International cub with a bad PTO

1955 international cub lo boy with a PTO that will not engage or pops out of gear.

[@steveschutts3868]

Thank you for this fix. I inherited a 49 cub last month and just got it running yesterday. I then realized the pto wasn’t engaging, so I started reading. I saw your video and realized this was my problem. It took me 2 hours to split it, reverse the seal and stab it back together. It works great now, so thanks again for this fix.

[@megaloogy]

Thanks Steve. You are the third response with the same problem. I guess it's more common issue than I thought. Fix in 2 hours! Wow!

[@Rottiezucco1]

The 3 dislikes must be from the last guy who put the bearing retainer in, and his mom and dad. Nice work and glad you got it working. Beautiful tractor also!

[@megaloogy]

Thank you sir! I talked with a previous owner that had it for years and basically pulled wagons with it so who knows how long the condition existed.

[@jaystachowiak3540]

New Cubster here that was an AWESOME informative video! I'm alot less nervous about breaking into my Cub than I was. Thank you!

[@jamesranger6283]

Completed this fix today. I did the job much the same way you showed in your vid. It actually only took about an hour. Thanks again. I suppose next time i remove a seal 4 weeks before I replace it I will keep a written note on how it should be reinstalled.

[@JackOSUrulz]

Gorgeous cub. And great work getting the problem corrected. I grew up in the 70s and 80s watching my dad mow with a 51 cub. I used it some, but he was always fairly protective of the old boy. Still have some videos of it from the early 70s. It had the mower like yours, not the Woods mower but the IH mower. Cuts like a dream. At least his did

[@megaloogy]

Thanks for the comment. I used a john deer lawn tractor with 38" cut. This one cuts like a dream too and cuts my mowing time in half. I'm not so much a tractor guy but I've always liked these old off set tractors. Cant justify the cost of a kabota. This old tractor is capable of doing the same work for far less and it looks cool too.

[@keithwarkentin]

Hi there I just wanted to congratulate you and your wisdom I work on a lot of 8N Ford Tractors so I know a little bit about clearances but I am impressed that you were able to diagnose that problem and fix it yourself!! I would have been stumped way too go!!

[@megaloogy]

Thanks Keith. in the interest of full disclosure I belong to an online forum for Farmall cubs and much of my knowledge came from the learned members there. Still wasn't sure until I had it apart but was reasonably certain of what I'd find. I like the fords too and I'd have one if you could put a belly mower on it but they are both still a testament to the engineers of those days on making good tractors.

[@ronaldwells1805]

Thanks for sharing that information yes it's very sad that that happened looks like a nice tractor

[@danceswithjunk]

Thank you for a very informative video. Beautiful tractor too. Nice work.

[@megaloogy]

Thanks.

[@fbh31118]

Great work Don! Looks and sounds great!

[@megaloogy]

Thanks

[@lourieformby2634]

Thanks Don! my 1956 Farmall Cub is doing the exact same thing.

[@megaloogy]

Thanks for the comment Lourie. Keep in mind that a severely worn shifting finger can cause similar PTO connection problems. Look for severe wear on the coupler as well. Would be alot less invasive to fix if it is one or both of those. Good luck.

[@dalemorgenthaler7280]

Thanks for a great information video! My 48 Cub is suffering exactly the same circumstances. I have a worn mainshaft spline ends so I am replacing with a new one but I know the front retainer IS backward also. Thanks again!

[@megaloogy]

Thanks Dale. Replacing that clutch shaft would make an interesting video. I wonder if the pto shaft could be used as a follower as you pull the shaft out through the gear box. You probably know to check your coupler and shifting finger for wear too as they can cause similar problems. Good luck with that.

[@jimmyduncan7650]

SWEET VICTORY. So much better than the plastic and tin wonder mowers they sell now. Very nice tractor 👍

[@stevekline7247]

My God that's beautiful, Now that's cutting grass in high style ! Love it and it has to feel awesome to get it fixed

[@megaloogy]

Thanks Steve. It is awesome to have it finished. I see you are restoring a BN. I'll have to take a long look at your project. It looks awesome as well.

[@papabits5721]

Nice tractor

[@scottpetrie8707]

Nicely done friend

[@jawlbone2773]

Really nice tractor.

[@megaloogy]

Sorry I missed your comment for so long. Thanks. I really enjoy mowing with it. I'm fortunate to have found one in such good running condition.

[@douglascorley5887]

You did an awesome job and didn't get mad professional work

[@megaloogy]

Hay Thanks Douglas.

[@FarmallFanatic]

So it wouldn't engage at all with the bearing backwards?

[@glena5935]

Hi Don, I don't know if you have any interest in this, the rear wheel discs will go on the tractor with the disc turned in also. You have them turned out. The tractor is narrower with them turned in, that might let you get closer to things when you are mowing. It shows it in the owner's manual I posted for you before. Here are 2 pages showing it. I like to set them at the 44 inch setting, that is out from the narrowest setting, makes it more stable than all the way in, my opinion. You have to look and figure out how to put the discs and rims together. The rims come off the discs, and can be put on the disc for 2 different widths with the disc turned in. You should put it together with the tires facing ahead, like they are in your video. The 2nd page is the right rear wheel. If you have hills, or tippy ground you drive on, maybe you want the wheels like they are in your video, it's your choice. Hope you have a good Christmas season. farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.cleancomputes.com/Cub/Cub%20Owner's%20Manuals/International%20Cub%20Lo-Boy%20Tractor%20Operator's%20Manual%209-30-57/Page%2059.jpg farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.cleancomputes.com/Cub/Cub%20Owner's%20Manuals/International%20Cub%20Lo-Boy%20Tractor%20Operator's%20Manual%209-30-57/Page%2060.jpg

[@megaloogy]

Thanks Glen. I do have a hilly lawn so I set the discs up like they are for max stability. It turns out that I can still maneuver close with the 60 inch deck. The low boy is more stable than the standard cub on side hills so it may be overkill but I factor in my penchant to do stupid things with machinery sometimes. Ha. Have a good christmas as well.

[@kevinwright8955]

Thanks for the video. Two questions: 1. How much did you torque down the set Allen screw on the coupling? 2. How did you get the PTO actuating lever to line up inside the PTO housing to align in the coupling race? I cannot seem to get mine to align very well. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[@megaloogy]

Hi Kevin. It's been a while since I did the work. The coupler should be oriented on the PTO shaft so the set screw rides on the spline with the recessed area. It should be loose enough so the coupler can move freely and tight enough so the coupler movement is limited to the free travel on the recessed area. I have memories of struggling with the shift fork and coupler installation. I think i uttered more than one colorful metaphore in the process. I think the fork has to be lined up as the shaft and coupler are installed. It's tricky. Good luck. I would suggest that if your shift fork has any flat spots worn on it that you have it repaired while it's apart. If it's worn too much the coupler may not engage with the transmission shaft well. Good luck.

[@turkey0165]

I wonder what the engineers and designers would think Know that the tractor that they designed and built would be running 70 years later in the future?

[@megaloogy]

I agree Dan. There are a lot of 40s and 50s vintage tractors still being used. A testament to great design.

[@jamesranger6283]

Very helpful vid thanks. I think I may have put that damn seal in backwards when I reinstalled it. Son of a B.

[@megaloogy]

Ha! I forgive you James. I've been humbled a few times since then so...

[@clevesimmons7232]

Do you have a video on how to adjust a clutch on a 1948 Farmall C

[@megaloogy]

I can't help you with that Cleve. You may want to consider joining a forum I'm in at farmallcub.com . There's a lot of information for virtually all the Farmall series tractors and you could pose that question to the members. I'm sure you will get good info from many of them. I got a lot of info on my tractor including how to perform the fix in my video. Good luck!

[@glena5935]

Hi Don, here is a 1957 Cub LoBoy owner's manual, it has lots of info about lubing and maintenance. That is the closest year I saw at the website where I found it. They are the same style as a 1955. There is a table of contents on page 1, makes it easier to use on the internet. farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.cleancomputes.com/Cub/Cub%20Owner's%20Manuals/International%20Cub%20Lo-Boy%20Tractor%20Operator's%20Manual%209-30-57/index.html

[@megaloogy]

Thanks Glen. I thought it looked odd but it was like that when I got the tractor. I will definitely turn it around.

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

On the thumbnail picture to advertise what will be seen in this video I can see immediately what has happened. Whoever owns this tractor was very concerned about how the tractor looked. To someone like me I want the thing to run properly. If you look back in and spot the oil, you can see it is milky white. There is no lubricity in water. If the boot on the gearshift is cracked or missing the water he or she so diligently washed all the grime from the surface which washed directly into the rear differential housing thus knocking out the pto with the differential sun gears next on the list. I would assume that it is not too late to drain the oil out to see what happened to the poor pto.

[@megaloogy]

Thanks for your comment I think. Much of what you gleened from one thumnail pictue how ever is not even close to reality. I too am primarily interested in having a well functioning machine. I also wanted it to look nice as well. The sun gear is in very good condition and the white color you can see is 95% new gear oil that replaced a very water contaminated fluid that was in it when I got it. After the PTO issue was fixed it was refilled with fresh gear oil used, drained and refilled again eliminating virtually all of the water contamination. The gear box and PTO operates perfectly.

[@misterexponential]

I like it. I have to grow some balls a few days prior to tackling a split Ike this. Glad it workedout well for you. I had an engagement issue with the PTO slider onthe splines. It ended up the PTO lever has a “tit” that rides in the slider slot and it had worn down to nothing. I got my MIG out and welded a new tit on it and filed it to shape. No split. Just a removal of the shift lever.

[@megaloogy]

Yea expo. I actually did the same thing to the shifting lever on my tractor. it was half round so I blob welded some steel back on. I think they tend to wear like that over time.

[@duanedean3256]

If you haven't already found the site, head on over to www.farmallcub.comYou have to sign up to download manuals. Great group of people and 99% of any info you could possibly dream up they would have an answer for. They also do what is called cuboramas. Just a big huge cub fest, get together, work on tractors if you take one thing. A lot of people go and they are held all over. Nice looking tractor.

[@megaloogy]

Thanks for the info Duane.

[@michaelcollins1899]

Its not a farmall cub loboy. Although they did make one and the parts are all but the same, what you have is an international cub loboy. The farmall brand was long gone by the time yours was made.

[@megaloogy]

Actually the Farmall brand was retained until 1964 but vyou are tight. The lo boy was International. Mine was from the first year production of the lo boy 1955.

[@michaelcollins1899]

@@megaloogy thats what i meant.

[@genewagoner6752]

don, can i put a pto on a farmall cub that doesnt have one

[@megaloogy]

Not sure Gene. I am relatively new to the Farmall cub community. You might try the internet. I have come across some chat room on virtually any cub related questions. Good luck.

[@genewagoner6752]

Thank you very much don,Ill do that

[@michaelcollins1899]

Yes, you can add it. Pto, like headlights, starter and different seats were all options. Not all had it.