Bolens finish mower model 1348 needing parts

[D4mm1t]

Hello fellow Iseki owners I'm back yet again looking for some advice and hopefully some parts.

I have a Bolens 3 point finish mower that broke an input shaft, I contacted Sam's Bolens and he couldn't get the part so figured nobody else could get a NOS part either so was hoping someone here would possibly know of someone with a parts mower I could scavenge from.

I hate to see the mower go as it is a tiny beast, but if I can't find parts I may have no choice but scrap it and move onto something else.

Thanks for any and all help!

 

[johneic]

Take a picture of whats broke, maybe I or someone else has an idea.

I could ask a bunch of questions but like they say a pic is worth a 1,000 words.

John

 

[D4mm1t]

Thanks for your reply John, I can do that but the part that I need is in a few pieces now as I had to take a cut off wheel to it to remove the bearings from one side and the yoke from the other (plus the original break point), it took a bit of punishment after it broke so kinda got bent and bruised.

I can kinda push it together to get an idea of what I need though, I'll get a few pics up tomorrow after work.

 

[johneic]

I assume its the shaft that comes outward and forward from a gearbox, but there are so many designs that any kind of pic would be good.

There are few used or NOS parts for these little tractors, making/fabricating is the norm here.

A new gearbox maybe? again just shooting in the dark here.

Besides, we love pics here! A video may be better!

 

[D4mm1t]

Had to work later that expected so no pics tonight, will get a few up tomorrow if I'm able.

You are correct about the shafts position, Sam's Bolens told me he could get a new gearbox made for just shy of 800 bux, I do love the mower but would not spend that kind of money on something close to 20 years old.

I work in a machine shop and could have made one myself but I wanted to take the easy way out and just buy one, and now that I cut mine up I made that job more of a chore, I may still have a go at making one if I can't find something soon as my fields are looking pretty bad.

Here is a link to basicly what I'm in need of Bolens Mower Deck Gear Box Input Shaft 1713676 | eBay That part number don't match what the PDF says I need for mine but at least gives a representation of what I need till I get pics up.

I may take the easy(ier) way out and trade a tiller attachment for a used mower or bush hog if I can find someone local in need of one.

 

[johneic]

What about a whole new gearbox? Agri has Three of them for $119.00

Rotary Cutter Gearbox, 40 Hp Gearbox, Gear Box | Agri Supply, 49331, Rotary Mow

This is just one of them, I noted they also had input output shafts (But they are $60.00), for that I would rather have a whole new gearbox.

 

[D4mm1t]

Would be nice if one of those gearboxes would bolt right up as that would save me allot of time, but mine seems to be a bit different that what they offer.

Had time to take a few pics today, the shaft I need is the one in 3 pieces positioned where it needs to go but above the gearbox housing. The break was pretty close to the center of the shaft, the one further to the right I cut off myself so I could remove the bearings and yoke.

I also stumbled on a mower that looks exactly like mine but branded by Ford New Holland, it's for sale on Ebay or Craigslist and is called a Ford, New Holland 930 finish mower, even the gearbox breakdown looks to be the same as mine so going to look into finding parts for that and see if they are the same.

 

[D4mm1t]

A follow up here.

I contacted the manufacturer of my gearbox and was told that they can supply me with parts but would be about a 12 week waiting period to get them too me, going to order what I need once the sales guy gets back with me on the cost then will wait and see if it will work.

 

[Leejohn]

I would get someone to make that shaft. Doesn't look hard at all to make. What is the OD of the shaft and how long is it?

Who makes the gear box?

 

[D4mm1t]

I'm going to see if I can make it at work, house rules are that if you're off the clock you're out the door so will try to sweet talk a manager to let me make it on a lunch break.

I'll still most likely buy a replacement shaft as I'm not 100% sure what it was originally made from, I can notch it with a file so it's probably not hardened so I'll try to make it out of a hard stainless and see how that works out.

The gearbox is at work locked in my toolbox so can't take any measurements, but it is a very simple shaft and can be made in probably less than an hour, the OD looks to be the same the entire length.

The gearbox was made by Superior Gear, a salesman quoted me 416 bux plus freight for a new one but not going to pay that much to fix an old mower, a few hundred more and I can buy a new brush mower that has a warranty.

I looked everything over in the gearbox and have no clue to why that shaft broke, I didn't hit anything and the shear pin is still in good shape as well, I'll look everything over again to be sure but my only guess is stress fractures, it has been used as a bush hog for about a year now and I have hit stuff in the past that dead stopped the engine (when the shear pin didn't break) so I'm thinking that could be what happened.