Running Cub

‘Tis a fine day in Central Texas. The air is 35 degrees and it is sunny, with a cool North wind. It is a perfect day to go for a drive on the 1949 Farmall Cub. That is just what I did. I saw it had not leaked gasoline anywhere so I disconnected the six volt battery charger and connected the negative battery cable. I managed to touch the battery box while snugging the cable and threw a nice spark which told me both that the battery is charged and to be more careful. Then I climbed aboard using the clever step device dangling from the platform, pulled the choke, pulled the ignition switch, and then the starter. The old Cub started right away and soon I had figured out how to give it just enough choke to keep it going while it warmed up. We backed into the yard and went for a drive ‘round and ‘round we went in second gear, making about five laps of the back yard. I stopped it in the sun to take pictures and to “bleed” the hydraulic system. That thing howled and squealed and scared me quite a bit. Then it settled down and was pretty quiet. I am guessing the air is out of the lines and the inner works are lubricated again.

 

We drove around a few more times and then back to the Tractor Building. Shift to first gear and slowly through the door to its standing place. I pushed in the ignition switch, climbed down, and shut off the fuel at the fuel filter. It looks good, runs well, irritates the dogs, throws coolant from the broken JB Weld connection, but hold its gas and oil as well as hydraulic fluid and gear oil. It runs!!!! Yes, it is a good day.

 

Tractor Boy

Nearly Completed the Cub

 

 

Sunday afternoon I took the plunge and added fuel to the gas tank of the Cub. Then I tightened loose connections such as the fuel filter bowl so gasoline would not be dripping. It all seems to be holding. At this time I have perhaps a gallon of gas in the tank to find out whether it will hold properly. Later I can fill it up or at least put maybe four gallons in it.

 

The hydraulic system needed filling so I removed the filler plug and used the last of the five gallon container that I bought for the 8N Ford. I thought I had another 5 gallon pail or bucket and that turned out to be 90 weight gear oil. Had I remembered that, I would have used it to fill the rear end of the Cub instead of buying gallons of the stuff individually. I moved the 5 gallon container to a location where it is visible in my Tractor building so it will be available for use next time.

 

Earlier in the week I had painted the fuel cap and radiator cap IH red color. Both were new replacements for worn original items. It looks good.

 

Finally, after removing the battery box, I cut a one inch hole at the rear of it and added the rubber grommet seen in the photo. To cut the one inch hole I ended up using a small drill bit and drilling holes around the marked one inch circle. Then a Dremel tool was used to cut between the holes and, after a cold chisel finished the cut, a grinding bit was used to smooth the one inch hole. Finally a long round file was used to shape the hole and get to final size. The grommet went on easily. The replacement seven foot long battery cable will be threaded through the hole, run down below by the PTO lever, underneath the platform, up the right side of the tractor, under the hood, and down to the starter.

 

The final thing will be to get the lights working again. I think it is simply a wire to the switch; however, it is pretty crowded back under there now and very difficult to get to. I did manage to short the starter cable to the ground, make sparks, and burn out the twenty amp fuse. Even replacing the fuse was a challenge, yet I got it done.

 

Tractor Boy

 

 

recent Cub work

Nearly Complete. It was warm this week on Monday so I got out and put some decals on my JANUARY 1949 Cub which is now 60 years young. I also put the fuel filter in place and attached rubber fuel line between it and the carburetor. I gave up temporarily on putting the metal line on as the exhaust pipe is in the way. If the Cub is returned to the vertical stack exhaust then the metal fuel line can go on. For now it is rubber.

It is just about time to add gasoline to the tank and see whether it leaks at the fuel filter. I used a sealer so maybe it will be good and tight.

While I was adding decals I painted both the radiator cap and the fuel cap. Both are new so I sprayed them with a couple coats of IH red paint.

The next to the last challenge is to cut a one inch hole in the battery box for the proper placement of the new and very long battery cable (negative cable). The box has a large hole to the front and needs a one inch hole to the rear side of the box. It is a work in progress. This week looks good though.

The final task is to figure out how to attach the one point hitch I hauled back from Illinois at Christmas time.

 

Tractor Boy

Cub Hood on finally

Today, the day after Thanksgiving, I have the hood back on the Cub for the first time in months. It looks good from a distance. This is the hood for which I have the fuel tank cleaned and relined. That was done with a torch so the entire hood needed to be repainted. The front of the hood attaches to the front uprights with a bolt on each side. The right side was easy enough, but the left side was off enough that I needed a third arm to align the bolt with the hole in the upright. My daughter started the bolt while I was using a hammer to push the upright back and at the same time holding the hood up a bit.

 

The grill is back on too. I had painted it some weeks ago. Something did not look right still and I realized I have used hex bolts instead of the flat head screws which were used originally. I have a set of them and they can be put on tomorrow. They go on the rear of the hood and on the grill sides. One the grill was on and the hood fastened down, I tried the head lights both on low and on high power. They work just fine as does the tail light. I wonder how many years it has been since this sixty year old Farmall Cub had working lights?

 

I started to remove the battery and measure for a notch at the rear left side of the box for the copy of an original seven foot negative battery cable. Perhaps tomorrow it will get done. I need to buy another strap so I have two to remove the battery from the box when needed. Wow, it is almost time to put decals on the Cub! Hmm, after I put the fuel filter and a fuel line that is, then put hydraulic fluid into the hydraulic lift and bleed the air from the lines. Almost done.

 

Tractor Boy

Cub Hydraulics and Electrical

The past few days and evenings I have been working like a bear to get the Cub operational again. First I removed the auxiliary fuel tank so the hydraulic lift could go in the location where the wooden base of the fuel tank was bolted. Once I had the auxiliary tank off I lifted the rather heavy hydraulic lift onto the space and slid it under the throttle rod instead of removing the throttle rod along with the choke rod. That was a mistake! In taking a short cut I managed to disrupt the electrical system so the lift had to be removed while I sorted out and fixed the problem. The rear light and the front light circuit did not work anymore.

 

After a long time of fiddling and tightening, the light circuits worked again; however the ignition switch refused to pass through any electricity. It had died. I ordered a replacement along with a metal fuel line and two wing nuts to secure the touch control lift stops. Actually I thought I had purchased those expensive wing nuts earlier and found them when I was putting gaskets on the hydraulic line and hydraulic pump. Before putting the new ignition switch on the Cub I used a trusty ohm meter to ensure the switch was working. Then I screwed the ignition switch onto the dash and attached the wires.

 

Having become wiser with experience, I removed the throttle rod and put the hydraulic lift back in place. This time, before retightening bolts too much, I made sure everything was working electrically. Then I snugged the ½ inch bolts to the Cub body and re-attached the throttle rod. It is a whole lot easier to write about than it is to do. A trained monkey with small hands would help a great deal on this tractor.

 

Once the lift was on and the throttle rod on it was time to attach the hydraulic pump. It goes at the base of the front left side of the Cub. There is a cover plate which was removed. A gasket was added to the front of the pump and it was attached to the Cub. The hydraulic lines will only go on if the exhaust pipe is out of the way. I remembered reading that somewhere and heeded the advice this time. The front of the exhaust pipe came off the exhaust manifold easily and by loosening a clamp around the muffler, I was able to move the pipe aside to attach the hydraulic lines. There is a gasket between the lift and the lines, but not gasket between the lines and the pump. I was able to buy the right bolts for the job as I was not given enough of them to complete this phase. It is remarkable that everything fit since this Cub never had a hydraulic lift in its nearly sixty year life. If the exhaust pipe heats the hydraulic lines too much then I will go back to a vertical exhaust which this Cub had for years until someone changed it. Of course I will need to remove the hood to do that work.

 

The Cub is ready for the hood to be re-attached, front lights hooked up, and fuel filter attached to the hood. Then the metal fuel line can be cut to size and attached. I have two flexible fuel lines too and may start with one of them just for fun. I think I will get a proper sized pipe tap to freshen the threads in the fuel tank, or maybe I will not bother and just use plenty of good liquid sealer to prevent leaks. Once the hood is on and the fuel lines attached, I can fill the reservoir of the hydraulic lift and bleed the air from the lines. Then perhaps another coat of paint and a few days later, decals!!

 

Tractor Boy

Cub gas tank and hydraulic pump

Sunday I was going to put the fuel filter and shut off device onto the gas tank of the ’49 Farmall Cub. On the bottom of the gas tank which is an integral part of the hood, there is a brass hexagonal adaptor threaded on the inside. The fuel filter does not fit on this hexagonal adaptor. The shape is different and the size is different. I will ask help from some knowledgeable people to solve this. As soon as I have this solved, the hydraulic lift can go in place. The fuel tank on the hood becomes THE fuel tank for the tractor.

 

The hydraulic pump goes on the left side of the Cub engine near the bottom. A cover plate is removed so the pump vanes can be put in their place. Two bolts of 5/16X28 and 1 .75 inches long are needed to hold the pump together. Two longer bolts hold the pump to the tractor.  I need to buy the shorter one or cut a longer one off myself to fit.

 

 

Tractor Boy.

Flushing the Cub Radiator

This morning I got out and drained the Cub radiator, collecting the fluid in a big bucket from Home Depot. Once that was done I added the flushing chemical and filled the radiator with water then started the engine to run the stuff through for ten minutes. At about the ten minute mark the auxiliary gas tank (fancy name for a used tank from a small lawn mower) ran dry. I let the engine cool down some and drained that concoction into the same large “Homer” bucket, then added a gallon of antifreeze and enough water to fill the radiator.

This afternoon I drove it around for a while, managing to lose one of the battery caps for a time. I drove to the mailbox which is 600 feet from my house then drove to show one of my neighbors the Cub, all told about a half mile of driving. The Cub performed well so I put it back in the Tractor Building to rest while I begin the next phase. That involved painting the hydraulic pump which mounts to the front of the engine. After it dries it will get a second coat and then be attached to the Cub along with the hydraulic lift and the metal lines. The auxiliary gas tank is mounted right where the hydraulic lift goes so it will come off the Cub and the hood with gas tank will go on. I still need to put the fuel filter on the bottom of the gas tank and expect that to be straight forward.

The battery has been resting on a block of wood in the bottom of the battery box. The wood comes out and two straps will replace it so I can get the battery out since I have a one piece battery box instead of the open front which appears to be much more common. I can cut a notch for the correct battery cable which I have, then put all that on and put the top of the battery box in place. Almost done then. Decals to go on the tractor is about the last. Of course that depends on whether the headlights work which would be a fortunate surprise. It depends on the quality of ground between the hood and the hood frame.

 

Tractor Boy