It has been suggested to me to replace my old Cub Cadet with a Conquest....thoughts?

bertsmobile1

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  • / It has been suggested to me to replace my old Cub Cadet with a Conquest....thoughts?
Without a hoist? WOW! A guy on another forum just said the same thing to me. What about as you're removing the mounting bolts on the bottom? Won't the engine fall to the floor if it's not supported either from above or below? As to the flywheel / trans coupling, it looks like there are 4 bolts connecting the shaft, so not quite certain. I'm sure I can find it in the manual - probably under the section that covers separating the tractor.

Thanks...this all sounds like something that is doable, since I've worked around this engine for so many years and had all the stuff off that needs to come off as mentioned in the instructions - just never actually looked all around the bottom of the engine, etc. to see how it actually attaches to the frame.

Please at least check a parts dook before posting drivel.
Ride on engines sit on top of the deck and are bolted down from underneath.
If you had ever actually seen an engine sitting on the flloor it would be abundantly obvious how they mount.
 

three4re

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  • / It has been suggested to me to replace my old Cub Cadet with a Conquest....thoughts?
Please at least check a parts dook before posting drivel.
Ride on engines sit on top of the deck and are bolted down from underneath.
If you had ever actually seen an engine sitting on the flloor it would be abundantly obvious how they mount.

Seriously? I didn't realize one had to already be an expert on all things mechanical before posting here. I have never had one of these engines out, knew absolutely nothing about HOW they come in or out prior to discussing all this recently, so...how about a 'fair crack of the whip'?
 

three4re

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  • / It has been suggested to me to replace my old Cub Cadet with a Conquest....thoughts?
Please at least check a parts dook before posting drivel.
Ride on engines sit on top of the deck and are bolted down from underneath.
If you had ever actually seen an engine sitting on the flloor it would be abundantly obvious how they mount.

Except that I haven't...so hopefully that will, at least in some small way, vindicate my 'drivel'.
 

bertsmobile1

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  • / It has been suggested to me to replace my old Cub Cadet with a Conquest....thoughts?
Seriously? I didn't realize one had to already be an expert on all things mechanical before posting here. I have never had one of these engines out, knew absolutely nothing about HOW they come in or out prior to discussing all this recently, so...how about a 'fair crack of the whip'?

I am not trying to be an A'hole or even to deride you or your opinions.
This is an open public forum and everyone's opinions are welcomed.
I am sure CPURVIS fees duely complimented by your admiration of his feat.
And had you left it there there would have been no reason for any further comment.
however as you have done, many others come here looking for answers and they expect to see things that are correct.
Thus a statement that the engine can fall on the ground needs to be corrected.
If not for the benefit of you then for the benefit of others who will read this thread in the future.

Now in both this thread and the similar one you are running in the Cub Cadet sub section you claim to had this mower for 47 ears and you have done nearly all of the work on it .
Thus by now you should have noticed the engine sitting on the floor with the ends of the bolts poking up through the engine mounting plates.
When you first posted your post was taken as being genuine, as most are, however the longer it runs the more suspect it appears to become.

The 129's run a single cylinder horizontal crank engine that slides right off the mower floor the single drive shaft that goes back to the tranny sis clearly visible and you should have seen it because over the 47 years you have owned it you should have been greasing the universal joint or by now it will have packed it in.
\So you should be well aware that there is nothing connected to the engine but the drive shaft at the back , the PTO pulley at the front and the engine control wires.
I find it a touch too hard to believe that you are still running the original PTO belts.

Now we do get a few poor souls with nothing better to do with their time but come on here with pretend problems either because they are lonely or they get their jollies by trying to fool good natured people who try to help others.
The longer these two thread runs the more I feel you are the latter.

Thus my time of attempting to offer useful advice is over, however I will step in to correct things which are factually wrong because it is very important that specialty forums like this one spread correct information.
 
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  • / It has been suggested to me to replace my old Cub Cadet with a Conquest....thoughts?
Three I would repower your mower..... 2 reasons it lasted you that long and a newer mower costs way more cash for a cheaper built piece of crap.........

If your dealer is wanting you to spend almost 10 grand for what you already posted then go ahead and buy a Kubota diesel tractor in the 25 HP range.......

That simple.......

Otherwise watch my buddy on this video series and see how he swaps a engine from a Simplicity OLD school lawn tractor...

You will have to skip the first part of the vid to 7:00 minutes though......

https://youtu.be/yJltCLZBknA
 

three4re

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  • / It has been suggested to me to replace my old Cub Cadet with a Conquest....thoughts?
I am not trying to be an A'hole or even to deride you or your opinions.
This is an open public forum and everyone's opinions are welcomed.
I am sure CPURVIS fees duely complimented by your admiration of his feat.
And had you left it there there would have been no reason for any further comment.
however as you have done, many others come here looking for answers and they expect to see things that are correct.
Thus a statement that the engine can fall on the ground needs to be corrected.
If not for the benefit of you then for the benefit of others who will read this thread in the future.

Now in both this thread and the similar one you are running in the Cub Cadet sub section you claim to had this mower for 47 ears and you have done nearly all of the work on it .
Thus by now you should have noticed the engine sitting on the floor with the ends of the bolts poking up through the engine mounting plates.
When you first posted your post was taken as being genuine, as most are, however the longer it runs the more suspect it appears to become.

The 129's run a single cylinder horizontal crank engine that slides right off the mower floor the single drive shaft that goes back to the tranny sis clearly visible and you should have seen it because over the 47 years you have owned it you should have been greasing the universal joint or by now it will have packed it in.
\So you should be well aware that there is nothing connected to the engine but the drive shaft at the back , the PTO pulley at the front and the engine control wires.
I find it a touch too hard to believe that you are still running the original PTO belts.

Now we do get a few poor souls with nothing better to do with their time but come on here with pretend problems either because they are lonely or they get their jollies by trying to fool good natured people who try to help others.
The longer these two thread runs the more I feel you are the latter.

Thus my time of attempting to offer useful advice is over, however I will step in to correct things which are factually wrong because it is very important that specialty forums like this one spread correct information.

Your points are well taken - especially relative to making sure correct info is posted and incorrect info addressed so as to avoid confusion. Agreed. Rest assured, though, that I have no patience for trolls and am not here to do that. I am not here for "jollies" and making anything up. I have a Cub that threw the rod and and am trying to weigh out many different factors so that I can arrive at what I feel is the best decision - to either fix the old war horse or buy something new.

Of course I've changed belts, and have done the annual lubrication but quite honestly have never noticed the engine mounting bolts or even contemplated how the engine is attached to the frame. For someone like yourself, who does engine repair, there is so much that you take for granted. I spent my entire career teaching public school students to play band instruments, so perhaps an analogy....I would never have expected a kid to have observed another player and recognize the fact that as you add fingers on a clarinet, you are lengthening the air column thereby producing lower tones. A kid who has never actually played the instrument is unlikely to arrive at that sort of deduction. So, in turn, I would never assume that, once I start teaching him, he will know that lower notes must involve the use of more fingers. So, yeah, I've done a fair amount of work around the tractor but basically nothing having to do with the engine short of adding oil to it, cleaning the screen everytime I mow, taking apart the PTO, carb, other components, etc. But as to having thought about how the engine attaches to the tractor...not at all. Making intuitive leaps about all things mechanical is not something that comes naturally to me. I'm sorry, but I've been derided on forums similar to this one before simply because I don't have the knowledge that others do, and so have gotten a bit weary of it. Hopefully that does not sound unreasonable. I have posted on more than one section of the forum to hopefully maximize responses. I figured that only posting on the Cub side will probably elicit mostly responses in favor of doing the rebuild. Rest assured I am on MANY different forums at this point, not just this one.

Regardless, let's please not continue this. You can feel more than free to not post additional replies to my thread. I, also, promise not to respond any further to yours. No offense taken, and hopefully none given.

Cheers,
Keith
 

bertsmobile1

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  • / It has been suggested to me to replace my old Cub Cadet with a Conquest....thoughts?
Well we have come to an understanding so all is well.
Having had some serious thoughts about your problem there is something I had not taken into account.
If you go for a replacement engine it will need to have the same shaft diameter and more important the height of the pro shaft from the deck will need to remain the same or you will be in for a few problems with the front PTO.
The back is not so important as the shaft has some wiggle room.
Thus you really should be looking at an engine with an electric PTO.
That will get rid of all that clutch lever system so make the mower easier to use but clutches are expensive and bought as a seperate item.
I have not checked the mounting height of the output shaft but most of the late model engines are higher.
 

three4re

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  • / It has been suggested to me to replace my old Cub Cadet with a Conquest....thoughts?
Well we have come to an understanding so all is well.
Having had some serious thoughts about your problem there is something I had not taken into account.
If you go for a replacement engine it will need to have the same shaft diameter and more important the height of the pro shaft from the deck will need to remain the same or you will be in for a few problems with the front PTO.
The back is not so important as the shaft has some wiggle room.
Thus you really should be looking at an engine with an electric PTO.
That will get rid of all that clutch lever system so make the mower easier to use but clutches are expensive and bought as a seperate item.
I have not checked the mounting height of the output shaft but most of the late model engines are higher.

Berts...you're a bit over my head with this but I greatly appreciate it! I will review what you've mentioned with the guy I've been corresponding with from whom I am likely to purchase the engine. He actually offered two options - the typical short block that he said most people get, but also - knowing my lack of (at least natural) mechanical inclinations and in the interest of keeping the job as uncomplicated as possible AND hopefully avoiding sending the Cub to a shop for the removal / install - he said he could work up a complete drop-in, already tuned engine - would come with everything except the S/G - figuring that would be easier for me.

Let me also ask you this, since you'll undoubtedly have something of value in reply - given the choice of putting in the rebuilt K-301 versus buying, say, one of the new Kubotas that uses the 20 HP 2-cylinder Kohler - which would you feel is the better way to go? The guys on the Cub forum (and even others) have told me so often that the old K-series were virtually bullet-proof (so-to-speak, of course). Then, there is the Simplicity I looked at yesterday that has the Briggs & Stratton V-twin. Some people like these over the Kohlers, some vice-versa. Any thoughts on that?
 

three4re

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  • / It has been suggested to me to replace my old Cub Cadet with a Conquest....thoughts?
Three I would repower your mower..... 2 reasons it lasted you that long and a newer mower costs way more cash for a cheaper built piece of crap.........

If your dealer is wanting you to spend almost 10 grand for what you already posted then go ahead and buy a Kubota diesel tractor in the 25 HP range.......

That simple.......

Otherwise watch my buddy on this video series and see how he swaps a engine from a Simplicity OLD school lawn tractor...

You will have to skip the first part of the vid to 7:00 minutes though......

https://youtu.be/yJltCLZBknA

Thanks...just so I understand you correctly....are you also including a new Simplicity Conquest in your reference to the "newer mowers" as being a "cheaper built piece of crap"?

You refer to an older Simplicity. My parents had one of those...used to mow their lawn with it back in the early 70s. I'll check out the video.
 

cpurvis

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  • / It has been suggested to me to replace my old Cub Cadet with a Conquest....thoughts?
With as much discussion as has taken place over whether to keep or replace the Cub yet still unable to reach a decision, I would guess that you'll be second guessing whatever decision you make for years to come. You are suffering from what is known as 'analysis paralysis' i.e., afraid of making a mistake. If I had to guess your occupation, it would be engineer for the reason that I've seen so many engineers freeze up when making even the simplest decision when their own money was involved. (FWIW, I'm an engineer.)

You've been given reasons why you should keep the Cub. I've seen few if any reasons given as to why you should spend triple the money on a modern-day tractor with its modern day engine and systems. The Cub was built in a time when successive years showed improvements over the prior year's model. Sometime between then and now, that corporate business model was replaced with decades of cost cutting. If the Simplicity has not been a victim of this, by all means buy it.

You've heard the saying, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink." In this case, the horse is standing at the water's edge: Please take a drink, or just flip a coin.
 
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