Love 'em to death, but...

[Bob Perry]

I don't want to start a controversy, but it could be a fun discussion, things we wish were different. I love the Farmalls to death, but ya have to admit, sometimes I ask "What were they thinking?"

Can I start with

1. The idea of putting the oil pressure gauge where you can't see it from your seat. (I just have to move them on every Cub)

2. The gas tank/hood combo idea. (Not much I can do about it.)

[Winfield Dave]

1. The idea of putting the oil pressure gauge where you can't see it from your seat. I think we may look at the gauges more than the original owners did.

2. The gas tank/hood combo idea.With a tractor design life of 7 years, most hoods were probably never taken off.

[Bob McCarty]

I suppose if the engineers had tried real hard, you could have cranked the engine while in the seat.

Bob

[Joe Malinowski]

I don't think IH figured there would be a cult of people playing with and using these tractors 60 years later.

[ScottyD'sdad]

Has anyone wondered what they were thinking, when they designed the 154? They had 20 years of cub building experience, by the time that came along! Ed

[Boss Hog]

Has anyone wondered what they were thinking, when they designed the 154? They had 20 years of cub building experience, by the time that came along! Ed

That dang 154. 185 and 184 help with the ending of International Harvester they were one on many bad decisions that were made along with the overseas made engines, try finding parts for them:D you can get plenty of parts for the numbered cubs Lord knows that you will need them

[ecnorton]

I think the engine mounted oil pressure gage is a carry over idea from the larger tractors where they can be more easily seen from the seat. If i crane my neck the right way I can see the lo-boy oil pressure gage, but the risk is "out of sight, out of mind".

[Mr E]

I don't want to start a controversy, but it could be a fun discussion, things we wish were different. I love the Farmalls to death, but ya have to admit, sometimes I ask "What were they thinking?"

Can I start with


2. The gas tank/hood combo idea. (Not much I can do about it.)

[ricky racer]

The three speed tranny. Why they didn't use a 4 speed is beyond me.

[John C]

Bob, Roy has a point. You can buy that deluxe two piece-hood in his picture for not much more than you would pay for one of those silly one-piece hoods. Talk to me when you are ready to drop the cash

[Jim Becker]

Sounds like you guys are collecting the wrong tractor. Here is one with your complaints taken care of.

[Super A]

Sounds like you guys are collecting the wrong tractor. Here is one with your complaints taken care of.

Jim, you took the words right out of my mouth!

But I still shake my head everytime I think about that one piece hood.....

Al

[Brendan In NC]

Sounds like you guys are collecting the wrong tractor. Here is one with your complaints taken care of.

Jim, you took the words right out of my mouth!

But I still shake my head everytime I think about that one piece hood.....

Al

AL i will agree with that 100% but the only one thing i hate about a super A im guessing cause iv never messed with or had one of them so your answer is better than mine i hate the check plugs on the oil pan iv always like the dipstick better so thats the only thing i hate other than that one good little tractor!!!!

[Scrivet]

I don't want to start a controversy, but it could be a fun discussion, things we wish were different. I love the Farmalls to death, but ya have to admit, sometimes I ask "What were they thinking?"

Can I start with

1. The idea of putting the oil pressure gauge where you can't see it from your seat. (I just have to move them on every Cub)

2. The gas tank/hood combo idea. (Not much I can do about it.)

3. PTO in general; how shift lever clutch engages/not 540/CCW

4. TOB

5. Expansive distance from TC to back of dash wiring

[gitractorman]

You guys have really missed the point of the Cub. It was invented as an inexpensive replacement for a horse! There is really no need for a removable hood. How often do you really ever NEED to take it off. I've literally had cubs for years and NEVER taken the hood off. You can easily change the spark plugs without removing it, and what else is there to get to? On most of the Cubs I've owned, the only reason I took the hood off was to paint it!

The oil pressure gauge, even on 60+ year old tractors is still working perfectly fine. I know I've owned a bunch of cubs, and NEVER had a problem with an oil pressure gauge. They were only planning for MAYBE a 5-year life span, so again, the oil pressure gauge is perfectly fine.

PTO - the Cub was originally invented as a row crop tractor. Never meant to be used for much of anything other than plowing, disking, and cultivating. Why spend the big money for a gear reduction, when the engine horsepower would barely run an implement at a lower RPM? Besides, a well tuned Cub will run any sickle bar mower and/or woods mower deck perfectly fine.

The 3 speed tranny is perfectly fine for the intended purposes, plowing and cultivating. First gear for real pulling power. Second gear for your typical field use, and third gear for travel. That's it. What else do you want? A creeper gear would have been a nice option, but seriously,if you had a creeper drive you'd probably do things with a cub that it was not intended to do, break axles pulling things, climb them up a tree (wait, already have seen that happen in standard 1st gear), and/or have more parts to break and not be replacable.

The only thing that would have happened with any of the changes you have mentioned, is the cub would have been more expensive, less produced, and probably been prone to more problems. In all likelyhood, less of them would exist today if ANY of the changes you mention had actually been in production.

Bill