couple questions about 100

[ole80grit]

I bought two 100's today and they have some differences about them. one has a big battery box and other is small. was told the one with big box was an early one but it has the regular steering wheel while the one with small box has an early steering wheel like a 70 or an original. when looked up serial number the one with small box is a 65 which I assume means someone switched the steering wheel. the other one I couldn't find a serial number at all. the one with fenders is the small battery box. Question is what all would the early 100 have different? I'm going to look for serial number with better light but thinking it was ground off.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Lots of parts could have been changed in the 50 plus years since those were built. The steering wheels, engines, hoods, decals. Could be that one started life as a 70. There's no way to be sure just going by serial numbers of them. It wasn't until the 73-106/7 series that the serial number included a "Kind Code" to determine what model they were. The main difference between an early 100 and a later 100 would be the battery box size and the steering wheel. The only other thing I can think of would be how hte optional headlights were mounted into the panel, some used a different mounting ring setup. Marty G. posted some info on this recently. There may have been other subtle differences but I can't think of any at the moment. Here's a link to the thread where Marty posted about the headlight rings:

100 headlights

 

[ole80grit]

Mine has the 2 ring headlight setup. Didn't think about the fact it could of been a 70 with engine change. going to just change the steering wheel and go with it being a 100. should the other 100 with the larger battery box definitely have the 70 steering wheel? if so will just swap them.

 

[kmcconaughey]

I don't know enough about when the details changed to say whether or not the large battery box one should have the center cap steering wheel or the acorn nut style, though I doubt that the change happened to both details on the same model so very likely that a large battery box 100 could have a center cap style steering wheel or a small battery box could have an acorn nut. Another thing to think about is that if they were low on stock of the center cap steering wheel I doubt that they would stop production when they could just install the acorn nut style. It appears from your photos that the one with the fenders has a black steering column. I believe that may indicate that it has been changed, as it should have been painted yellow when installed in the chassis from the factory. Replacement steering columns would have been painted black. This could also be why the steering wheel is the acorn style on this one, perhaps the original steering wheel and steering column were damaged at the same time and were replaced with what was available. I rather like the old school acorn nut steering wheel and they look just fine on a 100 to me. They would look out of place on a later series, top line model though, and wont really fit well as the steering column is shorter and the deep dish steering wheel is required. The 71, 72 and 73, base models for the next three series Cub Cadets all had the acorn nut steering wheels. They also all had a metal dash (different from the 70/100 though) and low tunnel frame of the 70/100 (however the 72 and 73 added the Quick Attach front mounting.) If only these old Cubs could talk to tell of all that has happened to them over the last 50 plus years.

 

[mwmacdonald]

I don't know if this helps, but my 100 has a box that takes a car battery easily and a center cap steering wheel. It's been in the family since Dad bought it from a retired gentleman in 1976, so I'm pretty certain it's factory correct

 

[PACub100]

My 100 has a large battery box as well. In fact, when I bought it off my uncle he had a car battery in it because the starter/generator didn't work. His thinking was instead of rebuilding the starter/generator, just use a bigger battery and then put it on a charger when he was done...
I also have the center cap steering wheel...

 

[mgwin]

I went and checked my inventory of 70/100 tractors. I currently have seven of these, with only two that have the larger box (aprox. 10-3/4" wide).
One is the 100 I recently finished, and the other one is a 70. The other five have the 8-3/8" wide box.
The 100 with the wide box was made in June 1964. The 70 with the wide box was made in March 1965. I also have another 70 made in March 65' with the smaller box. So, there is no pattern as to when the larger box was manufactured.
As Kraig mentioned, It would almost be impossible to determine when the acorn nut wheel and the center cap wheel were produced.
Anyone could easily swap the steering wheel, but swapping the dash tower would be an undertaking for sure.
Here is a list of the tractors I have listed from the oldest to the youngest, and what box they have.
June 64'-100- large box
Dec. 64'- 100-small box
March 65'-70-large box
March 65'-70-small box
April 65'-70-small box
May 65'-100- small box
July 65'-100-small box

 

[mgwin]

I just posted about an hour or so ago, and now it says it was posted yesterday at 10:00 PM???? WUWT?

 

[balbrecht]

The other difference between early and late machines is the change in the 2nd gear speed. Early machines have a slower second speed like the Originals, and later tractors have a faster 2nd speed like a 1x2/71. This is far from scientific, but from what I have seen if the 70/100 has the long shift lever like an original, it likely has the slower second gear. At some point in time I could swear I've seen the serial number break for that but I can't remember what it was.

 

[kmcconaughey]

The other difference between early and late machines is the change in the 2nd gear speed. Early machines have a slower second speed like the Originals, and later tractors have a faster 2nd speed like a 1x2/71. This is far from scientific, but from what I have seen if the 70/100 has the long shift lever like an original, it likely has the slower second gear. At some point in time I could swear I've seen the serial number break for that but I can't remember what it was.

Brian, thanks! I forgot about the second gear difference.

 

[ole80grit]

The other difference between early and late machines is the change in the 2nd gear speed. Early machines have a slower second speed like the Originals, and later tractors have a faster 2nd speed like a 1x2/71. This is far from scientific, but from what I have seen if the 70/100 has the long shift lever like an original, it likely has the slower second gear. At some point in time I could swear I've seen the serial number break for that but I can't remember what it was.

Doesn't appear to have longer shifter. Does have the creeper gear.

 

[kzintner]

Just FYI, I have a model 70, serial number 69325 and the battery box is the wide version approx. 10.25 inches.

 

[mgwin]

Just FYI, I have a model 70, serial number 69325 and the battery box is the wide version approx. 10.25 inches.

That would be late Oct. of 63', an early production.

 

[ole80grit]

Found serial number, its 86985

 

[dmerkle]

Serial numbers for IH Cub Cadets 70 and 100 that had a 16 tooth second gear are 65458 to 96765.
Serial number 96766 and above has the 19 tooth 2nd gear. IH used the 19 tooth second gear thru the 71-72-73-104-124-106-126 model number.
The 17 tooth second gear was used in the 86-108-128-800-1000-1200 series. I don't have when the first serial number for the 71-72-73-104-124-106-126 and 86-108-128-86-108-128-800-1000-1200 model numbers.
My information can from the Cub Cadet parts look up.

My IH Cub Cadet 100 (serial number 84xxx has a big battery box. The engine did not have a compression release when I rebuild it. I used the non compression release cam for 2 years before I replaced the cam with a Kirk cam that has a compression release.