Archive through October 23, 2012

[dfrisk]

KRAIG - Yes, with the quadrant out, the inner lift rod raises about 3/4" more than it's normal height, which should be enough to remove the rest of the top button. To just replace the top button you may not even need to remove the whole rockshaft, just the quadrant which is held in with two carriage bolts with the nuts exposed on the outside of the frame.

When I was working on my 72, I was lucky enough to have Wyatt give me the lift lever from his 72 which he converted to hyd lift.

 

[bchoffman]

Would a carb from a 127 swap right over to a 129? My thinking is that it should but then again my thinking isn't always right. Thanks

 

[kmcconaughey]

Brian, yes it should swap right over. Both are 12 hp Kohlers.

 

[bchoffman]

Thanks Kraig

 

[fcurrier]

Are the linkages the same??

 

[dfrisk]

FRANK - If you go far enough back towards the governor they will be. They both start with a 1/4" dia shaft out of the brass nut on the side of the block.

 

[hydroharry]

Kraig, Brian - Frank questioned the linkages being the same which is a good question. I believe the throttle linkage "may" be the same, but since the 127 is a narrow frame and 129 is a wide frame I believe the fuel line fitting is different (turned different direction). The 127 may actual have the metal line connector instead of a rubber line. I believe the choke connector will be the same, although the 129 version may have an elbow connector but should still hook up the same. So, yes it will swap right over as far as mounting it with the 2 large bolts, but once it's mounted the other connections may have to be changed.

 

[bchoffman]

Thanks for the responses guys. I'll check them out a little closer. I need to rebuild the one on my 129 but a friend has one on a 127 that runs fine. I have to run the choke clear out for the 129 to run. He owes me and would be willing to swap carbs.

 

[bjamison]

Quick question:

These manual PTO's used on the IHCC's - are these things totally reliable and trouble free vs the electric versions used on the QL's and later?

Reason I'm asking is I mowed this past weekend with 109 and when I got finished, the blades wouldn't disengage. When I parked the tractor, the brass button was ground down about half way. The PTO had been working fine, but for whatever reason on this trip out to mow, something went wrong. I like the ability to feather the PTO on, but am somewhat miffed by the destruction of the brass button.

I've pulled the deck as mowing has pretty much wound down in my neck of the woods and put the 109 in wood toating duty with another color tractor's trailer. I'm also going to fit it with a set of chains and mount the snow blade in case of snow...

I'll do some refreshing of this 109 over the winter - pulling the PTO and adjusting it per the manual, changing the Hytran and filter, and figuring out why I've got a bit of smoke out the breather.

 

[digger]

Bill J.
By feathering the PTO, I assume that your not totally engaging it. Which will cause failure of the PTO or the button because of heat buildup.
Can ya post a pic of the center button on the PTO and the bronze button as well. That way we might be able to tellya what the real issue is if it's not heat buildup.

 

[dtanner]

Bill Jamison

There should be a gap between the button and the pto when the pto is in use. I would check to see if it has that gap when in use and to see if you have a good alignment between the button and the pto.

(figuring out why I've got a bit of smoke out the breather)

my 129 loader will give a light smoke out of the breather when the engine oil gets hot and burns off all the gas that runs in the oil when the tractor will flood some when starting .I find I have to run it hard to get the 12 K to do this , but I have seen it happen more than once. I would not worry unless it smokes steady and uses a lot of oil.

 

[lcarter]

During my search for a set of front tires for my 1450 I found almost all sites specified 2 or 4 ply rating for their tires. They did not say that the tires were actually 2 or 4 ply. Now I'm old enough that used to be the plies were cotton not nylon or steel so I did a search and found that:
1) some 2 ply rated tires have 3 or 4 plies, some 4 ply rated tires have 5 or 6 plies.
2) you should buy a tire for the maximum rated load of the tires and not because of the actual number of plies. The ply rating seems to be more a determinant of stiffness of the sidewall than actual plies. If this is true then should one buy a 2 ply tire if your cub's main job is grass cutting (assuming you buy one that will support the weight of your cub) and perhaps 4 ply or more if you have a loader? This based on the assumption that a more flexible sidewall would more evenly distribute the weight. Anyone ever looked at some of the original tires that came with the Cub Cadet to see if they were 2 or 4 ply rated tires or actual 2 or 4 ply tires?

 

[bjamison]

Charlie - I'll definatly post a pic. I'm traveling with work for the next week or so, but when I get home, I'll snap a shot of the PTO and the brass button.

Donald T - I've set the gap and reset it as the brass button wore concave with the profile of the PTO noise (for lack of a better word).

I really appreciate everyone's help with my IHCC's and the conversation on this forum.

Under Edit: Charlie - when I feather the PTO, it's just to let the mower deck come up to speed in a short time vs. an instant like an electric PTO - but once the PTO is engaged, there is no drag on the PTO button.

 

[bwittman]

I hate to admit it, but Winter is coming. When the snow comes, or it gets too cold to sit on the seat while traveling into the wind, I'll run the gas out of the Nightmare's carburetor, (there is already Stabil in the gas) put a cover on it and leave it in the garage. My question is about oil. Should I drain out the 30 weight oil now in the crankcase and put in 5w-30 oil, in case I need to move the tractor this winter, or use it for something limited? I know starting in the winter is difficult on 30 weight, but once the engine is warm, will it make a difference?

 

[elincoln]

The red coating inside the transmission is probably a product called Gliptol. A friend used it on the inside of all his Jeep gear cases 40 years ago

 

[jchamberlin]

Brian: As I understand it, I think the greatest damage takes place during the starting process. I would check your manual, but I believe 30W is good to freezing; if you anticipate starting the motor in temperatures below 32 deg F (0 deg C), then I would go ahead and refill with 10W30.

If you change the oil, you will be faced with the a similar dilemma in the Spring: will you run 10W30 and risk ash deposits and the like, or will you change the oil again?

Someone may chime in with a 10W30 option for air-cooled engines. I just run 30W Low Ash in my machines and try not to run them in less than freezing temperatures, which isn't a problem where I live.

Another option would be a block heater, I think some folks on this site use a type that adheres to the pan or case with a magnet. Folks around here routinely keep their wells from freezing up by beaming an incandescent flood light at them, it produces just enough heat to keep the water flowing and I imagine it would perform the same function for a crank case full of oil.

Just a thought.

 

[kide]

Brian: If you aren't operating it all winter at sub-freezing temps, just might have to use it a few times AND can get it started, stick with your 30 weight - it's not like at 32 degrees oil suddenly changes properties. I've run the 129 for many, many years without changing to a multi-weight oil and that's up here where we do get cold weather (well, other folks do, I've come up with another option the last three or four years LOL ). If you have a bad time starting it, or plan on lots of operation, any good 10W30 SF or SG oil will do.. Change it out when it gets warm in the spring, again when the temperature is primarily above freezing, but again there isn't anything magic about 32 degrees, Kohler just needed to define some temperature as the dividing line.

As for a block heater, good luck finding anything that will stick to the K motor, anyplace. Been there, looked for that... What we do is place a magnetic block heater on the flat plate on the back of the transaxle, heating the transmission up. I can't remember who pointed it out, but IH at one point even offered a disconnect (think clutch) on the hydros so that you weren't spinning the pump, etc. when starting in cold weather.. Like everything else, the best thing to do is try things yourself - if the 1250 engine starts well, you shouldn't need a heater unless it gets extremely cold... I've started the 129 many times after it'd sat for a week or more in 5-10 degree temps, without anything other than a good battery..

 

[dtanner]

Bill Jamison

I do like the brake style pto , I think it will last longer before it needs to be serviced . The button style pto leaves the button have contact with the pto when ever the engine is running and the pto is not engaged. So if you have a mower deck installed and use the tractor for other duties the contact where the button touches the pto will wear out quickly.To cut down on this wear I think one could lower the engine rpm`s and lift the deck wile leaving the mower deck turning

. That would cut down the wear. The 125 I have here that is slowly getting a refurb ,the plan is to install a brake style pto and a mower deck .

 

[kide]

Don - I agree about the brake style being more desirable. When new, the older style works OK, and actually I've never had a problem when I had a PTO driven attachment on the 129, as you'll know plenty quick if the clutch isn't releasing fully ( which is when the release button would wear out). Where I've had the most problems is with an older PTO clutch assembly that has drag on it, where with no belt on the PTO it spins even when the release button is pushing against it - it'll chew a release button up right now, especially the original composite ones. One of the things it took me a while to understand is that button is NOT a throwout bearing in the traditional sense, as it should only be in contact with the rotating "nose" button on the clutch assembly, only during the spindown - when the clutch is released that nose button does not spin and when it is engaged, there is supposed to be clearance between the nose button on the clutch and the release button on the throwout arm...

BTW - my (don't do this at home, kids) solution to the slightly dragging PTO with no belt on it was to install a bypass switch that allows me to leave the PTO engaged and start the engine - since the 129 usually runs bare these days,it's a lot easier than remembering to start it and then engage the PTO and yes, I went through the clutch a number of times, and still ended up with enough drag that it would spin - this was probably exacerbated by using a brass button rather than the composite one..

 

[digger]

Jeremiah C. said,
"if you anticipate starting the motor in temperatures below 32 deg F"

LOL, I think up in our neck of the woods, that should have said!

If you anticipate starting the motor in temperatures 32 deg BELOW ZERO, or lower!