Archive through November 15, 2012

[tstewart]

Charlie - well I don't plan on breaking it atleast!

Oh I was going to say too, my key was a standard Indak key. Neither of my other cubs have this style key, so I guess they are the ones that are different. But alas, it still wont start from the key. Might be a bad ignition switch, or wiring, I'll have to troubleshoot. Screwdriver to the solenoid still starts it though.

 

[dtanner]

Just had a look at my 149 . For some reason it would not start.checked the coil wire for 12 v and had that so I pulled the plug. No plug was not sparking. another plug and dang it runs again. I did add one of Charlie's gas filters wile I was working at the Cub. Must take it out for a drive now.

 

[dfrisk]

TRISTAN - Unless you're using that CC as a pulling tractor with 30-40 HP I'd get rid of that red clutch spring. I tried using a red spring on a daily driver and it did the most catastrophic failure to the throw-out bearing within 150 hours, plus with the lengthened clutch lever the balance between clutch/brake and total disengagement of the clutch was impossible to set.

When I replace the T/O bearing I went back to almost ALL stock parts, except for the 4140 pre-hardened driveshaft.

JEFF B. - Just like KRAIG, I truely enjoy the double-zig-zag grill tractors, the NF, and rowing my own gears. No glare, or sun-spots, night-blindness, or other problems with the light... just satisfaction with a durable, reliable, quality piece of machinery.

 

[jchamberlin]

Like Dennis, I too enjoy "satisfaction with a durable, reliable, quality piece of machinery" --it just happens to be equipped with a HYDROSTATIC transmission! There really isn't anything that increases one's enjoyment of using a machine like a hydrostatic transmission-- go forward, go back; go faster, go slower --it is all so easy with a hydrostatic. A hydro is a boon to productivity!

I may one day appreciate a gear drive when I get around to collecting antique tractors; right now all my tractors are workers, and they are all hydrostatics!

 

[lcarter]

I would vote for both gear and hydrostatic. I like the gear drive with the tiller, to me the movement control is better, and the hydrostatic for the lawn. That's what I told my wife when I told her I needed the 1450 and I'm sticking to that story. But then any reason to get another Cub is a good reason.

Donald, I had a similar plug problem as you mentioned, and they were the high dollar, last forever platinums (they were in a car for less than 30 thousand miles).

 

[wshytle]

When it comes to hydro vs gd I simply like, have, and use both. The hydros have their place as in mowing. I think most will agree to that. My left knee joint is weak because of that thing called a clutch. As a younger man I used a 128 to mow with. There's no telling how many times my left leg worked up and down. I do have a 124 I use to mow with but it's a back up to the 129 and the 1250. I like the gears for pulling trailers around. I even have a trailer I made from a F-250 bed that I pull around with Bull, the 108/128. The last time I did that the clutch was "glued" to itself because of heat the next time I went to use that tractor. It popped loose and works fine but I may need a little stronger clutch system for that purpose. I don't pull that trailer that much because it's actually a shed on wheels with a camper type shell attached. I also plan on setting up a gd for tilling complete with a creeper. Right now the 1650 is dedicated to that purpose and works fine especially with the hydraulic lift but a gd will soon take over that job. I will have to install an electric lift on a wf gd or find a hydraulic unit for a 124 or something. Maybe I should start playing the lottery too. I also use gds to pull anything that just needs pulling like the aerator or the tooth harrow. For those I like the positive, steady pull.

Another use for the hydros is when my little buddies (3 & 5) come over for tractor rides around the place. It's not much fun having to swap cogs with a youngin' in your lap.

 

[dcharette]

Thanks Charlie,I'll change out them filters.
That is a nice looking FEL, I know where there is a Johnson FEL on a Bolens.Not sure how well it would fit on a CC though.I've got a few tractor options for mounting it.Problem is trying to get the fella to sell it.

 

[dfrisk]

JEREMIAH - Nope, The RULES are you have to have at least ONE GD if you have three or more tractors. Ideally you need one of each if you only have two, but the founding fathers decided to give people that didn't understand the desire/need owners would have for the constant high drawbar loads and consistent speeds a break since plow day's hadn't been created yet when the forum was born.

I'll admit the hydro's are nice for slow variable speed jobs, rototilling, blowing snow, and are O-K when mowing grass of varying heights & densities, but everyone will have to admit they stink at holding steady speeds for things like spraying, and nothing pulls a heavy load as nice as a GD. My aerator pulls as hard as a 10 inch Brinly plow and I always use my Gear Drive 72 on it. I used the 982 for two years but prefer the 72 even with the manual arm-strong lift. Plus I tried running my sprayer ONE TIME with the 129 when spraying around all my trees & bushes, and it was a real pain, always short at least one hand to control something and you sat there with nothing for your feet to do once you pushed in the foot/brake pedal to return the speed control to neutral and needed to move again. I stopped before I was even done spraying and went back to the 72 to finish. I didn't have the 70 back then. I even use my GD's for powering both my blades, the last 4-5 yrs the 70 has been the dedicated blade tractor, belly blade for grading dirt in summer, frt blade for snow in winter.

So you better go find a gear drive to put to work.

 

[tstewart]

Dennis, it was the stock spring that catastrophically failed my throwout so that goes both ways. But I wish you'd been more specific when I talked to you about the heavy duty clutch earlier this year/last year... I mean I recall you saying you ended up switching some parts back to stock, but I thought it was more of a 'too much for daily driver' kind of thing, not that it caused catastrophic failure! I did have the spring tension backed off, and I have the disengagement/brake set pretty good I think, but really want to fabricate up some turning brakes anyhow.

 

[jsalatino]

charlie....sounds good,I looked at the craftsmen sets,one question,do they quarrentee them if they brake? I'd even be happy with a used set to be honest,,

 

[jsalatino]

You knoiw for the longest time I wanted to put a heavier spring on my cub / cubs ,,after reading all the problems with wearing out the to bearing I think I'm gonna keep a stock one on, I'm sure they built them that way for a reason and that lasted what 40-50 years. lol, I would like to maybe use a split locking collar on it instead of a rollpin,any advantages there? Maybe add a x-tra washer to ti give it just a lil more spring tension without messin with the to bearing.

 

[ljones]

Dennis, what kind of belly blade do you have?

 

[fcurrier]

David S: You don't say what a steep price is. The 125 was the immediate upgrade of the 123 - that fiberglass dash and slant grill were about the biggest differences. (Camero, Mustang era). Everyone should have at least 1.

 

[vthomley]

Jonathon and others - I have the stock spring on clutch/driveshaft of my 122 along with a machine busing spacer to squeeze it a little tighter, I don't remember if it's a 14ga or 10ga machine bushing. The clutch never slips, make sure the clutch plates are true, everything is in line, and in good shape and you'll not have any problem. This 12hp in my 122 also has a ton of power, its no ordinary 12hp anymore. The picture below shows it with duals and a LOT of weight(way too much). I figure we(myself and it) weighed approx 1600 pounds when pulling a weight transfer sled and it spun out, the clutch never slipped!

 

[jbaker]

Vincent your dualies look like they are connected with 3/4 threaded rod is that correct? and have you ever twisted them?

 

[rthomley]

I just happened to check the forum and saw this so thought I'd answer for him.
Then, he can argue his points tommorrwow.

No, its 1/2 inch treaded rod, (3/4 inch nut) and no he has not twisted them.

I personnally think he would do better with just one tire, but he does just fine this way.
(dad)

 

[pbell]

Those appear be duals made by DMI, or at least they similar to them.

 

[mmasheris]

like these

 

[dfrisk]

TRISTAN - The longer clutch release lever I used to get the pedal effort down to disengage the clutch with the red spring was just able to release the clutch so I could shift and still rubbed the T/O bearing just a bit, the T/O bearing would run sometimes and not at others with the clutch engaged. After 150 hours the T/O bearing failed, spit some of the balls out and the inner race is now against the outer race. Nothing else was hurt except the T/O bearing. I did have to pull the rearend to remove the gear shift lever and tighten up the clamp bolts on the shift forks but that wasn't really the clutch's fault, more like 43 yrs of use. This was all in June of '11 when I replaced the stock parts back in the tractor. I did keep the steel billet clutch discs from MWSC, and the OEM friction disc they included in the complete clutch/driveshaft assembly Julian made for me.

I haven't had the tractor under a really hard pull like Vince has since I reworked my clutch, but I've pulled my aerator for 5-6 hours this week with no problem, and I'm sure I've got more clutch than I have traction with 23-8.50 Firestones & 70# of weights on each rear wheel. The only time I ever had known clutch slippage was at a Wis Chapter 4 Plow Day in Oconomowac, WI. Wyatt & Kenny Updike & I went to 7-8 yrs ago when I still had the K241 in the tractor. We were plowing the guy's sweet corn patch, about 3 acres. I was finishing up one land close to the road and for whatever reason my plow was REALLY sucking into the ground... like 8-10 inches deep, and the old K241 would pull down and the clutch would slip a little but still keep pulling. That was with the worn/weak old stock pressure spring and worn not 100% flat factory clutch plates and 20 yr old friction disc. I'd have to measure the pressure springs and compare the 70 to the 72 but I think I may have more pressure on the new OEM spring in the 72 now than stock. I'm using the split locking collar on the 72. The 70 still has the factory clutch FAIK.

LUCAS - My belly blade is something home-made that is a 40 inch piece of old full-size road grader cutting edge about 6 inches tall, welded to a 1/4" thk steel plate that pivots on another 1/4" steel plate that bolts on to the mule drive in place of the mower deck. Works great for grading dirt as long as there's no grass. You can force it into the ground to cut under the grass, by standing on the blade but you need a L-O-T of traction to do that, lug tires or turfs & chains actually work better. I've even used it several times to blade 1-2 inches of solid ice off my concrete driveway. The blade is 1/2" thk hardened steel.

 

[dtanner]

Dennis Frisk

( but I've pulled my aerator for 5-6 hours this week)

I thought you have a small lawn ??? The lawn must be well done to take that long Denny.