SGT axle brace vs. Race Brace?
 

It looks like both of these braces will work to add strength to the rear housing and stiffen the frame, is there any reason to choose one over the other? Are there clearance issues with the shape of the race brace? I wanted to install a brace on my two supers but only want to do it once. Sam, since the regular brace was your design, your insight would be valuable to me.

Get the SGT brace. Do you have a 3 point hitch?

No 3 point hitch at this time on either tractor, only a 60" deck and a 450 blower on the 2082 and a 54" deck and a 451 blower on the 2086.

Get Sam's brace. It is top notch stuff and will work even if you add the hitch later.

Get them they are great!!!

Thanks for the endorsements guys. As far as the 3 point goes, the SGT brace will work with the factory 3 point and the Ruegg hitch but the Xtreme will need some mods to work with the brace I designed. Holler if you have any questions.

See that high speed? Bill Ruegg will work with your braces.

Looks like the general consensus is in favor of the SGT brace. Is Xtreme the best (only) place to get these?

Xtreme is it.

My SGT axle brace came in for the 2082, got it painted and am ready to install it. I was wondering if I have to drain the hydro oil I just changed in the rear to install these braces or are the bolts I remove in blind holes? I guess I should have asked this question before I did the yearly maintenance. One more senior moment.

Group 44, clean the rear plate area real good, drain the oil and reuse it. When you pull the bolts for the brace clean the holes with brake cleaner and dab some Permatex #2 on the bolts. Use a torque wrench to tighten the bolts and check them again after a little run time. Permatex #2 does harden so you can retorque it.

Get a clean 2 gal container, put it under the drain plug and drain the oil. Then when your done pour it back in. Also besides the permatex on the threads put some silicone under the heads of the bolts. They do go into oil in the case and I've a had a couple leak with only the permatex.

What are the torque specs for the bolts. I looked in my Cub service manual and I could not find them.

30 FT.LBS. per the service manual.

Draining the oil isn't a problem, but pouring it back in is a pain. Any suggestions on an easier way to put it back in, it took forever to put the oil in when I did the fluid and filter service.

I've heard that you can remove one of the check valves but I've never tried it. On the newer machines they have a vent at the top of the trans. What I do is to drill and tap the top of the case for a 1/8" pipe fitting then I put a barb adapter in it and a hose to a filter if the case doesn't have the vent. Only problem is you pretty much need to have the back cover off. This is an 1882 I did a couple years ago.

When Eric and I filled our 2072 the first time I agree it is a sloppy burpy mess. We got the rear braces and had to do it all over again. This time we set up much the same as first with a small funnel. The difference was I had some oxygen breathing plastic hose. I took about an 18 inch piece and threaded it down through the funnel and this time got no burps. It seemed to go a bit faster too.

I don't know if it's the right way, but I just remove the fill tube and use a long funnel works great and takes no time to fill.

Pick yourself up an electric oil pump that are used for inboard marine engines for crankcase oil removal. I use mine for my Volvo SX drive, worked great for tranny on Cub too. No mess.

Yes an oil pump would be the cats whiskers. Attempting to fill through the tube where the air also has to escape can be a burping mess. My addition of the plastic tube kept the burps away but was still slow.