Farmall A vs Cub

cdahl383

cdahl383

Well-known member
Does anyone here have a Cub and an A? Curious how much larger the A is compared to the Cub. It's winter time and I'm just looking at stuff for sale for fun. Thinking it might be cool to snag a nice A one day so my Cub has as buddy. Haha!

Seems like running ones that are cosmetically challenged are going for $750-1200 or so, while the nicer looking ones are $1500-3000 depending on condition and if they come with implements, etc. I'm guessing pricing probably varies by region. I'm located in southern Michigan.

I know the Super A's have hydraulics which would be even better, but there seems to be more A's for sale near me than Super A's.

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Carl, keep in mind, there are not many implements out therefor A's. I believe Super A implements are different.
 
Barnyard said:
Carl, keep in mind, there are not many implements out therefor A's. I believe Super A implements are different.
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Yes, that's fine. I wouldn't be using it to do much work. I know the Super A's had hydraulics. I'm not sure if they had different engines or not compared to the A's, or different hp ratings, etc.
 
cdahl383 said:
......... I'm not sure if they had different engines or not compared to the A's, or different hp ratings, etc.
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The early A's pistons were 3 inch I think. Maybe 118 Cu In? SA was upgraded to 3 1/4 pistons and a little more hp (Super A) There were some other changes along the way, this is what comes to mind. Stan
 
I have 2 cubs, 1 A and 1 Super A ---- dont use any of them much cept 1 cub to plow a little and spray with. Size wise like stated would be about 2/3 rds. Power wise over twice the power---- cub not even in the runnin!! lol!
 
I have a Cub (w184 motor) and F100. Here is what I've noticed in using them both.
Mowing
If the grass is dry cub does fine mowing in 2nd however if the grass is thick, tall, wet or combination thereof it bogs down. F100 powers through like nothing.
Turning wise Cub turns a little tighter cause its smaller but neither turn like a tricycle.
I wish they had live PTO like the 300.
Pushing Snow
Cub can do about 6" dry powder with no chains, With chains a 10" heavy/wet drift will kinda bog it down. F100 powers through we haven't gotten enough to stop it (chains and weights)
However Cub is smaller and can get into places the F100 can't. Regardless you want power angle on your blade. Cub blades are easy to find, my A60 blade I had to search for and pulled out of MN.
Plowing
Cub has plowed fine for me with the single bottom. Assuming F100 do it faster but I don't have a plow for it and won't get one.
Grading
Cub has done a good job grading and is smaller so more nimble. Not graded with the F100 but assuming it can just do more, but it has turfs so don't bother with setting it up for grading.
The A had the C113, then the later As and the Supers had the C123 which stayed through rest of the line. In the 130's they upped the RPM and did the domed piston thing like they did with the CUbs on the 184s.
IMHO if I only had to pick 1 tractor to do what I need probably the 100 been the better choice as its bigger and I haven't maxed it out like I have the Cub, BUT DON'T tell my wife as have a 300, and the 200 is coming. However if you want an A, Super A, or the 100/130/140s get one. They're fun tractors. During the summer the 100/200/300 alternate weeks as the mowers and the Cub is the wagon pulling and spraying tractor. In the winter the Cub and 100 are the snow pushers. The 300 (and 200 when it arrives) will be the sled pullers. All of them alternate on tractor rides for the kids (4 of them, 6,3,20mo, and 2mo)
 
The A has one thing I always wished my Cub had, a 4 speed transmission. I always found with my Cub for most of the work I do 1st gear is to slow and 3rd is to fast so almost all of my work is in 2nd gear. Using the sickle bar mower is the exception, I wish 1st gear was slower...
 
ricky racer said:
The A has one thing I always wished my Cub had, a 4 speed transmission. I always found with my Cub for most of the work I do 1st gear is to slow and 3rd is to fast so almost all of my work is in 2nd gear. Using the sickle bar mower is the exception, I wish 1st gear was slower...
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I agree, third gear is too fast for doing any work. But it’s not exactly that fast either for a road gear.

When I did some plowing last year first gear was perfect. I haven’t tried cutting grass with it. Plowing snow I use second gear if it’s not too heavy.

I really don’t need any tractors. But they’re just cool. I love my little Cub. It’s been a fun tractor and the following they have is cool. The Cub fests I’ve been to are always a lot of fun.
 
I can't speak much about my Cub Lo-boy as it is a work in progress and not running yet, if you're thinking of an A, you may want to think of stepping on up to a 130, or 140 w/Fast Hitch. Finding implements can be tough at times, other times you'll find a whole nest of them for a decent price. They are so much easier to hook up and go. Last Fall I bought 4 implements at an auction for under $400, that doesn't happen often.

I love to take mine to a couple plowing days our club has. I've picked up multiple 1 & 2 bottom plows for mine. This Spring I took the 140 and tried out the 2-12" plow there, plowing up the potato patch. Surprised it sailed right along in 2nd gear. This fall we did some plowing on a farm where the farmer wanted it turned over, because of many years of no-tilling. I took my slat plow along as I knew there was a good bit of black gumbo. I ended up plowing most of that patch myself because the others had a heck of a time getting through. Once again I sailed through it in 2nd gear. The guys could believe how easy I plowed it and they had some big horses there, from 856's to 1466's. They made one round, then headed for easier plowing ground. She's not pretty, but runs pretty decent.
 

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A, SA, 140 are all 4 speeds, --- BUT no lpto! As for fast hitches,---they are a joke ---thats the first thing I junk off tractors I get if possible. 560- gone, ----340 still on but converted to sorta 3-pt and works fine. Used to use it on the tiller but got the 540 with factory 3-pt so tiller went on it.
Depends mostly on what you want a tractor for. ---just to have one then it dont matter. --- one to actually use then be more selective on what you buy.
 
DJ54 said:
I can't speak much about my Cub Lo-boy as it is a work in progress and not running yet, if you're thinking of an A, you may want to think of stepping on up to a 130, or 140 w/Fast Hitch. Finding implements can be tough at times, other times you'll find a whole nest of them for a decent price. They are so much easier to hook up and go. Last Fall I bought 4 implements at an auction for under $400, that doesn't happen often.

I love to take mine to a couple plowing days our club has. I've picked up multiple 1 & 2 bottom plows for mine. This Spring I took the 140 and tried out the 2-12" plow there, plowing up the potato patch. Surprised it sailed right along in 2nd gear. This fall we did some plowing on a farm where the farmer wanted it turned over, because of many years of no-tilling. I took my slat plow along as I knew there was a good bit of black gumbo. I ended up plowing most of that patch myself because the others had a heck of a time getting through. Once again I sailed through it in 2nd gear. The guys could believe how easy I plowed it and they had some big horses there, from 856's to 1466's. They made one round, then headed for easier plowing ground. She's not pretty, but runs pretty decent.
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That's a cool tractor! Cool pic with the barn in the background too!

I don't plan on really using mine for much. I have 20 vintage chainsaws as well. Most of them I bought non-running and fixed them up and got them running again. I use them occasionally around the property to cut up some firewood and branches, but mainly I just like to tinker with stuff.

I did use the Cub to plow a decent sized garden and then used the disc. That was fun. But I found I really don't care for gardening. Too much work with the weeds and everything else. I just liked using the tractor haha! I sold off those implements and just kept the blade for plowing snow in the winter and pushing/moving stuff around on the property.
 
SONNY said:
A, SA, 140 are all 4 speeds, --- BUT no lpto! As for fast hitches,---they are a joke ---thats the first thing I junk off tractors I get if possible. 560- gone, ----340 still on but converted to sorta 3-pt and works fine. Used to use it on the tiller but got the 540 with factory 3-pt so tiller went on it.
Depends mostly on what you want a tractor for. ---just to have one then it dont matter. --- one to actually use then be more selective on what you buy.
Click to expand...

If I get another tractor one day it will just be for fun, not to do any real work. I just like tinkering with old stuff. Cars, dirtbikes, quads, chainsaws, riding mowers, tractors, etc. If it's old and it has an engine, I like it! Haha!
 
SONNY said:
A, SA, 140 are all 4 speeds, --- BUT no lpto! As for fast hitches,---they are a joke ---thats the first thing I junk off tractors I get if possible. 560- gone, ----340 still on but converted to sorta 3-pt and works fine. Used to use it on the tiller but got the 540 with factory 3-pt so tiller went on it.
Depends mostly on what you want a tractor for. ---just to have one then it dont matter. --- one to actually use then be more selective on what you buy.
Click to expand...
Not sure what kind of problems you've had with Fast Hitch, but they've been around here since '75, and I love it. Now have 5 tractors with it, 2 Super C's, a 240 Utility, a 140, and 130. So easy to switch implements or to drawbar. You do have to make sure the latches are locked or you can bend the points especially on the drawbars, but I consider that operator error, not the tractors fault.

I do a little of everything with mine from plowing, disking, rake and ted hay. One is hooked to the manure spreader 99% of the time unless I need it for something else.
 
cdahl383 said:
That's a cool tractor! Cool pic with the barn in the background too!

I don't plan on really using mine for much. I have 20 vintage chainsaws as well. Most of them I bought non-running and fixed them up and got them running again. I use them occasionally around the property to cut up some firewood and branches, but mainly I just like to tinker with stuff.

I did use the Cub to plow a decent sized garden and then used the disc. That was fun. But I found I really don't care for gardening. Too much work with the weeds and everything else. I just liked using the tractor haha! I sold off those implements and just kept the blade for plowing snow in the winter and pushing/moving stuff around on the property.
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She's not pretty, but I love my sleepers. Looks like heck, but runs great. The barn is at the Smeck Farm Park owned by the County. They have our tractor club plant several crops, then we have a Harvest Festival in Sept. We dig potatoes, people can pick their own pumpkins, popcorn and ornamental corn. Amazing how many people don't realize how potatoes are grown, or popcorn is actually really corn on a stalk.

I think the most fun attachment is a horse drawn potato planter a previous owner converted to Fast Hitch. Patented in the late 1800's and works like a dream. It will miss one every now and then depending on how they are cut. It will plant them 10" O.C., someone usually rides the hillers to make a decent hill. Here's a video of us planting potatoes 2 years ago.
Another closeup video of how it works.
 
In most respects, the A is twice the tractor a Cub is. There is a big difference in power. Unlike the Cub, the original A engine was an OHV engine with removeable wet sleeves. It had a bore and stroke of 3x4, giving a displacement of 113 cubic inches. The Super A came out with a hydraulic system. It provide for that, the engine block was modified to mount the pump (below the magneto). Due to this change, an A engine cannot be used as a donor for a Super A, The later engine can be installed in an A. Otherwise, the A and Super A engine were essentially the same. The Farmall C used the same engine as a Super A. When the C was replaced by the Super C, they increased the lower bore of the engine block so a 3-1/8 sleeve bore could be used, increasing the displacement to 123. The Super A started using the same block as the Super C but used a thicker walled sleeve to retain the 3 inch bore. Very late in Super A production, it was upgraded to what has been commonly called a Super A1. It had most of the upgrades of the Farmall 100 including the change to the 3-1/8 bore. The rest of the 100/130/140 models came with the 123 ci version of the engine. Thin walled overbore sleeves are available for engines with either lower bore sizes. Note that with the upgrades from the 130 to 140, the front of the engine had changes to begin using a more modern water pump. I think you would encounter problems swapping engine across that boundary.
 
full 3-pt over fast-hitch any day!! THEN you can use any 3- pt equipment on them. That fast hitch stuff for EACH tractor is a joke!!!
 
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