# What was the best old Cub?



## bontai Joe

I know that many Deere fans think of the 318 as the best Deere ever built, and it was a successful model for ten years. What old Cub is thought of in the same way? Had a long production run so that there are lots of attachments? My extremely uneducated guess might be the 1650? Or the old 100? You guys that know these, let me know, please.


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## Sergeant

*Another popular Cub Cadet*

I would say a Cub Cadet 782 it was made by both IH and MTD It was produced from 1980 to 1985


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## amicks

Being a newer dealer (less than 7 years with Cub) I could not name a particuliar model as the best. The legacy behind the 318 in my opinion was because JD didn't have many models that were built like it and it was a very heavy duty tractor. On the other hand the older Cub's all had Cast Iron Transmissions (early models) in them making almost all the older units tough and similiar. Although they were different sizes and horsepower engines they used similiar frames and transmissions. I know both the tractors the 782 and the 1650 were good units. Cub still has cast iron transmissions in the 2500,3000 and 7000 series tractors. I don't really have an answer for you, maybe someone else can give us an answer.


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## Guest

Super garden tractors series !! The model with the Kubota diesel being my favorite ! 1782 thru 2182 series from the early 90's

runner up being a 125....thats because I have one?


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## Live Oak

My old Cub 154 Lo Boy was a parts eatin' rattle trap but she kept on a runnin' and was running like a champ the day I traded it in. It had a dozer blade, MMM, 3 pt. hitch, and pto adapter kit. That tractor could run forever on 8 gallons of gas but was kinda lacking in the hp department. She was a good ole' tractor that served me well for 10 years. Parts just became too expensive and difficult to find.


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## Chris

*Welcome ************



> _Originally posted by ********* _
> *Super garden tractors series !! The model with the Kubota diesel being my favorite ! 1782 thru 2182 series from the early 90's
> 
> runner up being a 125....thats because I have one? *


Welcome, ********* --- good to have you here. Interesting username you #$%$%^[email protected]!!! Just kidding.. 

Welcome, and thanks for chiming in! Look forward to catching more of you insight on the Cubs.

Andy


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## ducati996

admin,

Actually I would like to delete that account. By mistake I had all my info Encrypted, including my user name...it was too difficult to use, and not friendly overall....

You can verify my email as the same.....and who I'am now (*********)

Sorry for the confusion.....

*********


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## slipshod

*cubs*

Cubs are addictive ,one is too many, and ten would be too few.One year ago I did not own any Cubs,now I have three.In facf one year ago I did not own any International Harvester Equipment at all.The list is now 3 cubs, a super C ,an A, and a 500 deisel crawler.Is there a detox for someone like me?


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## ducati996

*Cub 125 still hanging in there*

I had to "loan" this 1969 125 to my family in NH for this season.
They have had exceptional amounts of snow thus far, and its doing a great job blowing NH snow !! 

It looks ratty in the picture because the seat just fell apart over time. Its the original engine, never been rebuilt except a valve and head gasket. Tranny is all original...it took some lumps during its tenure with me. It fell out of a truck (service) and landed up side down and rolled. Thats why the seat was mushed. lots of dents, but started right up and went another 15 years!!

The auger on the blower has found all types of debris over the years, so its bent but works good still !!

i dont think I will get it back from up north, even though i could ask for it back. It gives them some time to buy something new when they can...

Duc


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## Live Oak

Duc, my father had one just like yours that was crushed in the equipment building collapse during a bad snow storm last year. It had the mower on it though, It had a stuck valve in the engine and was on its last leg.


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## farmallmaniac

> _Originally posted by bontai Joe _
> *I know that many Deere fans think of the 318 as the best Deere ever built, and it was a successful model for ten years. What old Cub is thought of in the same way? Had a long production run so that there are lots of attachments? My extremely uneducated guess might be the 1650? Or the old 100? You guys that know these, let me know, please. *



YEP!!! 318's rock!


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## Bigdog

Here's a picture of my 782 taken last fall at Cubarama II. I bought it new in 81. It's one of the last IH made 782's. It has been virtually indestructable as my mowing tractor and for snow removal since it was new up until last year.

<img src=http://pic8.picturetrail.com/VOL234/1221583/2848876/34757825.jpg>


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## farmallmaniac

what happened to it?


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## Bigdog

Nothing happened to it. I just replaced it with a new JD to take over the mowing chores. This one will remain a toy - possibly getting a restoration for show purposes.


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## Cub 104129

> _Originally posted by Bigdog _
> *Here's a picture of my 782 taken last fall at Cubarama II. I bought it new in 81. It's one of the last IH made 782's. It has been virtually indestructable as my mowing tractor and for snow removal since it was new up until last year.
> 
> <img src=http://pic8.picturetrail.com/VOL234/1221583/2848876/34757825.jpg> *


I have seen this model before. It does not follow the HP rating and series as I know Cubs. What is a 782 ? HP rating ?

If it was a 1450 I would know it is 14 Hp series 50 quite line.

Tell me more about a 782. Are you sure it is IH not Mtd ?


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## Cub 104129

> _Originally posted by bontai Joe _
> *I know that many Deere fans think of the 318 as the best Deere ever built, and it was a successful model for ten years. What old Cub is thought of in the same way? Had a long production run so that there are lots of attachments? My extremely uneducated guess might be the 1650? Or the old 100? You guys that know these, let me know, please. *


 :ditto: My perfered cub would be a 1650. The old 100 is only 10 Hp and not hydro. The 100 or original series would be for show only. Having had several Cubs I will buy a 1650 next


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## old149

149 thats my favorite but there all good pre mtd


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## dyt4000




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## 1961cuboriginal

Cub 1961 original is the way to go


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## 1961cuboriginal

1961 cubcadet original


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## wham

149 is my pesonal favorite, plenty of power, hydrostat tranny, easy to operate.


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## 1961cuboriginal

1961 cub original


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## CAEMI

Sergeant said:


> I would say a Cub Cadet 782 it was made by both IH and MTD It was produced from 1980 to 1985


Agreed. I've got one that has been in the family since new. Makes excellent power, smooth running engine, bombproof trans and hydraulic lift. Just don't drive them on sloped yards for more than a couple minutes as they don't have pressurized oil and will cook a bushing if you're not careful. The later ones with the KT17 Series II motors are the best garden tractor ever made...imo, of course.


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## mrfred

been around cubcadet since my dad bought a 102 in 1967.... all the pre MTD models were very good tractors that International Harvester built. IMO the 129-149 & 169 were the best ones. with the removable driveshaft cover between you legs, it made these machines a lot easier to get at adjustments for the hydro. the single cylinder Kohler are an excellent engine. the rearend in these little beasts were indestructible. the quietline were a good tractor to but with the engine mounts were rubber and did not work out to well. when working on one if I had to remove the engine I always replaced the rubber mounts with steel bushings made at a machine shop. I currently have an original,102,129,149 and a 1042LT, ......the red line were also good ones to except for 782 which did have some kohler twin problems. the 982 with the onan engine seem to be a lot better engine. overall the cubcadet line was very impressive and these little machines will out live all of us


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## dakodahardy

In my opinion you should get a 122 just got one very easy to work with


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## OldBuzzard

I'm not a 'Cub guy', but I've always liked the looks of the x82 series.

If I were looking for a CC I'd look for either the 782D for the diesel, or the 982 for the larger physical size.


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## cubcadetman

I think the best cub cadets are the 149 or 169 models because these are the very simple to work on. They don't have all the shields the 1250,1450,1650 models have and the rubber engine mounts. You can easily adjust then the carburetor, pull the engine in about a half hour if needed. These are wide frame model tractors have hydraulic sleeve hitches or can be easily added. I have 10 cub cadets all the way 125 thru 982. The only improvement I might do to my 149 is change to an electric clutch. This tractor can do it all, and build like a tank, I have front blade, snow blower, large mower deck, rear plow, rear blade,weights, chains, it is so useful. All these work on most of my other Cubs also, but the 149 starts right up and has all the power I need. The Kohler single lung engines you can gets parts for if needed to overhaul.


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## CAEMI

*Best?*

The best one is the one you don't have to fix. I've had the guards off my 782 once since 1981.


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## cubcadetman

I love my 982, it is powerful, confortable, and rides smooth. The reason I think my 149 is my favorite is it's simplicity. I've had more engine problems with the 982, and it takes much more time to work on because of the twin onan. Parts for the onan are very expensive and hard to find. The onan also has an intake manifold that is split into 2 parts with a gasket that can leak, a bad design in my book. I could not find that gasket anywhere. This was causing backfiring with mine. I finally sealed it with silicone and I managed to find an extra onan engine just in case in the future.


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## old149

*Best cub*



bontai Joe said:


> I know that many Deere fans think of the 318 as the best Deere ever built, and it was a successful model for ten years. What old Cub is thought of in the same way? Had a long production run so that there are lots of attachments? My extremely uneducated guess might be the 1650? Or the old 100? You guys that know these, let me know, please.[/QUOTE. personal I believe the 149 because of the hydraulic but the 110 is a wonderful little tractor it has the right power for its size the reared is bulletproof and they are very easy to work on and the parts are out there. Old149


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