Cub Cadet 80

Wingdo · #1 11/14/10, 08:59 PM

I am not a cussing man, but I had to tell you folks this is one tough-assed little mower that was built in 1978! This little guy has more guts than any of the smaller/newer Cubs or John Deeres that I have ever even operated! The 3 speed manual transmission and the 11 HP Craftsman engine has been hauling 200-250 LBS (probably more) of fire wood, and my fat butt, up this 1/4 mile worth of 30 degree incline for almost 3 weeks and it hasn't even grunted yet... we don't go fast but we do go steady! And all this is with turf tires w/chains and the lowest throttle! The mower deck also sets high enough to where it doesn't get caught on every little sapling stump that wasn't trimmed down to the dirt line. This was the absolute best $200 I ever spent on a piece of light duty equipment and had to share it with you guys.

**clovis** · #2 11/14/10, 09:33 PM

Cool!

Isn't great to find something old that just keeps working, and working and working?

Mickie3 · #3 11/17/10, 11:14 AM

That is one of the old ones that was made in my hometown (Louisville, KY.) IH used to have one heck of a factory here and made all the Cub line there. (A lot of people I knew went to work for IH back after high school as it was a place that you were guaranteed to have a good job for life. So much for that, huh?)

I wonder why the engine is labeled Craftsman though? The engines were made at the same factory. Ideas?

Wingdo · #4 11/17/10, 11:54 AM

I believe it was probably replaced, because the rest of the mower is in great shape and it would have been a shame to scrap it out if you had another motor that would bolt up to it. BTW... it is a Cub Cadet model 81 not 80.

I remember that Cub plant... I used to work with a lot of horses and we would go by there on occasion. That place was HUGE! Are the buildings still there?

Mickie3 · #5 11/17/10, 12:58 PM

No, the plant was leveled back in the late 80s, I think it, was and the space was used for expansion of the airport so that UPS could land and or take-off 2 747s at once there. The road that ran in front of the place (Crittenden Drive) was completely hosed so they could expand the airport as well.

The use of the land was kind of limited as the EPA claimed that IH had dumped all kinds of stuff there over the years and wanted to have a major clean-up (read that spend billions) although they would just allow it to be paved over.

BTW, just as info, that was the old Curtiss Aircraft company plant and offices, before IH bought it and expanded it. During WW I and WW II, they made planes there, at least I have been told.

PS: All Cub Cadets were made at that factory, back when it was in operation, all were American Made at that point, now, not so much.

Mickie3 · #6 11/18/10, 07:21 AM

Just for some humor injected into this thread, saw where UPS was hiring a bunch of temps for the holiday season and thought you all may see a bit of humor in it.

When UPS came into town in the early 80s, the starting pay was $8.50 per hour. The jobs they are hiring for now are going to pay, yep, you guessed it, $8.50 per hour.

And this is after the State, City, and county taxpayers all paid Billions in tax revenue to give them tax breaks, expand the airport into the only one in the world that will allow for planes of that size to have as many simultaneous take-offs and landings as they can, free land, state paid for training, etc.

Are we glad that UPS came into town and we couldn't give IH a break, not a one, or what? Sheesh...... guess IH didn't bribe the right pols.

Wingdo · #7 11/20/10, 01:16 PM

Sounds about right Mickey. It reminds me of the cable companies that give you a low fixed price when you're a new customer and no breaks for those that have stayed with them for ten years. Then a year later turn around and not only raise the rates for the "new" customer but raise that of the old customer as well... sounds like shooting yourself in the foot to me.