Archive through June 30, 2010

[mgwin]

Bob, here's some pics of my paint hut. Hope this helps.

 

[kphill]

Jeff, Here is the hour meter on it. The lens was so glazed you could not read it. It took a lot of work but it looks pretty good now.

 

[rwilke]

Frank C.,
I wouldn't mess around trying to blow up a perfectly good & solid 12HP Kolher (in your new-to-you 123)....

You know what to do: pull the engine, drop the oil pan and get those old rickety balance gears OUTTA THERE!

Ryan Wilke

 

[jbaker]

Marty is that a humming bird in midflight in the last picture?

nice hour glass Kevin

 

[dtanner]

I see some fine restore work on Cubs here tonight. Great job you guys did. I have a 1961 Original apart for paint and have done some blasting but I`am a long way to paint.I did put a bbq together and that took 4 hrs.I hope to get some Cub time in soon.

Frank C
take that engine out of the frame and see if it has balance gears.Please don`t put any windows in a good K.

I will be taking my 125 12k to the shop and have a new bore soon and get that running.I wish I could be 2 people just for a few weeks and get some of the Cubs finished.

Jeff B
I think that is a h bird or this confuser is playing tricks lol

 

[aschumacher]

Jeff, lets hope not. Otherwise we will have to call it a Gold Finch !

 

[kphill]

Here are some in process pics.

 

[kphill]

Here are a few more.

 

[hydroharry]

Kevin H - that is a really nice 169. Really big question here - did you keep the balance gears in her so she "remains" original??? I don't recall if I posted a before shot of my 169 but will attach it below. Mine was 10 years in the making and from the pic you might know why.

Marty G - I get more and more impressed with the 128 with every pic. I especially like your attention to detail. Not alot of guys take the time to re-work all the nuts and bolts. What method did you use on them (or did you happen across a barrel of them in NOS, which are apparently around)??? I noticed the engine cylinder appears to be black, the remainder of the block yellow, and the head unpainted aluminum. Is this correct??? Did you paint the cylinder black??? I had a preference for the all black engine since seeing replacments in black. I had never seen one done in 2 or 3 colors as you have. It is sharp. I also like the little 70. I've kinda always wanted a similar 100 with those round fenders. Just can't find them out here in Seattle, but I got my son on the look bact in CT.

Ok, I'm gonna give away a secret here - on my painting. When it comes to the cast iron parts like the front axle and tranny, and for that matter the wheel weights, I have always just cleaned these up as best I could, high speed wire brush the rusty areas since it's almost always just a light surface rust, clean everything with mineral spirits, and then go straight to final paint colors using a chip brush. Generally 2 coats, maybe 3. If you work the paint at the right temp., sun, wind, etc., you will avoid runs (The Cub Cadet yellow is thicker right out of the can than the Case/IH Ironguard and won't run as easily so it's my preference, and then I use the Cub Cadet spray cans for the other parts, which do get a proper cleaning, priming, sandings and feathering depending on the cosmetic exposure. I hardly ever strip anything completely down, and never really liked sand blasting because it can make the metal brittle and cause it to crack). Of course the more units you restore the better you get at doing it. I had a 107 at a show in CT that several expert spray painters couldn't believe I had done with the method I describe. Yes, it can be done. May take alot of time, patience, re-work, etc. So if you don't have the big tools, like a sand blaster, compressor and spray booth, you can still do it. I can provide references if someone wants verification. I will also admit some of my units had more than 3 coats of final finish (as a result of sand paper, re-work, primer, wet sanding and feathering, to get the correct appearance). Come on guys, you can ALL do it. If it ain't right the 1st time, take the time to do it again. It's part of the fun, and will provide you many many many many years of enjoyment knowing what you did.

Frank C - your engine is at risk. I would advise against using it further until you tear into it and resolve the problem. If it is something with the balance gears, rework it correctly, or get it done. And please please please include the gears, or get to Dave Kirk and get his crank balance item which replaces the gears.

Kevin H - here's the way my 169 was when I started except I had removed and placed the engine in storage. The finished unit is in my profile.

Hydro Harry
Old Cubs Never Die (they always find another resting place)

 

[kphill]

Harry, That is a great looking 169. It looks like you had a lot of work to do there. On the engine in mine, When I bought mine off the PO, He owned an auto engine rebuild shop and was quite good at it. He rebuilt the engine a couple years before and I asked him if he removed the balance gears. He said no but he put new needle bearings in them. When I had the engine out I took the gears out. Everything looked good inside but I don't want to have a bay window under the carb!

 

[kphill]

Here are some under hood pics.

 

[mprendergast]

My weekend project ready for powder coating. Made of 10G steel plate and ¼” bar stock. Any one have a idea what the assembly on the back of my 129 was originally for? It will be used for spreading dirt over 3 acres with around 100 cubic yards of new dirt.

+++ jpeg +++ 193235 +++
++++++ jpeg +++ 193236 +++
+++

 

[hydroharry]

Kevin H - the more I see the more I like it. To bad on the balance gears tho. I'm still a believer that if Kohler put them in and it lasted 30+ years, then they did something right, and I'm leaving mine in. I didn't know of Dave Kirk's crank balance update (or maybe he didn't have it yet) at the time of my rebuild or I likely would have used his approach.

Question for ya tho - how much does your shake???? More so than before you removed them??? I wondered if the 13 fin had all the same version of the balance gears (understand something about 3 different variations).

Couple other things on mine - being it is a "special production unit". It does include some pre-production post release changes. You might have noticed the front wheels. They are not the stock wheels reversed, they are the earlier style that provide you a slightly wider stance (larger offset to the outside rather than inside). Has thicker beefier steering wheel (introduced mid point QL series, and became stock replacement) with that "really nice silver inlay IH emblem. Special long tail pipe muffler (quiet style but not quiet) and the previously mentioned QL style hood hinge. Might be a couple other things as well. Here's a pic of the wheel:

Another question - those dang hood latches are always in the way. Never could decide if it was just my pair or what. With the PTO in the off position, I usually still have to move (wiggle) them upon closing the hood or they won't allow the hood to go to the full closed position. I thought about putting a little tweek in them, but they already have a spring like action. Do you have the same issue???? I thought about removing them all together since they seem to really pull the hood closed to snug on the rubber hood rests. Since the hood is the same design as on the QLs and the QLs have a lose fitting latch, I don't think these latches are really necessary and may in fact cause more harm than good. In goes against my better judgement to remove them (since they are IH designed), but they are a bear my cub doesn't really care for.

Another Question (under edit) - in your pic of the 13 fin floating in the air, I see what appears to be some kind of removeable plate on the side of the block, below the black S/G mount. What is that??? Appears to have at least 3 removeable nuts (5/16" or 3/8" maybe). Or is it my eyes seeing something????

OK NOW ALL you 1x4/5 series guys that have restored your units. Back in the day I had been known to have quite the "Eagle Eye" for correct restorations. I didn't bother looking to see if you included the foot long paint run on the rear inside of the frame (yes it's there from the factory). BUT I do look to see if you use the correct rubber pad on the brake/clutch peddle. Did you guys use the correct one???? They are quite hard to find in really good (hardly wore down) condition.

Hydro Harry
Old Cubs Never Die (but many need to be re-awakend after many years)

 

[mhomrighausen]

Frank C. Fancy thinks that is great that you were able to snap up his pics.

He wouldn't object to them being added along with the other cliparts.

Doing the I need more attachments for the Cub Cadets dance.

 

[T-Mo]

Marty, Kevin,
If you don't mind, can you post pictures of your 128 and 169 respectively here:
http://cubcadet.1.forumer.com/index.php?act=idx

Or let me post them?

 

[kphill]

Harry, On the balance gears, I have not had it to 3600 rpm yet but just running it it seems a little smoother. The engine didn't vibrate too bad before when I was mowing with it but when I would throttle down you could feel it shake bretty bad. I noticed it seemed a little smoother now. I build engines now so I will keep an eye on it. I notice it seems a little quieter now too. It had a faint knock before that is no longer there. Yes the hood latches are a poor design. Before you close the hood you have to check the latches to make shure they are in the open position because if not, when you close it they will jam up and you have to fiddle around to get them unjammed. Not the best setup. That engine cover I will take a look today and see what that is. I never really paid attention to it until you mentioned it. I will let you know if that is a optical illusion or not.

 

[kphill]

Terry, You are welcome to post my pics on that website. I know when I was restoring it, I was looking on the net for pictures of other 169's to make shure I am putting it back to factory specs and was surprised at the lack of photos and info on the net. The only thing it is missing to be all stock is the wheel weights. It came with sears wheel weights when I bought it and I still need to buy a set of cub wheel weights. I am just waiting to get my wheelborrow fixed so I can haul the cash it takes to buy a set!

 

[aaytay]

Kevin-
Fantastic looking 169 you have there. Thanks for taking the time to post those pics.

HH-
I must have missed the discussion back in the day. What is history of your "special production unit" 169?

 

[bproctor]

I have pitting from rust on many parts.

What method do each of you use to fill those pits?

For the smaller pits I plan to use the primer heavily, sand it down then reprime. Is this OK?

What about the deep pitting? Like on the frame below the battery or the battery tray.

 

[bproctor]

See the rust spot above the "I". It shows thru a heavy coat of primer.