Joe O- I just followed through with the wright up David Kirk produced, and used a piece of flat stock 8.75 inches long, and it worked perfectly. Did not try the 8.5 inch. Also, not mentioned it the wright up { which should be }, you may consider a piece of flat stock bolted together through the extra set of holes on the engine cradle behind the oil pan.
Reason is, that the cradle could warp or bend together and miss-align the holes to the pan once you unbolt it from the jig position. That was such the case for me, a first timer. However, I lucked out and got the bolts in the aluminum { mind you } oil pan started safely. Everyone thought I was crazy to lower the engine and cradle together into the engine bay, but they just don't know what they don't know. Just giving you a heads up.
One the "famous" side note: We're really making some grand OEM improvements to the International 1450 Cub Cadet. Sorry, but the glits and glamour of new paint can come another day. Going to be a rocking Quiet Line!
Dennis F- You need to compare apples to oranges, about your comment rather having a Cyclops over a Quiet Line. That remark is the same to say you'd prefer a bran-new Chevy to a nice, restored 3/4 1970 Chevy 4x4. With out doubt, the better quality is found in an IH Cub Cadet, and not found to the same degree as in the Cyclops, in my opinion. Plastic sucks, and so do those cheap plastic paper foot rests made famous by the bulb wizards at MTD. I'm in no way knocking a Cyclops, they are a monster of a garden tractor, and I was just at my friend's last Monday checking out his 2072.