Archive through August 02, 2013

[nbextermueller]

Do we know this guy???

http://youtu.be/o_WfKOZS7MY

Cub cadet crawler

 

[kmcconaughey]

Nic, yes. That is Paul Funk. He posted about it HERE

 

[bjamison]

Dennis F & Steve B - good to hear the K241 is a long lasting, high hour engine - I think that's what I'm reading between the lines. I need to have the one on my 109 rebuilt and thought about putting a 12 hp in it - however, this tractor has been really great, so I'd kind of like to keep it original to the extent possible. FWIW, the tired 10 hp engine still seems to have a lot of torque, gets GREAT gas mileage and seems happy as a clam with the 44 inch deck. So hearing you guys speak good things of the K241 vs the K161/181 (I consider the 10 engine a low hp engine too), I feel better about spending the $$$'s to have a nice rebuild done to it.

 

[jbennett]

Any cub gurus that live close to East Palestine Ohio? I am looking for someone who can do some work on my cub cadet original. Replace the motor(I have a rebuilt one) replace steering shaft and replace wiring harness. If you could email me at [email protected]

 

[sblunier]

Big Steve's 100 in April of 1980.......That's me "encouraging adequate working depth" on the spring tooth......

 

[dfrisk]

BILL J. - If I remember my Kohler K-series manual correctly, the K91 engine is it's own little self, 4 HP, nothing interchanges with other engines. K141(6-1/4hp)K161(7hp)& K181(8hp) I consider "Small Blocks", parts swap back and forth easily. The K241, 301, 321, 341, and even the 361 OHV I think of as Big Blocks, lots of parts swap back & forth there too, except the heads on the 341 & 361. Lots of extra parts on the 361's too with the over-head valves. The 241 is kinda like the Big Block Chevy 366 truck engine or 396 car engine. They look the part, make all the right noises, just don't make quite the HP or torque of it's bigger brothers but still enough to do a LOT of work and are still rather easy on gas. I've still got the 5 quart gas tank on the K241 that was on the K181 it replaced and for SON's small yard with the 70, a tank of gas should last him half the summer if it didn't evaporate so fast. When I used the 241 in the 72 I'd suck the last drops out of the second tank with at most 5 to 10 minutes of mowing left, so 10-11 quarts to do 2+ acres plus all the trimming. Sometimes I could finish the yard but the engine would run out of gas idling while I blew off the dust by the shop. With the 129 and my home-made 8 quart tank I'd have gas left on the second tank when I was done, quart, maybe a bit more.

Wyatt & I discussed the K241 Kohler a lot one afternoon when he was out here. We figured the 241 was Kohler's first bigger engine and everything was designed perfectly for that engine. When they needed more HP, they stroked the engine as much as they could, and then increased the bore to get whatever HP rating they needed, along with other changes like bigger intake/exh valves, carbs, etc. once the displacement got big enough.

Because the K241 normally only runs about half loaded all the time mowing unless you REALLY push it, they do run a long long time. I got 1400 hours on my cheapie rebuild I did to my 241 back in 1985. I blew snow for several years with it, running it for everything it had, attended 5-6 plow days, and all manner of other yard work for 20 yrs. It would burn 3-4 oz. of oil per tank of gas if I let it loaf, but if I pulled it harder it would stop burning oil. I just got scared of "windowing" the block.

You could tell the K301 in the 129 had a longer stroke than the 241 when the 301 was freshly rebuilt, it would lug at lower RPM's better, and made more HP when wound up, but the 241 made plenty enough HP for a GD w/38" deck. I'm actually surprised the 241 in your 109 runs a 44" deck as good as it does. I tried putting the 44A deck from the 129 under the 72 a couple times but no combination of parts from the mule drives would get that to work.

Be sitting down when you start pricing parts to rebuild your 241. I'm glad I was!

 

[sblunier]

....Good thing Cubs never go out of style......because clothing sure does!!!!!!! Dad is wearing his "Up Time Service" IH uniform shirt.......I don't have that good of an excuse!!!

 

[gpapa]

Any thoughts on adding a hydraulic lift to this 100? I kind of like the manual spring assist, but.... I do use this to push some snow around - gingerly. If anyone's had regrets or suggestions, I'd love to hear them. Thanks

 

[drglinski]

Love those old Cub pics....

As far as the hydro lift on the 100 goes; if you've got it, I say go for it. It'll look great.

 

[bjamison]

Dennis F - thanks for the input. I'm definately setting down for the $$$'s associated with the rebuild. No more hours than I put on this tractor, it ought to last me the rest of my life (a long one I hope) and see my Boys a few of their years beyond me - unless I give it to my Daughter...

I think the reason I have very good success with the 44 inch deck and 10 hp engine is I'm cutting the grass to about 3-ish inches high. The deck is full-up on the lift. It gives a beautiful cut. I've never been one to mow down to the dirt and everywhere I mow is lumpy enough to scalp if you don't mow high - regardless of the brand.

It's funny, I know we are supposed to mow the grass with these engines at full throttle - and I do. This little 10 hp really sounds great at full throttle and a deck full of grass. I run it wide open, don't abuse it, but work it hard none the less and it's been great.