Tractor for mowing

Tinkerer · Dec 9, 2003

I have thought of the Cub route, or possibly a new Cub Cadet. I was eyeing some nice ones at TSC and Lowe's the other day. Since my wife does most of the mowing, I am just the maintenance guy, probably a regular mower would be best. I already have one old tractor that seems to need constant attention, probably don't need another until I get the one I have "up to snuff"!

Soundguy · Dec 9, 2003

For what it's worth.. the 1966 IH cub I have I bought from a woman with a horse farm... this was HER 'riding lawnmower'.

Lucky for me she always kept it in a garage, and had the service work done on it by the local Case dealership.. She advertised it in great condition in the pater, with IH belly mower, and original front blade... ( though she though it was older.. like in the 50's ).. I got there and about wet myself.. the tractor was minty / cherry. The lights worked but had a loose wire.. etc..

wonderfull mowing machine.

Soundguy

timb · Dec 9, 2003

Our '53 Jubilee (think half way between an 8N and a 600 -come to think of it - celebrated it's own Jubilee on the farm this year) is used to cut about 3-4 acres of lawn/field all summer with a 6 foot 3ph. Woods finish mower. Does fine unless the grass gets over about 8 inches and is wet (that will bog it down) but most of the area is wide open. Much smaller JD's take care of the close work. But that Ford is awfully useful around the place for other things as well and even though it's older than me will probably be running long after I'm not. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Maybe not the perfect choice for mowing but a lot of fun and history there. Nothing wrong with a Cub or "A" either.

Soundguy · Dec 10, 2003

Those jubilee's and NAA's make great mowers. the live hyds are nice.

Mine was a mower before i got it. Farmer had wide 6.5 x 16 fronts, and 16.9x24 big flotation style turfs on the back.. looks great.. but the tires are real $pendy.

Soundguy

Tinkerer · Dec 10, 2003

I've been looking at Cub ads on, well let's just say another site! It seems to be common to find them in good shape with mower for around 2500 -3000. How well do they mow? I have no experience with them. I like the IDEA of mowing with them. Maybe they would last longer than a 3000 lawn mower?

larso1 · Dec 10, 2003

I've been reading a lot of posts on several forums over the past few years, commenting on the plusses/minuses of different vintage tractors for different uses. When the subject of IH Cub / Cub Low-boy versus IH A, Super A, 100, 130, 140 for mowing and general use comes up, those who claim to have owned both recommend going slightly larger with the A, SA, etc. There seems to be a lot of people having problems with enough power for mowing with the cub. It seems that the power available is borderline at close to 12-HP. The larger A's have at least 50% more HP and that seems to make all the difference when mowing in less than favorable conditions. I would say skip the older "A" and go with the newer S-A, etc. models that have hydraulics.

Bill in CO

Junkman · Dec 10, 2003

I would rather see you purchase an older garden tractor than any of the machines that are presently available in the stores today, because the old machines are better made and will outlast anything that you can buy today for $3000. I have a couple of Bolens HT-20/23 tractors that I used before I got my Kubota BX-22 and I still think highly of the old Bolens machine. It can't do what the Kubota can do, but it sure can cut grass, till soil with the rototiller, plow snow with the 54" snow blade, blow snow with the 48" two stage snow blower. The Bolens use a 20 or 23 HP Kohler engine and they have been very reliable. In fact, the only reason for the Kubota was the fact that it had a backhoe. Consider looking for a Bolens HT tractor and you will not regret it. It was built to last and last they do....... The picture is of a Bolens HT diesel tractor that I lusted after, but never aquired.... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Soundguy · Dec 10, 2003

Even a 184 isn't a bad idea. Excepts a belly mower.. and plenty of power even if you wanted a 4' rotary mower.

Soundguy

As fro the cub.. it is just like the lawnmower issue.. it is a great cut for 'kept' grass. If you let your gras get a foot tall.. the cub is gonna have a hard time just like a lawnmower would... except that on the cub you can really raise the deck quite a bit to help with the tall grass.

I also like to mow with the front blad down a bit.. makes a great 'detector' for hidden objects.. etc.

Soundguy · Dec 10, 2003

I just don't have a high opinion of a dedicated lawnmower ( unless you are a profesional lawn care person! ). A tractor.. even a small or old one just seems more usefull.

My 12.5hp 40" cut murry is ok.. but a 10cubif foot cart of dirt heaped.. is the absolute max it can start rolling and pull.. and then only on flat non slippery ground.

My 1966 cub pulls my 6x8 small utility trailer full of stuff all over the place... moves fridges, etc.

I've even moved my 16' flatbed with it.. just so much more usefull.

And I like that it has replaceable parts... Hunting lawnmower parts is a laughable experience...

Soundguy

Bob_Skurka · Dec 10, 2003

We got a Cub Cadet because the colors look good with my wife's outfits in the summer. . . but mostly because she mows the majority of the +/- 5 acres we keep mowed and she finds it easy to drive, easy to use.

On the other hand, it only took one time on one of the antique tractors to convince her to stay on the Cub, she doesn't even want to get onto the NH or the Kubota. So I have my toys all to myself and she does a lot of the work. Works for me.

But seriously the Cub is a great workhorse. We have some STEEP hills and the Cub was the only mower that would mow while driving UP-HILL without disengaging the mower deck or killing the engine while on the slope. We tested a bunch of them and bought the only brand that did the job.