Cub Cadet Date Code Information

Timeline

• The first Cub Cadet tractor was the Original Cub Cadet -- serial number 501 -- which was built in 1960 in Gloria Drive, Kentucky. If the date stamp on your Cub Cadet tractor is between 1960 and 1981, the tractor is an International Harvester (IH) Cub Cadet. Tractors with a date stamp between 1982 and 1997 were manufactured by the MTD/Cub Cadet Corporation, which bought out the IH line in June of 1981.

Serial Numbers

• While not as precise as the date stamp, a Cub Cadet's serial number can give you a manufacture date range. Cub Cadets built between 1960 and August of 1971 will have serial numbers in the 501 to 400000 range while tractors built between September of 1971 and February of 1981 will have serial numbers between 400001 and 688712. The first MTD/Cub Cadet Corporation tractor manufactured in 1982 had the serial number 700000. Serial numbers restarted at 800000 in 1990. The last serial number, manufactured in 1997, was 899000.

Finding the Serial Number

• The location of your Cub Cadet serial number will vary by model. Serial numbers can be found on a metal plate located behind the driver's seat, the left side of the frame rail or the left side of the trans-axle housing. The serial number may also be stamped on the right or left side of the tractor body or the right side of the trans-axle gearbox housing. In some cases, the manufacturer may have covered the serial number with paint.

Decoding the Serial Number

• The serial number of your Cub Cadet can also give you information on your tractor's engine and horsepower. Odd-numbered serial numbers have a hydrostatic (fluid engine) while even numbers have a clutch (mechanical) drive. The first two numbers in the serial number represent the horsepower of the engine. For example, a 1711 has a hydrostatic drive with a 17-horsepower engine.