I can't agree with you more about high $$$
I was able to pick them up here and there, on the 'net, auctions and other jobs/places.

Great project and story!!! It has the original hydraulic pump, rear light, and it looks like wheel spacers on the back with some homemade weights or maybe that is the hub of the rim for offset. It just looks wider than normal from the picture of the rear end.

It could be that the reason the oirl in the engine looks so good is that it has settled over the years. I would still change it out anyway. Glad to see this 123 and loader are getting the attention it deserves!!!

Cub Cadet 123

Awesome job on saving the 123/Danco and +1 on thanking your FIL for his service.

I pulled all the hoses off of my Kwik Way loader and dropped them off at my local mom & pop auto parts store and said "make me new ones". I didn't ask how much and ended up spending a little over $300 for about 8 hoses....ouch:angry: They fit perfect and work great.

Here is where I go now for my stuff.

https://www.surpluscenter.com/

Keep us posted on the progress and don't forget to feed us pics. Good luck and have fun.:beerchug:

The 123 and Danco loader are going to be a great restoration project. I am really looking forward to seeing your progress as you move forward. When I bought my 1650/Kwik-Way loader tractor the seller had a 127 with a Danco Loader attached and I tried to buy it but he decided that he wanted to keep it. When you get it finished what are your plans for it? The wife and I really like our small loader tractor for chores around the house and yard. I just used mine to back fill a trench I had dug to replace the sewer lines from my shop to the septic system and it worked great. Easy to maneuver and less yard damage than a large tractor. Keep up the good work and thanks for posting.

Wow, the support on this site is incredible. I was more than a little worried about this project because I wasn't sure of parts availability, let alone if there was any quality information out on the net. Those fears are way less now! It appears that there is quite a following on these little machines, and I can see why.

Here's a shot of all the twine wrapped around just one side of the rear axle. Lots of cutting and pulling to get both sides clean. I rear elsewhere on the site that you may as well put in new axle seals if you're in the diff. Any issues with that?

Tires are shot and the rims need some work to see if they are rusted through or not. Man, those weights didn't want to come off the rims. Took a hammer and pry bar from the back side to pop them out.

I really only plan to use it to till the garden and parts of the yard for reseeding. I have a 6ft tiller on my tractor, but isn't always here and I don't like using it on the garden for soil compaction reasons. The loader is always handy to have around to get heavy items out of the truck bed, etc. It has forks with it too, so that'll come in handy for pallets.

Suppose you could post a pic of the pump, and mount/drive? I have a 1000, that I'm considering to add hydraulics, and looking for ideas.

Thanks,

Oops! Never mind. Forgot to look at the tractor series. Hydro has it's own pump.

Looking forward to this build thread.:beerchug:
You've come to the right place for help, and information on everything Cub Cadet.
Between all the members, whatever you may get hung up on, someone's "been there, done that".

The loader would have a separate pump.