SHOULD I BUY IT? HELP A GUY OUT!!

[clueless 3,004]

2 hours ago, roadapples said:

Yup, with 700 Trans and manual lift, wouldn't give half that. Even if it is purdy...

I've owned a few 312 WH's including a 312-A, never own another another 312-A, PIA. If you know this guy has gone through the engine and rebuilt it and the trans and he has the paper work to prove it and you know he knows what he's doing, then $1400 would be as high as I would go. A pretty tractor doesn't make it a good tractor. As for a finding a vac bagger that fits the tractor in good shape that's another story. Not trying to be a downer here, but you live in an area where good wheel horses are available cheaper. Also welcome to the site.

Edited August 11, 2021 by clueless

[Tuneup 1,433]

Test that trans. It should climb hills and not lose much speed. Even if it's worn, as is mine, it's good for a lawn mowing but $1800, likely not. If he's OCD, he definitely replaced it. Welcome! from a former Morris Jerseyite - Succasunna. Worked at HP on Green Pond Rd. Those were the days.

[pacer 3,173]

That is a REALLY nice tractor!! And, yes that price is a bit more than most of the group here would want to pay .... but, in your situation its as already been discussed and that is you couldnt touch any thing that good for that price! 

 

And I'll remind  the other posters that is obviously the automatic/hydro drive - the fwd/rev handle is very visible in the pic

 

Now, re the leaf vacuum --- The Cyclone Rake has already been mentioned and I'm a HUGE  fan of them, its pricy, but that ad on TV showing the absolutly clean area behind the tractor is for real! Here in N La there are gazillions of pine trees - and oak, sweet gum, etc and I couldnt find any thing that would suck up pine straw ... til I got the Cyclone. They will send you a 'boot' to fit the horse (with some triming to fit). but you would have to cobble a means to connect it on the back - it doesnt 'tow' like a trailer, its a solid mount. And that big 'bag' will hold a LOT of ground up leaves!

[WHX?? 48,828]

I think the guys got you covered so I'll just 

Yes a tad high on the price but you can tell the owner loved that tractor.

Me thinks he is trying to sell for what he has in it and no crime in that. 

Selling a horse for what you have into it seldom works. You look around here and see what some of us have in our steeds you will see its a labor of love. 

[Snoopy11 5,714]

I'd buy that in a heart-beat... if I had the money!!!

 

BUY IT!!!

 

Don

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

312’s are great but I must agree, Eaton 700 not so much. I own two WH baggers. Both with the much maligned 37” decks. Let me say that this combo will do a great job bagging leaves or grass with the high lift blade kit. Capacity isn’t like a tow behind but then you don’t have a trailer to store or blower housings and belts to maintain. I have two acres and about 3/4 acre mow able. Works for me.

[josephvigg 88]

21 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

 to the  Joseph.

 

That is a great looking 312A.        But, IMO,  the A is the problem.  That has a manual lift and every manual lift I have ever seen has the weaker Eaton 700 transmission.

The 312H has the stronger Eaton 1100 and the hydraulic lift.      

 

is it possible to upgrade the trans down the line? could the 1100 be reasonably retrofitted 

 

Edited August 12, 2021 by josephvigg

[josephvigg 88]

 

13 hours ago, WheelhorseBob said:

312’s are great but I must agree, Eaton 700 not so much. I own two WH baggers. Both with the much maligned 37” decks. Let me say that this combo will do a great job bagging leaves or grass with the high lift blade kit. Capacity isn’t like a tow behind but then you don’t have a trailer to store or blower housings and belts to maintain. I have two acres and about 3/4 acre mow able. Works for me.

 

Thanks Bob - are your baggers specifically WH? And if so would they fit this model and any chance you have a product/serial/item # so i can try and source one? 

[josephvigg 88]

16 hours ago, clueless said:

I've owned a few 312 WH's including a 312-A, never own another another 312-A, PIA. If you know this guy has gone through the engine and rebuilt it and the trans and he has the paper work to prove it and you know he knows what he's doing, then $1400 would be as high as I would go. A pretty tractor doesn't make it a good tractor. As for a finding a vac bagger that fits the tractor in good shape that's another story. Not trying to be a downer here, but you live in an area where good wheel horses are available cheaper. Also welcome to the site.

Thanks Chris - im going to try and chew him down a bit. He is bringing it by me im going to put it throw its paces including the hill portion of my property for sure. My area def has WH available but man do people beat the breaks off of them. My thought was buy one mechanically as sound as possible learn the machine the quirks etc and then the next one id go a bit older with some knowledge under me 

[josephvigg 88]

14 hours ago, Snoopy11 said:

I'd buy that in a heart-beat... if I had the money!!!

 

BUY IT!!!

 

Don

Don if i do ill do a lap in your honor!

[josephvigg 88]

15 hours ago, WHX?? said:

I think the guys got you covered so I'll just 

Yes a tad high on the price but you can tell the owner loved that tractor.

Me thinks he is trying to sell for what he has in it and no crime in that. 

Selling a horse for what you have into it seldom works. You look around here and see what some of us have in our steeds you will see its a labor of love. 

Jim - I agree with it all - im definitely all about a deal but its tough not to appreciate when someone has truly loved a thing - makes you want to show it as much love as they did

[josephvigg 88]

16 hours ago, pacer said:

That is a REALLY nice tractor!! And, yes that price is a bit more than most of the group here would want to pay .... but, in your situation its as already been discussed and that is you couldnt touch any thing that good for that price! 

 

And I'll remind  the other posters that is obviously the automatic/hydro drive - the fwd/rev handle is very visible in the pic

 

Now, re the leaf vacuum --- The Cyclone Rake has already been mentioned and I'm a HUGE  fan of them, its pricy, but that ad on TV showing the absolutly clean area behind the tractor is for real! Here in N La there are gazillions of pine trees - and oak, sweet gum, etc and I couldnt find any thing that would suck up pine straw ... til I got the Cyclone. They will send you a 'boot' to fit the horse (with some triming to fit). but you would have to cobble a means to connect it on the back - it doesnt 'tow' like a trailer, its a solid mount. And that big 'bag' will hold a LOT of ground up leaves!

Thanks Pacer - once mentioned i did some research on the Cyclone very cool stuff the likley hood is i pull the trigger on one - landscapers by me are at $500 to clean and haul out the leaves I get - hell 2 seasons it pays for it self

[josephvigg 88]

16 hours ago, Tuneup said:

Test that trans. It should climb hills and not lose much speed. Even if it's worn, as is mine, it's good for a lawn mowing but $1800, likely not. If he's OCD, he definitely replaced it. Welcome! from a former Morris Jerseyite - Succasunna. Worked at HP on Green Pond Rd. Those were the days.

Hey Tuneup - small world I actually live on Green pond rd! Still a pretty nice area i grew up in Brooklyn and Staten Island so moving out here was a culture shock in the positive. If im thinking about the right spot HP is now a church- a big ass under utilized not paying taxes one but a church all the same 

[josephvigg 88]

16 hours ago, clueless said:

I've owned a few 312 WH's including a 312-A, never own another another 312-A, PIA. If you know this guy has gone through the engine and rebuilt it and the trans and he has the paper work to prove it and you know he knows what he's doing, then $1400 would be as high as I would go. A pretty tractor doesn't make it a good tractor. As for a finding a vac bagger that fits the tractor in good shape that's another story. Not trying to be a downer here, but you live in an area where good wheel horses are available cheaper. Also welcome to the site.

what made it such a pain?

[Ed Kennell 38,224]

54 minutes ago, josephvigg said:

 

is it possible to upgrade the trans down the line? could the 1100 be reasonably retrofitted 

 

Anything is possible Jo.   I have owned  312As in the past, but only have 312Hs now, so I can't compare.   I believe the two would bolt to the frame easily, but I think the motion control would be different and of course the changing from manual to hydraulic lift would be quite involved.   Also, to find a good Eaton 1100 could be expensive if not impossible.

[rmaynard 15,514]

Let me clarify my earlier statement. When I said "$1800 doesn't seem too high compared to what you get at the big box stores for more money." I didn't mean that I would necessarily pay that much. However, looking at the availability and price of tractors today, you might have to pay that to get a decent tractor. Just because it has an Eaton 700 doesn't make it a bad tractor. There are plenty of 700's out there that work just fine. 

[josephvigg 88]

20 minutes ago, rmaynard said:

Let me clarify my earlier statement. When I said "$1800 doesn't seem too high compared to what you get at the big box stores for more money." I didn't mean that I would necessarily pay that much. However, looking at the availability and price of tractors today, you might have to pay that to get a decent tractor. Just because it has an Eaton 700 doesn't make it a bad tractor. There are plenty of 700's out there that work just fine. 

Thanks Bobby - looking at new tractors that by any measure are simply just not built to last id be spending 1800 for baseline stuff - pressed metal decks, aluminum front ends, plastic gears in the trans!! - to get a fabricated deck, cast front end a trans rated to go up hill without question im plus 2300 on a new tractor and that's not a JD or the like that's a home depot/lowes husqy or troy bilt. and oh by the way YOU CANT GET IT because its "built in America with world wide parts" which loosely translates to sorry we cant get parts from China - pretty sad 

[josephvigg 88]

27 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Anything is possible Jo.   I have owned  312As in the past, but only have 312Hs now, so I can't compare.   I believe the two would bolt to the frame easily, but I think the motion control would be different and of course the changing from manual to hydraulic lift would be quite involved.   Also, to find a good Eaton 1100 could be expensive if not impossible.

Thanks Eddie

[Ed Kennell 38,224]

22 minutes ago, rmaynard said:

 Just because it has an Eaton 700 doesn't make it a bad tractor. There are plenty of 700's out there that work just fine. 

 

                                                                     

   There are no BAD wheel horse tractors.    But some are  equipped to do different tasks better and some are better suited to the operator.

Personally, I would never own a gear drive or a manually lift.    But I am old and lazy.    I know some oweners that would never own a hydro transmission.

I consider the 312A a lawn mower and small cart or sweeper puller.   I would have reservations using it for plowing or doing any ground engaging work.

 

[dcrage 628]

1 hour ago, josephvigg said:

 

 

Thanks Bob - are your baggers specifically WH? And if so would they fit this model and any chance you have a product/serial/item # so i can try and source one? 

The bagging system being referenced is a WH system designed specifically for the 37” SD WH deck. I have found that deck to be very rugged in 30+ years I have owned one. To use a 37”SD you need 6” front wheels to not have turning issues. There are 312/37” SD combinations out there. On the capacity issue of this bagging system. When doing leaf duty I will cut/mulch at least a couple passes before bagging the leaves. I really don’t think it adds much time to the job. With heavy leaf fall trying to bag directly you will clog the tube and need to use you slowest ground speed besides dumping the bags a lot.

 

Model # for 37” SD for WH garden tractors 05-37SC02

[josephvigg 88]

9 minutes ago, dcrage said:

The bagging system being referenced is a WH system designed specifically for the 37” SD WH deck. I have found that deck to be very rugged in 30+ years I have owned one. To use a 37”SD you need 6” front wheels to not have turning issues. There are 312/37” SD combinations out there. On the capacity issue of this bagging system. When doing leaf duty I will cut/mulch at least a couple passes before bagging the leaves. I really don’t think it adds much time to the job. With heavy leaf fall trying to bag directly you will clog the tube and need to use you slowest ground speed besides dumping the bags a lot.

 

Model # for 37” SD for WH garden tractors 05-37SC02

Thank you dave much appreciated

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

38 minutes ago, josephvigg said:

Thank you dave much appreciated

Yep what he said. 

[josephvigg 88]

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone still paying attention to this one. I did in fact buy the 312-A and I couldn’t be happier. I took all the advice given very seriously and put the machine through its paces before forking over the dough. I got it for a very very fair price. But equally as important as everything mechanically it was the support I got here that helped push me over the edge to buy it. Having backing up like this I have no problem buying a 30+ year old machine. Thank you all again!!

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

1 hour ago, josephvigg said:

it was the support I got here that helped push me over the edge

 

I hope the pressure doesn't give the guys "performance anxiety" ?  

 

We (they) won't let ya down!

 

Congrats on the purchase Joe!

[D_Mac 8,621]

We are here to help you again in a couple of months when you decide to buy your second one !! I bet if we took a poll there are twice as many of us that own multiple Wheel Horses then there are who just own one. Funny how that happens.