Wheel Horse Charger 8

Wow what a bummer.  Did it have oil in it?  Kinda sounds like it seized up.

Crazy_Carl wrote:

Wow what a bummer.  Did it have oil in it?  Kinda sounds like it seized up.

yeah i just finished changing it... anyway.....

old motor, no motor and new 17hp OHV briggs.   Obviously I have to figure out what to do with the exhaust, has to side exit....

Got some big tires for the rear 23 x 9.5-12, should have put one of these in the build off but I am getting close to working on my stretch project... I might have to enter my simplicity though because that is about to shape up too....





The old 8hp motor is way heavier than the new 17hp

Interesting re-power there. Other than the exhaust, it looks like the engine will fit barely.

Crazy_Carl wrote:

Interesting re-power there.  Other than the exhaust, it looks like the engine will fit barely.  

I have the engine lying around so it was the best choice, I have a 18hp opposed & trust me I checked, the air cleaner assy & all that didn't clear.

Should be fun to drive gonna get a pulley to make it move a little quicker, the charger 8 with the hydrostat is nice and slow... These little tractors handle a little funny going fast, im sure they are easy to tip.

You plan on pulley swapping it and it’s a hydro?

Crazy_Carl wrote:

You plan on pulley swapping it and it’s a hydro?

No I am and you are mixing up what I have haha.... I have 3 of these little wheel horse tractors

1) 1969 hydro 12hp
2) 1975 little one with gear trans & deck 12hp
3) 1969 with the blown motor chrome trim

You have so many tractors I’m confused. I kinda recall that you did have a geared model. I’m excited to see future progress.

Crazy_Carl wrote:

You have so many tractors I’m confused.  I kinda recall that you did have a geared model.  I’m excited to see future progress.

this is all (3) to much trouble to make a thread on all of them....

1969 charger hydro 22" tires filled with washer fluid & sears gt front rims/tires. Briggs 12hp from the simplicity mouse tractor


1975 ranger mostly stock 3sp, now push button start briggs 12hp


1969 commando 3sp, just put on 23" tires tonight, gonna get the brigss 17hp..

You should re-name this thread wheel horses galore! Thanks for the rundown of your current machines. This clarifies a lot.

Nice collection! I like the Charger with the GT rims and ribbed fronts, looks good. And I second changing the name of the thread, it would avoid any more confusion.

aww man look what just rolled in......half a tractor. I paid 50 bucks, basically for the engine & trans. I like how this 6sp shifts, and it is not between your legs.




19 opposed, seems in good shape, tried to start it and no spark, so will check that out and see how it runs after that,  but looks clean.

Not sure what im gonna do with the engine yet 100%, but its gonna go somewhere.

Some kind of 6 speed and an oppy? Nice find! I wonder what kind of transaxle it has.

Crazy_Carl wrote:

Some kind of 6 speed and an oppy?  Nice find!  I wonder what kind of transaxle it has.

I haven't looked into that yet but I am happy with the engine.

I am trying to look for some exhaust ideas, is there a good place to get elbows and pre bent shapes for this size exhaust pipe???

Will the opposed be insane loud without a muffler?

It will be loud, but insane depends on how long your exhaust is and where it dumps.

I always prefer threaded exhausts so I can go muffled or unmuffled.

Double W Cross Ranch wrote:

I always prefer threaded exhausts so I can go muffled or unmuffled.

yeah I hear you I just hate the look of threaded pipe elbows and all that. I just need some 90's and im sure I can fine a inline muffler somewhere.

you need to keep a very good eye out for scrap piles with old chairs or exercise equipment that was made out of steel tubing that has bends in it. you can re-purposed those pieces and weld on flanges and female NPT adapters to thread a muffler into.

If you have ok speakers take a listen, this is my 75 charger with a briggs 12hp..  It is running now, I have had the carb out and stripped completely clean twice now to be certain it is not the culprit, but it runs with a "pitter patter" exhaust note.  It almost sounds like a miss or poof out the exhaust but not too bad. I have played with the carb adjustments constantly to no avail. It is just running a little erratic. I did not fully rebuild the carb.

Here is a vid, it is more noticeable at 30sec when I move the throttle. I think maybe it is a valve thing or something?

Watch the throttle move.....

I did watch the video. I had a Briggs on my simplicity that kind of did something like that and a mechanic told me that the hole in the carburetor for the throttle shaft was worn out so it was sucking air. it ran a little rough at idle no load but it did run fine once I was moving.

How’s the float adjustment?

Crazy_Carl wrote:

How’s the float adjustment?

It is a new float, actually the 2nd new float the 1st brass one was defective so I got a plastic one. Anyway I have played with the adjustment there a ton and it runs the same.

It sorta sounds like a governor problem to me, like the governor is making it surge.

I remember Mud King had that issue with the gov in his oppy, ending up having to by pass it to fix it.

How is the gasket between the intake and block.

Other things to look at if gasket is good and the bolts are tight. Is your gas cap venting propery? Loosen it see if it smoothens out. Filter looked good.

MightyRaze wrote:

How is the gasket between the intake and block.

Other things to look at if gasket is good and the bolts are tight.  Is your gas cap venting propery?  Loosen it see if it smoothens out.  Filter looked good.

Yeah ill check it out, I think the gasket was ok. I think if I spray carb spray on the gasket area & it bogs down that could be the issue.