held by original and maybe now second owners. In the seven years since buying my first 5xi tractor, it has gone from seeing a rare ad to at least two or more per month. I'm sure that availability will increase as the years go by.

[biggin 36]

Shallowwatersailor, I sure wish we were closer, I'd be very interested your dxi, I'm thinking of just using my classic style tractors for other implements and get an xi for mowing duties. 

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

36 minutes ago, biggin said:

Shallowwatersailor, I sure wish we were closer, I'd be very interested your dxi, I'm thinking of just using my classic style tractors for other implements and get an xi for mowing duties. 

 

It is a great mower! There is always the possibility of shipping. 

[biggin 36]

I know, I'm still thinking about it!

[DennisThornton 4,769]

It's a shame that the XI's didn't keep the Toro/Wheel Horse team going strong and somewhat of a mystery to me since I really appreciate mine!  I think part of the problem is that they don't look as big as they are since they still use only 12" rears and they never added hydraulics.  JD had front and I think rear ports on their 3xx and 4xx series and the XIs never did, here in the States, as far as I know.  Case and Power King had larger rear tires and JD had the hydraulics and a serious hard cab.  Probably why I still lust after a Case and a JD with all the bells and whistles.

 

None the less, while I really appreciate my Classic Wheel Horses I admire my XIs!

[EricF 589]

The 5xi series had the unfortunate luck to be brought to market in the years before, and was still maturing, not long before the economy took a big dive in 2008. A lot of companies pulled back their offerings and focused on lower-end commodity products as a result. Just not enough disposable income to go around. Toro cut back to non-Wheel Horse-branded (Toro brand only) lawn tractors, which were more or less MTD clones. (Can't remember if they were actually made by MTD or not, though.) As the market rebounded, zero-turns were the leader in the higher-end market that the Toro brand occupied -- and that's where they stuck, where the money was. They probably couldn't justify the costs of producing the Wheel Horse line any longer.

 

Too look at it another way, Cub Cadet survived but had to take a step down in build design and quality (not necessarily because of MTD -- they used to build heavy-duty tractors in the 90s, and probably hoped to re-enter that market with CC.) John Deere had the brand presence to keep at it in the homeowner sector, but look how many lower-end lawn tractors they sell compared to the relative scarcity of X-series tractors you see.

 

If Toro had been able to establish a stronger market share with the 5xi series sooner, it might have turned out differently. We'll probably never know what they were thinking or planning at the time. They were certainly enthusiastic about the introduction of the 5xi series in the beginning.

 

Part of me wonders what might happen if an investor could ever buy the Wheel Horse name and tooling back from Toro to have a go at a re-introduction of the name and products...

Edited June 3, 2017 by EricF

[WNYPCRepair 1,922]

On 6/1/2017 at 8:34 PM, slammer302 said:

Made a temporary grill and added a bumper. I may have to break down and buy a new headlight lens for it.

I haven't been able to find a used one.

 

[slammer302 2,155]

I need to change the voltage regulator. It's just out of reach will probably have to pull the motor out sum to get to it bummer I just pulled it a couple weeks ago. Thinking about notching the metal plate that's covering it up I know this would be considered hacking it up but I feel this is a component that should be accessable.

[EricF 589]

Be careful with putting openings in the tin surrounding the engine -- it's generally necessary for directing the air for proper cooling. Air leaks can be bad for it.

[slammer302 2,155]

I don't think I can bring my self to cut a access hole I am just going to pull the motor again. It's not too hard 

[slammer302 2,155]

New decals showed up today. I'm not a fan of the look of the original xi decals. vinylguy does a great job and has always did me right.

[Texas Todd 1,025]

Looks nice! I am picking up a 520xi Wednesday myself. May have to upgrade the decals as well! Let us know how you get the old ones off.

Edited June 18, 2017 by Texas Todd