1250 Found A New Home - Page 2

jsoluna · #11 08-30-2016, 10:37 PM

-44a deck looks like it has sat outside for years. Gonna take some work to free everything up here. Looks like it may have original blades.

-The steering gearbox took a TON of grease, like 1/3 of a tube. I don't think it has ever been greased. Steering itself is actually pretty tight though. Looks like the bracket that the box attaches to flexes under load. Seems like it could use some gusseting. Anyone else experience this? Just normal?

-Missing parts here for the lift valve. Some kind of makeshift bracket installed to make the lift arm attach to the spool. Going to have to consult a parts breakdown to figure out how it should be set up.

-ISO mounts - just lowers are installed up front.

-Rust, rust rust.

1250 and 3205.

budscub · #12 08-30-2016, 11:06 PM

Congratulations on your 1250. lots of work there but nothing that can't be repaired. It looks to be a later model based on the 5 bolt hood hinge, the earlier ones had 5 bolts into the grille header and three into the hood nose.

The hydraulic connection to the valve uses a master link for a roller chain. I don't know off the top of mt head what size chain it is though.
Good luck and enjoy the transformation.

zippy1 · #13 08-30-2016, 11:26 PM

Yeah it's used, but not used up.

If that has 2?? original hrs on it, I'll stand up and dance.

It's all things that can be repaired. Seen better, seen much worst. Good luck, and I enjoy the pictures to document the adventure.

bkw3614 · #14 08-30-2016, 11:43 PM

That Quietline looks like it has to potential to be a good tractor for your needs.

I have a 1250 as well, and it was in repairable condition when I bought it five years ago. I replaced the engine mounts with genuine Cub Cadet mounts, made the cradle modification, overhauled the steering box, installed lights, fixed the electric PTO, and did a bunch of other repairs.

For awhile, I thought I would never get it working as it should be and wondered what I had spent all that money on. It was a nightmare! A fellow Cub Cadet forum contributor urged me to keep working on it. Soon, it will be a nice tractor again. Thus, I now have a 1250 Nightmare, that I dearly love, have worked it hard, and have had way too much fun with it to ever give it up.

You have a 1250 with a hydraulic lift. Most 1250s had a manual, arm-strong lift. Were this me, I would use the genuine Cub Cadet factory replacement motor mounts. Yes, they are spendy, but are a lot more heavy duty than those from CC Specialties, or other aftermarket suppliers. Do the cradle modification, and use new bolts, washers and Nylock nuts of the correct size and length. Start with two threads showing, and tighten them down after running the machine for awhile. As you let the mounts wear in, and tighten accordingly, you will find a spot where they won't allow the engine to vibrate all that much. It took me about six weeks of tightening and loosening to find the sweet spot.

It seems to me that solid mounts would absorb no shaking and only transfer vibration to the rest of the tractor.

You also must remember that single cylinder engines vibrate. That is their nature. The bigger the one-lunger, the more it will shake!

So, I'll, once again, pass on the sound advice given to me. "Keep working on it. You will get it fixed eventually." Quietlines are great tractors!.

Be well.

Brian Wittman

jsoluna · #15 08-31-2016, 05:53 AM

Thanks for the encouraging words. I will continue repairing it bit by bit until I am happy with it. It is good to know that the Quietline tractors have some proud and satisfied owners.

I'm going to start by addressing the vibration issue, and while the engine is out I'll probably take all the tins off and clean it out. Haven't settled on a set of mounts yet, but it's looking like the Cub replacements will be going in, along with new rag joints.

I'm thinking about making a custom muffler air duct out of 16ga steel. I work in a fab shop and have access to a plas and a waterjet and SolidWorks for CAD drawing.

Bob95065 · #16 08-31-2016, 10:01 AM

I have a 1450 that was mostly complete when I got it but a lot of parts were broken. I took it down to a bare frame and rebuilt it using a combination of used and new parts. It isn't pretty but mechanically is sound. Eventually I'll repaint it but I use it too much to take out of service.

Check out my profile and look for some of the earlier threads I started if you are interested. Also PM me and I can direct you to some of the parts sources I used.

I am happy to help,

Bob

budscub · #17 08-31-2016, 10:16 AM

I think many people mis undestand the function of the iso mounts. In that I mean their purpose is to allow the engine to bounce around a little bit and isolate that from the tractor frame. If you try to hold the engine rigid, that just sends the vibrations through the rest of the tractor. I have a 1650 and a 1450. I have replaced the iso mounts and cradle mods on both and they are now well behaved. There is a substantial difference between the 16 and 14hp. The 1450 is as smooth as you can ask for. The 1650 isn't quite as smooth but is not bad at all. As for the "adjusting the tightness of the engine bolts it does make a big difference. I believe that all has to do with the hardness of the replacement mounts.

jsoluna · #18 08-31-2016, 03:53 PM

Thanks for the replies everyone. It seems like there are plenty of Quietline owners who are happy with their machines, and a lot of that appears to boil down to patience and a willingness to understand the design.

budscub · #19 08-31-2016, 06:07 PM

Yeah the quietline tractors are great tractors. It does take a little different approach than conventional designs that are hard mounted. The 1650 I have belonged to my dad, My brother had inherited it, then sold it. I was able to track it down an purchase it 2 owners later. The ole girl was a little behind in maintenance When I got her. She was missing a couple of engine mounting bolts, the rails were loose, and the Iso mounts were shot. I pulled the engine, performed the cradle mod and installed the after market shock mount bushings.
I was satisfied with the results and thought that it was pretty good.
Then along came my 1450, I ran across it on c list and noticed it was a dual hydraulic control, so I bought it. I pulled the engine and did the cradle mod, and rotated the good upper iso to the bottom. Wow, I was amazed by how smooth and quiet this tractor was. So, now knowing how smooth the Quietline could be I purchased the oem replacement ISO mounts and installed them per the directions. I was a little disappointed when I fire her up, ugh, it was worse than before, but with $85.00 bucks sitting under the engine. Back to OCC for more research. I found the whole discussion on mounting torque and backing the bolts off, so nothing from nothing leaves nothing, I then loosened all the ISO mount bolts out to where they just began to compress the ISo mounts. That was the ticket.
Sorry for the long post, but there is hope for a shaking quite line.

jsoluna · #20 08-31-2016, 08:00 PM

Thanks for the replies, and I certainly don't mind the longer posts. In fact I look forward to them. It makes it feel more like a discussion.

So, out of curiosity I fired it up again this evening after work and tightened the mounts just to see if it would change anything. That's when I realized that the rear iso mounts are missing the upper rebound bushing as well. Whoever did the "fix" wasn't paying much attention to detail.

I also watched the driveshaft at low idle and I can see it moving outside of the centerline quite a bit. That rag joint that is spanning the distance where there should really be two joints is deforming and causing the whole driveline to vibrate.

Let's just all breathe out a sigh for the "previous owners" out there. It's a wonder these tractors held up this long.