New Cadet Owner

[Harold R]

Hey guys. I just became a Cub cadet owner. I bought a 1450 and will pick it up next week, and I have a couple of questions. Will it fit in the back of a pick-up truck...4X8 size bed. What tools will be needed to remove the deck? (I assume the deck will have to come off to fit into the truck bed). Thanks...looking forward to using what seems to be a fine mowing machine.......and ditching the Craftsman, ugh!

[Ritter107]

it'll fit in the back of the truck, and the deck comes off without tools. However, if you have any decency, you would sell that too me cheap.

[Leadfoot]

hr's49cub: Welcome to the Cub Cadet owners club

The 1450 is an excellent tractor, and with proper maintenance, they will prove to be a very valuable tool for many years to come!

I own and use a 1450 that was built in 1978. This past fall I had to get the engine rebuilt for the first time....man, that thing is a powerhouse!!

The tractor by itself will fit between the wheel wells, but not with the mower deck, it will have to be removed.

To remove the mower deck, simply push in on, and latch the belt tensioner arm, then start the tractor and push forward on the hydraulic lift lever, it will lower the deck until it touches the ground, then look under the tractor and you will see the mower deck's rear mounting brackets, grab the 'silver' L handle, pull it towards you, and turn it so the stubby end of the handle is keeping the handle from sliding back into place, repeat for the other rear mounting bracket, then simply -bump- the deck forward. Start the tractor and pull back on the hydraulic lift handle, it will lift the mower carriage out of your way, then slide the deck out from under the tractor....it only takes a minute or two, and requires no tools.....to reinstall the deck, just reverse the steps

[Harold R]

Thanks leadfoot. I'll get some pics as soon as I get it. It's a complete tractor with deck, tires are fair to good, needs a little touch-up paint. But new piston and rings, plus new blades on the deck.....got it for $600. Sound about right?? Transmission works good. Even has the original seat...no rips or tears.

['Country' Elliott]

Hey HR...CUBCADETGRATULATIONS...You're gonna LOVE having a Cub Cadet and the older Kohler engines are PRICELESS If you ever have to rebuild one, or have to have one rebuilt...it'll be the BEST money you ever spend They'll run a SECOND lifetime with just regular oil changes and simple maintainence

[Harold R]

Here's a not so good picture. I don't now the serial number yet, but any guess on the year.

[Paul B]

All of the "Quiteline" series (800, 1000, 1200, 1250, 1450, 1650) except the 800, was built from Oct 1974 to June 1980. The 800 was only built a little over a year, from Oct 74 until Dec 75 (or Jan 76, depending on what listing you look at)

[Leadfoot]

hr: Looks like a pretty straight CC!

Your picture kinda 'cuts off' the front wheel...but judgeing by the size of the washer on the front wheel spindle bolt, I would say it is at least late 1978 or older.

The 'Originals used a 7/8" spindle, the Narrow Frames, and the Wide Frames up to 1979 used a 3/4" spindle (they were 'different' but both were 3/4" axle shaft) , then in 1979 IH switched to 1" front spindles. The 1" spindles used a bigger washer to 'cover' the bearings of the wheel.

Like I mentioned, my 1450 is a 1978, it has the 3/4" spindles, and my 1250 is a 1979, it has the 1" spindles. Once you see a 3/4" and a 1" spindle, the difference of the washer size is noticeable.

$600 seems like a decent price for the tractor and the deck.....the complete rebuild on my 1450's engine cost me a touch over $600.

[Fordlords]

Looks like a nice 1450 there I think they truly are the top of the line old CC's with the everlasting Kohler K series singles, quiet side covers, cast iron hydros, and standard hydraulic lifts. I have a set of brand new in the box genuine CC 3/4" spindle front rims to fit the tractor you (or anyone else here) can have for $10.00 shipping if you want them- they cost nearly $50.00 each new I bought them for my 682 before I realized it had 1" spindles but never returned the wrong size rims. They will need new bearings pressed in but will really pretty up that old 1450 if you want them- let me know. I put them in the classifieds earler with no takers hate to see the box collect dust

You might need some pliers to remove a few cotter pins and clips to get the deck off, and an adjustable wrench if you want to remove and inspect the mule drive along with the deck- recommended.

-Fordlords-

[Harold R]

I'm well pleased with what I've seen so far from this cub cadet. It does creep a little, and has a couple of welded spots on the deck, but for that price, I'm very happy. There was a link to some good pictures of each model...but I don't see it anymore???
As far as it being in the "Quietline", the previous owner said he used it with the sides off for heat build-up concerns. Was this a problem????

[Leadfoot]

Here is a site with pictures of 'most' of the models of IH built Cub Cadets

http://geocities.com/jluckeycub/

Regarding the side shields, -Leave them on all year! IH designed the entire tractor with these goals, ---decrease vibration felt by the operator, and make the tractor as quiet as possible. Not only are the side shields used to help quiet the engine bay, they also are part of the way the tractor was designed to keep the engine cool.

On ihcubcadet.com a guy put a digital thermometer probe under the hood of his Quietline, and mowed with the side shields on, and he wrote down the temp. Halfway through, he stopped, removed the side shields, and continued mowing, again he wrote down the temp. The temperature was about 90 degrees COOLER with the side shields ON.

When I first bought my 1250, the guy told me the same thing about taking the shields off for summer use, but that is bologna!! The Quietline tractors were the first of their kind to be designed by ANY manufacturer with the totally enclosed engine compartment, now pretty much all of the GT/LT's use this basic design.

[Harold R]

Thanks Leadfoot...that's what I was looking for.

[Fordlords]

That 1450 pix in the Geocities link shows a VERY nicely restored 1450 GT, the sort of thing I did with my 682. But... and a BIG but, one will find the tractor itself is quite an easy item to mechanically refurbish and make pretty with new paint.

Then... on to the mule drive and a mower deck, if you want to restore the thing to do what it's main intent was. MUCH more challenging than the tractor itself! Of the 100 hours I spent working on my 682, easily 75 of them were on the deck and mule drive components.

Just curious as to your plans 49 cub? Is it something you are going to restore for show, or just refurbish for use? Sometimes the avenue to choose with these things is a hard choice to make

-Fordlords-

[Harold R]

I can say for sure I won't be showing it. But........I do like to refurbish to somewhere near new condition.....and then use it as it was designed. I would like for it to look fairly new with some sort of originality. I'm happy to say that it runs great right now. There's an issue with the stearing, nothing major. Needs new bearings in the front wheels. Needs a chute on the deck....new v-belt. New tires on the front. I already had to tear into the console/dash to replace the small bolt that goes through the hydraulic lift lever and it's collar. Tough to get to.....but I got it! Just some small stuff, etc. I intend to limp it through summer, and then in the winter, correct all those issues and add new paint and decals.........then add her to the fleet of work tractors!!!!