Oldskool 6,640 #1 Posted February 27, 2020 Ok guys. Skool me a bit on the Wheel Horse tractor. Thinking of picking up a "work horse". Something with hydraulics, diff lock, standard shift? Hypothetically speaking. What would be your thoughts on the best all around (older) model and why? ( please post pic of model ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,267 #2 Posted February 27, 2020 I'm going to put in a vote for a 1974 to 1977 C Series such as C 120 or C160 hydromatic. Pictured below, in the foreground, is my Cinnamon Horse which is a c160-8 speed. Same thing but different. Plenty of power. Good ability to add weight for stability. Lots of different implements that can be used from like 1970, up. Simple. Reliable. Repairable. Maintainable. Easily modified. 5 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,267 #3 Posted February 27, 2020 I know it's a wicked long drive but I've got just about enough parts to put a mid-70s b or c together. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oldskool 6,640 #4 Posted February 27, 2020 5 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: I know it's a wicked long drive but I've got just about enough parts to put a mid-70s b or c together. Ya that is a long drive. I would have to think that over a bit. Thanks for the offer. So would that have remote hydraulics? Lets say to run a woodsplitter or rock rake, etc? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,663 #5 Posted February 27, 2020 Mixing gear drive and hydraulics will severely limit your choices. (older somewhat less common models that do not use the later attachments with out modifications.953 1054)... locking differential is not an option. Limited slip is possible. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,663 #6 Posted February 27, 2020 1 minute ago, Oldskool said: Ya that is a long drive. I would have to think that over a bit. Thanks for the offer. So would that have remote hydraulics? Lets say to run a woodsplitter or rock rake, etc? You will not run a woodsplitter on a WH unless you add on a hydraulic pump .Hydro units will not generate the needed flow/pressure. WH do not have remote hydraulics like JD and some others. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,663 #7 Posted February 27, 2020 Hydraulics on a WH are limited pretty much to lifting implements or operating a 3pt hitch. If by rock rake you mean York rakes you can get towed ones that do not need any hydraulics. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,267 #8 Posted February 27, 2020 7 minutes ago, Oldskool said: Ya that is a long drive. I would have to think that over a bit. Thanks for the offer. So would that have remote hydraulics? Lets say to run a woodsplitter or rock rake, etc? Paul has got you answered quite well in the previous replies there. What I have here is enough stuff to make what equates to 1974 - 77 C120 with an 8-speed. You would have to install some sort of remote hydraulic pump setup. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oldskool 6,640 #9 Posted February 27, 2020 1 minute ago, pfrederi said: Hydraulics on a WH are limited pretty much to lifting implements or operating a 3pt hitch. If by rock rake you mean York rakes you can get towed ones that do not need any hydraulics. I was thinking of putting together a rake that I could pivot left or right as I pulling it. That's where the hydraulics come into it. It cant be to hard to add pump.? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,267 #10 Posted February 27, 2020 3 minutes ago, Oldskool said: I was thinking of putting together a rake that I could pivot left or right as I pulling it. That's where the hydraulics come into it. It cant be to hard to add pump.? I'm not even remotely close to being a hydraulics expert. I can tell you that I have seen pictures of horses with hydraulic pumps up around the engine somewhere. There was a horse for sale somewhere a few months ago that had a 4-way hydraulic plow. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,663 #11 Posted February 27, 2020 (edited) Adding a pump depends on your fabrication skills. To use FELs they mounted a pump driven by the PTO. You could copy what the used. Diff lock is not a possibilty. Edited February 27, 2020 by pfrederi Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oldskool 6,640 #12 Posted February 27, 2020 2 minutes ago, pfrederi said: Adding a pump depends on your fabrication skills. To use FELs they mounted a pump driven by the PTO. You could copy what the used. Diff lock is not a possibilty. I can do the fab work. So basically find a place to put the pump and make it work out from there. Got it 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,267 #13 Posted February 27, 2020 Yeah for the diff the closest you'd get is a 67 - 70 10 pinion with limited slip 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oldskool 6,640 #14 Posted February 27, 2020 9 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: There was a horse for sale somewhere a few months ago that had a 4-way hydraulic plow. That would be real handy too 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,663 #15 Posted February 27, 2020 4 way plow, log splitter remotes for a york rake, gear drive and diff lock. You should consider an older small farm tractor... 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oldskool 6,640 #16 Posted February 27, 2020 3 minutes ago, pfrederi said: 4 way plow, log splitter remotes for a york rake, gear drive and diff lock. You should consider an older small farm tractor... I have an older Ford 600 series tractor but it is a bit big for my area. As for all the things you listed most of those were examples to see what the possibilities would be. The limits of the older Wheel Horses 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,663 #17 Posted February 27, 2020 Then the best match for your needs assuming you design/mount an external hydraulic pump wold be one of the C series 8 speeds like Eric's. Pick up a 10 pinion ltd slip differential and swap that into the 8 speed tranny. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oldskool 6,640 #18 Posted February 27, 2020 So I would be looking for a 1974-77? C series. That would already have a hydraulic 3pt hitch? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,267 #19 Posted February 27, 2020 2 minutes ago, Oldskool said: So I would be looking for a 1974-77? C series. That would already have a hydraulic 3pt hitch? No sir. None of the older regular sized horses had hydraulic 3-point. The d-series did in the mid-70s. Those were the larger ones all their own species or breed if you will. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,267 #20 Posted February 27, 2020 Most of them had a hydraulic lift if they were a hydro tractor. Just not a 3-point connection. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,663 #21 Posted February 27, 2020 (edited) OK you could use a D series. Would be easy to set up the additional hydro pump like the one used for my FEL. Then you could run your remotes for the York rake and even your splitter if you got a big enough pump. 3pt hitches were an option on the D series. No limited slip differential but turning brakes were also an option. Would be hydrostatic drive not gear drive.... Edited February 27, 2020 by pfrederi 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oldskool 6,640 #22 Posted February 27, 2020 So what is the horse power range for the C and D series? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oldskool 6,640 #24 Posted February 27, 2020 Ok. Thanks. I now know what to keep my eyes open for. I have a long list of projects to get done this summer. I just don't want to do it all by hand 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wallfish 16,984 #25 Posted February 27, 2020 Adding extra hydraulic pumps is not an issue. These 2 pumps are on a newer 416-8 but it would be the same set up for an older C series. For a log splitter, I'd have the pump on the splitter itself and power it with a belt from the tractor or easier, just attach a separate motor. The pumps for small tractor implements and cylinders are only 5-10 GPM which could be painfully slow pushing a 5" cylinder 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites