Bolens 944 articulating front mount mower arrived today !!!

[Waldon52]

People still ask me why I never put engines in my big models ? The hard part is starting with 5 to 10 flat sheets of steel and designing every part by hand and having it look right when it is done. The easy part is slapping a 20 hp engine , pump , orbit motors, hoses, valves, etc. in it. But that is also the expensive part. I gave them the option to have them work for $10,000.00 additional cost but they said they liked it just like it was,:laughing:

 

[MossRoad]

That's too cool! :thumbsup:

 

[Chopperhed]

Other than the color , I'm liking it. It's giving me a lot of ideas for mine.

I've got a few more hp to play with, and I still mow with it, but Now I'm thinking snowblower for the front.

BTW, the dozer model is beautiful.

I have a question about all the apparent hydraulics, I suspect they are imitation, but what are they made of?

 

[Waldon52]

Thanks ,
The hydraulic cylinders are made of thin wall steel tubing.
Todays progress picture shows the steering cable pulley . The steering column had a full inch side to side play in it and a half inch up and down play. The pulley was rust weled on so I just built a slotted bracket to slip in and attach to the floor . No more play now , I greased it good and just like new , almost . No more than I will drive it this was a easy fix.:thumbsup:

 

[Waldon52]

I removed the transaxle this morning after a failed test drive. I see I had a full 1/16th in up and down play in the drive pulley shaft. I shimmed it nice and snug . Also replaced the detent ball bearing to one size larger after the one in it was wedged in one of the detent holes. Now it shifts and clicks as it should .
Will test drive it again if it stops raining:thumbsup:

 

[Waldon52]

My second test drive this afternoon was also a failure
I had a fellow stop over and he said everything looked great except the shifting forks. He said that is the problem I have only reverse and all the forward gears won't catch . He also said several of the 5 speed peerless transaxles used the same shifting forks. So I am going to try to locate some on e-bay. :thumbsup:

 

[Chopperhed]

That sux, apparently the Bolens units were different than the Swedish built Stiga/Noma Gts.


Mine has a separated transmission and differential.

The shifter is in line, and my biggest issue is getting it adjusted right. My shifter runs off of a push/pull cable, to the top of the peerless trans.

I looked at an EK10 a while back and , although the chassis was basically the same, Bolens used a different driveline.

I'm hopeful you can find the parts you need soon, I've been watching this thread.

 

[Waldon52]

Thanks ,
I feel much better getting the opinion from a mower mechanic. He convinced me the shift forks are so rounded off that this is the reason this guy probably stopped using it. He said without some kind of edge it can't lock into any of the forward gears . Reverse works fine but he said that locks in different .

 

[Waldon52]

For over 30 years I have drooled over this awesome Bolens machine. I could never afford one so when I found this Bolens fs-11 my dream was to try to build it up to kinda look like it . Of course it is not even close but it has been fun pretending I now have my own Bolens articulating machine

 

[Waldon52]

Here is a picture of one of the broken shifting forks. It is 1/4 inch wide and 2-1/2" long , maybe 2-9/16" long ? Deb ordered a new set of forks off e-bay so hopefully it will be a perfect match. Sounds like they are all 1/4 inch wide.:thumbsup: