H 16hp Bolens

[wristpin]

Many, many years since I’ve seen an Eaton hydro . I think that as well as the OEMs that you mention, Toro and Dennis used them . No doubt you have looked for a current UK distributor, but failing that it may be a question of identifying it by model and then trying all the known UK users and OEM importer distributors for a new old stock rebuild kit.

[trusty220]

You are correct, that looks like an Eaton hydrostat. The casing looks identical to the one fitted to the Jacobsen TriKing- have a word with your local Ransomes Jacobsen dealer.

You may be in luck as the TriKing was still in production until quite recently.

[davidbliss]

Many thanks will try them later when finished the re-engine in the Howard Bolens, its a much more time consuming conversion than swapping out the Tecumseh as completely different tin work, and with different electric drive clutch needing the engine moving forward, so everything else needs altering. had to weld up 11 holes in the very thin tin, that part is very important as stop heat recalculation. the one fitted to the Tecumseh had a one piece with rubber sealing all round, and the one from the 11hp is a two piece poor thing being now made stronger

• This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by davidbliss.

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[davidbliss]

Been a bit slow getting on installing the V twin, just sat the engine in and is lining up ok. just needs to be done accurately, for this I take the Flexi coupling out and bolt them up solid and shim up the engine new mounting plates before welding, took a little longer doing the uprated wiring, relays now stop the engine as have known the ignition switches ether fail or people fit the ignition onto a live wire and will instantly blow the units, Very expensive mistake. think the Eliminators wiring a bit untidy.

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[davidbliss]

Engine aligned and fitted, update by adding relays for safety locks in the wiring, fitted the bonnet and sides, these I cut down over thirty years ago as the single cylinder used to overheat, now the centre baffle where the prop shaft goes through needs a bit more tin welding onto the sides and across the bottom, the later 14 HXL had more clearance and less air gaps so they must have thought it needed better cooling so I am doing a similar modification but better as no engine mounts to get in the way can give it even more clearance.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by davidbliss.

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[davidbliss]

Yesterday robbed the Eliminator of its brake parts, luckily had the early original 11hp HXL linkages all I needed was the safety lock and brake pads, the Eliminator parts work but poorly as it looks like had a design change and altered that in a poor way, the early type has a sprung part and works well and can be adjusted without spanners.

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[davidbliss]

A bit more progress, The Eliminator is now knocked down into parts, if only it had been looked after, I always say if it stands still oil it and if it moves oil it some more, Photos whats left, engine and frame, removed the hand lift, someone may need it and is allot better than the hydraulic lift, everything needed heat and persuasion, spent ages getting the PTO shaft off the engine shaft only to find the UJs were shot so might as well gassed it off the hydro in the first place, the steering rack and pinion are good bearing was worn and loose, its different to the other two mowers as the pinion is a separate part on the end of the shaft and held on with a pin, note the worn UJ pin and the hole in the end of the PTO shaft if only they had put oil down it would have saved me some time trying to pull it apart, Eliminators heat shield is now altered and bolted to the bottom half of early two part heat shield of the H XL 11hp. the next job is to make the part that joins the shield underneath sort of a L shape that the PTO goes through this stops dirt being sucked up from underneath the mower.

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[davidbliss]

Hydro charge pump now sorted, coupling and new oil filter, the JD boys found cross reference from the old Bolens number so all sorted and fitted back in the frame, got the deck back from being galvanised so now needs all the parts fitting back on, this old 11HXL deck I strengthened as the side discharge leaves it weak and where the rollers attach crack so need help, must be getting on for thirty years back and done the same to the 14 HXL and that was galvanised back then. Photos of strengthened thirty years plus ago and galvanised 11 HXL a few days ago.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 12 months ago by davidbliss.

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[urbanalfa]

Sounds like you’re making good progress.

I’ve wondered about having mower decks galvanized before. Do you think it’s cost effective?

[davidbliss]

Cost effective? If you don’t look after them NOT, they still need looking after as wet grass causes the galvanise to get the dreaded white mildew, but looking at the two decks the one I never done was very pitted, the other remains smooth, paint isn’t cheap, that deck cost just over £110, put that into trying to bodge up a rotted deck?, one of my pet hates is powder coatings, metal is cleaned, sprayed and baked, trouble is if there are angles the coating shrinks so pulls away, this leaves gaps and moisture corrodes lifting the coating faster, can remember one firms selling point that decks were powder coated.

[urbanalfa]

Interesting, thanks.

Good point about powder coating.

[wristpin]

What part of the country are you in? It does seem that the only galvaniser within fifty miles is only interested in truck loads of railings and structural steel etc.
As said for powder coating, not suitable for decks and most of the rest on a ride-ons. Once the moisture and consequent rust has penetrated and crept under it, the pressure washer brings it off in sheets. UK manufactured stuff was particularly bad ; US stuff was a bit more durable, but perhaps my experience (1980 – 2012) is a bit dated now.

[davidbliss]

I am in South Norfolk, I used Metal Coatings GT Yarmouth about 30 miles, years ago used a place Witham? as one firm I used for getting metal only a few miles away had that company collect and deliver weekly. and at that time could handle larger stuff than the Yarmouth platers.
With any of these firms small parts get lost, you need to ask, I can say the Yarmouth boys are helpful.

[davidbliss]

Its a why on earth did they alter things, they made three front pulley carriages the fist one is easy fit and doesn’t rattle and last one is a bit awkward if a spring breaks, now find there are thee axle widths going up by 2inch steps the second one they fitted longer half shafts and the third they fitted wider axle casting along with longer shafts but wheel centres are the same as they used differing wheel offsets, all use same chassis and decks.

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[davidbliss]

Finally finished for this year, modified the horrible plastic deck side shoot of the Eliminator thats now fitted to the original deck of the 11HP, all new bearings and belts so if its like the 14 HXL I did the same too will do twenty+ years without problems.

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[Author]

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