2185 Question

Brian_NC · Mar 27, 2006

I am thinking of buying a Cub 2185 that has been very well cared for with about 400 hours on it. Other than for mowing, I would use it to pull firewood into my basement on a dump cart, pulling a 4 ft plugger, and tilling. Are these good tractors, and will the transmission hold up? Any advice will be appreciated.

Fordlords · Mar 27, 2006

The 2185 has a shaft drive system that is the best way to go, it should hold up perfect for your needs. This was one of the better high-end machines for its time, well worth considering with the low hours.

-Fordlords-

Bigalmhs · Apr 29, 2006

( The 2185 has a shaft drive system that is the best way to go, it should hold up perfect for your needs. This was one of the better high-end machines for its time, well worth considering with the low hours.

-Fordlords-
)
Fordlords
I was wondering about your Cub 682, I have a 782 with a blown engine but they are just to expensive to replace. So I have also been considering the 2185. I looked at 2 different ones, the first is a 95 with a snow blower attatchment but gear trans instead of hydro. The other is a 99 hdro with only the mower. The 95 is 300 more but is it the better deal or isn't the gear and snow blower worth the extra 300 bills? I don't know how well those trasns work or if they have problems or if they are hard to operate compared to hydro?
Any ideas as to what I shoud or could do?
/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Bigalmhs

Bigalmhs · Apr 30, 2006

Fordlord
I didn't see your post on your 682 project Cub before I posted this. Great job on your tractor very impresive. Another mistake I made was about the 95 Cub gear trans isn't a 2185 it's a 2160. I don't know what the difference is other than the 2160 is a 95 gear trans and the 2185 is a 99 hydro. Any help would be appreciated.
Bigalmhs /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

JTKub · Apr 30, 2006

( .. Any advice will be appreciated. )

If the price is right and the machine is tight, clean, quiet and leak free, go for it! What size deck? I personally would not get anything less than a 44". IMO- the transaxles are the best feature of the CC 2000/3000.

Joel

Fordlords · Apr 30, 2006

The hydros are a little easier to operate, but I presonally prefer gear drives. Gear drives more or less go the same speed on inclines/declines in each gear, where hydros tend to slow down and speed up a little- the price for the easier operation, I personally never had any difficulty operating a clutch. Either/or, even the older 2000 series are excellent machines. Of course you CAN put a Honda engine kit in that 782 and bring it back to life-- NOTHING beats the cast iron Sunstrand hydros of the IH cubs of the past, and the engines are about the only thing on the old '82 series machines that really die. I was dethatching with the 682 for about 2 hours today, and the tranny never got more than lukewarm to the touch- try that with any of the hydros on these light duty tractors today! Even the lightest work on those belt drive hydros makes them feel like they are burning up. I'd easily spend $1300 to re-engine a decent old '82 series Cub or any of the older shaft driven Cubs before I'd waste more than that amount on a new 1000 or 1500 series slipping belt drive throwaway.

Just about any of the Cubs with the Horizontal engine/shaft drive tranny are decent machines if well maintained on the used market, and its easy to find low hour babied units too that are a downright steal for what some sell them for, maybe not so much on places like e-bay but just people who put grand-dad's old Cub Cadet for sale in the front yard not really knowing it was a machine built to last nearly forever.
-Fordlords-

JTKub · Apr 30, 2006

I agree. For toughness and longevity, an old school between the knees shift gear drive can't be beat. Unfortunately the only one that is still being produced is the toro classic GT 318-5. http://www.toro.com/home/tractors/classic300/index.html After cutting grass with my 2544, I dunno If I could go back to a gear-shift for this purpose! It's just too smooth & easy with a foot pedal hydro! The pumpkin (hydro oil sump) on my 2544 gets just warm to the touch after a full lawn cutting. They hold ~6qts. Those little aluminum sealed jobbies often get so hot you can smell them! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

G/luck
Joel

Fordlords · May 1, 2006

I think the main reason just about every lawn/garden tractor is hydro now is women and kids tackle the mowing chores more nowadays than in the past where it was mainly the man's job. Women in general don't care for clutches or gear drives and the hydros make the tractors much more car-like.

I worked on a fir farm in northern IL as a teenager, and one of my chores was to mow a clear 12 acre field of grass with a JD 214. The field had a slight slope to it, but I put the gear driven 214 in 3rd and could basically take a nap mowing that field the speed remained so constant. With the years I spent doing that job, and that 214 being the first little tractor I really used, I got so used to gear drive that I even still have a tough time with the hydro on my 682- it's hard to get used to the fact that with setting the lever in one position it won't always go the same speed- almost like it's easier to use but requires more input especially on unlevel ground if that makes sense /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Hydros will just always have that girlie-aura thing about them to me /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I just compare them to an automatic transmission in a car or truck- if you are going to work it, you better get a strong one!

-Fordlords-

MrWiggles2 · May 1, 2006

Some women and kids, but overwhelmingly its the residential market with trees and obstacles that everything has gone hydrostatic. I think having cruise is a waste, but, that is only because I have 1/2 acre. I assume I would use it if I had long straightaways.

Back on the topic of the 2185, the 2000 series are just awesome equipment. They are only limited in pulling to the weight of the tractor. Whether its the cast iron in the new ones or the aluminum like mine in my 2180, they are tough. I pulled a plug aerator all around my yard with about 200 lbs of rock on it, pulling 3 inch plugs, and the hydro was only warm, did it for about 2 hours. My last Cub got so hot you couldn't touch the hydro after just cutting the grass. Heat kills those- the 2000 series have so much fluid and are so heavy duty....they are awesome.