Winter Holding Fast - February 2018

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 8:02 pm

I have long argued with customers about the use of a "Lawn Tractor".... they are made to mow your lawn & occasionally pull a small cart with mulch & tools.
BUT... says the customer... the manufacturer sells a snow plow & a snow blower for my lawn tractor..... sure they do... if they sell you attachments for the tractor they sold to you,they have just sold you more stuff. I see it all the time,a snow plow will ruin the transmission ,a snow blower will destroy the front axle & axle support area along with the steering mechanism.
If you can't afford a real tractor or a subcompact tractor,do like i do, use a Garden tractor,i have a rototiller on the back of 1,a snow plow on another. I have used mine for 14 yrs with just normal wear items needing replaced. It does wear out the drive belts quicker with pushing snow,but it gets the job done.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 8:09 pm

Come on WH, what breed of lawn tractor? Just a thought but, they don't build em the way they used to. That's why I love my 1985 Wheel Horse.

Don't plow with it but she mows a hell of a lot of lawn. Set up for tiller,etc. Cast 12 HP she's a rugged old girl!!

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 8:22 pm

MTD 800 series Garden tractors... 1 -1995 with a belt driven 28" rear tiller,1- 1997 with a 48" snow plow,chains on rear tires & approx. 125# of weights on the rear end. 1- 1998 with a 50" mower deck... this tractor was seen by those who followed my gardening threads... i often pulled a big grass vac cart with it to cut rye for mulching my garden. These 800 series are belt driven with a variable speed system & Hi-Lo-Rev tranny... 14 speeds total forward,7 reverse speeds.

I also bought a Cub Cadet 2084.. it is one of the Super Garden Tractor models & weighs right at 1200#. This unit is sitting in my shop waiting for me to do some repairs. It is equipped with a 54" hydraulic lift & angle snow plow & a 54" mower deck. Powered by a 20 HP Kohler Command thru a hydrostatic tranny. It also has power steering .I am looking forward to the upgrade.

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 8:45 pm

I guess i need to give further info on the MTD 800 series Garden tractors. These tractors where modernized in i believe 2001. I believe the 2000 yr model was the last of the "tunnel" frame tractors.They made the newer ones with the "slide thru" for the operators feet & legs Rather than the high tunnel between the operators legs. The biggest issue with the newer units is the steering & front axle.... they don't hold up very good,especially with a snow blower mounted on the front.
I am not sure about pre-1995,so i will say that 1995 to 1999 or 2000. I am not positive on the yr the change was made. But, 1995 or newer 800 series with the tunnel frame.Some of these tractors were made with hydrostatic trannys,but the variable speed system is much more popular.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 9:33 pm

I had a 2084 CUB--my Wheel Horse puts it to shame--the CUB was great but a really good deal came up for the Wheel Horse.

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 10:08 pm

freetown fred wrote: ↑
Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 9:33 pm
I had a 2084 CUB--my Wheel Horse puts it to shame--the CUB was great but a really good deal came up for the Wheel Horse.

Are you sure on that number ? The 2084 Super Garden Tractor was only made in 1993 & 1994,mine is a '93.Your Wheel Horse is no where near the size of a Super Garden Tractor.
Did the Cub Cadet have power steering? that was standard equipment along with hydraulic lift for the deck.2 brake pedals on the right side,each pedal controlled 1 wheel,just like a farm tractor.
The 2084 Super garden tractor has 18x8.50-8 tires on the front,26 x 12.00-12 tires on the rear.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 10:31 pm

The Wheel Horse IS smaller but way solider built. I enjoyed mine, but like I said, a real good deal came along on the WH. Have you owned/ worked any older WH's?

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 10:43 pm

Yes, i have worked on old Wheel Horses... it is a brand i have never liked.

You forgot to answer whether or not your Cub Cadet had power steering & hydraulic lift for the deck & individual wheel brakes .

joeq · Post by **joeq** » Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 11:40 pm

I hear ya on the lawn tractors, and snow removal. With a light duty and light weight machine such as these, plows are only good for a few inches of powder. But a blower does a better job of clearing, than pushing. Even still, it's tough finding traction.

We got a bit of a mess out there today. Minimal snow, topped off with water and sleet. If it all freezes tomorrow, driving will be a bear.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Thu. Feb. 08, 2018 1:30 am

Oh OK--yes of course the 2084 had all that + a add-on driver tent ( nice when using the snow blower) or I wouldn't of jumped in this topic. You never answered if you had ever worked an old WH--not worked on. There's nothing on the WH I can't do myself & properly maintained I doubt I'll ever need to do engine or tranny work. (1985)

windyhill4.2 wrote: ↑
Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 10:43 pm
Yes, i have worked on old Wheel Horses... it is a brand i have never liked.

You forgot to answer whether or not your Cub Cadet had power steering & hydraulic lift for the deck & individual wheel brakes .

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Thu. Feb. 08, 2018 6:29 am

Most times when i work on equipment, i also test the equipment. Yes, i have worked on & worked with OLD Wheel Horses.

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Thu. Feb. 08, 2018 6:32 am

joeq, are those rear tires on your 214 filled with windshield washer fluid ? That adds about 75# to each side by filling them & it is not expensive to do.

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Thu. Feb. 08, 2018 9:29 am

freetown fred wrote: ↑
Thu. Feb. 08, 2018 1:30 am
Oh OK--yes of course the 2084 had all that + a add-on driver tent ( nice when using the snow blower) or I wouldn't of jumped in this topic. You never answered if you had ever worked an old WH--not worked on. There's nothing on the WH I can't do myself & properly maintained I doubt I'll ever need to do engine or tranny work. (1985)

Got a picture of it with the driver canopy & snow blower ? Was it an OEM canopy ?

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Thu. Feb. 08, 2018 9:45 am

I don't have it anymore WH, it was part of the WH deal. Yep, it came with the canopy from the guy I bought it off. Don't know it's origin. I do know it was MTD & pretty much everything was throw-away. Unlike my WH.

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Thu. Feb. 08, 2018 10:14 am

freetown fred wrote: ↑
Thu. Feb. 08, 2018 9:45 am
I don't have it anymore WH, it was part of the WH deal. Yep, it came with the canopy from the guy I bought it off. Don't know it's origin. I do know it was MTD & pretty much everything was throw-away. Unlike my WH.

Is that the tractor that you repaired the engine & then it broke ? Is that the one you traded on the Wheel Horse ?