Another Quietline cradle question

CADplans · #1 10-12-2011, 08:07 PM

I called the Cub Cadet dealer (40 miles each way!!) and yep the bushings are over $80 with tax.

So I stopped at a local auto parts store, to ask about the Moog K5252 bushings and told him I wished they were urethane.

He came out with a Moog K5342 kit that has the blue poly bushings instead of rubber. $5.35 per kit, I got 2.

I will let you know how they do. I just couldn't put $80 and 80 miles in bushings in a $200 tractor!!

But my Question, since I have the 1000, 10 HP, and its smaller oil pan, should I put a second cross brace in front of the drain plug??

Matt G. · #2 10-12-2011, 08:42 PM

1 crossbrace will be fine.

You get what you pay for...those are still chassis mounts that are not designed for this application. It's going to shake a lot worse than if you used the OEM mounts.

CC1650Dave · #3 10-13-2011, 01:26 AM

Matt, you have a lot more experience with Cubs and the amount of vibration one should expect than I do (actually, all your experience vs my zero

) But here's my take:

The QL was designed to compete with JD and others on quiet exhaust and low vibration. The previous generation of wideframes had solid mounts. In the QL series, they put in the rubber mounts and, let us not forget, the notorious balancing gears.

Later, IH changed the rubbers to a firmer version, acknowledging the weakness of the early soft mounts.

So if you stiffen your mounts using a different (likely more durable) rubber, maybe you lose a little of the original Quietline smoothness. But I wouldn't lose a lot of sleep over it.

I'm putting the $20 set of ISOs on my 1450 while it hosts the 1650's K341 over the next several months. It'll give me a chance to try them out and see how they look after some usage.

CADplans · #4 10-13-2011, 02:46 AM

I have had several 10 hp Kohlers', and they all run like sewing machines!! No vibration to speak of.

My first was a Lincoln welder purchased from Sam's Club in the 1980's. It ran so smooth I thought it was a fluke.

The Cub cadet 1000's 10 hp runs the same, that is why I wanted it to push snow.

My main concern is the clutch alignment and longevity. And low cost of course.

Do 10HP's have balance gears??

Methos · #5 10-13-2011, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CADplans

I have had several 10 hp Kohlers', and they all run like sewing machines!! No vibration to speak of.

My first was a Lincoln welder purchased from Sam's Club in the 1980's. It ran so smooth I thought it was a fluke.

The Cub cadet 1000's 10 hp runs the same, that is why I wanted it to push snow.

My main concern is the clutch alignment and longevity. And low cost of course.

Do 10HP's have balance gears??

Some do and some don't, but if they are in there get them out!

I don't know of any other way of knowing unless you open the motor up and take a peek.

Darrell · #6 10-13-2011, 08:11 AM

I just put the motor back in my 1250 with solid steel mounts and no cradle mod and can say next to no shake/vibration. I was real curious to see how the solid mounts work.

But , this is a relatively fresh engine that is fine tuned , and not swingin' a big ole piston.

Spending time super tuning these engines will help alot , as with any engine.

Chuckscubs · #7 10-13-2011, 08:59 AM

When you use the sway bar bushings, do you insert the metal sleeves from the original isomounts into them or just run the rubber?

Matt G. · #8 10-13-2011, 09:49 AM

I have used both the OEM mounts and the chassis mounts...the OEM mounts actually absorb the vibration. I put them in a 1650, and it was nearly as smooth as the twin cylinder engines in my later cubs at full throttle. The sway bar mounts don't so well. They are a LOT stiffer than the OEM mounts, and they don't damp out the vibrations at full throttle because they are not designed to.

The difference may be less noticeable on a smaller engine, but on a 1450 or 1650 you will definitely notice a difference. Solid-mounting the engine on a 10 or 12 hp tractor will have no less vibration than any tractor in a previous series with those engines; it probably vibrates more in the QL with solid mounts because of the less rigid mounting setup compared to bolting the engine straight to the frame, but the K241 and K301 do not vibrate as bad to begin with. And there would still be an improvement with the iso-mounts. All of the QL tractors I have had with good engine mounts were much quieter at full throttle than half throttle because the mounts were doing their job, and all the sheetmetal stopped rattling.

It's funny how nearly everyone that bashes the OEM mounts has never actually used them- they went from totally worn out iso-mounts to either solid mounts or sway bar bushings, and claim what a great improvement they are. Well, yeah, just about ANYTHING is an improvement over 4 squashed mounts and one or two engine mount bolts missing.

pattonacres · #9 10-13-2011, 10:27 AM

Matt said

Quote:

Its funny how nearly everyone that bashes the OEM mounts has never actually used them- they went from totally worn out iso-mounts to either solid mounts or sway bar bushings, and claim what a great improvement they are. Well, yeah, just about ANYTHING is an improvement over 4 squashed mounts and one or two engine mount bolts missing.

Matt, what you posted is a very true statement. The fact is, its a single cyl. engine and they do vibrate more than a twin. I like the new style mounts and have used them but have also sold probably 500 or more sets of sway bar bushings on my site and ebay. I think the main reason is cost. Like stated above, many guys pick up a tractor for a few hundred $s and its just a second or third machine and its hard to stick that much in something that is just going to sit most of the time.

I don`t try to push them as a replacement that's just as good but more as an alternative to $80. ++ for new style.

Only problem I see with more vibration in any of the alterative mounts offered weather steel,sway bar or new style is cracking of the muffler box tin parts which can also be pricey

racenitro · #10 10-18-2011, 09:37 AM

All of the mount changes, etc is only a bandaid if the cradle is not improved with the cross bar welded in. That is the first thing I do to every QL I have had and I have had a bunch. Even if the pan mounts are damaged, this helps a whole lot.

I tried non oem mounts once or twice but did not like the results. If you do the cross brace then the new mounts will last a whole lot longer and worth the extra expense.