:ExtremeFunny: Hope you don't need them but better safe than sorry.

A few tips if you consider going inside a hydrostatic unit:

Note the position of the movable swashplate in the hydrostatic motor as it's "stop" pads on the back side are different thicknesses. If it's installed wrong, the tractor will be very fast in reverse and pathetically slow in forward. Don't ask me how I now this!

Note the position of the charge pump, it can be installed 180 degrees off and won't pump.

Some of the internal wear parts are interchangeable between the ported and non ported pumps, including the input shaft.

There are other manufacturer's tractors made in the same era use various versions of the same hydrostatic units as the IH Cubs. I have utilized the internals from a low hours Allis Chambers Simplicity Landlord in my 169.

I don't think the input shafts are interchangeable...when I fixed a ported pump, I wanted to use the input shaft from an unported pump, but I remember it being different.

I used an input shaft from a non-ported 129 in a ported pump in a 149 with success. (The original 149 pump shaft had excessive wear at the driveshaft coupling)

I just checked the shaft part using on line parts lookup and comparing part numbers from ported 149 to non-ported 129 units. Parts lookup gave the same part number, SU-3101867.

Maybe earlier non-ported pump shafts are different?

I do know the swash plate shaft seals are different sizes from year to year and the charge pump is much larger on the ported units. Obviously the front plate is different on the ported units too.

Guess I should have included your results may vary!

Thanks!

Well, I have it all repaired now with NEW snap rings and I cleaned and cleaned the grooves and once the rings where on I checked and double checked them to make sure they where seated!! I drove it around the yard and ran it through a good tough series of manuvers and all seems well. When I pulled back into the shop I had my hand on the key just in case.
This wasn't a bad experience since it forced me to do some things that I have been putting off and I learned a great deal, thanks for the help and stories.

cub149, Glad to hear you are back up and running. I am sorry this happend to you but i know i will double and triple check my work from now on when doing this type of repair. :ThumbsUp:

I've quit laughing for the moment, having just read this. I'm picturing Tim Allen in a Home Improvement episode. OMG OMG THE WALL!!

This stuff is really serious though. Over the years I've done dozens of equipment, gear boxes, transmissions, etc; and most all the rebuild instructions say to use NEW retainers. They wear, they get tweaked and so on. But we know in real life that does not always happen. I for one am chief in that area.

Thank you for sharing this story. It will impress me all the more to do the right thing and get or use new retainers as much as possible. Besides damage to "classic" equipment, your life & limb may depend on how well stuff is put together and to Pay Attention.