Post up your Ariens pictures

[HeadExam 1,783]

Lets see all your Ariens built machines, ride on's, walk behinds, etc.

[slf-uk 914]

Alain, Ariens were imported to the UK as I remember seeing some new ones in a dealership a lots of years ago and I even have the sales leaflet from the visit. I don't recall seeing any for sale second-hand and I have no idea if they imported any of the cool attachments.

 

Iain

[HeadExam 1,783]

Ariens, Bolens, Wheel Horse, and other smaller manufacturers were a threat or problem to major manufacturers like MTD and John Deere. It wasn't just the cost that doomed great garden tractors, it was unfair and unequal competition from imports led by aforementioned global companies. Manufacturing became less about the product and more about the stock prices.

[HeadExam 1,783]

Early on Ariens was most noted for walk behind tractors, later their first residential walk behind snowblower revolutionized the industry. They made a great rear engine rider, rear tine tiller, but had very few four wheel front engine tractors until they bought the Sperry New Holland design in 1974, pictured here. Early simplicity garden tractors from the 1960's are very rare, I think one was called the Mantowitoc and may have been made by Simplicity or Toro. If you look close My Ariens still sports Sperry New Holland brand wheel weights from left over stock.

[HeadExam 1,783]

The first four wheel front engine Ariens made was the Manorway. The Manorway 700 was produced from 1967-1971 and had a 7hp Tecumseh VH-70 vertical shaft engine in 1968 Ariens introduced the Manorway 800 powered by a 8 hp Briggs and Stratton engine. These were vertical shaft lawn tractors and by 1971 the family Ariens was beginning to actively search for garden tractor model options, it was time they made a move into the market, Sperry New Holland was their choice. Here is a picture of the Ariens Manorway 800 from 1969 and the Sperry New Holland S16 circa 1972

[Triumph66 1,256]

I think the National Trust had several Ariens ride on mowers at some of thier smaller properties back in the early 90s but probably using  John Deeres or Kubota ride ons now I think. Good machines if I remember rightly.

[wurzel 117]

6 hours ago, HeadExam said:

The first four wheel front engine Ariens made was the Manorway. The Manorway 700 was produced from 1967-1971 and had a 7hp Tecumseh VH-70 vertical shaft engine in 1968 Ariens introduced the Manorway 800 powered by a 8 hp Briggs and Stratton engine. These were vertical shaft lawn tractors and by 1971 the family Ariens was beginning to actively search for garden tractor model options, it was time they made a move into the market, Sperry New Holland was their choice. Here is a picture of the Ariens Manorway 800 from 1969 and the Sperry New Holland S16 circa 1972

 

[wurzel 117]

looks just like my gt17 with a kohler kt17

[Stormin 4,458]

I like the New Holland.  Does the 16 stand for 16hp?

 

[HeadExam 1,783]

31 minutes ago, Stormin said:

I like the New Holland.  Does the 16 stand for 16hp?

 

Yes, it is a16hp Kohler k341s. Ariens used primarily Kohlers on tractors. Almost all American mowers have the hp in the model numbers, and ones like cub are coded to tell if it is geared or hydro. The cub 125 was a 12 hp hydro and because the last number was odd it designated it as a hydro. The cub 124 was a geared tractor, 129 was a 12hp  hydro, the 128 was a 12hp  geared tractor. After 1975 they went to four numbers and if the last two numbers were 00 it was geared and if it was 50 it was a hydro. the 800, 1000, 1100, and 1200 model cubs were 8, 10, 11, and 12 hp geared tractors, the 1250, 1450, and 1650 were 12, 14, and 16 hp hydros. After Ariens bought the Sperry New Holland design they continued the S model as a lawn tractor, most did not have three points or rear PTOs. The S stood for Sierra model and it cost a little less because for one thing it had a fiberglass fender pan, other things too, but it was for those who primarily wanted to mow. Ariens added a GT version that had a steel fender pan and was designated as a Garden Tractor, many also had the lower lift arms and lift links to complete the 3 point and the higher hp model came standard with the rear PTO. One small tidbit was that some of the early model rear PTOs did not have an electric clutch, but rather were a straight shaft that ran continuously, The rear attachments had a tension pulley to engage tiller/bagger.