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Hi,

For those familiar with my model, you know that it's virtually all cast iron and steel. The thing has been a real war horse. I've had it for 36 years (I think it's a '72 or '73) and it has given great service. Since this past summer, though, it has not been running well. My brother is a mechanic, and so after I tried everything I could, I gave it to him. We've replaced the carburetor, all new ignition system parts, had the head off and planed / cleaned. It runs absolutely fine sometimes, and other times quite poorly. When not running well, there is a noticeable loss of power and it would be next to impossible to mow the lawn with it when it's running in that condition. I know cause I've tried it and can barely make it back up my sloped yard. The only way I can get anything done when it's running badly is to go really slow and allow the RPM to try and catch up. Still, it just has no power when it's like that. We thought all was fine, however, after putting on the new carb - he used it several times and was going to load it on the trailer to bring it back to me, and then just that suddenly when he started it he knew that it was not running well again. The engine is a Kohler 301. It was overhauled once many years ago but to be honest I'm not sure exactly what was done at that time.

Certainly an option is to purchase and put in a re-built engine, but of course I'd be putting a new engine in a tractor that is still over 40 years old that has a constant (though minimal) fluid leakage out of the transmission. There is a good amount of blow-by, but that would be corrected with a rebuilt engine. I have a mower attachment and snow plow for it that I've used as long as I have the tractor. The other option is to call it a day and just buy a new cub. Where I live, the ability to plow snow with whatever tractor I have is a necessity. I do not know the capabilities of the newer cubs as to attaching a plow and would need to research that. Certainly the idea of a newer tractor with more HP than mine has is intriguing.

Getting back to my brother's repair efforts - I know he wants to unhook the ACS springs so as to do a compression test, and also would like to take a look at the condition of the valves. My sneaking suspicion, however, is that he's just not going to find whatever is causing this intermittent poor running condition. He is willing to put in a rebuilt engine if I tell him to do so, but just feels that it may not be cost effective and perhaps not worth it (?). Old timers' advice on another cub forum wherein I have posted numerous threads about my tractor has consistently been to definitely fix up the 129 rather than buy a new one. The general take I get from some of these guys is that the new ones just won't last as long and aren't built like mine. Hands down, they suggest to keep the old one going. I get that, and indeed have been leaning towards the rebuilt engine option, but I just don't know if that truly is the best way to go. I need to make a decision though since the winter season is coming and I don't want to be without a tractor too much longer.

Any thoughts or suggestions greatly appreciated...

Regards,
Keith

Something to consider since the engine has been worked on. the old K series engines were bad for blowing head gaskets, and would run fine would cold but would loose power and would even stop running when hot. If the head bolts are not replaced with the head gasket that is one of the symptoms. When the head bolts are initially torqued they are stretched and will mimic the expansion and contraction as the head of the head and block changes, but loose that ability if removed and reused.

ILENGINE said:

Something to consider since the engine has been worked on. the old K series engines were bad for blowing head gaskets, and would run fine would cold but would loose power and would even stop running when hot. If the head bolts are not replaced with the head gasket that is one of the symptoms. When the head bolts are initially torqued they are stretched and will mimic the expansion and contraction as the head of the head and block changes, but loose that ability if removed and reused.

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Interesting...I did not replace the head bolts since they seemed fine. What you're saying certainly makes sense, although the pattern has been that, in times when the engine was not running well, it'd generally improve as it warmed up. Often about an hour after I first started mowing, it'd be running normally with full power.

I might go one step further with this thread and ask...if I were to buy a new cub, are there any particular models that you would recommend? I definitely need something that is heavy enough to plow (sometimes large amounts of) snow. Our driveway can get massive drifts in it so my 129 has sure done its share of pushing heavy, wet snow/ice mixtures. So I'd need something with substantial weight.

for heavy use and longevity I would go with a XT3 series. the only one of the series with the drive shaft and the ground engagement transmission would hold up to use more than the belt drive and lighter lawn tractors trannies.

ILENGINE said:

for heavy use and longevity I would go with a XT3 series. the only one of the series with the drive shaft and the ground engagement transmission would hold up to use more than the belt drive and lighter lawn tractors trannies.

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Thanks...I believe I had looked at those briefly awhile back on the cub website. They look to be the top-of-the-line. I assume a plow is made for those models? I'm probably too sentimentally attached to the old 129, and also probably too swayed by all the guys on the other forum telling me that I should keep it going as long as I can. Beginning to think a new cub might be the better way to go. I know that the spindles on my old mower deck sure aren't getting any better. There is a good deal of play in there - especially the larger, center spindle.

We had a 109. When the 10 hp Kohler blew, we replaced it with a 12 hp. I'd love to have it back.

If it was me, I'd keep it and rebuild or replace the engine.

Well we all know the phrase " they don't make them like that any more" and it is true.
My main workhorses come from 1966 to 1969.
With the price of Kohler parts I would go the way of a new engine from one of the surplus engine suppliers

cpurvis said:

We had a 109. When the 10 hp Kohler blew, we replaced it with a 12 hp. I'd love to have it back.

If it was me, I'd keep it and rebuild or replace the engine.

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Very little difference, I believe, between the 109 and 129 - possibly just the different kohler engine. The 129 has a 12 hp. Your thoughts echo those of many people on several different forums...that of fixing the old cub rather than replacing it. I'd be really curious to see how it would run with a rebuilt engine!

bertsmobile1 said:

Well we all know the phrase " they don't make them like that any more" and it is true.
My main workhorses come from 1966 to 1969.
With the price of Kohler parts I would go the way of a new engine from one of the surplus engine suppliers

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More advice to repair the 129...thanks. I've been leaning in that direction all along, but if I do it I just hope the rest of the tractor and deck will hold up. The leak in the transmission has me concerned even though it's not gotten any worse over the years. And if the deck goes, not sure I can even get another for it - probably could find one on eBay or something like that.

Fix up your 129. Cubs now are POS.

Scrubcadet10 said:

Fix up your 129. Cubs now are POS.

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LOL...talk about telling it "like it is"! Tempted to go for the rebuilt. A guy on another forum also told me that he has no love for MTD, which, of course, now makes Cubs along with a crapload of other brands. I had no idea. IH stopped making Cubs back in '81 already.

In all seriousness, what makes you say that? I mean, I've been hearing from others that the quality is no longer there. Is it an issue with MTD in general, or something specific to how the new Cubs are made that is of much lower quality, or perhaps both?

Cub Cadet went through a renaissance in the 1990's with the 2000 Series. They had horizontal shaft engines and shaft drive, which you won't find in today's Cub Cadets.

That was then. Obviously, the commitment to durable design and construction has been jettisoned in favor of one thing--low cost.

cpurvis said:

Cub Cadet went through a renaissance in the 1990's with the 2000 Series. They had horizontal shaft engines and shaft drive, which you won't find in today's Cub Cadets.

That was then. Obviously, the commitment to durable design and construction has been jettisoned in favor of one thing--low cost.

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This statement says it all I suppose. Unfortunate. My dad, even decades ago, used to lament the very type of thing you're referring to, always saying "the junky stuff you buy nowadays"!!

It is the down side of a market economy with an uninformed market.
We have transitioned from a population of mechanically well informed to a population motivated by greed or brand loyality without the knowledge to make informed decisions.

Thus he who makes the cheapest mower / car / fridge / etc etc etc prospers and he who makes a top quality consumer durable ends in the poor house.
Walk around Walmart & Harbour Freight and have a good look at what is for sale & who is buying it.
Watch what they look at and it will be obvious they have less than no idea how to evaluate it.

So the market gets what purchase numbers demand, progressively cheaper goods in more ways than one.
The makers of high quality long life equipment go broke unless they can create & maintain a "mythical" status about their brand or product
Snap On is the perfect example of this marketing, good tools elevated to god like status through marketing to the point that the public will happily pay 3 times what they are worth for them.

International tractors made Cubs as a genuine sub compact tractor, built to last, built to do the job not look the part and built to be repaired.
unfortunately IH did not know how to market so Cub was not profitable and eventually ended up with MTD.

I have just repaired a 2155 that was in a grass fire ( it started it ) and when you get underneath you see the quality.
For example the brake & direction control pedals are on shafts that go completely across the mower, in fact just about every lawn tractor has a similar set up.
The Cub has a removable mounting plate on both sides with plastic bushes in them
The Deers have holes with bushes pushed directly through the pressings
The Craftsman have shafts that can not be removed and run directly on a hole which is not supported or reinforced pressed through thinner steel.

Now not all old stuff is good stuff, but at least if it is still running after 20 + years then if nothing else it is a good one.

bertsmobile1 said:

It is the down side of a market economy with an uninformed market.
We have transitioned from a population of mechanically well informed to a population motivated by greed or brand loyality without the knowledge to make informed decisions.

Thus he who makes the cheapest mower / car / fridge / etc etc etc prospers and he who makes a top quality consumer durable ends in the poor house.
Walk around Walmart & Harbour Freight and have a good look at what is for sale & who is buying it.
Watch what they look at and it will be obvious they have less than no idea how to evaluate it.

So the market gets what purchase numbers demand, progressively cheaper goods in more ways than one.
The makers of high quality long life equipment go broke unless they can create & maintain a "mythical" status about their brand or product
Snap On is the perfect example of this marketing, good tools elevated to god like status through marketing to the point that the public will happily pay 3 times what they are worth for them.

International tractors made Cubs as a genuine sub compact tractor, built to last, built to do the job not look the part and built to be repaired.
unfortunately IH did not know how to market so Cub was not profitable and eventually ended up with MTD.

I have just repaired a 2155 that was in a grass fire ( it started it ) and when you get underneath you see the quality.
For example the brake & direction control pedals are on shafts that go completely across the mower, in fact just about every lawn tractor has a similar set up.
The Cub has a removable mounting plate on both sides with plastic bushes in them
The Deers have holes with bushes pushed directly through the pressings
The Craftsman have shafts that can not be removed and run directly on a hole which is not supported or reinforced pressed through thinner steel.

Now not all old stuff is good stuff, but at least if it is still running after 20 + years then if nothing else it is a good one.

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In that case, mine was among the REAL good ones being that it's been running for twice that long. I'm fairly certain the 2155 was made between '96 and '99, so it would seem the quality was still reasonably intact back then from what you're saying. I've been reading through consumer affairs complaints about the newer Cubs. While there are some good reviews, there are sure alot of bad ones - the most horrific being tales of the machines actually catching fire. Somewhat less appalling but still deeply disturbing stories are from owners who report constantly ripping belts, various parts simply breaking off while driving, all manner of things simply not working....on and on....reports of having to take them back to the dealers repeatedly for warranty work. One in particular sticks in my memory - where the Cub rep told the owner that an acre of lawn is probably too much to mow for his cub (that has a 54" deck!) Seriously? Or that he's going around turns too fast, etc. And another where an owner was told that 100 hours is "alot of usage" on his new tractor. Gotta be kidding me. So, the deeper I go into the research on the newer Cubs, the more I'm drawn to the idea of putting the rebuilt engine in mine.

three4re said:

In that case, mine was among the REAL good ones being that it's been running for twice that long. I'm fairly certain the 2155 was made between '96 and '99, so it would seem the quality was still reasonably intact back then from what you're saying. I've been reading through consumer affairs complaints about the newer Cubs. While there are some good reviews, there are sure alot of bad ones - the most horrific being tales of the machines actually catching fire. Somewhat less appalling but still deeply disturbing stories are from owners who report constantly ripping belts, various parts simply breaking off while driving, all manner of things simply not working....on and on....reports of having to take them back to the dealers repeatedly for warranty work. One in particular sticks in my memory - where the Cub rep told the owner that an acre of lawn is probably too much to mow for his cub (that has a 54" deck!) Seriously? Or that he's going around turns too fast, etc. And another where an owner was told that 100 hours is "alot of usage" on his new tractor. Gotta be kidding me. So, the deeper I go into the research on the newer Cubs, the more I'm drawn to the idea of putting the rebuilt engine in mine.

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The 2000 series was a commercial line as is the 3000 series.
The change over from long life horizontal shaft engines to junk vertical shaft engines is a sure sign that the quality & longevity has been sacrificed on the alter of price.
Vertical shaft engines are only used on mowers and there is not a single one worth a pinch of horse poo now that Honda has exited the field.

It is always amusing reading the oft heated posts about how much better or worse one is over the other . Usually by people who have never pulled one to pieces.
Most of them are conversions of the durable & good quality horizontal shaft engines, to a cheap vertical shaft, most notable by the orientation of the oil filter.

Down here the service life is 300 hours ( 10 years @ 30 hrs/year ) on domestic grade mowers and a lot of them never get that far.

bertsmobile1 said:

The 2000 series was a commercial line as is the 3000 series.
The change over from long life horizontal shaft engines to junk vertical shaft engines is a sure sign that the quality & longevity has been sacrificed on the alter of price.
Vertical shaft engines are only used on mowers and there is not a single one worth a pinch of horse poo now that Honda has exited the field.

It is always amusing reading the oft heated posts about how much better or worse one is over the other . Usually by people who have never pulled one to pieces.
Most of them are conversions of the durable & good quality horizontal shaft engines, to a cheap vertical shaft, most notable by the orientation of the oil filter.

Down here the service life is 300 hours ( 10 years @ 30 hrs/year ) on domestic grade mowers and a lot of them never get that far.

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You're indicating that after approximately 300 hours the tractor is shot? Or at least in need of major repairs? Unreal. I must use mine on an average of 50-60 hours a year, probably more if you average in winters that necessitate significant snow plowing.

Getting off the tractor soapbox for a minute..... I'm considering visiting Australia and New Zealand in the next few years with one of the Collette tours and was thinking that October is a decent time? At any rate, fall suits my schedule for longer trips than does spring or summer. Hate to travel much in the winter due to the aforementioned instances where these nor'easters blow through here and deposit 4-feet of solidly packed snow nearly the entire length of my driveway. The cub really gets a workout following those - it'll sometimes take me 7-8 hours to open up and clear the driveway. My great-grandfather was born in Warrnambool, so I've always had an interest to visit Australia (not that I'd actually get to Warrnambool anyway during the tour).

Collette tours

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OK you have me interested.
Only Collette I know down here makes undies.

You should go to Warnambool, in fact you should do the entire Great Ocean Road Tues to Thursday ( quiet days ), allocate a full day to it, take your time , stop at all the lookouts and visit a few of the eateries.
Some world beating wine & cheeses along the tourist track.
Australia will be a bit of a shock.
Same land mass as mainland USA
Same population ( and economy ) as California and 75 % live in 3 ( way too big) cities
October is a good time for south & central Aust however it is the tail end of the cyclone season ( hurricane to you ) in the north.:thumbsup:
I ride vintage, veteran & classic Pommie motorcycles and October is the start of the riding season for us.
We occasionally get some snow in October, but only in the south east.

Apart from driving on the opposite side of the road most Americans feel very much at home.
heck we even built some Starbucks just so you can get some bad coffee served in buckets. :laughing:

Big big big warning.
Australia is the melonoma capital of the world . The sun light is totally different down here so make sure you use a good sunscreen, particularly in the afternoons.
Even if you can run around Texas all day naked, you will end up painfully sunburned if you don't take care.
I used to look after fashion models and countless number of them spent most of there time in a sunburn ward of one of our hospitals and some it was so bad it ended their careers.

My opinion, skip the garden tractors and consider a small sub compact diesel tractor like a Kubota BX or John Deere, Massey, LS, Yanmar, Kioti, Etc., Etc.
Easily out work a garden tractor and last much longer.

DK35vince said:

My opinion, skip the garden tractors and consider a small sub compact diesel tractor like a Kubota BX or John Deere, Massey, LS, Yanmar, Kioti, Etc., Etc.
Easily out work a garden tractor and last much longer.

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Very good advice

DK35vince said:

My opinion, skip the garden tractors and consider a small sub compact diesel tractor like a Kubota BX or John Deere, Massey, LS, Yanmar, Kioti, Etc., Etc.
Easily out work a garden tractor and last much longer.

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Undoubtedly a good idea which I had not considered, with the exception that (unless I'm mistaken), don't the prices for the Kubota compact tractors start close to $12k? The BX 1870 appears to be listed at $11,900. Certainly something to think about. One of my relatives has used one for years....uncertain as to what model, but I know his has a front end loader with it. I have little familiarity with them but there is a local dealer that I could check out. Thanks for the advice....


Just checked out the Kubota site after posting. What about possibly just going with one of their tractors? What is the advantage of the compacts / sub-compacts? My needs are basically to mow about an acre of lawn, along with also doing some mowing in a bit more uneven terrain in a partially wooded area where I maintain walking / hiking paths, towing a utility cart that I use for transporting brush and hedge clippings, etc., and for plowing snow (sometimes fairly heavy, drifted amounts in my driveway). Funny that I've not considered this before...guess I am fixated on Cub Cadet either for keeping mine alive or even buying new. From what I've been reading, I really think I should rule out buying a new Cub. I'm just put off by all the bad reviews and complaints. I'll need to do more research on Kubota. For one thing, it appears they are all diesel engines.

The compact or sub compact tractors are built much heavier in nearly every way vs a garden tractor. Properly maintained should easily last thousands of hours.
3 point hitch in the rear
4 wheel drive in most models
Optional front end loader (once you have one you will wonder how you got by without one, they are that handy)
Much heavier duty mower decks and attachments vs a garden tractor
Power take off for running other attachments (tillers, snow blowers, mowers, post hole diggers, Etc.)
They are more $$ than a garden tractor, but well worth the difference in price IMO.

DK35vince said:

The compact or sub compact tractors are built much heavier in nearly every way vs a garden tractor. Properly maintained should easily last thousands of hours.
3 point hitch in the rear
4 wheel drive in most models
Optional front end loader (once you have one you will wonder how you got by without one, they are that handy)
Much heavier duty mower decks and attachments vs a garden tractor
Power take off for running other attachments (tillers, snow blowers, mowers, post hole diggers, Etc.)
They are more $$ than a garden tractor, but well worth the difference in price IMO.

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It all sounds good. As I said, this is an option I had not considered. I really should visit the local dealer and look at them. I think I've pretty much ruled out buying a new Cub. And I have been wondering what I'd replace my old Cub with if I decide not to pursue any additional repairs. Thanks again...all very helpful info.

Can't hurt to look.
I think you will like what you see in the sub compacts.

DK35vince said:

Can't hurt to look.
I think you will like what you see in the sub compacts.

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I'll make it a point to do more research on them, visit the dealer, and also talk to my relative who has one.

three4re said:

LOL...talk about telling it "like it is"! Tempted to go for the rebuilt. A guy on another forum also told me that he has no love for MTD, which, of course, now makes Cubs along with a crapload of other brands. I had no idea. IH stopped making Cubs back in '81 already.

In all seriousness, what makes you say that? I mean, I've been hearing from others that the quality is no longer there. Is it an issue with MTD in general, or something specific to how the new Cubs are made that is of much lower quality, or perhaps both?

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What makes me say that?
All the busted knuckles i have. Nuts and bolts in impossible to reach places, I have '10 ltx1040, in 2011 we had to replace a blown head gasket, the lower shaft seal was leaking, the steering gear broke right in two and the starter was crap after a few months. The battery doesn't stay charged (might be the battery ,but its BRAND SPANKIN' NEW) I have to rebuild the pretty much ENTIRE deck. I just mow once a week, and i go E A S Y on it.

All the busted knuckles i have. Nuts and bolts in impossible to reach places, I have '10 ltx1040, in 2011
we had to replace a blown head gasket, A Kohler problem not an MTD one
the lower shaft seal was leaking, Again a Kohler problem not an MTD one
the steering gear broke right in two This is a MTD problem
and the starter was crap after a few months. Again a Kohler problem not an MTD one
The battery doesn't stay charged (might be the battery ,but its BRAND SPANKIN' NEW) Could be either one to blame.

I have to rebuild the pretty much ENTIRE deck. I just mow once a week, and i go E A S Y on it.
Rebuild ?

The only problem I come upon regularly with Cubs, I have with every other mower that fits a wash out port
People wash it out then leave to hot spindles to suck all the water into the bearings.
Toro are the worst for this but Cub run a close second.

Not meaning to sound condesending but you only get what you pay for and the 1040 is just about the bottom end of the range.
The new Cub range is not a patch on the old range, no arguement about that but again they are a lot cheaper.

I think MTD are having problems about what to do with Cub.
AFAIK Cub is still a stand alone brand, made in a stand alone factory and MTD's uses it as the research & design division.
One year they are all excellent value top line products then the following few years they go to pot as if MTD can not decide if Cub will be the leading brand or the loss leader brand.

bertsmobile1 said:

All the busted knuckles i have. Nuts and bolts in impossible to reach places, I have '10 ltx1040, in 2011
we had to replace a blown head gasket, A Kohler problem not an MTD one
the lower shaft seal was leaking, Again a Kohler problem not an MTD one
the steering gear broke right in two This is a MTD problem
and the starter was crap after a few months. Again a Kohler problem not an MTD one
The battery doesn't stay charged (might be the battery ,but its BRAND SPANKIN' NEW) Could be either one to blame.

I have to rebuild the pretty much ENTIRE deck. I just mow once a week, and i go E A S Y on it.
Rebuild ?

The only problem I come upon regularly with Cubs, I have with every other mower that fits a wash out port
People wash it out then leave to hot spindles to suck all the water into the bearings.
Toro are the worst for this but Cub run a close second.

Not meaning to sound condesending but you only get what you pay for and the 1040 is just about the bottom end of the range.
The new Cub range is not a patch on the old range, no arguement about that but again they are a lot cheaper.

I think MTD are having problems about what to do with Cub.
AFAIK Cub is still a stand alone brand, made in a stand alone factory and MTD's uses it as the research & design division.
One year they are all excellent value top line products then the following few years they go to pot as if MTD can not decide if Cub will be the leading brand or the loss leader brand.

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If i remember correctly the dealer said " as we loaded it on the trailer, " You won't be disappointed with this cub, It's Top of the line, with the newest Kohler engine released, this unit will last you forever" I now know i was L I E D to. And by re build i mean, everything new, except the deck itself , pulleys springs etc. But it could just be age. Stupid dealer was a smart aleck.

DK35vince said:

Can't hurt to look.
I think you will like what you see in the sub compacts.

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The local Kubota dealer has suggested replacing my Cub 129 with a Kubota GR2020. I looked at pictures of this and it just looks like another lawn tractor with lots of plastic on it. Would this model be a worthy replacement for my Cub? I'm sure the GR2020 is a good machine, but it just reminds me of the Sears Craftsman that my Mom had the past few years.

three4re said:

The local Kubota dealer has suggested replacing my Cub 129 with a Kubota GR2020. I looked at pictures of this and it just looks like another lawn tractor with lots of plastic on it. Would this model be a worthy replacement for my Cub? I'm sure the GR2020 is a good machine, but it just reminds me of the Sears Craftsman that my Mom had the past few years.

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I'm just not a fan of the newer garden tractors I've seen.(not that I've paid much attention to them lately)
Personally I would bite the bullet and get a sub compact tractor that would last and be done with it. More $$ but just so much better built and diesel which is a big + IMO.
But that's just my opinion, you will have to decide what you want and can afford.

three4re said:

The local Kubota dealer has suggested replacing my Cub 129 with a Kubota GR2020. I looked at pictures of this and it just looks like another lawn tractor with lots of plastic on it. Would this model be a worthy replacement for my Cub? I'm sure the GR2020 is a good machine, but it just reminds me of the Sears Craftsman that my Mom had the past few years.

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Looks pretty good to me. I'd go with the 2120 because it's a diesel.

If you buy one, don't get rid of your CC 129.