1949 Cub Natchez MS Updates

[cavingreer]

So much better looking than when they came out! Waiting on new axle bearings now

[cavingreer]

Finally got my bearings in and started back on the first drive.
Axle bearing retainer had a cork gasket under the seal, and the original seal was enclosed.
New seal is open and there's no listing for the gasket. I could round up some cork and make the gasket.
Thoughts?

[Glen]

Hi,
If the new oil seal doesn't fit tight in the retainer in your pic, don't use it, it will probably leak.

The newer style retainer has the seal made on it.
I would put that on if the seal is not tight in the retainer in your pic.
TM Tractor has them in their page of final drive parts.

The newer style oil seals look like you have in your pic, open on 1 side.

[cavingreer]

I have that gasket ready to go but this cork was between the oil seal and the retainer

[Dale Finch]

I don't remember ever seeing a gasket between the "bottom" of the retainer & the seal. Can't see that it would provide any function. And as you discovered, the new seal is MUCH thinner than the original.

I would make sure, though, that there are no scratches or gouges in the seal mating surface circumference. Removing those old seals sometimes leaves a gouge, which can subsequently leak.

[Jim Becker]

That gasket may have been put in there as a spacer, to get the lip of the seal positioned on a good area of the shaft. On the other hand, whoever put it in may have just not known what he was doing.

[cavingreer]

Entirely possible. I'll move on without it

[cavingreer]

Well there's one back together. Before I put that long shaft in I'm going to take some time to clean and mount the differential tube

[Yogie]

Getting in on the end of this and I've enjoyed your pictures and postings. " clean and mount the differential tube " Not sure what you mean by this so are you talking about placing the tube the seat mounts on to the tractor first and then placing the axle through ? If so you might want to bolt it to the final drive and place it all on together as one unit. You can put a couple long bolts without heads in the trans as guides and see your axle go in the trans instead of stabbing in the dark and possibly causing damage to your new trans retainer seal. Just thinking out loud, your doing a fine job.

[Glen]

Hi,
I'm not sure if anyone said, or if you already knew, the oil seals have to be installed so the lips face into the unit where the oil is.
They probably don't seal installed backwards.

Something looks different about the seal area in your pic of the seed plate drive, not sure if it's just the pic causing it or not.
It's not open looking around the nut on my Cub, just the metal of the seal there.

[Dale Finch]

Is the final in the photos just above for the left or right? I ask because it appears you have an implement mounting bolt hole broken out on the side opposite the final oil filler plug. So if that is for the right (normally the final with the planter drive sprocket), you wouldn't be able to mount a drawbar.

[cavingreer]

Yogie yes the tube the seat sits on. I didn't have any issues with it just eased it in carefully and got the splines lined up and a couple bolts in.

Dale yes there are a couple bolt holes broken out and I found out during disassembly the other holes have been heli-coiled. But I do have a mule drive and my belly mower

[cavingreer]

Got the right side back together and now I'm working on the left side and the steering column and controls. I opted to use truck bed liner on the floor pan.
I actually made my own pedal springs because the old ones were stretched. I bought a spring the same size but over twice as long, then I cut to length and bend the hooks.

This is the method I use to get the axel seal out. I lay it on a hole saw in the vice and tap it out. This one had that felt seal as well. Must have been something in the early Cubs that they abandoned

[cavingreer]

Cleaning up the controls and found a hidden treasure. Part numbers. I'm guessing that screw head was something used during casting.

Also decided to redo my steering wheel. This is a revision of the original how-to from the forum that I did early on. The problem I had was the liquid rubber originally recommended simply peeled right off mine. I had some liquid nails open so I used it to reseal the cracks and then sprayed it with the bed liner

[cavingreer]

I wanted to document this little gem. One day my wife's grandfather "Papaw John" and her Dad were plowing. He snagged a stump and the whole tractor lifted up and then popped loose and slammed into the ground. It broke the differential and the final drive. Papaw John brazed it back together and you can see the cracks and brazing with it all apart and clean.

And on another note I got my control column back together. Just need new thumb screws