First Horse in the Barn

[Redav72 227]

I've been wanting to get a Wheel Horse for years.  All I needed was an excuse, so when the guy who does garden tractor hay rides at our church annual event wasn't able to do it this year I went to CL and picked up this 1970 Charger 12 for $200.  It runs a little rough and I've already ordered a carb rebuild kit along with a filter for hydrostatic transmission.

 

Philosophy question: Is this a unique enough machine that I should look to keep it as stock as possible or is it common enough that I can give it a little more of a farm spin?

 

• Tires are in rough shape and two don't hold air.  Should I tube them to keep the original look or put on new AG tires (which I like the look of better)?
• Where can I get a canister vertical muffler that will reduce noise and give it more of a farm look?

[pfrederi 17,741]

Charger 12 and its sister Electro 12 are great tractors (I have 5)  They are not uncommon so by all means make it the way you want.  Welcome to Red Square!!!

[Blackhood Bill 721]

Red if you browse around here you will find that it is to each his own. Many have put ag tires on, many leave the original tires on. Do a search for Kemp muffler which will give the tractor the look your searching for. You can  modify it to suite you and your own flavor! There will be many to chime in on this. Just do what you can for yourself and here you will find many, many good people with all kinds of knowledge and great advise on just about any subject you can think of for the ‘s. Great group here we all call family! Welcome aboard and enjoy that machine!

 

[stevasaurus 22,765]

Welcome to Red Square.  

   I think you got a very good deal on that horse.  Cleaned up and running nice would make it a $600 to $800 tractor.  Like Paul said above, that horse is not un-common, but original is usually worth more.  On the other side, it is yours, so make it the way you want.  Tubes work great, ags look excellent.  

[oliver2-44 9,764]

Many of us change to rear to rear Ag's and front tri-ribs and don't consider it to effect the originality of the machine (It was a dealer option on some of them)

 

A quieter muffler is a great challenge.  One of the members here Jimmy Kemp makes some very nice stack mufflers. 

I have one on a 4hp and 12hp engine.

They sound nice on a small 4-8hp engine.

But. on the 12hp, it too loud.  I'm looking to put something quieter on it.  (just my opinion)

 

Chargers are nice machines1

 

[pfrederi 17,741]

There is a wide variety of ways to get a stack type muffler.  As mention Jim Kemp makes nice ones other have modified Farmall Cub Mufflers..Lots of options and widely variable cost.  I am not a big stack fan but this would a cheap alternative. 

 

This muffler mounted on my Electro 12.  You could aim it up.  I go down to avoid branches and other issues

 

 

[pacer 3,174]

You got a steal on that little guy!! I agree with whats already said --- make it YOURS (you can have a lotta fun just doing that!)

 

The muffler @pfrederi shows is a really good option -- reasonable cost, many applications, good sound, etc

Here it is in stack mode on my D160 - again shows how versatile they are.

 

[Pullstart 62,917]

 great reason to get a Horse!  Wheel Horse of Course!

[Pullstart 62,917]

1 hour ago, pacer said:

Here it is in stack mode on my D160 - again shows how versatile they are

And again on my custom 552 I call “Poppy”

[squonk 41,161]

How bad are the tires. If they are really cracked tubes can blow right thru the crack. I had it happen more than once.

[roadapples 6,983]

[Achto 27,609]

 Looks like the gang has you covered on suggestions. 

[ebinmaine 67,671]

 to 

 

 

Some o these folks know it's only a matter of time before I chime to a "stack"  question. 

Eh @Pullstart??

 

This here beast is my Cinnamon Horse 1974 C160. 

 

 

 

I like a stack that's TALL. Can you tell?

 

The top of that one is around 6 ft off the ground. 

 

I'll second the above recommendation for a cub muffler, turned to point up.

The cub mufflers are fairly quiet which is important to me. 

 

If you want to extend it you can use thin wall plumbing pipe as I did or whatever is handy. 

 

Here's a pic of 3 from the herd owned by my Honey Trina and I. 

Her 2 on the left have AGs on the rear. As you can see she runs tri ribs on the front of one and AGs on the other.  

 

 

[Snoopy11 5,714]

8 hours ago, Redav72 said:

Should I tube them to keep the original look or put on new AG tires (which I like the look of better)?

Tubes would obviously be the cheapest option. BUT...

 

AG lugs are awesome!

 

I don't think those tires look THAT bad... so maybe they can be salvaged?

 

Hard to tell from the pictures... but I think... maybe tubes might be a good place to start?

 

Don

[Snoopy11 5,714]

I agree with Eric on the cub muffler... but for a different sounding tractor, you can go with something like a Flowmonster 10415-FM... for a stack...

 

Don

Edited November 28, 2021 by Snoopy11
Flowmonster... not flowmaster...

[Redav72 227]

Thanks!  I really appreciate the advice.

 

UPDATE...  I had ordered a valve stem insert and that seems to have resolved the tire issue (for now).  I'm decided on the AG tires in the back, just need to find the tri-ribs for the front.  So as long as the current tires hold air I'll move that to the mid-term list.

 

Big fan of the @Snoopy11 idea of the FlowMonster, think I'll go that route for the stack muffler.

 

Worklist

1) Carb re-build and work through the "new tractor" check-list.

2) Stack Muffler

3) New Tires

4) Re-paint or Rust-ore?

[ebinmaine 67,671]

16 minutes ago, Redav72 said:

find the tri-ribs for the front.

 

Here's a copy from the fleabay...

 

TWO (2) 4.00-8 400-8 4.00x8 Tri-Rib 3 Rib 4 ply Rated Tractor Tires

 

Use above to search there and you'll find a pair for $69.88. 

 

[ebinmaine 67,671]

17 minutes ago, Redav72 said:

Carb re-build and work through the "new tractor" check-list

 

Carb soak if you can. 

If not get 3 cans of brake clean. 

 

I've done a carb or two so if ya need help pm me. 

 

The "list" in the Reference section?

 

 

[Snoopy11 5,714]

15 hours ago, Redav72 said:

Big fan of the @Snoopy11 idea of the FlowMonster, think I'll go that route for the stack muffler.

Yes sir, I plan to do the same on my recent project...

 

I am struggling to figure out how to run the exhaust tubing... but I'll figure it out... 

 

Don

[Snoopy11 5,714]

15 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Here's a copy from the fleabay...

 

TWO (2) 4.00-8 400-8 4.00x8 Tri-Rib 3 Rib 4 ply Rated Tractor Tires

 

Use above to search there and you'll find a pair for $69.88. 

 

Yes, also, Northern Tool is another place that I have found such tires!

 

Don

[ebinmaine 67,671]

2 minutes ago, Snoopy11 said:

Northern Tool 

Just an FYI for you... My father has bought countless items from Northern tool over the years. I've bought a couple things here and there.

 

Sometime in the last few years the ownership of that company changed hands. 

 

I bought my portable garage through them a few months ago.

I try as hard as I can not to speak negative about anything but I can no longer advise anyone purchase through Northern tool again and I've recommended that many many times.

Just my experiences.....

[Snoopy11 5,714]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

Just an FYI for you... My father has bought countless items from Northern tool over the years. I've bought a couple things here and there.

 

Sometime in the last few years the ownership of that company changed hands. 

 

I bought my portable garage through them a few months ago.

I try as hard as I can not to speak negative about anything but I can no longer advise anyone purchase through Northern tool again and I've recommended that many many times.

Just my experiences.....

I feel the same way about Jack's Small Engines... 

 

Don

[SylvanLakeWH 25,604]

[Redav72 227]

Took the advise of @Snoopy11 and picked up the FlowMonster.  Love the look and sound but I'm a little flummoxed as to how I'll permanently install it.  I went down the Depot and picked enough black pipe to clear the hood but I'm not quite sure how I'll transition from the 1" out for the block to the 2" of the muffler.  I've picked up a 1" to 2" bushing but the 2" is threaded and of course the flow-monster isn't.  I'm thinking of grinding the threads off and slipping the muffler over but I didn't know if there were any other more elegant solutions.  You can see in the close-up how the new muffler is resting on top of the threads but isn't actually attached.  

 

 

 

[sjoemie himself 3,068]

That looks awesome. About the mating of the muffler to the pipefitting, looks like a job for a welding machine.. 

Another option is to cut two opposing slits in the pipe of the muffler and then use a exhaust clamp to clamp the muffler to the pipe fitting.

Edited December 30, 2021 by sjoemie himself