Front Wheels for a Cub - steering wheel

[dhermesc]

Just picked up a Cub 109. The previous owner let the front bearings go dry and ruined one wheel (lost the bearing then wallowed out the hub center). Are the front axles the same size for all/most cubs? I see a set for a 127 on flea bay - will they fit?

Are there specific wheels that won't fit?

It also has a problem with the steering wheel. The bushing that is supposed to slide inside the steering column keeps riding up and the steering wheel has a lot of slop. You can slide it back down but it only stays there for a a few minutes. I tried pulling the steering wheel but my gear puller only gouged the plastic steering wheel without making any headway. Can you taking the colum loose from the bottem and slide the shaft out out the column without pulling the steering wheel?

[Eugene]

You need to remove the steering wheel in order to remove the steering column. Soak the nut in the center of the steering wheel with good solvent. Loosen the nut. Place a piece of hard wood in the center of the steering wheel on the nut. Place both knees under the steering wheel, press up with the knees and wack the board with a big hammer.

On the wheels. I think they will fit. Paul B will know the correct answer.

I would take the good wheel to one of the local small engine shops that deals in lawn tractors. One of the local shops has a large number of "junk" machines on hand.

[Paul B]

It depends on what size the wheels are. If they are for 4.00/4.80 X 8 tires (narrow wheel), they will fit. If they are for 16-6.50 X 8 (wide wheel) they will not. The 127 is a narrow frame tractor and the 109 is a wide frame. The spindles and the axle castings are different between the two, although both have a 3/4" axle stub that the wheel fits on. The narrow front wheels will fit both types, but the wide wheels have a different offset, and will not interchange correctly. The wide wheels for the narrow frame is offset to the inside of the wheel, the wide wheel for the wide frame is offset to the outside of the wheel, and will hit the spindle of the narrow frame axle. The spindles were changed to a 1" axle stub on later model wide frame tractors and the wheels for those axles will not fit the earlier model tractors.

[dhermesc]

So the axle size and length is the same?

I'm not worried about the offset - if its wrong I'll reverse the wheel and put the valve stems on the inside.

I thought the smaller 3/4 shaft was only used on the original cubs with bushings and a few very early models with bearings then they all went to the 1" shaft. But I could be wrong.

My concern is mainly relating to the axle shaft length, I don't want to have a 1/2" of washers because of incorrect hub length.

The wheels I'm looking at are the 16 x 6.50 – 8” front wheels off the 127.

[racenitro]

Don't recommend using the board method.

The best I have found, and I have done it a lot with over 50cubs, is to use a loong bolt the same size as the threads on the steering shaft. Put a nut on the steering shaft and thread half way down and then thread on the long bolt. Thighten the bolt against the shaft and now pull up on steering wheel while striking the long bolt. Usually one or two whacks and the wheel will pop up. Remove the blt and nut and then the wheel.

Probably have used this method at lest a 100 times and it always works and does not hurt the threads or end of the shaft.

[dhermesc]

What do you use for spacers between the steering wheel and the bushing?

[Island Cubber]

I had the same problem on my 147 with the rubber bushing wanting to slide up giving me extra slop. It was brought to my attention that there wer 2 small dimples on the outer shaft. I put the bushing back down, then with a punch re punched the dimples and it hasn't moved since, hope this works for you as well
Don
as well i don't think there is any thing in between, mine has about 1/4 inch of space there

[Eugene]

What do you use for spacers between the steering wheel and the bushing?

Besides Island Cubber's suggestion. I used silicone caulk. Cleaned the bushing and column. Put a bit of silicone caulk on the bushing and installed it.

[Paul B]

The axle stub is the same length, but I think you will find that the valve stem will hit the spindle if you reverse the 127 wheels to put them on the 109. The Original spindles were 7/8" and the wheels used bushings. The 3/4" spindle/axle and wheels with bearings, starting at serial number 65458 (Aug 1963) with the 70/100, and used up to serial number 632502 (Aug 1978) when it changed to 1".

You may be able put the 127 wheels on without reversing them, but it will make the track wider and may cause clearance problems when turning.

There is a foam ring/washer that fits between the bottom of the steering wheel and the bushing in the top of the column

[BigBill]

On my cadets that are going to see heavy use I been thinking of using the trailer hubs/spindles that have 5 lugs on 4 1/2 bolt circle on the front axles. Maybe a whole new axle or reinforcing the axle beam is needed too with new heavier spindle brackets too.

On my regular cadets i'm going to put two aggussets on both sides of the spindles and weld them up so they can't bend. But on my older narrow frames i'm going to reset the camber towards the outside first them aggusset/weld them so they can't bend.

If we rework the front end in the end we can end up with one hell of a work tractor. I think if IH took the cub cadet to a whole new level into the larger garden tractor size wise they would still be IH tractors. Even the newer tractors today are way over priced for what they are. The brand new cadets are terrible too.

Comming from a machine building and engineering background the only thing that IH did wrong is the front axle assembly with the cub cadets/int154/int185/int184 cubs too. We have one of the best engines(kolher), one of the best bullet proof heavy duty tranny's (farmall cub tranny) and the clutch can be beef'd up if needed too. Its only the front ends that were designed wrong.

[Merk]

Big Bill,
Check out this site for beefing front axle:
http://www.p.f.engineering.50megs.com/photo.html

They have some good info on loaders too.