ih cub tractor 1948

   / ih cub tractor 1948 #1  

Sweet Chariot

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Jul 31, 2013
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Location
Heart of the Meadow
Tractor
John Deere
I am thinking about buying a 1948 ih cub tractor with a 4 foot sickle bar mower. What things do I check on the tractor/mower to avoid buying a lemon or a bunch of problems? Thanks for any help or suggestions.
 
   / ih cub tractor 1948 #2  
Check at Farmall Cub.com. Lots of good information there. Rick
 
   / ih cub tractor 1948 #3  
Its 65 years old.
dont you think it might be tired?
That age typically had no hydraulic lifts or have a air (vacuum) lift.

In short find something else.
Its a fine brand and model but not for someone that doesnt know the machine.
 
   / ih cub tractor 1948 #4  
I had one- really liked it. It had hydraulics- worked well. Mine was a 1948 Farmall Cub with a magneto and points. I replaced those and distributor cap, wires, coil, oil, filter, 6 v battery.
I wore my clutch out over time.
The steering box leaked- I was always dumping oil in. Since I suppose I could have filled it with grease. I pushed gravel with it, snow plowed (with chains), pulled a one share plow, disc harrow (double). I used a magnetic block heater to start it in the winter.

It is not a new tractor, but it ran smoothly. I even made a crank for it and could use that to start it. Below 32 it needed a warm sun and a block heater to start. It will need some work. It never burned oil. When I got it the oil looked like molasses- ran great.
The carbuerator needed rebuilding after a couple of years- used a kit. The carb head where it bolted to the manifold was warped- so I used some extra gasket maker along with the supplied gasket to put it together. No problem with leaks.
I replaced the front tires myself.
I had a sickle bar for it as well and mowed the back pasture with it. 1" and under- I cut it! I was hard on it. I needed to make another wood drive bar for it after the one I had broke from age- easy to do - used a piece of oak. The sickle bar may need some teeth and/or sharpening.

It will need some attention- but it is a rewarding tractor to have. Gets into tight places. Look on youtube for videos of people using them- many.

Here is a pic- after I stopped using it (clutch) and passed it onto to a neighbor.
 
   / ih cub tractor 1948 #5  
I am thinking about buying a 1948 ih cub tractor with a 4 foot sickle bar mower. What things do I check on the tractor/mower to avoid buying a lemon or a bunch of problems? Thanks for any help or suggestions.

Check for welds on the engine block. Look carefully at the lower right front part of the block where the front bolster radiator/axle assembly bolts onto the block. The coolant hose from the block to the radiator goes through a ring-shaped ear that's part of the engine block casting. This ear is a known weak point on the early Cub blocks (1947-mid 1950s) that can be cracked partially or completely through with only the bolts on the front engine cover holding the ear in place.

My 1947 Cub has this problem. The block is trash since it's not possible to weld the broken piece back onto the block. I now have a parts tractor instead of one that's running.

You can find more info on this problem in the Cub websites.

Good luck.
 
   / ih cub tractor 1948 #6  
Check the brakes. Check the play in the front wheels. Make sure it still has the crank. Drive it around a bit, make sure you can shift in all the gears.
 
   / ih cub tractor 1948 #7  
Check for welds on the engine block. Look carefully at the lower right front part of the block where the front bolster radiator/axle assembly bolts onto the block. The coolant hose from the block to the radiator goes through a ring-shaped ear that's part of the engine block casting. This ear is a known weak point on the early Cub blocks (1947-mid 1950s) that can be cracked partially or completely through with only the bolts on the front engine cover holding the ear in place.

My 1947 Cub has this problem. The block is trash since it's not possible to weld the broken piece back onto the block. I now have a parts tractor instead of one that's running.

You can find more info on this problem in the Cub websites.

Good luck.
Too bad this wasn't posted yesterday. I was at the fair today and saw at least 6 cubs there(only 1 Lowboy though). I could have looked at them to see the point you are talking about.
 
   / ih cub tractor 1948 #8  
I am thinking about buying a 1948 ih cub tractor with a 4 foot sickle bar mower. What things do I check on the tractor/mower to avoid buying a lemon or a bunch of problems? Thanks for any help or suggestions.

Those sure are cool looking little tractors. You will never find anything new that looks so good. Good luck finding one that has been taken care of or rebuilt. They are out there. I would like one myself, but I have too many tractors already.
 
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   / ih cub tractor 1948
  • Thread Starter
#9  
I am now considering a restored 1940 Farmall A for $1600, with a 7 foot sickle bar mower for $400. Are the potential engine block problems the same as for the 1948 Farmall cubs? Are there specific problems to the Farmall A I should be aware of? Also, how do the old tractors like this do with ethanol laden gasoline? Thanks for taking the time to respond to my questions.
 
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   / ih cub tractor 1948 #10  
I am now considering a restored 1940 Farmall A for $1600, with a 7 foot sickle bar mower for $400. Are the potential engine block problems the same as for the 1948 Farmall cubs? Are there specific problems to the Farmall A I should be aware of? Also, how do the old tractors like this do with ethanol laden gasoline? Thanks for taking the time to respond to my questions.
I can't answer all the questions, but the Ethanol gasoline is hard on the 'original' 'O' rings if there are any in that tractor carb. They had to redesign the rubber O rings so they wouldn't disintegrate.
 
 
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