Bolens Lawn Keeper

[OldBuzzard 186]

Apparently it's turning circle is epic. ...

 

As we say here in the States, it will turn on a dime and give you 9 cents change

 

At full lock, the front and rear tires have about 1" clearance between them.

 

The LKs came in 5 and 6 Hp versions, all of which were manual start.  The early ones in 1964-66 (models 910-01 and 910-02) had a 6 Hp Briggs.  In 1966 there was also the model 911-01 with a 6 Hp. Lawson engine.

 

From 1967-1970 they all had 5 and 6 Hp Lawson engines.

 

I have it's 'big brother' a 1964 Estate Keeper 7, and they are a lot of fun to operate.  Takes a little getting used to it, but after than it's loads of fun.

 

The are also great mowers as the deck is out front and cuts the grass before any wheels run over it.

 

While you can't classify them as garden tractors, there was a front blade available for the LKs, and the EKs had a snowcaster available in addition tot he blade.

 

My EK7 with a 32" snowcaster and with a 30" cylinder mower:

Edited January 8, 2015 by OldBuzzard

[Triumph66 1,256]

Unbelievably, there was a complete but non running Bolens Estate Keeper on the Bay a few days ago and was promptly snapped up. It was sold for £150. I narrowly missed out by a few seconds. It was in Taunton, Somerset.......

Great looking photos OB of your EK.

Edited January 9, 2015 by Triumph66

[slf-uk 914]

Andrew, looking forward to seeing some pictures of the LK when you pick it up.

 

OB, i didn't know that you could get a cylinder mower for a EK, that must be a great combination.

 

I would love a LK or a EK but what would be perfect would be a Grounds Keeper (GK) they are awesome, especially configured with a cab and snowblower. Does anyone know if the GK was imported into the UK?

 

I came in a close second behind Andrew chasing the EK that was for sale, unfortunately no prize for either of us.

 

Iain

[OldBuzzard 186]

... but what would be perfect would be a Grounds Keeper (GK) they are awesome, especially configured with a cab and snowblower. ...

 

 

You mean one like this?

 

http://claz.org/classifieds/view/6eawl041zpj

 

I've lusted after one, but have resisted because I really don't have enough lawn or area to clear snow to make it practical.

 

That's a 72" mower on the front, and I think that the snow caster is 60".

 

They were for commercial use or for LARGE estates.

Edited January 12, 2015 by OldBuzzard

[the showman 4,074]

Iam not really a Bolens person, but I like that!, looks a heavy bit of kit

[Triumph66 1,256]

That's a hefty bit of kit and appears to be in good overall nick.

For roughly £1850 with the attachments that would be of use for someone with a large garden.

[Stormin 4,458]

That's a hefty bit of kit and appears to be in good overall nick.

For roughly £1850 with the attachments that would be of use for someone with a large garden.

 

A VERY large garden.

[Triumph66 1,256]

A VERY large garden.

I would have to do a 20 point turn in my garden!

[slf-uk 914]

I really want a GK now! £1850 with all those attachments sounds a good price by UK prices, just need to work out how to get one shipped over.

 

I have a five acre garden which is mainly grass so that would be ideal. Before I got into older equipment it would take the best part of two days to cut everything with a Countax fitted with a 42in deck. Upgrading to a Bolens H16 with a 48in deck wiped half a day off the time. I now use the Bolens HT23 with a 54in deck and can do it all in half a day. It is amazing how fast you can cut grass with a large frame Bolens. A GK would be perfect for the next upgrade.

 

Iain

[OldBuzzard 186]

I would have to do a 20 point turn in my garden!

 

Probably just a 3 point turn

 

Those things are pretty nimble.

[Chris 642]

I really want a GK now! £1850 with all those attachments sounds a good price by UK prices, just need to work out how to get one shipped over.

 

I have a five acre garden which is mainly grass so that would be ideal. Before I got into older equipment it would take the best part of two days to cut everything with a Countax fitted with a 42in deck. Upgrading to a Bolens H16 with a 48in deck wiped half a day off the time. I now use the Bolens HT23 with a 54in deck and can do it all in half a day. It is amazing how fast you can cut grass with a large frame Bolens. A GK would be perfect for the next upgrade.

 

Iain

 

So you will want to sell me the HT23 after all then if your up grading  

[pmackellow 2,728]

Start saving your pennies then Chris !! 

[Triumph66 1,256]

At last I collected the Lawn Keeper along with a few implements (a tiller and a mowing deck) this morning from North Devon. The seller is a really nice guy with his own Bolens G14. I pressure washed the LK plus the implements this afternoon and they are safely stored under cover. My son removed the plastic seat from the LK. The rust is only surface rust. The plan is to renovate the LK with a fresh paint job, replacing the MTD engine with a more appropriate one and to find a suitable seat. It's a fairly light machine and is very manoeuvrable.

[Robins 55]

Excellent Andrew  Looks a fun bit of kit

So is that the deck for the lawn keeper? 

What engine should the lawn keeper have?

 

I can see you'll go in to restoration mode soon, which, if your speed of collecting tractors and attachments is anything to go by, you'll have these machines looking shiny by summer

[Chris 642]

Glad to see you have got them.

 

If that was me, I would just oil them all up & leave them as is

 

I doubt you will never find a deck for the LK, but you never know if a poorly scrapper may turn up

[pmackellow 2,728]

Cracking looking machine, good find !! 

[OldBuzzard 186]

Nice score

 

I see that you got the lift link for the tiller.  That's something that seems to get lost and you see guys looking for them all the time.

 

I don't see the drive shaft, but I assume that you got that as well?

 

That's the one we call the "Round Back". It's a light duty tiller meant to till ground that has been previously worked. It can work virgin ground, but I wouldn't make a habit of it and only on a small plot.

 

[Triumph66 1,256]

OB, I got the propshaft for the tiller. Bizarrely, the seller told me that the previous owner who had a G14 had the tiller mounted on the front as he couldn't work out how to rear mount it. Consequently, the propshaft have been welded to length. I am really pleased with it all. The deck is in very good order too.

[slf-uk 914]

Andrew,

The LK looks great and you did well to get the tiller and deck.

 

As OB said the round top tillers are light duty and if you do too much with them they bounce which ovals the attachment holes. I can't imagine how they mounted it on front as the lift linkage would have been on the wrong side. Should be easy to fit some new pipe of the correct length to the two ends. I can measure the drive shaft on mine if that helps.

 

I think the deck is much earlier than a G14 deck as the decks on the G-series tractors were black and had different linkage. I am no expert on Bolens attachment colours but I would think it was originally from a 850,1050 or 1250, which makes it perfect for your 1256. I scrapped an identical deck a while back as it was beyond repair. I kept all the good bits if you are missing anything. It looks like a 34 or 38in deck, does it still have the ID tag. If so let me know as I have the parts manuals for most if not all the tubeframe decks.

 

Iain

[Triumph66 1,256]

Iain,

Thanks for the sleave hitch plans/ measurements.

I agree that the mowing deck is for an earlier Bolens; it's all solid and the blades goes round happily. I am in the process of cleaning it up along with the tiller. I will be applying several coats of Owatrol on them.

My son dismantled the plastic seat which make the LK a lot better to look. My plans are to give it a light rejuvenation of fresh paint, replace the engine with an appropriate age related one and to find a seat which will be recovered in red which my mother in law have kindly offered to do.

Cheers