What's so great about Cub Cadets anyway?

[Lanceskene]

Originally Posted by johncub7172

Don't know about Lance's MTD, but I guess he likes it

I like most anything but I think the 70s was the hayday for all brands... thats where you find many of the biggest and baddest but yet simple machines, and I do agree that the early IH design is one of the best out there, the Cub transaxle is very possibly the toughest rear diff in any garden tractor, along with the inline clutch you have the most effecient system for transfering power to the wheels, but weight is also a big factor and the early IH were a little light, that Columbia is 935 lbs without any addon weights or attachments, it has a very similar clutch system as the CCs but its a bit beefier, the friction disc is larger in diameter and thicker, it has four guide pins instead of three, the springs are heavier, and its attached to a 16hp engine. It isnt my favorite tractor... but it is the one I pull out when theres a heavy load to move.

If I had to pick one... it would probably be my Jacobsen built Ford LGT100, 10hp K series with the same Peerless transaxle as the MTD and early JDs, but it doesnt have a real clutch, it uses a tension pulley on a belt and that wont hook up as good as a normal clutch. But it does have my favorite system of attachments for the 70s era... every attachment is quick and easy to deal with. It wont win any pulling competitions but it is a nice tractor to use for general yard duties.

...and then there is my '57 RaM...

[sawdustdad]

My father in law had a 128. When we needed something to cut an acre and a half, we went to a Cub dealer and bought a used 108. That was in 1978. I used that Cub to cut grass and plow the driveway until we bought a larger place (7 acres) when I got a Ford 2000 with a bush hog for the fields.

The Cub continued to cut grass around the house for a couple (three) decades. When, in 2012, it finally needed some clutch work, I decided to take it apart and clean and repair it. As I got into it, I decided to do a more complete restoration. Found it easy and fun to work on. So I began to do more research, found this site, caught some sort of disease from the people here, and shortly after that bought a 149, then a 1650, then a 1450, a 72, a 123, etc., etc.

I love my Kubota and my Ford, and they are real workers, but when I want to tinker, it's on a Cub.