HeadExam

The 16hp kohler head is a unique head with 10 bolts, the 12 and 14 hp k301 and k341 are the same and have 9 bolts. I just bought a practically new head, carb, fuel, pump, starter, coil, and condenser for for 85.00, I feel luckier than a pig in slop. I was looking for a head for many months. My head needs a heli-coil in the plug hole, you can have it for free if you want to pay shipping. These 16hp heads usually run over 60.00-80.00 used here in the states and over 200.00 new

ts nice to keep things original, especially when the cost is so high, I replace tires for performance, in that these machines were intended to use chains on turf tires, and chains can really destroy tires and driveway surfaces

Most of these old tractors weren't primed, and they used a lead based enamel that is outlawed today, it was that lead that gave them the shine retention, hardness and durability, today we must use a hardener additive to come close to that durability. I have the paint custom mixed from a part that hasn't seen sun and use a synthetic alkyd or polyurethane enamel with VM&P Naptha for reducer and poly converter as a hardener. Very little over spray and you can lay it on without running

The GT14 rims used 4 bolt rims, I believe those are the same as the MTD 990/998 from 1972-1982, so if your looking maybe that would be an option. The MTDs were sold under a variety of names. MTD, Dayton, UNICO, Firestone, White, Farm King, etc

It might be worth it for me to fly you over for a day or two to paint a dozen of my machines

I generally upgrade the wheels/tires/bearings/bushings on my larger garden tractors. I do this for several reasons, first it makes steering easier, improves handling in dirt/snow/mud conditions, second, for more ground clearance, many of these machines were very low to the ground with 8 inch rims (with a 16 inch tall tire, that's barely 8 inches of clearance, not much if you are in deep dirt/snow/mud), and by having a higher ground clearance it gives more height to a front blade. Lastly the upgrade substantially increases the life of steering and drive train parts. The Wheel Horse will get Maxxis 27"x9"-15 inch crossover tires on stock Wheel Horse 7"-15" rims for the rear 257.31 delivered to my door. The front upgrade is a little more extensive as I am opting for thrust washers (14.00) on the spindle tops and Dexter 4 bolt hubs (63.00 delivered) on the 4-1/4 spindles. These 4 bolt hubs take a standard I inch L44643 bearing with grease seal and cap, Instead of the usual 5.00-10 tri-ribs, I'll be using the 5.00-10 narrow cart tire (139.00 for 2 tires and wheels delivered), This set up will allow for good use on the grass as well as on more extreme surfaces/conditions, such as in the garden, in the mud, or in the snow. At just under 475.00 for this upgrade it is expensive, but like a new motor it is a once in a lifetime expense that may also save other parts and allow for more use of the machine.

Good you got it sorted, very strange.

Clean the connection on the back of the key switch, might test the switch while its out for connectivity. You should have 12 volts to the small wire coming from the switch to the solenoid, if no the problem is upstream toward the switch, if yes the problem could be a ground, but if you don't have over 13 volts in the battery it may not start anyway

Does Andrew have a crate going? I didn't know

Thanks for the great information, I see why the machine was so useful, outstanding engineering ideas. That's actually not a bad shipping price, it probably would be much more to get it another 800 miles westward I'll keep it in mind if I come across an extra 3000. I would probably have the only one, or one of the few, on this side of the Atlantic

Can you explain to me how the rear lift(s) work, are the implements brand specific? Any idea of the cost to send it by post to Oklahoma USA? seriously would like to have it, but unless one is found locally, or I win the lottery, that is not going to happen, good luck Alain

Whats public liability insurance, our laws do not rquire any such regulation. You come, you go, what happens in between is between you and God

Try looking at with a flashlight, maybe even in a dark room, and maybe wetting it Prod. No. Description Starting Ser.# Final Ser. # 1965 53055 8 hp - gear 1601 1990 53056 10 hp - gear 1601 2050 1966 53057 8 hp - gear 1601 3040 53059 10 hp - gear 1601 5660 53091 12 hp - hydro 1601 2600 1967 53062 8 hp - gear 1601 2500 53064 10 hp - gear 1601 3960 53066 12 hp - gear 1601 2672 53083 10 hp - hydro 1601 2450 53093 12 hp - hydro 1601 2250 1968 53062 8 hp - gear 5500 5669 53064 10 hp - gear 6610 8209 53066 12 hp - gear 5290 6169 53083 10 hp - hydro 5350 5694 53093 12 hp - hydro 5250 6954 1969 53078 10 hp - gear 5196 12614 53089 12 hp - gear 5331 11529 53250 12 hp - hydro 6501 13674 53265 14 hp - hydro 5186 10589 1970 53078 10 hp - gear 15615 53089 12 hp - gear 14530 53250 12 hp - hydro 16675 53265 14 hp - hydro 13590

Decals for your tractor can be found here. http://www.georgebradishtractorparts.com/lawnDecals.jsp

Really nice find Andrew, Many of these do not have the PTO on the side of the engine any longer, really nice early Ford with a great 10hp kohler k241 engine. Does the engine serial number start with B or C?

I'm having my own show next Saturday, so I am cleaning and washing the tractors anticipating a big crowd of Me, Myself, and I. Giving the 1978 Ariens GT14H a little spin, Snow melts and dirt hides when it see this Ariens

Great pictures, wish there were some better ones of the lead filly holding the horses, lol. If that's not a filly I'm in deep trouble. At least I can blame it on poor eyes, not that will stop the comments, lol

I am in the same boat. D-160 single cylinder kohler has bad threads in the spark plug hole and I don't want to heli-col, but may have to do so. I found a head for sale on CL, but ebay has been devoid of them for some time.

I was going to have a fall garden, but recent rains have prevented planting and would probably prevent adequate time for growth

I already have a three point and dozer blade for the 1476, but it seems I bought another one and another 54 inch front dozer blade for a 250.00. I'm anticipating another early Bolens Large Frame purchase soon.The same guy I got the deck from, he also has a brinly 3 point plow, but I have two, don't need another

I found a deck for my Bolens large frame tractor it was 800 miles north of me and I had it shipped down. It was in very good shape and cost of deck and shipping together was only 200 US. 100 for the deck, 100 for the shipping. I've cleaned the bottom of the deck and sharpened the blades, greased the the spindles and u-joints. I have new factory clevis pins for all the hook up points as well. I'm going to coat the bottom of the deck with a special paint they use on cell phone towers, hardest stuff I ever used. For a 45 year old deck to still have paint on the bottom and blades is amazing.

Good work, guys. You solved a problem that plagues many small tractor owners;weight. Sorry to say, but most of these small tractors are not very useful, even with weights, A gas powered large garden tractor will out preform many of them. I know my 14hp Bolens 1476 Large frame is heads and tails above the 15hp Bolens Iseki 4x4 diesel I used to own. It was a complete joke. My friend has a new John Deere sub-compact and a older Kubota sub-compact and I don't think much of them either. They have to be light enough with the hp offered, and the hp offered wasn't enough for the weight of the tractor alone, that kills its usefulness.

Prayers for you and your family Dave, so very sorry to hear this news. Alain "Mike"

Thank you Andrew, The information is far from complete, but I thought I would try and cover the large stones and if anyone wanted further info or on other brands, I could try to research those items at a later date. I'm going to add another couple of hitches, especially the latter Allis/Simplicity hitch

Just like implements many rear hitches are also proprietary to specific tractor brands. There are a few that can utilize each others rear hitches, but it seems that there are several types of rear sleeve hitch. I bring this up because availability of rear hitches is extremely limited overseas and hitches used on European tractors and riders are substantially different in design than most U.S. hitches. This confusion can cause issues when implements are located in how to attach them, especially if a European style hitch has already been fabricated or designed. Most US hitches were made by Brinly or Ohio Steel, a few were made by the manufacturer, but not many. First, I'll start with Wheel Horse as its hitch was so obviously different. The Wheel Horse sleeve hitch was shaped like a mushroom and had a very narrow width to accommodate the narrow Wheel Horse Channel frame, But its 5/8" pin and two locking bolts were similar to most other hitches. Next I'll go into the Simplicity Allis hitches as they were narrow as well, but not quite as narrow. The Simplicity Allis hitch started out both narrow and shallow with no bolts to secure a plow and generally used a chain to lift the hitch and secure an implement like a plow, In the Latter 60's and early 70's Simplicity Allis went to a narrow square rear hitch that contained a T support brace inside the outside perimeter. Widths of these hitches averaged around 7 inches, but that could vary 1/2" depending on year or brand, Simplicity or Allis. I did not intentionally leave out the International Cub Cadet or John Deere, but as both Cub Cadet and John Deere were johnny-come-lately's in the garden tractor/riding mower genre, Its where they fall, Cub and Deere also used a fairly wide hitch, Cub lifting from the middle via straps and Deere from the side via lift bar, both utilizing the later two bolt design to secure plows, In the beginning the Cub Originals and maybe later 70/100's did not have these two bolts that secured some implements, but I believe the Deere did as the first real production of John Deere GT/riders was 1964 and later, by this time many other manufactures had been in the game for a decade or more. Montgomery Wards used the sleeve hitch of whoever was manufacturing their tractors as did many other manufacturers that did not build their own tractors to include the likes of Massey Ferguson and Ford. As far as I know Montgomery Wards sleeve hitch never utilized the two stabilizer bolts, and I believe that Massey's were different depending on one of the three size tractors built and Ford used a standard Brinly hitch. Bolens initially built their own sleeve hitch but in the mid 60's subcontracted hitches and many implements building to Brinly or Ohio Steel, The Brinly rear sleeve hitch is easily differentiated from the basic Brinly hitch by the round 1 inch stabilizer rod between the flat stock which was also a 1'4" wider than stock Brinly hitch. The Bolens lift rod was also beefier at 3/4" instead of 1/2" inch round or 3/16" for flat standard lift bars. By the later 60's most manufacturer were having companies like Brinly, Haban, and Ohio, Steel build hitches, carts, and implements. Manufacturers called these implements Allied Attachments (allied to them, but others as well) as they were basically the same except in how they hooked up or how they got power. The Cub Cadet, John Deere, Massey and Ariens tillers were made by the same company and only differed in hook up and PTO location/type. Simplicity/Allis had their own tiller design as did CASE (hydraulic), but Fords were similar to the MTDs and Bolens as they all used tillers with big differential shaft drive gear cases. The changes by year and different manufacturers building brand name tractors, makes out hobby one of the most confusing hobbies on planet earth. I can only commiserate with the collector of American Motors automobiles to fairly describe the situation. Ford was made by Jacobson, later by Gilson, Montgomery Wards was made by Bolens and Simplicity early on (sometimes at the same time) then Gilson. MTD made Farm King, Dayton, UNICO, White and a host of other store brand machines. Massey never made a machine, The Duro Corporation that made Moto-Mower made their first tractors (except for the ELF), Then Beaver MFG started the MF line which was taken over by AMF (who for a time owned Harley Davidson and Brunswick) who also produced the same tractor with different colors and tin and made the crappiest bicycles ever produced. Later Snapper made Massey's tas well as Power King. Then Ingersoll made Massey's and finally Simplicity, then Simplicity and Snapper merged, Wheel horse was made by one Pond brother while Speedex was made another, both started with the Shaw Du-All company from Galesburg Kansas. This is just a snippet of information we are required or expected to know or obtain as enthusiasts, it boggles the mind and we haven't even addressed stationary engines, walk behinds, or rotary mowing equipment. Neither have we even touched on the zero turn which predates WW2 and was inspired by the tail dragger airplanes of the day and were built by many out of work airplane mechanics. BTW, the first picture is of a standard Brinly hitch and a Brinly made Bolens hitch, because the basic Brinly hitch is in the foreground it appears larger, but the widths are the same and the Bolens is almost 2 inches longer as well as wider flat sock material and thicker rod