Nice looking pair of Cubs.
I’ve also been involved in a couple of bathroom remodels myself. My 100 didn’t get any painting done on it at all last year.

Darn, been sick for a week, just getting back some energy. Spent a couple hours out in the shop, checking out one of the 129s. Last time, I noted it started and ran, so I pulled it into the shop.

PTO is shot, and head gasket is leaking, so I pulled the carb, hood and grill, and removed the head and PTO. Head bolts were barely tight and the PTO set screws came out easily. Someone had been into the PTO recently, the bearing looks pretty new. But they didn't tighten the jam nuts properly, so it came apart.

The engine is original bore dia, an unusual find, at least for me. Most I find are bored .010 or .020 over. Head fins were about 25% plugged with what looks like mouse debris, so cleaned that out. Now need to pull some of the other tins to see what else is there. Again, head gasket seems relatively new, so I'm guessing the head never got re-torqued or over heated due to the lack of cooling.

Planed the head, surfaced the PTO on the lathe, ordered the parts needed to rebuild the PTO.

Plan is to rebuild the carb, replace the head gasket, and run the tractor again to assess health.

The hydro valves are sticking, so I removed them and cleaned them up a bit, trying to get the buttons to operate. I put a pair of auto release valves in temporarily.

I don't see anything on this tractor that is not original. Who ever owned it took decent care of it. Well, except for the tunnel cover screws. those never last.

Pics of the aftermath...

Good to hear you're feeling better.

Thanks, twoton. Seems the older you get (I'm 64) the worse a cold kicks your butt. Bathroom tile has been on hold as well. Hopefully, this week...

Looks like you were busy Frank, I see the BFH out, so you you were prepared for anything.

Temps were up in the 60s today, so I went out to the other 129 that has been sitting outside. Cranked right up and the hydro is working now. Not sure why it would not move before. So I drove it around to the side of the workshop until I can get to it.

Didn't get much else done in the shop, finished assembly of the K241 I just overhauled. That's coming off the bench tomorrow and into "inventory." Or maybe, later, into the 72 so I can pull and overhaul that engine.

If someone used non Hytran and there was some water in it, it could have iced up. My son in law bought a used backhoe that iced up. When it warmed up it was fine. We flushed it with fresh fluid and it was fine.

I was thinking the same thing, possibly plugged filter. Frozen gunk was in my 1811 when I got it, and its not all that cold here in the winter.

I put the first 129 back together today, new head gasket, rebuilt carb, proper S/G belt. Except for the PTO. Ran it to warm it up so I can re-torque the head. It ran fine, no smoke, even on startup. Ran up to 3641 rpms on the pins via laser tach. Not bad for an original 1972 engine with stock piston.

It's back in the shop pending PTO parts deliver and repairs. Need to change the rear end fluid, it looked red when I pulled out the relief valves, probably ATF. Need to go buy another 5 gal of fluid. You guys may be right about #2 being frozen up. It was 63 deg. F. here today.

I'm still pondering the fate of these two 129s...

Pic of the K241 I just rebuilt.

Been a while since I worked on the 129s. Finally finished the upstairs bathroom tile. Then had arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus that has been bothering me for 6 months. So I'm recovering from that and taking it easy.

I did spend a bit more time on the first 129. I got the PTO rebuilt and reinstalled. Pulled the drive shaft that had "wallered" out the drive coupling at the hydro, partly due to a partially failed flex disk. I welded up the oblong hole in the drive coupling and put it in the mill to clean it up and re-center the 3/8 inch hole for the drive shaft end. The 5/8 inch side of the coupling is still a reasonably close fit on the hydro input shaft.

PO put a roll pin in the drive shaft at the engine end. Thought I had a spare in the parts drawer, but did not. So ordered a couple. Pulled a new fan from the stockpile.

Spent a few minutes touching up the notches in the trunnion. Will replace the springs as well.

I still need to decide on the fate of these two 129s. I'm torn between keeping this one as a worker, or taking on a more ambitious project.