Too fat for the steering wheel.

W

watersteps

Active member
OK guys and gals, I purchased this Farmall Cub (1953) on 8/22/25, it was not running but "it did a couple of weeks ago". (Did you ever here that before?) I worked on it and got it running smooth as could be. Today was the first day that I tried to get on it, now I knew I would have to build some type of ladder sooner or later to get up to the platform. I weight 300 lbs and stand 5' 9" and I am 76 years old. Legs don't work real good and I no longer have any balance abilities. So I got a milk crate and a chair and climbed up. Well I got up to the platform and there I stood, no way to get around the steering wheel. Well it sort of looked like an old fat guy trying to perform ballet moves. While I was standing there I looked down to the floor, wow! That would be a far distance to fall, so I had come up with some way to get around the steering wheel and sit down on the seat. I grabbed the chain hoist chain and inched around the steering wheel.
I checked out the seat position (it had a tow motor adjustable seat on it when I bought it) sets very good and soft. 10 minutes later I made it back to the floor on both feet.
If I had a quick change steering wheel, it would be 100 times easier to get in the seat. I removed the steering wheel and I was surprised how easy it game off. Now I can make a (T) nut to hold the wheel in place and that would work.
But I thought that maybe someone on this forum may have a better idea of a quick change steering wheel. I don't have to have everything original on my Cub but I do demand that it starts and runs great, which it does.
 
Welcome to the forum. I don't recall any ideas posted other than adding holes to move the OEM seat back more. There are some tractors, like an AC G that have sort of a "2/3rds" wheel, but I don't know if the shaft diameter would be the same. I see new and used on eBay. If you don't want to fab the T nut, you might be able to find a big enough wing nut to accomplish the same goal. You may need to thin the key to make it easier to take on and off.
 
I have heard of some people fabricating a seat which is hinged on a plate. You fold the seat away, step through the seat post and steering wheel, then fold the seat back down behind yourself before sitting down.
 
OK, thanks guys, I plan on moving the seat mounting holes to start with but I will still need to take the wheel off when getting on. Anyone know the steering wheel nut size off hand?
 
NASCAR steering wheel…cool

First thing I do is jump the seat back a set of holes. I have deluxe seats, though.

The old H and M seats flipped back so you could stand and drive. I wonder if one of those is adaptable to the cub. (Mowed a LOT of hay with a super M)
 
Early H/M seats had a different type of mounting bracket. Later ones (and into the number series tractors) used a four-bolt seat like the Cub. Hinges were available for them that would fit a Cub.
 
I have an adjustable forklift seat that was on the Cub when I got it. The frame the seat was attached to was heavy sheet metal, bent by hand and was less then square. I am building a angle iron frame that will sit back 3 inches. Plus I am also making a spin on/off "T" nut for the steering wheel. Pictures will follow later. When they are complete I need to make an "over the tire" ladder with 3 or 4 steps. Yes, I need 3 or 4 steps with my bad legs.
 
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