I've got a 125 "Hydrostatic" Cub that I've been mowing the lawn with for the last 3-4 years. Found it on the side of the road, just after getting sandblasted/painted for $300, I think its a '68 (125's were made from 67-69 IIRC) and it's been fun to own so far. Where the previous owner made a good attempt at making the tractor pretty the mechanics were neglected. Steering was sloppy, ended up having a trashed steering box (ball bearing punched a hole right through it) that I limped till last summer. Needed belts, pulleys, bearings, a muffler etc. Burns a little oil, creates more of a haze while hitting the tall stuff then the cummins, and smells worse by far. Wife and neighbors don't mind it as much with a new muffler though!

Anyway, I've been trying to find out what type of fluid I can run in the transmission. All I've read about is IH "Hytran" or Cub Cadets special fluid. Thing is, I've got about 10 gallons of synthetic hydraulic fluid from Napa I got for my plow. Any good? It leaks enough where I've got to top it off every summer or the hyrostatic gets sorta sluggish. I've also got to source a filter for the thing...almost looks like a PH16 from my old 318.

Also its got a starter/generator combined unit, and I've always wondered how the heck it works. Just curious if anyone knows, because it works good but when it does fail I'd like to know what I'm looking for.

Thanks!

 

good sources on line (forums), my '62 still kicks butt.

ports are lil big for synthetics, tractor supply carries a good lubricating blend for the cadets. thicker.

smoking a bit is just a valve grind, possible dry rot seals.

make sure you grease the zerks, go online for a schematic. lube keyways and your cub will handle idle time well.

if you needed something specific, PM me.happy mowing.

psst the models are engine size and even (manual) odd (hydro)

169 16 horse briggs hydro whent hey started out

 

Use any name-brand hydraulic/transmission fluid. If you can find a Case IH dealer they should be able to get you the filter. Or if you can find a number NAPA should be able to cross-ref it.

A straight hydraulic fluid isn't good for them. You need a hydraulic/transmission fluid. Something that old I would also spend the coin on a name-brand fluid. Store brand fluids might meet spec, but often barely.

 

If ^^^these^^^ don't answer your questions, let me know. We rent barn space to a road mechanic that used to be with the local IH dealership. Has several IH's of your vintage at home and knows them inside-out.

 

I'd like to get a cadet with the 3 pt hitch and such for a garden. And it quite possibly could still be mowing after the boss' dad's new JD 0-turn is dead.

 

There's a guy I haul tractors for in Chico, Ca. that buys these tractors and converts the worn out ones to electric for small gardening jobs. He has about 3-4 in the shop all the time. You can contact him at his hand tool web site : http://www.valleyoaktool.com/

 

Gorms, at the risk of asking a silly question, why not just use HyTran? I use it in the tranny/torque amplifier of my IH 350 Utility - it is easy to get from a Case/IH dealer and it isn't particularly expensive.

 

Thanks for the info! I knew I'd learn something here....

Forgot all about tractor supply I'll give them a shot. Any other Cub Cadet "dealer" around here (closest IH/Case dealer is 80mi away) has let me down with lack of knowledge. Local repair shop said to run gear oil in it because it's gear driven. Thats why I asked here, figured that wasn't spot on.

One of these winters I plan on freshening up the motor, once everything else on my "winter" list is done. For right now though, fixing up the mower deck with a new roller bracket that fell off, patching a hole...rebuilding the carb, fixing steering, got a new seat on it, repair wiring that has been chewed up by rodents this year.....etc. Also need to figure out how to hook the governer back up, right now the hand throttle is hooked up directly to the butterfly, so the RPMs vary a bit depending on load. I think I've got a piece of fencing wire instead of a spring in the linkage....

Did I mention it's got fresh paint?

 

Most Cub Cadet dealers aren't going to know much more than you CIH dealer, seeing how Cub Cadet is owned by MTD now.

If it's that far to the dealer, pick up some hydraulic/transmission fluid at NAPA or TSC. Just avoid the store brand at TSC.

Do you have a JD or New Holland dealer closer by? You can use NH's hydrostatic transmission fluid with no ill effects, likely the JD Hy-Guard as well.