Weak running/ mowing

[denton]

1. I have been noting that over the past dozen or so hours I have had a loss of power. As I have had to clean the carb every so often I assumed this was the problem and did that today. Got so bad that it would not even start. I checked the spark at the coil and it was very hot. Checked the spark at the plugs and it was really weak. I changed the rotor button and the distributor cap (which looked fine) and she ran like a race car. I forgot how much power she used to have.

I never knew how a weak spark could eat power.

2. I have been doing most of my field mowing using a Woods 42C. I have been mowing mostly in third gear on the contour with grass 8-10 inches high. I do keep the blades sharp. I was considering getting a wider deck and dropping to 2nd gear. Since I don't have a proofmeter on the cub it's hard to tell ground speed, however 2nd seems like it's really slow to mow with. Can you fellows with the 60 inch mowers mow in 3rd gear or do you have to mow in 2nd? The 42 mows smoothly in third but if I drop to 2nd it looks as good as a finish mower.

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

Denton, sometime i'd love to see your setup. You're the only person I know that can mow in 3rd gear with a cub. Most of them have all they can handle in 2nd. 3rd gear is 6 1/2 miles per hour. Does your cub by chance have a gear reducer on it? It is a unit aobut 6 inches wide bolted between the left final drive and the transmission. It would have a lever on it to change speeds.

[jim turner]

I couldn't stay in the seat in third gear with either one of my Cubs where I have to mow, beside the fact they wouldn't have enough power .

[Donny M]

If I run any of my Cubs in 3rd gear across a field I wouldn't be able to sit down for a week.

[denton]

Denton, sometime i'd love to see your setup. You're the only person I know that can mow in 3rd gear with a cub. Most of them have all they can handle in 2nd. 3rd gear is 6 1/2 miles per hour. Does your cub by chance have a gear reducer on it? It is a unit aobut 6 inches wide bolted between the left final drive and the transmission. It would have a lever on it to change speeds.

I have pretty much a standard setup. No gear reducer. I didn't know that most people don't mow with the 42 in 3rd. Real heavy grass like down in my damp bottom land calls for second. A gear ratio somewhere between 2nd and 3rd would be optimum for the 42 inch. That's why I was wondering about something a little wider and drop to 2nd. I mowed for exactly one hour yesterday after 2.5 hours troubleshooting and mowed in one continuous concentric circle to see how much I mowed in 1 hour but time got me and I never got to walk off the radius. I'm gonna do that again and report.

As far as bumpyness, I probably do need to get a seat cover. I am very pleased, however, at how much the spring takes up the jolts. One downside. I did a minor restoration on this cub about 2 years ago and she looked very nice then. Full time chores sure do ding up a paint job. I used 2150 with hardener and the coolant overflow , minor drips, and gasoline simply eat IH 2150.

[Oscar Meier]

I have a '48 that's in fairly good condition with a woods 42 and there is no possible way that I could mow 8 to 10" grass in 3rd gear. I also keep the blades pretty sharp; but, a good day with dry grass 2nd is the best I can hope for. (That's cutting 6" off 8" grass)

We also have some steep hills & fence row to mow and I couldn't even think about 6 MPH speed to do cutting. How do you turn at that speed when you are cutting?

I don't doubt what you are saying; but, it seems you have a "Super Cub" on your hands.

Oscar

[Mongo]

Ditto on mowing in 2nd gear

[denton]

Thanks fellas. I know I don't have an Ubercub. Maybe since most of the 42C is rotted away anyway, she runs light! Gotta watch out for groundhog holes in 3rd, that's for sure.