[Mark 149 J.]

I started tonight on the tear-down of my new Cub 149 (I talked about this 149 in a post titled http://gardentractortalk.com/forums/topic/51170-new-member-and-new-to-garden-tractor-fever/) . The first thing I had to do was to get the hydro release valves working again so I can move this beast when the motor is taken out. I had sprayed the tops of the valve with WD40 the night before. I took a small hammer and gentle tapped them until they were all the way down and started to move freely.

The release leaver under the tunnel pan had what looked like a metal flap that has broken/rusted away. This is the hydro filter.

It doesn't look like it's been changed in a long time.

The second thing I did was take of the mower deck and the mower deck mule drive(I think that's what it is called).

The mower deck came right off and so did the mule drive. That would have taken 3 times as long on my Toro Zero Turn.

Next, I tried to remove the muffler. The muffle was covered with a creatively cut piece of sheet metal that did absolutely noting to stop any exhaust leak. It was held on with 2 connected hose clamps.

After I removed the sheet metal I started removing the muffler clamp. The clamp had a carriage bolt that I tried a 7/16 socket (to small) and a 1/2 socket (to big)to remove it. Instead, it took a 12 mm socket. That certainly was not a OEM bolt. Once the bolt was removed I started to try and remove the clamp. It wouldn't move at all! I got out a small chisel and hammer and preceded to remove the clamp. No luck again! I looked more closely and realized that somebody had wasted half a roll of mig. wire trying to repair the muffler. It was welded all the way around the clamp. Luckily that hadn't welded the clamp to the exhaust nipple coming out of the head.

Is there some kind of award for this much welding crap on a muffler! If so, they would have won the grand prize. With the muffler out of the way I could see the front pto and noticed that a loose bolt was sitting in the hole of the pto engagement bracket.

I don't think that was part of the original design. I'll have to figure out what is missing and see if the piece is still available.

Next came the front grill assembly. The plastic grill is being held on with two long threaded toggle bolts.

That will have to be fixed. Here is what the front end of the Cub looks like at the end of my work time.

I also noticed this wire next to the Delco starter/alternator and was wondering what it was used for. It's a large diameter multi-stranded wire wrapped with black electrical tape. I'm thinking it's an old positive wire from the battery. It looks like it has a woven insulation around it.

Its the wire closest to the engine. If you know what this is let me know.

The previous owner had also painted most of the exposed top surfaces with a high quality (not even close) none IH paint color that has a satin finish.

That too will have to be changed. After he painted it he put on new decals. At least I know that they're still made so I can replace them again when I repaint it.

I'm not disappointed in my new Cub. When I bought it I new there would be things that had to be replaced or fixed. To me that part of the fun of working on any kind of machinery.

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

 

[BNK]

Almost always the hydro release flap will break and/or missing so your right on that issue...you will see what it looks like from a few post's in the Cub Cadet section of this forum. The plastic grille is missing the two grille spring clips so they used the toggle bolts. The PTO engagement lever should have a bronze button, it wore out so they used the crued bolt in it's place. The wire harness at the generator/starter is normal, what is tapped up is just the end of the harness mesh made of plastic. My 149 looks just like that but no tape. While you have the tunnel cover off check out the wear on the drive shaft cup on the engine and the rag joint at the pump...also there should be a plastic cooling fan on the shaft which in most cases will be missing a few blades.

 

[Mark 149 J.]

BNK,

Thanks for the information!

I did notice that the drive shaft fan is almost none existent and that the drive shaft is not centered on the transmission. I figured the rage joint is worn. Can I replace the rage joint with a small universal joint or should I stick with the rage joint? I can't see the engine drive shaft connection because the FEL pump is driven by a pulley on the backside of the engine. When I remove the fuel tank I should be able to see it then.

 

[JDBrian]

Man that is one big booger weld on that muffler! I'm guessing they were lazy and did it without removing the muffler. All in all it's in pretty good shape. It's extremely hard to find any GT of that vintage that isn't at least partially worn out. Those transmission bypass valves can get full of dirt around the pin. I find if you flush them out with something like liquid wrench or wd40 you will see the dirt come out with the excess liquid. Repeat until no more dirt comes out. Sometimes you will get one that won't come back up to the operate position. I've had that issue with a JD317.

 

[Bocephus1991]

Looks like a fun project! Id go back with the rag joints. I've heard of the universal joints causing lots of problems. Besides it lasted this long. Replace it with oem it will last for years!

 

[Mark 149 J.]

I received my new muffler tonight so I went out to the shop and put it on. It seems like a good quality replacement. It's not identical to the one I took off. The other muffler was so messed up (all of the welding and the replaced tip) that I don't know what it really should be like. I can say that the metal feels very similar. The metal bracket on the top that doesn't seem to attach to anything has the same thickness of metal. I bought it on Amazon for about $44 (I'm a prime member so shipping was free). It's made by Prime Line. Here are some pictures.

It sure quieted the motor. Then again just about anything would have done a better job then the old muffler.

I was talking with member BNK this morning and he sent me some picture of the front wheels on his Cub 149. He had said that mine were different then his because it looked like I had a five bolt pattern on the front rim. Sure enough he was spot on.

I decided to remove one front wheel and here is what I found. The spindle shaft diameter is 1.25 inches and the bearing are held on with a castellated nut. You'll also note that they cut out the center section of the old rims and welded the hub to the rim. It's seems to have held up for all of these years so I don't think I'm going to change it. I will have to replace the spindle retaining bolt bushing in the front axel. There is a lot of movement in that part. I had also downloaded a Danco 2000 instillation manual. In the tractor preparation section the first paragraph says "Heavy duty front spindles are furnished with Loader and must be installed in place of the standard front spindles." My assumption is that the person who bought the FEL followed the directions and installed the heavy duty spindles. That's a big surprise for me as I had expected to change out the spindles for more heavy duty ones as most forums had mention this. I'm glad that I won't have to spend the money on that part. I'll try to upload the Danco FEL installation manual later on.

 

[Mark 149 J.]

I've uploaded the Danco FEL installation manual under the Cub Cadet implements if you would like to see and read what the manual says. I've also tried to attach it to this post. We will see if it works.

View attachment Danco RD2000 Install Manual.pdf

 

[BNK]

Mark, the engine is missing the heat shield that bolts to the head and the little brkt on the muffler would bolt to the heat shield. Look on some of the Cub post's and you will see what it looks like. 102,122 & 123 were different...models after that were the same until you get to the Quietline models. Great mystery on the wheel/hub setup is solved!

 

[KennyP]

Here's a screenshot from the service manual of the heatshield & muffler.

 

[Mark 149 J.]

Kevin,

I do have the heat shield I just haven't put it back on. The previous own had recently taken it off for some reason.

Kenny,

The bracket for the muffler shouldn't be too hard to fab something up for it.

Thanks for the picture!

 

[BNK]

You won't have to fab a brkt, Mark, the heat shield is the mounting brkt as well for the muffler if you have the correct 10 ga heat shield ie brkt. The pic Kenny posted is the side view. Can you post a pic of the shield you have? Should be a roughly 8X8" plate with some holes for the head bolts and spark plug and toward the taper a small oval hole for mounting the muffler. Wish I was at my home PC so I could post a pic...on my tablet now.

 

[BNK]

You won't have to fab a brkt, Mark, the heat shield is the mounting brkt as well for the muffler if you have the correct 10 ga heat shield ie brkt. The pic Kenny posted is the side view. Can you post a pic of the shield you have? Should be a roughly 8X8" plate with some holes for the head bolts and spark plug and toward the taper a small oval hole for mounting the muffler. Wish I was at my home PC so I could post a pic...on my tablet now.

Taper meaning at the break or bend of the shield.

 

[Mark 149 J.]

I'll have to check the heat shield out when I get home tonight.

 

[BNK]

Here's a screenshot from the service manual of the heatshield & muffler.

Screenshot from 2016-01-21 07:01:18.jpg

What's unique about the pic you posted (Kenny) is the rare glimpse of a wide frame Electric lift! I have had several narrow frame's but only two wide frame's, one on a 86 and the other on a 108...well OEM, got one on my 149 for a front lift. Hoping one day to covert to hydraulic...does fine for a Dozier blade but the Johnny Dump Jr it does not like the weight when you get a scoop.

 

[IHCubGuy]

When you do put that shield back on there are two steel spacers about a 1/2" or so long that fit on top of the two long head studs but underneath the shield. Then there is two more 3/8" nuts that go on top of there yet. I attached a different picture that shows from a different angle what Kenny and BNK are talking about. This shot also shows how the muffler bolts on to the shield. It is the bolt in the lower left corner of the shield in the picture.

 

[Mark 149 J.]

I know that I don't have that part of the shield. Nor do I have those spacers. That explains why those two head bolts are longer then the other bolts. I'm going to have to find that online from somewhere.

 

[Mark 149 J.]

Here is what I have for a heat shield that wasn't in the previous pictures. Looks like I'll have to find the missing pieces that will attach to the head and muffler.

I also removed the driveshaft so I can remove the motor. The flexible disc is oblong which is why there was a vibration at idle. The "T" shaped piece on the hydro input shaft has a lot of play between the piece and the shaft which caused the roll pin hole on the piece to become oblong.

On the driveshaft end that connect to engine I noticed that the pin in the end was flattened out. I don't know if this is normal or not. I thought it was a round pin so you could remove the pin to attach the cooling fan. I'll have to figure this out as well.

When I removed the air cleaner I found out that the left air cleaner housing bolt was missing because part of the carb. has been broken off. Might have to replace the carb to get a good seal around the air cleaner housing.

Here is what the cooling shroud says what kind of motor I have.

 

[IHCubGuy]

I know that I don't have that part of the shield. Nor do I have those spacers. That explains why those two head bolts are longer then the other bolts. I'm going to have to find that online from somewhere.

With that missing it could explain why the muffler was so buggered up and repaired. No support on the far side.

 

[Mark 149 J.]

That's what I was kind of thinking too.

 

[IHCubGuy]

That tin shield in your first picture on your last post is not a heat shield persay. It directs the air from the flywheel out of the blower housing and across the head to cool it. I would replace all of that driveline if it were me. It is a few expensive parts but it will be good to go when you are done. There are quite a few guys online that specialize in Cub Cadet parts for the older tractors. One of them is a site sponsor here. You can also look up parts breakdowns on partstree.com