After finishing a rebuild of 49-1 last year I couldn’t wait to try him out. Well, he ran great, and he looked great but had one terribly noisy transmission. So noisy in second and third that it sounded like a very loud scream. I was, needless to say very disappointed. So disappointed that 49-1 sat in the garage without much attention. There was the occasional run around the yard and the fun it the dirt after the blade was finished but I just hated the fact that I put in all that time, money and work and tried to cut a corner on the transmission
The tranny was mostly rebuilt, complete with new bearings and seals. The gears were pitted pretty badly but I thought I could get away with just honing them smooth. Wrong
Boy was I ever wrong
Then comes, Mr. Ralph Napier to the rescue
Ralph was parting out a Cub Cadet (582 I think) and had a complete tranny. Ralph put the tranny in a box and shipped it to me. After a week or two I had some time to do the change. Today we went for a test drive and I have to tell you that the tranny is so quiet I can hear the engine purr
I know for a fact that Ralph could have sold that tranny for much more than he sold it to me and I will be forever grateful
49-1 is now whole So whole that the tractor deserves a real name. The family suggested that I name him Joe, after the most famous 49er. I think the tractor should be named Ralph, after the generous parts dude and the fella who made him whole…and me shameful no longer. What do you think 
Ralph, I can’t thank you enough :!:
I voted for Ralph but I cant tell you the reason for my vote since I read the post after voting.
On To Bigger Things
