Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki
Don't have an account?
Register
Advertisement
Register
in: Pages using ISBN magic links, Wheel Horse tractors, American Motors,
and 12 more

Wheel Horse tractors

Sign in to edit
Wheel Horse
Fate Acquired
Founded 1946
Founder(s) Elmer Pond
Defunct 1986
Headquarters South Bend, Indiana, USA
Key people Cecil Pond
Industry Power equipment
Products lawn and garden tractors
Parent American Motors (AMC) (1970s)
Toro

Wheel Horse was a manufacturer of lawn and garden tractors, including lawn and garden tractors. The company's headquarters were in South Bend, Indiana.

1986 Wheel Horse 520-H garden tractor-s

1986 Wheel Horse 520-H garden tractor

History[]

Wheel Horse Commando 800 and a Raider 10 at Stoke Goldington 09 - IMG 9743

A pair of Wheel Horse tractors (Commando 800 (near) and a Raider 10 (far))

The business was started in the two-car garage of Cecil Pond in 1946. Pond began building two-wheel, self-propelled "Walk-Away" garden tractors that were sold under the Pond name.[1] Due to a naming conflict with another company, the company's name was changed to Wheel Horse. Pond's son Cecil Elwood Pond continued to develop and market the company's products. The framework was typically simple angle or channel iron and various surplus motorcycle and automotive parts were used. In 1947, a four-wheel tractor, the "Ride-Away" model was introduced for garden use. It was also made from crude parts and without a hood for easy service access.

The demand for garden tractors was rapidly increasing as households with small gardens found them rather inexpensive, practical to use for a variety of chores, and they were economical to maintain. By 1956, the business had become very successful. The company began to build a range of small to large lawn and garden tractors, in addition to a line of riding lawn mowers. A characteristic of the products was their standardization through the years. The most popular model and year was the R-J58 Wheel Horse 1958, it came without a mowing deck, but one could be added.

A new model was produced in 1958, which included a three-speed transmission. This transmission is called the Uni-Drive transmission that Elmer Pond designed in 60 days. One tractor model was named Rj-58 and included a Clinton B-1290 or a Kohler k-90 engine. The Rj-35 used a Clinton B-1200 engine with a belt driven transmission. When equipped with a Briggs & Stratton 2.5 horsepower (1.9 kW) engine, the model of the tractor became RJ-25.

The attachments remained the same for the RJ series. From 1956-1957 wheel horse changed the color of the wheels from black into an almond color.

The demand for these little tractors grew so much by the end of 1959 that they could not keep up with production. Sales were over US$4.5 million.

In 1960 there were significant style changes. However, the engine location immediately in front of the operator and the 12-inch (305 mm) wheels stayed the same. Two models of tractors were introduced this year: the model 400, with a 4 hp (3.0 kW) Kohler engine and the model 550, with a 5.5 hp (4.1 kW) Tecumseh-Lauson engine. These two models were known as the "Suburban" tractors.

In 1965, Wheel Horse was among the first to introduce tractors with a hydrostatic drive system, the model 875 and 1075 "Wheel-a-Matics".

To expand snow removal options beyond the dozer blade attachment for its tractors, the company also added snow blowers to its power products with the "Reo" snow thrower line.[2]

The company's products earned a good reputation in the marketplace. The 1968 Ranger was a high-end 6 hp (4.5 kW) rider with big rear wheels, "husky front suspension", and featured a two-year warranty.[3]

In April 1968, Wheel Horse entered the snowmobile market by purchasing the Sno-Flite snowmobile line of CE Erickson of Des Moines, Iowa.[4][5] Six-models called "Safari" ranged from 295 to 440 cc producing 18 hp (13.4 kW) to 30 hp (22.4 kW) with an optional electric start system, and were priced from $845 to $1,195.[4] Sno-Flite snowmobiles were made by Wheel Horse until 1972, when the line was sold to Parts Unlimited, who continued support for the products until replacement parts ran out in the late-1970s or early-1980s.[6]

There were eleven models in four lines of lawn and garden tractors by 1974: the 8 hp (6.0 kW) "economy" A Series with standard 32-inch mower and electric or recoil start, the "compact" B Series with a four-speed or automatic transmission, the C Series offering four models (the C-120 and C-160 automatic, and the C-100 and C-160 8-speed), as well as the top-of-the-line D Series featuring automatics in D-160, D-180, and the D-200 powered by a twin-cylinder, 19.9 hp (14.8 kW) engine.[7]

The business was acquired by American Motors (AMC) on May 24, 1974.[8] The company paid $30 million as it expanded into non-automotive markets.[9]

In 1982, Wheel Horse was spun off from AMC to Munn Investment Group. During this time some cosmetic changes were made, but frame and attachment design remained the same. In mid-August 1986, Wheel Horse was sold off from Munn and purchased for $8 million by Toro.[10][11] Tractors were built under the Toro banner for the next two decades. Under their new owner, economically priced Wheel Horse tractors shared the same pressed-steel frames, attachments, and other parts used in bargain-built Toro family equipment. In fact, even larger garden and compact tractors were "cookie cutter" units identical in construction to New Holland models built under contract by Toro. The Wheel Horse name was eliminated from production after 2007. The character Andy Farmer, played by Chevy Chase in the 1988 film, "Funny Farm", owned a Wheel Horse and appeared riding it on the film's movie poster.

Some models were built under the Work Horse by Wheel Horse during the 1980s.

Model range[]

See also[]

References / sources[]

  • Martino, Michael A.. Straight from the Horse's Mouth: The Wheel Horse Story. Stemgas Publishing. ISBN 0970666802. 
  1. ↑ "Some Wheel Horse History". Alex Cook (16 January 2012). Retrieved on 10 July 2010.
  2. ↑ Lindsey, E.F. (December 1967), "How to buy the right snow thrower", Popular Science 191(6): 134, http://books.google.com/books?id=ASoDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA133&lpg=PA133&dq=%22Reo+snow+thrower. Retrieved on . 
  3. ↑ Lindsey, E.F. (March 1968), "Buyer's Guide to '68 Garden Tractors", Popular Science. 3 192: 45–194, http://books.google.com/books?id=lSYDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA146&dq=Wheel+Horse+company. Retrieved on . 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Fales, Don (October 1969), "'70 a Sensational Year Coming up for Snowmobiles", Popular Mechanics 132(4): 142–144, http://books.google.com/books?id=7NcDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA142&dq=Wheel+Horse+entered+snowmobiles. Retrieved on . 
  5. ↑ "Snowmobiles", Popular Science 193: 85. 1968. 
  6. ↑ "Wheel Horse Snowmobiles Yes, Wheel Horse really made Snowmobiles". JaTee's Red Shed. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved on 16 January 2012.
  7. ↑ "Introducing the A, B, C, D's of tractoring (advertisement)", Popular Science 203(4): 61. October 1973, http://books.google.com/books?id=lpiMSzja6W4C&pg=PA61&dq=%22Wheel+Horse%22+four+series+of+lawn+and+garden. Retrieved on . 
  8. ↑ Will, p. 88.
  9. ↑ (1987) The Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1946-1975. Krause Publications, 49. ISBN 978-0-87341-096-0. 
  10. ↑ (1984) Ward's Automotive Yearbook 46. Ward's Reports, 211. 
  11. ↑ "Toro company history — 1980s". The Toro Company. Retrieved on 10 July 2010.

External links[]

v · d · e
Wheel Horse model range
Wheel Horse Models
A-16  • A-80-E  • A-81  • A-90  • A-100  • B-80  • B-85  • B-100  • B-111  • B-115  • B-145  • B-165  • C-81  • C-85  • C-101  • C-105  • C-111  • C-120  • C-121  • C-125  • C-141  • C-145  • C-160  • C-161  • C-175  • C-185 Electric  • C-195  • Charger 8  • Charger 10  • Charger 11  • Charger 12  • Commando 6  • Commando 7  • Commando 8  • Commando 800  • D-180  • D-200  • D-200 backhoe  • D-250  • Electro 12  • GT-14  • GT-1600  • JR-35  • Lawn Ranger  • Lawn Ranger 32  • Lawn Ranger 32 R  • Lawn Ranger 34 R  • Lawn Ranger 107  • Lawn Ranger 156  • Lawn Ranger 157  • Raider 9  • Raider 10  • Raider 12  • Radier 14  • Ride-Away  • Ride-Away Jr.  • Ride-Away Jr. RJ-35  • Ride-Away Jr. RJ-58  • Ride-Away Jr. RJ-59  • Ride-Away Senior  • RJ-35  • RJ-58  • Suburban  • Suburban 400  • Suburban 550  • 4  • 208-3  • 211  • 211-4  • 211-5  • 211-B  • 212-H  • 220-4  • 222-5  • 252-H  • 257-H  • 310-8  • 312-A  • 312-8  • 314-A  • 401  • 414-8  • 416-8  • 417-8  • 500  • 502  • 516-H  • 520-H  • 551  • 552  • 561  • 607  • 633  • 653  • 654  • 655  • 656  • 657  • 700  • 701  • 702  • 704  • 800  • 854  • 857  • 867  • 875  • 877  • 953  • 1045  • 1054  • 1057  • 1067  • 1075  • 1077  • 1257  • 1267  • 1277  • 2217
Work Horse Models
GT-1100  • GT-1152  • GT-1600  • GT-1848  • LT 1137  • 700  • 800
v · d · e
Garden machinery
Under construction - please add missing articles.
Garden Tractors
Bean - BMB - Bolens - Bristol Tractors - Carterson - Coleby - Crawley tractor - Garner - Kendal - Lea-Francis - Monarch Tractor Co. - Newman - Oak Tree Appliances(OTA) - Ransomes MG tractor - Simplicity - Singer Tractor - Stockhold Tractors - Trojan Toraktor - Wheelhorse
Motor cultivators
British Anzani - Fowler Motor Cultivator - Gunsmith tractor - Howard - Pattisson - Trusty Stead -
Motor carts
Mowers
ATCO - Bolens - Dennis Mowers - Greens Mowers - IH Cub Cadet - John Deere - Ransomes Mowers
Chainsaws
Dolmar - Husqvarna AB - MF Chainsaws - Stihl
Misc machinery
v · d · e
List of Tractor Manufacturers (Internal Combustion engined)
Early Makes - pre 1940s
England & Ireland
Europe
Austin(France) • Bolinder • Calsa Carraro • Cassani • Citroen • Ebro • Fendt • Fiat • GMW • Guldner • Hanomag • HSCS • Labourier • Lanz • Latil • Munktell • Renault • RIP • SAME • SCEMIA • Schluter • SFV / Vierzon • SIFT • Stock-Motorplough
USA
Advance-Rumely • Allis-Chalmers • Aultman-Taylor • Avery • B.F.Avery & Sons Co. • Bates • Baker • Best • Bull • Case • J.I. Case • Caterpillar • Cletrac • Cockshutt • Denning Tractor Co. • Eagle • Famo • Fairbanks-Morse • Farmall • Flour City • Fordson/Ford • Gray Tractor Co. • Gibson • GO/General Ordnance Co. • Hart-Parr • Heider • Holt • Huber • Illinois Tractor Co. • International • Jackson John Deere • Minneapolis-Moline • Mogul • Morton Tractor Co., Harrisburg, Pennsylvania • Morton Tractor Co., Fremont, Ohio • Nichols & Shepard • Oliver • Parrett • Rock Island • Rumely Oil Pull • Samson • Shepard • Simpson • Stock • Twin City Tractors • Wallis • Yuba • Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company
Canada
GS&M • Harris • Massey • Massey-Harris • Sawyer Massey
Others
HSCS(Hungary) • MAR • McDonald(Australia) • Ronaldson Bros & Tippett (Australia)
1940s to 1980s
England (UK)
Belgium / France /
Holland / Spain
ADN • Agria Hispania • Agrip • Astoa • Babiole • Barreiros • BJR • Ceres • Champion • Citroen • Ebro • ECO • Energic • EVA • International - France • Labourier • Latil • Le Percheron • Lely • Macavia • MAP • Massey-Harris - France • Motocultores Pasquali • Motransa • Motransa Nuffield • Renault Tractors • Richard Continental • SACA • SEMIA • SFV/Vierzon • SIFT • SIMCA/SOMECA • Sole • St. Chamond • Taissa • TESA • TUR  • Vandel Vendeuvre
Austria / Germany /
Switzerland
Agria GmbH • Bautz • Bucher • Buhrer • Bungartz • Claas • Deutz/Deutz-Allis • Drexler • Eicher • Epple-Buxbaum • Fahr • FAMO • Fendt • Guldner • Gutbrod • Hanomag • Hatz • Hela • Holder • Hummel • Hurlimann • International - Germany/McCormick • John Deere • John Deere Lanz • KHD • Kögel • Kramer • Krasser • Lanz • Lanz • Lindner • MAN • Mercedes-Benz / MB Trac /Unimog • Porsche/Allgaier • Normag • O&K • SAME • Steyr • Stihl • Schluter • Vevey • Wahl • Warchalowski • Zettelmeyer
Scandinavia:
Denmark / Finland / Norway / Sweden
Advance • Bofors • Bolinder-Munktell • Bukh • GMW • Valmet/Valtra • Volvo
Eastern Block
East Germany / Czechoslovakia /
Hungary / Romania /
Poland
Csepel • Dutra • ElPol • Farm-Mot • Fortschritt • Hart • Hofherr-Schrantz • HSCS • IMR • IMT • IRA Tractor Co. • JL • Liaz • MAT • Praga • RÁBA • Schluter • Skoda • Slazak • Svoboda • Torpedo • Universal (UTB) • Ursus • Utos • Zetor • ZTS
Soviet Union
Belarus • KhTZ • Kirovets • LTZ • Malyshev • MTZ • TTZ • UMZ • Volgograd • VTZ
Italy
Adriatica • Agrifull • Antonio Carraro • BCS • Carraro • De Nardi • Erreppi • Ferrari • Fiat • Goldoni • Lamborghini • Landini • Lombardini • Nibbi • OM tractors • Orsi • Pasquali • Pavesi • Randi • Ruggerini • SAME • Ursus Italtractor • Valpadana • Venieri
North America
Australia,
China, Far East,
India, Russia & Others
Baldwin - Belarus • Chamberlain • Eicher Motors • GoldStar • Harsha • HMT • Howard • Jelbart • Kirloskar • Kubota • Mahindra • McDonald • Millat • Pittie • Ronaldson Bros & Tippett • Sunshine • TAFE • Upton • Volgograd • Waltanna • YTO
South America
(Argentina, Brazil etc)
Agrale • Bernardin • DECA • Engesa • Fiat Concord • Malves • Pampero  • Rotania  • Zanello
Modern post 1980s
Landini • McCormick • SEP • Valpadana
Independents
North America
Europe
Aebi • Agria GmbH • Agria Hispania • AgroLUXS • Agroservis • AGS • AGT • AH - Goldoni • AHWI • Amobil • Astoa • Barreiros • BJR • Catron • Ceahlau • Claas (Renault) • Crystal • Dexheimer • Doppstadt • Ebro • Farmár • GEDA • Hart • Holder • Horsch • IMK • IMR • IMT • Irum • JCB • Krasser • Krieger • Lander • LIMB • Lindner • Martin Diesel • MAT • Metrac • Mija • Mt. Super  • Pronar • Rigi Trac • Schanzlin • Schluter • Sole • Terrion • Titan Tractors • TTB • Tuber • Tünnissen • Universal (UTB) • Universal UTS • Ursus • Vandel • WACO • Zetor  • ZTS
India & Pakistan
ACE • Agri King • Al-Ghazi Tractors • Amar • Angad • Brahma-Steyr • Bull Power IMT • Chaman Ford • Crossword Agro Industries • Dewan • Eicher Motors • Escort • Euro Ford • Farmer • Fecto • Fieldmarshal • Force Motors • GM Universal • Greaves • Hero • Hindustan • Hittner • HMT • Indo Farm • John Deere India • Kissan Standard • L&T - John Deere • Mahindra • Mahindra Gujarat • Marshal • Meraj • Millat • New Holland India • Panther • Preet • Punjab Tractors • Rahi Tractors • Renault Sonalika International • SAME-Deutz-Fahr India • SAME-Greaves • SirGroh Ursus • Sonalika International • Standard • Swaraj • TAFE • Tempo Ox • Trantor • United Auto Tractors • Vanraj • Vishvas • VST Tillers
Middle East
(Turkey, Iran,
Iraq, Syria etc...)
Alfrat • AHS Karinca • Basak • Baskent • Bozok • Ekip • Erkunt • Eurotrak • Hake • Hars • Hattat • ITMCO • JIROFT • Kerman • KTMCO • Mehmet Simseker • Mavci  • O.T.M.CO • OSTMCO • Super Star • SuperLine • Toos • Tümosan • Uzel • Varzan • Yağmur
Far East
(Australasia, China,
Japan, Korea, Thailand,
Vietnam etc...)
Acremaster • Anglo-Thai New Holland • Baldwin • Benniu • Benye • BOMR • BS • Chamberlain • Changfa • Changlin • Chery • Chollima • Chuanfeng • Chuanlong • CLF • DaDiHong • Daedong • Detank • DongFangHong • Dongfeng • Enfly • Foton • Fujian • Guangyuan • HaiShan • Harbin Tractor • Hinomoto • Hitachi • Hokkai Ford • Honda • Huanghai Jinma • Iseki • Jiangling • JiangSu • Jinling • Jinma • John Deere Tiantuo • Juling • Kaitai • Kalida • Kama • Kaset Phattana • KAT • KIMCO • Kioti • KMT (Kamol) • Kubota • Kukje • LG • Linhai • Lion King • Longfeng • Lovol • LS • Luzhong • Mitsubishi • Morooka • Naenara • NanYue • Ningbo • Ouqi • Qian Liniu • Phoenix tractors • Raba • Satoh • Shandong Changlin • Shandong Juli • Shanghai • Shanghai-New Holland • Shenniu • Shibaura • Shifeng • Siam Kubota • Sinoway • Taihong • TaiShan • Talaythong • Tianjin • Tianjin Deere • TianTong • Tong Yang Moolsan • UM Taishan • Vikyno • Waltanna • WeiFang • Weituo • Wuzheng • XingTai • Yanmar • YTO • Zhengzhou • ZhongLian • Zhongtuo • Zhongyuan • Zhongzhou • Zoomlion
South America
(Argentina, Brazil,
Uruguay etc)
Abati • AGCO-Allis • Agrale • Agrale-Deutz • Agrinar • Agritech • Apache Solis • Bernardin • BM • Braselio • Budny • Engesa • Fiat Concord • Guapo • Jensen • LSG • Mancini (Argentina) • Metalfor Araus • Montana LS • Müller • Pampero • Pauny • PowerTrac • Proton Primus • Stara • T&M Grossi • TMZ Zanello • Tortone • Trac-Za • Ursus (Brazil) • VenIran • Yanmar - Agritech • Zanello • Zanello (CMZ) • Zanello (Tractomade) • Zanello (ZG Trac)
Africa
ACO 2000 • Agrico • Al Jadah • Bell • CMT • Dezzi • ETRAG • GIAD • Motira • NTAP • PMA • UgIran
Asia
(Russia, Tajikstan,
Uzbekistan, Ukraine)
Agromash • Altai • Belarus • Belarus (Ganja) • Boreks • Deutz-Fahr Kirovets • Hittner • HTZ • JUMZ • Kamaz • KhTZ • Kirovets • KMZ • LTZ • Malyshev • MoAZ • MTM • MTZ • OMTZ • ORTZ • Prima • Progress-ZST • PTZ • Saktraktori • SHTZ • Smoltra • TajIran • Tigar • Titran • Tolpar • Torpedo • Tracom • TTZ • Tuber  • Ukraina • UMZ • UVZ • VTZ • ZTM
Specialist types of tractor
Crawler Tractors
Agria Hispania(Spain) • BCS(Italy) • Carraro(Italy) • Deutz-Fahr(Germany) • Eicher(Germany) • Erkunt(Turkey) • Fageol(USA) • Fendt(Germany) • Ferrari(Italy) • Ferguson(France) • Fiat(Italy) • Foton(China) • Goldoni(Italy) • Guldner(Germany) • Gutbrod(Germany) • Hattat(Turkey) • Holder(Germany) • Hurlimann(Switzerland) • IMT(Serbia) • Lamborghini(Italy) • Landini(Italy) • Lindeman(USA) • John Deere(USA) • Pasquali(Italy) • Reekie • SAME(Italy) • Serjan(Iran) • [{Steyr]](Austria) • Ursus(Poland)
Garden Tractors
(Compact tractors & Cultivators)
ATCO • Barfords of Belton • BMB • Bolens(USA) • British Anzani • Bungartz(Germany) • Carterson • Coleby • Crawley • Cub Cadet(USA) • Cub Cadet Yanmar(USA) • Fahr(Germany) • Garner • Gibson • Goldoni Gunsmith • Gutbrod(Germany) • Howard • Hummel • Irus(Germany) • Iseki(Japan) • Jacobsen Corporation • John Deere(USA) • Kendall • Lawn-Boy • Martin Markham • Mitsubishi Agricultural Machinery(Japan) • Monarch Tractor Co. • MTD • Newman • OTA • Pasquali • Ransomes • Rollo • Roths Industries Inc.(USA) • Siemens(Germany) • Simplicity(USA) • Singer • Trusty • Wahl(Germany) • Winget • Wheel Horse tractors
Motor Carts
Trucks / tool carriers
ATV's
(Quad bikes etc. for offroad use)
Arctic Cat • Bombardier (Can-Am) • Gator • Honda • JCB Groundhog • John Deere • Kawasaki • KTM • Kymco • Polaris • Suzuki • Yamaha •
Notable People - associated with the tractor industry
Inventors


Smallwikipedialogo This page uses some content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Wheel Horse. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons by Attribution License and/or GNU Free Documentation License. Please check page history for when the original article was copied to Wikia


Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
Advertisement

Fan Feed

More Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki