Suggestions on how to post questions: Help us help you!

[J-Mech]

When posting a question on OCC you may not be sure what to ask. You may not know the name of a part or how do diagnose the problem your having. Here are some things that will help the guys on here, help you.


Give us all the info!

We're a good group here, but (speaking for me mostly) we don't always remember what machines you own. Make sure, when you post you give all the info. Model and serial number is really the most important. Year is irrelevant until you get into the "newer" machines (1998 or so, and above), but give that if you want/know. When working on the engine, it helps to have the information off the engine tag ready, or just post it. Cub Cadet didn't make engines, so sometimes a search from the engine building company is in order. To do that, we need the engine information.

Other helpful info:
Lets use an example: If your having engine trouble, and you know that the engine in the machine has been replaced with a non-factory replacement (like a 14hp Kohler replaced with a 10hp Kohler) then that info is important. If your working on the ignition system, and you know that the coil is off a Chevy, that is important for us to know. Things that may seem like no big deal, sometimes is. If you don't know, that's understandable (like you just bought it), but if you do know, don't leave us guessing. We have to assume when helping that all parts are correct until either we are told they aren't, or until we ask enough questions to figure it out. Like I said, if you don't know, that's ok! Just don't "withhold" info, or make us guess.


Avoid short posts.

As someone who answers a lot of technical questions on here, nothing is more frustrating than a thread that simply reads "My cub died, any ideas?" It's like going to a doctor and telling him your arm hurts. Maybe you fell on it, maybe you got stabbed, he doesn't know. He is going to want all the information you can give him. So do we. Tell us what you were doing when the problem started. Tell us if it has been running fine, or if this was sudden. Did it blow smoke out the breather or make a funny noise? Information like that is helpful. If you just repaired it the week before, that kind of information can be useful too. Point is, the more you can tell us, the better we can help. If you make a short post, then we are going to follow with lots and lots of questions. Speaking for me, I want to help you fix your cub, but I can't sit for 3 hours just to get to the root cause, and if your grass is growing and you can't mow, it doesn't help you either. It's ok if you forget something, or just really don't know where to start. Make the question pointed. If you really don't have any idea where to start looking, just say so. We'll get you going on a general diagnosis to get to the problem. Point is, it's OK to say you don't know where to begin. But we need to know that.

If you have general mechanical knowledge and do know how to diagnose....... then do a little of that before posting. If your Cub died, and you know how to check spark, and see if it's getting fuel, do that BEFORE making a post. You may find the problem! Then, you can start a thread telling us how your cub broke and you fixed it! Instead of starting a thread, getting 10 replies on how to fix it, and finding out you ran it out of gas. Things like that make you look silly, and honestly.... do you really want us to know you just ran your machine out of fuel, after you started a "My cub died... HELP!" thread? LOL!


What if I don't know the name of a particular part?

Post a pic!
This is the single best and most effective way to communicate to us what it is your talking about. We can see it, and help you identify it.

Look in either a parts book, or online parts book.

If you don't know how to post a pic, or you want to try and figure things out on your own, this is a good option.

There are two that I suggest you to use.
partstree.com is my first choice. Because, and only because it seems to me it is the simplest to use. The second is cubcadet.com. It is the online version of the factory parts book. It is exactly what Cub Cadet uses when you call them.
Basically, you type in the model of your machine, and pick the heading that applies. Find the part in question, and go to the description and get the name. If you don't know what the part is, that's fine, the book is broken down into "systems" if you will. If the part in question is on the motor, then look in the engine section. If it's on the hydrostat, look in that section. This rule of thumb doesn't always apply, and sometimes you can't find it. That's ok! At least you looked. Just make it a point to say that you looked and can't find it. If nothing else it lets us know that you are trying to help communicate your problem with the group. Calling a part a "doohicky" is not an effective way to communicate to us what you are referring to. If you use the wrong name, we will correct you. Don't be offended, it's not an attack, and we're not "making fun".


Know your limitations and share them.

Most everyone here wants to learn. I don't discourage learning. But like anything else in this world, you have to start small and work up. You learned to crawl before you walked. You rode a tricycle before a bike. When you went to school you were taught addition before algebra and in college studying your major they taught you theory first. If you don't know what a piston is or what a cam does, rebuilding an engine is probably going to be over your head. Start slow. Learn as you go. Don't attempt major repairs before you do your research.

When you are ready to push into a new area that your unfamiliar in, that's great!! Be honest about your lack of experience so that we know how to help.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, maybe you have been around machines for years, but are new to the Cub world. That's great!! Just like as in the above example, share that you know your way around machines but are new to cubs so we know at what "level" to help you at.

Point of this heading guys is, not everyone is on the same level if you will. I don't want to give out info at a "2nd grade" level if you are at a "college level", or vise-versa. Don't be offended if someone gives out info at the inappropriate level. Simply say, "Ok, I don't understand" or if the answer seemed below your level, ask for a more detailed explanation.


Check the "Resources" section

This is the area we call the "tech section". Most everyone knows about the tech section, but if you are unfamiliar, that's cool. It can be found here. If you haven't been there, check it out!

Just to highlight a couple important areas:
In the "Technical Library- Tractors" section, we keep the service manuals for the chassis and the engines, owners manuals and also lots of other information including wiring diagrams. The "Technical Tips" section is relatively new. It's just like the heading says, that's where information and write-ups on how to do commonly done repairs can be found. It has more detailed explanations than the service manual give and are written by members. We are adding to it as much as we can.



This site is not all about just helping you fix your cub, but it is the area that I personally focus on the most. Mostly because that's what I do, fix things. But it does seem that this is the area that gets the most people frustrated. Hope this will help some of you feeling frustrated about some mis-communications we are having. It's not that people here don't want to be helpful, I really think it's more a lack of communication between the answer seekers and the answer givers. It's my goal when I am helping a member with a problem to get them to the solution in the fastest way possible. If it can be done in 5 posts or less, that's great. If it takes 30, then so be it. Lets keep working together. This is a great site, and by far the largest site devoted to only Cub Cadets. Keep the questions coming and the answers going guys!! Oh, and the pics and the "how to's" and the "What I did with my cub today's" and the all around Cub Cadet