This '49 Story Begins :

[ShineOn]

Here's a few pix of Our recent purchase .



Old Boy We got it from had a dead cell in the battery . Still started right up but the 6v starter needed some attention . New battery and 10t gear from Mike's boy up the road . Dressed one distressed field coil with liquid tape . Does the job now .



IH carb just needed a cleaning out and new gaskets for good measure . Earl at Pine Valley Equipment gave me a deal on full rebuild kit since he didn't have individual gaskets in stock . Mike's boy tested the J-4 and did a little soldering repair . Out came the liquid tape again .



The Bush-Hog "Buffalo" mower is running backwards , so the belt is a little finicky . Does the job otherwise . Will cobble up something for idler/guide pulley when it comes time to mount up the snow blade .

( should have got a shot of the dash panel . oh well , next time )

Work Safe All .

[Scrivet]

..........The Bush-Hog "Buffalo" mower is running backwards , so the belt is a little finicky . Does the job otherwise . ...........

Do you mean the blade is on backwards or upside down? There's no real way for it to turn backwards unless the belt is twisted (it looks straight in the pictures) or the engine is running backwards which I'm pretty sure it can't do. The spindle should turn clockwise looking down on it from the seat.

..........Will cobble up something for idler/guide pulley when it comes time to mount up the snow blade ...........

Not sure what idler/guide you're talking about. Best to remove the deck. The mule drive can stay on. You could chain up the deck but if you try to plow deep snow you can get snow piled up under the deck and loose traction even with the extra weight of the deck.

Good looking Cub and the Bush Hog deck looks in pretty good shape. Does it have an overrunning clutch? If the belt is finicky you probably need to adjust the mule drive pulleys down a little to tighten it up. The belt shouldn't be guitar string tight but it shouldn't flop around while it's running either.

[ShineOn]

Howdy Neighbor .

Do you mean the blade is on backwards or upside down? * * *. The spindle should turn clockwise looking down on it from the seat.

This Bush-Hog was apparently designed for CCW rotation . Some previous user just ground the backside of the blades and run 'er CW . But I knew that going in and it cuts good enough .

Not sure what idler/guide you're talking about. Best to remove the deck.

The deck has an Idler on the right / return side of the main pulley . Needs one on the feed side .

Good looking Cub and the Bush Hog deck looks in pretty good shape. Does it have an overrunning clutch? If the belt is finicky you probably need to adjust the mule drive pulleys down a little to tighten it up. The belt shouldn't be guitar string tight but it shouldn't flop around while it's running either.

Overall it's not too bad . Runs good , looks reasonable , leaks where it can . Pretty narrow working range on the deck w/o feed idler . Need to reset mules to work high or low . In the middle is fine for now .

Overrunning clutch ? Don't I wish . Would have made hitting that stump a little easier .

[Tezell]

Nice Cub!!

[Scrivet]

Here's two old threads with the Bush Hog mowers that should be of interest in case you haven't run across them yet.

http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=64996&p=531116&hilit=bush+color#p531116

http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=33776

Also do a google search on Bush Hog 412 and you'll get a lot of info. Looks like they adapted the same deck to several different tractors with different brackets and mule drive arrangement. I'm sure some of them turned opposite of a Cub. What I would worry about if it was designed for CCW rotation; will the blade stay tight or work loose? I haven't looked at how it mounts to the spindle. Haven't seen the extra idlers on the ones on Cubs, plus it looks like a few missing parts on the lift arms. Not a big deal really, if it mows OK.

Hitting a stump with that 42" solid blade can't be fun . I think though you mean a slip clutch instead of an overrunning clutch. A slip clutch would allow the blade to stop and the PTO to keep turning. Usefull when you hit, say, a stump, so you won't tear up something before you can get the clutch pushed to stop the PTO and forward movement. An overrunning clutch would allow the PTO to stop (and the tractor) and the blade to keep turning until it loses its momentum. Think of a ratchet wrench, you can turn the socket with the handle, but when you spin the socket the other way it just clicks, you can't move the handle. Without an overrunning clutch that big 42" solid blade spinning makes a great flywheel and sends the momemtum back up the belt to the PTO and into the Cub transmission then to the rear wheels to propel you forward (even with the clutch pushed in because the spinning blade becomes the engine) into the tree, fence, or into a ditch.

I don't know of a slip clutch on any Cub sized mower. I guess between the belts slipping and just killing the engine if you hit something, one is not needed.

You can mow without an overrunning clutch, just be aware of the flywheel effect and realize you can't stop on a dime.

[ShineOn]

Thanks Tezell . Looks to have been barn kept and maintained pretty well .

Thanks for the links Scrivet . Very helpful .

412A or SA by the looks of the parts diagrams . 412C doesn't list a “Guide Roller Assembly” . What I called idler/guide .
( got to get my nomenclature down )

No clutch of any kind . Direct drive . Makes it easier to modify as needed . Expect to have some fabricating FUN in the near future .

looks like a few missing parts on the lift arms

More like a whole page of parts !! Oh well . Should be easier to dismount come time . The chain Bridle appeals to the Stage Hand in me anyways . 1 pin and 2 bolts to drop away the entire Base Frame . Maybe I can use the Stabilizer in the front Blade I got to rig up ? Hummm . . .

Hitting a stump with that 42" solid blade can't be fun

Exciting at least . Burying the blade in the end of a 24” x 6' cedar log was my intro to immediate stops . And some problem solving . Honestly , who leaves a log out in the pasture to get overgrown with the brush pile just a few yards away ? Ahh , I shouldn't judge .

Anyway , after hitting a few stumps and a rock pile or two I'm getting to know the lay of the land . And the strength of this Bush Hog . The last stump ( or something ) was a doosie . Bounced over it and veered down into the washboard area with engine running and belt a flop . Front end didn't take that too kindly . So now the Steering Gear Arm rides up and down the Shaft about 1/2 to 3/4” instead of being nice and snug , like before . Steering is suddenly a little too sloppy for comfort .
( kinda like most Kubotas I've met )

 just be aware of the flywheel effect and realize you can't stop on a dime

Stop on a Dime ? I can't stop this rig on a $10 Bill !! Right brake was useless from the jump and left is getting there . On the list for Winter refurb .

Thank You very much for taking the time to explain the clutch setups and direct me to more and better mower information . Much appreciated .

Work Safe All .

[ShineOn]

Well Neighbors ,

Thanks for the guidance .

So We've got here a Bush Hog 412 for a CCW Farmall A or Super A mounted up under the '49 . Here's the guide roller that cinched the rotation intended .



Here's a closer shot of the rigged up lift rigging .



And the idler bulls aren't quite lined up so the drive sheave needs to be adjusted on the shaft maybe ?? A little more to learn about .

Expect I'll be dropping the base frame deck for drill and give 'er a flip to see what's up down under . Trust I haven't torqued the blade or anything . Needs a sharpening anyway .

Work Safe All .

[Rodney51Cub]

Here is a picture of the lift linkage on Ol Red with the 412c mower.
Don't know if it correct, but this was the setup when I got the tractor in 1996.
The blade on my 412 is held on with 4 1/2" bolts and nuts.
Hope this helps.

DSCN0551.JPG (197.94 KiB) Viewed 1004 times

Rodney

[ShineOn]

Hey Rodney ,

That lift linkage looks about like the parts diagram .

Four 1/2 inchers eh ? Glad I'm doubled up on wrenches . Actually looking forward to this task . Long as the blade is salvageable that is . Got a feeling there's some rock divots in there some-wheres . A little forge work might be in order but new blade is just not in this years budget .

Thanks Guy . Be Safe .

[ShineOn]

Now that I'm done mowing rocks for the year it's time to pull the deck for service .



Doesn't look too bad under there . Better get some paint on the underside this winter .

Well , I see where these blades start life two sided . That's useful . This one shows it's wear .



A little rubbing with the body grinder to smooth the contour and LOTS of file love should bring a useful edge back up .



And so it shall be .

[Papa's Cub]

Nice Rig, Shine. That blade looks straight from where I'm looking and I'm wondering why you couldn't just turn it over. Just curious, Tom.

[ShineOn]

Well Sir , one "fresh" edge is missing a chunk and the blade is wedge shaped , not knife shaped . Might give that flipping a try for giggles .

So far I've been impressed with the quality of this ol' Bush Hog unit . Solid as a Tank and shrugged off the rock piles with barely a bend in the deck trailing edge . Not even worth getting the body dollies out to bash on .

I'm one Happy Cub Camper .

[staninlowerAL]

Looks like the Bush Hog 412 mower that came with the 57 LoBoy I just got. The blade is sharpened on both sides like yours and flat (no pitch on the trailing edge). Mine has the mfg ID tag on it on the right side of the spindle and near the cross reinforcing support.

[ShineOn]

I didn't find any manufacturer info on this blade . I did find a claimed high Boron replacement for ( what was it ? ) $138 plus S&H . Think I could cobble up something to mount readily available blades from like Dickey Bubs . The county Farm Supplies down Roselle way don't have any blades to speak of . Or linkages either for that matter . Glad Dickey is just up the road a bit from the new place . Gonna be spending some cash flow there when it's time to figure out the snow blade mounting .

[torchred89]

Look like these home made blades.