Advice needed on getting French Farmall Cub FF up and going please.

[IrishLiam]

Hi guys, I am back working on getting the tractor going took a break away from it for the colder month and now more enthusiastic about it again. I have bent lever and other things back in shape. Fixed the steering box, It did have grease in it but last year I fixed issues with that and it is now holding oil. I took it apart again just last week as I used paper gasket and the oil was seeping through so replaced that with gasket maker instead. Time will tell. Brought radiator to a guy today and he confirmed it wouldn't be cheap to fix it. Spoke to Clancy and they are adding a extra one to the production line next week for me. The rest of that line will be shipped to America. I've seen other post about size differences of these radiators I say I will have same issue as I have rounded hood and not square one but will wait and see.
I am about to look at the distributor next and clean out and put back together. I think it is a french version as doesn't match the photos I've seen here in other posts. In my distributor I see a bolt hole where something once was but don't know what.
I will continue working on your previous recommendation too. Just a update to say hi really.
On a non urgent what so ever topic, how can I tell what grill was on the front. I don't have one. It didn't come here with one. No seat either but I borrowed one off a totally different scrap tractor here and a guy going to make it work for me for now.
I know I'm kind of doing it backwards. Fixing other things before even stating it but i know I will get there eventually/soon enough.

[Glen]

Hi,
The inside of the distributor where the points are is probably shown in the French Farmall Cub operator's manual, and it would show how to replace and set the point gap, if the manual is like the USA Cub manual.
If you are going to use the same points, I would file the 2 point surfaces so they are flat and shiny metal.
I don't know the point gap for a French Cub. The USA Cubs use .020" for a Battery Ignition unit.

The parts of the distributor are shown in the French Farmall Cub parts manual, they have one here on this website, at the upper left of the page, at Quick links, then go to PDF Manuals.
Maybe you have the manual.
The small empty hole may have been for the original style condenser mounting, just a guess.

The grille is probably shown in the French Cub operator's manual, and in the parts manual.
I looked in the parts manual, and the grille looks the same as the USA Cubs had from mid 1954 - mid 1958.
Below is a listing from TM Tractor showing a new one, you can look at the pics, it says they don't have them.

http://www.tmtractor.com/new/tg/173fp.htm

Below is a pic of a French Cub from online.

[Waif]

hello Liam!
How are the feathered gals this day?

download/file.php?id=39473&mode=view

http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewto ... 7&p=561500

http://tracteursdautrefois.e-monsite.co ... l-cub.html

[IrishLiam]

Thanks Guys, I will keep ye updated on my progress.
Working on cleaning up the distributor this weekend. going well so far.

@Waif All bar one of the hens ran away with a fox on a foggy day during cubing season. The one remaining hen was introduced to a new cockrel a couple months ago and just had 7 chicks. These will not be allowed roam free for their safety.

[IrishLiam]

What I did this weekend. Replacement points on order. It may not be perfect but learning every step I go.
https://youtu.be/ny3oUvPifcc

[SamsFarm]

A French Cub needs a bottle of French wine!

https://www.wineaccess.com/catalog/2008 ... 20Products

Cheers

[IrishLiam]

Hi all,
I made progress since last year.
She lives!!!
She now starts and moves. Transmission is a fairly rattly but just happy she is up and going. Still have a few bits to do.


Video if any of you would like to see it:(Its still uploading to youtube but should be there any second now.)
https://youtu.be/33SEmJcF5Bk

[Waif]

Happy dance! Extended happy dance!
Begorra ; your patience paid off. Well done.

Danged fox taxed your hens heavy. Always something looking for a chicken or egg dinner.

I'm just in after working the 53 Cub a bit. And running it up and down the road after , just to be sure the battery was charged up. Umm hmm. Yep that's my excuse. It is running fantastic. Though missing a quadrant tooth in 3rd gears sweet spot..

Worked on the 48 earlier. Finishing up work from earlier in the week.

Congrats on the Cub being alive.
You earned it for sure.
Onward! And keep at it.

[Glen]

Hi,
Nice that you have the Cub running.

I noticed in your video, it looks like the drawbar is on in the forward position, and the swinging drawbar is on backwards.
The drawbar is usually put on at the rear.

Below are pics from TM Tractor, of the drawbar, probably on a USA Cub.

http://www.tmtractor.com/tm-tractor/gdr/drbar_001.htm

The drawbar is put on in the forward position when using the plow.
The swinging drawbar is not used with the plow.

Below are pics from TM Tractor showing how the drawbar and swinging drawbar should be, probably on a USA Cub.
The swinging drawbar is an option on the USA Cubs. Just the rear drawbar is standard on USA Cubs.

http://www.tmtractor.com/tm-tractor/gdr/swngbar_001.htm

[Stanton]

Liam, that’s FANTASTIC! So glad you were successful and able to take it on your first ride.

Now, it’ll be just working out all the kinks along the way. Congratulations!

[k hutchins]

Fantastic

Happy you got her up and running. I know those of us that were following from the beginning were wondering what happened since your last post. I get it, sometimes it's just life.

Congratulations

[IrishLiam]

Thanks to all of you and this forum. You were all a great help. Yeah I kind of went from bouts of enthusiasm and then not. Then I looked at Rachael McGills engine tune video around 50 times to build up the confidence to change the rings and clean up the valves. Even after the first firing for a few seconds,it took me another few days to figure out getting it going solid. But I got there without asking for a mechanic to come help which stubborn me was really proud of. No attachment came wit it unfortunately. I have everything that came with it back on it. Bar the broken lights and it's now 12 volts rather than 6 volts system. I might take the transmission apart someday again to see can I find the source of why so loud/rattly when in a gear other than neutral. I will fix a few small things first though. First thing revert the starter to start by pull rod, that should be easy enough. Then lights. Get a grill and side panel maybe a lick of paint. No plans on when I'll do all this but will get to it sometime. Back to work tomorrow after a week off. It was a productive week. Chat soon.

[IrishLiam]

Happy dance! Extended happy dance!
Begorra ; your patience paid off. Well done.

Danged fox taxed your hens heavy. Always something looking for a chicken or egg dinner.

I'm just in after working the 53 Cub a bit. And running it up and down the road after , just to be sure the battery was charged up. Umm hmm. Yep that's my excuse. It is running fantastic. Though missing a quadrant tooth in 3rd gears sweet spot..

Worked on the 48 earlier. Finishing up work from earlier in the week.

Congrats on the Cub being alive.
You earned it for sure.
Onward! And keep at it.

The fox got the Cockrell about a month ago and the rest of the hens went to a new home. Maybe get back more in year of 2.

[Waif]

Happy dance! Extended happy dance!
Begorra ; your patience paid off. Well done.

Danged fox taxed your hens heavy. Always something looking for a chicken or egg dinner.

I'm just in after working the 53 Cub a bit. And running it up and down the road after , just to be sure the battery was charged up. Umm hmm. Yep that's my excuse. It is running fantastic. Though missing a quadrant tooth in 3rd gears sweet spot..

Worked on the 48 earlier. Finishing up work from earlier in the week.

Congrats on the Cub being alive.
You earned it for sure.
Onward! And keep at it.

The fox got the Cockrell about a month ago and the rest of the hens went to a new home. Maybe get back more in year of 2.

Ahh. Rooster doing one of his duties and got overwhelmed then.

When your transmission gets chatty , have you tried touching / pressing clutch in a little?
Could be a clutch component or adjustment.

I have one than gets chatty but stops if I touch the clutch pedal little. Then I get off the pedal and it quits. The hanger is worn on it which may or may not be related. Could be revisited entirely throughout if split again.

[Stanton]

...But I got there without asking for a mechanic to come help which stubborn me was really proud of...

WHAT?!! An Irishman who's stubborn?!! LOL

There are plenty of us who feel that way. I'm from Scots-Irish decent, so there's more than Irishmen who can be a bit stubborn when it comes to things like this (and the Scot in me makes me cheap as well)!

Would love to shake your hand some day and give you a proper congrats.