New to pulling Cub Cadets

[Dano73]

I have been pulling antique tractors for 20 about years and just recently got a Cub puller. I believe its an 82 series, it has been a puller for several years. It is a 12 horse hot stock (CIGTP rules) with 26x12 tires and a welded rear end. It runs and pulls good. I assume the transmission gears are stock and would like some assistance figuring out what 3 usable pulling gears I could run. Thank you for any information you can offer.

[J-Mech]

Before going any further it would probably be best if you popped the top off and counted the teeth on the gears so we know for sure what you have. "Assuming" that they are stock is probably a bad idea. For example: There are 3, second gear sets.

[Merk]

Dano73
First

Can you post the rules for the class(es) you are planning to run?

Is this the class the tractor been running in?

Depending on the class and your pocket book you may be able to have 4 forward gears.

[Dano73]

J-Mech, we probably won't get into it until after the new year. The last pull of the season we had a power track and broke the carrier. At this time we don't know for sure what axles are in it either. Thanks you for the information, assuming usually is a bad idea.

Merk, we run a fairly stock engine with a 4000 RPM limit, copper head gasket, a camshaft with .330 running lash and open duration, may run front steel flywheel (up to 15 pounds) and 23x10.50x12 tires with 14" hitch or 26x12x12 tires with 13" hitch. Weight classes are 1050 and 1100.
The tractor was set up for this class when we got it, but it had been in faster classes with previous owners.
We are required to have a fuctioning reverse gear in the stock and hot stock classes.

[Merk]

I like the rule 23x10.50x12 tires with 14" hitch or 26x12x12 tires with 13" hitch.

Which tire size usually wins (26 or 23)?

I would start with a 15 tooth first-16 tooth second-17 tooth third gear set with the engine and tire combination you have. This is what I would start with not knowing the what type of tracks you pull on. If you seem to have more than enough power you can go to a 10% overdrive gears in the reduction drive that is in front of the trans. The 10% overdrive will give you 1 more tooth in each gear.

Your puller could have any gear set in it right now. I would do what J-Mech said before I ordered any parts.

[dvogtvpe]

as others have said. count out the teeth on the gear you normally run. stock in a 82 series was 17.. then decide if you could have actually ran a higher gear ever or if a lower gear was ever needed. I like to put a 15/17 in place of 2nd and 3rd. 1 is a 13t. if you need to speed it up a 13t pinion is a easy way to do it. that picks everything up almost 1 tooth. if you set up your tractor with a 3 in driveshaft coupler and open up the hole in the front cover you can change that pinion very quick.

from what I've noticed most times the 1 in difference in drawbar isn't enough for the 10.5 to overcome the 26x12x12. up here they run a 1 in lower drawbar for pro tires in the stock class. I'd take the lower drawbar every time.

[Dano73]

Both tires compete well with this rule, I have been beat by both. Sometimes due to track conditions and sometimes because of gearing I think. I am unsure the transaxle is original as it was originally yellow and the sheet metal was originally red. I used 2nd gear most of the time, but did use low gear a couple times. We have a couple tracks we need to be in low gear but most are second gear fairly easy. There was sometimes we needed a gear faster than the second gear we have. No parts will get ordered until gear teeth are counted. Thank you for the replies.
Just as a question, how much does one or two teeth speed up or slow down the ground speed? Just trying to understand the gearing.

[Merk]

The original rear end housing for your Cub Cadet was made out of aluminum. There should be a tag or a 5 to 6 digit serial number somewhere on the trans. Click on this link:
http://www.ihcubcadet.com/IHCCFAQ/SerialNumbers.htm

It will show you where the serial number could be located.

The early 70 and 100s had a 16 tooth 2nd gear. Speed at 3600 RPM (engine speed) is around 3.0 mph. The later 70-100s had a 19 tooth 2nd gear. Speed at 3600 RPM (engine speed) was 3.9 mph. The 16 tooth was on the slow and the 19 tooth was a little to fast when mowing so IH went to a 17 tooth second gear. The speed was around 3.4 mph at 3600 RPM (engine speed).

The faster wheel speed could make the engine work harder and could lug the engine down to get it out of it's RPM range where it makes the most power.
Too low wheel speed will have the engine not working up to it's full potential......could be giving up some distance.

I'm trying to find the best of both worlds (Speed and Engine RPM) when I'm going down the track. I don't want to over lug the engine and the same token I don't want the engine be lazy while it is going down the track.

[Dano73]

The rear end housing is not aluminum and I found a five digit number 82926, but it was on the reduction housing. It has an internal brake and the reduction housing touches the frame on both sides. Does that sound right?
With the speed estimates you listed I should be alittle faster than that with 26" tires and 4000 RPM's

[Merk]

Originally Posted by Dano73

The rear end housing is not aluminum and I found a five digit number 82926, but it was on the reduction housing. It has an internal brake and the reduction housing touches the frame on both sides. Does that sound right?
With the speed estimates you listed I should be alittle faster than that with 26" tires and 4000 RPM's

Your rear end was made in May of 1964. It was on a IH Cub Cadet 70 or 100. Factory 2nd gear was a 16 tooth. Speed at 3600 rpm would have been around 3 mph.

The rear end in my IH Cub Cadet 100 was made the next month (84XXX).

Yes you should be a little faster. I'm thinking 10% faster. Biggest thing is how hard you pull the engine down when pulling. That is the thing to watch. It is hard to describe without being there. If it was my puller I would set my puller to do most of my pulling in 2nd gear. If there are a few tracks the engine isn't working that hard I would go up 1 to 2 teeth (3rd gear). Them you are going to have a few tracks that 2nd gear is too much (pulling engine rpm down too much) I would have a 1st gear with 1 to 2 teeth less that 2nd gear.

I would do what dvogtvpe and I suggested with the overdrive gear in the reduction housing. That could give 6 different gear ratios in your trans.

As you are finding out it takes plenty of $$$$$$ to make a good puller.