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Archive through September 24, 2008
- Thread starter dsterley
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Help Support IH Cub Cadet Forum:
bcarl
Well-known member
Donald,
I agree with Brian. Ags are good for groundwork, but in snow turf tires with chains are better. BTDT. If you are chewing up concrete paving with the chains, then you need more weight to prevent slippage. If you go with ags on concrete, you'll tear up your tires on the concrete if the tire spins.
I agree with Brian. Ags are good for groundwork, but in snow turf tires with chains are better. BTDT. If you are chewing up concrete paving with the chains, then you need more weight to prevent slippage. If you go with ags on concrete, you'll tear up your tires on the concrete if the tire spins.
In early June there were several postings about engine dying problems. Recently I've had engine problems in my 149 and I thought I would share my experience. The K321 would run for about 15 minutes then surge/hunt. Closing the choke slightly would help for awhile, but a few minutes later the engine would die. After a few minutes I could restart the engine, continue mowing, but the surge/hunt and stall repeated.
So this seemed a good time to tune-up the engine. I decarbed the head and valves, put in new points, Kirk's PointSaver and Bosch coil, coil wire, Autolite spark plug, and new gaskets. In the past 18 months I had replaced the fuel filter and rebuilt the carb with the carb kit, so I didn't touch those.
After all that I still had the surge/hunt and stall problem. In hindsight I should have simply turned out the high idle fuel needle, but no, I do things the hard way. I noticed some looseness in the carb throttle shaft. But the Cub FAQ suggests a little looseness in a Kohler throttle shaft isn't always a problem, though I didn’t try the temp grease plug trick. I had also read of a relatively easy fix that didn’t involve drilling out and replacing the bronze bushing. I removed the throttle shaft, applied some JB Weld inside the bronze throttle shaft bushing, and temporarily reinstalled the throttle shaft. After two hours I removed the throttle shaft and cleaned it. I let the JB Weld harden in the bushing. The next day I installed the throttle shaft and the looseness/slack was gone. Of course the day earlier while removing the throttle lever, that tiny #2-56 x 7/32” screw sheared off. So I drilled out the screw and peened into the throttle shaft screw hole some copper wire which I wrapped around the lever. I haven’t yet gone to a hobby shop to find a replacement screw.
So I’m now ready to adjust the carb fuel needles and idle speed. I turned in the needles to seat them, and stupidly forgot to check how many turns it took. I backed out both to Kohler’s Preliminary Settings. I then noticed the main/high fuel needle screw head seemed much higher than before because some clean screw threads were now revealed. Hmmm…I wonder if the Cub Cadet shop that rebuilt my K321 in 1999 only turned out this screw 2 turns (for a K301) instead of the 3 ¼ turns for a K321 and I’ve been running lean all these years?
The cub started right up, and at most engine speeds the governor arm is nice and steady with no surging/hunting. I adjusted the two fuel needles in/out per the manual to find the optimum position, but it seems the preliminary settings were just about the best spot. I’ve got a TinyTach on the 149 which helps a lot in checking engine speed. Adjusting the idle speed screw has been a bit frustrating. At times it runs at 1200 RPM, which is perfect. Other times it is at 1050 or as high as 1400. I haven’t yet figured this out – the screw tip, and not the bevel, is touching the throttle lever – so that seems okay. I do notice that at 1200 RPM the engine and frame shakes and twists, but at 1350 it purrs rock steady. The manual says 3600 RPM is the max engine speed and I’m running at 3340 RPM with the engine under load, ie with the 42” deck running. I can get the speed slightly higher with the throttle all the way up, but then I get some surging/hunting.
So this seemed a good time to tune-up the engine. I decarbed the head and valves, put in new points, Kirk's PointSaver and Bosch coil, coil wire, Autolite spark plug, and new gaskets. In the past 18 months I had replaced the fuel filter and rebuilt the carb with the carb kit, so I didn't touch those.
After all that I still had the surge/hunt and stall problem. In hindsight I should have simply turned out the high idle fuel needle, but no, I do things the hard way. I noticed some looseness in the carb throttle shaft. But the Cub FAQ suggests a little looseness in a Kohler throttle shaft isn't always a problem, though I didn’t try the temp grease plug trick. I had also read of a relatively easy fix that didn’t involve drilling out and replacing the bronze bushing. I removed the throttle shaft, applied some JB Weld inside the bronze throttle shaft bushing, and temporarily reinstalled the throttle shaft. After two hours I removed the throttle shaft and cleaned it. I let the JB Weld harden in the bushing. The next day I installed the throttle shaft and the looseness/slack was gone. Of course the day earlier while removing the throttle lever, that tiny #2-56 x 7/32” screw sheared off. So I drilled out the screw and peened into the throttle shaft screw hole some copper wire which I wrapped around the lever. I haven’t yet gone to a hobby shop to find a replacement screw.
So I’m now ready to adjust the carb fuel needles and idle speed. I turned in the needles to seat them, and stupidly forgot to check how many turns it took. I backed out both to Kohler’s Preliminary Settings. I then noticed the main/high fuel needle screw head seemed much higher than before because some clean screw threads were now revealed. Hmmm…I wonder if the Cub Cadet shop that rebuilt my K321 in 1999 only turned out this screw 2 turns (for a K301) instead of the 3 ¼ turns for a K321 and I’ve been running lean all these years?
The cub started right up, and at most engine speeds the governor arm is nice and steady with no surging/hunting. I adjusted the two fuel needles in/out per the manual to find the optimum position, but it seems the preliminary settings were just about the best spot. I’ve got a TinyTach on the 149 which helps a lot in checking engine speed. Adjusting the idle speed screw has been a bit frustrating. At times it runs at 1200 RPM, which is perfect. Other times it is at 1050 or as high as 1400. I haven’t yet figured this out – the screw tip, and not the bevel, is touching the throttle lever – so that seems okay. I do notice that at 1200 RPM the engine and frame shakes and twists, but at 1350 it purrs rock steady. The manual says 3600 RPM is the max engine speed and I’m running at 3340 RPM with the engine under load, ie with the 42” deck running. I can get the speed slightly higher with the throttle all the way up, but then I get some surging/hunting.
DONALD - I have to agree 100% with Brian & Bruce. Ag tires grip no better and probably worse on snow/ice than turf tires do. If You're on a solid surface like concrete or blacktop You would have to put MASSIVE amounts of weight on Your CC to get any traction. If You're on a soft or irregular surface like crushed rock or frozen rough dirt ag tires will grip slightly better than turf tires. Ag's just don't have as many gripping edges as a turf tire, that's why they work better on soft dirt than hard surfaces.
I don't use My Cub Cadets much for snow removal, but My belly-mounted grader blade does work really nice for busting off an inch of packed snow or ice from My concrete drive but it's worthless without chains. I normally push snow with a full size FARMALL that weighs about TEN times what a CC does because I have a LOT of area to cover and most of the snow has to be pushed up-hill. Most times My tractors won't even climb the hill in my driveway in a light dusting of snow without chains. When I put the chains on I can REALLY push snow as I did this past winter when We had over 100 inches. I could push thru two foot deep drifted snow the entire width & length of My driveway (about 80 to 100 ft each direction) without a problem.
If scratches on Your concrete or blacktop drive are really unacceptable I'd suggest You try a cable-type tire chain as opposed to a steel link style of chain along with plenty of weight on the drive tires. They may not scratch as bad. In all the discussions We've had here on chains I don't remember anybody ever saying they'd tried them. My first chains I used 20-25 yrs ago on a Cub Cadet were a nylon strap style of chain with a hard plastic crossbar with two tungsten studs on each crossbar like used in studded snow tires. I used them on My turf tires and they increased traction tremendously and didn't seem to scratch My new concrete drive too bad. They also wore out in only a couple years.
Chains on turf tires keep the most amount of chain contact with the ground. Using chains on ag tires causes most of the chain crossbars to not contact the pavement with any force and cause slippage. There's been a LOT of studies done about traction on snow & ice comparing traction with conventional tires to snow tires to studded tires to tires with chains. Granted the tests are all done with cars but the tires, the snow/ice, and the results are ALL the same. Chains win by a HUGE margin.
I don't use My Cub Cadets much for snow removal, but My belly-mounted grader blade does work really nice for busting off an inch of packed snow or ice from My concrete drive but it's worthless without chains. I normally push snow with a full size FARMALL that weighs about TEN times what a CC does because I have a LOT of area to cover and most of the snow has to be pushed up-hill. Most times My tractors won't even climb the hill in my driveway in a light dusting of snow without chains. When I put the chains on I can REALLY push snow as I did this past winter when We had over 100 inches. I could push thru two foot deep drifted snow the entire width & length of My driveway (about 80 to 100 ft each direction) without a problem.
If scratches on Your concrete or blacktop drive are really unacceptable I'd suggest You try a cable-type tire chain as opposed to a steel link style of chain along with plenty of weight on the drive tires. They may not scratch as bad. In all the discussions We've had here on chains I don't remember anybody ever saying they'd tried them. My first chains I used 20-25 yrs ago on a Cub Cadet were a nylon strap style of chain with a hard plastic crossbar with two tungsten studs on each crossbar like used in studded snow tires. I used them on My turf tires and they increased traction tremendously and didn't seem to scratch My new concrete drive too bad. They also wore out in only a couple years.
Chains on turf tires keep the most amount of chain contact with the ground. Using chains on ag tires causes most of the chain crossbars to not contact the pavement with any force and cause slippage. There's been a LOT of studies done about traction on snow & ice comparing traction with conventional tires to snow tires to studded tires to tires with chains. Granted the tests are all done with cars but the tires, the snow/ice, and the results are ALL the same. Chains win by a HUGE margin.
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- Brian Branstetter
I didn't think about cables...good idea Dennis.
Donald-
Many of might not admit it but many will leave there ags on just out of lazyness(like me
) or just a lack of another set of rims and tires, that's why you see pictures of them during the winter months. When I went to buy tires I was shopping with the thought of land plowing, not that it can't be done with turfs and chains, just wanted to have two sets of tires when I got all done. My old turfs had to be dismounted for tubes anyways so it just turned out to be an oppertunity to have both turfs and ags. Now I wish I had bought the ags in 10.5's, it never ends.
This picture shows that you don't get good chain contact with ags. They'll work just not as good.
Donald-
Many of might not admit it but many will leave there ags on just out of lazyness(like me
This picture shows that you don't get good chain contact with ags. They'll work just not as good.
snapped a well worn & cracked belt on the 1200 the other day. Read cubfaq's and found out that the 1200 with a 44A deck and a 5" front pulley takes a 3/8x79" belt. I'm surprised at the 3/8" width, as the spindle belt is 1/2". I have had good luck with the blue Kevlar belts from TSC (14 bucks), but they only have 1/2" x 79" belts. Can I get away with using the slightly wider/stronger belt or will I have to shell out @30 bucks at the local cub dealer?
stanner
Well-known member
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- Oct 2, 2002
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- Scott Tanner... Can't even see the Cub in this mess..
Rob,
While the 1/2" belt would fit, it probably won't turn the corner on the mule drive very well. I replaced the pulleys with deep groove items from a tiller application, a 1/2" belt seemed to work ok, but I run a different clutch than normal... Try it and see...HTH
While the 1/2" belt would fit, it probably won't turn the corner on the mule drive very well. I replaced the pulleys with deep groove items from a tiller application, a 1/2" belt seemed to work ok, but I run a different clutch than normal... Try it and see...HTH
Scott:
I have a 109. I mounted a 48" snow blade last winter.
I found that 13 inch trailer wheels are available in same bolt pattern. Then I purchased two automotive snow tires, with a set of car chains. I then converted from wheel bolts to studs and nuts, so swapping around is quick and easy. I don't use any extra weight, and have found it performs quite satisfactorily.
Some day I'll figure out how to use our camera and post pics.
I have a 109. I mounted a 48" snow blade last winter.
I found that 13 inch trailer wheels are available in same bolt pattern. Then I purchased two automotive snow tires, with a set of car chains. I then converted from wheel bolts to studs and nuts, so swapping around is quick and easy. I don't use any extra weight, and have found it performs quite satisfactorily.
Some day I'll figure out how to use our camera and post pics.
jhillegass
Well-known member
Rob N.
I have a 149 and 44a deck with the smaller (speed up) pulley and when I set it up I needed a 77" belt. I got a NAPA Premium Industrial Belt (Made by Gates Rubber) A75 ½” x 77” and have used it all summer so far on those standard pulleys. It turns just fine on the mule drive, has not worn and has not stretched any either. (Steve Blunier's recommendation). This green colored, premium belt cost me about $22.00
I needed it, because I could not use the standard lengths available from IH-CC's choices.
I have a 149 and 44a deck with the smaller (speed up) pulley and when I set it up I needed a 77" belt. I got a NAPA Premium Industrial Belt (Made by Gates Rubber) A75 ½” x 77” and have used it all summer so far on those standard pulleys. It turns just fine on the mule drive, has not worn and has not stretched any either. (Steve Blunier's recommendation). This green colored, premium belt cost me about $22.00
I needed it, because I could not use the standard lengths available from IH-CC's choices.
It a great day here,sunny and warm.Bought a truck to haul my cubs on the trailer and sold my Jeep. Got a bunch of parts today also, wiring harness for the 147 and parts from Charlie to get my 2 O`s running again. Have a great day all. Later Don T
I've been using the TSC belts as well for a while on my 48" deck on my 129, and used them in the past when I cut with the 102 and a 42 inch deck. The one that's on there now seems to work well, but it seems I have to replace them every couple of years. Then again, I've had to replace the Genuine belts on both the Cubs and the Simplicity Sunrunner I use on a similar schedule as well.
Abuse plays a part in it I'm sure, every year I seem to run into those circumstances where I have to treat my mower like a bush hog to mow down patches of overgrown real estate. Perhaps I should add an old Gravely walk-behind to the stable, but space is already getting tight.
There's rain in the forecast for the next 4 days, courtesy of the Northeaster. Lousy weather for painting, but perhaps I can finish building the engine this weekend.
Abuse plays a part in it I'm sure, every year I seem to run into those circumstances where I have to treat my mower like a bush hog to mow down patches of overgrown real estate. Perhaps I should add an old Gravely walk-behind to the stable, but space is already getting tight.
There's rain in the forecast for the next 4 days, courtesy of the Northeaster. Lousy weather for painting, but perhaps I can finish building the engine this weekend.
I have a 122 cub I bought recently it came with a mower deck and I would like to buy some plows for it also. it has a lift on back that also lowers and raises the deck were having an equipment sale in my area next week but I dont know what type of hitch to look for is my 122 a three point or is it a pull type with a lift on it. if some one could post a pic of the plow hook that fits mine it would be a great help thanks
Got some engine work done today. Honed the "flash" rust the cylinder got from being washed and left in the morning dew, and gave it a spraydown with Shout and another thorough hose down, then towel dried it.
I got as far as getting the governor, lifters, cam, crankshaft, bearing plate, and seals put together. A couple of minor difficulties kinda made me scratch my head though. First was some "flash" rust that I found in the lifter bores, as the lifters were tight when I initially tried to install them. I ended up dealing with this by stuffing a rag into the breather housing, and running an appropriately sized gun brush through the bores, and flushed them with WD-40. After running a rag through them to clean the loosened rust particles, I applied a generous dab of STP to the lifters and the bore. Smooth as silk!!
The other head scratcher was installing the bearing plate and adjusting the crankshaft end play. I had previously used a small hydraulic press to install the main bearing in the block and the bearing plate. I was satisfied that both were fully seated, but it took the full complement of shim gaskets in the rebuild kit to shim the bearing plate for adequate end play.
After installing the bearing plate and seals I decided to call it a night. The next phase, installing the valves and piston assemblies will take some concentration. Getting the valve collets in place can be tedious and frustrating, and installing the piston requires a certain amount of fastidiousness and patience that is in short supply at the end of the night.
I got as far as getting the governor, lifters, cam, crankshaft, bearing plate, and seals put together. A couple of minor difficulties kinda made me scratch my head though. First was some "flash" rust that I found in the lifter bores, as the lifters were tight when I initially tried to install them. I ended up dealing with this by stuffing a rag into the breather housing, and running an appropriately sized gun brush through the bores, and flushed them with WD-40. After running a rag through them to clean the loosened rust particles, I applied a generous dab of STP to the lifters and the bore. Smooth as silk!!
The other head scratcher was installing the bearing plate and adjusting the crankshaft end play. I had previously used a small hydraulic press to install the main bearing in the block and the bearing plate. I was satisfied that both were fully seated, but it took the full complement of shim gaskets in the rebuild kit to shim the bearing plate for adequate end play.
After installing the bearing plate and seals I decided to call it a night. The next phase, installing the valves and piston assemblies will take some concentration. Getting the valve collets in place can be tedious and frustrating, and installing the piston requires a certain amount of fastidiousness and patience that is in short supply at the end of the night.
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