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CB Lawn Mowers Cub Cadet Mower will not mow grass!
Cub Cadet

Cub Cadet review: Mower will not mow grass! 52

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12:00 am EDT
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I purchased a mid line Cub Cadet ztr mower in the Fall of '05 about 3 weeks before mowing season was over. When I used the mower I found out it would not cut taller, thin grass 'sprigs' even with repeated mowing passes. I contacted my seller (DT McCalls in Cookeville, TN) and they promptly responded, checked the mower, adjusted the deck and pronounced it fit. Well mowing season was over but the problems began again in the Spring of '06. DT McCall picked up the mower 2 or 3 more times and had their repair people check, adjust, replace blades etc. They came out to our house and tried the mower themselves. After farther adjustment their solution was 'mow the grass every day for four days, then every four days during mowing season'. How asinine is that considering we mow about 4.5 acres?

At any rate they would not take the mower, refund our cash payment of course, nor allow credit for an upgrade to a 'commercial grade' mower. At this point they have more or less wiped their hands of the whole affair. Cub Cadet/MTD never contacted us regarding the problems with this mower and has not yet. Evidently there is no living being at the Cub Cadet /MTD operation.

My problem is not isolated as I am aware of 2 other persons who bought this same lemon of a mower with the same problem. The mower looks good, starts and runs good, but will not mow grass. Now I expected a $4000 dollar 'lawn mower' to actually mow grass. Is that too much to ask?

My advice is to never ever buy a mower or other product from MTD. If you have a problem you are on your own with no help or even contact from the manufacturer.

Roger Cunningham,
Liberty, Tennessee.

52 comments
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Jeffery Blackmon
, US
Apr 01, 2024 9:24 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

When I ordered the part for my lawn mower. They didn't hesitate to take the money from my account. After waiting 2

Weeks for the part that still hasn't arrived. I called customer service about the part. They never answered the phone. I guess I will have to report them for making fraudulent charges on my account.

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Philip Howell
, US
Jul 17, 2023 1:48 am EDT
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Numbers not in service that are listed online

[protected]

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afterfive
, US
Nov 19, 2018 9:28 pm EST
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I have a 48 enforcer the pto belt keeps breaking, ive put 3 then there was a recall for this just tried to mow 10 mins belt broke vie put what they said I needed new pulleys, it only has 89 hrs so what do I do now

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TinaW311
, US
Aug 15, 2018 1:44 pm EDT

I really don't have time to explain my problem with your customer service that I received this morning but I just have to say it was the WORST customer service I have ever experienced. Please listen to the recorded conversations that your customer service reps are having. The lady who spoke with me was HORRIBLE!

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haywire67
Saluda, US
Sep 10, 2012 12:59 pm EDT

We purchased a Cub Cadet LT1042 in 2007. We've had nothing but repair issues from constant replacement of bearings in housing above blades, bushing in steering column to constant replacement of both belts. Lowe's no longer sells replacement blades/belts now that they don't carry Cub Cadet. Home Depot carries the brand but only offers belts/blades for newer models. Have to order all our parts online. I'll cut my grass with scissors before I purchase another Cub Cadet.

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Larry H
Finchville, US
Jun 26, 2012 11:32 am EDT

I purchased a Cub Cadet GTX2154LE, with taxes over $6400. after approx. 20 hours the engine started burning oil. When the mower gets 10 oz. below full, the engine just shuts down. After this happened the dealer picked the mower up but could not find a problem, eventually blaming the problem on a dirty air cleaner. When the mower continued burning oil i contacted the dealer and customer care at Cub Cadet. While the dealer is contacting the engine maker, Kohler, the customer service center was totally useless, arrogant and was given the run around, they took absolutely no responsibility. The supervisor, Bill, routed me around with a new number to file a complaint, that after calling (and more waiting) returned me back to him. Evidently Cub Cadet doesn't have a complaint department that deals with their own customer service. After all this i still have a $6500 lawn tractor that is burning oil. The dealer is going to pick the mower up to run some tests concerning the mower but i still have a problem with a customer care center that has no quality control of it's own actions. On principle alone, this is my last Cub Cadet anything. The GTX1254LE is a piece of junk, Cub Cadet has a poorly functioning customer service center and I'm out $6500.00

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no_cubs_4me
Three Oaks, US
Jun 24, 2011 2:15 pm EDT
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I have an '04 LT1042 purchased from Lowe's in NW Indiana for $1600. I took delivery of the unit myself, with everything still banded to the pallet inside the factory crate. My model uses the Briggs engine--I have about 140hrs on it, cutting grass. No plowing, or anything out of the ordinary.

Anyway, several issues: 1. The Briggs OHV engine I have is apparently famous for "afterfire" problems (backfire that occurs when you turn off the engine), due to a bad/sticking fuel shutoff valve located on the bottom of the carb. If your Briggs is doing this have it repaired before it causes the head gasket to blow out. The head gasket on this model is very thin between the cylinder and pushrod gallery and can potentially ruin your engine if you let it go. I had repairs done to mine and despite the numerous sites/complaints regarding the issue neither Briggs nor Cub would stand behind the product. 2. Cub/MTD is difficult to contact with very few working phone#'s listed anyplace. They also like to pawn problems off on their dealers, but in my case it came from Lowes, who no longer sells the brand, or parts. 3. The 42", twin blade deck cuts grass poorly. Razor sharp blades or not, poor cut. I've had other mowers over the years--looking back it seems that the best cutting ones had three-blade decks. The blades all spun faster, and there were three of them-- 4. Accessories for these mowers are ridiculously priced--$1500 for a snowthrower attachment. I could almost buy two really nice walk-behinds for that, not including the wheel weights and chains and other items needed. 5. At 140hrs my hydrostatic is about worn out. After 30min use my forward speed drops to the point that I could walk faster.

Avoid these cheaply made, poorly supported mowers like the plague.

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MikeProllins12
San Antonio, US
Jun 22, 2011 8:48 am EDT

I just figured out how to finally fix my LT1045 Cub Cadet from having issues with the belt coming off of the deck. I am making a YouTube Video and will post a link here soon showing how to fix the POS. Its a friggin engineering defect is what it is, took me about an hour but I've got it working now with no problems, minimum vibrations and belt is running cool now! check back for link soon! JP

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Dave Hines
Delta, US
Jun 13, 2011 5:21 pm EDT

Purchased the new Cub Cadet S Force 48" Mower with the steering wheel. This machine rides very rough. Springs under seat have no give. After a half hour could hardly get off of it. Hard to trim around trees. The mower does not stick out far enough on the left side to trim around a tree without backing up several times. Front axle is mounted solid. Does not pivot. Very poorly designed unit. I 'm glad I kept my Ford GT22. The Cub Cadet is for sale.

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cubhater
New York City, US
May 22, 2011 12:24 am EDT

GT2542--42" 20hp
Piece of crap! This thing couldn't mow astroturf evenly. No matter what I do it completely misses patches and strips of grass. It doesn't matter if I mow slow or fast, high or low, wet or dry, uphill, downhill or across the hill. I've sharpened the blades to razor specifications. I've lubricated everything but the seat. The tires are within 0.0001 psi of each other. The deck is perfectly balanced. Garbage. The hood on the thing is broken, because it is made out of crappy plastic. I've maybe opened it 12 times in 75 hours of running time. The headlights stopped working after 2 hours. The seat doesn't go all the way back making it a whole lot of fun for someone that is 6'4". The PTO belt snapped after only 20 hours of running time. Never, never, never buy a Cub Cadet.

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PawPawDiv9
pervert- calling the cops, US
Apr 10, 2011 4:47 pm EDT

i have a CUB CADET LT1045 Riding Mower.
Several things are always a problem on it. The belt keeps coming off. On another site- the trick is to Raise the deck before engaging the PTO. Probably due to thick grass.
Second. is the OIL leak. It constantly leaks out of the PLastic piece of [censor] plug it has. Worst piece of crap made. Simple fix as found on interent is to take a 3/8 fine thread extension and a cap on it. Or another site has something called a Drainzit. It a 14" hose that bolts right on and has a hex plug on end of it. Suppose to make draing easier too. (site: Perr.com)
It does state to check the oil levels before each start- ADVISE BY THIS, or be burning your mower up.
Third. Cranking the mower. It does have a cheap plastic gear that goes to the starter. IF your battery is low or weak, it will grind the teeth of it and need to be replaced. Advise. Make sure your battery is fully charged.
KEY TO THIS STORY- MAINTENCE

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meter1
Spokane, US
Oct 29, 2010 10:58 pm EDT

I purchaserd a brand new Cub Cadet lt2550 shaft drive lawn tractor this summer to mow my 3/4 acre lawn. This is a very expensive top of the line model with a 50" deck, and three blades. The problem is that the mower will not bag properly. The discharge shute continually jams, even when the grass is bone dry. What used to take 40 minutes to mow, now takes 2 hours and is a pain in the [censor]. The dealer, Country Homes Supply, checked to make sure I had the correct blade, and told me, "I was on my own." I have 11 hours on this machine and it is the biggest piece of crap mower I have ever owned. I have tried everything to get this machine to bag correctly, even mowing so slow you could crawl faster than the mower is moving, and it still jams. I want my money back and the dealer will not stand by the product. So I am stuck with a machine that I can not use. I am going to sell this and move on to something else. Do not under any circumstances buy a Cub Cadet product, and if you live in the Spokane Washington area, do not buy anything from Country Homes Supply. They do not stand behind their product and will leave you hanging. I spent over $4K for this machine, and you would think it would mow the lawn, but it doesn't.

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MTDsucks
Mauice, US
Aug 24, 2010 10:59 am EDT
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I have a 1042 zero turn tractor. I just dropped it off at the shop again this morning. The power equipment dealer I bought it from said he thinks the transmission is "shot." Its 1 1/2 years old and has 31 hours on it. I mow less than 3/4 of an acre once a week. I didnt know Cub was manufactured by MTD. My fault. I am not going to bring it back from the shop. Will trade it in.

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Ken Hartl
Chelan, US
Aug 22, 2010 9:39 am EDT
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I have read the comments, wow I must have a blessed mower. I have a Z force
44 Zero turn Cub cadet mower heavy residential. I use it commercial over
one thousand hours. Any problems I just take it to the dealer they get right on it
and fix it right then. The kohler engine runs like a top, its a kohler command 20
hp. I have beat up this mower mowing Three foot tall grass, weeds and other
tough stuff. People look at the lawn after I have mowed and are wowed at the even cut. I do keep the blades sharp. I do all my own maintenance.
Ken Hartl. I would only by a mower from a Dealer.

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Chris Spaude
ingalls, US
Aug 15, 2010 8:37 pm EDT

i bought a cub cadet mover 2 years ago i have 170 hours on it and i think i went through 9 spindle assembles. Garbage absoloute junk i did not know that it was an mtd product silly me. I dont recomend this piece to anybody in fact i tell as many people as i can about this waste. Of course the spindle assembles are 80 to 110 dallars because cub cadet will not give the mtd part number up.
This is the last time i ever buy any thing cub cadet i was trying to be american and buy an american product, you no quality boy id like to have a chat with those engineers. Extremely upset !

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virtip
Boardman, US
Jun 23, 2010 1:28 pm EDT

I was jus' mowing the lawn today on my nice '06 cub cadet 22hp riding lawnmower and the deck belt shot out from under the damn thing and caught the front tire, yanking the steering wheel into my thumb! I immediately stopped the engine so i could jump off and rewind the belt. this has after all, happened before but never with such violence. when i went to grab the belt though, it burnt my hand! nursing my beaten and battered hand, i went back to the house to grab the handiest temperature sensing device, a meat thermometer.
i walked the short distance back to the stranded mower and placed the thermometer on the belt. after about a minute it rose to 127 degrees fahrenheit. perplexed, i also checked the the engine pulley, same story. moving up, i checked the PTO clutch and found it to be 152 degrees. this wasnt ever the case when mowing in 100 degree weather, in my two acres of pasture. but today was only 80 degrees and i had just started to mow my lawn of a quarter acre, and of grass a measly 4 inches in height. i put the belt on anyway and started off again on the lawn. a couple of minutes later the noise from the deck (a gentle whine) quit! fearing another slip, i looked down to find well nothing amiss, then i noticed that the blade pulley was only doing about 2 RPM and when i let off the gas, bringing the mower to a stop the pulley slowly resumed normal speed, this happened another three times before i called it quits after only ten minutes of mowing!

I assume with my limited knowledge that it might be the clutch giving out. the mower only has 110 hours on it and its not the fanciest thing but it always got the job done. does anybody know if this is normal?

forgot to mention, the belt slipping has happened about seven times before during all manner of uses even to the extent that we got a new belt after the fifth time snapped it.

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TYNDALJOE
Coshocton, US
Jun 20, 2010 7:39 pm EDT

I BOUGHT A 1040 CUB CADET IN MAY OF 2010 FROM TRACTOR SUPPLY AND FROM THE FIRST TIME I MOWED WITH IT IT WAS APPARENT THAT SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT WITH THE FRONT END. WHEN TURNING THE OUTSIDE STEERING TIRE DIGS IN TO THE TURF NO MATTER HOW SLOW I GO. I TOOK IT TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER IN ZANESVILLE AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOOK IT OUT IN THE GRASS AND TRIED IT OUT AND CAME BACK AND STATED THAT SOMETHING DEFINITELY WAS NOT RIGHT IN THE FRONT END. HE CALLED MTD AND WAS TOLD THEY HEAR THAT COMPLAINT ALL THE TIME AND IT`S NOT THEIR PROBLEM. DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND YOU`LL FIND THAT MTD MAKES MOWERS UNDER ABOUT 10 NAMES. YOUR WARRANTY IS WORTH NOTHING. MTD AND TRACTOR SUPPLY TAKES YOUR MONEY AND THAT`S ALL THEY CARE ABOUT.

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WVJEFF
Scott Depot, US
May 17, 2010 11:59 am EDT

My story tops yours. I am retiring from the US Navy after 21 years of service and talked my wife into this $4, 000 lawn mower to take to our 4 acre retirement home. The first time I cut the grass, with only 3.2 hours on the mower, the gas pedal breaks off and I can no longer drive it. The weld holding the pedal to the control bar is, and I am not exaggerating, no bigger than the lead showing on a well sharpened pencil...in all respects!
This had to happen when I was at the furthest point at the back of the yard down a mild slope. The walk of shame up to the house to ask my wife to help me push it up to the garage so I could put it on the trailer was almost too much to bear. I drove it up to the local Cub Cadet dealer, but not the one I purchased it from, and wouldn't you know it he had closed at noon and it was now 1220 Saturday morning. Driving back home, I keep looking in the mirrors to make sure that the mower is towing ok and I'll be dam@ed if I don't see the arm rest falling off the seat. I pull over just in time for it to completely fall off and drop onto my trailer with the 3 allen bolts that were supposed to hold it tipped at the very end with ONE DROP of locktite. I so wish I would have listened to my wife right now. I already can see that this mower, piece of crap, is going to be more headache than I though and I have to be honest and say, I am embarassed I bought it.

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Sjyukon
Pennsauken, US
May 16, 2010 5:51 pm EDT

Yea how about the LT1046 added a $400.00 rear bagger to it, Then they give you rubberbands to hold it to the deck and it never works correctly the shute gets clog or doesn't align up right and never works. Its just a big pain in the [censor]. and also The rubber band broke when a small rock or somthing rub up on the bottom of it. Now What ? I can't get the rubberbands anywheres. ? What and who designt this peice of crap! lawn shute to the rear baggs. Horriable...

O well. If anybody knows of a better fix email me at sjyukon@comcast.net thanks. owner!

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Hate Cub Cadet
melrose, US
May 11, 2010 12:22 am EDT

I bought a commercial 2008 Cub Cadet Recon 60 brand new. It has been in the shop 5 times for the drive belt burning up. I can't wait to trade it in for a REAL commercial mower, when I get it back from the shop. Cub Cadet is useless!

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North Georgia
Ellijay, US
Sep 01, 2009 9:54 am EDT

In regards to the bogging down after 30 minutes comment, by John Amstutz. Try to replace the fuel filter. This can get sand in it, especially if it's dry and dusty. It's good to replace it every 2 years. We experienced that at Gorilla Haven, and it was amazing the shop, or dealer didn't find it, but we found it ourselves. And it worked perfectly after that, no more bogging.

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Madabout CubCadet
Kingston, US
Aug 01, 2009 1:44 pm EDT

I bought my first and last Cub Cadet. Z-force 60. Broke an axle and was told by a dealer I would have to replace the HydraGear transmission. Don't believe that crap. HydraGear dealers (not cub dealers) can get any parts you need. Cub Cadet blades are expensive and I have one on it now that is splitting. Now the battery won't charge. I put a new one on it and it won't charge either. When the battery dies so does the electric PTO. So you can't mow off of a boost. I have taken great care of this mower and have spent more hours working on it than it has mowed. I will NEVER...NEVER ever buy another Cub Cadet product. I am also telling everyone I know they should stay away from them. I broke a belt and spent over a day locating one because these "so-called" dealers didn't stock it. I paid $54.00 for a belt and drove an hour to get it when I finally located one.

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Terry Campbell
QUINCY, US
Jul 31, 2009 10:59 am EDT

I got one to wont mower without being all the way up and low grear the it looks bad I have to make 2 pass's to get it right.Take 4 hours to mower 2 acre's.

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D E GASSER
Fairlawn, US
Jul 21, 2009 11:30 am EDT

After two years of frustration and nearly $500 in repair expenses, we have finally determined the cause of vibration, belt problems, wear on the center hole of the drive pulleys, and grooves worn in the center bolts of the 54-inch mower of our Cub Cadet GT1554. What we learned was quite astonishing. It turns out that some of these mowers were assembled with center bolts that were too long; consequently, there is not enough threading on the bolt to allow for sufficient clamping force of the pulley/blade assembly. Although it is possible to achieve adequate torque of the nut on the bolt, in reality, the nut is “bottoming out” on the threaded portion of the bolt. And, while it seems that the blade is fairly tight, whenever the mower is required to cut somewhat heavy grass, both the pulley and the blade can actually spin on the bolt. This situation is easily evidenced by the wear pattern on the bolt at both the top (where the pulley spins), and at the bottom (where the blade spins).
As expected, customer service technicians at Cub Cadet were quick to refute and discredit this theory, claiming that we probably were using the wrong bolt for the specific mower. However, after checking and rechecking all part numbers, and by simply taking the entire pulley/bearing housing/blade assembly to the dealer, and showing how the threading is insufficient once the nut is properly tightened, their only comment was, “Yep, you’re absolutely right!” (Incidentally, when asking the dealer for an opinion and for some guidance throughout this entire problem-solving struggle, their only answer was in the form of an accusation of operator abuse.) Once the dealer admitted to Cub Cadet that our theory was correct, the discussion with the service technicians at Cub Cadet was ended, and the problem was remedied by adding two washers. We added one washer at the top, just underneath the spacer next to the pulley; and, one washer at the bottom, just below the blade. Needless to say, the mower is running smoother and cutting better than it ever has throughout the two and half years of use.
Now, the proper thing for Cub Cadet to do is to send out a recall notification to all owners who registered their GT1554 tractor—that were assembled with a ¾ by 7.18-inch center bolt—and to have them take it back to the dealer for inspection and repair, including the proper washer installation.

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Stihl
Andover, US
Jul 08, 2009 6:37 pm EDT

I purchased a cub cadet weed trimmer from TSC about two years ago and I love the thing, I had my first problem with it- the drive cable snapped in two. I got online and ordered a part from their online parts and after almost two weeks I received the part. I went to install the part and realized it was the wrong part, totally my fault, I looked at the wrong model online, so I called and asked if they would take it back and exchange it for the correct one and they said that I would have to re-order and send this one back for credit. I also asked the women in customer service if I could get my shipping expedited because now I am two weeks without weed trimming and I need this part, her response was we do not offer any other shipping than ground and it takes 7 days to process the orders. When I told her that I was the customer and I am asking you to expedite shipping and willing to pay for it, you're not going to do that? She said that cub cadet get thousands of orders per day and they are not able to customize orders, not the response you want to hear from a company is big as MTD. So I got my exact model number and went to the cub cadet parts website and found the correct one. This part is exactly like the part I ordered incorrectly but half as long and it cost 3 dollars more and costs 4 dollars more to ship, so now I'm really unimpressed. It is now almost 3 weeks later and still not part, I just called and asked about shipping and was told unless I have the order number she can't help me, well...I didn't have my order number so I started to throw a fit about them not being able to look it up any other way and got hung up on. I called back immediately and got the same lady and asked her for her manager and she would not give it to me then asked for the name of the president and still she would not give it to me then got hung up on again. Called back a third time and talked to a women named Dina and she was able to look up the part to find it was on back order. I asked if they had any plans to contact me and let me know that my part was on backorder? She said they didn't do that. She, by the way would also not give me the presidents name but I found a guy by the name of Roy Keating supposed to be the VP of sales, I will try him tomorrow. I told Dina that MTD has the absolute worst CS I have ever dealt with and that I am going to cancel my order and buy a new weed trimmer from Stihl, and her response was...sorry. I will never purchase another MTD product as long as I live and it is a damn shame because I love this weed trimmer but if they don't treat their customers any better that this maybe Stihl will. If anybody is interested in contacting me about my experience you can email me at stihl_029@yahoo.com

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John Amstutz
Plant City, US
May 30, 2009 9:27 am EDT

I bought a Cub Cadet LT1045 riding mower from HomeDepot in Brandon, Fl., in September of 2006, wih 15 hours on it, I had to put it in the shop as the blade deck had a bad vibration, the blade drive belt kept coming off, and the parking brake no longer worked, and the transmission pedal had broken from its support. I got it back after a month in the shop, the blade deck vibration was still there, they did replace the blade drive belt. with 25 hours on the mower, it had to go back into thea repair shop for bad vibrations in the blade deck, the blade drive belt kept coming off, and, according to the repair shop it was not the right belt. After being in the shop twice, the blade deck vibration is gone, but, the parking brake still does not work, the blade deck drive belt still flies off, which is inconsequential as the PTO will not engage, it now has 40 hours on the meter, and it has to go back in the shop yet again. The under hood decal which specifies what part numbers the mower needs are incorrect, the local Cub Cadet dealer does not carry the replacement parts for this mower, and, the mower seems to have about the same level of dependability as a Yugo. If you want to purchase a mower that is, at best, undependable and problematic, then a Cub Cadet is the mower for you, by buying this you will be able to get to see the the dealerships of the mowers, and have a lot of fun towing the mower back and forth. If, however, you want or need a dependable mower, youm should really look elsewhere, as a Cub Cadet just isnt.

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starr
, US
May 10, 2009 8:17 pm EDT

I have a 2166 that has been in the shop for most of the last 2 years. The most I have mowed my 2.5 acres without a problem is 3 times over that 2 year period. It has been with a Cub Cadet dealer for the last week and a half. I brought it home and it still bogs down after 30 minutes. I don't understand how the Cub Cadet people are allowed to sell their products. I think the company should be shut down for selling defective equipment. I'm going to put a sign in my front yard that reads, "Not mowed . . .by Cub Cadet". I will never buy another MTD product.

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Dave
Glasgow, US
Apr 23, 2009 10:51 am EDT

I have a GT1554 mower with less than 200 hours on it. The machine has always been well maintained and in spite of the TLC it's constantly in need of something. So far I have replaced two mower spindle assemblies, a deck drive belt and just this past week the rear deck roller assembly fell apart. This is the third Cub I have owned... and each one has been less reliable and worse engineered than the prior machine. The first Cub I owned I had for 13 years... it was one of the old steel hood models before MTD.
The second machine was a shaft drive hydro model and while
it wasn't a great machine it was worlds better than this latest buy. The bottom line is ... if you really want a mower look to one of the companies that build their own product... Kubota
would be an excellent company to purchase from... and definitely where my next mower will come from. NO MORE MTD's !

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DAVE
, US
Apr 17, 2009 3:28 am EDT

i bought a 1040 2 weeks bc its hard to get parts for my murry but my murry runs 100 times much better first off the transmission sucks in mine it slips going up slep hills it makes werid noise when i go slow it dont cut for any the deck dont go up high enough when your done cutting it is very load mower and the steering is terriable it smokes a little and when you shut it off it smeles like it burns oil or something it runs hot and i only had this mower 2 weeks and all this is wrong with it only 5 HOURS! ON IT i called home depot and ask can i take the mower back and get my money back the said noo soo now im gonna fight with the warrnty people or club cadet there has to be some kinda of a lemon law on the mowers in this state o well i think ill just have them fix the problems and see the mower and just use the murry its a 1992 modle never had a bite of trouble out of it had to make breaks for it it mower runs great it must of over 3000 hours on it but i guess ill keep it too it dont turn over no more STAY AWAY FROM CLUB CADET

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junior Bryant
Glade Spring, US
Apr 16, 2009 2:12 pm EDT

I bough a 1040 ridding mower. the first one i got starter locked up the very next day. they replaced it with a nother one pto switch tore up on this one fixed this problem .them the clutch under the deck come un screwed fell off while mowing. The metal that holes deck on pulled loose and tole pieces off the deck. It never mowed right, Left places like the blades pushed the grass down while mowing after a few passes the grass is sticking up like i had never mowed the grass. the paint fell off deck looks like it is hundred years old it has 152 hours on it now. I always washed it top and bottom after mowing. It is always been kept in a building. I thank it is the worst mower that i have every owned . It is a piece of junk. bought at lowes.

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palmj5
po bx 117, US
Apr 16, 2009 11:04 am EDT

Same song different verse we purchase a zero turn lawn mower from Race Brothers in Springfield Mo. What a piece of crap. That is saying it lightly. 3 of the 4 tires has went flat put tubes in 2 that is minor mower was less than 3 month old battary will not hold charge minor mowing deck a piece of crap. Blades has bent on mower 3 times deck came apart in front made new part for front better than first. Now this is the kicker on hour meter we have put (13) hours on mower and have worked on mower 5 our mores hours or hauled to someone to fix. place that sold it to me wants me to haul up to the 1 hour driver there to check what is wrong with mower when we already know what is wrong it is an overpriced mtd cub cadet zero turn piece of ### lawn mower. As said in prior comments no live person at MTD cub cadet so here is what we are doing painting a lemon sign a going to set the piece of ### mower sit along a busy high and mow my yard with and old rider we still have. Last comment BUYER BEWARE WHEN BUING A PEICE OF ### CUB CADET LAWN MOWER SAME YOUR MONEY

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Jeff N.
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Oct 13, 2008 8:49 am EDT

I purchased a Model 18M Self Propelled Mower less then 2 months ago. Have used it appox. 6 times. Now it starts a runs for about 1 min. then dies. I've cleaned out the fuel lines and add new gas. Didn't help. Any ideas?

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David Casey
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Oct 02, 2008 7:42 pm EDT

I bought a 42 in zero force on 2007. Last night the engine blew apart it had 188 hours and was well maintained. Had nothing but trouble with it from day one.Single cylinder Briggs traded for a Koehler twin. The only reason was friend works at dealer otherwise I would have bought something else.

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Bev P
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Sep 16, 2008 1:28 am EDT

I purchased a new L 1040 last year and cut grass for 10 hours before I had problems. First is kept breaking belts and then got stuck like a break was on rear wheels would not turn at all...five trips to dealer later (45 miles away) I finally traded it in on a new one this year out of desparation and spent more money . I am so upset because now after twenty five hours on the new one It too is in the shop for the same thing...the place where I bought it are treating me like it is my fault. Gee...I have had lawn mowers all my life and mostly bought from Wal-mart cheapy ones...never any any trouble. Cub cadets suck! Never will I buy another. I have $3200 in mine and am so upset. Buyers beware...go to wal-mart and buy cheap...they last!

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Kerry Carbaugh
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Jul 14, 2008 7:04 pm EDT

I bought a 2005 Tank 50 inApril 06. It was my first (commercial) mower and I put 540 hours on it in that time. I did all the normal maintenance according to manual. The only big problem was an ongoing leak in transmission that Ihad in twice while under warranty. The last time was at end of year last year. I forgot to mention I purchased from a local hardware store and not a dealer (big mistake). After acouple weeks at the beginning of season this year it was again beginning to leak but I continued to use u.ntil early June. I finished mowing for the week and took to local Cub dealer who wasn't thrilled to look at it but said they would reseal for me. They called the next day and said after they put back together trans unit wouldn't work so tried it on other side and that one was in bad shape too. Of course it was 2 months out of warranty so price to fix was $980 per assembly plus labor. So far the most I have got them to do is give me the parts at $500 a piece. Any help would be appreciated. Buy the way when I got on my Gravely for the first time I found out what Iwas missing.

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ken james
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Jul 13, 2008 5:45 pm EDT

After evaluating several zero turns I bought a 60" cub cadet zero force a month ago, currently has 10.9 hours on it and this weekend the electric clutch assembly simply fell off servering a couple of wires in its fall off the mower--of course the mower wont start so I had to winch it onto a trailer to get it to the dealer.

Bottom line I expected much better than this from a cub cadet

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Vivian Hull
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Jul 11, 2008 2:21 pm EDT

I bought a Cub Cadet from LOWES and purchased the extended warranty which they stated would, if service were needed on the mower, pay for mowing my grass. I found out that they will pay $25.00 only... Now who would want to purchase a Lawn tractor if they could get their grass mowed for 25 bucks. That will hardly buy the gas to mow my lawn. I mow 3 acres. The mower throws belts off right and left both when you put it in gear and also when just riding along and mowing. It has been in the shop twice for this. It works when they bring it back but in a while it starts doing the same thing again. I am a senior citizen/female and I'd bet I can put a belt on faster than most technicians now.. It threw the belt off 7 times today while I was trying to mow my front lawn.. I finally gave up. I phoned for service only to find out that my extended service warranty ran out in April and neither Lowes nor the Manufacturer had any interest in helping me even though the mower had been in the shop for this problem before. Neither Lowes nor Cub Cadet Mfg. backs up their product. And it does leave blades of grass standing and I have to go over it several times and sometimes even then it doesn't cut them. I am really sorry I purchased this product... Cub CAdet LT1046. It has abt 2.5 seasons of grass mowing and I wish I had never seen it. Lowes said they couldn't help me since my extended warranty had expired and suggested I call the Manufacturer. The mfg. rep informed me that the Mfg. warranty had expired after the first year and that they had no legal obligations.

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frank
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Jul 04, 2008 10:50 am EDT

CHECK YOUR CLUTCH AN SEE IF IT IS PULLING IN.IF NOT CHECK YOUR WIREING TO THE CLUTCH AND ALSO YOUR PULL UP SWITCH.

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Norman J. Butler
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Jun 20, 2008 7:33 pm EDT

I purchased a Z force 60" cut mower with 23 hp Kaw. engine, in June of 06. After one year I have four holes in the deck. The mower had a two year warranty. MTD Cub said, not their problem "normal wear", will not replace the deck. What can you expect from a $5, 000.00 mower? That maybe you can get more than one year of mowing out of it before the deck looks like swiss cheese. Nice outfit this MDT. Just keep on welding patches.

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Mark Blake
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Jun 18, 2008 11:41 am EDT

Here is my coerespondence with Cub Cadet:
The local dealer I am doing business with I do not feel is completely honest. First, I had a cracked head on my mower, my fault. I asked for an estimate and was told the repair would be roughly $180.00. Since your website listed a similar mower around $399.00+ I agreed. It took roughly a month to do the repair. When I picked up the mower they told me that it ran quite rough and that they thought it was the carburetor and that cleaning only works 25% of the time and that I should buy a new one (another $200.00). I refused and will run it as is. Once I got home and started the mower, it was extremely rough; nothing like it did prior to the repair. I had to stop the mower, when I restarted the mower, the recoil on the starter failed too, (another $68.00) I purchased the recoil and another blade I needed. After the new starter was installed, the mower won't start at all. Then I cleaned the carburetor (not done when installing a new head) and noticed that I had a gas leak. The leak was coming from the surface of the Carburetor/head interface. I loosened the bolts and notice no GASKET was placed there after they replaced the head. This would cause an erratic mower idle while running. I will not deal with this Cub Cadet Representative again. I purchased this mower based on the reputation of Cub Cadet and the great success I have experienced in the past. This year, I have spent $280.00 on a mower that still will not run. A very similar Cub Cadet is at the Home Depot for $259.00. This representative of yours should have advised me of my options prior to the original repair. Please contact me.

What are the torque specs on the head bolts? Last night I was checking the torque and three out of the four were loose in comparison to the fourth. According to the print provided by Kawasaki on the carburetor, the repair shop removed the insulator plate and both gaskets (one on each side) and did NOT replace them. I currently went to another repair shop for Kawasaki motors and purchased these components. Total cost for the three was $2.41. The carburetor visually looked at an angle; it was obvious that something was not right. I did stop the gas leak and feel safer about leaving the mower in the garage.
Mower still will not run.

There respose:
The head bolt torque spec is 16 lb/ft.

My reply:
Thanks, that answers the torque question, but what about the initial question on support?
Who do I contact for answers (complaints) when my local Cub Cadet authorized repair shop is doing me (and Cub Cadet) an in-service?

There respose:
While our dealer network is authorized to sell and service our products, they are none the less independent businesses and we have no control over their day to day operations. If you have a dispute with a dealer, you need to address it directly with them. We do not arbitrate dealer/consumer issues since we do not have first hand knowledge of the issue.

My final response:
In other words,
let them tarnish your name as long as you can keep seperated from the deal. In all industries that I am involved with, you are as resposible as they are if your name is on their sign. The only reason they got my business is that they are a CUB CADET authorized repair shop. If your logo was not on their business, I would NOT of gone there. You too are as responsible and you may need to pay attention to their business operations if they are to represent you.