restoring an oldie

daugen · Aug 9, 2013

I have been working on/playing with a 1968 CC 125 for several years now, and it's time to get it running.
I bought a beater, but at least one with a fresh engine rebuild, allegedly.

Here's what I need help with. I'm going to change the engine oil, several times..., then drain the hydraulic oil and change the hydro filter. It's the rear end I'm concerned about. Is that a common oil supply with the trans/hydro? Is there a fill plug on top assuming I find a drain plug beneath? Suggestions for replacement lube?

In this picture, there is a rectangular top plate held on with four bolts, that I'm beyond curious to see what's underneath.
Any user serviceable parts in there? Worth looking in and mucking up the gasket?

Thanks for all input. I've done this before on tractors and garden tractors, and over time, hope to have a nice little fleet of the old stuff. And I'm not partial to any colors. I think a Wheel Horse would be fun next. My Gravely will always be the head of the household...

even my primary JD garden tractor, which mows beautifully, and is much more comfortable than the Gravely, is respectful...

This one will definitely go to the Grange Fair when I'm completed. My other stuff is too new, but this qualifies. But if I ever finish my custom Gravely mowing rig, with two rear wing mowers, totaling over ten feet of cut, well, maybe that might get in. But that's another project... And I have to learn how to weld first, though at least I bought the welder.
But I promised my wife I'd get this one done before making "another mess" with the Gravely project.

rcbe · Aug 9, 2013

go to this link, follow page instructions, d/l serv manual for that machine - should tell you info needed.
Cub Cadet Collectors dot com • Downloads - 72, 104, 105, 124 and 125 Service

daugen · Aug 9, 2013

thanks, I'll check it out. Tried to download, screen flashed, no download, no error message. Do I have to be a member of that site?...

I know, read the manual...need another cup of coffee for that.

coveredbridge · Aug 9, 2013

daugen said:
I have been working on/playing with a 1968 CC 125 for several years now, and it's time to get it running.
I bought a beater, but at least one with a fresh engine rebuild, allegedly.

Here's what I need help with. I'm going to change the engine oil, several times..., then drain the hydraulic oil and change the hydro filter. It's the rear end I'm concerned about. Is that a common oil supply with the trans/hydro? Is there a fill plug on top assuming I find a drain plug beneath? Suggestions for replacement lube?

In this picture, there is a rectangular top plate held on with four bolts, that I'm beyond curious to see what's underneath.
Any user serviceable parts in there? Worth looking in and mucking up the gasket?

Thanks for all input. I've done this before on tractors and garden tractors, and over time, hope to have a nice little fleet of the old stuff. And I'm not partial to any colors. I think a Wheel Horse would be fun next. My Gravely will always be the head of the household... even my primary JD garden tractor, which mows beautifully, and is much more comfortable than the Gravely, is respectful...

This one will definitely go to the Grange Fair when I'm completed. My other stuff is too new, but this qualifies. But if I ever finish my custom Gravely mowing rig, with two rear wing mowers, totaling over ten feet of cut, well, maybe that might get in. But that's another project... And I have to learn how to weld first, though at least I bought the welder.
But I promised my wife I'd get this one done before making "another mess" with the Gravely project.

This is from memory, which isn't always as good as it used to be, but here goes...

Trans and rear axle is same oil supply. Fill plug is on rear plate of axle, above the drawbar. Fill with IH Hytran to level of plug. Drain plug should be toward front of axle. I had a 73 and a 107. Didn't have the space to keep them or the time to restore them, but it is easy to get emotionally attached to these little workhorses.

daugen · Aug 9, 2013

thanks CoveredBridge. Funny, we had a colonial wood bridge on, you guessed it, Covered Bridge Road, a mile from our farm growing up. Stop in the center, turn the car engine off, make a wish, honk three times, and off you go.
Or whatever the local flavor might be.

I have the Hytran, bought the real stuff based on dire warnings of doing otherwise, which is a topic for another day.
The prior owner changed the trans fluid and I have no idea what he put in there. So to establish a baseline, I'll change it again and replace the filter. With the use I'll give it, it will be many, many years before I have to change it again I'm sure.

This was a small twelve hp tractor, which I suppose back then, in the constant march forward of the Kohler K engine, was decent sized. My understanding is that the twelve hp variant is the largest that will fit, on my "narrow" chassis rails.
And that CC went "wide body" after this model to put the 14hp single in and subsequent larger twins.

We had at least one CC growing up on the farm, and it lasted a long time. Gear trans, great for doing donuts on the slick grass behind the big pine trees where nobody could see my teenage driving prowess...
What I like the most about these old CC's is the big cast iron rear axle. Probably no stronger than a more modern steel one, but sure looked like a real tractor. And they all came with those rear tires that could best be described as a period snow tire. Very, very durable snow tires...some are still out there.