Wheel horse factory painting process?

[Anthony Wendover 124]

Does anyone know what the process was to paint the parts and tractors? I'm sure as technology changed the way they were done changed.. In a sales video on the 500 series from youtube they state the tractors had a 5 step process to paint. Does anyone know what that was exactly?

[oliver2-44 9,352]

Seems like I’ve heard one of the reasons AMC bought Wheelhorse was for there painting process.  Maybe someone can add some details 

[tom2p 2,394]

53 minutes ago, oliver2-44 said:

Seems like I’ve heard one of the reasons AMC bought Wheelhorse was for there painting process.  Maybe someone can add some details 

that could explain some things  lol

 

 

[AMC RULES 37,076]

Yeah, I'm dying to hear this nonsense.

[SylvanLakeWH 25,041]

Martino's book "Straight from the Horse's Mouth - Final Edition" does not mention anything about reasons why AMC purchased WH on May 23, 1974 other than Cecil Pond's interest in retiring... (pages 171-182). 

[pfrederi 17,490]

Looking at paint peeling off a 310 and a 418 there is no primer.  i would be fascinated to know what the 5 steps were...They didn't work.

[JCM 9,037]

HAHAHAHA       Step 1    5 Stages of washing, treated with a metallic phosphate   2  Powder paint electrostatically charged and applied to the hood    3   hood is baked in an oven at 360 degrees     4    Black Mask is added with specially  formulated paint     5   Trim and decals are added before final assembly.     Don't get mad at me , I am only the messenger.     Watched a Three Stooges Short today, now that was some nonsense Craig !        

[ebinmaine 66,302]

I worked for auto parts distributors back in the 90s.

 

I can't answer what the five-step process was specifically.

 

I can assure you that vehicles for sale in the United States and many types of commercial equipment painted from around 1982 or 83 up, depending on company and STATE, was low v o c paint.

 

You basically had to be a wizard to get that stuff to hold on to a vehicle.

 

The aftermarket paint companies were  able to get materials to stick to metal once again by about 1991 or 93.

I know it was in the late 90s that the big three American corporations finally had that under control.

 

[bottjernat1 2,190]

[tom2p 2,394]

2 hours ago, pfrederi said:

Looking at paint peeling off a 310 and a 418 there is no primer.  i would be fascinated to know what the 5 steps were...They didn't work.

they took 5 steps - then shot paint (acrylic enamel ?) on bare metal 

 

lol

 

[tom2p 2,394]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

I worked for auto parts distributors back in the 90s.

 

I can't answer what the five-step process was specifically.

 

I can assure you that vehicles for sale in the United States and many types of commercial equipment painted from around 1982 or 83 up, depending on company and STATE, was low v o c paint.

 

You basically had to be a wizard to get that stuff to hold on to a vehicle.

 

The aftermarket paint companies were  able to get materials to stick to metal once again by about 1991 or 93.

I know it was in the late 90s that the big three American corporations finally had that under control.

 

and possible some of the steel might have also been an issue at that time 

 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,041]

1. Is it red?

2. Are you sure?

3. Good... Load the sprayer.

4. Spay red paint on tractor.

5. Let dry.

 

[AMC RULES 37,076]

Still waiting patiently to hear what any of this has to do with AMC's purchase of W-H.

[76c12091520h 3,578]

Step #6 , paint comes off in sheets ! 

[Anthony Wendover 124]

Hahah i love that you guys all have the same jokes as i do to the paint on the tractors. That is what really made me want to know what the heck a 5 step process could be haha.

[BOB ELLISON 2,980]

I have undeniably knowledge of the process involved in painting these tractors from a source that was there. 

The 5 step process was as the parts came down the assembly line the paint guy sitting would stand up take 2 steps over to get the spray gun then take 2 steps back and spray the parts. Than 1 step to sit back down.

Not one of my wheelhorse tractors has primer on them. 

[pfrederi 17,490]

Wheel Horses were great tractors but their paint jobs were not good and the other thing I have observed is the welding sometimes left a lot to be desired....

[ebinmaine 66,302]

3 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

Wheel Horses were great tractors but their paint jobs were not good and the other thing I have observed is the welding sometimes left a lot to be desired....

Strength or location?

 

I've seen some connections of frame/front support that looked like they were tossed together from across the room.

Waaay out of line...

 

[pfrederi 17,490]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

Strength or location?

 

I've seen some connections of frame/front support that looked like they were tossed together from across the room.

Waaay out of line...

 

 

Both

 

I have a Charger 12 That the hood hinge bracket is welded so far off center I cant put the tachmatic adapters on it.

[bottjernat1 2,190]

Here is what i did for my rj58 most of it was done by a body shop but i did the transmission and motor. i sand blasted what i could then used oven cleaner and a wire brush. Don't use oven cleaner on aluminum it will eat it. But cast and sheet metal you will be good. Then wash if you used oven cleaner. Use a clean rag wipe down i used a coat of rustoleum grey primer 2 or 3 coats of rustoleum international red and 2 or 3 coats of clear coat. 

Edited April 14, 2020 by bottjernat1

[JCM 9,037]

Are you guy's all laughing at my 5 Step Painting Process by the WH factory or my Three Stooges comment.            If you notice there is nothing said about the side covers, footrest's or rear fender only the hood. That info was taken from  a WH Brochure when I purchased the 312-8 in 1989 and was dated as Bulletin  050988 because the 88 and 89 were identical I believe..Just wanted you to know I didn't invent the 5 step process, but i am sure you guy's were smart enough to figure that one out.

[Anthony Wendover 124]

So the hoods are powder coated then? They seem more like paint than powder coat 

[JimmyJam 525]

@Anthony Wendover I doubt WH powder coated anything.

When Marino (Straight from the Horse's Mouth book author) interviewed Cecil Pond, he asked Cecil "Is there a definitive color of red you use?". Cecil responded, "Red!, any red we could get!".

In the initial years of Wheel Horse, the Pond's tried to be close to IH Red. Later years they slightly modified. Toro use to sell "Wheel Horse/Toro Red" rattle cans (uncertain anymore??). 

Which I am stumped in WH history, Why, very briefly, did AMC get involved in Wheel Horse??? Why??? What was their intent???  I understand the Toro buy-out purchase because they needed a good tractor.

[953 nut 54,148]

If you look at any unmolested, well patinaed older Wheel horse you will see that Kohler did a much better job of painting the engine tins than  did of painting the tractor. They were the same color, but the engine paint is always brighter. Case in point, my 1055 engine tins are red, the rest of the tractor,    not so much

[bds1984 1,416]

I've had machines that have had really good paint (C165, C195, 315, and a 312 - a 1990) while I have had three more 312s (two 1987s and one 1989) that had terrible paint and most likely from the beginning and my 1988 520 and former C175 that were a mixture of it all.  I really don't think there is any rhyme or reason to it; more like the day of the week and/or how much prep work was done before the spotty quality red paint applied.  Three of the 312s (the ones with bad paint) I've had come through my hands have zero primer on them and the paint comes off in sheets despite two of them being garage kept since new while the 1990 312 had really great paint on it and it sat outside for a while before I got it.  Like Eric pointed out, I think the paint in the mid 80s was spotty at best and it is reflected in many of the Wheel Horses we own.  Maybe it was batches of bad paint, maybe it was apathy on the account of those applying the paint, but I suspect it was a lot of both for many of the tractors that came down the line.