# Deck drive Exploded



## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

After cutting a 1.5 acre lawn,all last summer,the drive on the deck of my 1050 lost a rollpin,and destroyed itself.
I contacted www.samsbolens.com , only to be told a new gearbox is $375.00 :dazed::dazed:
So, I decided to try to find a couple of decent,used MTD decks(42"-46"),an a smaller deck(20"-38"),and build a tow-behind,self -powered unit(much like a gang mower).
It will take some time to gather the parts/supplies,but I'll keep you all posted,on my progress!
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## brianbolens (Nov 29, 2012)

Dosent look that bad to me.....
Are the gears chipped up? Hard to tell from the pics, there are parts and kits still available to fix these you know.

Sam is too expensive for most... try ebay there are options!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bolens-1050...203?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c7744d6f3

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bolens-Mowe...262?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2582a754d6


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## OldBuzzard (Jun 23, 2011)

Sam is the guy you go to when all else fails.

He's a nice guy to talk to on the phone and all, but just too danged high on his pricing.

Try these two guys:

[email protected]
or
http://www.bobsgardentractors.com/

I have done business with both of them on a number of occasions. They are great to deal with and have MUCH better prices that Sam.

They have a lot of both used and NOS Bolens parts


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

OldBuzzard: Yeah all the gears are messed up,the housing has a hole in it,the shafts are gouged,the bearings are destroyed.

I could use the one from the snowthrower,but I don't want to sacrifice it.


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## Mickey (Aug 14, 2010)

John, weren't we talking about these gear boxes a couple days ago? 

Hope you luck out and find what you need to get the mower back working.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

I decided to build a tow-behind mower assy. I don't have $375 for a new gearbox,and I don't want to cannibalize the snow thrower.
I plan on finding a couple of 42" MTD decks,and a smaller,center deck, and making a mower unit.


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## Gregg (Aug 30, 2004)

I have deal with Joe, quite a few times over the years. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bolens-1050...H_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c7744d6f3&afsrc=1


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

That's a pretty good price, Gregg. Thanks for the link. Although I'm still going to build the tow-behind, I may get the gearbox,just to restore the deck.


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## smokinmad (Dec 24, 2013)

*gearboxes*

Looking at those gears, I think I know why your gearbox committed suicide. I wont dis ya for Not adding any grease to it, I learned an expensive lesson myself. I now change the oil in my tiller Every month of the season, if I used it or not. Cheaper than a new Tiller Engine, but hey, I never thought about all that Dust ending up in my oil.
Good Luck


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## smokinmad (Dec 24, 2013)

*Gearbox*

Well, we didn't specify what brand that 1050 was. That gearbox is John Deere green, not bolens forest green.


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## Mickey (Aug 14, 2010)

smokinmad said:


> Well, we didn't specify what brand that 1050 was. That gearbox is John Deere green, not bolens forest green.


The tractor and mower gearbox are Bolens from about 1970. The gearbox is not up to the task and for the most part is cast aluminum. Input shaft is only supported by one needle bearing near the front. That doesn't offer much lateral support for the shaft.


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## OldBuzzard (Jun 23, 2011)

smokinmad said:


> Well, we didn't specify what brand that 1050 was. That gearbox is John Deere green, not bolens forest green.


When he talks about going to Sam's Bolens site, I think it would be obvious that he's talking about the *Bolens* 1050.

Also that is not JD green. It is the light green Bolens used for a lot of their attachments, like this reel mower for the tube frames:


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

*gearbox*

It is,indeed a Bolens deck. It came unglued,NOT because of lack of lubricant,but because the roll-pin worked outward,and tore a hole in the gear case,then continued into the gears,causing them to destroy themselves.
Total time to destruction : less than 1 minute.
I was able to find a used gearbox assembly on Ebay for $100,but I still plan on making the tow-behind unit,since I'm mowing 2.5 acres,now,and the 38" deck just don't make it!


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## smokinmad (Dec 24, 2013)

OldBuzzard said:


> When he talks about going to Sam's Bolens site, I think it would be obvious that he's talking about the *Bolens* 1050.
> 
> Also that is not JD green. It is the light green Bolens used for a lot of their attachments, like this reel mower for the tube frames:


Sorry OldBuzzard, didn't mean to Pee ya off. The Bolens Hydro I had/have is Forest Green, including the Deck. And yes, I saw the BOLENS after SAM'S name. I assumed he was Big Enough that he sells Other parts, not that he wouldn't be busy enough keeping Bolens running.


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## OldBuzzard (Jun 23, 2011)

Bolens used a number of colors for their attachments. Yellow, Red, Black, Light Green, Dark Green.

Here are pics of some different Bolens attachments of all colors. Note the front PTO attachment for the tube frames that is BROWN.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Smokinmad,the forest green color was used on models made under the Bolens name,by MTD,after MTD bought the rights to the name. MTD makes equipment for many of the brands,especially ones sold by Walmart, Home Depot,Lowes,Tractor Supply,etc. 
Brands such as TroyBilt,Cub Cadet, some smaller models of Simplicity,and even Husqvarna,and JD,are actually made by MTD.


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## smokinmad (Dec 24, 2013)

*Colors*



OldBuzzard said:


> Bolens used a number of colors for their attachments. Yellow, Red, Black, Light Green, Dark Green.
> 
> Here are pics of some different Bolens attachments of all colors. Note the front PTO attachment for the tube frames that is BROWN.


Thanks for the Education OldBuzzard.
The only colors I didn't see was Pink and Purple....lol......I love that lil articulating model....that would be fun on my lil farm.....My neighbor has one just like your loader tractor, complete with homemade loader. He uses the pee out of that loader, I'm always impressed.


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## smokinmad (Dec 24, 2013)

*Take Overs*



jhngardner367 said:


> Smokinmad,the forest green color was used on models made under the Bolens name,by MTD,after MTD bought the rights to the name. MTD makes equipment for many of the brands,especially ones sold by Walmart, Home Depot,Lowes,Tractor Supply,etc.
> Brands such as TroyBilt,Cub Cadet, some smaller models of Simplicity,and even Husqvarna,and JD,are actually made by MTD.


So forest green was when they made Real Bolens. Well can't say that....my neighbors bolens is older than mine and it looks like OldBuzzards 800......mine was a 16-h I think. Its a shame that MTD buys all these good manufacturing companies and then Cheapens their Good Products just to make a buck. I don't buy new, I buy a good old machine and restore them.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

No, forest green is on the Newer models. Older models of Bolens,had rust-red frame tubes,and as OldBuzzard stated,the attachments could be many colors.


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## OldBuzzard (Jun 23, 2011)

Bolens used a lot of different color schemes.

The 62 and 63 600's were all gold with white seats and wheels. The decals were also different between the two years. In 64 it had the brown frame and white hood like the 800.

The 63 800 had a gold frame and white hood/and seat. In 64 the 800 and 900 the hood and wheels were white, the frame was brown, and the seat was red.

In 65, the colors were white hood and fenders, brown frame and red seat and wheels. 

In 70, the hood, frame and fenders were white, wheels red, and the seat brown.

In 71 the scheme was the same, but the grills were painted brown.

In 73 the G and H series went with a black frame, white hood and fenders, and back to white wheels.

It get's better as the 'white' wasn't always the same shade, and varied from year to year, depending on what supplied won the id for supplying the paint.

The large frames were a bit simpler .

Up through the 1886-05 they had the same paint scheme as the tube frames until the HT18 and HT20 when they went to a black frame and white hood/fenders.

The HT23, HT22, HT20D, and HDT1000 had a green frame and white hood/fenders.

The above may not be 100% accurate, but it's pretty danged close.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

I think the newer ones,with the stamped-steel floor pans were forest-green,tho' weren't they?
These are the ones you see,today at Lowe's,etc.


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## OldBuzzard (Jun 23, 2011)

If you are talking about the hood and fenders that's pretty much true.

For the tube frame and later series, as far as I can remember, all Bolens hoods and fenders were white with the exception of the gold 600's and the AJ Foyt model.


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## Mickey (Aug 14, 2010)

To pick a few nits, in the early 70's the sheet metal was a very light gray before they changed to white. Think it was at the same time FMC took over the Bolen brand name.


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## brianbolens (Nov 29, 2012)

Mickey said:


> To pick a few nits, in the early 70's the sheet metal was a very light gray before they changed to white. Think it was at the same time FMC took over the Bolen brand name.


Bolens never used Gray in any of their Tractors colors.
FMC never took over the name Bolens, FMC bought the whole company right after WWII and continued to use the Bolens name until their demise in 1988.


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## brianbolens (Nov 29, 2012)

jhngardner367 said:


> I think the newer ones,with the stamped-steel floor pans were forest-green,tho' weren't they?
> These are the ones you see,today at Lowe's,etc.


The new MTD Forest Green was used on models 2001 and up.
I dont consider them Bolens as they are just a crap MTD rider bringing down the Bolens name :dazed:


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## brianbolens (Nov 29, 2012)

jhngardner367 said:


> No, forest green is on the Newer models. Older models of Bolens,had rust-red frame tubes,and as OldBuzzard stated,the attachments could be many colors.


Correct, Bolens under FMC never used forest green, it was an MTD color.
The 80's did see Bolens use a darker "Hunter Green" on their machines and was not the same as the MTD green you see today.

The "Brown" was actually called "Cordovan" and the early models had metallic flake mixed in.


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## brianbolens (Nov 29, 2012)

OldBuzzard said:


> Bolens used a lot of different color schemes.
> 
> The 62 and 63 600's were all gold with white seats and wheels. The decals were also different between the two years. In 64 it had the brown frame and white hood like the 800.
> 
> ...


You almost got it, 65' did not have Red Wheels, that started in 1966......


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## OldBuzzard (Jun 23, 2011)

brianbolens said:


> You almost got it, 65' did not have Red Wheels, that started in 1966......


According to the 1965 Bolens brochure they did.***

Of course the brochures weren't always 100% accurate.

The 1971 brochure shows an "1886" which was actually a 1477 with 1886 decals on it   

One thing that I have wondered about is why Bolens abandoned their long used Green and Yellow pain scheme.

I wonder if it was because they knew that JD was going to be marketing GTs in 1963, and didn't want the Bolens line to be confused with an inferior tractor?

As for the 'White', there was a LOT of variation in the shade. It seems that Bolens was never real picky about the shade of white that they used

For instance, I have two 1971 1256-02 tractors whose SN's are less than 100 apart ( 108209 & 108283).

The both have the original paint on them but if you park them side by side, you can clearly see that one is closer to a true white, and the other has a grey cast to it.

That's one reason that 'matching paint' for a restoration is so hard. What was original to one tractor may not have been original to another one.


**** ACK! I just did a bit more research, the brochure (PDF) I have that is labeled as being the 1965 Brochure is definitely mislabeled. It was COPYRIGHTED in '65, but has to be a '66 because it has the 1050 which didn't come out until '66.

I iz a dummy


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