Go BottomFarmall Cub Capabilities Limitations
 | Gary D
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 8 Waterford, PA 
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2002-07-11 40285
I need some impartial advice here. I've visited several Farmall Cub message boards but I feel like I'm preaching to the choir there. Anyway, I have been giving serious consideration to purchasing a larger tractor in that I with a jump in acreage, my 38" cut is just taking to long and the 190' driveway is too much for my walk-behind snow blower. Some guys covet Vettes, others boats, etc. I have been in love with the Farmall Cub since I was a little boy and right now it is leading my list of possible tractors for purchase. My reasons for this are these: One, 95% of repairs can be done with a normal tool kit. Second, the price of a compact (new AND used) scares the heck out of me. (I hoping to find a nicely restored Cub with a belly mower and snow plow for $3000.00 -4000.00. My wife seems to be able to live with this price!) Lastly, the parts are readily available (2 minutes down the road.)
Now, my concerns. I've heard that they can bog down in heavy grass. I intend to mow my 3+ acre lawn with it...not bush hog type mowing. Next, I've heard that w/o a water pump they are prone to overheating. Finally, I'm anxious as to how it will handle serious snow (ie. "Lake Effect snow" is just plain incredible.)
Thanks for lending any experience you can! Any thoughts are sincerely apprieciated.
Gary D
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 | BillMullens
Join Date: Jun 2000 Posts: 649 Central West Virginia 
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2002-07-12 40299
I think that the answer is that just like any tractor, sometimes it will do more than you think, other times it will disappoint you. There are a couple of people locally that mow with a Cub and belly mower; they sure do a nice looking job. My father wanted me to find a belly mower for ours and use it instead of buying the TC29 that I eventually bought. He says that they have the reputation of being the best way to mow. I mowed a small (2 ac) field with a side sickle bar mower with ours for a summer. It was slow. That was my biggest complaint; I don't think that the Cub would have been much faster than the 46-inch cut Lowes mower I had. I can see that heavy grass would bog it down. My advice would be to find one that you can try out or at least talk to the owner about. I agree that they're neat little tractors. Dad has a front blade on his and spreads gravel and dirt with it; he loves it. He would rather use it than his Farmall A or Ford 8N. As with most small tractors, it would probably be OK for pushing snow, it just might take longer than a bigger tractor. As far as overheating, I've never heard of that problem. The A has the same type of cooling system, it has never overheated that I know of, I'll ask Dad if he's heard of Cubs overheating.
Bill
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 | Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York 
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2002-07-12 40302
For the heating problem they should change the radiator, that will take care of that. The problem you might have is using the mower in tight quarters and needing to switch dirrections you will be having to restart the mower everytime you change directions. The power can be changed by jetting the carb and adjusting the govenor. ....
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 | Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2002-07-12 40317
I am not sure about the cub with the belly mower, but a friend of mine has a Lowboy, which is the same tractor designed for grass cutting. This tractor would out cut my JD 750 with a 60" mower. It would walk through the deepest thickest grass at regular speed, where I would have to slow down.
I am not sure you will find a good one at that price. ....
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| Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2002-07-15 40380
There are two different styles of Cub tractors. One is predominately built for farm use and the other as an estate tractor. The Farmall Cub and Cub lowboy for farm use and the Cub 154 and 184,185 model. The later 3 tractors have independent PTO"s which make them better for mowing. These tractors you straddle and sit on the center. The Farmall type do not have independent pto and are of an offset design for cultivation. Belly mowers have been available for all models of the Cub tractor line. ....
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| Ted@Abbeywoods, LLC
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2002-07-15 40405
Back when sabre-toothed tigers and wooly mammoths roamed Connecticut our family landscaping business bought it's first Farmall Cub. I think it was referred to as an "International Farmall" Cub, that much I'm not too sure about, but I'm certain that as Art said, it had the offset powertrain. It was red in color, had a small FEL with hydraulic lift, but the modest bucket had a mechanical dump, no cylinders. It was used to draft a stone boat that we primitives loaded with everything from rock to trees, it also ran a small sickle bar with very good results. It never overheated, and it never failed to start. It also never ran a belly mower, that came later when the business bought a spanking new 1963 International Cub. The '63 had numerous improvements; better FEL with hydraulic dump (what a pleasure not to have to ground the bucket to snap the lock on), a live pto, certerline drive train, and pretty yellow and white paint. It was the forerunner of today's 7000 series Cub Cadets. The finish mower was mid-mount, it weighed a ton, or so it seemed, and gave a wonderful cut so long as the grass was dry. The mower was sold under the International name and I'm not certain that they actually made it. If the grass was tall, you HAD to make two passes or it bogged down even while in low. A short time later, around the time we learned to walk unright, we got a wheeled trailer, a landscaping rake, and a mechanical tiller. We never got a backhoe, something I don't think was made for the Cub, and I can still remember those hot August days when we had to grab a shovel and a pick to plant and transplant bushes and small trees. The '63 had a front end that I swear looked like it was smiling, I think it just liked to watch us proto-homo sapiens grunt, and sweat, and curse away as we wished for a better, more evolutionary way to work. It took us until 1995 when we bought our first Mitsubishi built gear drive Cub Cadet before we got really "advanced," and now that machine has been replaced with a Kubota L35. Anywho, as long as you don't ask too much of the little guy your kids will be surprised to see it outlast you. Going prices around here start at $3500 for a basic restoration, tractor only. Have fun. ....
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| Gary D
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 8 Waterford, PA
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2002-07-15 40409
I suppose any tractor has it's limitations and it appears that the Cubs' are ones I can live with. I have found a guy who is currently restoring a '52 and will include a new Woods deck and snow plow for about 4500.00. From all I've gathered, this is a very fair price considering the complete restoration, the deck AND shipping to my house. It eill be done in spring of '03 and I can't wait. One more winter of walk behind snow blowing!
Thank you for all your thoughts and honest comments.
Have a great day!
Gary ....
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| LenK
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 6 Petersburg MI
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2002-07-16 40432
I also was (am) partial to Cubs. I grew up with Farmalls (H, Super M, and 400). I have 10 acres, of which I mow 5 acres. I mowed with a Cub Lowboy (154) with 60" mower for about 10 years. Frankly the tractor got the job done but would bog down in deep grass. I have about a 400' driveway that I plowed also, and the tractor had adequate power for plowing - just need chains because turf tires will slip real easy on ice. I now mow with a Grasshopper (721D) with 61 inch deck. It does better job mowing and cuts the time in half - can mow 5 acres in 2 hours versus 4 hours with the Low Boy. I have to admit I miss the Cub though - felt more like a tractor. ....
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| Todd Wilson
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2002-07-16 40436
My friend has a 1956 IH Low Boy Cub for sale right now it very good condition. Email me if you are interested. I THINK the price is 3500$. Its in the middle of Kansas.
Todd
t1wilsn2@swbell.net
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| RedDog
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 17 Lancaster, Ohio
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2002-07-17 40467
Gary,
My Dad has 2 of them, one with the belly mower. I have used them and they do bog down in grass. On level ground I was ok in 2nd gear, but go up a slight incline while mowing,, forget it. I would always have to go to 1st.
I did like the crank for the front, incase it wouldn't start the normal way,,, bout broke my wrist a couple of times,,,LOL.
We never had any heating problems.
RedDog ....
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