He Turned A Cub Cadet Into A Forklift

He Turned A Cub Cadet Into A Forklift MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Forklifts Of all the Cub Cadet tractors that Kelly Birkey has owned his custom-built forklift has been the most useful “I can pick up another garden tractor with it ” says Birkey Paxton Ill “The forklift is on a Cub Cadet 1872 my favorite tractor It’s very strong and well-built with features like hydraulics and power steering ” Birkey built the forklift shortly after retiring 25 years ago after operating Birkey’s Farm Store and an International Harvester dealership with his brothers in Illinois In retirement he has collected restored and sold nearly 300 Cub Cadet and IH tractors plus parts To make the forklift Birkey reversed the steering seat and controls and flipped the ring gear and pinion in order to operate the Cub Cadet running backward It took a while to find a small forklift mast to fit “It was a Brick Buggy a self-propelled walk-behind buggy for moving bricks ” Birkey says He paid $200 for it at a scrapyard He removed the motor and retrofitted it for his Cub Cadet “I added 3 in to the tractor axles so I could put in pillow block bearings between the housing and wheels to carry the weight of the forklift ” he explains For counterweights he built a bracket on the back for four round weights that came off a Caterpillar combine made in the 1930’s He has used the forklift Cub Cadet for more than 20 years moving and lifting Cub Cadets to make it easier to work on them At 90 Birkey doesn’t use it as much as he used to but the forklift is always a popular attraction when he takes it to shows Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Kelly Birkey Paxton Ill

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.