Fluids for cubs

[Boss Hog]

This is right out of the 1976 operator's manual
Air cleaner SAE - 10W or SAE -5W-20
felt cam in Distributor SAE - 20
Transmission 3 1/2 pint HY TRAN
rear axle 1 and 3/4 pint HY TRAN
belt pulley housing 1/3 pint HY TRAN for maximum protection use Hy Tran, note failures due to use of improper fluid are not covered by warranty

this is right out of 1 084 506 R1 3-76 operators manual
This is the latest Info that IH published on the cubs as far as I can tell as they made less than 5,00 cubs after this
Boss

[RUSSALL]

Good info Boss. That's what my owners Manuel says.


Russ

[Buzzard Wing]

I recently got one of these manuals..... what surprised me was they recommended for engine oil, all are 'low ash IH. The older manuals never specified IH oil.
Above freezing: IH SAE - 30
32 - 10 SAE - 10W
10 - -10 SAE - 10W with 1/2 pint kero OR SAE 5W- 20
below -10 SAE - 10W with a pint of kero.

The bottom of the page says 'NOTE: Do not substitute SAE 10W-30 or 10W-40.' That really puzzles me, unless they want to keep your Cub all IH??

There is also a note in the tranny, rear axle, belt pulley and TC section that says 'FOR MAXIMUM PROTECTION USE IH HY-TRAN. Essentially saying it may not be covered under warranty if you use something else.

What is 'IH Steering Gear Lubricant'?? I asked Ken at C&G a few years back and he said gear oil is OK.

This is the only manual that seems to be for a specific 'version' Cub (long stripe). It doesn't have any wiring diagrams and unlike the other manuals before it, doesn't cover all previous Cubs. The older manuals don't specify IH oil but have similar recommendation for kero in cold temps.

[Scrivet]

I recently got one of these manuals..... what surprised me was they recommended for engine oil, all are 'low ash IH. The older manuals never specified IH oil.

The bottom of the page says 'NOTE: Do not substitute SAE 10W-30 or 10W-40.' That really puzzles me, unless they want to keep your Cub all IH??

There is also a note in the tranny, rear axle, belt pulley and TC section that says 'FOR MAXIMUM PROTECTION USE IH HY-TRAN. Essentially saying it may not be covered under warranty if you use something else.

What is 'IH Steering Gear Lubricant'?? I asked Ken at C&G a few years back and he said gear oil is OK.

This is the only manual that seems to be for a specific 'version' Cub (long stripe). It doesn't have any wiring diagrams and unlike the other manuals before it, doesn't cover all previous Cubs. The older manuals don't specify IH oil but have similar recommendation for kero in cold temps.

Keep in mind the date of this manual is during the "Money Problems" that led to the demise of IH. I'd bet these requirements are more from a "bean counter committee" (like the Paint Decision Committee) trying to increase revenue than by engineers demanding it.

I'd also bet that 'IH steering gear lubricant' is whatever supplier of 90wt gear oil bid the lowest with it in white bottles and a red IH painted on it.

[Johnk454]

I have lots and lots of Mobil 424 for my '08 hydro tractor - bought a couple extra 5gal buckets when I did my last fluid change. This seems to suggest I could use this in the trans and diff of my '48 cub? I just drained the old oil from the trans, diff, and TC.

The TC had what looked like motor oil, so that received four back-to-back fluid changes, only waiting long enough to get the 424 warm. The first dump of the 424 looked like chocolate milk. Last dump looked good, so I refilled it and called it good for now. BTW, this fixed my slow and jerky hydraulics - momentarily, at least.

Waiting on bearings from TM, so I haven't buttoned it back up. So what's the consensus on using HY-TRAN or equivalent instead of gear oil?

[Boss Hog]

Well you dont see many late model cubs with noisy transmissions

[Johnk454]

Well you dont see many late model cubs with noisy transmissions

Well, maybe, but late model cubs are about 30yrs younger... I know MY transmission makes more noise than it did 30yrs ago, especially in the morning before it gets warmed up.

Still, I'll give it a try. I know it is spec'd for my hydro tractor for the diff and tranny.

[Eugene]

The TC had what looked like motor oil.

Probably either 10 or 20 wt non detergent engine oil. Called for in specifications for fluids in early Cubs.

What's the consensus on using HY-TRAN or equivalent instead of gear oil?

Won't hurt anything. You may find that the gear noise is a bit louder than it would be with a heavier weight gear lub, specially on a older, well used tractor.

[Buzzard Wing]

One advantage of Hy Tran is it will take up some water. It was recommended (listed first) from around 1960 forward. I go way out of my way to get it. A gallon will do the tranny and TC.

If the tranny is noisy, it will be noisy no matter what you put in it. But it may be a little quieter with gear oil. Personally, I hate the smell of the stuff.

[coppersmythe]

good info boss, and good advice . i had gear oil (new) in the '51 and switched it over to hy-tran . quite frankly i did not notice it being any louder after the switch . but, i dont have a decibal meter ................... coppersmythe............................ps : bad case of yogie-itis this morning

[Yogie]

I'm right here with you Val.

[ntrenn]

I'm going back to regular gear oil in the transmission - the hy tran is considerably noisier in my transmissions than the gear oil was - as soon as I fix the leaking diff seals on the 63...

Many points are correct - but the beancounter one is probably the most plausible. GM is no different on a lot of things...they specify their part number first, and sometimes nothing else. Only one occasion have I seen where the OEM P/N was required to get the designed performance - the factory fill oil had a completely different additive package than what was available on the street, even though the name was the same on the bottle.

As far as oils today - they are so far superior to what was available in 1948, I would consider the manual a reference tool only at this point. You can pay $20/gal for Hytran or $12/gal for 75W gear oil. In gears, both will work just fine.

[Buzzard Wing]

Do you know why the diff seals are leaking?? Very often it is caused by a tranny full of water or just plain overfilled. Hate to say it, BUT, water is pretty hard on bearings and you may want to tear down the tranny while the finals are off. Or just turn up the radio and avoid the 'mushroom theory' lesson.

[ntrenn]

Pretty sure the diff seals are leaking because the tractor was used for on-road hayrides for many years and most likely wore them out. I drove it 10 or 15 of them myself - 5+ miles per hayride. If they are like the loboy ones, the lube holes to the seals were plugged with gunk years ago and the seals ran dry. It's a warmer weather job - as soon as the risk of snow is past as that's the plow tractor. Only the right one appears to be leaking - when I mow the hill right side down, I get drips..

[Thackery]

Im sure this was covered a hundred times but after draining a transmission what is recommended to rinse it out?
I drained the tranny on my 57 Loboy and it needs a good rinse. This stuff looks copper in color, thick, and I bet there was at least 3 quarts in there.
Thackery