slf-uk 914 #1 Posted December 31, 2016 I started to look at my 1961 Bolens Ride-a-matic today. I bought it a number of years ago from a local agricultural auction but for some reason I have never found the time to look at it. A previous owner has added lots of additions. We had a number of visitors today so I did very little other than swapping the front wheels and generally checking it over. It should be gold with white wheels however a previous owner had other ideas and added some blue and silver. The first thing I do with any new tractor is check out the tool box for goodies. Everything went into the bin except a new bronze bush. I then check for bent nails which I replace before they end up in a tyre. I always seem to find at least one. The first job will be to remove the add-ons, clean it up and see if the rear tyres are reusable. Iain 4 Alan, Triumph66, nigel and 1 other reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Triumph66 1,256 #2 Posted December 31, 2016 Iain, it will look a million miles better when the add ons have been sympathetically removed. The 850 on GumTree has a similar problem too with the fenders. You have certainly done well well over the Festive Break to work on those three GTs 1 slf-uk reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slf-uk 914 #3 Posted January 1, 2017 On 31/12/2016 at 6:04 PM, Triumph66 said: Iain, it will look a million miles better when the add ons have been sympathetically removed. The 850 on GumTree has a similar problem too with the fenders. You have certainly done well well over the Festive Break to work on those three GTs I am not sure if you class an angle grinder and air chisel as sympathetic removal however no Bolens parts were damaged in the process. Progress has been slow today as Sunday's is granddad day and as such I had little time. After removing the metal from the foot plates and wheel arches I found even more add-on plates that I had not noticed before, these ones extending the sides of the chassis. A chain guard maybe? After removing the add-ons I focused on the engine which appears to be seized. On strip down, first inspection of the carb did not look too bad with very little spindle wear I found this inside the carb and I expect you can imagine what it smelt like Hopefully a bit more progress tomorrow before returning to work on Tuesday Iain 3 Alan, Triumph66 and pmackellow reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Triumph66 1,256 #4 Posted January 1, 2017 Making great progress Iain. Be interested if all that gunk will be a challenge for your cleaner. Taking off all those ugly duckling add ons will reveal a beautiful swan! Be great if this one runs as well! 1 slf-uk reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Triumph66 1,256 #5 Posted January 1, 2017 With all that work you are doing on your tractors over the last week, I think you should be using this to reduce your fuel going off and gumming up the carbs and weakening the fuel lines. I know you have used Aspen 2 on your hedge cutters, Stihl do their version for 2 and 4 strokes. I have got this in my 1050 and will gradually use this product on my other tractors. I have been using this on my modern Honda mower and it fires first time. Just a thought. 1 slf-uk reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slf-uk 914 #6 Posted January 2, 2017 I only had a half day today and although I made some good progress I didn't get it running. It looks like a PO has taken the carb apart at some point and some of the parts are missing. I tried using some parts from different carbs however the parts were not close enough. The ultrasonic cleaner made a great job of the carb. It looks just as good on the inside I had a different assistant today, he was good company but to be honest he was useless Iain 3 pmackellow, Triumph66 and Alan reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Triumph66 1,256 #7 Posted January 2, 2017 So the cleaner shifted all that gunk Iain. What fluid are you using and quantity please? I must invest in one. i would have plucked one of the cat's whiskas to clean the jets..... 1 slf-uk reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slf-uk 914 #8 Posted January 3, 2017 14 hours ago, Triumph66 said: So the cleaner shifted all that gunk Iain. What fluid are you using and quantity please? I must invest in one. i would have plucked one of the cat's whiskas to clean the jets..... Andrew, I used a cleaner called US-SO-CAR. I you drop that description into the usual auction site you will see a couple of sellers and at least one of them provides a PDF on the makeup of the solution. Missing carb parts are on order. Iain 1 Triumph66 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Triumph66 1,256 #9 Posted January 3, 2017 Thanks; will google that product shortly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slf-uk 914 #10 Posted March 7, 2017 Tractor boy and I sneeked into the workshop for a couple of hours on Saturday to do a bit more on this tractor. It has become clear that a PO has been playing with this tractor and we are finding lots of problems, in fact more problems than I have ever encountered on one tractor before, but we like a challenge So far we have noticed that the ignition components no longer had wires going to them, the carb was missing some parts, the ignition switch wiring is very odd (and does nothing), it has the wrong belts fitted, the governor is wrong, the exhaust studs are missing or have been attacked with vice grips, the gearbox is locked solid and the Versamatic lever has been attacked with vide grips plus a roll pin broken. I am sure we will find other problems We have reconnected all the ignition parts, replaced all the missing carburettor parts, bypassed the ignition switch and fitted a new fuel pipe and got the engine running. It ran for long enough to realise it has a head gasket issue. I think I have managed to capture three of the problems with this one picture The 1962 Ride-a-matic in the background should be the same colour, I believe the engine on this tractor is the correct colour. I have been doing some research into the roll pin for the Versamatic. The easy bit was finding the Bolens part number (1185256), the harder bit was working out what size it should be. I know I have seen a similar pin on a Bolens mower deck so I started checking parts lists looking for that part number. Eventually I found it and within that parts list it identified the part as being a 3/16"x7/8" roll pin, which sounds right. With a smile on my face, I found an online seller and ordered the roll pin. All was fine until the seller contacted me a couple of days later and said they were unable to supply, were unable to confirm the size I ordered and I had thrown away the bit of paper with the dimensions on I did the research again, ordered from someone else and put the details in this post for mine and everyone else's reference. Iain 1 Triumph66 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Triumph66 1,256 #11 Posted March 7, 2017 I agree Iain that the colour on the engine is the correct one and it will be interesting to see if you can get a match on that. I was thinking if my 600 is the same gold as the RAM? Hopefully the roll pin you ordered will be the rebirth of this RAM. i will be watching this post with interest. 1 slf-uk reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joseph 332 #12 Posted April 1, 2017 We finally got around to making a quick video about this tractor. We had a few problems with the microphone 6 Triumph66, slf-uk, Stormin and 3 others reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 4,458 #13 Posted April 1, 2017 Well done Joseph. 1 slf-uk reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alan 1,273 #14 Posted April 1, 2017 Good video Joseph. The Showman likes Bolens now so keep yours locked up. 2 slf-uk and the showman reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slf-uk 914 #15 Posted April 5, 2017 On 01/04/2017 at 4:38 PM, Stormin said: Well done Joseph. On 01/04/2017 at 9:13 PM, Alan said: Good video Joseph. The Showman likes Bolens now so keep yours locked up. Thanks guys, it may not seem a big deal but I know he was nervous about doing the voiceover and I am very proud of him for doing it. Progress has been very slow on this tractor due to work commitments but we are making some progess and we will provide an update soon. I was just reading Ian's RJ thread and I am sure I have hit all the same problems with the engine as Ian and Nigel have. Our engine even has a warped head, not come across that on a small engine before. Iain Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 4,458 #16 Posted April 5, 2017 5 hours ago, slf-uk said: Our engine even has a warped head, not come across that on a small engine before. Iain The engine in my WH C-125 had a slightly warped head. Sometime with a mirror, and wet and dry sorted it. 1 slf-uk reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Triumph66 1,256 #17 Posted April 5, 2017 (edited) A good video Joseph and good to see you and your dad working out the issues between you two. I am sure in time you will have a gem of a tractor soon. Keep those updates coming! Edited April 5, 2017 by Triumph66 1 slf-uk reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slf-uk 914 #18 Posted April 14, 2017 On 05/04/2017 at 7:05 PM, Stormin said: The engine in my WH C-125 had a slightly warped head. Sometime with a mirror, and wet and dry sorted it. Thanks Norm. I have access to a surface table which gives me a good flat surface. After a quick pass you can see where it is warped. 1 S1g reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slf-uk 914 #19 Posted April 16, 2017 We have completed another video on progress. I have to say I prefer working on the tractor to editing a video but my son Joseph wants a video diary of progress. Comments welcomed. Iain 5 Alan, S1g, Stormin and 2 others reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alan 1,273 #20 Posted April 16, 2017 Looks like you are getting workshop time at long last Iain. Like the special effects in the video. Give Joseph a medal for chasing you up. 2 slf-uk and Triumph66 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slf-uk 914 #21 Posted April 30, 2017 I have not had a lot of time recently but we have managed to get a little done. Another Iain and Joseph video update, short one this time Iain 4 S1g, Alan, Triumph66 and 1 other reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alan 1,273 #22 Posted April 30, 2017 Getting there Iain & Joseph, SLOWLY but surely. 2 S1g and Triumph66 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Triumph66 1,256 #23 Posted April 30, 2017 Looking good Iain. Should all be sorted if all goes well. 1 S1g reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slf-uk 914 #24 Posted May 14, 2017 We finally got the chance to finish off the jobs we had planned for this tractor and took it for a ride, well one of us did as I got to watch. Video update from Joseph 4 Stormin, Triumph66, Alan and 1 other reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Triumph66 1,256 #25 Posted May 14, 2017 Great to see it up and running Ian and Joseph 2 S1g and slf-uk reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
