Archive through August 12, 2013

[bjamison]

Dennis F - I hear you on the bail vs button float.

On another note, wonder what my 126 would look like with a set of Firestone 23 degree ag tires and a moldboard plow...

 

[proessler]

Hey, Denny , Google maps pegs me at 14.9 miles if I come around the lake on the west side to WH Society. It's just a few steps from the UW Memorial Union

!! We can also check out "The Big Red Gym" ! We should be able to see some CC amongst the sea of Badger <font color="ff0000">RED</font>... I think there's some Cadets on campus...

 

[hydroharry]

Frank - I gotta admit, you can see my blanket cover on the side of the pic.

Brian - yes, my son does the polishing for me, but I do get a little seat time not sitting on a trailer. I run it up to the corner, down the block, then back again, at least a few times a year. Come to think of it, it's that time again.

Jeremiah - I'll see if I can get some dimensions of my heat shield, and maybe a couple more pics so you can see it better. Hope you can still find one. Even if it's from a 169 you could add your own correct holes. I'm pretty certain the bolt hole going to the muffler would be the same but we can figure that out with some dimensions.

Kraig, Oh Great One Keeper of the Photos - YOU are the GREATEST. Make sure you keep your 125 cushions in good shape.

 

[jchamberlin]

Harry: I forgot that the bolt pattern of the K341A differed from the K321A/K301A/K241A since it has more bolts. I'll post my muffler dimensions tomorrow, if you post your 169 heat baffle dimensions, the only thing missing is dimensions of a true noise suppression heat baffle for comparison. Since I suspect your muffler diameter, or at least the diameter of a true 169 muffler, is larger than my noise suppression muffler (for the "smaller" HP Kohlers), the dimensions of the heat baffle might vary as well. But then again, they're both going into the same size tractor, so maybe they're the same. We'll see.

 

[dfrisk]

PAUL - Mapquest says I'm 11.02 miles away from WHS. I would have guessed it was farther than that. These darned lakes around town right? To bad Guy Fay isn't there anymore. But with his connections, he still writes some great articles for RPM.

BILL J. Which size Firestone's? 23-8.50's or 23-10.50's? I've had 23-8.50's on my @72 since just before PD #1 and really like them. Paul and Art A. both have the new 23-10.50's and they are a great tire too. Go with whatever size tire your replacing and go plowing. You'll be impressed!

 

[jchamberlin]

Harry: My dimensions are identical to yours. I didn't attempt to measure the diameter, but the circumference is right at 14-1/2"; the length end to seam is 12-7/8", the nipple extends 4-3/4" with 11/16" or so for the "dome" at the outlet end for an overall length of 18-5/16". The ID of both the inlet and outlet are 1-1/4" which happens to be the OD of standard 1" pipe (pipe is measured at it's ID).

Moreover, the part I have was manufactured by Nelson and is still available from at least one of our sponsors.

Edit 1: If I divide 14.5" by 3.14 I come up with a diameter of 4.618"

Edit 2: One thought, Harry. When you take your measurements of the heat baffle, perhaps you need to choose a neutral reference point, like the steering tower, to overcome differences in engine size and/or front grille placement.

 

[dcharette]

Hey guys, with all this muffler talk my muffler in the 1250 needs to be replaced. Does anyone have any experience with the welded muffler from CC specialties. I am thinking this is the replacement I am going to order.

 

[bjamison]

Dennis F - they are 23 x 8.50's. They are from another color tractor of mine and while outwardly aired-up, appear to be in good shape, when the air leaks out of them, they are badly cracked. I thought about putting them on a spare set of Cub Cadet rims with a tube and giving them a try.

BTW - the other color tractor with the 23 degree treads looked great, with a set of wheel weights, drove ANYWHERE like a Jeep. If the tires would hold air, I would expect the same with the 126.

 

[rmcshane]

Bill J- Your 126 dream tractor is my reality...and it is pure awesome. Firestone Ags on the rear, 10 inch plow behind it...pulls like a champ.

 

[cfaulconer]

Hi All,
Got a question. Does anyone have any detailed pictures of the hydraulic lift setup on a 149? I bought a 149 for parts and I want to put the hydraulic lift on my 129 but the parts on the 149 had been disassembled. I looked in the service manual but the pics are not detailed, what I really need are pics of the linkage where the ram is coupled to the lift bar and the control rod where it is coupled to the spool valve. Can anyone help?

 

[kmcconaughey]

Chauncey, here are some excerpts from the 169 hydraulic Lift Installation Manual:

 

[digger]

I've noticed in the last few years a huge amount of parts going to Finland.

I gt an email and I don't know the answer, maybe someone here will.

Are you aware of how many of these original Cub Cadets have been exported, or where can I ask for that info? I beleave that only 18 pieces have arrived to Finland in 1963.


Best regards
Mikko T.

 

[dfrisk]

BILL J. - Do a search on "Denny's Inner tube rants". Running GT tires without tubes, even tires marked "Tubeless", is just waiting for a flat tire no matter how good or new the tire is. I'm TOTALLY "Tubed Up" now, well except for my big tandem axle dump cart.

Tubeless tires are fine on cars/trucks, High Speed applications when the tire rubbing on the tube when the tire flexes would cause friction heat, but on low speed applications up to 20-30 MPH, Tubes are the way to go.

 

[drglinski]

I dunno about tubeless tires- I've got a carlisle mounted on the front of my 147 that's been there over a year, used in all seasons; is tubeless and holds air better than those that are tubed. If she starts leaking on me, I'll tube it, but for right now, it works great IMO (knock on wood.)

 

[dfrisk]

DAN - The new Carlisle frts on my 982 were fine when I first got the tractor 13 yrs ago, maybe have to air them up a bit every spring before the first mow. It steered REALLY hard while mowing 3 wks ago, but I was in a hurry as usual, then checked the frt tire PSI before I mowed a week ago, YEP, one tire almost FLAT, showed zero or 1 PSI on the gauge, other had lost half it's PSI since I started mowing in mid-May. But those days of airing up tires every couple weeks/months are over since I put tubes in them. Give your tires time, they'll leak.

A leaking tube is caused by two things. Most often a leaking valve core insert, easy to change. Other cause is a pinched tube from installing the tube, or a nail, screw, thorn sticking in the tire when it's tubed. But with all the L&G inner tubes being made in a low cost country anymore, I doubt today's inner tubes last like they did decades ago, and they may have a slow leak even when new.

Not sure if the inner tubes on the frt tires of my 72 are the factory tubes, pretty sure they are, I've patched them a couple times, and the one tire ripped apart a couple yrs ago and blew the tube, but a big patch on the tube and a "Boot" in the tire and it's still running with 45 yr old tires/tubes. Good-Year's no less. Been my experience that Firestone's age much more slowly than GY's. Every Firestone tire states it's "Gum Dipped", not sure what all that entails but I think it's the reason they resist weathering so much better than other brands. I'm not sure the new "Firestones" available now are gum dipped.

I need to get a pair of 4.00X8 3-rib frts for the 72, but I'm kinda "Fussy" about which brand I get, they have to "Look Right", and it'd be nice if they were made in the US, but I'm pretty sure THAT'S not going to happen.

 

[nbextermueller]

I'll jump in the tube/tubeless discussion. I only use tubes when I have a set of tires that has plenty of thread, but a hole that can't be plugged. I have a set of 30yr old 23x8.50 good years that are so cracked they are scary and have 2 plugs each, but hold air all year long. Same with my 128 original fronts (no plugs).
Other tubeless tires include my 26x12 titans on the super also with tubeless original fronts.
Firestone 23 ags from Miller's on the 782 (which replaced the good years, rim and all) and fronts.

I always use an angle grinder with a wire brush to clean up the bead should a tire have to be changed. If pitted I'll spray paint it Cub white and ALWAYS use bead sealant. My tractors are also stored indoors, so sun fade isn't an issue.

In fact, the only tires that don't hold air are the TUBED tires on my #2 cart. They will be getting tri-ribs when $$ allows.

The valve stem on a tube never lines up right, and if you slip a tire, it disappears in the rim or shears off.

I understanding tubing if your going to fill tires. But in my shop, tubes are for floating on a river only.

 

[dfrisk]

NIC - Glad your tubeless tires are working for you.

From about March 1979 till the end of Dec. 1981 I was tire buyer/scheduler at FARMALL, we were making 140-150 large farm tractors a DAY. Biggest complaint our QA dept. got from dealers & customers was the fact we used tubeless frt tires, 15,16, 16.1, & 20" rim diameter, and four part numbers of tubeless rear tires, they were 15.5X38 6PR R1 & R2-0 tread, and 18.4X34 6PR R1 & R2-0 tread. Those 4 sizes of rear tires accounted for maybe 8-10% at most of our over-all tire usage, even less when the 686/H86 model was discontinued in 1980, and resulted in well over 60-70% of the tire rework we had to do on brand new tractors, new tires/wheels/rims. The tubeless frts were even worse. Tires were mounted about a half hour before the tractor rolled off the assembly line, and at least every day there were a couple tractors sitting in the yard on flat tubeless tires that had to be fixed before the tractor could ship. The guys mounting the tires mounted 200-300 tires in an EIGHT HOUR shift. They knew how to mount tires, no time for special sealants, wire brushing new rims, etc. On the tube-type rears which everything else used, I bought 2-3 dozen 18.4X38 and a dozen 20.8X38 inner tubes for tire repair a month, maybe a bit longer, they were ordered via the "Hollar System", the tire room forman Hollars, and I make the tubes appear the next day. So by percentage, tire repairs on tube types were REALLY Low.

So my scope of experience covers roughly TWO MILLION tractor tires. That's why only my cars, truck, and tandem axle dump cart have tubeless tires. I'm just atating MY reason for being so adamant about using inner tubes. You all go ahead and make your own decisions. I'll state my experience and YOU decide. I really don't care WHAT anybody else does.

I somewhat agree and also disagree with your other comments. Such as valve stem alignment, there's a right and wrong way to install a tube, the valve stem hole in the rim is off-set and so is the valve stem on the tube, it may not exactly line up but will be close enough to fit fine and work well. Slipping a tire bead on a rim does shear off inner tube valve stems, but a tubed tire is less prone to that than a tubeless tire, and if you do slip a tubed tire on a rim you're running way too low of PSI.

Putting fluid in a tubeless tire is just dumb. Yes, many do it and get by with it, but it gets REAL messy when it does fail for whatever reason. Even fluid in a tube is a PITA to work with, that's why ALL my tires are now dry, took the fluid out of the last two rear tires on the Super H with CaCl 2 yrs ago.

And a 10.00X20 truck tire tube on a real snowy steep hill trumps a tube on a river IMO.

 

[kide]

Denny - no argument on the tube vs. tubeless, although working in woods with thornapple trees, I've had about the same luck either way with punctures on trailer tires, lucky on the 129, never had other than a valve leak and a rotted tubeless stem... I have had a flat on one of my ZTR's tubless front caster/bogey wheel, but I was able to plug that and it's held for about seven years.. I agree on the loading of tubeless tires, too - neighbor's full size A/C CA had loaded rears (on tubes) and when one of the tubes leaked, it eventually took the whole wheel out before the mess was noticed.. he had a slow leak and just kept airing the tire. Rims don't like to be wet, especially with chloride.....

What amazes me is that the 129 is on the tires it came from the factory with 39 years ago and they're still in good shape (no cracking... AND they're Good Years, not the Firestones.. Only thing I can attribute the longevity to is pretty soft ground here and that it's always been kept inside, from the day it was purchased by the original owner and since I bought it in '85...

 

[nbextermueller]

Dennis,

I'm sure if I had the experience of dealing with 2 million tires, my opinions might be different! I can't even imagine 150+ tractors a day! Makes me wonder where they go? Same as cars today... Mind boggling.

 

[dtanner]

Gerry Ide

You must have been working on the PTO , I see the button leaning ahead. My 129 was such a great working tractor I hated to lose it for the loader. The 12 hp really surprises me when I`am using it to move ground . It has to much power sometimes and will spin a hole for it self real fast lol. I do find myself using the 149 and my diesel most often.

I have to ask what is the old truck in your picture.? I see running boards so I`am thinking late 50 early 60 ? I would be running that .

I had tubes installed on my last tractor. To the local tire guys three tries to do it that the tube held air after I used it a few minutes. I when back on the third time to see how were doing the install. I had to tell them how to install a tube. I instructed them to put the tube in the tire with no stem and add some air to the tube with the one side of the bead of the tire not on the rim. Then work out and rolls and smooth out any wrinkles. I usually add a bit of air before I put the tire on the rim to keep the tube in place.I never had to much trouble installing tubes . My brother changed a bicycle tire tube three times and pinched the tube each time. I put the tube and tire on and had no problems.I have the spoons 4 of them and they work great .