Proud New Owner of a 1973 Cub Cadet 149

[149CubLover]

Hi everyone!!

First time visitor and my first post!! Last week I was lucky enough to purchase a one owner immaculately maintained 1973 Cub Cadet 149 for $600. The only work she needed was a new shutoff valve and carburetor bowl seals. I finished those replacements yesterday evening.

Below are some pics and videos of her. You'll have to pardon my excitement with my boring commentary.

First Day of Ownership:


First Mow:


Old vs New:


Very excited to chat with everyone on here as well as learn and collaborate on these amazing tractors!! I'll have more videos to follow if anyone is interested.

 

[-CӞ]

Nice tractor, even nicer score on it, and welcome to the community. Lots of fans of the model 149 here.
-CӞ
ps. I always thought those were the best-looking body style of the Toyota RAV4.

 

[hydroharry]

Hi everyone!!

First time visitor and my first post!! Last week I was lucky enough to purchase a one owner immaculately maintained 1973 Cub Cadet 149 for $600. The only work she needed was a new shutoff valve and carburetor bowl seals. I finished those replacements yesterday evening.

Below are some pics and videos of her. You'll have to pardon my excitement with my boring commentary.

First Day of Ownership:


First Mow:


Old vs New:


Very excited to chat with everyone on here as well as learn and collaborate on these amazing tractors!! I'll have more videos to follow if anyone is interested.

Welcome to the best IH Cub Cadet Forum on the Internet. You seem to have a delayed version of the Yell'r and White Fever, but since you're here it will help keep it calmed. It is a chronic condition with no cure. You already mentioned your familiarity with the Kohler single cylinder fumes. Those do help calm the Fever. There are many things you'll discover about your 149. There's a manual section on here where you can find the owners manual as well as the factory service manual. And the service manual is not the typical current day version lacking understandable detail. It's written terrific with great details.
Welcome aboard, and remember,
Old Cubs Never Die, they just find another resting place.

 

[IHinIN]

Nice 149. Welcome to the family.

 

[hydroharry]

Not sure if you have reviewed the other threads. This thread is for introductions. I watched all 3 of your videos. Your deck has been modified and there are some things that concern me about the way it's done. If you would like to raise questions about it and discuss the thread titled IH Cub Cadet Tractor Forum is the thread for those discussions.

 

[149CubLover]

Nice tractor, even nicer score on it, and welcome to the community. Lots of fans of the model 149 here.
-CӞ
ps. I always thought those were the best-looking body style of the Toyota RAV4.

Thank you!! I agree that RAV4 body style is the best as well! Last of the utility looking ones. Mine has an added bonus of being 5 speed. Shes at 280,000 miles currently.

 

[149CubLover]

Welcome to the best IH Cub Cadet Forum on the Internet. You seem to have a delayed version of the Yell'r and White Fever, but since you're here it will help keep it calmed. It is a chronic condition with no cure. You already mentioned your familiarity with the Kohler single cylinder fumes. Those do help calm the Fever. There are many things you'll discover about your 149. There's a manual section on here where you can find the owners manual as well as the factory service manual. And the service manual is not the typical current day version lacking understandable detail. It's written terrific with great details.
Welcome aboard, and remember,
Old Cubs Never Die, they just find another resting place.

The original owner did give me the original owners manual as well as a printed out service manual.

 

[hydroharry]

The original owner did give me the original owners manual as well as a printed out service manual.

That's great. I believe the Operator's Manual will explain how to use the hydraulic lift and adjust the cam stop so the deck floats, or to set lowest level of other implements. I don't know your location but wondering if you are considering any snow removal equipment for it.

 

[149CubLover]

That's great. I believe the Operator's Manual will explain how to use the hydraulic lift and adjust the cam stop so the deck floats, or to set lowest level of other implements. I don't know your location but wondering if you are considering any snow removal equipment for it.

I did read the manual the other night and it explained the hydraulic lift and what not. Very nice manual to read imo. I like my cut short so I set it to the lowest level.

 

[149CubLover]

That's great. I believe the Operator's Manual will explain how to use the hydraulic lift and adjust the cam stop so the deck floats, or to set lowest level of other implements. I don't know your location but wondering if you are considering any snow removal equipment for it.

And I'm located in Pennsylvania and would love a snowblower attachment. But my driveway is about 100 ft uphill. Not crazy steep but just not sure it would make it up it... Currently I have a 2015 Cub Cadet Snowblower with tracks on it and it works great. But, we barely get any snow here anymore. At least here in north central PA.

 

[149CubLover]

@hydroharry I just posted in the forum you suggested for the deck concerns...

 

[-CӞ]

And I'm located in Pennsylvania and would love a snowblower attachment. But my driveway is about 100 ft uphill. Not crazy steep but just not sure it would make it up it... Currently I have a 2015 Cub Cadet Snowblower with tracks on it and it works great. But, we barely get any snow here anymore. At least here in north central PA.

Cubsylvania!

 

[149CubLover]

Cubsylvania!

Lol, yes it seems as though there's a lot of old Cubs here in Pa.

 

[kzintner]

Welcome from SE PA. Great site and the sponsors at the top are fantastic resources.

 

[wh cc guy]

Welcome. Nice find, clean looking ride.

 

[149CubLover]

Well, she's officially cut my 2+ acres. Didn't miss a beat!!

Last Swipe:


Rear Lawn:

 

[hydroharry]

Well, she's officially cut my 2+ acres. Didn't miss a beat!!

Last Swipe:


Rear Lawn:

Well, watched both videos. Does look like a nice cut. Also noticed your clothes line. Boy you don't often see those anymore.

As for your mowing deck dropping down after setting overnight. I'm thinking that is pretty normal. Your hydrostatic drive and your hydraulic lift operate using the same hydrostatic pump. Even tho you have the old style pressure relief valves (because you have that little handle on the side of frame cover between your legs) on your hydrostatic pump, your hydro system will loose pressure over time when the engine is not running. If the engine is off it will actually free wheel and roll down a hill unless you have the brake lock engaged. It won't do it immediately, but it will eventually start rolling. The hydrostatic pump pressure and fluid operates the hydraulic lift as well so with the engine off it will loose pressure. Really no big deal, just be aware and cautious to engage the brake when ever you leave the tractor, running or not.

There is a chance the previous owner upgraded the relief valves to the auto release. You can remove that frame cover (between your legs) and look at the center of the 2 relief valves. If they have a little button about 3/16" diameter and 3/16" tall then they are the original. Auto release are flat and have a tiny hole in the center.

While you have that cover off have a look at the lever. There will be a bracket in the center that it's connected to and it should have a flapper on it - but since your handle just rotates around the flapper is either broken off or has been removed. It could have been removed if the relief valves were replaced with the auto release since it wouldn't be necessary. Here's a pic of what the lever attached to that rod would look like. It's Part No. IH-545728-R1 and it's held to the rod with a 1/4" x 1-1/2" spirol pin Part No. 715-0114A. Cub Cadet Specialties (proud sponsor linked at the top of the page) normally stocks this item but when I checked the website it shows currently out of stock. Hope this info is helpful.

 

[kmcconaughey]

WELCOME! Nice 149.

 

[149CubLover]

Well, watched both videos. Does look like a nice cut. Also noticed your clothes line. Boy you don't often see those anymore.

As for your mowing deck dropping down after setting overnight. I'm thinking that is pretty normal. Your hydrostatic drive and your hydraulic lift operate using the same hydrostatic pump. Even tho you have the old style pressure relief valves (because you have that little handle on the side of frame cover between your legs) on your hydrostatic pump, your hydro system will loose pressure over time when the engine is not running. If the engine is off it will actually free wheel and roll down a hill unless you have the brake lock engaged. It won't do it immediately, but it will eventually start rolling. The hydrostatic pump pressure and fluid operates the hydraulic lift as well so with the engine off it will loose pressure. Really no big deal, just be aware and cautious to engage the brake when ever you leave the tractor, running or not.

There is a chance the previous owner upgraded the relief valves to the auto release. You can remove that frame cover (between your legs) and look at the center of the 2 relief valves. If they have a little button about 3/16" diameter and 3/16" tall then they are the original. Auto release are flat and have a tiny hole in the center.

While you have that cover off have a look at the lever. There will be a bracket in the center that it's connected to and it should have a flapper on it - but since your handle just rotates around the flapper is either broken off or has been removed. It could have been removed if the relief valves were replaced with the auto release since it wouldn't be necessary. Here's a pic of what the lever attached to that rod would look like. It's Part No. IH-545728-R1 and it's held to the rod with a 1/4" x 1-1/2" spirol pin Part No. 715-0114A. Cub Cadet Specialties (proud sponsor linked at the top of the page) normally stocks this item but when I checked the website it shows currently out of stock. Hope this info is helpful.


View attachment 157246

Thanks for the good info Harry!! First day I got the mower, I did take off the frame cover and I have the old relief valves. Mine were sticky as well. Gave them a spritz of silicone and they freed up nicely. My cover is missing that metal piece you showed in the above post. I did find if I manually push both relief valves nipples, the mower moves freely. And you're spot on that after the mower sits for a bit, pressure in the entire hydraulic system relieves itself and the mower can move freely.

Glad you noticed my clothes lines as well I actually just had a load of laundry on it prior to mowing. In this intense Pa heat, the clothes dried super fast, all the while my electric bill didn't accrue lol.

I just did a once over of the mower after her high heat mow and she's perfect. Didn't use a drop of oil and carburetor gaskets, and shut off valve are all nice and dry. Best $600 I've spent in a long time!!

Now I'll let her rest a few weeks and in the meantime, I'm going to pc-7 (liquid metal epoxy) the tiny holes in the deck, primer them, and a couple coats of flat white paint. After that will be to change the transmission filter. The fluid was changed about 2 years ago by the previous owner and doesn't have many hours on it. Any recommendations on number of hours between full fluid changes? I plan on using a oil pump to remove the fluid instead of taking off the rear cover and disturbing the gasket that is currently bone dry.

 

[149CubLover]

What's everyone's thoughts on washing these things? When I picked it up last Thursday there wasn't a spot of dust on her, especially inside the engine bay. Now after mowing she's dusty. The previous owner must have washed it before putting it in Facebook marketplace.

I see on the side of the engine there a port that gets pretty cruddy. Is that like a crank vent? I want to hose her down but don't want to ruin anything. She's not going to break if it's dirty.