Are you loyal to Cub, and why?
 

It all started probably 6 years ago for me. I was renting a house and my neighbor (2 doors down) had an 1862, or similar machine. Haven't been there in a while and looked at it, but it was a cyclops with hydraulics. It had the 54" gt deck I think and also had the cat 0 3 point. I was born in the city and have never lived in the "country," but after I saw his cub and got to use it I was hooked. Fast forward about 4 years and I bought my first cub, a '64 100. Been downhill ever since, or uphill. Depends on how you look at it.
I do have respect for other brand machines because many of them have the same or even better features than cubs. If I ever bought another brand machine it would probably be to flip. I can't really put my thumb on why, but cubs are just cool. Plain and simple.

I do own "other" brands of stuff, but I grew up farming with IH. We've (my family) had Cub Cadets since they came out in 1961. (Ok.... we may not have bought a '61, but you get the idea.) For me, IH is the first choice. I do have a lot of respect for a lot of other brands. For example, I don't think there is a better compact on the market than the New Holland's. They trump Kubota AFAIC. But, I'm a mechanic and experienced machine operator, so I have my reasons for my choices. Some things I like because they are more ergonomic/easy to operate. Some things I like because they are easy to work on. Some things are both...... Like the little yellow and white tractors that I keep accruing!!

I'm not brand loyal when it comes to mowers and garden tractors. I like cubs, john Deere's and ford/Jacobson tractors most.

Farm tractors and equipment tho I'm brand loyal to John Deere. JD side by side with CNH...IMHO.... No comparison

I like Cub Cadets for two simple reasons. I grew up with IH, and IMHO, Cub Cadet is the best.

:IH Trusted Hand:

No I am not, but I am just getting into the Cubs.

As far as brand loyalty, right now it looks like Husqvarna is the ticket at my house. Riding mower, push mower, 2 chain saws, and 2 string trimmers. I have had zero issues with any of them that wasn't because I did something with them that I shouldn't have.

I do like the Cubs. Especially the older ones. As I have posted previously, my grandfather had one back in the early '70s (I wish I knew what model) that was the first motorized piece of equipment that I ever used. I learned how to drive on that machine, and then how to mow grass. The 104 that I recently got brings back lots of fond chilhood memories.

My sister and my parents both have fairly new Cubs and are pleased with them. I have used my parents and like it very much. But three years ago when I needed a new mower, I refused to buy one and opted for the Husqvarna instead. We have a Cub Cadet dealer in my home town, but I have issues with the owner as to some of his business practices. I have known him a long time, and we used to be friends, but I have seen him do some less than ethical things. Maybe not illegal, but definitely on the shady side. As such, I refuse to do business with him. That leaves the local Tractor Supply. I have always heard that there is a difference in the dealer models and the box store models. Not willing to take a chance, I went to the Husqvarna dealer.

I do see a Cub addiction starting though. My son and I have already had a lot of fun together in the the few upgrades that we have made to the 104 and it is really fun to operate. Like drglinski says in his signature line "Reliving my childhood with each turn of the key." Hopefully we are making some lasting memories for my son too. I see us refreshing, if not fully restoring, this tractor one day. I also see more tractors in the future for us to tinker with, as time and money allow.

I too have had and still have many other brands such as wheel horse, Jacobsen, etc.

Back in 1968/9 we moved from a subdivision to a 5 acre "farm".
Dad went shopping with an open mind.
The choice was between CC and JD for him.
It came down to how easy it was to change out the deck and snowthrower, etc.
That and his best man and his family happened to be an IH dealer since the steel tire days.
Anyways, I grew up with my butt always in a CC.
And that's the way it has been for 45 years.

I grew up on cubs so I'm pretty loyal to them, the only other tractor I have a soft spot for is the gravely model L because we had a few of those when I was growing up also.

First garden tractor I drove was Dad's 129 that he bought new in 1974. Been hooked ever since. Only GT's I'd own are CC's. (I know, never say never :biggrin2:). Been around IH's for a long time, too. I know it would open up a can of worms, but I'd take an IH 1206 over a Jane Doe 4020 anyday, hands down................ :beerchug: :IH Logo: :IH Trusted Hand: :biggrin2:

I guess I am mostly Cubs. If not because of loyalty because it's practical. I like having a bunch of tractors that have many of the same parts, functions, etc. I understand differences between models but I like common, practical stuff. I like steel over plastic, at least where it counts, frames, shafts, brackets, etc. Cyclops plastic doesn't bother me, they still have the humongous frame. The old seats on the 70s are a little harder to take over the nice padded ones. I don't have a bunch of different parts for a bunch of different tractors. It's easier for me to have a PTO clutch that will fit more than one tractor. Trans fluid that is good for many. I just priced the fluid for my 2186 yesterday and it was twice the cost of Hytran. The 2186 and 1554 are not nearly the tractors that my others are. I'm not sure I would buy a new Cub.
Truth be told, if the first tractor I spotted sitting in that yard 25 years ago would have been green I would probably own 8 or 9 of the green ones. I guess I don't change very easy. I'm not sure if that's loyalty or stupidity. :bigthink:

Not being familiar I had to look it up. That's one beefy looking tractor. It looks like you could never break it.

For GT's, I love both Cubs and Power King/Economy tractors. I prefer having something with a direct drive, I'm not a fan of the belts. I also really like gravleys, just never had the chance to own one. I like larger IH machines too, but I prefer the older 2-cylinder Deeres, particularly the hand clutch models. My father picked up an old hand-start Model A a few years ago, and that is a fun machine.

I've been around IH tractors also. My grandpa farmed with them. I had a Farmall Cub. Then I got into the Cub Cadets, and the rest is history.

That's kind of a confusing answer on this end. I grew up around Cubs, Lo-Boys, Ford's, and IH's, but never a Cub Cadet. My dad always had a Wheel Horse garden tractor around for mowing duties. Good little tractor, first thing I ever drove alone, actually. But it didn't have..."it". The neighbor farmer I still to this day work for always had Ford/New Holland. And for big boy toys, those are still my favorite. Side note: he's got an old Ford 8600 he's had since new that now runs the auger during harvest time. NEVER had any internal engine work done, just regular oil changes and that's about it. This machine has 13,000+ hours on a working meter :bigeyes: Back on topic, this guy uses JD lawn mowers.

Anywho, fast forward to my first house I lived in, I needed something to cut the grass, and who has time for a push mower? :biggrin2: So I found a cheap little John Deere and picked it up. Crap. Didn't cut well, had electrical problems, didn't like the looks, etc., etc. So, I fixed it up enough to get it reliable and sold that turd. I then found a Cub Cadet 1330. Bought it, and it was love at first mow. Drove great, ran great, mowed good, looked decent, etc. I started wanting to learn more about them so I did some searching online and found this place. I've been a Cub Guy (IH) since and haven't looked back. That's my story :beerchug:

Randy,
You happened to find a pic of a rare 1206. Not many at all had MFWD. I'd say less than 300. Most were just 2WD.

Great reads, thus far! I have read them all,....

My first was an Original, and I have been hooked ever since. I like them because they were very well made. I have noticed, when you have the repairs made, and your tractor is tuned up, you get board because there is nothing really to tinker with. So, you have to get another Cub Cadet. Such is the case for me. Now, I'm getting to the point where I have a tractor for every attachment, lol!

I have had: Original, 100, 102, 123, 71, 72, 1450, 1450, 1250, and my newly acquired model 86. I have dog tags from a model 126, and two or three others that I salvaged parts from at the scrap yard.

Good looking 1206 Randy! I think most people with cubs are loyal to IH and vise versa. I grew up with IH equipment too. Like I said I another thread wife has a lt1538 husqvarna that she had when we got together . She had mowed twice with it hit a rock and bent the heck out if one of the blades. I put new ones on adjusted the gauge wheels and it was fine. It's ok does a good job, but ain't no cub! 15 hp Briggs engine sucks gas like crazy compared to my 12 hp kohlers.

i have had wheel horses for years. i always wanted a cub because i felt like they were alittle better designed then the wheel horse. i have sold all my wheel horses and just have cubs now.

Right on brother!!:ThumbsUp:

I've always been a Cub Cadet guy pre CCC, and IH pre merger with JI Case. Although I do like Case IH, I prefer IH over Case IH. I don't mind Allis. I'll likely never like the green ones, and that's just preference.

I grew up on my grandfather's farm ( double farm house ), it was a green farm. The neighbor across the road was green too. My grandfather started out with round fender 110's and 112's and his final JD was a 318 ( which my brother still owns ).

I was actually looking at a green tractor and conferred with a coworker to verify that the lawn and garden tractor I was looking at was correctly sized for our "new" house.

He gave a me a good deal on a 125 he mechanically restored for his Dad ( his Dad gave it back when he went with a lawn service ). So my friend Jim is responsible for my conversion to the yellow NF "fever". My original purchase was a 125 with a 42" cast iron end deck, a 42" front blade, a QA-42 snow thrower and a Trac Vac system.

The green I grew up with were good but I do like the direct drive ( driveshaft ) better.

I have had a couple of Fords but it was the Cub cadets that really proved to be the work horses. When I was growing up my 125 mowed about half the lawns in the village. I worked summers doing maintenance at the Yacht club, I mowed there and hauled boats around with it, never a problem and a lot of "You are going to move that boat with that little tractor?" Until they watched it do it.

After I bought my first house I moved up to a 154 low boy to mow 6 acres.
After I sold that place and only have an acre I down sized to a 1250.

So I guess you may think I'm loyal to IH.

Greg

Not sure I'm loyal but have a lot of respect for the brand, at least the earlier ones. Growing up we had a a Farmall Cub, AC WD, a Ford 6000 Commander and a Fordson Dexta on the farm. Also used neighbors AC WD-45, D-17 and Ford 7000s.

My mother in law gave us a CC 86 that needs some engine work and I wanted it for a backup mower, at the time, as my old MTD built Huskee was getting pretty worn. I was also afraid that someone might run off with it before I got to it, she is getting elderly and would probably give it to anyone that would ask for it. Had never had a Cub Cadet before but I'm impressed with how well they are built, miniatures of farm tractors from what I can see. Would love to have more but our space is limited. If I saw a real good deal on one might jump on it. In addition to the Huskee, currently have a Mahindra eMax 22, a Ford 9N and 8N and a Husqvarna LGT2554 mower. Got a good price on the Husqy at a sale last year and the 54" deck has sure cut down on my mowing time from the 46" on the Huskee. It came with a sun shade and a front blade too.

Lets just say its a Family Tradition.

I got my first Cub (a 109) about 23? years ago. Since then I have acquired, I don't know, I stopped counting.

I do have an old Snapper Comet that I put a 13.5 HP engine on for cutting weeds and grass that has gotten out of hand, and an older commercial walk behind that I use occasionally.

It has come to the point that (for me) it's all about my Cubs and the seat time, I have no desire for and would probably not buy a different brand of garden tractor. Hope that didn't sound harsh.

Growing up on the red tractors and learning to drive a truck out in the field with a IH pickup gave me a good start to lean IH everything. Then when my folks brought home a cub cadet model 76 for lawn duty, I was hooked.
I bought my first cub brand new in 1992 and it made me cub cadet brand loyal.