1986 Wheel Horse 520 Garden Tractor

by Lavern J. Smith
(Findlay, OH)

I must say that my 1986 Wheel Horse has lived up to the expectations you would expect from the Wheel Horse name. The entire tractor appears to be original. The motor runs strong, the deck cuts great, and the steering system all works just fine. It is also important to note that all 3 gears and reverse work properly and do not slip.

I have owned this mower for about 4 years and I bought it for $350 at a garage sale. It came with an extra pair of rear snow tires and a snow blade. This mower has been best used to mow my 150' x 75' lot, and also to plow my driveway in the winter months. It is also good to haul a trailor or roller behind.

I do have children and they always enjoy a ride behind the tractor. The only negative thing I could possibly mention is that sometimes the mower deck squeeks when it is engaged, but that only happens briefly and the blades spin at what appears to be their normal speed.

There is an adjustment on the front of the mower to tighten the belt, and when I feel it to be necessary, I tighten up the belt a bit. That usually helps for a month or so and then I re-tighten the belt again.. I have also had a problem with the tires losing air over time and I have to reinflate them. This typically consists of airing them up once a month or so. The recommended psi on the tires is around 30psi and I would find that over a months time the left rear tire would get down to about 15 psi.