Farmall Cub

How does the MH Pony compare to a Farmall Cub?

I found a really nice looking one yesterday and made an offer. It's smaller that what I'll eventually need but it could do the lighter chores until I can get another tractor.

I've read that the PTO turns the opposite direction of the standard PTO but it turns at around 540 rpm. It has a 1 1/8" splined shaft instead of a 1 3/8" shaft.

I'd like a pull behind mower instead of a belly mower. How hard would that be to find? Would I have to buy one made specifically for a Pony?

It looks like the drawbar would pull a wagon so that's not a problem.

Also, I was wondering about sickle bar mowers. Would that have to be made specifically for the Pony?

Thanks,
Dan

Ponies are good rigs, with a little more power than a cub. They weren't near as many made, so they usually sell higher, and parts/iplements are harder to find.
Regarding the pull behind mower, you can get one of the trail mowers with it's own engine form TSc, Northern Tool, etc. That will work great behind about any tractor and pto won't matter. Speaking of pto, I don't know if they turn reverse or not, but a cub does turn reberse. I really though pony tunred the same as other tractors.

Excellent John!!!

That was my main concern about buying a Pony. Mowing paths around the property will be one of the primary chores of the tractor.

If the PTO does turn the standard way then that gives me another option.

Thanks John!

Dan

Dan:

Availability is a regional thing. Cubs are not as common in my area as the Massey-Harris Pony is. However, John is correct. though, not as many Pony's were built in comparison to the Cub. They are more common here because most of them were built in Canada.

I only know of say 6 Cubs within 20 kms of my house, and I have seen at one time or another at least twice maybe 3 times that many Pony's. Parts are readily available for them as well, although, it will probably be 180 degrees from what I am used to.

I have to get a lot of my Cub parts stateside. Pony parts are pretty common here and David over at Chown Tractor Parts can usually get hold of a couple of Pony's every year and does have Pony parts in stock most of the time.

Implements are not all that difficult to find. I have a couple sitting in my back yard for my buddy Roger that has a Pony. Sickle mowers, roll-over plows, spring and disc harrows are usually available. I even have a Marvel Schleiber carb for a Pony currently on Granny, which will be replaced shortly I hope.

I even have 2 Massey-Harris potato diggers (chain and sprocket ground driven type) that were pulled by Pony's on a regular basis here. Ellie pulls it quite nicely and it works very well. Lots of Pony stuff on the Island too!

Still, I prefer my Cubs over the Pony. Mostly a personal thing - I like the look, sound and the feel of the Cub better than the Pony. However, both Cubs and Pony's have had a historical place in my wife's family, both were the most common next to the Ford N series tractors.

There are lots of pull behind mowers that will work with the Pony, self powered and ground driven will both work.

There is also a pretty good forum for Pony's over at Massey-Harris Forum and YT Mag's M-H Forum, although I have not had great responses from the members on questions I had posed on those boards. I am used to much better.

Hope this helps...

pgmrdan wrote:How does the MH Pony compare to a Farmall Cub?

We tried to answer that question at last year's CubFest. The results weren't conclusive.



I'm not real sure, but I *THINK* the rotation and RPM is standard but the diameter is, like many of it's contemporaries a little smaller. Adapters are readily available.

Can you get an overrunning clutch that will also adapt a 1 1/8" PTO to a 1 3/8" PTO?

The adapter for the PTO is a sleeve. You should be able to get one at the local farm supply store. This is for the over running clutch.

If you are going to purchase a mower consider a belly mounted rotary mower. Reason. You can use the mower for most mowing jobs. Not good for making hay. When you sell the tractor, a lot of people want a small tractor with mower.

Where in heck did you find a Massey Harris, and a Pony at that, in central Iowa?

Eugene

pgmrdan wrote:Can you get an overrunning clutch that will also adapt a 1 1/8" PTO to a 1 3/8" PTO?

I have one on one of my 9Ns. It came from a Farm and Fleet store, but their replacement, TSC, should have one available as well.

Eugene,

The haymaking will be on hold for a while. I'm going to let a couple of guys keep coming in to take hay off the place until I get my house built. I'm going to have to get another tractor for the bigger work. This one is for mowing the lawn, landscaping chores, and general maintenance.

Where did I get it? It was sitting on a guy's front yard about 2 miles south of Indianola with a FOR SALE sign on it. He was letting the owner park it there. (The owner lives down a dead end lane. Not much traffic.) The owner said he has 2 more but they're not up for sale. He lets his grand kids drive them.

The tractor seems in really good shape. The sheet metal is straight and has good older paint. The engine looks well maintained. It started right up. No smoke. Drives really well. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw it up close.

George,

I found one of the overrun clutches in the Valu-Bilt catalog that goes on a 1 1/8" PTO shaft and has a 1 3/8" shaft on the other end. That should do it.

Lots of luck with your pony. Price, availability and quality are 2 necessary along with location. I don't understand whether it is close to you or not. How will you move it?

Bill

Dan:

Congratulations on your find and purchase.

Indianola, Iowa has grown since I lived there in the 60's. I lived on a small 40 acre farm 2 miles west of the city limits. I dated a girl who lived on a small farm east of the city limits. Both farms are now housing developments and inside the city limits.

Moving the tractor shouldn't be a problem. All Dan needs is an SMV sign on the back of the tractor and he can drive the tractor to his acerage if it's not that far, 10 - 15 miles or so.

Again, great find.

Eugene

Thanks guys!

Fortunately, the seller is going to deliver it. We're going to meet tomorrow night to wrap things up.

It's not a Farmall Cub but at least it has a lot of red paint on it!

That pic with George pulling against the Pony is swell. Isn't that practice dangerous. I wouldn't be too afraid of the Cub with its limited power but larger tractors can come up rather easily.

WK. so will a cub, don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. I use my rear mount disk plow to occasioanlly clan out the road ditches. I was running up hill at about 1/3 throttle in low gear (with snow cahins still on) when the plow caught on something, which is very unusual with a disk plow. when working like that I always ride with my foot just over the clutch pedal. right front wheel was about 6 inches off the ground before I got the clutch down, but it sure got my attention.

John, The reason I posted the way I did was because I've never been able to get the Cub to get enough traction to lift but on several ocassions I've had the H in the air, one time it would lift at will with the clutch. I could hold it in any position I wanted.

Scared me afterwards when I thought about what would have happened had I slipped off the clutch.