2186 vs 2544

[TractorLarry]

If the 18?? is an 1864, that's about as good as it gets for a tractor from that era. There's nothing light duty about it.

-Larry

All is not lost. I went to the dealer that has the left over 2186 and he has a couple of used Cubs for $800 each. One is a 1541 with 988 hours and the other one is a 18?? with 300 hours. Both have 50" decks. Is 988 hours alot for the 1541? And are these IH Cubs or MTD cubs. I didn't really investigate the 18?? much, but the 1541 seems similiar to the current 3100s (hydraulic deck lift, shaft drive, seemed to have power steering). Are these good choices and what year would they have been made (both tags are worn beyond recognition).

 

[RCT]

One more question about the 1811. How does the deck work with the power lift? Is it free to move with the ground or is it locked. (Ground following or fixed I guess is my question).

 

[Dave01]

Fixed mowing height. There is a stop that you set with a hand wheel and cam that stops the deck at your desired height when you lower it. The deck has rear idler wheels and a front roller but no height adjustment for the wheels and roller so you can't run it for ground following.

 

[RCT]

This one doesn't have the front rollers, it has 4 guage wheels. So if I lower it, it can't move up and down? It must have some float in it. I still can't beleive the 6' turning radius is right.

 

[JTKub]

The deck will still float the full range of the deck hanger brackets. I believe that deck should have 4 gauge wheels and a nose roller.

Joel

 

[Dave01]

I wish I could find a picture of the deck but I guess I don't have one. I'll take one and post it tomorrow.

It sounds like the deck you are looking at is different. Mine clearly can't follow the ground, it has to be hung. If you contact the ground it will rise up on the hangers as JTKub indicated, but you can't use it in full ground following mode.

I looked at some old notes I had when I did a tractor comparison, and I showed the 1211 having a 36' turning radius. I don't remember where I got that figure, it sounds a bit high. I looked at the Cub site and for a 3100 it shows a radius of 27", not sure I understand that one either. I do know that 1211 radius is much larger than the 1863 or 3204.

Will you buy it already, its a good deal!!!

 

[RCT]

There are 2 manuals on Cub's website. One said 6'8" and the other said 36". I'd rather beleive the 36". I don't know for sure if it has a nose roller on the deck or not. That is one thing I didn't really look at. It may very well have one, but as I say I didn't really look. And, yes I will buy it as soon as I save up enough for it. My wife is concerned about the age, but I do all my own mechanic work. (I even replaced the ac pump in her car this summer, though she seems to forget that).

 

[Dave01]

I stand corrected, my deck has front wheels, I had forgotten. Here's are pictures of the 50" deck and the 1211. RCT, does this look similar to the deck and tractor you are buying?

 

[RCT]

I will let you know. I will probably be going to look at it again this weekend. (I am close to getting the money, but not quite there yet.)

 

[Fordlords]

The 1811 is a newer and quite a different beast than the 1211 pictured above. The 1211 is esentially an MTD built version of the older International 1282, and uses a mule driven floating 3 blade deck, the one pictured will be either a 50A or 50C International style deck. The wheels on these are only meant to be scuff wheels, these decks float off the mule drive.

With the 1800 series MTD switched to their own designed drives and decks, many of those decks used the heavy gauge wheels that are supposed to be set to run on the ground while mowing. They are a totally different design altogether.

-Fordlords-

 

[Dave01]

I thought the 1811 was just the 18 HP version of the 1211. I have an 1864 which I assume is out of the series you are referring to with much different tractor and deck design, made mid '90's while the 1211 was late '80's to early '90's. Here is a picture of an 1811 on Ebay, I've seen a number of pictures like this and it looks identical to my 1211.

Maybe I'm wrong, let me know what you think.

 

[Fordlords]

You are right- the 1811 looks to be basically the old International 782 with an 18 HP Kohler Magnum twin in place of the 782's KT17 Kohler twin. That and the 1211 are just the same tractor with a different engine. 680, 682, 782, 1282, 1211, 1212, 1811... all just about the same tractor with either a different engine bolted in or hydraulic lift accessory. They all use the old style mule drive and "C" series mower decks. MTD jumbled the model mumbers around a lot which makes it confusing, but more or less in the late 80's MTD switched the tractors and decks from the International designs to designs of their own that are much different and have little if any parts interchangability with the International designs.

I don't know if it's just the history lover in me, but it sure seems like the old International Cub Cadet garden tractor designs were more rugged than most of the stuff MTD has been designing. Melting plastic hoods and panels, exhaust popping, lifter noise, or slipping or weak hydro transaxles were things one just didn't run across when they invested in a new International Harvester built Cub Cadet 25-30 years ago. I'm not just faulting MTD, all the other makes have cheaped out what a true garden tractor should be also.

For one who doesn't mind a bit of mechanical maintenance or light repairs here and there, an old classic Cub Cadet is a wise investment.

-Fordlords-

 

[Dave01]

I also enjoy the history of the Cubs. My dad bought an early Cub in the '60's, I think it was a model 80, then we had a 129, then the 1211, then 3204, and I have the 1864. We've swapped around a few times just to keep it interesting. I loved the old Cubs, and they were very rugged machines, but I hesitate to flat out say they were better. Its just the nature of technology that older machines were more rebuildable than newer ones, try rebuilding a '68 Oldsmobile vs. a newer car, the old one was so simple that it lends itself to being fixed and put back together by a weekend mechanic.

That 80 did a lot of work but we struggled to cut high grass with the 8 hp, the deck would jam up easily, etc. The 129 needed a lot of maintenance over its life. The 1211 is a great running machine though lacking power for the oversized 50" deck. The 3204 and 1864 have tons of power, hydros that hold speed better (the 129 and 1211 slowed down uphill and sped up downhill to a point that had you constantly adjusting speed). The shaft drive on the 3204 is certainly an improvement and lowers the maintenance.

The old Cubs were great but for weekly use I chose to buy newer models that had more power and some modern improvements. So which are better? I guess its just personal preference when all is said and done. I do agree that putting plastic hoods on these machines is pretty foolish, and I've said before that for the price the 3204 should have gauges instead of idiot lights and bigger tires standard. But its still a very good machine.

 

[ducati996]

The old Cubs were great but for weekly use I chose to buy newer models that had more power and some modern improvements. So which are better? I guess its just personal preference when all is said and done. I do agree that putting plastic hoods on these machines is pretty foolish, and I've said before that for the price the 3204 should have gauges instead of idiot lights and bigger tires standard. But its still a very good machine.

I think you summed it up here the best - I love the old machines but I love them for emotional and sentimental reasons only. The newer ones especially the 3000 series in this case are superior in so many ways. Cut quality for one is far superior, ease of attachments and setup (mule drives are gone forever!!), ease of maintainence, etc...even the 3000 has a steel hood (which I dont prefer actually), comfort and power at hand surpasses the old cubs. There are areas on the 3000 series that do need enhancements for longivity reasons, they were done to kept costs down. Overall the stuff thats matters most are of a very solid design. the headlights, flimsey hood hinges, plastic cowels, etc.. need to go but its not the end of the world. The tires are a simple and inexpensive fix as well.

Just my .02 cents