New member w/'49 cub

[JimCT]

Signed up a few days ago. Have been sitting back reading through the old & new posts. Have to say, I've learned more about the old girl in three days of reading than in 50 years of living with her.

Have had the cub since '53. Up until I got the Jubilee in '96, she mowed 15 acres of lawn with a C3. Before the C3, we used the sickle mower. Implements are: C-189 moldboard plow, C-22 mower, C-3 mower, L-38 disk harrow, fast-hitch (inherited from somone who didn't know what it was), rt. angle PTO belt drive, a ground-driven IH fertilizer/lime spreader, C-54 plow/grader and a 3.5KW belt driven generator. She wears a lot of hats.

Over the years the engine's been re-built twice. Various 6V generator problems here & there but nothing else to speak of. Present duties are plowing snow, hauling the trailer to the brush dump and standing by to generate juice for the house when the power company fails to.

One secret joy I have is to start her with the crank. I realize it's safer for me to climb up on the seat and pull the starter loop, but I have to say, I'm sick of being protected from all dangers. Heck, even going to the store the door opens automatically so as to avoid the danger of me running into the door and breaking my nose. Well, cranking the engine with the short, swift uplift of the crank does two things for me; it exposes me to my needed danger and it tells me how she's feeling. More than two or three pulls on the handle with no answer tells me something's up.

Best to all for a happy '06!

[John(videodoc)]

welcome aboard, Jim. lots of info here to view and obtain if needed. lots of help help too if your looking for answers.

[Ron L]

Jim. Welcome aboard...... Folks here are friendly and informative. (Some cut-ups, too) Loads of information and experience at this site. Don't be afraid to ask questions and give us some answers when your experience would help !!!

[DuxburyFarmall]

Jim,

Welcome to the greatest forum on the web!

Chad

[Buzzard Wing]

Yep, you found us! This sure is a great board and surely the finest group of helpful folks.

ArtC lives nearby and you should plan a trip to his organizations farm in Colchester, .... great guy and really interesting effort they have going there:
http://www.qvea.org They have a couple of shows a year and I guarantee that you will enjoy the great folks and their projects!

Welcome aboard!

[JimCT]

Thank you all for the kind welcome.

Area around here used to be owned by IH, but after their fall, greens and gray & reds took the field. Still a good number of cubs, A's, C's & M's around.

[Kodiak]

Welcome Jim, something tells me your experience will be very benifical to all on this forum!

[EZ]

Jim,

Welcome home.

I too have a '49 and blow it a little kiss every night. Great little machine. I've often wanted to try to crank mine, but the lack of a proper crank tool and a real hesitation toward possible injury has me thinking...not today.

A buddy of mine who gave me a '44 A asked me after I had it couple years, if I had ever tried to crank it. No, I said. He walked over inserted the crank, and with one swift stroke fired it right up. I never did try it myself.

['Country' Elliott]

Hey JIM...WELCOME to the board! Some of my GREATEST tractor joy was crankin' my 1946 Farmall M on a COLD winter morning! There's just something magical about bringing a tractor to life with a hand crank!

EZ...There are plenty of after-market Cub cranks that you can find. Be sure to buy the ones with the collar that turn in your hand (made like the original ones). They're "EZ" to use and you'll enjoy crankin' your Cub too!

[JimCT]

The other advantage of having & being comfortable using the crank is that you know the tractor is always available; no worry about a dead battery.

[cowboy]

HI Jim and welcome to the site

I see you have a generator setup for your cub. Some of the guys here want to do the same. If you have any pictures you can post of it I am shure they would love to see it.

Billy

[beaconlight]

For those of you temped to crank and never have done it before be sure that you don't wrap your hand around the crank when using it. Keep your thumb on the same side as your fingers. That way in case of a back fire the crank is pulled out of your hand instead of breaking your thumb or hand. I am old enough to have been around hand cranks as a kid. some times there is an advantage to being an old f--t.

Bill

[Rudi]

Jim:

Welcome to the family and I am assuming that after 3 days of reading you have already read the Welcome Wagon Spiel..... and know where all the goodies are hiding both here, on the ATIS site and the Cub Manual Server.

With all the experience you have gained over the last 5 decades, I do believe that you will have lots of insight to offer many of us newer Cub owners.

Again welcome to the family

[JimCT]

I'm not sure I can add much to the discussion since I've had no trouble with the cub.

Regarding the generator set-up, will take pictures in a day or so & send them along.

[400lbsonacubseatspring]

I'm not sure I can add much to the discussion since I've had no trouble with the cub.

Regarding the generator set-up, will take pictures in a day or so & send them along.

Jim there are often times when just experience in "using" a cub is a useful thing here, as there are a lot of us who work our cubs pretty hard.

I've found, in regards to cranking the A and the Cub, that putting your whole body into the process is a good way to wear yourself out. I am tall enough that getting my head or face in the path of the crank is not a problem.

The last time I crank-started the A, after flooding it in 5 degree weather, and subsequently draining the battery, I had worn myself to the point that my lips were already blue from lack of oxygen, and an on-going asthma attack. So, leaning on the hood to the right side of the crank, so I wouldn't fall over, I'd crank it around until I could give it one good up-crank, all with just my left arm. It started immediately. I then realized that it is not necessary to get any sort of speed or force going on the crank, just enough to spin the engine will do nicely.

I think one of the biggest resistance loads to overcome in very cold weather is the oil in the air cleaner getting so heavy, providing, of course, you have it up to proper level. It has recently been my practice to drop the oil cup on the cub when cranking in weather that is too cold, it seems to make the turning easier, and it's easy to pop it back up, once started.