Anyone Using "New" cub Cadets - Page 4

Sam Mac · #31 10-11-2013, 03:57 PM

I think it is exactly what you are looking for. It is brand new, it comes with a warranty, it shouldn’t need anything more than routine maintenance at least for a few years. It has all the modern creature comforts. I say go for it.

Me I just like older stuff just my 2 cents.

Also since you have now started 3 threads all with the same question I have taken the liberty of merging them into one to avoid confusion for the other members.

Looking forward to your report on one of these after you buy it and get a few hours on it.

Oak · #32 10-11-2013, 06:02 PM

Are you only going to mow with this machine? If so, don't waste your money on anything but a ztr. The next question is what is your budget? From what I hear, stay away from the Kubota's and look into Exmark, Scag or Hustler if money will allow. You gotta ask yourself, how many true landscaping company's use anything built by MTD, unless it's some handyman with a TSC trailer trying to make a few bucks. I pretty much think the new "garden tractors" are only lawn mowers, so if your wanting to do more with the tractor, then look at the older machines like Sam said. Good luck and let us know what you get!

CedarBranchCoastie · #33 10-11-2013, 06:27 PM

Sam Mac, thanks for the merge, at first I thought I was seeing double.
Oak, I appreciate your input. I will be the main user of the mower, but on occasion it may be used by someone else. My sister-in-law or one of my daughters. They can't or couldn't use a ZTR. I also, have a small trailer and do a little "hauling" from time to time. I have considered the CC Z-Force S series, but there again, I'm right back at the price for a 2000/2100 series tractor. I also have a few "rough spots" in the 4 acres I'm mowing, and those little wheels on the front of a ZT like like they might have a hard time negotiating. As i said in another post, I have priced some other brands, (Simp., JD, Kubota) and from what I've been able to figger, I'd be paying "more" for "less". Even belt-driven or a stamped deck costs more than a CC. I've had a problem with metal fatigue on my stamped mower deck on my present tractor. I hope my input may help others in their decision. Thanks for all the help. Now if I can just get my JD 210 running. (It was my mother's, hated to see it go, or my idiot brother-in-law sell it for scrap)

inspectorudy · #34 10-13-2013, 07:46 PM

I just finished refurbishing a JD 455 diesel with a 60 mowing deck that will cut down small trees. It is for sale for $4300 and is twice the tractors that you have mentioned. It has full hydraulics and comes with a three point hitch. To equal this tractor would be about $12,000 on a new one. I owned a CC ztm and I did not care for it. I had a hilly yard and the one I bought had no armrests or belt to hold you in the seat when on the side of a hill. On top of that the seat was slippery vinyl. Not fun.

CedarBranchCoastie · #35 10-14-2013, 06:10 PM

inspectorudy, wish you lived close to Davidson county, NC

TRL WGN 1 · #36 10-25-2013, 12:19 PM

Just to throw out my 2 cents
I currently have a 2003 White Outdoor Power GT2550, which is just a basically a Cub of a different color-built by MTD too.
Has the same components and deck as a Cub except it has full rollers for striping.
As far as the stamped decks, I have had no metal fatigue issues with the stamped deck and the "shell" is actually the same as my newly acquired Cub 3240 40th anniversary, with diffent rollers/casters bolted on.

I believe you mentioned currently having a Husqvarna mower, which if I recall, are built by Poulan, just like Craftsman. I have seen the metal on those decks fatigue and have had to weld a couple neighbors' mower decks in the past, but that has not been an issue on my MTD stamped deck. Wife has bent several of the brackets and roller hangers from pushing around trees, but there has been no cracking and the shell is still solid.

My White has been a pretty good mower and is still working. It has nearly 500 hours on it in a very rough ~2 acre yard. I have replaced the drive belt once, the deck belt a few times, steering shaft bushing twice, spindle bearings once, all idler pulleys once, deck idler bracket, carb kits once, and steering arm plastic bushings. Sounds like a lot, but that is over 7 years of ownership (second owner, bought with 130 hours) and many hard hours (wife does a lot of my mowing) and the replacement parts have been very reasonable. It didn't need any parts replaced until it passed the 200 hour mark, and then some of the cheaper components (non-sealed bearing idler pulleys and plastic steering bushing) started needing replaced.

This model is no where near as well built as the 3000 series I just picked up, however as a lawn mower, it isn't bad. The deck has always done a great job mowing, so long as the blades are kept fresh, and the hydrostat hasn't given me any problems to date.

the only item that was difficult to replace was the drive belt, but that still took less than an hour.

All in all, I have been happy enough with it to buy another MTD product, however I chose to step up to an actual garden tractor this time and not a lawn tractor. The 3240 is definitely built heavier in most all areas and I am looking forward to running it for many years to come.

ACecil · #37 10-25-2013, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRL WGN 1

Just to throw out my 2 cents
I currently have a 2003 White Outdoor Power GT2550, which is just a basically a Cub of a different color-built by MTD too.
Has the same components and deck as a Cub except it has full rollers for striping.
As far as the stamped decks, I have had no metal fatigue issues with the stamped deck and the "shell" is actually the same as my newly acquired Cub 3240 40th anniversary, with diffent rollers/casters bolted on.

I believe you mentioned currently having a Husqvarna mower, which if I recall, are built by Poulan, just like Craftsman. I have seen the metal on those decks fatigue and have had to weld a couple neighbors' mower decks in the past, but that has not been an issue on my MTD stamped deck. Wife has bent several of the brackets and roller hangers from pushing around trees, but there has been no cracking and the shell is still solid.

My White has been a pretty good mower and is still working. It has nearly 500 hours on it in a very rough ~2 acre yard. I have replaced the drive belt once, the deck belt a few times, steering shaft bushing twice, spindle bearings once, all idler pulleys once, deck idler bracket, carb kits once, and steering arm plastic bushings. Sounds like a lot, but that is over 7 years of ownership (second owner, bought with 130 hours) and many hard hours (wife does a lot of my mowing) and the replacement parts have been very reasonable. It didn't need any parts replaced until it passed the 200 hour mark, and then some of the cheaper components (non-sealed bearing idler pulleys and plastic steering bushing) started needing replaced.

This model is no where near as well built as the 3000 series I just picked up, however as a lawn mower, it isn't bad. The deck has always done a great job mowing, so long as the blades are kept fresh, and the hydrostat hasn't given me any problems to date.

the only item that was difficult to replace was the drive belt, but that still took less than an hour.

All in all, I have been happy enough with it to buy another MTD product, however I chose to step up to an actual garden tractor this time and not a lawn tractor. The 3240 is definitely built heavier in most all areas and I am looking forward to running it for many years to come.

Welcome to OCC!

Whizdbiz2 · #38 10-31-2013, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CedarBranchCoastie

Sam Mac, thanks for the merge, at first I thought I was seeing double.
Oak, I appreciate your input. I will be the main user of the mower, but on occasion it may be used by someone else. My sister-in-law or one of my daughters. They can't or couldn't use a ZTR. I also, have a small trailer and do a little "hauling" from time to time. I have considered the CC Z-Force S series, but there again, I'm right back at the price for a 2000/2100 series tractor. I also have a few "rough spots" in the 4 acres I'm mowing, and those little wheels on the front of a ZT like like they might have a hard time negotiating. As i said in another post, I have priced some other brands, (Simp., JD, Kubota) and from what I've been able to figger, I'd be paying "more" for "less". Even belt-driven or a stamped deck costs more than a CC. I've had a problem with metal fatigue on my stamped mower deck on my present tractor. I hope my input may help others in their decision. Thanks for all the help. Now if I can just get my JD 210 running. (It was my mother's, hated to see it go, or my idiot brother-in-law sell it for scrap)

I'll have to call BS on saying the girls can't use the ZTR, won't is another story... our office volunteered to do some work at a non profit Salvation Army camp as a community service project. When heading over to lunch I see this blonde haired lady with a yellow shirt mowing with the camp's zero turn mower. OK, the camp directors wife's out working too. I get inside and get my pizza and Coke and here comes strolling in for lunch is our blonde lady VP in a yellow shirt. Cathy was that you on the zero turn? Yea, she says. Have you ever run one before? No, she says, have only ever used a push mower before. If she can do it your girls can too.

I've had a couple of stamped deck MTD built lawn mowers that have given me almost zero trouble (one had a bracket break that I had to weld back on with my cheapy MIG outfit). The decks themselves have been solid. Just my experience over the last 20 years.

CedarBranchCoastie · #39 10-31-2013, 03:13 PM

Thanks for the info. My women, wife and sister in law are scared of anything that goes beyond an ignition switch and a steering wheel. Also, I hope to get a tiller to use on my tractor, and possibly a scrape blade. so a lawn and garden tractor would be best for me. My Husqvarana deck, the front wheel brackets have both broken loose and had to be rewelded and an "ear" that pins to the deck lift linkage broke off with several "stress fractures" in the "ear". My yard is probably too big for the mower I have, almost 4 acres. Plus, as a former cow pasture it ain't exactly like a golf course fairway. Thanks for the input and the info.