new project: serial number 4465 cub

[790rivers]

I just got this home from a yard down the road. I thought it would only be good for parts, but the engine turns and if I hold the clutch in the rear wheels turn. So there might be hope! Can't budge the shifter though. Curious what the experts here make of it from these photos. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

[Glen]

Hi,
Looks like it is probably restorable. Always good when buying one to check the castings to be sure they aren't broken, or welded, and the implement bolt holes, for being broken, or the threads wornout.

It looks like it has been changed to a voltage regulator. It looks like an IH voltage regulator bracket in the pic, but need to be there to see it closer to be sure.
A 1947 Cub came with the Relay, on top of the generator.

It's been changed to the under axle exhaust also, which came out in late 1954.

The front lights are newer also, they probably have sealed beam units in them.

The transmission could have water in it, from sitting outside, and condensation inside the housing also.
Drain it's oil in a drain pan, and you can see if there is water. The drain plug is visible from under the platform, maybe you knew already.

[790rivers]

Thanks Glen--I will follow your advice. I have enough spare parts to see it through few steps at least. I wish it had a manual lift for a sickle mower.

[Glen]

Hi,
Do a compression test on the engine, before spending money for other parts. If the engine is wornout, and needs reboring, that adds to the cost of restoring it.

Open the throttle before doing a compression test, so the engine can get air.

[inairam]

remove the shifter and look inside for bent forks.

Keep track of the bolts. These are dot bolts on a 47. They were used on the first several years of cub. I was working on my bother in laws cub and drop one in the grass and could not find it. most of the bolts on the cub were correct.

I had to resort to ebay to get a replacement

[IHCFan1950]

Congrats on an early serial number purchase! I think you can definitely get the little tractor going again. Needless to say though, a thorough tear down is necessary. I would start with the engine and tranny like previously recommended. Inspect the gears in the rear end and see if they are rusted, and if so, how badly. You didn't mention anything about the steering, so I am assuming it is good there. In my opinion, I would skip the compression test and just go ahead and take the head off and see how bad the rest of the engine looks. You can tell a lot by getting a good look at the insides. Also, I would pop the inspection plate off the left side of the engine, and see what things look like in there. Has it lived outside most of the time, or was it until just recently? If it has been for a long time, the more "weathering" and potential internal damage you can expect. They just were not made for living outside.

[goldencub]

Hi, and congratulations on your "new" Cub. I have Ser #4364, built just 101 ahead of yours. I don't recall how I did it, but a long time ago I determined that mine was built on August 23, 1947. The first Cub built in September, 1947 had the number 4821, so yours was built during the last week in August.

Have fun! Al D

[790rivers]

brazing and snapped bolt

Hi All--here's an update on the 1947 Cub. I moved it under cover and started going through it--drained all fluids; got the shifter forks to move again; bench tested the starter, generator and magneto (all good); and then the other shoe dropped. First I snapped a head bolt (on the right in the photo) and then I discovered that bronze brazing on the left ear under the grime. I fear that the brazing and the broken bolt are connected somehow, and that the brazing makes splitting it and taking the block to a machine shop to remove the bolt not worth it. I can't get any of my bits to even get a start on the bolt to test a reverse bit on it. Looking for a sign of what to do next.

[Glen]

Hi,
Good that you are making progress, and got the transmission to work better.

I don't think the brazing and the head bolt have any relation with each other.

It looks like the front end mounting ear on the block is intact, and nothing wrong there, unless there are cracks not visible in the pic. Look at it closely with a good light.
The brazing may have been needed because something inside the engine pushed out on the block and broke it. But I can't tell how much is broken under the brazing.
The camshaft gear is under the brazing, the gear could have broken in the past, or something got in the gear teeth and broke the block, just possibilities.

Be sure to keep the drill bit in the center of the head bolt. Sharpen the bit so it will cut into the bolt. Drill slowly, and be careful to not break the bit.
If the bolt won't screw out of the block, you can drill it out and rethread the hole. You would need a drill bit smaller than 3/8", and you would need to look up what size bit to use to make the hole the right size to use a 3/8" tap in.

Below is a page from the Cub service manual showing the front of the engine, and the gears.

http://www.farmallcub.info/manuals/gss- ... 001-46.jpg

[Lt.Mike]

That’s a nice early Cub!
Anyone else notice the wheel weights are from an “A”?

[Indy4570]

That’s a nice early Cub!
Anyone else notice the wheel weights are from an “A”?

I bought a cub with A weights on it, but I figure no problem, if I ever want to double up on the rears on the 140 I am set

[ntrenn]

I broke a bolt similar to yours on my 65. You will need a generous helping of patience, but it will come out. I was able to get lined up well enough that I curled the bolt threads out at the end. Mine broke because the bolt shank was rusted halfway through. Replace all of the bolts when you go back together.

[Stanton]

Been there as well. I put the head back on, held by a couple bolts, and used the hole in the head to align my drill bit on the broken bit. Worked well. Be patient.

Were you able to do a compression test before removing the head as was suggested?

[Glen]

Hi,
For drilling out broken bolts, we use a smaller size drill bit first, it is easier than using just 1 bit the size of the hole. Make a hole through the broken bolt with a smaller bit, then the bigger sizes go through easier.
For the 3/8" head bolt, use about a 1/4" drill bit to begin. Be careful and don't break the bits.

[790rivers]

Thanks All-- I took the plunge and went at it today. I started with an 1/8" bit and worked my way up to the point of trying a reverse-thread extractor...which broke off. Got that out and kept working up the bit sizes until I got up through 5/16th. It looked pretty centered to me, so I tapped it and then did an alignment test with the head and the old bolts. Looks like I am off-center by about 1/32nd, which is hard to make out in the photo below, but the eye can tell. If I get the other bolts a little tight, this one binds against the head. Should I grind the bolt shaft down a hair? Not sure if I made all new threads from the broken bolt or if I restored the threads with an off center pitch. But frankly, I was so pessimistic before that I am not too unhappy with this result.
A couple of other notes: yes, the wheel weights are odd, not matched--I would never have recognized an A weight. And the old square nuts are rusted solid and no socket I have will grab them. And I also noticed in the manual that the old dot head bolts take 35 pounds of torque, not 45 as discussed elsewhere. True? Finally, I'm confused about the transmission fluid, for when I refill. All the posts here talk about three and a half pints, but I think a lot more than that came out of the drain. Isn't it shared with the final drive? What is the amount that goes in when you've drained everything? Finally, some posts here warn against breaking through to the circulating coolant when tapping these head bolt holes-- but in these corner bolts, like in the ones over the exhaust, the holes go right through, correct?
Thanks a million for all the guidance.