Garden Tractor Forums banner

Bolens 1053 Return to Service Project

64K views 529 replies 40 participants last post by  Christoph from Germany 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Picked up a Bolens 1053 last year and have decided I am going to try and turn it back into a useable garden tractor. Here are pictures of what it looks like right now - missing some pieces, no motor, fender pan and frame tubes have been "modified" over its years.
 

Attachments

See less See more
16
#3 ·
Think I would start with something little better for all that work. I'm messing with a couple similar and would hate to have to remake half the chassis and STILL not have engine in it. Guess PO didn't like the mount engine on tube part and made his own for a bigger engine?? Once stuff is "whacked", kinda hard to get back to "mormal" original stuff.
 
#4 ·
I have a vision of a spectacular started here- finished here "Tractor of the Month article in the future :thumbs:

Will be watching for the updates !
 
  • Like
Reactions: 29 Chev
#5 ·
Are you trying to make it look original again or just functional. Looking at your other posts I am guessing back to original. I have a 1054 here that is a bit of a hack job, but runs and ia useable. I have most of the parts here to start to put it back to at least original appearing, including the Wisconsin engine, but it won't get a full restore. These are both 1054's, the one on the left is almost all original and I got it from the original owner.

Jim
 

Attachments

#6 ·
Are you trying to make it look original again or just functional. Looking at your other posts I am guessing back to original.

Jim
I hope to make it look very close to original - I have picked up a hood off a 1050 that has been cut up a bit and I think I can fabricate / repair most of the sheet metal pieces. I have been thinking that if I don't encounter anything wrong with the transmission and I can get it to the point where I just need an engine then I can take the Honda off of my 1050 and drop it on this tractor as I still have the original Wisconsin for the 1050.

Will see how finances and my fabrication skills go - if I can make the rest of it look half as good as the seat turned out I will be happy. I figure with the seat recovered the hard part is done and I am half way there. :dancingbanana:
 

Attachments

#8 ·
I'll be following this post, talk about a "project" !
What's the timeline to get it done? Ready for Christmas?
No timeline really - just something to keep me out of trouble and cause me to scratch my head and question my sanity - might be ready for Christmas 2017??
 
#9 ·
That looks like a parts machine to me(I've got 2 like that). Just because you can do something, doesn't mean that you should do it. Save it as parts for a better Bolens machine that you will find. Don't waste time on projects that take you away from more productive things. A good complete one will come along that needs the transmission. Then you will get alot with only a small time investment. Good Luck, Rick
 
#10 ·
That sounds great. Glad you have the time to do it. I'm sure you will have fun. And the result will be great. I was wondering, the triangle piece on the rear end, with three bolts in it, is that a pto cover ? I know nothing about Bolens.

Noel
 
#12 ·
I have a 1253 sitting here with Deck and hydraulic lift that I gota get around to working on.I pulled the engine apart a couple months ago and was going to rebuild.It smoked alot and had a pretty bad knock.Pulled the cam cover off and found the connecting rod has a really nasty crack in it.Caught it Just in time BUT the crank journal is hurt and the cylinder is to bad for just a fresh set of rings and a light honing.

Put it on the back burner till I could find another engine worth putting in it.

Not sure what I'll end up doing with it yet.Lacking Money to fix it correctly is what's holding me up once again.
 
#13 ·
That sounds great. Glad you have the time to do it. I'm sure you will have fun. And the result will be great. I was wondering, the triangle piece on the rear end, with three bolts in it, is that a pto cover ? I know nothing about Bolens.

Noel
These have a worm drive rear-end instead of a ring and pinion. The triangle piece holds the bearing that supports the rear of the worm gear.

Jim
 
#15 ·
Today was take it apart day as per the pictures. I unbolted the left hand lift lever that someone had added to the tractor at some point at its life and had a good look at it but did not find any part numbers stamped into it (pictures 6 and 7). The plate that it was attached to was welded on but the actual lift lever appears to be factory made and looks like a Bolens unit - not sure what it is off of. Used the die grinder with the cut off blade to cut the plate welds where someone had welded the plate to the frame tube and the main support and the two pieces of square tubing that were welded to the two fame tubes.
 

Attachments

#16 ·
More pictures of things being removed. Someone had added an extra front axle support so that the PTO unit would line up with the engine I assume - they welded it to the square tubing along the sides so I used the die grinder to cut the welds. Got things pretty well apart and I hope to get the cover off of the transmission soon to have a look at the condition of the components. I used a centre punch to mark a "L" and "R" on the frame tubes where they clamp to the side of the transmission so I know which one goes where. Looks like the axle pivot pin is seized in the front axle and the brake plate and clutch pulley will need new lining - kinda what I expected so far.
 

Attachments

#17 ·
Started working on the transmission today. Removed the top cover and with the help of two floor jacks got it mounted to the engine stand I use - it raises the transmission higher so I don't have to bend over as far and also allows me to rotate the transmission which helps when removing and installing parts. I ran a 5/16-18 tap through the bolt holes in the transmission as some of them were a little stiff coming out. The 15 tooth gear on the three gear cluster has some damage from the gears being ground while shifting and the right rear hub has the ear broken off where the locking pin goes. I was surprised that the right hub slid right off as usually they are snug from rust and gunge. The hub has a crack where the axle keyway is which is not uncommon and it looks like someone has had this apart before as the shifter forks are numbered. I use plastic dishes with the sealable lids to put the nuts, bolts and small parts in and put a piece of scrap cardboard underneath where I am working to catch the dirt and set parts on as I find it makes cleaning up the floor easier.
 

Attachments

#18 ·
Removed the left axle nut as well and removed the left hub. The locking nut and wave washers are missing but I got parts of a 1050 transmission when I got this tractor and I think the nut is still on it. The left part of the axle appears to have hot spots where the hub turns - perhaps someone ran it with low fluid level and it stopped getting lubricated there?? Then I called it a day and put a piece of cardboard over the top to keep dirt out and rolled it off out of the way. Will have to start working on cleaning things up and ordering some parts.
 

Attachments

#20 ·
Smart use of your engine stand !! :thumbs:

That's the first time I have seen a screw used to retain the free-wheeling pin in place, but it works. ...Would be even better if the pin had corresponding grooves to accept the screw.
Thanks for the comment on the use of the engine stand Bruce - it makes working on the transmission very easy. First time I have seen a screw used to hold the free wheeling pin as well - like you say a grove in the pin would work better. I hope to repair the tab on the hub and put it back the way it was originally with the clip to hold the pin in place.
 
#21 ·
Today I decided to get rid of some of the grease and dirt on the transmission case - used various wire brushes in the electric drill and then a small flat screwdriver to clean out the crud in the tight spots. Then I used a small hand wire brush and an old tooth brush with some varsol to get rid of most of the grease. Looks a lot cleaner and will make working on it more pleasant.

Then I used an axle stand, some blocks of wood and a couple of pieces of scrap steel to support the brake drum and drove out the roll pin that holds the drum on. Then I used a puller to remove the brake drum - it was tight on the shaft but it did move without having to heat the drum. Had to use four 1/4" nuts as spacers to pull the drum as the drum kept bottoming out on the puller screw - add a nut, pull the drum till it bottomed out and then loosen the puller and add another nut. Once the brake drum was off I cleaned up the area behind it with the wire brush and some more varsol and then called it a day. Looks like a driveshaft from a tiller may have rubbed the bottom of the right axle housing at one time.
 

Attachments

#22 ·
Removed some parts out of the transmission today. First I removed the roll pins in the shift forks - place a rag underneath the fork to catch the roll pin and then retrieved them with a magnet. Then I removed the allen screw for the hi lo detent and then the spring and ball. Then I slid the shift shaft out the front. Next came the first reverse shift shaft - slid a short piece of round stock in the rear as I removed it to hold the detent ball in place. Then I placed a rag at the front of the bore and slowly slid the round stock back to release the ball and retrieved it with a magnet. Slid the round stock ahead again to block the hole and removed the second third shift rail - slid a small deep socket in the rear as I removed it to trap the outer detent ball. Made sure the rag was again in place to catch things and removed the outer allen screw. Then I slid the socket back and went in through the allen screw hole with a small magnetized screw driver to get the outer detent ball. Once it was removed I went back in with the screwdriver to get the pin and spring but instead found another ball. Removed it and then I was able to remove the pin and spring. I will have to verify the pin is the correct length as I assume someone lost the original and put a shorter pin in and then added the extra ball as I believe there should only be two balls, the pin and the spring.
 

Attachments

#23 ·
With the shifter rails out of the road I attempted to remove the two snap rings that retain the gears on the rear of the input shaft and the Hi Lo shaft. I love these two little snap rings as they are usually coated with enough gear lube that the tangs of the snap ring pliers slip off just before the snap rings spread large enough to slide off the shaft. Finally got the one on the Hi Lo shaft off and ended up stretching the one on the input shaft with a large flat screwdriver wedged in between the ears and then pried on the ears to force it over the shaft will have to replace it with a new one when I reassemble things. Next I removed the input shaft seal using a sheet metal screw and vise grips to get it popped out a bit and then I drove in on the side of it with a large flat screw driver to collapse it a little and then it came right out of the hole. I then removed the input shaft and the front bearing snap ring which allowed the bearing to move forward enough to remove the three gear cluster. Next I fished out the thrust washers - one at the front and one at the rear. The input shaft bearing appears to have moisture damage and is rusty looking and feels rough so I will have to see if I can get a replacement. I put the end of the input shaft back inside the bearing and then wiggled it sideways while pushing from the rear with my fingers to walk the bearing out of the transmission bore. Once it was out I removed the inner snap ring to make sure it was in good shape and make cleaning the bore easier.
 

Attachments

#24 ·
Given the condition of the input shaft bearing I decided to remove the expansion plug in the front of the transmission case that covers the Hi Lo shaft bearing - used the same method as I used to remove the seal. Then I removed the front snap ring and slid the front bearing out of the transmission which allowed me easier access to the snap ring that is on the shaft behind the Hi Lo gear cluster. Once the snap ring was removed I slid the shaft out of the cluster and out of the transmission and then removed the two gear cluster and put it back on the shaft along with the snap ring. The front bearing for the Hi Lo shaft appears to be in good condition but I may replace it as well.
 

Attachments

#25 · (Edited by Moderator)
I decided I would remove the output shaft so I could check the condition of the bearings that it runs on as well. Removed the three bolts that hold the rear bearing cap and tried to get it to move by tapping on the inside edge of the cap with a short piece of 2" x 2" oak - got it to move a little bit but it did not want to leave its happy home without a fight. Sprayed some WD 40 around the outside of the cap hoping it would work its way onto the O-ring and lubricate things. Once the bearing cap moved a little bit I was able to rotate the shims and work a screwdriver in between the ears of the cap and the case in hopes that it would come out a little more but I broke part of one of the ears - Oops. I then tried gently driving on the ear sideways and finally got the bearing cap to turn - once it had been turned back and forth about an eight of a turn a few times it finally came loose and out of the bore - looks like there was a rust ring around the bore where the O-ring sat. The bearings looked good once I got the output shaft removed. Flipped the transmission up ninety degrees and removed the bottom cover plate and the roll pin that retains the pin that the reverse idler gear runs on. Removed the pin and the gear and the two thrust washers - one on each side. The bronze gear has some wear on the teeth on one side but it will probably outlast me.
 

Attachments

#26 ·
I debated about removing the rear axle but when I checked the two screws that hold the drive hub and found I could turn them by hand I decided to remove things so I could have a good look at the bearings and parts to make sure they were OK - I had never had an axle out of a tube frame transmission so I wasn't sure how much "fun" I was going to have but things went pretty smoothly. Once I removed the locking wire from the head of the two screws I found that I could turn them about 1/4 turn and then they got too tight to turn by hand. Tried using a 3/8" wrench but it was a bit too long (not much room inside the case) so I grabbed a 12MM 6 point 3/8" drive socket (gotta love metric) and put an extension in the 12MM end and used the 3/8" drive end to slip over the screws and removed them. Once they were out I removed the left axle nut, cone and hub and tapped the left end of the axle with a block of wood and the axle slid out to the right to reveal the key which I then removed with a pair of needle nose pliers. Then I rotated the transmission on the engine stand ninety degrees and slid the axle out the rest of the way. The hub slid off the top of the bevel gear but stayed inside the transmission and everything else stayed put as the axle slid up.
 

Attachments

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top