Bolens Husky 900 User manual

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OwnerOperation
AND
MaintenanceManual
FMC CORPORATION, BOLENS DIVISION, PORT WASHINGTON, WISCONSIN

2
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Backin1919Bolensengineered,manufacturedandintroducedthefirst
gardentractor...yournewHUSKYrepresentsyearsofresearch,
engineeringandmanufacturingknow‐how.It’sthefinestHUSKYever
built.Theinformationandsuggestionscontainedinthismanualcan
helpyouenjoyefficient,troublefreeperformanceandtoknowthe
advantagesandfeaturesbuiltintoyourHUSKY.

YourBolensdealerhasbeencarefullychosen,welltrainedandequipped
toinspectandserviceyourequipmentfortopperformancethroughall
theyearsyouuseit.TakeyourHUSKYtohimatregularintervals(see
maintenanceguideonpage13)forinspectionsandservicing.

ThankyouforchoosingtheHUSKYtractor.Ourcontinuedinterestwillbe
toincreaseyoursatisfactioninBolensproducts.

FinestHUSKYeverbuilt...

3
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OperatingInstructions.......................................
DiagramofTractorandParts.............................
StartingtheEngine............................................
Three‐SpeedTransmission................................
SecondSpeedRange..........................................
ControlledDifferential
(HUSKY800and900only)...............................
Instruments,Controlsand
Maintenance....................................................
Battery.............................................................
Engine..............................................................
SparkPlug........................................................
AirCleaner.......................................................
FuelTank.........................................................
AttachmentLiftLever......................................
PneumaticTires...............................................
Lubrication.......................................................
MaintenanceGuide.........................................
BeltAdjustmentand
Replacement.........................................
BrakeAdjustment...........................................
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RearAxle..............................................
FreeWheelingorTowing.....................
2‐PositionSeatAdjustment.................
Fast‐SwitchAttachmentSystem.........
Attachments................................
RotaryMower....................................
ReelMower.......................................
RotaryTiller.......................................
SnowCaster.......................................
GraderBlade/SnowPlow.................
UtilityCart.........................................
TrailingReelMower..........................
MoldBoardPlow...............................
ExpandingCultivator.........................
Seeder‐Fertilizer‐Scarifier................
DiscHarrow......................................
LawnRoller.......................................
MinorTroubleShootingGuide...........
StoringYourHUSKYtractor................
Specifications.....................................
Warranty............................................
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TableOfContents
PAGE PAGE
4
5
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14&15
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18&19
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23

4
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Breaking‐inPeriod
Aswithanewcaryournewtractorshouldreceivespecialattention.Inthefirst
fewhoursofoperationitisbesttovarytheenginespeed...avoidfull‐
throttledriving,quickstartsandstopsuntilyou’vebecomewellacquaintedwith
yourtractor.IMPORTANT:THETRACTORISSHIPPEDFROMTHEFACTORY
WITHOUTOILINCRANKCASEANDAIRCLEANER.SEELUBRICATIONGUIDE,
PAGE11ANDENCLOSEDENGINEFOLDER.
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Forbestresults

Boththetractorandenginehavebeenfullytestedbythefactoryandyour
dealertoassureyoucompletesatisfaction.Readthismanualcarefully...if
youhaveanyquestionsthatarenotansweredinthemanual.askyourdealer.
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OperatingInstructions

5

6
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MANUALSTARTING
1.Turnonignitionkey.KeepPTOsafetyclutchin
OFF position while starting, and gear shift in
neutral.
2.Chokeleverallthewayback.Moreorless
choking may be necessary due to variations
intemperature,gradeoffuel,etc.
3.Openthrottleabout1/2wayuntilenginestarts,
thenadjusttodesiredspeed.
4.Giveaquicksteadypullonstarterropeorre‐
coilstarter.
5. Return choke to open position immediately
afterenginehasstarted.
6.Tostop,turnkeyoff,placegearshiftinneutral.
Removeignitionlockingkeywhentractorisnot
inuse.
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ELECTRICSTARTING
1.Turnonignitionkey.KeepPTOsafetyclutchin
OFF position while starting, and gear shift in
neutral.
2.Chokeleverallthewayback.Moreorless
choking may be required due to variations in
temperature,gradeoffuel,etc.
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3.Openthrottleabout1/2wayuntilenginestarts,
thenadjusttodesiredspeed.
4.Pressstarterbutton.
5.Returnchoketoopenpositionafter engine has
started.
6.Tostop,turnkeyoff,placegearshiftinneutral.
Removeignitionlockingkeywhentractorisnot
inuse.
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EMERGENCYSTARTING–HUSKY800&900
In case of electrical failure remove the generator
belt and follow same procedure as for manual
starting.
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EMERGENCYSTARTING–HUSKY600
Incaseofelectricalfailurewindropearound
starter cup pulley and follow same procedure
asformanualstarting.Generatorbeltdoesnot
havetoberemovedonHusky600.
StartingtheEngine
Readtheseparate,enclosedEnginefoldertobecomeacquaintedwithitsoperation
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7
CHANGINGSPEEDRANGES–HUSKY600
Speedrangesettingmaybechangedwitha
simple belt setting change.  Never attempt to
make belt setting change while the engine is
running.  The drive belt is positioned in the
HIGHspeedrangewhenassembledatthe
factory (belt from large section of engine
pulley to small section of drive shaft pulley).
To change belt setting proceed as follows:
(1) open tractor hood exposing clear view of
belt; (2) hold or clamp clutch pedal down to
release belt tension; (3) move the drive belt
fromlargefrontgroovetosmallreargroove
on engine pulley; (4) slide the belt from the
smallfront grooveto thelarge reargroove of
drive shaft pulley located below the tractor
frame; (5) release clutch pedal and check
belttoseethatitisproperlyseatedincor‐
respondinggrooves.ToreturnbelttoHIGH
speed range simply reverse the procedure by
changingthebeltonthedriveshaftpulleyfirst
and then complete the operation on the
enginepulley.NOTE:Alwaysbeginonthe
pulley where the belt is in the large groove
and complete the operation on the opposite
pulley.
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The HUSKY 800, 900 and 600 feature
a3‐speedgearedtransmissionplusasecond
rangeto give youa wide range of operating
speeds.Topreventdamagetogears,donot
shift gears while tractor is in motion.  HIGH
speedrangeismostpracticalfortransport,
averagemowingorpullinglightattachments.
LOWspeedrangeisbestforheavyjobssuch
astilling,plowing,snowcastingandmowing
tallorlushgrass.
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Speedrangeselectorleveriscontrolledfrom
thedriver’sseat:HIGHspeedrange–move
lever to left and push forward until lever
returnstoright.
LOWspeedrange–movelevertoleftandpull
rearward until lever return to right.  (See
instruction decal below lever.)  Be sure gear
shift is in neutral or clutch disengaged when
changingspeedranges.
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Three‐SpeedTransmission
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CHANGING
SPEED
RANGES
HUSKY800
&900
GEAR LOWSPEEDRANGE HIGHSPEEDRANGE
1st
2nd
3rd
3/4mph*
1‐1/4mph*
2mph*
2mph*
3‐1/2mph*
6mph*
*Speedathighthrottleadjustment. Thespeedwilldecrease
ineachgearasthethrottleisadjustedtowardsidle.Speeds
may vary depending on road or ground condition and
weightattachedtotractor.

8
By turning control knob on left rear wheel,
you can vary the degree of differential
traction up to nearly straight axle drive.
For jobs such as plowing or snow casting,
turn the knob clockwise until desired degree
of drive to both wheels is obtained. For
mowing, or other lighter jobs, be sure to
have control knob in standard differential
position (turn control knob counter-clock-
wise all the way out to stop disc) to avoid
gouging or scuffing caused by both wheels
driving on turns. Differential can be control-
led with left hand from the driver’s seat
while engine is running in neutral but
tractor wheels should be stopped. (NEVER
TIGHTEN WITH WRENCH)
Controlled Differential
(HUSKY 800 & 900)

9
GEAR SHIFT LEVER
3- speeds ahead, 1 reverse. See instructions on
Page 7.
TWO SPEED RANGE LEVER (HUSKY 800 & 900)
Provides a total of 6 speeds ahead, 2 reverse
from less than 3/4 mph to 6 mph. See instruct-
tions on Page7.
PTO CLUTCH
A touch instantly disengages power to
attachments.
THROTTLE
Push lever forward for full throttle or vary to
any speed in between.
CLUTCH & BRAKE PEDAL
Depress foot pedal half-way down for clutch
all the way down for brake.
CHOKE
To start tractor, pull back choke lever and
replace to open position immediately after
engine has started.
STARTER BUTTON
Optional equipment starter. See starting in-
structions on Page 6.
AMMETER
(HUSKY 800, & 900 only)
Instruments, Controls and Maintenance

10
SPARK PLUG –Remove all dirt
from base of spark plug before
removing. A gap of .030 inch
should be maintained between
electrodes for Wisconsin Engine.
WISCONSIN ENGINE
HUSKY –800 & 900
BRIGGS & STRATTON
ENGINE HUSKY - 600
BATTERY –Keep cables and ter-
minals clean and apply a light
coat of vaseline or oil for protec-
tion. Check battery bracket for
corrosion and keep clean.
A gap of .025 inch should be main-
tained between electrodes for
Briggs & Stratton Engine. See En-
gine folder for replacement of
defective plug.
AIR CLEANER –Remove and
clean frequently for best engine
performance. Fill to marked level
with same grade of oil as in
crankcase.
FUEL TANK –Fill with clean,
fresh gasoline of regular grade.
DO NOT MIX OIL WITH GASO-
LINE. Check to see that vent hole
in fuel cap is not plugged.
See separate engine folder
for further information.

11
HUSKY –600 & 800 PNEUMATIC TIRES –Keep pneumatic tires
properly inflated to 12 to 18 lbs. front tires
and 6 to 9 lbs. rear. Check air pressure regu-
larly with low pressure gauge having one-
pound graduations. Over or under inflation
will result in damage to the tires.
HUSKY 900 Front 4 to 6 Lbs, Rear 6 to 8 Lbs.
WHEEL WEIGHTS
TIRE CHAINS
CHROME HUB CAPS
Available as optional
equipment.
ATTACHMENT LIFT LEVER –Depress
thumb button on handle to raise or
lower attachments and lock in any of 6
positions. Needle-bearing universal
joints allow you to raise or lower at-
tachments while the tractor is under
full power without danger of damaging
the drive shaft mechanism.

12
Lubrication
1. Front wheel grease fitting
2. Front wheel spindle
3. Front axle pivot
4. PTO Housing
5. Rear wheel hub
6. Transmission (SAE #90)
7. Air cleaner
8. Engine crankcase
9. Hood hinge
10. Brake linkage
11. Starter-generator oil cups
12. Attachment lift lever
(Numbers within each symbol designate
lubrication area)
See separate engine folder for amount
and type of oil for various temperatures.

13
Afterevery10hours
ofoperation
Afterevery25hours
ofoperation
Afterevery50hours
ofoperation
Checkbattery 

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Checkairintires 

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Checkenginecrankcaseoil


Drainenginecrankcaseoil 

Checktransmissionoil
(andaddtofillerpluglevelasneeded) 


CheckCoolingairscreen


Lubricationpoints
(Seelubricationguidepage12)


Brakeadjustment 

Rearaxleadjustment 

Changeoilinaircleaner
(Filltomarkedlevelwithsamegrade
ofoilascrankcase)
* 
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MaintenanceGuide
*Moreoftenunderextremedustyconditions

14
HUSKY 800 & 900
Belt adjustment and replacement.
To Remove PTO Belt
1. Move Speed Range lever halfway between low
and high range so that belt tightener does not
contact the belts.
2. Loosen belt guide from PTO support and remove
PTO belt from pulley.
3. Loosen the two capscrews (A) that hold belt guides
to engine –just enough to swing guides away
from engine pulley.
4. Remove the two drive belts from engine pulley.
5. Remove PTO belt.
To install PTO belt, reverse the above procedure.
Be sure belt guides are properly positioned on the
engine. Locator on back of belt guide should fit into
groove on face of engine.
To Remove Drive Belts
1. Follow steps 1, 2, 3, and 4 listed above.
2. Remove nut and washers from front end of the
drive shaft, (To keep driveshaft from turning
while removing nut, hold it with a wrench across
T bar welded to back end of driveshaft.)
3. Remove the four capscrews (B) and washers
that hold bearing support to the mounting plate
assembly.
4. Remove bearing support by sliding it off front
end of driveshaft.
5. Remove drive belts.
To install new belts reverse the above procedure.
Be sure belt guides are properly positioned on the
engine. Locator on back of belt guide should fit
into groove on face of engine.
PTO Belt Adjustment
The PTO belt can be adjusted by loosening the
three capscrews (C) that hold PTO support casting
to axle support casting. Raise or lower PTO support
casting to proper adjustment.
Drive Belt Adjustment
The drive belts can be adjusted by loosening the
four capscrews (B) holding the bearing support
plate to mounting plate. Raise or lower the bearing
support plate to proper adjustment.
IMPORTANT: A loose drive belt will slip under
load and one that is too tight will drag in the
pulleys. Proper adjustment of belts will allow belt
tightener pulley to move approximately two inches
from disengaged position before it is stopped by
belt.
If belts are properly adjusted (as described above)
and still drag, check adjustment of lower belt
guide. There should be approximately 1/8”
clearance between pulley and belt guide all the
way around.
Adjustments

15
HUSKY 600
Belt Adjustment and Replacement
The idler pulley for the drive belt is positioned in
outside hole of idler control arm. If through wear
and stretch, adjustment becomes necessary, belt
tension can be increased by moving the idler
pulley to the center hole in idler control arm. The
PTO belt can be adjusted by loosening the three
capscrews that hold PTO support casting to axle
support casting. Raise or lower PTO support casting
to proper adjustment.
To Remove Drive Belt
The belt from engine to driveshaft can be replaced
in the same manner as changing speed range (see
page 7) but instead of moving belt to small groove,
free it completely from pulley. Next, slide belt
from opposite pulley and it is free.
To Remove PTO Belt
To remove PTO drive belt it is necessary to first
remove the belt from engine to driveshaft. Remove
belt guide from power-take-off pulley, and with
PTO disengaged, remove belt starting on the
lower pulley.
Generator-Starter Drive Belt Adjustment
The generator- starter drive belt can be adjusted by
loosening the capscrew on the adjustment bracket
and moving the generator-starter. The belt is prop-
erly adjusted when it can be depressed approx-
mately ¼ inch under slight thumb pressure.
Brake Adjustment (HUSKY 600)
The brake may require adjustment periodically
due to wear. Adjust at two points (1) To adjust
brake on transmission shaft (located under tractor
frame in line with brake pedal) adjust by moving
the two nuts on the top side of the pivot block.
(2) To adjust brake on drum loosen brake adjusting
nut on brake rod. Turn nuts at both points only
one or two turns at a time until proper brake
adjustment balance is obtained.
Brake Adjustment (HUSKY –800 & 900)
The brake may require adjustment periodically
due to wear. Adjust by moving the nuts (D) on
both sides of the pivot block. Turn nuts only one or
two turns at a time to prevent over-adjusting the
brake. If brake is set too close there will not be
enough free clutch pedal travel making it difficult
to operate the tractor smoothly and shift properly.

16
2-Position Seat
Durable, cushioned seat adds to driver’s comfort.
To adjust seat, remove 2 nuts from under tractor
seat and reposition in holes provided. Tool box is
conveniently located under seat.
FREE WHEELING
The pin located on the inside hub of right rear
wheel will permit free wheeling when the tractor
is to be pushed or towed. Pull pin out for “free
wheeling” and push pin in for “drive”. When the
right rear wheel pin is in drive it also acts as a
brake even when the gear shift lever is in neutral.
On HUSKY 800 & 900 turn positive drive adjusting
nut (on left rear wheel axle) counter-clockwise as
far as it will go. DO NOT USE WRENCH
Rear Axle
After use the rear axle may develop end
play which should be removed. Check
approximately every 50 hours of operation
and adjust if necessary.
ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE:
1. Remove retaining ring and hand ad-
justing nut from left end of rear axle.
(Step 1 for HUSKY 800 & 900.)
2. Remove cotter pin securing castle nut at
end of left rear axle, tighten nut finger-
tight (DO NOT USE WRENCH) and re-
place cotter pin.
3. Tighten nut on right rear axle in the
same manner.
IMPORTANT: ALWAYS TIGHTEN NUT ON
LEFT SIDE FIRST. NEVER TIGHTEN NUTS
WITH A WRENCH AS THIS WILL CAUSE
DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION

17
Fast-Switch Attachment System
Slide universal joint over end of
splined power-take-off shaft, align-
ing holes in joint and shaft and secure
with cap screw and lock nut. Just slide
attachment drive and PTO drive shaft
universal joint together, slip pins into
hitch points and connect attachment
lift lever with pin and hitch point. The
PTO (power-take-off) drive shaft
is located under the front of the tractor
frame and is connected to the engine
by a drive belt. This assembly has a
drive shaft which is splined at both
ends so that front, center and rear
power attachments can be coupled
directly to it. Universal joints on the
attachments are equipped with
needle-bearings allowing you to raise
or lower attachments (with lift lever)
while the tractor is under full power.
CAUTION: Always remove universal
joint from power-take-off shaft when at-
tachments are removed from tractor. If
the joint is not removed and the power-
take-off is engaged, damage will result
from whipping action of the free joint.
Your HUSKY tractor has the fastest
attachment switch system in the in-
dustry. No belts to adjust ... no tools
needed.

18
Attachments
32-INCH ROTARY MOWER
A Bolens-designed 3-blade center-mounted mower with
side discharge gives you safe grass cutting. Special
baffles below the base increase safety and quickly rid
the mower of grass clippings. Heavy gauge steel base
parallelogram lift raises and lowers mower in a level
position for smooth uniform cut at all times.
38-INCH ROTARY MOWER HUSKY
800 & 900
A center-mount, safety-designed 3-
blade mower with a 38-inch cut.
Also designed with side discharge
and special baffling for quick re-
moval of grass clippings. Has paral-
lelogram lift for uniform cutting
levels.
22-INCH ROTARY TILLER
This is a ruggedly-constructed all-purpose
tiller with plenty of power for deep tilling,
soil preparation and general garden main-
tenance. Finely chops and blends weeds,
grass and stalks into any soil. For later
cultivating, an 8-inch tine and hood exten-
sion is available for a maximum 30-inch
cut to cover tractor wheel tracks.
30-INCH FRONT REEL
MOWER
A 5-bladed, chain driven
reel mower with caster
wheels for better oper-
ation. Heavy-duty con-
struction and a full 30-
inch cut makes it one of
the finest and most de-
pendable on the market.

19
Attachments
BOLENS UTILITY CART
A 2-wheel utility cart with all-steel con-
struction, pneumatic tire and wheel assembly.
Cart is 41-1/2 in. long, 26 in. wide, 12 in. deep
with a capacity of 7-1/2 cubic feet or 1000 lbs.
Atta ches dir e ctl y to th e tra c tor h itch .
32-INCH SNOW CASTER
Single-unit rotor brings snow from the outer
edges to the center before casting it out
discharge chute. While unit is in operation
the operator can raise or lower unit with
lift lever or change direction of discharge
chute from the driver’s seat. Rotor speed is
coordinated with special low forward speed of
tractor. Casts snow at rates up to 1600 pounds
per minute. Adjustable runners can be raised
or lowered to adapt to surface being cleared.
42-INCH GRADER BLADE, SNOW PLOW
a 5-position, all steel, heavy duty scraper
blade for grading and levelling, plowing
snow, refuse removal and many other uses.
Special, spring-loaded, automatic trip mech-
anism permits blade to by-pass solid ob-
struction before springing back into position.
36” SNOW
CASTER
For Model 900
to accommodate
wide tire tread.