# Does MTD support the older Bolens with parts at all?



## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

I've heard that MTD does offer parts support for older Cub Cadets, and I have been able to get the occasional part I need for my old Troy-Bilt tiller. But do they support the older Bolens tractors at all? Or are you guys on your own essentailly?


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## AlbanyBob (Aug 25, 2004)

Joe:

They have some of the older stuff. The person that would know would be jt41484. As I think he has a direct line to our MTD supplier. :furious: 

Bob


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## guest2 (Dec 27, 2003)

As far as I know us guys with the older stuff are on our own. MTD may still have some sporadic inventory for the last few bolens/troy-bilt machines, but that's about it. All the previous gardenway labeled parts were sold off to places like Sonny's.

There are some NOS parts for tubeframes and largeframes scattered around but nothing is in production.


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## guest2 (Dec 27, 2003)

According to MTD's website, they may have some parts in their warehouses, but it's only the luck of the draw since nothing has been manufactured since gardenway went bust.

They give this phone # to call to check on the parts you may need 1 800 269-6215. You never know. You may get lucky!


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## Kramrush (Aug 13, 2004)

My local Cub Cadet dealer is an ex Bolens Dealer. I have had real good luck with them. The catch is you pay out the nose and the...well you get the point. What do you need?
Mark
FYI: Hodgson's Sales/Pools
716-675-3808


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## Rodster (Sep 26, 2003)

This place is local to me. It is the largest dealer in North America.
When I had my tubeframe Bolens they had some leftover new parts in stock. Link below.
Rodster
http://www.weingartz.com/


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## guest2 (Dec 27, 2003)

There are former dealers all over the country with NOS on the shelves. Amicks who used to post often here told me when I first joined that he had some parts still on his shelves also.

But I think the answer to Joe's question would be NO, MTD is not supporting the older Bolens line. Mostly because the tooling was most likely destroyed before they bought the Bolens line from the bankruptcy court.

The next question is how long will they continue to waste warehouse space on the odds and ends they have left? My guess is these parts will get sold off to the highest bidders.


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## Rodster (Sep 26, 2003)

If the big dealers clear the old stuff out I bet they hit the dumpster and take a wright off. They won't mess around trying to sell it.
I priced out the brass rear end gear in the tube frame about 9 years ago. I don't remember exactily what it cost but I could have bought a clean tube frame tractor for the price of it.
I worked at pontiac motors and when we had old parts in the ware house they were destroyed before scrapping. Nothing got out alive. All unused car parts. 
Rodster


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## guest2 (Dec 27, 2003)

Rod

There are some dealers that will buy up odd lots when they can. Sonny's is one of them.

But like you say, you could buy another "good" tractor for the price of parts.


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## aguysmiley (Jul 2, 2004)

The dealer where I bought my sign still had a lot of stuff left over. He's not in buisness anymore and has it all in a large pole barn at his house. He has a lot of old parts on the shelves, all his manuals, and about 30 tractors sitting there too. He told me to make an offer on all of it. I wasn't in a position to make an honest offer, so asked him if I could put his name out and help him get rid of the stuff. He never did get back with me on that. I have to go back up in that area next summer. I guess I'll check back with him then.


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## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

Kramrush,
I personally don't need Bolens parts right now, but since I read a lot of different forums, I've learned that MTD does support some of the older Cub Cadet machines, and Troy-Bilt stuff. It got my curiosity going about the Bolens tractors. They were (and still are!) great tractors and it is a shame that they are now orphans. I was recently reading about how Honda and Yamaha tractor owners have no parts support from their manufacturers and neither company has the excuse of being bought out. Just another thing to consider when shopping for a tractor.


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## AlbanyBob (Aug 25, 2004)

*I agree Joe*

I have to agree with Joe on that idea. It is a good idea to look carefully when buying different tractors.

I work with them all day and I see lots of parts come in and go out, depending on the model and how old it is depends on the cost. But some of the new stuff might as well be considered a throw away tractor, use it till it breaks and then buy another one.

I still have to say that I will never buy any thing other than a Simplicity tractor. I know the cost is up there and the parts are a bit more then most but I have only replaced one part due to failure on a 14 year old tractor. Well lets say my failure I hit a tree and broke a tie rod end. :smoking: 

But that is just my opion.

Bob :driving:


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## Neil_nassau (Feb 23, 2004)

MTD supports the older (pre-81) Cub's because there's a demand for them and profit to be made. Just about any part required for machine function we can lookup in Partsmart and get from Cub. 81~90's models are a cake walk.....try that with some brands.

Body parts and non function parts you pretty much have to go to junkyard or eBay . It is amazing how many parts we sell for older machines that are either restoration projects or machines still working for their meals. At our recent Cub national meeting the service department released additonal materials to help us understand and support the older machines.

If you doubt the interest in old Cubs.........look at the hits an Original or Model 70,72 or 109 gets on Ebay.....its usually in the high hundreds. Not to mention the puller guys.....

Unfortunately,Bolens older tractors just don't have the population out there......especially after going through life under Gardenway. bTw...the Gardenway/Bolens tractors are in our Troybilt partsmart data base......and parts are pretty $...but still around. I would imagine they will be as long as demand is there,but can't imagine there will be for very long.
And yes.....Yammy and Honda bailed out. With low population not even after market wanted to get in.....numbers,numbers, numbers....what makes the world go 'round.


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## Gillie (Dec 12, 2004)

*Parts support*

I can understand parts not being made unless they are in demand. That goes hand in hand with what an owner is willing to pay for parts, be it, for resotration or because the machine is a valuable tool that is still in use. However, in the case of Honda,I am not familiar with Yamaha's equipment, they were priced out of the middle and low end market from the beginning. I personally had a conversation with a distributer in Nashville that tried to make me believe that $300.00 for a starter was acceptable since it would withstand turning at 20,000 RPM. To this day I have never figured out way it would be necessary to over engineer a component of an engine to outrageous specification except to sat "we could". It never ceases to amaze me how often times, simplier is better. It is comforting to know that these tractors along with some others will endure because they have fans like us, and they were the Creme de La Creme during their heyday.


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