Blades out of time on LTX1040
 

Hi, I have the LTX1040 42" deck and the blades continue to rotate out of timing and thus eventually collide. I have replaced spindles, belts, and blades but after 10 hours or so, the blade timing is so far off the blades hit each other.

I am surprised the mower belt is not toothed but what causes this timing to change and what can be done to solve? Thank you.

I wasn't aware that the LTX1040 deck was "timed"? I would remove the deck and make sure a spindle wasn't bent or a blade has not come loose. Also make sure the blades are the correct ones.

I'll bet that you have the wrong blades on it and that they are too long

Yes, the LTX 1040 can have a timed deck, and yes the belt and pulleys are toothed.
If you don't have the owners manual, you should go here and download it.
http://manuals.mtdproducts.com/mtd/Public.do

Well I'll be...

Live and learn... live and learn.

Thanks, everyone. Yes, these are pics of the deck. I forgot I have the toothed belt. I am getting really good at retiming it. I learned to never hit a branch hidden under high weeds which would cause the belt to slip out of the teeth. The other day I don’t think I got anything. I was on level ground and heard the blades hit. The toothed belt is fairly new.

Do I just need to check timing more frequently?

FWIW; I worked in the industrial maintenance field for a cabinet manufacturer. We had wide surface sanders that required timing, not unlike the drawings in this thread. When we had to time or re-time them, I always felt that there was an ungodly amount of tension in the belt, but those belts had fine steel cables running through them. I might suggest you determine what the belt tension is supposed to be, and double-check the tension(s) on your deck.

But....I'm just a newbee.....Roger

Solved timing issue
 

The timing belt on the tractor when I bought it was not the 20mm height. The belt was only 1/3 the correct height. The new belt and retiming the blades now are working as expected.

I will help anyone who has had blades get out of time. I will share better pictures than in the Cub Cadet manual if I can figure out how to attach images.

This should help with the pictures.


https://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/...ead.php?t=1024

OP...don't mean to hijack your thread; but the exact same thing happened to me...on the exact same model...at about the exact same time, lol.

Let me see if I can figure out how to post pictures, and I'm praying for some advice from the group.

EDIT- So...here is what I posted at reddit/cubcadets, where someone suggested the timing issue; which led to a Google, which led me here!

TOTAL noob, at working on my LTX1040. I normally have a guy, charge me a small fortune...for a basic tune-up, sharpen/replace blades if it needs them, etc. (maybe every other/3rd year). I think he semi-retired and didn't return my call this year. I'd always wanted to try, just doing the work myself; but I'm not at all very handy, but I'm going to take a shot...

Last time I mowed...the blades started making a racket. It sounded like they were hitting the cutting deck. I stopped the mower right away, while deciding how to tackle it. I'll spare you the YT videos, and knuckle-busting of it all...but I got the cutting deck removed. Pics attached

Feel free to chastise if you need to, lol...but I already know my underneath is disgusting (lost my jet wash adapter) and my blades are beyond rough (I'm in Pine country). But after getting under there, that "clanging" wasn't the blades hitting the deck...but more so, it looks like they're hitting each other. Now I know it's the timing thing...but how to fix it?

Obviously, the first step...is blades, yes? But I guess I've also got to check belts, pulleys, etc.?