Archive through February 11, 2013

[dfrisk]

DON - I've never had to do that on any of my Cubbies. Depending on where it is on the tractor doing what Scott says would work. Some places you need a little slop for things to work right.

Biggest wear area I have on any of my Cubbies is the top of the left frt spindle on the NF's. I replaced that spindle back in '81 when I got the 72 and it's worn out already. The Super-Steer mod of putting a newer heavier MTD frt axle with splines on the top of that spindle, 1" spindles, etc is the best fix for that.

I hate welding things like that up, small holes are a pain to weld up, plus drilling holes in weld metal is really hard, plus you have the effects of the heat effected zone which makes the steel brittle next to the weld to consider.

Just like the pivot pin for the frt axle, I bet you'll find most of the wear occurs on the steel part, not the cast iron part.

 

[rfuller]

On my 1650 I am using a QA42 push blade. Can the lock out pin be used on the QA42 for down pressure or am I going to hurt something?

Manual isn't very specific as to which equipment it can be used for.

 

[eblake]

im on it jeff.....thanks....

 

[hydroharry]

Rob F - I'd be concerned that "lock or down pressure" would harm the thrower. It does not have a substantial cutting edge nor housing. I believe it's designed to lift over obstacles rather than "cut" into a firm/hard obstacle. Even using a front blade in the down/lock position can result in harm if not careful so I would not recommend a thrower be used that way.

 

[aaytay]

Harry-
He said PUSH BLADE...

Rob-
I have ZERO experience with this, but my guess would be that the lift rod would bend well before anything of any importance would break. Heck, I bet the lift rod would bend before you'd ever accomplish any positive results out of it as well.

There's a reason I have one <font color="119911">GREEN</font> garden-tractor in my garage with a front blade permanently hanging from the front.

 

[rvanmersbergen]

Hey wide frame guys, what would it take to convert a 1650 to gear drive? would any wide frame set-up work? any other things to watch out for?

 

[thoffman]

RVM,
I'd keep a eye open for a beater 1000 or a 1200 and everything you need will be there. If you start buying all the parts you need it'll be pretty expensive. BTDT. I have a 1600 in the shed!

 

[rvanmersbergen]

Thanks Tom, would a 1x8 work?

 

[thoffman]

YUP! You can drop a 16 in a 1X8, in fact I think a 1X8 would be a better choice. No Iso-Mounts, flex discs and no rag joints. I'm plannning on something very close to that once the weather breaks.

 

[nbartee]

I've heard that Deestone 23x10.5x12 4 ply super lug tires are smaller in diameter than other brands, particularily Carlisle. Can someone verify that for me?

 

[jbaker]

Tom I heard it was tough putting a QL engine in a 1x8,9 but then again I never tried..

 

[dtanner]

Norm Bartee
I have a set of super lugs here and the rubber is real hard so I put them on my 129 loader; I can spin the tires loading the bucket with 185 lbs of weight on each wheel and an amo box with 190 lbs of lead and not tear them up. So the next tires I bought were tru powers and they are real soft and a much better traction tire and put those on my 1512. I like them so much I bought another set for my 125 refurb .I thought you might like this info if you plan to buy a set of tires.

I did get the belts all changed on the crapsman snow blower done. I will be at my 125 again in the am. I love retirement and my Cubs .

 

[nbartee]

Don T.,

Yes, Don, I appreciate the info. I do plan on buying a new set of lugs, but I don't want a smaller diameter tire if I can help it. Or does it really matter all that much? I've heard the Deestones are 21.5" dia. & Carlisle's are 23.5. Comments anyone?

 

[mhealy]

I need a little guidance. I'm feeling pretty jubilant as I removed the steering (po had installed a nice bearing at the wheel end but the set screw only locking collar was siezed into position). As I was cleaning things up in the Ross box I found only half of the upper race, no problem I have a rebuild kit ordered. I'm looking at the cam groove and roughness/galling seems like an understatement. How would it compare to what you've seen as servicable? Is this as good as gets at 45 yrs old?

 

[dtanner]

Martin Healy

I think the bearings go out fast if they are over tightened when installed.If you use a new Steering Gear Follower (stud). I bet it would work ok. that one is in no worse shape than any I have rebuilt . you might want to look at the Steering Upgrade Kit . It will make the tractor steer much easier.

 

[mhealy]

Yep, I've got new stud, races and steering upgrade ordered. I'm just surprised to see the lumps missing from the groove surfaces. They don't seem to me to be wear marks, the surface is too rough where the material is missing.

 

[jdthompson]

Hi Im new to the forum Im getting a 104 cub cadet and I was just wondering if anyone could tell me what year it is

 

[hydroharry]

Art - you're right Rob did say push blade. I stand corrected but I'm concerned with your other comments.

Rob - sorry I mis-read your post and that you did state push blade not thrower. I somewhat agree with Art's comments. The lift rod will flex or bend to begin with, but I believe the weak link will be the "big ole roll pin" in the rock shaft lever on the outside of the frame. That will be the pressue point and that roll pin is one of the biggest pains to replace (at least to me). If you snap that roll pin and the lever is half twisted you can't pound it straight out. You'll have to play around twisting the lever into position when you think you have it straight, or you'll have to figure out a method to drill it out. I never liked the idea of using down pressure or locked position. I don't know what you're wanting to use it for, but if you're having trouble because the blade is lifting itself when you don't want it to have you considered removing the skidders from the blade, or rigging up some weight on the blade itself?

Jeff - I don't see why it would be really hard to drop an AQS into a 1x8. Lets see what would be involved. The exhaust pipe coming out of the block and the muffler, muffler box and heat shield would have to be converted back to the 1x8 style engine. I think you have to convert the PTO clutch back to the 1x8 style since there is no muffler box to shield the heat off the PTO clutch and may be other interference. I don't know quite how the flywheel shrould and tin work and air cleaner would look and if they would work correctly so I'd probably convert back to what was used on the engine styles in a 1x8 - which would also mean removing the ring gear from the flywheel (I guess that can be done) and tehn you'd have to remove the integrated starter and convert back to the Starter/Generator style so you would also need the basket pulley behind the manual PTO clutch. So if you could find a donor 14hp non-AQS engine you'd probably have most of what is needed (not sure if the 14 flywheel is the same as a 16 but I think the shroud itself is). So, I guess it is kind of involved - and would certainly be easier to find a donor 1000 or 1200 to make the 1650 into a 1600 as Tom already did. It really makes it just an oversized engine Gear Drive Quiet Line.

Ray Van - if you decide to do the conversion from 1650 to 1600 I'd at leat make sure you're lower grill housing is cast iron. The later built 1650's had an aluminum lower housing which is about 40+ lbs lighter than the cast iron. If you drive just the bare tractor (no mowing deck or other attachments) you have to be careful dropping it into road/3rd gear. I nearly threw myself off a 1200 when I unintentionally popped the clutch in 3rd - and if you have a 16hp in there I'd say there is a really good chance you'll be popping wheelies quite easy.

(under edit)

James Thompson - hello and welcome to the best Cub Cadet Forum on the net. You've come to the right place to learn and find out all kinds of good stuff about your 104. Off hand we can't tell you the exact year it was built but I believe the 104's would be roughly between 1965-67. I would suggest you click on the FAQ link at the top of the page and go to No. 10. There you should find info on how to identify the Serial Number of your 104, and once you have your serial number you can cross reference on the charts. I believe the links for the charts are still in the FAQ or possibly in one of the main threads on the 1st page of the Forum. If you get stuck then come back and ask again. We're here to help and we do really like pics of new members tractors (and for that matter we like pics of old members tractors as well).

 

[aaytay]

Harry-
Good thinking on the spirol pins. I hadn't considered those.

My guess is that the Cub Cadet system of down-pressure is mostly intended to keep a rear mounted implement (box blade, rear rake, etc) pushed to the ground, and not something mounted on the front who's force has to go through a lift rod and rockshaft with spirol pins.

Oh, and one more thing... Maybe Ray Van WANTS to pop wheelies.

 

[dfrisk]

ART - Just curious mostly, but WHY use your green tractor just with the frt blade? I know they use a cute little expensive 2-way hyd cylinder to lift & lower the blade and to angle the blade. That's why those O/T blades sell for $300+ and a CC blade for lss than $100. Granted I'm rather new to a real CC frt blade but they seem to find their way down to bare concrete/blacktop very easily in the little bit I've used it, even on driven-on and packed snow with no added down force needed.

FWIW, my main snow removal tractor I ALWAYS use down force, carry the frt wheels up to six inches off the ground, steer with the brakes. But that's mostly due to the replacement scraping edge I have on the blade. And there's no "Float Position" on my remote valve on my tractor, but I really doubt that would make it scrape any better.

I really don't think the roll pin on the lift arm on a WF would be a problem. Biggest problem I had with the lift on my 129 was keeping the roll pin on the lift lever IN. Ended up running a safety wire thru it. The whole lift lever is attached with a roll pin and I'd expect it to be the weak link.

One winter between '64 and '68, I used Dad's old FARMALL 450 with the 6 ft Fast-Hitch rear blade to scrape snow around the barnyard. The IH F/H was the ONLY tractor hitch with power down force back then. It was a real pain to scrape snow. A slight touch of the hyd lever and you'd go from leaving an inch or more snow on the ground to sitting and spinnng one or both rear tires on an eight Thousand pound tractor. The M with the loader worked WAY better. So the lesson there is, power down on an attachment closest to your drive wheels is not a good thing.

RAY VM - I agree with TOM H. A 1X8 model would be your best bet on building a high HP GD tractor. I've never done it but read several posts about installing an "AQS spec Kohler" in an earlier WF tractor like a 128 or 129. There's drilled and tapped holes required on the engines to attach things that are not on the earlier or later series of engines that make that very difficult. Plus the K341, 16 HP engines bring WAY more money as a rebuildable engine than the smaller engines because the garden tractor pullers are ALL looking for them.