1250 Hydro lift lever

[Awilson]

I have a Cub Cadet 1250 with Hydraulic Lift. I am breaking the roll pin that holds the arm onto the hydraulic lift lever. I replaced the pin last about 5 months ago, that time I welded the hole up and redrilled it since the edges of the hole were worn away. I thought that might have had something to do with them breaking. The last couple days it feels like the lever has gotten more slop in it. I assume the pin is in the process of breaking again. Should this be a spiral pin instead of a split roll pin? Main use of the tractor is pushing feed up to cattle with the front mounted blade. It sees lots of repetitive forward and backwards motion as well as raising and lowering of the blade.

[Billy-O]

The Spirol pin is better for heavier duty application than the roll pin.

I'm not sure where this particular pin in the lift lever is in your lift assembly, but you should check with the parts list for your model by clicking the link to Cub Cadet Parts and Service to determine whether the pin should be spirol, roll or something else. Sometimes, if you go over board with the pin/bolt strength you can break something else. In many cases where I looked in the lift assembly, the spirol pin is the part recommended.

[darkminion_17]

It is suppose to be a roll pin, later models used the clamp style.

[Awilson]

The parts diagram doesn't show or list a pin for that location. I'm working on where #4 attaches to the Lever #6. I wonder if the roll pins I am using are too soft? Seems like something like this should last years without breaking. https://www.cubcadet.com/en_US/conte...a1d4f34f32ee/y

[darkminion_17]

5/32x7/8" is the size for the pin.

[finsruskw]

The throw on that lift spool is very short. As the length of the handle is so long, providing way too much more leverage, operators have a tendency to over do the throw of the handle and overload the clamps or pin whichever the case may be.
Because of that long handle length, it's hard to "feel" when the spool is at either end on the short travel (throw).

Result, broken pins and in the case of the later models in that series that use the clamp, spun clamps on the horizontal actuating shaft due too much muscle on the end of that long handle.
There is a reason most hydraulic spool handle are so short.

[Awilson]

I can see that being a factor, someone prior to my ownership had cut the lift handle off on my 149. It's now about flush with the side of the fiberglass dash. I wonder if that's why?

[ol'George]

I agree with post #6 one hundred percent!!
I made a new lever for my 1650 out of bar stock,
but it too feels wimpy/rubbery.
We tend to over travel it.
It should have been made out of larger diameter material.
A poor design indeed.