Farmall Cub VS Cub Cadet
 

Ok guys, im a newbie in general to tractors, and while i have no use for a tractor the size of a F.A. "cub" and would much rather have a "982"... im courious....

What would be the perk of having a F.A. Cub over a Cub Cadet?

They both cut grass, plow, till, and probably push around snow, the only difference is the Cadet, through its entire run, has had equal (7hp to 8hp) or more power than the Cub. So what would be the perk of purchaseing the bigger tractor if you could get a cadet with more power, and all the same implaments?

Thanks,

Matt

The CC's may have similar or more HP but torque is a totally different store. Torque combined with a larger engine, heavier frame, and more weight equals able to do more work. You can lift more with the loader, pull more with the tractor, lift more with the rear lift, and it will last longer. Many of our small engines, even well maintained, won't last much beyond the 1500-2000 hour mark (some longer, some less so let's not get into that :biggrin2:). But the FA Cubs will last much longer as they are a larger block, liquid cooled, and more I'm sure I'm not currently remembering/aware of.

That being said, the average homeowner not "farming" with the machine will do just fine with a CC or Super GT. Just all in what you need the machine for :beerchug:

Awesome, Good deal, thank you for clearing that up for me, makes perfect sence. Yeah i just couldnt see the benifits of the larger tractor with the less powerful motor. Then again no one ever says my tractor has XXX ft/lbs of torque, just its got a 8 hp motor or a 17 or 20 hp motor. I dont have a need for a Cub sized tractor, but a nice Super GT would probably fit the bill quite nicely.

Thanks again!

Matt

IMHO I've had the cub and the Farmall, and the only real benefit I feel the Farmall has is what it was really designed for: cultivating. Otherwise, IMHO, the Farmall has few advantages over a Cub cadet.

This may not be relevant, but in the town where we go on weekends, there is a very nice older brick ranch, on a fairly large corner lot (probably 3/4 of an acre or so).

Once in awhile I will see what appears to be a very old woman wearing a large straw hat with a scarf of some sort tied under her chin to keep the hat from blowing off (I'm guessing) riding her Farmall Cub around cutting the grass.

The turn onto this road is kinda fast as it comes off a multi-lane road with lots of traffic so I've never gotten a good look to see what model the tractor is. It sure is nice and shiny though.

I have often times wanted to go around the block and stop and talk with this lady to get the story on her tractor and why she uses such a machine to mow her lawn. I am always in fear that an ugly old bat turd like myself pulling up in or near her drive would scare the crud out of her though. So from afar, I just admire the fact that she is able to get out and climb onto this old Cub and cut her own grass.

Another factor is that the cub is much better at putting its power to the ground; more weight = more traction.

Nice story.
You better go talk to her before she can no longer talk back.
Thanks for sharing.

For me, it's easy. I like a hydrostat. A Farmall Cub does not have a hydrostat. (OK OK I'm not trying to start a hydrostat/gear war.)

I live in the suburbs. I have to move snow on a sidewalk, and a Cub Cadet fits down the sidewalk easily. A Farmall Cub will have more difficulty.

If I ever NEEDED a Farmall Cub, I'd just go bigger and get me an M. If I wanted to keep with the cultivision look, I'd get an A. That being said, my wife really wants a Farmall Cub as it's her favorite tractor, so I'll eventually own one of those.

Boy, I'm glad you didn't let THAT cat get out of the bag!

We have both the f-cub and super, but not a 982 as you desire. For me just cutting a lawn with the super get's it done in comfort, where the f-cub isn't going to steer as well and maneuver through the obstacles the super does.
But the f-cub with it's ground clearance will go where the super would only dream of. And another thing, the f-cub is just a cool little tractor:beerchug:

Something I might mention is those " small" farm tractors of that vintage do not have live power, so when we put belly mowers, or rear mowers on them, when the tractor slows down so do the attachments/mowers.
I have a little chalmers "B" with a rear semi mounted sickle bar, and it takes some getting used to when mowing hay or ditch banks.
You kind of have to "get a running start" so to speak.
But no problem really, just something different.
I still prefer my haybine tho, for mowing hay.:beerchug:

Awesome! I really enjoy learing about these things lol yall are extremely helpful.

When did "Live Power" become a standard feature? I suppose thats why i was always told when i was a kid to mow in 1st gear with the thottle up, low speed for a clean cut, but high rpm to keep the blades spinning at the appropreiate speed. it all makes sence now haha.

The reason i suppose im stuck on a pre-82 IH 982 super GT is because, at least as of late, MTD has a poor record of quaity. I mean no disrespect to anyone whom has an MTD Cadet, I have a troybuilt push mower that works great, but over all, and from what i have heard, they seem to have lost there quality. Just an "out of the box" lawn mower so to speak.

Were the 1872 and 2072 Supers still quality tractors? When did MTD take over officially? i believe CCC lasted until '86 or '89 if iirc. Were the CCC tractors made with the same quality as the IH machines?

The 18 and 2072 are fantastic machines, pretty much the same as the IH models they replaced. Biggest difference is the alum rear end housings. I'm more concerned with how long the Kohler engine in my 2072 will last than all other concerns about that machine combined!

Live power means the PTO has its own clutch you can engage it anytime.
Old way was to start the mower or whatever you had to push in the clutch which stops the tractor moving as well. They shared a clutch so to speak
I've had to bale hay with an old M and it's not fun

The Lo-boy numbered series was the first cub-sized live pto setup. It wasn't great, but it did let you stop the tractor without stopping the mower ( or whatever else you were using)

If I needed to mow 2+ acres of open, then Farmall Cub w/ belly mower.

If it were trees, then Cub Cadet. More nimble and lower.

There's an old man with a real nice lot, maybe 2 acres, about a mile or so from me that cuts his lawn with a F-Cub. I've always liked the place & he really takes nice care of his property and buildings. I'll admit I've been waiting patiently (and optimistically) for it to go up for sale....

The lot would be doable with a Cadet though too. Maybe a little time consuming....

I don't know how many of you guys have ever mowed with a Cub tractor, but in my opinion they are a complete joke for mowing. You better hope the grass isn't growing fast or you can't even wait a week between mowings. I grew up around quite a few of them since my dad worked for an IH dealer and I helped there part time. I got to test quite a few after the mechanics were done with them by mowing the back lot. There's just not enough power there to pull a 60" deck. The 48" or whatever the single blade decks are were better on power but you could hardly mow as wide as the wheel track. Dad's Cub has a 3 blade Woods deck and a rebuilt engine, I'll blow past him with either of my Supers. Any decent 12hp Cadet is a better mower than a Cub. I will say the IH decks that had the built in ratcheting center pulley were nice so you could shift gears without having to wait for the deck to stop. The 154-185 Lo-boys did seem to have a little more power, must have been different gearing in the PTO. Cubs are great for running a sickle mower or cultivating, other than that they are just pretty much obsoleted---too much work to mount tillage tools unless they are fast hitch. If you really want a tractor to mow with, upgrade to a Super A, 100, 130 or 140 and then you will have something decent. You can get the mowers belly mount or rear mount.

"Littler" is right--I saw one recently at the Rock River Thresheree, and another one just up the road asking $3500 [!], and the engine block looks like something out of a half scale model.
More to my liking, there's a very clean Farmall A and an M in town and they both run and work and I can have them both for less than $3500. And that's not even taking into account CAT0 vs CAT1 vs Brinley...

Sidewinder, IMHO, MTD improved what IH made. The Cyclops were the last true garden tractors built by MTD but the 3000 series are great mowing machines. I agree with John on the Farmall Cub. I owned one and it was pretty cool but I couldn't use it as a weekly mowing machine but they are pretty cool in the garden.

The 982 was the biggest IH built but the largest deck available was a 50" cut. MTD used better engines and decks than IH did. The 1872/2072 is an improved 982 with a larger deck available, power steering, more standard options and a better driveline. The Cyclops SGT's are an improved 1872/2072.

I thought 60" decks were an option on 982 machines. Mine has a very early 60", its actually badged as an IH deck. Pretty much same as the later Haban other than the serial tag is in a different spot and no front gauge wheels. I actually have an IH parts book for the deck--not a CCC or MTD publication. The dealer dad worked for only sold one 982, I thought it had a 60" deck, but I'm going off a 30 year old memory.

I'm going off of memory too John. I was thinking a 50 was the biggest. :bigthink: 982's are still one of my favorite machines.:beerchug:

I have supers and have owned 5 or 6 Farmall cubs and still have one. If you want to do any Garden work plowing, discing, cultivating, planting, fertilizing ect you can't beat a cub I grew up doing all the above. My dad used to raise 90,000 tomato plants every year. The cub even though it does not have a live PTO it was very popular in the 50s and 60s for cutting grass. I would not recommend for finish lawn work but they are great for cutting down field grass. I spent many hours cutting acres upon acres of two foot high field grass. The super is a far superior finish mower with a hydro, power steering and is much more nimble. I would take a 1572 or 1772 over a 982 in a heartbeat. Nothing wrong with the cyclops but I prefer metal over plastic. The field these tractors are sitting in were all tomatoes when I was a kid.

Cub only has 8 HP, that's why I've had less than enthusiasm for them.

I really considered a Cub but decided it was simply too big for my land, a cadet is the perfect size.

Don't be deceived by the number an 8hp cub would out work an 18hp super all the way around. The cub was an amazing machine in its time. A super is a far better mower and has much better mobility.

Ditto to that, I really enjoy mowing with my father's 154 (mine doesn't have a pto yet, too many irons in the fire) at about 1/3 throttle and almost silently. The 60" deck is still lifting enough to have a decent cut and you can hear your kid running around in time to stop. Not a bad thing!

We use our old 1956 f-cub a lot cutting the food plots in the woods, and it cuts some pretty thick tall clovers and alfalfa. We use to have one on the farm back in the 60's and 70's that I cut the pastures with and the ditch along the hwy.
Both are/were the 60" belly mowers and they performed their jobs well.
I can guarantee my 1872 isn't going to work all that well in the same situations. As the f-cub isn't going to do well where the 1872 shines mowing the lawn around the home stead either.
So rather than comparing the two, just have both to cover the chores that need to be done...:biggrin2:

Man yalls stories are amazing! Thats really cool. I have a new respect for the MTD made cubs. Like some of yall i prefer the Metal over the plastic. Ill also expand my search of Supers up to '89 and include the 1872, 2072, 1772 as well as the 982. I really cant say how much i learn from this site everyday! Ill probably invest in a F.Cub later on down the road, but for now, i can definately say my cub fever is getting worse!

Matt

I've had my FA Cub for several years now... I can honestly say that "10hp" on a FA Cub isn't the same "10 hp" that you expect from a small engine such as a Kohler, Kawa, Briggs, whatever.... My FA Cub can work side by side with my 30hp Kubota B tractor, only it's a lot more clunky to use (gotta love hydrostatic and power steering).

Like everyone has said they are two TOTALLY different animals. Heck, the old FA M's were only rated back in the day at something like 30ish HP. If you ever have a chance to really check out the engine in a FA Cub take a good look at the size of the pistons and everything else. I'm amazed at how much "work" those little tractors are capable of. Then to realize that the same transmission that's in the FA Cub is in the IH Cub Cadets.... WOW! Talk about over engineering!!!