QL aftermarket ISO bushings - thoughts?

[cledford]

My 1450 has a horrible oil leak that I posted about in another thread. The oil ran down onto the engine carriage and has caused the ISO mounts to turn to mush. I'd like to do a full restore on the tractor one day, but right I now need to make it though mowing season and the 1650 I working on restoring first. I’ve seen OEM ISO bushings for ~$80-100 for all and aftermarket ones available for as little as $25 for all. With the understanding that they only need to last 1-2 years - does anyone have feedback on which aftermarket version to try and from whom to purchase?

Thanks,

-Calvin

[truckntran]

At least for the lower mounts, use the stockers. The aftermarket bushings are nothing more than a sway bar link kit for a full size Chevy car or pickup from the 80's....Two kits will do a complete cub iso mount setup, if you want to try that first. If you want to go that route go to your local auto parts store and look up a sway bar link kit, you want the one that fits most all the chevys or GM products from the last decade or two. Each kit contains 4 bushings, a large bolt, nut , and four washers. All you will use is the rubber bushings and maybe the washers.

Some say to pull the inserts out of the original mounts and install them in the aftermarket ones.....I had zero luck reinstalling. My 1200 currently is running with the original top mounts now relocated underneath the cradle, and sway bar link kit mounts on top, with new bolts and locking nuts tightened only enough to slightly squish the rubber. I did place one washer under each old mount to raise the cradle enough to get the driveshaft alignment more like I thought it should be.

Good luck with your seal job... I have an Ariens to do the same exact job on.

[R Bedell]

The Moog Sway Bar Kit is K-5252.

This is a modification made by member Richard Christensen....

[wshytle]

Cledford-

I just finished doing the exact thing Rbedell posted and it works fine. You can't use the steel inserts from the four "bad" ISO mounts because they are too big. They take a lot of wear too so make sure and use the four best inserts with the four best rubber bushings. The Moog rubber mounts I got came with cupped washers and I used one on each as the pic show. You can throw the torque spec out the window because it's not a rigid mount without the steel inserts. I just made sure the locking part of the nut (stover nuts) was secure on the threads and the rubber started compressing. If you do it this way you probably won't be able to tell any difference; I can't. You should also do the rail mod to assure a longer life of the work you're now doing.

Just another .02 worth...good luck.

[themaddhatter]

Anyone try these out yet?

http://pattonacres.com/cart/solid-st...ine-p-312.html

Just saw those yesterday looking around for starter stuff.

How bad will the QL shake with these in it?

The finality of just putting a solid mount in sounds tempting though.

[Matt G.]

It'll shake a lot worse than if you do the cradle mod and use the new OEM mounts. Yes, they're expensive, but if you don't have any oil leaks and do the cradle mod, they will last a long time. I put new OEM mounts in a 1650 I used to have and at full throttle, it was as smooth as any of my twin cylinder tractors. If you do it right, you will not regret using the OEM mounts.

[Mike1450]

I agree with Matt on this. The OEM iso mount are expensive but worth the cost if you want a smooth ride. Properly installed and the engine tuned you will get good result that will make wonder why you didn't do it earlier.

[wshytle]

I didn't state it in my last post but I agree with Matt and Mike; OEM is the best way to go. The rail mod is pretty important as well as pretty simple to do for what it offers. The tractor I used the Moogs on was my nephews (I told him). He actually insisted on the Moogs after I told him the cost. Like Matt said, with the rail mod and all leaks under control the system should last many years. I actually used OEM last year when I did my 1250. I do keep an eye on them though.

[ACecil]

I'm with the other guys. Getting the mounts from your cub dealer is the way to go. We did this with a 1250, I used to own and I never had any regrets. The cradle mod was done, as well.