Picked up a $25 Cub Cadet 73 winter project today...

[LarryW]

Looking good! Cool tips with impact driver too!

[_DX3_]

Originally Posted by jbrewer

Great pictures and it looks like you've got one well worth saving.

On your wheel tool, do I understand that that bol5 slides down inside the steering column shaft and the tool hammers on the shaft with the nuts you have threaded on there? It's a good idea ...air tools...impacts and the like save a lot of bolts/nuts AND knuckles

Thanks
John

Yes that is correct, I had to use a drill bit to open up just a bit of the shaft for the tool to slide down into. They build up junk over time in there and makes it hard to get it in sometimes.

Originally Posted by Methos

Awesome pics and updates DWayne! What a great way to spend some free time!

I did enjoy the day a lot.

Originally Posted by MrGitrdone41

looking good Dwayne! Reminds me of me restoring my 73. I was lucky with the motor it sat inside for 16 years and started right up with no smoke! the 73s are neat little cubs. here is a pic after the resto Attachment 15946

That is a great looking 73, I hope this one looks half that good when I get done.

Originally Posted by LarryW

Looking good! Cool tips with impact driver too!

Some will advise against it and that is fine. I don't like hitting them with a hammer and a bolt because I do believe that can really mess the bearings up. But so far this method really works good.

[_DX3_]

Originally Posted by darkminion_17

I use the same method to remove the steering wheel,but I loosen the nut a turn or two,and leave it on.Always use a lot of soak time with the PB blaster

Yep, I spent the last two or three days of soaking the steering shaft and steering wheel with PB Blaster. I have learned patience on these things finally.

[ACecil]

Thanks for the pics, and update, DWayne!

[Cubcrazy]

Looking good Dwayne!
You are coming along nicely!

[_DX3_]

Thanks.. It would be real nice if I could get some paint sprayed while there are a few weeks of warm weather left, then can work on the mechanicals while it is cold out.

[_DX3_]

I was able to get the PTO bearing removed finally with the right tool and the S/G crank pulley. I went ahead and disassembled the engine and got all of the tolerances checked. As I thought a .010/.010 kit will fix everything up nicely. I was hoping I would get to use my tools again. Take a look at the PTO end of the crank shaft. It looks to have had a shaft installed over the original crank surface to compensate for the ID of the PTO bearing and lock and pulley. It looks be be pinned and seems to be quite solid. Is this something anyone has seen before? From measuring I will have to cut the very tip off of the crank so that if we use a PTO later the bearing can be placed correctly. Not much else out of the norm that I can see. If you see something odd feel free to speak up. You will see what looks like sand in the cylinder on a couple of pics. I have no idea what that is unless is dust, because I wiped it clean, LOL.

Piston and rod looked to be in good shape:


Bearing surface looked good:


First time I have seen a bolt head lock for the rod bolts.


PTO end of Crank Shaft. You can see the added sleeve or what I think has been added:




Need to cut the excess off of the crank end:


Crankpin surface looked really good, but a bit too much wear:


No crosshatch that I could find except at the very bottom:




Will replace the valve guides:

[ACecil]

Thanks for the pics and update, DWayne!

[_DX3_]

Some of my tools I like to play with, I mean work with.

I set my cylinder dial to the max wear measurement. This way I will know if I have a go no go cylinder and or if the wear is just under the max it will still be time to bore.

I set the max limit on my caliper:




Then adjusted the dial to measure "0" right at the max:


Anything to the left of 0 is too much wear. It was all bad, LOL:











That was it for the day. I didn't take any pics of checking the crank and a lot of this may be boring for most, but it may help someone or lead them to ask a question.

[Matt G.]

I've never seen those locking tabs on a Kohler rod, but many B&S engines have those.