Wheel Horse

[dsmith41]

I am about to buy my first house and it sits on a 1.3 acre lot so I'm going to need a lawn tractor. I remember my dad had two Toro Wheel Horse tractors when I was a kid that were his pride and joy. One was an early 90s model he bought new and the other was a 70s model.

Naturally, I would love to get my hands on a old wheel horse to play around with and do lawn work. I don't know a lot about them and my dad has been gone for 12 years so I can't ask him. Are there any particular models to seek or stay away from? Do the old Wheel Horses have a good reputation for quality and reliability? I have seen a few for sale on Craiglist but I want to get a good one. Any advice would be great!

 

[123Saab]

I have a late 80's wheelhorse 310-8.

Its a great tractor but to be quite honest if you really want to have a nice lawn get something more modern.

A quality Late model Zero turn will do a much better job. And it will do it with less gas, Less emissions and in way less time.

Cutting decks have come a long way.

Buy an old wheel horse as a pet project for old memories sake, But use something more efficient for your lawn.

 

[jetmech1]

If you have a lot of trees or obstacles, you'll really want to get a Z-mower. If you have a lot of open and need a snow blade or blower, get a conventional lawn tractor. I spent months researching this just this year and decided on Kubota. I have 3.5 acres and a 100 yard long drive. I got the BX-2360 tractor, but their Z series or GR will do a great job for you. Yeah, they're a lot of money up front, but they'll still be running strong 10 years from now with reasonable care. BTW, my research paid off. It's a fantastic machine. Built like a tank!

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: 123Saab
Buy an old wheel horse as a pet project for old memories sake, But use something more efficient for your lawn.


Agreed.

If you're planning to use any ground engaging attachments, you'll want a garden tractor. If you're only going to mow or pull a trailer around, then a zero turn is the way to go.

I have a 1974 Deere 210 that's fun to play with. That being said, when it comes to weekly work, nothing trumps my Deere 757 for speed, reliability and comfort.

Don't let nostalgia get in the way of common sense.

 

[JTK]

It all depends on how much you want to spend. I've owned lawn tractors, garden tractors and ZTR's over the years. Like said, they've come a long way in regards to speed and comfort!

Today's lawn tractors have some very impressive turning radius's if getting around obstacles fast is a must.

I owned a ~$4K Cub Z-Force ZTR for a couple of seasons. I didn't care for it on my hilly, rough property. OTOH, my Cub 2544 was excellent to mow with for those conditions.

My last project mower was a Case 220. WOW what a chore that was to mow with in comparison to the above!.

 

[exranger06]

I have a 1990 Wheel Horse 312-8 and I absolutely love it. Even though it has a somewhat wide turning radius and is not the most efficient machine for cutting my yard, I wouldn't trade it for any new tractor. Everything on it is so well put together and servicable. It is built like a tank and made to last forever. They simply don't make them like this any more.

That being said, if all you're doing is cutting grass, I agree with getting a zero-turn mower. But if you have a need for a hard-working tractor to use various attachments, get a Wheel Horse!

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
I have a 1990 Wheel Horse 312-8 and I absolutely love it.


It's a shame Toro stopped selling the Classic 300 series. They were sold right up to a few years ago with a Kohler Command 15hp single and you ordered the deck separate. These machines are a prime example of a well-built belt drive machine that would dig itself into the ground before you had any issues with belts.

Problem was, people don't want to spend $6K on a setup like this anymore.

Joel

 

[lexus114]

I really like the early 70`s B-80 model. What a great little tractor those were. And the 8hp Kohler had more than enough power to plow snow etc.

 

[dsmith41]

Oh yeah, I know what modern zero turn mowers are capable of but I also know how expensive they are. I happen to be a turf professional who works alongside a $40k Lastec 3696 and a couple $50k+ Jacobsen reel mowers every day.

I simply can't afford to spend more than a couple grand, I only have an acre to mow, and I would like to push snow too. My thinking is that an older lawn tractor may offer the most bang for my buck.

 

[afoulk]

My buddys dad has an old Jacobson lawn tractor, I don't know what model it is or how old, but its a tank. I'm not even sure what engine it is, kinda think its an old kohler, I do know its a single cylinder though, 11hp I think. Shaft drive, hydrostatic tranny, has a hydraulic hitch on the back. That thing has been run into stuff, driven over stuff, and rolled more times than I can count and it just keeps going. We've been using it to pull trees we cut down on the land my buddy just bought. One time we pulled his dads pig cooker (old cement mixer water tank) on a trailer which probably weighed atleast 2,000lbs itself and his dodge neon chained to the back of that yet up a significantly steep hill beside his house with his neighbor standing on the hitch for traction (didn't have a lot of tongue weight) and my fat [censored] sitting on the hood trying to keep the front end down. I was amazed. They don't build them like they used too

 

[HM12460]

Get the Wheel Horse. I too have a 312-8 and as long as the blades are sharp and the deck is adjusted properly, it cuts very nice. I also use mine to plow snow with and the Wheel Horse blade with it's manual adjustment for blade angle is usable from the seat, without having to get off the tractor. I have been buying and re-selling used outdoor power equipment for over 20 years now and tend to stick with John Deere's, Cub's, and Wheel Horse's. The Eaton 1100 hydrostatic is much stronger than the Eaton 700. I also tend to stick with single cylinder Kohler's, Briggs Vangaurd, and Kawasaki engine's. The 200 series Deere models are also very well built with excellent dealer support.