Newbie: Cadet 149
- Thread starter giffen
- Start date
- Views: 1792
-
- Tags
- cub cadet 149
DmansPadge
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2004
- Messages
- 1,698
- Location
- Orange, TX
- Tractor
- Kubota B2620, Toro 2000 Series Z Master
giffen, welcome to TBN. Don't be afraid to ask any questions you may have.
It would definately help if you give more info on your land and what you will use the tractor for. If you fill in you user profile that is a good start. Tell us more about things like how much you have to mow, how bad the slopes are, whether you might need a snowblower, etc. Once everyone knows what you need you should start to get some answers.
It would definately help if you give more info on your land and what you will use the tractor for. If you fill in you user profile that is a good start. Tell us more about things like how much you have to mow, how bad the slopes are, whether you might need a snowblower, etc. Once everyone knows what you need you should start to get some answers.
Outlander1
Silver Member
I have a 149 that can be somewhat problematic when it comes to mowing up slopes. Remember those were last built around "74 and usually the engines on them tend to be not terribly fresh. Also the decks tend to be a little shaky at the 30 year mark. IMHO you should just get something newer with a bit more power. That way you can spend more time mowing and less chasing parts and fixing!
GreenAcres
Bronze Member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2004
- Messages
- 63
I have a Cub Cadet 128 -- a manually geared mower built around the same era as your 149, with a Kohler 301-A engine (isn't that the same engine that your 149 has?).
Anyhow, despite the fact that the engine could use a good rebuild job, the mower still seems to have more power to tow than the John Deere built riding mower (also with a Kohler engine) that I bought two years ago from Home Depot. (We won't even talk about how it would compare with one of those MTD built Cub Cadets of today -- which are not even as well built as the John Deere's that Home Depot sells.)
The old Cub is really that powerful!
The local Cub Cadet dealer (who has sold and serviced Cubs in this area for over 30 years) tells me that these old cubs were used for many years by the local airport to tow private planes and crop dusters from one part of the airport to the other when they needed to be moved.
He tells me that they do not build the garden tractors now, the way that International Harvester built them back in the 1970's and very early 1980's, and the local airport now has to use full sized CUTs to do what the little Cub Cadet garden tractors used to do.
Also, the Cub Cadet frames of the 1970's -- including the 149's frame -- were built out of iron, not the flimsy thin aluminum or plastic frames of today's garden tractors and riding mowers. As a result, they are in great demand by garden tractor pullers. The frames of today will crush like an accordion if asked to pull the average weight that is pulled in these competitions, but not one of those old Cubs. If those old Cub frames can tow the heavy weights of a pulling competition, I would think they will hold their own (at least compared to the MTD built garden tractor frames of today) on your hills.
So don't sell your 149 short. I know it's an automatic tranny (which means it might be a bit easier to use, but will not be quite as strong as the manuals). But even the automatic trannies of that era ran with Clydesdale horses under the hood, instead of the miniature ponies that run under the hood of the MTD built mowers of today.
Anyhow, despite the fact that the engine could use a good rebuild job, the mower still seems to have more power to tow than the John Deere built riding mower (also with a Kohler engine) that I bought two years ago from Home Depot. (We won't even talk about how it would compare with one of those MTD built Cub Cadets of today -- which are not even as well built as the John Deere's that Home Depot sells.)
The old Cub is really that powerful!
The local Cub Cadet dealer (who has sold and serviced Cubs in this area for over 30 years) tells me that these old cubs were used for many years by the local airport to tow private planes and crop dusters from one part of the airport to the other when they needed to be moved.
He tells me that they do not build the garden tractors now, the way that International Harvester built them back in the 1970's and very early 1980's, and the local airport now has to use full sized CUTs to do what the little Cub Cadet garden tractors used to do.
Also, the Cub Cadet frames of the 1970's -- including the 149's frame -- were built out of iron, not the flimsy thin aluminum or plastic frames of today's garden tractors and riding mowers. As a result, they are in great demand by garden tractor pullers. The frames of today will crush like an accordion if asked to pull the average weight that is pulled in these competitions, but not one of those old Cubs. If those old Cub frames can tow the heavy weights of a pulling competition, I would think they will hold their own (at least compared to the MTD built garden tractor frames of today) on your hills.
So don't sell your 149 short. I know it's an automatic tranny (which means it might be a bit easier to use, but will not be quite as strong as the manuals). But even the automatic trannies of that era ran with Clydesdale horses under the hood, instead of the miniature ponies that run under the hood of the MTD built mowers of today.
GreenAcres
Bronze Member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2004
- Messages
- 63
Ooops...
I just looked it up on the International Harvester Cub Cadet unofficial website home page, and it seems that the 149 is a geared (manual tranny) mower, and a closer kin to my 128 than I realized.
My 128 is old and rusty, and it smokes a bit, but it is still one powerful machine!
If your 149 is half as good as my 128 -- you have quite a machine there!
Check out this website, which specializes in the old IH built cubs:
http://www.ihcubcadet.com/cgi-bin/forum/discus.cgi
I just looked it up on the International Harvester Cub Cadet unofficial website home page, and it seems that the 149 is a geared (manual tranny) mower, and a closer kin to my 128 than I realized.
My 128 is old and rusty, and it smokes a bit, but it is still one powerful machine!
If your 149 is half as good as my 128 -- you have quite a machine there!
Check out this website, which specializes in the old IH built cubs:
http://www.ihcubcadet.com/cgi-bin/forum/discus.cgi
Lucysdad
Member
Oops, again, GreenAcres. The 149 is a hydro. It should have a K321 engine (14hp). Both your 128 and the 149 are considered the "wide frame" models, versus the even older "narrow frames". Without going into the Cub forums, a lot can be learned by searching "cub cadet" on eBay! Believe me, I'm no expert I've got both a 147 (narrow frame with electric deck lift) and 149 (wide frame with hydraulic deck lift). Both are hydrostatic. I started with a 105 that I got really cheap because it wouldn't move. Hydro relief valves were stuck open. Sold it to a friend who weighs in the area of 300 pounds and he loves it, smoking old 10 horse engine and all! He put chains on it and uses it as a tractor and not a mower. Calls it "Old Smokey", his little skidder. I do have to agree that if one doesn't want to spend time finding parts and working on these that they should look for new!! Have a great day! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
