854 Has Arrived -- Help Me Along

[Ro-Go 76]

I finally got my unicorn. Came with a snowblower and mower deck. Initial pics are below. I will have some questions as I get to making it a runner (I'm not fully restoring/painting). 

 

First, what method and products do you use to clean the machine? I have CLR and a Zep degreaser currently. Should I use a Scotch Brite pad or just towels? When it's fully cleaned, I'll give it a bath in Gibb's Oil. 

 

So excited for this little monster to be added to the stable. 

 

 

 

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,330]

Don’t use a heavy cutting degreaser on the hood etc. you will be surprised how it eats away patina paint. 

[peter lena 8,634]

@Ro-Go  what an opportunity ! you want to save that patina ? , or wash it away ? personally , I  would aerosol lubrication soak that entire painted surface down to soak in the paint feed  and save the paint . that oil soak can be working on your paint , while you are wondering what to do . let it soak a day, rub it down with a clean cloth , NO  sandpaper / scratch pad , till dry . do that again . you have just saved that look , a linseed oil rub down will finish it . this is not a greasy mess , its neglect / patina . easy to save , think a satin oil finish on that would be the deal , linseed oil for last  rub down . save it , pete 

[Ro-Go 76]

Pete, that sounds like the ticket. I definitely want to save what is left. Gibbs soak followed by BLO it shall be.

 

 

 

[ri702bill 8,327]

Off to a good start!! Too bad the hood has been cut, but it is repairable. 854's came with the 2 piece gas tank that are prone to leaking at the perimeter gasket - new ethanol friendly gaskets are now available.

Glad to see the original style gas cap in place - there was a real butcher "fix" approved by WH in the 1960's to address the leak by cutting out the bottom plate of the tank and installing a 1 quart lawnmower tank inside the original - hack!!!

You may wish to rewire it, as the wiring looks a tad sketchy. I added a solenoid to my 854 when I rewired mine and added a main fuse. Changed mine to a C81 8 speed Unidrive, as the original 4 speed was locked up, full of water.

Bill

Edited July 14, 2022 by ri702bill

[D_Mac 8,620]

I use Dawn dish soap and a soft brush. Tooth brush in the smaller areas. When all cleaned and dried I rub it all down with boiled linseed oil. Let it bake in the sun then apply some more. It will come out beautiful. Nice machine you got there. 

[Ro-Go 76]

Ok, excellent. 

 

Another question --

 

I'm going to put on original tires. The front wheels should work for Carlisle sawtooth 4.80 x 4.00s. The rear wheels look wide for the 6 x 12 original turf tires. 

 

What size wheel is original to this model? 

[Ro-Go 76]

38 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

Off to a good start!! Too bad the hood has been cut, but it is repairable. 854's came with the 2 piece gas tank that are prone to leaking at the perimeter gasket - new ethanol friendly gaskets are now available.

Glad to see the original style gas cap in place - there was a real butcher "fix" approved by WH in the 1960's to address the leak by cutting out the bottom plate of the tank and installing a 1 quart lawnmower tank inside the original - hack!!!

You may wish to rewire it, as the wiring looks a tad sketchy. I added a solenoid to my 854 when I rewired mine and added a main fuse. Changed mine to a C81 8 speed Unidrive, as the original 4 speed was locked up, full of water.

Bill

 

 

Bill -- part number to tank gasket? 

 

I will be rewiring, probably keep it stock, grabbed a cole - hersee 70 amp switch already. 

 

Guy I bought it from said he used the snowblower two winters ago and it worked great. 

[The Freightliner Guy 1,327]

Um I don’t know ask D Mac he’ll probably know 

[ri702bill 8,327]

Gasket is a non WH part, available on Fleabay, about 20 bucks - search 654 tank gasket. Going to a solenoid does away with the heavy current load going thru the switch.

I did several upgrades to my 1963 30 snowblower, bought it NOS, unused, never mounted to a tractor. I can get into that once I take pictures.

Solenoid is mounted to a plate I made with standoffs on the back of the S/G. Pictures from an earlier post about the ripping edge I made up for the plow...

Bill

Edited July 14, 2022 by ri702bill

[D_Mac 8,620]

I just put a solenoid on my 856 project. I didn't want to spend money on a new switch. I already had the solenoid laying around. Not original but works just fine.

[ri702bill 8,327]

1 hour ago, Ro-Go said:

he rear wheels look wide for the 6 x 12 original turf tires. 

 

What size wheel is original to this model? 

The 854 came with 6.00-12 tires, either AG style or sawtooth turf style on narrow rims - you rear rims are not original - I run 23 x 10.50 x 12 turf tires in the summer - more stable on hills.- shown above.

I run weighted 23 x 850 x 12 turf tires with chains in the winter - the weighted small AG's in front stay on all year...

Edited July 14, 2022 by ri702bill

[Ro-Go 76]

3 hours ago, ri702bill said:

Gasket is a non WH part, available on Fleabay, about 20 bucks - search 654 tank gasket. Going to a solenoid does away with the heavy current load going thru the switch.

I did several upgrades to my 1963 30 snowblower, bought it NOS, unused, never mounted to a tractor. I can get into that once I take pictures.

Solenoid is mounted to a plate I made with standoffs on the back of the S/G. Pictures from an earlier post about the ripping edge I made up for the plow...

Bill

 

 

Bill -- this gasket? : 753 Tank Gasket

[ri702bill 8,327]

Yes - that is the gasket - he supplies it with info on 2 choices for gasket glue / cement. I used the Permatex brand - his printed info, ulless he has updated it, has an obsolete part number. New number is 5 digits long. Did one recently on the 502 I'm building - still have the tube - I can Give you that info. Check the lower plate for cracks!!! Picked up a parts 854 that had impact damage to the tank - upper was fine, lower had a corner crack.

Be careful taking it apart - there are about 20 #8-32 flange head screws - easy to break them. Once apart, bead blast or sand the inside clean - not at the gasket area Chase all the threads BY HAND with a good tap before reassembly. I've done 2 so far - no issues....

Bill

[Ro-Go 76]

Bill, yes sir. Will be getting at this guy in September most likely, building a lean-to on the garage in between two weeks of travel this summer. 

 

Maybe I'll por-15 the tank. 

[Handy Don 12,235]

1 hour ago, Ro-Go said:

Bill, yes sir. Will be getting at this guy in September most likely, building a lean-to on the garage in between two weeks of travel this summer. 

Maybe I'll por-15 the tank. 

@ri702bill's suggestions are on the money.

 

I went a different route and replaced my 854 stock two-piece tank with a used one-piece tank from a 702 I picked up at A-to-Z for four reasons: 1) After lengthy penetrant applications I could only get 12 of the 13 screws loose and was pretty sure the 13th would break if forced, 2) I feared the tank was "sprung" due to impact damage (the original cause of the "weep"?) and might never seal properly, 3) both of the threaded holes for the hood hold-down thumbscrews were compromised, and 4) a suitable gasoline-with-alcohol-tolerant inside coating was costly and, to me, a risky solution. 

 

A plus was that the 702 tank doesn't have a built-in dash which let me create a custom dash to hold both the original ammeter and a new voltmeter along with the throttle and choke levers, leaving room for another switch or two in future. (A perfect replica of the OE 702 dash is available from wheelhorsepartsandmore, a vendor on this site.) The wood was harvested from my property.

Edited July 14, 2022 by Handy Don

[ri702bill 8,327]

1 hour ago, Ro-Go said:

Bill, yes sir. Will be getting at this guy in September most likely, building a lean-to on the garage in between two weeks of travel this summer. 

 

Maybe I'll por-15 the tank.  has

Some folks use The POR, some use the Kawasaki goop with good results either way.I have not used either - but @Pullstart has - perhaps he will share his experience on his rather infamous 502 called "Putt Putt" (at least infamous here on the forum....) great tractor, great folks...

[Wild Bill in VA 1,452]

Congrats on getting a Wheel Horse model 854! It has been a favorite mine and I believe it is the best looking of the round hood models. The hood is unique being it is 1 inch longer than any of the other round hood models, the air filter housing is larger on the Kohler 8hp and thus needed a longer hood was used. 

Wild Bill in Richmond VA

[Handy Don 12,235]

14 hours ago, Wild Bill in VA said:

Congrats on getting a Wheel Horse model 854! It has been a favorite mine and I believe it is the best looking of the round hood models. The hood is unique being it is 1 inch longer than any of the other round hood models, the air filter housing is larger on the Kohler 8hp and thus needed a longer hood was used. 

Wild Bill in Richmond VA

And I have just noticed that, uniquely it seems, there is a reinforcing metal bead folded over the lower part of the hood's horizontal edges--maybe to strengthen or stop vibration?

Edited July 15, 2022 by Handy Don

[Pullstart 62,905]

16 hours ago, ri702bill said:

Some folks use The POR, some use the Kawasaki goop with good results either way.I have not used either - but @Pullstart has - perhaps he will share his experience on his rather infamous 502 called "Putt Putt" (at least infamous here on the forum....) great tractor, great folks...

Congrats on that score @Ro-Go!  I used the KBS three part tank system on “Frank” my wife’s custom round hood.  After three years of use, I have zero complaints.  I’d recommend it to anyone, any day.  

[rjg854 11,378]

This is neither here or there, but when I bought my 854 the previous owner had the gas tank welded. So it doesn't have a gasket at all. And I don't have any problems with it and I've had it about 6 years.

[Handy Don 12,235]

5 hours ago, rjg854 said:

This is neither here or there, but when I bought my 854 the previous owner had the gas tank welded. So it doesn't have a gasket at all. And I don't have any problems with it and I've had it about 6 years.

I know other members have done this as well, with a caution...

The aluminum used was not of the highest purity and welding aluminum is not for amateurs anyway so this might be a job for a pro!

Even on the one-piece tank, it may be necessary to weld in the threaded plug in the bottom that holds the fuel outlet nipple--mine is.

Edited July 16, 2022 by Handy Don