Cub Cadet 147 Refurb/Mod

[Craig Kelley]

Orrr.....you could buy my NOS K321A, and be done with it.

Killer Kohlers were once the way to go, but with the quality of the parts available today, I’m not sure anymore. Has anyone figured out if the rods available today balance the same as the Kohler rods did? The balance plate may need to be reworked.

Hey thanks Jim, but I enjoy the struggle...

 

[Craig Kelley]

I dug into the back side of the engine. This weekend I'll machine/mill an(other) output shaft for attachment here if I have the material in my shop.

Here's the backside:

Paydirt, Matt "mgonitzke"....

 

[Craig Kelley]

IH Cub Cadet Purists, please shield your eyes. I'm serious.

Here's a quick machining/milling project to replace my old tractor steering wheel with an updated one.

First I removed the old steering wheel and salvaged the inner splined/tapered center for insertion into a new hub:

Here's the new hub (with incorrect specs for the CC147 shaft [I couldn't find one with CC147 specs]). No problem, I'll just fix that right up:

I cleaned up the CC147 insert before machining:

Machining the CC147 insert (I had to make a special jig to hold it away from the chuck jaws):

Turning the new incorrectly-spec'd hub to fit the CC147 insert:

Finished hub. You can see the old CC147 insert in the middle (this is the bottom/inside of the new hub):

And presto-chango, a new look:

 

[bwstevens]

While I was recovering from hip surgery I was thinking seriously about a quick release hub for three colors of gts so I could get my leg over the center

 

[Craig Kelley]

Got a good start over the weekend on the engine's flywheel-side output shaft (which will be connected to the hydro input shaft). Machined and milled some steel tubing and 1/4" A36. I pinned the backside of the adapter to fit into the flywheel. I'll cut a flange to fit on the end of this adapter (which will connect to the hydro input shaft flange) when I'm back in the shop next weekend.

 

[Craig Kelley]

Machined a couple quick bushings/spacers, one to fit a breather tube and the other to fit exhaust studs that weren't completely threaded:

Breather tube fitting:

Exhaust stud spacers:

 

[Craig Kelley]

Since I'll be replacing the original 23" (R) and 15" (F) tires with 22"(R) and 18" (F), I'll need to replace the original Cub Cadet steering knuckles with newly fabricated kingpin/steering bolt spindles with axle stubs mounted higher than the originals. My other requirement is to use actual front wheel hubs in the same lug pattern/size as the rear (which is 5x4.5), not the typical/original axle-thru-wheel assembly.

Rear tire radius will change by -0.5" and front tire radius will change by +1.5" with the new tires in place.

A smaller rear tire will require me to raise the front axle stub to keep the tractor level. A larger front tire will require raising the axle stub height even more to keep the tractor level. Given the above numbers, the tire radius changes will require a 2" axle stub height increase, pushing the axle stub up into the ends of the Cub Cadet axle beam. No problem, I'll fabricate new spindles with axle stubs in the correct spot later...

For now here are pictures of the new hubs that I'll need to machine to accept 3/4" bearings. I bought the least expensive 5x4.5 hubs I could find, which are way overkill for my Cub Cadet. They're from some flavor of Nissan, only $16.95 each:

Here are the machined front hubs (outside) with new bearings:

Here are the machined front hubs (inside) with new bearings:

Here are the wheels I'll use up front (they're 8x8, 5x4.5):

 

[PACub100]

I'm enjoying this

Can't wait to see how it turns out...

 

[Craig Kelley]

I'm enjoying this

Can't wait to see how it turns out...

Me too!!

 

[PACub100]

Definitely don't waste that Kohler though... plenty of people would gladly take it if you just wanted it off your hands.

 

[mgonitzke]

You missed a great opportunity to use trailer hubs and upgrade to tapered roller bearings. I can't believe you went to all that trouble only to use the same 3/4" wheel bearings as the original wheels.

 

[Cubbie]

Craig, I can see you're making a lot of progress. Excited to see how it turns out.

 

[Craig Kelley]

You missed a great opportunity to use trailer hubs and upgrade to tapered roller bearings. I can't believe you went to all that trouble only to use the same 3/4" wheel bearings as the original wheels.

Actually, Matt, it was no trouble at all... There's not a 3500# load going on here, I think these will be just fine.

 

[Craig Kelley]

Here's a quick size comparison of the original 14hp Kohler to the new 18hp DuroMax:

Weight(s): Kohler K321-- 118 lbs. / DuroMax XP18HPE-- 77 lbs.

 

[Craig Kelley]

Check out this beauty of a front wheel I got from Martin Wheel Company...

I contacted the seller, they'll ship another as soon as possible. Thankfully.

 

[Cubbie]

Here's a quick size comparison of the original 14hp Kohler to the new 18hp DuroMax:

Weight(s): Kohler K321-- 118 lbs. / DuroMax XP18HPE-- 77 lbs.

DuroMax XP18HPE is much lighter and smaller. Is that a good thing?

 

[jkoenig]

What about the horsepower ratings? Can they be directly compared, or is there some conversion needed due to the rating method being used at the time of each’s manufacture?

 

[gpapa]

Nice runout! Probably wasn’t cheap either.

 

[snicklas]

From what I have read, the way horsepower is “calculated” has changed from the days of the K series to now…. So, no an 18 horse now, is not the same as an 18 horse K series from back in the day…. (Yes Kohler made a single 18hp K series, IH just didn’t use them…. I think Bolens did)…….

Also, if you look at some new engines, they are sold by CC’s of displacement, and not a horsepower rating…..

An example…. I have ran, and IH sold them this way, a 44” (44A) and a 50” (50A) deck on a 149, 1450 and 1650. All 3 handled them well, and the tractor did not seem under powered for them, and they did a good job….

Now go look at a new Cub Cadet… even the smaller deck tractors (46ish inch) deck all have 20+ horse twin cylinder engines. My 54” Zero Turn has a 24 horse Kohler Twin…. But you look at a super that could run a 60 inch Haban deck…. They were what 20 horse max…. They were twins… but “less” horsepower…..

 

[Craig Kelley]

DuroMax XP18HPE is much lighter and smaller. Is that a good thing?

Hey Cubbie, I'd like to think so...