Farmall Cub

I got the '53 back together and running yesterday. First time I've really had a chance to drive it because it was leaking so bad when I got it.

Had some pruned branches to drag back to the brush pile, so it got its first job too...

Anyway, on the way back up from the brush pile I thought why not? So, I revved it up in 2nd, clutch in, throttle to idle, gearshift neutral, pumped the clutch pedal... and it slipped perfectly into 3rd gear! Never had that work before. Guess it's time to start looking for an old dump truck with an old Roadranger in it...

I was so surprised that it actually worked, that I almost stalled it anyway. The old '53 doesn't have quite as much power as the '67.

Hey Matt, have you tried "Powershifting" it yet. Dave ( I've got a 53 also)....

Yes and yes.

Remember the old Chevy's, Ford's and Plymouth's back in the 50s with a 3 speed on the tree. If you wanted to burn rubber, you could not shift from reverse to 1st while moving backwards. But, if you went from reverse to 2nd and then to 1st in one motion, it would shift into 1st with no noise.

I found on letter series IH tractors, that shifting up throught the gears on the fly was possible (even without double clutching), but don't even think about downshifting without coming to a complete stop. Don't remember trying it on my Lo-Boy because with only three gears, I haven't had a situation that seemed to call for it.

bythepond88 wrote:I found on letter series IH tractors, that shifting up throught the gears on the fly was possible (even without double clutching), but don't even think about downshifting without coming to a complete stop. Don't remember trying it on my Lo-Boy because with only three gears, I haven't had a situation that seemed to call for it.

I double clutch all my Cubs when downshifting. Works like a charm. Learned it on dad's Super M 55 years ago.

What about speed shifting? I do it every once in a while Rolling downhill going into third gear. Old IH and chevy trucks shifted like a charm.

Y'all must have more hands than I do.

I've done it with the H. Usually from 3rd to 5th, but never had any success with the F-Cub.

With the '72 IHC I drove, with the exception of 1st gear, I could, once rolling shift all the way up and back down with left foot still on floor. Btw, used to start it by myself when the battery was too weak to turn over. Level ground, push till rolling steady, jump in and pop clutch in third gear. It only weighed 12,500 empty.when parked was about 100 feet from good hill, but sometimes had it running before I got there.

BIGHOSS wrote:Remember the old Chevy's, Ford's and Plymouth's back in the 50s with a 3 speed on the tree. If you wanted to burn rubber, you could not shift from reverse to 1st while moving backwards. But, if you went from reverse to 2nd and then to 1st in one motion, it would shift into 1st with no noise.

2nd and 3rd were synchronized 1st and revere were not, putting it in 2nd stopped the gears from turning so it would go in low gear 3 on the tree

You guys bring back the 53 Study with the hill holder. Bev learned on that. The 3 on the tree when everything was old, worn and sloppy could get you into 2 gears at the same time and you never took off till you got out and lined things up. Yeah the good old days.

BIGHOSS wrote:Remember the old Chevy's, Ford's and Plymouth's back in the 50s with a 3 speed on the tree. If you wanted to burn rubber, you could not shift from reverse to 1st while moving backwards. But, if you went from reverse to 2nd and then to 1st in one motion, it would shift into 1st with no noise.

That brings back some memories....I learned how to drive (on the highway) on a 3 on the tree, and thats one of the first things my dad taught me

Yep just for a second there, I went back to South Glens Falls drag strip in the days of the flagmen, and a three on the tree 54 Ford with a 58 Merc Turnpike Cruiser engine, no grill or bumper running C/Modified Production and babbling in the pits with Shirley (Cha Cha) and John Muldowny..Then I went in the Army...PS no double clutching, just power shifting....Ha Ha...Dave

bythepond88 wrote:I found on letter series IH tractors, that shifting up throught the gears on the fly was possible (even without double clutching), but don't even think about downshifting without coming to a complete stop. Don't remember trying it on my Lo-Boy because with only three gears, I haven't had a situation that seemed to call for it.

Downshifting w/o stopping is possible on an M. I have done it only from 3rd to 2nd when running a pto baler. Using the clutch just enough to shift into netural and when the speed of the tractor slows to the speed of 2nd the downshift w/o the clutch is possible. 2nd back to third was by what I call a slam shift. The clutch would be depressed, shift to 3rd QUICK, and let up on the clutch about as fast as depressing the clutch and letting up. This tractor was equipped with an M&W transmission but I think the low gears were original. A story. We were baling one time with the person we were baling for riding on the wagon. There was a hollow which required slowing and he didn't realize I was downshifting. I would signal dad when ready to upshift since it produces quite a jerk. The man asked dad how many forward gears the tractor had, he simply replied "nine" w/o explaning what I was doing. Dad never did ask how I figgured this out w/o tearing out a transmission. Thanks for listing to my story. Vern