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1947 Farmall Cub

4K views 27 replies 4 participants last post by  DJ54 
#1 ·
Just brought this 1947 cub home today. We bought it thinking parts for our 2 other cubs, but we will check it out good first. Came with a new head and gaskets also. This cub didn't have a hydraulic system on it which I haven't seen before. It does have the rear belt pulley drive just need the pulley.
 

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#2 ·
Good luck with your "Parts or Project". It would be interesting to see where the serial number falls - '47 = #501 - 11347.

In 1947, the Farmall Cub sold for around $545.00, that's the equivalent of around $6000.00 today.
 
#4 ·
That serial number isn't the earliest of 1947, but, as you would know, 1947 is the earliest of the Cub.

A couple of borrowed quotes from the 'net--

"As I understand the historical lore, the Cub was designed with hydraulics (Touch Control) from the get-go, but the hydraulic system was not quite ready for prime time when IH decided to introduce the Cub in 1947. Original Cubs were shipped with a hand lift.

The hydraulic system was not available until sometime in 1948, and many 1947 and early 1948 Cubs were retrofitted with the system. It remained a popular, but optional, feature for several years before becoming standard equipment (presumably some time in the early '50s, probably coinciding with live hydraulics in the Super letter-series tractors in the 1953-1954 time frame)."

And, "Touch-Control was not available at first but IH said it was coming and advertised that it could be back-fit onto any Cub when it became available. I don't have anything that shows exactly when it came out, but it seems to be some time during '48. After it was available, quite a few still were built without it."
 
#6 ·
The helper spring(pic 1) feels pretty stiff with nothing hanging on it. The tractor did have a 2 blades with it, but he sold them before we got to it. The CL AD pics showed a blade on it.
 

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#10 ·
Checked the mag out and after touching up the points we have spark. I think I will look at the valves/valve seats next. The PO said when he got the tractor it had a little water in it and the engine was stuck, but freed up easy. Cylinders look OK so water doesn't appear to have caused much if any damage.
 
#13 ·
Drained about a gallon of water out of the trans. Figured I better open it up and take a look. I was pleasantly surprised, no rust. Then moved on to a stuck right rear wheel. Found the brake band was really rusted which was causing the problem. Pulled the final drive to free it up and while it is off we will swap the parts into a different housing since this one has been broken and welded up.
 

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#14 ·
I found a mixture on another site that cleans up the tranny pretty good. A gallon or so of ATF, and about the same of diesel, + 1 quart or rubbing alcohol. Drive it around for 20 minutes or so at higher, but, safe speeds to sling it around. ATF is high detergent, the diesel will wash it down fast, and the alcohol will remove any moisture. Then drain immediately. If you happen to have the top off, you can pour in some diesel to finish washing out any residue.

The older IH's were notorious for letting water down around the gear shift. So, if it isn't going to be parked inside, find something to cover the gear shift tower.

At least it looks like the differential housing seal wasn't leaking. Or, not enough oil in it, to leak...
 
#19 ·
I've used it for years after hearing that the fishing fleet uses it when painting their boats. Figured if it was good enough for steel in salt water it would be geat on tractors. I buy it through a fishing supply store which I found to be the best price. The tractors that I have painted seem to be holding up well. Several other tractor restorers in this area use ospho also.
 
#22 ·
Bolted another final drive and wheel assy on the rear and one front wheel so I could unload the tractor from the trailer. When I changed the front wheel I notice the hub was hard to roll and rust dust came out when turned. Sounds like wheel bearings and seals to me.
 

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#26 ·
Dang, makes me want bundle up couple tires and send them to you to get off the rims. BUT the price of shipping, your labor and return shipping is more than the cost of a "Big Buddy" bead breaking slide hammer. The unfortunate part is that I'm just to darn old to use one. No more umpth.:tango_face_sad: Guess I'll just order a couple of new tires with rims. Love to see the projects you do and the farm shots. Thanks for the videos.
MikeC
 
#27 ·
:thanku: Mike. This tire wasn't to bad to take off. I've had some real bugger's in the past where the rim is really rusted to the tire bead and the tire sidewalls are petrified.

I need to get better internet so I can upload longer video's. I tied one a couple days ago that was 8 minutes long and a 1.1 Gb file size that I let upload overnight and 11 hours later it was only 50% loaded. :00000060:
 
#28 ·
That bead breaker looks like mine. A lot heavier, and larger than my buddy's Ken tool breaker I borrowed several years back. Sure made short work of breaking down some 16" tires for my David Bradley's early this Spring. They had some calcium left in them, so broke them down this way, instead of on the air powered tire changer, and slopping calcium all over it.

I keep watching for large tire irons like those at auctions, but just don't see them. Maybe someday I'll break down and buy some new ones. We had some 4-footers at work to change truck tires. The mechanic welded a short piece of 5/8" rod on the back side of a couple of them, to keep them from sliding down inside the rim, when you started to pry, and gave you the maximum fulcrum point. Sure made it a lot nicer.

Those look like the original Firestone's. Amazing how much life is still in those "real" rubber tires. I bet somewhere on the side of the tire, it says "Gum Rubber" like the one's on my BN. Still the original rears on it, and it's a '47 model. No sidewall cracks at all.

I pretty much download all my keeper videos to YouTube. I can be surfing, while they download, then just post the link.
 
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