# What's better



## 1961cuboriginal (Sep 7, 2014)

Cub or bolens


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## ftorleans1 (Jul 12, 2009)

If we're talking about a true Cub, Not a big box Cub, I would lean towards the Cub However, I've heard a lot of good about the Bolens!!!


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

When it comes to the newer tractors(1989 up) there's not much difference,since they're both MTD products.
On the original tractors,the cub has more parts available,easier to get,than the Bolens.
That said,I love the Bolens 1050 I have. It isn't stock,but it's dear to my heart,since I love old iron.
I am looking,though, for another to play with,whether it's a Cub,AC,Sears,I don't care . As long as it doesn't have the flimsy frame that most newer ones have .


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## ftorleans1 (Jul 12, 2009)

Amen to that... I'm an old iron lover too. My Avatar photo is my 1975 Gravely 812. With the exception of replacing brushes in the starter, a fuel pump and one set of points, The tractor is all original. Minus my custom add-ons...

Even the mower deck is all original minus 1 deck belt... I grease the mandrels every other cut and have repacked the mower deck gearbox twice. The tires are original. Now that's American quality....

The ole gal turns 40 in a few months....


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## OldBuzzard (Jun 23, 2011)

Not to take anything away from the Cub Cadets, but if you match them head to head, the Bolens is a better tractor.

In their day, Bolens was pretty much the best of the best.

Parts are still readily available for the tube frame and large frame tractors, and pretty reasonably priced.

Another thing that makes the Bolens a good pick is the fact that their attachments were pretty much universal across the board for each series. A front blade for a 1962 600 will mount on the 1978 G11 with no modifications or adapters needed. Of course, some consideration must be made for the Hp required for the PTO driven attachments. You aren't going to run a 42" deck with an 8 Hp tractor


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Around here,OldBuzzard,it's real hard to find Bolens tractors,let alone parts.
The guy I get mine from,lives 50 miles away....and that's considered a close drive !!.
As I said,tho' I prefer the Bolens,but the one I want to build, will be a Cub,AC,Sears,.maybe an Ingersol,if I can find one cheap enough.
Either way,it won't be "stock",by any means !


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

Yeah, what's a Bolens? The original question can't be answered without more details. That said, Just about any of the old iron in good shape is better than what is available new.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

You got that right!
2 years ago,before I moved here, I stopped at the Simplicity dealer(he also sold Toro,and Scag),and I was shocked when I saw the flimsy construction on the new garden tractor models !


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## OldBuzzard (Jun 23, 2011)

jhngardner367 said:


> Around here,OldBuzzard,it's real hard to find Bolens tractors,let alone parts. ...


Yeah, for some reason or another, Bolens didn't have a lot of market penetration in a good part of the country, so there are places where they are hard to find. In places like Michigan, Northern Ohio, Pennsylvania, and the North East Coast you can't turn around with out stumbling over one.

As far as parts, I know of at least four guys that can supply pretty much any part you need, and will ship.



skunkhome said:


> Yeah, what's a Bolens? The original question can't be answered without more details. That said, Just about any of the old iron in good shape is better than what is available new.


The original question is easy...."What's better, a Cub of a Bolens?".

Something that really puzzles me is that with as many guys that are collecting the Bolens tractors, you don't see that many of them at the tractor shows, and plow days., even in OH and PA.

When I went to the WPGTA Plow day in Nov 2013, I was the only Bolens tractor there, and a lot of guys were really taken aback as to how big , well built, and strong the HDT1000 is.


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