Original factory Cub Step?

[rjfcsa]

Hello all,
Does anyone know what the original cub step looked like exactly?

I know by the parts book they only made the short version, so yes the long ones are not original, ( but indeed rather nice to have). Then I know people have been making copies for a long time.

The reason asking I picked one up it deal of stuffs, and didn't give it much thought till I got it home and looked it over, and it makes me wonder. If one has been around tractors long enough, one can identify original paint a good part of the time. The aged color of the paint on this one makes me wonder. I am just not sure, and as I like original items to collect it has peaked my interest. Too bad it didn't have an inked on part number.

[JimCub48]

The original part # is 368578R11, my guess is this one is home made, aftermarket?, The welds don't look like factory welds? Looking at the parts manual the upper part by the step by the hooks does not appear to be cut out in the parts manual picture ? I have not seen an original but I would think it may have a part # on it?

[Barnyard]

[rjfcsa]

No part number doesn't worry me. Most N.O.S. steel fabed parts I have seen are not stamped with part numbers. Some where hand written with an ink or paint, a lot were stenciled with a number, and some just had the paper tag with the wire tie. In most cases the tag is missing and the numbers worn off. The cast parts have the number cast into them.
The picture in the part book doesn't show diamond plate either. I'm not arguing mine is original just looking to compare it to know originals.

Here is the link to archive photos on TMs site. I would guess theirs is original, though the part number doesn't look old enough to me, maybe it was just renumbered over the old.

http://www.tmtractor.com/tm-tractor/gmi ... te_001.htm

[Jim Becker]

I have never owned an original, and have only had one (reported as) original in my hands. It had the part number written on the bottom, in what appeared to be black felt tip marker. Based on that limited exposure, I think this is probably an original.

I notice the notch, while not shown in the catalog drawing, is rectangular in this part and curved in TM's picture. These and the part number marking are the sorts of things that could have changed over time. So I don't see them as strong evidence this is not original. By the way, if there was no notch as in the parts drawing, it would possibly run in into the brake pedal setscrew. If so, they would have probably not released it for manufacturing without adding the notch. The length of the round stock and the location of the welds are consistent with what I think an original looked like. The repros often have longer round stock and welds on the inner side of it. The final note is the shape/appearance of the diamonds on the tread surface. The originals were different than the diamond plate that is commonly available now. As far as I know, all originals and no repros had that shape diamond plate.

[JoeB]

The faded paint matches up with a lot of the NOS planter and implement parts I have had in the past.

[rjfcsa]

I have never owned an original, and have only had one (reported as) original in my hands. It had the part number written on the bottom, in what appeared to be black felt tip marker. Based on that limited exposure, I think this is probably an original.

I notice the notch, while not shown in the catalog drawing, is rectangular in this part and curved in TM's picture. These and the part number marking are the sorts of things that could have changed over time. So I don't see them as strong evidence this is not original. By the way, if there was no notch as in the parts drawing, it would possibly run in into the brake pedal setscrew. If so, they would have probably not released it for manufacturing without adding the notch. The length of the round stock and the location of the welds are consistent with what I think an original looked like. The repros often have longer round stock and welds on the inner side of it. The final note is the shape/appearance of the diamonds on the tread surface. The originals were different than the diamond plate that is commonly available now. As far as I know, all originals and no repros had that shape diamond plate.

On the part book drawing, those were kind of the same thoughts I was having, I kind of forgot about the brake set screw hitting, so one would assume they made small tweaks in the design to work better and simpler to cut out and manufacture.
As to the diamond plate I don't think that I have anything around modern wise to compare it to. I hade hear the original was a different shape but I didn't know what it looked like. I guess I had in my mind that it was an actual diamond shape or hollow square shape stamped in the steel, so at a glance I haven't paid that close of attention.

The faded paint matches up with a lot of the NOS planter and implement parts I have had in the past.

I was thinking that as well

Thanks for all the input
Russel Foster

[rjfcsa]

Ok, it was bugging me I got to thinking and I was like, well I have some repro steps I will compare that diamond plate. So here are some pics of what I found. The what I will call the original step is on the left. The two pics are of my Wagner 45 loader step

I would say it is the same diamond plate shape with just more wear, and paint.
The next couple and the last one are some repro steps and my truck bed.

[rjfcsa]

The modern stuff looks flatter and not as defined. The older stuff is more oval shape with a more defined, approximately 1/8" , rib running front to back.

[Bob McCarty]

And they easily could have come from different factories....

[Cub parts man]

I found two original steps at a closed dealer over 20 years ago and mine has the cut out on the top plate just like the you found. On the bottom you could just see the part number. The paint also looks the same faded color of mine. I would not hesitate to say that is original step.