Archive through March 20, 2004

[sblunier]

Well, the chains are off, weights are off, and the snow moving implements are stuffed in the back of the shed....plan to do some work on a 44" deck for the 169 tomorrow.

It'll probably snow a foot next week!!!!!!!

Need to re-ring the generator engine too, but I'm thinking that I'll trigger the first big spring storm with those actions....better wait until after the fence guy gets here to dig my post holes and set the posts!!!!

In the mean time, I spent the better part of the day trimming apple trees........man do those things grow fast!!!

 

[kdunham]

Question: What the hell is this bracket and pulley for?

 

[pbell]

Kevin
That is the "coffin plate" that the Fairbanks recoil starter bolts to, on a K161T in a recoil start model 70,71,72. Looks like the recoil unit probably broke and was tossed, and a pull rope pulley has been bolted to the front of the pulley that the recoil unit engaged. What shape is the rest of the engine in?

 

[wcompton]

Kevin-
Must have come out of a 72 or 73? Looks like what's left of a pull start setup.

 

[kdunham]

Thanks guys. The rest of the engine is good, it's a K181 8hp. It's got a stator setup in it and no place to bolt on a starter/generator.

 

[pbell]

Kevin
If it is a K181, it would be a replacement engine, and should be spec #30565. The K181 became the replacement for all the K161's in later years.

 

[kdunham]

Paul-Spec is 30500d. Any ideas?

 

[sblunier]

Probably a short block with carry over sheetmetal.

 

[dkamp]

Hey David- She's quite a cutie... smooth skin, nice curves, and really sexy with that chrome pipe stickin' out...

...and your daughter's pretty sharp-lookin', too! :-}

 

[dkamp]

Hey Herbert- If you were standin' in my driveway with the hydro-unit in your hands, I'd zap it with my little MIG just enough to fill in the wear-spots- It'd take me a hole 15 seconds to replace the missing metal... then you could take the file and dress it back to proper shape in mebbie ten more minutes. Too bad you're in TN...

Perhaps I should pack my generator and mini-Mig when I go to WFM PD in MN?

Pull that rascal out, take off the linkage-parts (springs, etc and outer arm thing) and carry it around with you 'till you find someone that's got a little MIG welder. Look for a body shop, or the guy that's got a pickup truck with tires about the size of your Cub... put a $10 in their hand to add a quick zap-o'-metal. It's much easier, cheaper, and just-as-good as replacing it with a new piece.

 

[shunt]

Sounds like I missed a good time at Auburn. Would have liked to have been there,
but I've been working on putting new flooring in the entryway and bathroom.
I'll make one of these get togthers someday.

Happy Cubbin'

 

[wcompton]

Paul Bell-
Speaking of spec numbers, what was the spec # on 409? Seems like you said it had some notation that it was experimental or some sort of engineering test engine.

 

[pbell]

Kevin
Spec #30500 should have an alternator stator, and an external coil, and 30565 would have a stator magneto-assembly located under the flywheel. Would appear it might be something that someone adapted to fit a need, or maybe some sheet metal parts have been switched from other engines. Neither of these spec numbers came with a recoil starter attached.

Wyatt
The spec # on 409 is EX28542E. On 12/22/03, I received an email from Mr. Hank Baumann, Kohler Customer/Tech Service, stating that in the 1960 time frame, the "The "EX" designation denoted our test/prototype engines in that period of time". The 28542E is the spec number of the production electric engines.

It is interesting to note that the engine on Mr. Schramm's #411 is a K161T, spec # 28498F, S/N 466285, a recoil start engine with an electric starter. Mr. Schramm said that when the tractor was built, they "basically just went to Kohler and got an engine off the shelf". The spec number changed when IH came up with the engine requirements for the production tractor. The engine S/N of 411 is 466285, which puts it in line with 409's 472733, 510's 478549, and 556's 478704.

411 was built by the Engineering center in early to mid 1960, prior to the 10 prototypes built in Louisville. When the tractor was released for sale, the "Q" number(QFE) plate was removed, and the number 411 was stamped into the gear reduction housing. IH had used the 400 numbers in the past on prototypes, and the numbers 401-410 had been used on the Louisville proto's is the reason for 411. Mr. Schram has documentation stating this, from Mr. Dave Stevenson,who was the Cub Cadet Project Manager (I believe that was the title) and is also one of the addressee's on some of the Tractor Committee Reports dealing with Cub Cadets. Mr. Stevenson states he bought the tractor when it was released for sale, and personally watched the "Q" tag come off, and the #411 stamped into the housing. He also states the "Q" number was lower than the the "Q" number of tractors 401-410 built in Louisville, but does not state what it was. There are several minor, or suttle, difference's between 409 and 411 - the top of the grill casting, the thickness of the front axle, the top of the dash at the hood contact area - but you almost need them together to see them, and that is suppose to happen at RPRU. The casting date on the transaxle housing is 1-5-F (Jan 5, 1960).

 

[pbell]

This is the grill top on 411

the fenders are different - top, at the rear, is flatter and the ends are square cut

dash top at the hood contact area. The edge bends in the dash appear to have been formed in a break rather than the more radius bends of die stamping that is on the production models.

Harrold Schramm on the right, Hank Will facing, and the back of Tom Peters

Lot of interest in the tractor.

 

[tbower]

paul bell i have ser. no. 773 it has a k161-t in it ser. no. 478398 spec. 28498-e has electric start also the recoil start. what gets me is that it has a magneto ignition, no coil or condenser. i thought all the early ones were like that until i seen pics of the early ones on this site with coils. is this an odd ball or are there others out there with magneto ignition. tom b

 

[pbell]

Tom B.
I can't answer that, unless someone just added the starter generator to your engine to have electric start rather than having to pull a rope. Does the recoil unit work like it is suppose to? The engine in 411, although a K161T and has the holes in the blower/flywheel housing for a recoil unit, does not have have the recoil. Also notice the coil mount is mounted very low on the side of the blower housing, and the engine uses a battery ignition. The engine may have been a recoil start at one time and converted to electric start and battery ignition, Mr. Schramm does not know, but since the tractor was built with a battery box, I would assume it was electric start when the tractor was built. I saw pictures of 411 before it was redone, but don't remember if the original dash decal was visible. That could be a clue as to how it was configured. The Cub Cadet parts manuals list spec # 28498-E for the K161T recoil start engines, and # 28542-E for the electric start K161S engines.

 

[wcompton]

Decided that a foot of snow should fall next week

Switched the narrow tires I like in the snow for W-I-D-E tires. Carlisle TurfMaster 24-12-12 tires on back and 16-7.50-8's in front. I really like the 24-12-12's since they seem to make it stand like a SGT, and they're just BARELY inside the track of the tiller. Went ahead and threw on the tiller, haven't hooked up the belts since I can't find my mule drive, but it's ready to go now.

 

[mgonitzke]

Can a narrowframe creeper be converted to a wideframe one? And if so, how?

thanks

 

[roundy fendered cubs rule!]

Here is a good site to see.

and here we are back home.

 

[wcompton]

Matt-
Yes, I believe there is a handle extension in the parts catalog, dunno if it's in the CPE-II or other.