Mowing for a neighbor

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

Kris asked if I would mind mowing off his feed plot which is a couple hundred yards from my house, which I had mowed before, so I headed down yesterday afternoon to do the job. Some of it is flat, some a moderate slope, and some steep enough I will NOT mow it. I got the flat part mowed, and started on the moderate slope, which I had mowed before with no problem. I have been driving cubs for over 30 years, and an old H long before that, and have developed a pretty good feel for them as to when they are approaching their limits both in power and slope. I made a couple passes on the moderate slope and something just did not feel right, going up hill it wanted to drift off to one side or the other as if the front end was light , even with weights, and going across the mild part of the slope I had to use the brakes to keep the front from sliding down hill. After a couple of rounds I decided I had had enough, and headed up to the gate along the side where the slope was milder. After I got through the gate and started to turn on to the flat area the cub turned real wide, and when I swung the wheel the other way, the same. I got off and looked everything over, and saw that the setscrew on the left steering knuckle had backed out to the point it only had 2 or 3 threads keeping it from falling out. I was doing all my steering with the right wheel with the left one just following along when it felt like it.

[Eugene]

I have to periodically tighten the set screws on my Cub. I carry an adjustable wrench in the tool box for the task.

[Stanton]

Glad to hear you sensed something wrong before it was too late. Also that you discovered the loose set screw before it fell out.

[Trent M]

Glad you are safe!! Well done stopping to check things out. Those set screws are the main reason a lot of the older ones are welded. The later keyed version is much better!