HeadExam

better to find the problem there then on the road or while driving.

In another post and on other forums many questions surround Bolens and Montgomery Wards garden tractors, mainly what they they were, and when they were built. So lets start from the beginning. it seems everyone agrees that the date Bolens first built a Garden Tractor for Montgomery Wards was 1959, okay. In 1958 Bolens introduces the first Ride-A-Matic (not the first year for a Bolens rider though), the model 220, The RAM was powered by a Kohler K161-28118E and was rated at 6.6 hp. In 1959 Bolens introduces the Model 230 Ride-A-Matic with the same engine, but rated at 7 hp and being a manual start. The first Montgomery Wards Squire 7 was probably this one. In 1960 Bolens introduces two Ride-A-Matic models, the Model 230-01 and the Model 231-01, again with the same 7 hp Kohler engine, probably with electric start, and definitely a Montgomery Wards tractor Model Squire 7. In 1961 Bolens introduces the Model 233-01 and 234-01 Ride-A-Matic with the same 7 hp engine, the 233-01 having a manual start. Again definitely a Montgomery Wards Squire 7, but still not a Tube Frame or based on a Bolens 600. Before we go any further it must be noted that the early Ride-A-Matics utilized a variable-speed belt system for the transmission, a drive system that was first developed for the walk-behind models. Later Ride-A-Matics models were built with forward, neutral, and reverse gears. That said in 1962 Bolens built two Model 600 models, the 180-01 manual start that was powered by a Briggs and Stratton 142302-019801 and the Model 181-02 electric start with the Briggs and Stratton 142302-019701 6 hp engine. Both Models were 3 speed transmissions. However Bolens also built two Ride-A-Matics that year as well, the Model 235-01 manual start, and the Model 236-01 electric start, both were powered by the same 7 hp Kohler engines on the earlier Ride-A-Matics and employed the later type Ride-A-Matic drop and go transmission. I hope that clears things up and establishes that the first Montgomery Wards tractors were Bolens built RAMs and the last Bolens built was the model(s) 600, concluding that the Simplicity Squire 725 or 7-1/4 was introduced late in 1962 for the 1963 year. However the problem with that is that the Simplicity 725 which was what the Montgomery Wards Squire 7-1/4 was based on, was ONLY built in 1961 and 1962, so the 1963 Montgomery Wards Catalog showing a Simplicity built Squire 7-1/4 was showing a tractor that was out of production, at least it was for 1963. I welcome any input or corrections to this information. In the Bolens built Squire 6 ad it says in the first paragraph that this tractor is built with the SAME quality was as the larger 725, 7-1/4 hp tractor but with a Pow'rKraft 6 hp engine, a Briggs engine.

Good Post over in GTTalk, hopefully there will be some pictures come forward. I believe WilberJ is wrong in saying "The only one bolens made was based off the 600" (GTTalk.com, 2015). Because according to Montgomery Wards, Bolens built tractors for Montgomery Wards from 1959-1961, Those dates are problematic, because most companies started production 3-6 months before the model year just like cars, so it was possible to buy a 1962 model in late 1961. If you see a Bolens built Montgomery Wards tractor from late of 1958 to early 1961 you will notice that they do not have a tube frame, but rather have a buckboard frame as all Ride-A-Matics did, which is what I believe Montgomery Wards tractors were in 1959-1961, In late 1961 for the 1962 model year Bolens built the last tractor for Montgomery Wards, the Squire 6 and it was a Tube Frame and based off the 1962 Bolens 600 that debut in late of 1961 as a 1962 model. Along with the Bolens built Squire 6 a larger tractor was also available, one built by Simplicity the 7.25 or 7-1/4, and I believe was also called a Squire, as picture in my previous posting. If you look closely at the bottom of the first ad there is a notation that the optional trailer would not be available until after January 1 of 1963, that means that both the Bolens built Squire 6 and the Simplicity 7-1/4 were being offered in the same model year, however the Bolens built Tube Frame Squire 6 was not the same as the earlier tractors Bolens built for Montgomery Wards; not a tube frame. Also in his restoration of a 1962 Squire 6, Brian, AKA, Texas Deere and Horse uses his 1963 Montgomery Wards catalog to suppose that the Bolens built Squire 6 (Bolens 600) is a 1963. I believe that the Montgomery Wards 1963 catalog came out in the late summer/fall of 1962, that being said, there were obvious differences between the 1962 and 1963 Bolens 600's, and this might be a clue, but even then not definitive that the Bolens and Simplicity tractors were or were not not offered in the same year, and none of this brings up the 1959 and 1960 Montgomery Wards Tractors that Bolens built. There are some out there that believe them be Tube Frames, but that seems incredulous that Bolens would build Tube Frames for Montgomery Wards, but not themselves. this is from Brian(AKA Texas Deere and Horse's own mouth and from a page he posted on GTTalk: The first fully engineered with the engine and steering axle in the front 4 wheel Garden Tractor was the 7 horsepower “Squire 7", introduced in 1959 and stayed the same for 1960-61. In 1962 a slightly more powerful engine was installed and it became the 7.25 horsepower “Squire 7 ¼â€(GTTalk.com, 2013 This statement is somewhat problematic as Brian appears to lose fact that the first Bolens Tube Frame, according to Bolens History, was built late in 1961 for the 1962 model year and the Simplicity built Squire 725 was built late in 1962 for the 1963 model year. There is a hint in his statement that points to Bolens built RAMs being used prior to 1962 by stating, "The first fully engineered and steering axle in the front 4 wheel Garden Tractor was 7 horsepower "Squire 7", introduced in 1959, that was the same year that Bolens increased the RAM's to 7 hp as well and none of the Bolens built tube frames were 7 hp during this time and the RAMS were made up to a 1961 model year.

Still Andrew, if we can't find the actual tractors it would be great to find original ads and brochures about them just for posterity.

Good luck, I only found the one picture I posted, but you might find some. Bolens made a lot of the Wards tillers and Choremaster walk behinds for many years, but I really don't think they produced many of the Squire 6 machines or the like. After 1962 Simplicity took over and produced this Squire 71/4 hp

We have a similar epoxy product here in the US. Be very careful putting those lugs in, so not to cross thread, might chase them with a die.Thanks Ewan!

What type/brand of epoxy did you use. BTW, Joe's Outdoor Power has the the original West Pullman lug bolts in good shape for 13.99 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cub-Cadet-73-Tractor-Lug-Nuts-Bolts-/191570223178?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c9a79a04a

These guys sell on ebay as well, they have many fasteners no longer available at most hardware store or spare shops. https://www.albanycountyfasteners.com/

You did a superb job on that wheel Ewan, just superb!

and me wearing my shirt showing I qualify

That is one sweet machine. If it serves no purpose but to feed the soul, it amply does that.

There are over 300 million guns in the hands of American citizens, given that number, homicide rates are actually fairly low, most gun crimes are committed by felons who stole a gun, not those legally able to possess one, that said lax registration and tracking does allow legal purchasers to make a substantial profit by selling guns to those not able to purchase on their own. If the NRA doesn't address and offer solutions the government will. Those solutions will most likely favor criminals not citizens as there will be even more profit in the black market of gun sales. I used to own many firearms, I actually believe I am safer with one or none. Floods are worse are way worse. We are okay, but many south of us are in really bad shape.

I'm not sure if average and American can be used in the same sentence, lol

I did the same thing. I bought a 10hp motor for my air compressor off ebay, when I arrived at the dock it was on a pallet, all 345lbs and at 22" long and 12" wide it wasn't going to set on my air tank very well, It looked smaller in the picture, I learned the same lesson after a few internet dates with "average" size ladies, not sure which was bigger.

I would venture to say a very small handful. I have only seen pictures of one or two. BTW, Simplicity and Bolens were not the only manufacturers to make tractors for Wards around this time, Moto-Mower also made a 10hp vertical shaft riding mower for them as well. The difference between a riding mower and garden tractor is usually defined by horizontal shaft and bolt on rear tires, versus vertical shaft and rear tires attached via key way or holder.

With hammertone or metallic paints, whether in the rattle can or used from a container, one must be very careful not to over apply as the finish looks different when it is puddled

Really rare birds, The four wheel Bolens built tractors were only built 3 years and I doubt there were very many made. The Rustoleum Hammered finish gold is a good match to the Wards color

Great video from Goodwood Racing from over in your parts

That's funny. I hadn't noticed that the wheel being farther from Ewan's foot made it look huge, the wheel that is.

You can buy 25 zinc coated wheel nuts for 12.50 on epay, not sure of international shipping cost, but that's enough to do three tractors

Andrew had PM'd me and in the course of conversation Andrew brought up that Bolens may have built Montgomery Wards tractors as well and they did, both early walk behinds and 4 wheel Ride-A-Matics and the Montgomery Wards Squire 6, 725 The first fully engineered with the engine and steering axle in the front 4 wheel Garden Tractor that Montgomery Wards offered was the 7 horsepower “Squire 7", introduced in 1959 and stayed the same for 1960-61, it was basically the same as the 1959-1961 Ride-A-Matics. In 1962 a more powerful engine was installed and it became the 7.25 horsepower “Squire 7 ¼â€. In 1963 things changed for Montgomery Wards in their Lawn and Garden tractor lineup. M/W offered a Simplicity built Garden Tractor, called the 7 ¼hp “Squire 725â€, same name as the Bolens tractor. This would be the last year for the Simplicity 700 Series based tractor. Wards also offered a Bolens built “Squire 6â€, based on the Bolens 600 with a different Cast Iron Grill, hood and Steering Tower. Bolens also provided M/W with several of the attachments for the “Squire 6†that they built.

When my get out for a wash day, the wife always spots a "new" one, she is as tickled as I am when I get it.

"you need different shoes for different occasions....." I told my wife that and she said I was a shoe whore.

Actually Iain you are on the right track. By 1965 tractors started to become more sophisticated and user friendly, gone was the primitive behemoth that took hours to change attachments or required constant tinkering. These newer and easier to operate machines were being designed for the wife. You see, here in America at that time most women stayed home, took care of the kids, the laundry, the cooking and cleaning, so it was only obvious that with an hours free time a week left over they could also mow the lawn and thus saving the weekend for dear old dad to relax and enjoys his pipe and pint.

Hey Andrew, your Squire 10 is on video