Finally Got My Diesel Cub!

[jstertz]

Hey Guys, I've been looking at SGT's for a couple of years now and I finally found one that was what I was looking for. It is a 1772 that has just about 1900 hours on it. I purchased it from the original owner who had stored it inside and taken care of it very well. It has some nicks and scratches from 21 years of lawn duty but overall it seems to be in solid shape. I want to put a Cat 0 hitch on it and get some gardening implements (cultivator, disc, plow, etc), ag tires, chains, weights, you get the idea! I guess I got the bug bad! Pretty soon I'll be looking to purchase some more cubs! I also want to put a snow blower and/or blade on it. Have any of you used a SGT with the big blade to plow snow? Lots of my friends have blades on their ATV's and they love it. How do SGT's do pushing snow? Would I be better with a blower?

Also looking for advice on running this thing in the cold weather of east central, WI. Can I run synthetic oil in it? I know that the manual says not to. However, do any of you run synthetic in your diesel cubs? If so, what brand and weight? What about the battery? I would like to run a small auto battery instead of the small GT battery. What do you think? I run Howe's fuel treatment in my diesel fuel in the winter in my Duramax. Would you recommend this in my Cub-Kub? Any other tricks you have learned on your diesel cubs to get them to start and run good in cold weather would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mgonitzke]

The only oil I would recommend is Shell Rotella 15W-40, which is what I use in my 782D. A radiator hose heater will probably eliminate your need to go to a larger battery if the tractor is not stored outside. Make sure you use a fuel additive like Power Service that has a lubricity additive in it, as the latest blend of diesel that you get from the gas station doesn't have enough sulfur to lubricate the injector pump.

 

[mhomrighausen]

Joshua. Instead of either a small automotive battery or a small garden tractor battery why not install the 700 CCA Interstate garden tractor battery, Do the extra ground cable installation along with the radiator hose heater. I put the 400 Interstate in my 782D this spring and I noticed a big difference even on the 30* weather days. I didn't plug in the radiator hose heater either with that "little" Interstate. I am thinking of getting the 700 for the 782D and putting the 400 in the Keepsake 1650 for winter snow removal.

 

[mbounds]

Marlin: I have never used one of the Interstate Batteries but with anything larger than an L&G and using top posts, take care concerning grounding out the battery with the hood!! BTDT!!... That's why the original 82 series battery hold downs were plastic!!

Myron B

 

[jstertz]

Thanks for the info so far guys:
Matt-are you using the Rotella T petroleum based or the Rotella T6 full synthetic?
Marlin-Can I pick one of these in-line heater hoses from a regular autoparts store or do I need to get it from a Cub dealer? Can you direct me to a post that covers the install of the ground strap you are talking about?
Myron-I did carefully measure the height of the box base to underside of hood. I wondered about that especially with a metal hood.

Does anyone know how many of these 1772's were made?

 

[proessler]

Josh Welcome. I've been to many Omro summer parades.( Wife was involved in state politics.) I used a glow plug solenoid upgrade to enhance starting. Also a frost plug (cylinder head) heater can be used in place of a frost plug in back side of the cylinder head , #4 plug in cylinder head parts diagram. I haven't used synthetic oil ,but a number of forum members do. Looks like disconnect clutch was std. equipment on 1772, make sure drive shaft & flex plates are in good condition, to keep drive line from destroying itself. I use a piece of truck mudflap between battery & hood to keep 12V juice where it belongs.

 

[jstertz]

Paul-The world just keeps getting smaller and smaller! Thanks for the input. I'll shoot you an email later but I have met your wife before if she is who I am thinking. As for the parades I attend them nearly every year. At memorial day I bring the hot rod for the car show and at the 4th I usually drive one of my uncles antique Case tractors. Is the heater plug something that I need to get through Cub? I seem to remember seeing the post for the solenoid upgrade and so I will go back and look for that. What is the advantage of that upgrade?

All the wear parts were replaced in the driveshaft right before I purchased the tractor. However I noticed that there still is a small amount of play on the input shaft for the hydro. There seems to be a small leak at that seal as well. Do you think that the needle bearing and the seal could be worn? I had the cub dealer look up the parts and they aren't too expensive. How big of a job would it be to disconnect that driveshaft and replace those items?

 

[mgonitzke]

The seal is easy to replace, the bearing, probably not so easy. Are you sure the shaft is moving and not the coupler rocking on the shaft?

I'm pretty sure the oil I use in not synthetic. I didn't know they made a synthetic version of it.

 

[jstertz]

Matt-After I read what you wrote about the Rotella, I went to my local retailer and they had three versions of diesel grade Rotella on the shelf. Rotella T, Rotella T5 (partial synthetic), and Rotella T6 (full synthetic).
I will look closer at the drive shaft but it sure seemed like it was the input shaft. It is a very minimal lateral movement but I'm guessing it should be zero.

 

[mhomrighausen]

Myron B. I had the Interstate people measure the batteries and they are the same size as the regular lawn and garden for a 782D. I was real careful with buying that. All the auto parts stores and farm stores had those little up to 300 something batteries that aren't worth squat even in the summertime. Plus they all wanted around $30.00 plus tax for theirs.

Joshua. My 782D (picture in profile) came with the inline heater when I got it. Maybe Matt or Myron can direct you where to get one. One thing to remember is BioWillie doesn't work well in the wintertime. Use regular diesel. As for oil, I use the CaseIH 15W40 or what the CASEIH/Cub Cadet dealer recommended.

 

[bpientka]

I have a 1512 (later model of 782D) and have been using it in Northern Vermont all winter to plow my driveway for over the past 6 years. I looked long and hard at putting a larger battery in it but came up with a very easy solution. Pick up a Battery booster/jump starter pack. I just attach the booster to the battery and the machine fires right up. I trimed the existing plastic battery cover on the tractor so I don't have to remove anything to make the connection. Just open the hood and connect the booster. The booster sits nicely on top of the existing battery and console. I don't have any justifcation or major reasons but I have been running Kubota oil in the engine.

I have been pushing snow on a gravel driveway it works OK. I have loaded ag tire with chains (vbar-2 link). The v-bar made a huge difference over regular chains. Also wheel weights and additional weights I hang on the 3pt hitch. The tractor is unstopable pushing straight (snow blade straight). Can even push back snow banks on our private road. Angling the plow works OK for up to 4-6 inches normal weight snow but much more and the front tires slip sideways when you try to push. I have tried chains up front and that helps a little but it seems rough on the front end. For the most part I just change how I plow the snow (push straight) and it has't been a problem.

I pick this tractor 6 years ago with 900 hours on it. I now have 1300 hours and the machine just keeps going. I made a low lift bucket similar to a Johney Bucket that uses the onboard hydraulic (mower lift and front port) as well as 4 ft york rack on a home made Cat 0. The machine handles anything.

A couple other items - Check the fuel filters for water. It doesn't take much to freeze the lines and put you out of busness. I am only saying this because one winter I had lots of problems. Seemed to be more water than could have come with the diesel. My only thought was I had left the tractor outside exposed (with seat up) and we got 4 inches of heavy very wet snow which melted quickly. Not sure if the water from the snow got into the gas tank but also had a little water in with the hydro fluid. Took time and multiple fluid changes but after that has never happened again. I also keep it under cover now. Keep an extra inline fuel filter avaiable. It saved me during my water problems.

Good luck with the machine.

 

[lhinds]

Where i worked we used diesel trucks. They operated at idle a lot and moisture would condence in the fuel. We used Dyson oil for this and for injector lube. We used it in our gasoline also when we had a moisture problem. If you get a engine to idle the oil would thaw it out in 5 minutes or less.It is the best fuel conditioner we ever used. Finally the company said it was to expensive and changed brand fuel cond. Then we started paying for extra filters and service calls.

 

[jstertz]

Bernie- Thanks for the info on plowing with your diesel cub. I will keep that in mind. Now if I could just find a hydro turn blade!
Thanks everone for the great input so far. Ikm going to try to do some of these things that you have suggested and we will see how it works this winter. I'll be sure to post pictures.

 

[jstertz]

Hey Guys,
I was cutting lawn with the Cub-Kub for the last time this season. I pulled it back in the garage where I was letting it cool down when I noticed it was leaking hy-tran at an alarming rate! I studied it over and it was coming out of a small hole on the top of the valve assembly. This is part "B" on the parts sheet. If I replace this assembly will it stop leaking or is it likely to be just one of the parts of the assembly (35-38) or is there possibly another problem deeper. I located a blade and am planning to use this for winter snow removal but I want to make sure this problem is taken care of.

 

[bpientka]

Anyway you can send a few photos? It would be much easier to see the problems?

Bernie

 

[bpientka]

I took a minute and went to the parts break down for your 1772. Looks like you are talking about the relief valves. I attached a link that goes over rebuilding them but have never done it myself. I had a similer leak years ago and removed the valve to see if there was a bad o-ring but there wasn't so I just ordered (costly) new valves. I do see used ones on ebay. Good luck.

http://cubfaq.com/relief1.html

 

[jstertz]

After reading through the info you gave me Bernie, I have come to the conclusion that we are looking at the same part. I will try to clean it as described but I think that it is probably a failure of the small internal O-ring near the top. If that is the case, I will need to get a different one. I want to post some pics of my Cub but I'm getting an error message indicating the size is too big. I took the pics with my camera set to VGA, the lowest resolution. What else do I need to do to get the pics up?

 

[mhomrighausen]

Joshua S. CCSpecialties has those relief valves and they are a lot cheaper priced than what Cub Cadet sells them for.

As for the pictures that you've taken... send them to me and I'll resize them when I get home from work tonight.

 

[bpientka]

Here is an older link on another forum. It talks about a a Sundstand part number "Sauer- Danfoss (Sundstrand) part number 3103132 $38.72" at a much lower cost. I have no idea where to order or purchase one but it might be worth exploring.



http://www.weekendfreedommachines.com/discus/messages/96042/115174.html?1163165306

 

[pkearney]

I recently was working on my 1541 hydro transmission. I found a suppplier that stocks Hydrogear parts. I believe Hydrogear transmission is owner of Sundstrand as all their parts are listed with the prefix HG-XXX. If you have the Hydrogear part number, Google it and you'll find the supplier through Amazon.com. I bought a dump (relief) valve which sells for $57.00 at CCC parts for $10.00 new and in a sealed package. The charge pump is around $400.00 at CCC and can be bought for $202.00. Good luck.