My First Tractor

[Glen]

Hi,
Looks like the rod is a different length. If you can't find another rod, it's worth trying straightening yours, and try taking out the spacer at the rear, that's the part next to the nuts, then set the nuts near the end of the thread. That will let it go down farther.
Making it 3 inches shorter could have been a change that IH did to them, I don't know, just a guess.
Anyone have an original length Fast Hitch lift rod from the 1970's they could measure and post the length here.

[LilCub]

I found another post that says it should be 54" as you said Glen. It also gives lengths to where the bends are supposed to be. The only problem is I don't know which way it should be bent and how much. The picture from the manual looks like it is completely straight compared to mine.

Tim (tst) definitely made some of these, and very well from what I read, but it was back in 2012 and the for sale link is dead. Hopefully he will make another run at some point. I asked him if he can give any advise on bending mine back into proper shape so hopefully he will chime in.

[Glen]

Hi,
Here is another page from the Cub owner's manual showing the rod. They are not straight, they bend right and left. It is probably straight though up and down.
The guys on here recommend reading the owner's manual, if you have never had a Cub before. The manual has much info about operation, maintenance, and lubrication. Just a suggestion, it help you become familiar with the Cub. The manuals are at the top of the page, they don't have every year, pick one close to your year. There is a 1974 owner's manual in the group below.

Added, if you straighten yours, it will take a little time to make it fit right probably. I would block the Fast Hitch up so you can try the rod on easily, and then remove it again, you might need to heat it a few times to bend it the right shape like in the pic. The rod should be straight along the fender area, then bend like in the pics, forward of the fender.

http://www.cleancomputes.com/Cub/Cub%20 ... age-15.jpg

http://www.farmallcub.com/[ Sorry, direct links to manual section is not allowed. ]/index.p ... ls&order=0

[LilCub]

Well the good news is my TC works fine. I filled it with some cheap tractor fluid my father-in-law had lying around and it came right back to life. I am only using the cheap stuff temporarily while I test for major leaks, etc...in case I need to replace some seals I won't waste a lot of expensive fluid. When I filled it up the hard start issue also disappeared. I am not sure but my father-in-law said it had something to do with the tc running off the flywheel which he had never seen on a tractor ( he likes the green ones ) I pumped it several times to run the air out, then drained, filled, pumped it some more, and topped it off.

On the sad note who ever molested my lift rod seems to have went to a lot of trouble to mess it up. After I took it off and started looking at it it appears he cold bent it causing fractures, then cut the eye end off and welded it back on 90 degrees off to make it fit the wrong location. I noticed the fractures and the bend but when I laid it out flat trying to figure out how I was going to attempt to bend it back I realized it wasn't that far out of shape but that the eye was in the wrong direction meaning I would have to straighten out both bends in one direction and bend it back in the other. I started looking closer and noticed the area below the eye where it looks to have been welded and ground down so I can only assume he cut the ye off and welded it back the wrong way on purpose

Tim has some made and I will definitely be picking one up from him but will have to wait a few weeks for that bonus check. I was hoping to bend this one out and get the ground working in the mean time but I don't think I have the means and is it worth it at this point? If only that guy had found this forum before he ruined my lift rod.

Once I have this issue fixed I will be tackling the mower next. I started brushing some dirt off and found an intact serial number plate and international logo down both sides. Seem I have a nearly complete international c-2 rotary mower. The only thing I am missing that I can tell are the offset drive gearbox and pully (so I can use with the FH, labeled 3 in the picture) and the little bar that connects the rockshaft to the chain on the right side.

Fun Stuff!

[Glen]

Hi,
Interesting post Ken. Interesting pics.
The engine starting would have nothing to do with the Touch Control fluid level. Starting depends on compression, fuel getting to the cylinders, and spark, enough spark and timed correctly.
They recommend when people first buy a Cub, to give it a tuneup, points, condenser, distributor cap, rotor, spark plugs, and ignition wires. Or inspect them all and see if they are still good. The points should be like new, shiny and flat metal on the 2 surfaces that touch. Old and burned surfaces can make it start hard.
Then set the timing with a timing light.
The Touch Control pump runs from the engine timing gears, which are at the front of the engine. The IH book says that is so the Touch Control will work whenever the engine is running.
You said you used cheap fluid, did you read the container to see if it is approved to use in IH hydraulic systems, the guys on here have said there is some fluid that should not be put in a Touch Control.
Too bad about the lift rod. If you knew a really good metal worker person, they could repair yours, but if Tim sells them, a new one would be good too. I don't know how much Tim sells them for.

[LilCub]

The engine starting would have nothing to do with the Touch Control fluid level.

I don't know enough to explain it yet but the tc fluid being low definitely had some effect on it starting. It sounded like the starter was grinding on the flywheel or something. It is well tuned and cranks first try every time except when the hydraulic fluid was low.

You said you used cheap fluid, did you read the container to see if it is approved to use in IH hydraulic systems, the guys on here have said there is some fluid that should not be put in a Touch Control.

The cheap fluid was only for a test. I will replace it with the good stuff soon.

Too bad about the lift rod. If you knew a really good metal worker person, they could repair yours, but if Tim sells them, a new one would be good too. I don't know how much Tim sells them for.

Tim's seem very reasonable and come highly recommended. I will definitely be buying one. My wife was trying to "help" find one cheaper on another site and was referred to Tim there also. Made me laugh and I got to say "I told you so"

Thanks again for all the help.

[LilCub]

So after 6 months of owning Bessie today she finally went back to work. From what I gathered from the previous owner it had been at the very least 10 years since she has done any farming. I think she was glowing, I know I was. Yes its real late to be breaking ground but I hope to get a fall/winter crop in even if just a cover to help for next year. Any recommendations on winter hardy cover crops for red clay soil zone 8A would be great.

Thanks to Tim (tst) I got my new lift rod in and installed and that solved all the problems with my implements not getting to the ground. It still needs paint but I had a chance and couldn't wait.

Being its been so hot and the ground is hard baked I started with the "ripper" I think this is homemade. Someone told me it was called a sod buster but looks like the ripper on a D9 dozer to me. It would only get about 5" deep with FH depth all the way down and no down force with lift rod. It did bust the sod pretty well and seems great at pulling up large rocks.

I made a single pass over what will be the garden and this is how it looks now. Next pass will be with the plow, then the discs.

Also you can see I removed the Farmall Decals. I have a very nice set of the correct International Cub Mylar hood decals (also thanks to Tim) sitting on my desk, just need time to get them on. Also all the parts for my IH C-2 mower minus lots of nuts and bolts. Might be after it cools down before I tackle that one though.

I can't thank everyone here enough for helping me get this far and feeling good about what I need going forward.

I just heard Thunder! Please, O' Please let it rain!

[Don McCombs]

Any recommendations on winter hardy cover crops for red clay soil zone 8A would be great.

I wouldn't worry about it being winter hardy, as you will be turning it under in the Spring anyway. I use horse oats (horse feed) in a much colder climate than you have and they do well. They're lots cheaper than agricultural oat seed and will germinate just as well. If you plant now, by broadcast seeding, you should have a nice stand by fall. If you have a pull behind lawn roller, roll the seed in after planting.

[Eugene]

Any recommendations on winter hardy cover crops for red clay soil zone 8A would be great.

Forage radish. Great cover crop. Inexpensive. Drills holes in the clay.

[Glen]

Hi,
Glad you got a new lift rod, and it works good. I can't quite see it in your pics, it's supposed to have a nut at the rear end, then the spacer is next, in front of the nut. And a cotter key at the rear to keep the nut from falling off.

[LilCub]

.

20160310_135543.jpg

Yep, just like this but without the double nut, single nut and cotter pin on the end. The new rod made a huge difference. I can literally put the pull bar all the way on the ground now if I don't have anything attached.

[Barebones]

Looks like the tractor has retained its original gas cap. That type of unvented cap can cause fuel vapor lock, which can be dangerous and can stall the tractor. Someone drilled a hole in mine and it spewed gasoline, as a result.

The answer: A vented replacement cap has been available from International that solves the issue. It was free last I knew. Hopefully, you'll locate the relevant info on this site or someone will chime in with details.

[Urbish]

You can fill out the form on this website and IH will mail you a new gas cap: http://www.ihgascap.com/