Cub Cadet 70 restoration

[Cub Cadet 613]

After many months of fun I have decided it's time to start the restoration, here's some pictures of what it's been up to before the strip down.

Just before the strip down.

First the fenders, seat pan and bonnet were removed to make things more easily accessible.

The front grill was removed and the engine bolts undone so that the engine would slide forward and disengage from the clutch.

I then lifted out the engine, took out the steering column and removed the dash tower

Next I tipped the tractor on its side to make the linkages easier to get to, with a bit of heat and patience it all came apart.

I then drained the oil from the transmission and removed the chassis from the transmission, next job is to remove the axel pin which is rusted solid and is proving to be a real pain

[HeadExam 1,783]

Take lots of close-up pictures of everything you can Ewan, that way you can reference it. I always forget to take pictures and have to buy another tractor to put mine back together, at least that's the story I've been able to get away with for some time.

[Ian 2,417]

Your off to a good start there Ewan

[the showman 4,074]

I'll be watching this with interest in case i decide to restore my 100, keep the photos coming Ewan

[Cub Cadet 613]

So after many hours of battling with the axle pin we have finally got it out, after breaking a punch trying to get the rolled pin out we resorted to this.

We tried to use the vice as a press to try and push the pin out however we had no luck.

Next we tried to use the heat from a weld to try and loosen the pin but this didn't work either so we just cut the two collars off and drilled the pin out.

This is what was left of the pin.

When we make a new pin we will put a grease nipple in the end so that we can grease the axle and this won't happen again!

[pmackellow 2,738]

Well done Ewan, perseverance paid off !!

[Cub Cadet 613]

Well done Ewan, perseverance paid off !!

 

Cheers Paul, but none of this would have been possible without my dad! 

[Stormin 4,458]

I'd put the grease nipple in the axle, Ewan. Like Wheel Horse ones. And groove the pin.

[Cub Cadet 613]

I'd put the grease nipple in the axle, Ewan. Like Wheel Horse ones. And groove the pin

We thought about that but I would have more chance of snapping it off driving over rough ground, I think we will be putting grooves in the pin though. 

[HeadExam 1,783]

The tractor is over 45 years old, the pin froze due to lack of maintenance, not poor design, In my opinion attempting to unengineer a design may produce unwanted results. I have seen hundreds of attempts to redesign an original component or machine, and it often produces less than optimal results and definitely can lower the value of an original machine. I understand your frustration in having to exert such effort to remove the pin, but do not make the mistake of blaming the builder when it was the owner/operator who is at fault. International Harvester put these tractors through a 24 hour 7 days a week proving grounds, they tested it with the latest equipment, they put it through hell and more, they used proven designs from decades of tractor building to produce this machine, nothing on it at the time was substandard. Altering it to modern standards of today may not be the way to go, just food for thought. 

[Stormin 4,458]

If there was no way to grease the pin in the first place, Alain, that to me is poor design, penny pinching or not thought of.

[meadowfield 1,900]

Agree with your thoughts and it is lack of maintenance. Age is irrelevant, it needed lubrication....

There's no excuse for two close tolerance moving metal parts to not be oiled or greased. A grease zerk/nipple is an oversight as all big tractors and even wheel horse include one. There's just no way you could get any oil in there to help, so after 50 years it as rusted in solid. Unlike the steering spindles which came straight out - oddly they had grease points! We have never struggled removing a pin on a wheel horse. There's a lot of posts on the IH forums on drilling the pins out and you can buy the full replacement kit.

It will end up with a grease point, it's just not worth the pain.

[the showman 4,074]

Its like the rear hitch pin on a Wheelhorse, don't think I've had one that I haven't had to drill out. There's no way to lube the pin where it goes through the tranny, alright when new, its just an oversight on manufacturing

[meadowfield 1,900]

Its like the rear hitch pin on a Wheelhorse, don't think I've had one that I haven't had to drill out. There's no way to lube the pin where it goes through the tranny, alright when new, its just an oversight on manufacturing

Oddly, I've only ever had to drill one out...

But I do have two C-121 and a commando with seized pins in

[HeadExam 1,783]

It may be that the IH had not considered the conditions in the UK as that was not there main market and a grease point was not cost effective. My only point, because I'm old, is that once repaired it would last far longer than me. It may also be possible the pin froze for lack of use or sitting rather than being in operation as most pins I see over here fall out or get very loose if the tractor is in constant use. My Allis 416 nearly ruined the axle by the pin wearing out the bronze bushing between the pin and the axle, same for my other Allis.

[nigel 1,876]

Could be that the cadet lives in Yorkshire Alain. Spends most of its time under water 😰

[HeadExam 1,783]

Many times I forget how lucky I am to live where I live, even though our area of Oklahoma is fairly wet (Green Country) in comparison to other parts of Oklahoma, the climate is generally dry. It is definitely much drier than the UK. I understand that it may behoove owners to alter original designs improve a machines condition and extend its existence. Good Luck

[Stormin 4,458]

most pins I see over here fall out or get very loose if the tractor is in constant use. My Allis 416 nearly ruined the axle by the pin wearing out the bronze bushing between the pin and the axle, same for my other Allis.

 

Good argument for fitting grease nipples.

[HeadExam 1,783]

Good argument for fitting grease nipples.

Touche', That it is Norman. Many service manuals call for the removal and replacement of axle pins at certain intervals, but we all know that will not often happen.

[Cub Cadet 613]

Decided to make a start on the chassis which is in a fairly bad state, yesterday we began to cut out the metal that had completely rusted away and replace it. Here's a before shot.

We used a dremel to cut the hard to reach spots.

This is after we cut the really bad bits out.

We used an old piece of steel angle from a scrap drawer, here's what it was like before we welded it.

We lined it up and then tacked it down.

Here's a shot of one side finished, the other side is worse, there is barely any metal left.

[pmackellow 2,738]

^{Well done chaps , following this thread with interest}  

[Cub Cadet 613]

^{Well done chaps , following this thread with interest}  

Cheers Paul

[nigel 1,876]

and me

[HeadExam 1,783]

Superior workmanship! Very nice, Ewan

[Triumph66 1,256]

That's excellent Ewan; your Dad must be a good teacher. Skills like that will put you in good stead in later life.

Cheers

Andrew