Wheelhorse

[bjamison]

Jeff B - thanks! I know that fellow, he makes all kinds of reproduction and custom decals for the Wheelhorse tractors.

Speaking of tractor shows - there is a great Wheelhorse get together every year. This year it is Friday & Saturday, June 20-21, 2014 and is at South Mountain Fairgrounds - Arendtsville, PA. (Near Gettysburg)

Here is a link to the sponsor: http://www.wheelhorsecc.com/index.php

 

[nziegenfuss]

Similar to MTD getting Cub Cadet years ago, when Toro bought out Wheel Horse the writing was on the wall. Another proud, quality tractor brand was eventually phased out. Cubs remained IH influenced until the 1997/98 switchover to the 3000 series, prior models were essentially 682 and 982 models with updated features (power steering, super-steer etc.)

Unfortunately many new Toro/WH lawn tractors are now just MTD built clones of the basic MTD product line. Sad for the workers in South Bend, IN. who lost jobs at the real Wheel Horse View attachment 23080

I had the opportunity to buy a D-180 about 20 years ago. A real monster on snow removal and pushing ground. I took off the mower deck and left the blade on that I bought at Ray's mower in Boyertown Pa. $ 425 for the blade/frame and he absolutely would not budge on the price. At the time I thought it was the last frame/blade assemble in the USA so I bought it. Fast forward 20 years and I'm selling the tractor I happened to go and BS with the neighbor only to notice a frame and blade that looked a whole lot like mine just lying against a tree with some other rusted stuff. Seems they wanted it for mowing their field and snow removal wasn't important to them. I also saw one on Ebay for $ 50 so I guess Ray didn't have the last one after all.. lol
This was the real deal from Wheel Horse, the guy I bought it from said it was on its last legs but I got another 20 years out of it and pushes a couple of blizzards that it performed its duties admiralty. When the blade wouldn't lift anymore it was time to let it go.. Enter a 20001 Cub Cadet 3186. I immediately removed the mower deck and basically swapped it for a Cub Cadet power blade with hydraulics and mounting frame. The Cub works well, especially with the down pressure from the hydraulics but it would be no match for the D-180 with the 2 link car chain set up. It is a shame when real tractors lose favor with the consumer and worst yet the jobs that are lost. I'd bet that those guys, ( much like my Dad when he went to work at the Bethlehem Steel in Pa. ) enjoyed working where they did and were proud of the products they produced.

 

[digger]

You Pony guys need to post some pics of machines so we can put one for an avatar for the thread.