Archive through March 13, 2013

[bjamison]

QL tractor isolator question.

So I've got 8 total "good" original isolators to use when I reinstall the engine on my 1650, and I've got the cradle mod and a cast iron oil pan.

In addition to the "good" original isolators, the tractor came with a set of red/cherry looking hard rubber isolators.

It looks to me like all of the load and isolator damage occurs on the bottom isolator. So the question is - why not use the red/cherry isolator on top of the isolator bracket and the original "good" isolators on the bottom? This would save a "good" set of isolators for use another day down the road.

What about NO isolator on the top - but solid. Still have the "good" rubber isolators on the bottom.

In my day job, we mount diesel engines to frames with only isolators on the bottom - no isolator sandwich like on the QL tractors.

Doubt I'd do any of the above, just thinking out loud here - thoughts anyone?

 

[rmcshane]

Terry, Ill try to explain this as best as possible with no pics. the easiest way to split an Original is to remove the two long bolts that are on top of the steel frame/cast reduction housing. You can see where these are, if sitting in the seat of the tractor they are right below you, "behind" where the creeper drive handle would protrude out of the frame. These are long bolts that go through the reduction housing and into the transmission, but you can remove these with no worries of the reduction housing coming loose. Nest, there are two short bolts that are directly underneath the frameright under the mower deck rockshaft. They are in the "corners" of the steel frame. All four bolts are 1/2" in size (3/4 SAE wrench or socket). You will also need to take the brake lever (the one that runs to the brake band) loose at the band (or wherever is most convenient), and remove two out of the four bolts that hold the clutch on the rag joint. It may be a good idea to remove the rockshaft as well. There are two 3/8" bolts on each sode of the frame to remove that, plus the two bolts for the height ratchet on the right side.

Make sure you have good support underneath both halves. If you want to take the reduction housing off, there are 4 bolts (1/2" size) in a half circle roughly on the inner side of the housing, directly around the input shaft. Take them loose and make sure there is no oil in the reduction housing first. That leads you to the input shaft gear and the large reduction gear. ( I dont know how far you plan on stripping it, but I added it just in case). That is the basics on splitting an Original in two. Been there, done that. Had to put a 1st/ reverse slider gear in mine as well as a creeper in mine last year.

Under edit: Don T beat me to it! Sorry Don!

 

[rmcshane]

Bill- I have done what you want to do with re-using the good old style "top" ISO mounts in a few Quietlines I've had floating around. Truth is, it really dosent pay. They may look good, may not be rotted out, and feel like they have thousands of hours of use left, but really it just leads to lots of vibration and another headache down the road. In my personal opinion, I would just go buy 4 new sets of Cub Cadet ISO mounts from Charlie or whoever carries them and throw them in. My 800 and my 1650 both have brand new OEM sets and they really make a hell of a tractor out of a Quietline.

Again, just my .02 but I think you'd be better off buying new and forgetting it. Yeah, they are pricey but I'd rather spend that then have to go to the dentist and try to explain why my garden tractor rattled out all my teeth (and pay THAT bill on top of it!)

 

[dtanner]

look ahead and see the top bolts and then there are two under the Cub inside the corners of the frame. here this will help.

 

[tbdavis]

Thanks a lot guys for the Original splitting question. Think I have enough info now to give it a whirl today. I'm curious about a couple things. First, since there's no hole for a creeper would I be correct in assuming they didn't offer that option in '61? BTW - my ser. # is 8213. Second, someone added an amp gauge in the dash which I'm removing, and wondering if anyone has ever heard of IH recommending a location for adding one later on (besides the dash!). Wouldn't mind having one but perhaps a bolt on bracket where I'm not drilling holes where they don't belong. Just thinking on that one. Last, one O has Firestone Town & Country tires and the other has Goodrich Silver Something's - are either of these correct? Thanks for all the good info and anxious to get on this thing.

 

[pbell]

Terry,
The creeper was available as a dealer/owner installed option/accessory in 61, however the instructions for drilling the hole for the creeper shift lever actually put the hole in the wrong place, which then required enlarging the hole for the lever. IH started punching the hole in all frames later in the 61 year run, but I do not know the serial number break when that started. The amp meter was also an accessory and the IH recommended place for the bracket was on the rear face of the dash pedestal, right where it became a "knee" knocker for some people as they got on or off the tractor. Since it was dealer/owner installed, you will find them installed in various places on the "O" (and 70, 100 and maybe others). Both the Firestone Town & Country and the B.F. Goodrich Silvertown's were used by IH on the "O", along with other brands and tread patterns such as the GoodYear "Suburbanite" type tread and a diamond tread by Fitestone.

 

[danderson]

Terry
According to the parts diagram it was mounted in a bracket bolted to the front of the dash tower.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Terry, here's a reduced size installation "manual" on mounting the amp gauge bracket on an Original or on a 70/100. I have the full resolution scan that I can email.

Here's a photo of one on Bryan M's 100:

 

[jbaker]

Frank, in regards to the plug location, my book says, that Kohler made the change at cub serial number 438962 and this only applied to the k301 and k321. This was done to create a better combustion.

It also mentions that k321 with a suffix D in the specs must have this head due to having a larger exhaust valve,