Found an original

[OKcub]

This is her. I believe a 61-63. I believe original 7 HP Koehler. Doesn’t come with any attachments other than the deck shown. Owner “believes” it ran and worked when it was parked. That’s about all the info I have on it.

The purpose of this thread to me is to figure out if this model of tractor can do what I’m wanting to do, and if this particular tractor is a reasonable candidate for a restoration to do that. As well as tips and things to look out for when looking at or deciding on this particular tractor.

I have zero experience with Cub Cadets or any vintage lawn tractors. I have spent years working on 70’s International Scouts, 70’s ford trucks, and 70’s Trans Ams. I generally do fairly factory styled builds without much crazy modifications. I know a thing or two about paint and body and have all my own equipment including sandblasting equipment. I’m a welder by trade and have my own welders and equipment for that.


As to what I’m wanting the tractor to do for me. I’d like to be able to use a dirt blade on the front or rear to push dumped dirt or fist sized gravel around my yard/driveway/land. I’d like to be able to pull a small dump trailer around my property. I’d like to be able to use a small box blade either factory or homemade to rip 2-3 inches deep into dirt and then be able to spread that to lower humps and fill valleys. I’d also like to be able to use the mower deck to mow areas of my land that my zero turn can do, but generally roughs up the blades or is a little hard on my finish mower. I think it’d be super fun to push snow in the winter. But it doesn’t snow that much here and it would probably just be me out playing on my tiny tractor. Snow blowing is also out. In the past I’ve kept a small garden but I have always tilled it with small walk behind and have never used a plow or anything like that. I suppose it’s possible that at some point I might want to attach a single blade plow.

I have 4 acres of land most of it wooded with some trails going through it but about 3/4 an acre cleared that I already have a mowing set up for.

I’m also into the restoration of it. I think the first gen 61-63 are very cool and I feel like I could use my skills to give this tractor a good restoration I’d be proud of for years. I love the styling of the first generation over say the late 70’s. To my understanding this model had a pull start and an engine mounted choke. I’m fine with that. While it would be cool to have a whole row of hydraulic or pto powered equipment I can’t see ever really needing it. I understand some of the later years are a little more common with hydraulics setups and make a little more power. I want a 3 speed not a hydrostatic.


Open to any opinions tips tricks recommendations you guys may have. If anything is unclear I can clarify.

 

[jbratton]

Nice Cub Original!
Well, from this picture, looks like you got a 1961…however, I need to see some more pictures….especially of the dash tower and around the shifter. To see what year you really have is, you need to find the serial number. It is stamped on the transmission.

It is located on the right side of that oil plug.

You can do alot with this tractor. You’ll be surprised. I have two of them!

 

[OKcub]

Unfortunately I’m 2 hours away and this picture and one of the grill are all I have.

 

[gary noblit]

OK,you would be amazed at what the 7hp thru that gearbox will do.I have a '63 70 that's basically the same machine.The biggest negative to what you're asking is traction,chains and added weights help...Do us a favor and restore it no matter what you decide..we will answer all your questions ...

 

[-CӞ]

OKcub, I’ve got a very-similar model 100 Cub, and you are right: it is a LOT of fun pushing snow with your tiny tractor!


gary is right too: they run out of traction before running out of oomph. depending on the job, adding weight & tire chains is virtually a necessary. snow, for sure!

configured appropriately, it’ll do the grading/mowing you described. refreshed/restored to whatever degree, it’ll also look good and out-last many other machines… instilling a firm sense of iH Cub pride.

GO FOR iT !!! -C3

 

[tkhoffman]

I hope you grab it. It sounds like you have the Hands-on to save this ole girl. Itll pull and push, thats what they were designed to do. These are Garden Tractors that can mow. As opposed to Riding Lawnowers that try and push/pull.
If you cant find one, Im sure you can build a snow plow- dozer blade.

 

[OKcub]

I’ve also noticed the tractor I posted the picture of seems to have no rear attachment points or the right side handle for controlling the lift of rear or front attachments. Am I missing something?

 

[-CӞ]

i believe i see the tip of the lift handle in the picture, just ahead of the steering wheel and above the hood.
the tractor may not have a 3-point, but it may have the more-common hitch plate. if it doesn’t, rest assured the part is easy to find.

 

[OKcub]

I lost contact with the seller of the first one. Found another and after a lengthy drive into another state she’s in the driveway.

This is after a light wash. I’ll have list of questions soon. No attachments. For the price and the trip I think I made out pretty good. It doesn’t run right now. I’ll be diagnosing that shortly. I was told it ran last summer, it turns over well enough.

 

[OKcub]

From the serial chart on this site 44550 is almost directly in the middle between the start of the figures for Oct and Nov 1962.

 

[gary noblit]

Ok,you did good!!The odds are great it's cruddy points and carb cleaning needed...I acquired a 70 that had been in a shed for 10 yrs...reset points ,cleaned out carb,ran super..

 

[OKcub]

Haven’t been able to do much work on it. Tomorrow I’m gonna clean the carb check the points and change all the fluid. It has an autolite 456 plug which I can’t find anywhere that says that’s compatible with a recommended plug so I’ll pick a recommended one tomorrow although I doubt that’s my problem. I bet the cleaning and points setting gets it going. On the right side of my flywheel cover “25 °” is marked. As in 25 degrees. I can’t find anything in a manual to indicate anything about 25 degrees. And in my limited understanding of how the timing works on this I don’t understand how someone would set anything to 25 degrees specifically since the static timing is 2 and the running is 20. I guess I’ll just ignore that unless I continue having trouble getting it started.

It needs tires. It has Goodyear lawn and garden tires on it now. I can find those but I don’t know if that’s the best for me. I’m not to worried about preserving my precious lawn. More about traction. Should I look into ag tires? I’d love the look of my current tire. I’ve also looked into tire chains. I have very little pavement to drive on, would chains get torn up on gravel?

My machine is missing the key. The key has been bypassed with a switch on the dash. I’m assuming all the keys are the same and I just need to buy one. I’ll make a small round sheet metal painted patch to go on the inside of the dash to fill the hole left from the switch until I repaint where I’ll weld the hole up.

Paint is pretty far down the list. I would like to get a new decal for the dash. I’d also like to install a hour meter under the dash visible when the hoods open. I know it’s not needed, but I think it would be a useful thing to have.


Right now the biggest real problem is the steering column is loose in the tower. The column can orbit the large hole in the face of the dash. When turning the wheel back and forth and looking under it the steering box is moving with the column. This makes the steering very unresponsive and loose. I can’t find anything wrong with the tie rods and the box seems relatively tight itself. I can’t immediately tell what’s wrong inside the tower or under it. Anyone have any ideas? I’m assuming I need at least a new gasket/piece for the top of the column where it comes out of the dash but I can’t imagine that being missing is what’s causing my box to go back and forth as the wheel is turned.

I want to order my key, dash decal, and whatever parts I need for the column in as few shipments as I can.


I believe I have most of the brackets to attach a mowing deck but I don’t have anything to attach or raise a front or rear implement. I’m trying to get a parts list of what I need to hook up a rear blade besides a blade.

 

[gary noblit]

OK,25 deg.means nothing to me.Points set at 020 ,,just because add a new condenser.Steering columns have a rubber grommet in the dash,the bottom is held in place by 2 bolts on the backside check those.There is an adjustment slotted bolt that controls the depth of the follower inside the box,there is a locking nut on that screw(7/8?) followers get flats worn on them over time..that might be the slop..it would be wise to look up breakdown of all parts,manuals are available...sponsors might have keys..

 

[-CӞ]

Haven’t been able to do much work on it. Tomorrow I’m gonna clean the carb check the points and change all the fluid. It has an autolite 456 plug which I can’t find anywhere that says that’s compatible with a recommended plug so I’ll pick a recommended one tomorrow although I doubt that’s my problem. I bet the cleaning and points setting gets it going. On the right side of my flywheel cover “25 °” is marked. As in 25 degrees. I can’t find anything in a manual to indicate anything about 25 degrees. And in my limited understanding of how the timing works on this I don’t understand how someone would set anything to 25 degrees specifically since the static timing is 2 and the running is 20. I guess I’ll just ignore that unless I continue having trouble getting it started.

It needs tires. It has Goodyear lawn and garden tires on it now. I can find those but I don’t know if that’s the best for me. I’m not to worried about preserving my precious lawn. More about traction. Should I look into ag tires? I’d love the look of my current tire. I’ve also looked into tire chains. I have very little pavement to drive on, would chains get torn up on gravel?

My machine is missing the key. The key has been bypassed with a switch on the dash. I’m assuming all the keys are the same and I just need to buy one. I’ll make a small round sheet metal painted patch to go on the inside of the dash to fill the hole left from the switch until I repaint where I’ll weld the hole up.

Paint is pretty far down the list. I would like to get a new decal for the dash. I’d also like to install a hour meter under the dash visible when the hoods open. I know it’s not needed, but I think it would be a useful thing to have.


Right now the biggest real problem is the steering column is loose in the tower. The column can orbit the large hole in the face of the dash. When turning the wheel back and forth and looking under it the steering box is moving with the column. This makes the steering very unresponsive and loose. I can’t find anything wrong with the tie rods and the box seems relatively tight itself. I can’t immediately tell what’s wrong inside the tower or under it. Anyone have any ideas? I’m assuming I need at least a new gasket/piece for the top of the column where it comes out of the dash but I can’t imagine that being missing is what’s causing my box to go back and forth as the wheel is turned.

I want to order my key, dash decal, and whatever parts I need for the column in as few shipments as I can.


I believe I have most of the brackets to attach a mowing deck but I don’t have anything to attach or raise a front or rear implement. I’m trying to get a parts list of what I need to hook up a rear blade besides a blade.

CCspecialties.org

 

[mgonitzke]

The correct spark plug for this engine is a Champion J8C or equivalent.

The "S" mark on the flywheel corresponds to 20 degrees before top dead center, and the points should just begin to break when that mark is centered in the timing sight hole. You can safely ignore the "25°" someone marked on there.

Setting the point gap to 0.020" is a starting point that should get the engine to run, but it may not correspond to proper timing. Use this procedure to set the points to ensure they are correct: http://mgonitzke.net/cubcadet/tools/static_timing.pdf

The operator and service manuals for the tractor can be found here:
http://ccmanuals.info/manuals.html

The current service manual for the engine can be found here:
https://resources.kohler.com/power/kohler/enginesUS/pdf/tp_2379.pdf

 

[tkhoffman]

I have tire chains on my 782 all year. Like you, not much blacktop/concrete but i do spend time running 1/4 mile up and down a road. Its been over 10 years. Both the grass and chains are fine. Although, the Cub is not for mowing. So there is no repeated travel over and over.

 

[OKcub]

Well I made a boo boo in my shop floor. Transaxle is almost empty of fluid. So what do I do? Fill it up and push it into to the building sit over night. Aaaannnnd 3 quarts of fluid on the ground. Completely unforeseeable right? Right? Dripping out of where the right axle tube is bolted to the transaxle. I shoulda know better.

Got all the fluid changed that night as well as the seat readjusted. Bought from a tall guy younger than me. He had the seat all the back and the seat spring slid backward in the mount. I put it on the first setting and left about 1/4 inch of spring coming out the front of the 4 bolt clamp on the transaxle. Just enough the optional refill plug can be used.

Fluid didn’t look bad. I’ll probably take the drive belt off and get the engine running while some new seals come in. I have some seal making material but I might as well do all of them in the rear end. So I’ll probably be taking the both axle tubes off the transaxle in the least. Before I go to ordering seals is there anything I should buy before I start taking the tubes off? Some other seal or replacement part inside the transaxle perhaps. Planning on taking both axle tubes off the transaxle and doing both seals between the tubes and the transaxle but what about the seal on the tube ends? Or the bearing inside the tubes? I haven’t taken one off yet so I don’t know what to expect. Usually on my vehicles I have a you touch it you replace it attitude towards seals bearings general wear parts like that. Especially when I first start working on a new project.

Gonna try hard to keep from painting this for awhile. It looks fine, and if I start on one part it’s gonna snowball into the whole thing.


I’m going to install tubes in my current tires to get a little more life out of them. Before I start using an implement or anything I’ll pick up some Carlisle ag tires.

 

[OKcub]

So quick update. Checked the points gap and really didn’t see much wrong reset it anyway. Tightened the connector on top of the spark plug. Removed my air cleaner and above the oil cup inside the main body of the cleaner the wire mesh/steel wool type material is rusted in the bottom 1/4. Like completely rusted together, the little sheet metal part that holds it in is paper thin.

What I imagine happened is water leaked into the air cleaner body through the hole for the missing screw that’s supposed to hold the body to the carb. Maybe that’s why the oil that came out of the air cleaner was black and seemed used. But I’m still leaning towards someone having put used oil in the air cleaner instead of new oil. From what I can tell of the carb there’s a fine film in it from the crap coming out of the air cleaner. it’s also way over fueled right now so I’m guessing the float is stuck open. I’ll clean it today. Removing the air cleaner I got the engine to idle for about 10 seconds but fuel was starting to collect out of the muffler and some dripped out of the bottom of the carb when it shut off.

 

[tkhoffman]

So quick update. Checked the points gap and really didn’t see much wrong reset it anyway. Tightened the connector on top of the spark plug. Removed my air cleaner and above the oil cup inside the main body of the cleaner the wire mesh/steel wool type material is rusted in the bottom 1/4. Like completely rusted together, the little sheet metal part that holds it in is paper thin.

What I imagine happened is water leaked into the air cleaner body through the hole for the missing screw that’s supposed to hold the body to the carb. Maybe that’s why the oil that came out of the air cleaner was black and seemed used. But I’m still leaning towards someone having put used oil in the air cleaner instead of new oil. From what I can tell of the carb there’s a fine film in it from the crap coming out of the air cleaner. it’s also way over fueled right now so I’m guessing the float is stuck open. I’ll clean it today. Removing the air cleaner I got the engine to idle for about 10 seconds but fuel was starting to collect out of the muffler and some dripped out of the bottom of the carb when it shut off.

If you are getting gas running out of the carb whiles its running, Sounds like your needle valve is stuck open.
Float my be bad or needle valve is gummed up enough to hang up in the open position.
A lottle oil residue getting down the throat of the carb, over time, can clog up the emulsion tube holes. This will cause a bad running engine.

 

[OKcub]

Needle gets stuck in the upward position in the carb. Removed it and cleaned the needle seat. Reassembled to the same problem took it back apart and the needle is stuck up again. Seems there is a small worn in edge on the needle which maybe be catching the needle seat. Both of these can be replaced with a rebuild kit. Seals for the rear end come Wednesday.