Cub Cadet XT1 - LT46 - 1 Year Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ต.ค. 2017
- Cub Cadet XT1 - LT46 - Review Built in the USA. I have no affiliation with Cub Cadet or Tractor Supply, just sharing my opinion. (Correction: This mower has 44 hours not 13. I forgot when you first turn the key it shows voltage.)
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I have this exact mower, now for about 3 years. No problems of any kind. I love the fact you can back it up while mowing. Just keep it maintained.
Have the same mower for past two years. Zero problems and powerful. My 7 acres are hills and my German dogs dig holes every now and hen, still on same blades, and thinking about sharpening at this point. Great mower. Get it oh and it’s made in the USA!
Good to here, thanks for the feedback. Mine is still running great.
I've got the same mower, i've had it 2 or 3 seasons probably about the same amount of time. Its a beast compared to some other mowers I've had. The first season I broke a belt, and something happened with the steering. Not sure it just seemed more difficult to turn than originally, I've greased the steering but it still seems tight. One season I had the same issues with starting on full choke, I never thought about starting on turtle, glad I found your vids. You did the right thing getting it straight outta crate, Tractor supply workers don't know their ass from a hole in the ground.
Nice review I am planning on buying a new ride on and have been considering a Cub. Your review helped me make a decision. Didn't think i'd watch an 18 min video but I did very informative and to the point. Well played Sir!
Thank you and good luck with the new cub.
I have this same one in a 2015 model. Have about 150 hours on it as of end of the 2017 mowing season. Great mower. No issues. Best value for less than 2 grand that can be had. I almost bought the XT2 with the Kawasaki motor in it, but I have been well pleased with my XT1 Kohler. I should get several more seasons out of it. Good luck with yours.
Yeah mine has been fantastic other than the cold weather starting. Way better than my last green tractor. Thanks for commenting.
FarmTech ?
The Hands On Channe
I cross referenced the Kohler oil filter and got a dozen of an off brand from Amazon for just a little more than one Kohler. Love my LT46 for handling, comfort and grass dispersion
Could you add the exact numbers for the cross reference brand and model number? Thanks
I expect this mower will last several seasons with decent care. th-cam.com/users/postUgkx1VWTrayKBdCKAjzAcZ_Eg4dhHTae3LkN also recommend Also, I ran across the problem with it not starting the 2nd time I used it. There is a safety switch which is pushed in by the chute or mulching piece being attached to the deck. I took the cover off and it wouldn't start. Put it back on, no problem. It takes only a minute with 2 easily accessible wingnuts and no tools. This mower starts up first crank each time and it is a joy to use. It also mows in reverse by putting the key to the reverse area after starting and pushing in the triangular button. It will stay in reverse mode until you turn it off. All in all, for my homeowner needs, I really like this mower-and at 70 bucks a cut here in Miami, it's already more than 1/3 paid for itself in a month.
My Cub Cadet XT! LT46 is a beast. I was using an older John Deere with a transmission that always had troubles. My home is on a very hilly lot that slopes to a lake. The 22 HP is plenty of power and the transmission is great. Nice tight turning radius. My only complaint is the bagger could have a little more capacity. Great mower. I'm a fan of Cub Cadet!
Do the brakes work good for the hilly slope? I have a 4:1 slope or so at the lake and I need to know the bank.
Thanks for this … friend of mine just gave me one, bought a new mower….he couldn’t figure out the issue, electrical plug was disconnected I discovered…. Runs great now…. His loss my gain
I'm on my second Cub xt1. I've had several different makes and found the xt1 to be the best so far. Very little to maintain, no break downs so far. Knock on wood but this brand has impressed me.
Thanks for sharing
One is arriving tomorrow. I wanted to learn about the cruise control, but this was very informative and I'm looking forward to owning it.
The cruise control is a sweet option. All you do is while moving you push down the lever that is also the park brake. And you can set it at any speed.
This the one I'm thinking about getting, great review.
Lorenzo Richardson don’t get it
I got one and a week later the valves broke
The XT2 EFI Bumper fits this tractor. I put one on mine. Got it from my local Cub Cadet Dealer.
I have an old 42” Cub i1042 and it still runs good and plan to replace it with the XT1 LT42. Great review. Glad I saw your video.
Plastic hood is lighter, doesn't dent, and doesn't rust. I prefer plastic hoods, To each their own.
I Guess I'm just old fashioned. Steel doesn't break (as easily) and if you store indoors it doesn't rust. I cant think of a time I ever dented one, but I have broken plastic hoods especially John Deere Hoods. Although with that in mind this tractor hood seems fine, so far.
Mine got gouged the first week from a branch and I was even careful. Metal can be repainted eventually. Gouged plastic can't really be fixed. The hood is on the flimsy side but that doesn't bother me as much. There's a reason the price is what it is. More features with cheaper materials.
Yeah, 80’s and 90’s John Deere plastic hoods had issues. The newer ones aren’t too bad though!
Thank you so much for this video. I'm 66 years old, and my husband died very suddenly. I've watched your videos and learned how to change the oil and hopefully how to lubricate the machine. I had to watch a video just to learn how to use a grease gun! So please excuse what may seem like a silly question. The motor on my mower is absolutely filthy with dirt and dust. I've gotten confusing results from my research. Some say I'll ruin the motor if I wash it some say I won't. Your motor and mower are so clean! I don't seem to see a video on how to clean the motor. All of this dirt must be very hard on that engine. Do you have a video for this or perhaps you could put in the comments how you did it? Thank you for your time and your great videos. These videos are more helpful to someone like me than you can possibly imagine. Thank you again.
Thank you, this is exactly why I make these videos, you made my day!
It's no problem to wash your engine. Let it cool first so it doesn't hurt/crack the engine. I wash mine when I know I have a nice warm sunny day so I can let it dry thoroughly before I put it in the shed. You can use an engine degreaser if it's necessary but if its just dirt/dust you can use a soap/water like a car wash mix. After it's all clean I like to run the mower for 10 minutes so any moisture will be evaporated. I appreciate the suggestion, I think I'll make a video next time I clean mine. Good luck!
My condolences to you and your loved ones!
Thank you, that's very kind of you.
the manual says do not spray with water.
Thank you for the informative video. I need another mower and narrowed it down between some John Deeres and Cubs. I made my mind up after watching. Didn't want 3 blades, easy change filter rip off systems, etc. etc. I know what I want now.
Mine's still going strong. Good luck, I know how stressful a big purchase like this can be.
The XT2 EFI Loop bumper fits right on this. order from Cub Cadet dealer. Make sure you get All of the hardware for it. I put one on mine!
Cool thanks, I'll check it out.
put this on mine also...great mower
Great review! Yours looks brand new. I have the XT2 LT46. Going on one year and 70 Hrs now. Paid 1,999 new in 2020. For persons considering this make and model I'd just like to add my 2 cents. Given the available field of mowers in this price range, the Cadets came out on top of my Pro-Con decision list. Deere's decision to fight "right to repair" was a big factor in my decision process. Cub Cadet, and straight from an Official Rep, said they support DIY Ownership.
I'll start with the nit picks first. Mine has the Cadet twin 679CC motor. Its all the power I would ever need and never seems to be straining at all going up hill in tall grass. Yet it gets, to my mind, terrible gas/hrs. I mow 3.5, some what hilly, acres and only use $$$ straight gas. I've never seen a comparison of what other makes and engine types get for gas/hrs, but I was surprised how quickly it goes to empty. I wish the seat had a lock down latch so that I could push it easier. The anti-scarf wheels on the deck are rather cheesy and I can see that I'll have to replace these every other season. The hydro-static transmission isn't limited slip. I was also very surprised by this, and you can't lock the rear wheels. How any one uses this to remove snow is a mystery. I've removed the deck and replaced the blades. And most likely I'm stupid, but the clips they use to hold the pins in and the cable to the PTO belt tensioner baffled me, never seen this type before. . Very difficult to remove, and very difficult to put back in place. The steering system is just weird to me, which I had to fix, cause the first thing I did on my first mow, was catch a front wheel in a turn and break off three teeth of the steering gear. This is not an easy fix and took a full day to replace this gear. Lots of disassembly to get to it. There is no way to adjust the steering to get it tighter or adjust toe-in or any way to get the steering to feel more solid. There is no cross bar connecting the front wheels. These are controlled by two independent rods that just sort of hang down, loosely to the respective steering arms of the front wheels, connected to this steering gear like some kid designed rope steering system. Okay, enough of the nitpicks...
Good Stuff. New blades on the 42 inch were only $22 for the pair! Customer service from MTD "Cadet" regarding the broken steering gear was excellent. Better than Excellent. I'd say it was over the top, Stellar. Gotta love a USA based Rep,.... told him what happened, and even said it was most likely my mistake getting the wheel hooked like I did. Got the part expedited post, free to me, in three days. And no problem me doing the repair, they will still honor the warranty on the running gear.
I had put off buying a riding mower because our property is pretty rough, and we have destroyed many a push mower, and even a bush hog on the other diesel compact tractor going from raw land to something manageable we have now.
I like the controls on this riding mover. Its not mentioned in the OP's vid but you can set the Brake Lever to also act as a Cruise Control. This the good if, I have to sometimes run long distances, moving the mower somewhere else to work.
This mower is fast. Almost too fast.
Love the seat and the arm rests.
The lights are very bright, I can see whats going on at dusk.
Recently, I found out that I can buy this very same engine from harbor freight for about $700.
Bought my Cub Cadet XT1 - LT46 in 2016 after owning a "p.o.s." Craftsman for 8 years. The Craftsman did it's job but bogged down in wet or damp grass as you've mentioned. The body flexed quite a bit more than the Cub Cadet ....also as you have mentioned.
I bought the Craftsman for price point, when we moved from our 3 bedroom 1 bath home to our 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath home. Bigger home had a bigger yard for our growing kids. We were young parents learning to live on a budget with a bigger home. The Craftsman was about $1,000.00 at the time. The "Cubby" was around $1,500.00 back in 2016. Anyway, what a difference from one to the other. For a few hundred more there is no comparison.
I also have the 22 HP Kohler motor and the power is far superior to my old Craftsman. I will say that the Craftsman did have a Kohler motor and I was pretty happy with it's durability. But it was like taking a NASCAR engine and putting it in a Yugo.
I did a lot of research before buying the Cubby because I knew it was going to be my "last" lawn tractor. The Huskevarna (sp), John Deere, Yard Master, Troy Bilt riding tractors from the "box stores" were all good but after researching feature for feature and engines, this was the right pick. Mine was purchased at a local Tractor Supply as I heard too many horror stories about buying from the box stores. No parts, poor "post" customer service, no one knowledgeable about the mowers.
I too have a relatively flat lawn but it drops off in a few spots. One length is about 100 foot long and is basically a 45-60 incline down to a lower portion within about 4-6 feet. The property fence is only another 12 feet away. This makes for mowing tricky. You either go up in down in very short space, or you ride side saddle while trying to stay on the seat while not activating the seats "engine kill" feature. My point being is that you get the "stepping" effect you speak of regardless. My opinion is that the mower would need almost a rigid connection to the frame in order to combat this effect. I simply take a few minutes and re-mow this hilly area in two directions to eliminate the slightly "off" cut.
As far as the maintenance parts, filters, plugs, filters ... I just go back to Tractor Supply every season and buy the "oil change" kit. Has everything you need and I save a dollar or two this way. I could put a Kohler equivalent oil filter on but for me it's not worth the time and effort tracking the numbers down and wondering if I have the correct one AND more importantly doing harm to the engine with an "off brand."
As I said above, I plan on this being my "last" lawn tractor. :-)
sorry but tractor supply is a "box store". a box store is any retailer that has many locations and sells many different things besides lawnmowers. to say this will be your last machine, i highly doubt that. MTD builds these things with a life expectancy built into it, once its used up you throw it away. if you want quality you have to pony up real money and buy a sub compact. they are built like a real tractor because they are a real tractor.
i bought a used BX 2350 with 395 hours on it wheni bought it.
@@ad356 Okay. My point was that I get better customer service and the parts I need at Tractor Supply. This will be my last tractor.
@@Tracker7266 good luck with that last tractor part. its not made to last lifetime. it literally has an expiration date built into it.
@@ad356 Okay, okay ....... I'm not an idiot and I really don't care that much about it. Husqvarna, MTD, and Briggs & Stratton make most of the riding mower and lawn tractor brands sold by retailers here in the United States. John Deere still makes all of their lawn tractors and zero-turn mowers. There are around 40 additional manufacturers of zero-turns and specialty mowers. The Zero-Turn market is huge so there is always a new manufacture or three trying to make their mark.
Many of the old independent names that have been around for years have now been bought and merged into huge corporations. There are even a couple of “American” names that are used solely by Chinese manufacturers. Of the 89 brands I can find, many are owned by the same few companies, but some of those names have moved from one manufacturer to the next making it hard to sort it all out.
When my Cub Cadet blows up or falls apart, I'll come back and you can say you told me so.
I have the same mower, 2017 model. One feature you didn't mention that I like is the hose hookup to clean the deck. Saves a lot of effort and time for clearing the underside of grass trimming build up. I had originally purchased a Poulan 42 and the rear end seals blew out after 3.8 hours of use. Plastic rear end (pumpkin). One reason I chose cub cadet was the stell pumpkin rear end and reverse mow feature. Very well built machine that cuts my 2 1/2 acres very evenly and comfortably, even tho its pretty bumpy lawn. Great vid.
You're right the deck cleaning port is great. Thanks for commenting.
Thank you ! Off to Home Depot to drop 2k but I'm confident now that this is the right machine and best bang for the buck. Just wish they made the XT 1 42" with that 22 HP motor and the more aggressive tires as I have hills and weigh 250+ -What you say about stepping will be an issue but too bad, tired of paying a landscaper through the nose. Nice review !
Its worth every penny had it for 3 yrs now and still doing good
Good review on this mower, I've had the exact same one for over four years now. Got a little over 100hrs on it now & only had to replace the battery after 3 years. Just a side note, I've been wanting 2 replace the Kohler filter with an aftermarket one because of affordability during my regular oil changes, but am waiting for the 5 year warranty on the engine to expire before doing so. I called Kohler directly to ask about that, they said if I had any internal engine problems, the warranty would be voided for not using the manufacturer recommended oil filter. I also changed the engine oil to synthetic per the owners manual recommendation at designated hours. Other than that this is a great mower & can handle whatever you throw at it
Your review was very well done, thanks. I'm picking up a used one this evening. The Kohler motor is the selling point for me.
Good choice!
GREAT REVIEW SIMPLE TO THE POINT IM CURRENTLY WAITING ON DELIVERY OF MY XT1 46 INCH DUE ON THE 15TH OCT
Got the same mower love how easy it is to maintain. The air filter is easy to access as well as changing blades and Changing oil
like the sig hat I'm a fan of sig and cub as well thank for the video
I went back and read some of the questions folks have asked concerning this riding mower and have a few tidbits of information that might be helpful in deciding what riding mower to buy. One of the questions asked was if dust will find it's way inside the head lights dulling them. Yes dust will cover the inside the head light housing. The fix is to remove the hood and disamemble it and remove the head light assembly. The LED lights do come off and are held in place by one small screw. I used a black tool draw liner as the gasket. Black hides well and you don't see it when the head light assembly is assembled. The lens will come off with some gentle prying. I cut the draw liner with a pair of scissors and used 3M spray adhesive and sprayed the adhesive on to some cardboard. Just cut the draw liner wide enough to cover over the head light housing groove that the clear lens fits into. I than used a toothpick to apply the glue on to the black part of the head light assembly where the groove is and set the newly cut gasket into the groove. Also apply glue around the tab openings where the clear lens fits into the black housing. The gasket should be a complete circle around the housing. Should you get glue on the housing outside of the grove use some acetone on a cotton Q Tip to remove the glue. Don't use acetone on the chrome part that is the light reflector as this will remove the chrome finish. I applied the glue to the back side of the reflector assembly and cut the gasket to fit. A little over lap won't hurt as you'll be cutting the gasket and applying it in various small pieces. Do not apply the glue to the clear lens and try to apply the gasket to the clear lens and than attach the lens to the black housing. This will just mar the edges of the lens and make a complete mess of the whole project. The idea here is to keep things clean and looking just like the factory made it. I used an X-Acto knife to cut out the square openings for the LED lights and used a toothpick to remove the excess gasket material. The circuit board fits in just fine back into the head light reflector assembly. When reinstalling the clear lens it was also a good fit. Where the tabs fit into the black head light housing on the back side use some of the gasket material to fill in to gaps around tabs to keep the head light assembly air tight. The finished project turned out very well. Yes this took the better part of a day and some folks might think this is a waste of time. Yeah your partly right as most folks use their riding mower during the day. Well so do I but I also use the riding mower in the dead of winter when its very cold and dark. The riding mower works great removing snow long after the sun goes down and a good set of head lights is a must. Installing an extra set of head lights was the other option but this looks junky and the riding mower look bug eyed. I'd have to install the extra lights on top of the hood because the snow plow blade and the snow blower attach to the frame so there's no place but on top of the hood. This body style and the way the the lights are made and placed into the hood works very well. As far as riding mowers go someone in the design department wanted to put in a very good pair of lights and yeah it was one of the considerations when buying this riding mower.
Nice review...I appreciate it. I just picked up an XT2 with 145 hours for $550. It needs belts, blades and spindles, but I picked up aftermarket parts for $140 to fix.
Wow that's a smokin deal, good luck with it.
Hands On thanks a lot for a really good review.Thanks for showing the Features of this mower.This is the size I would really like 46 inches is a good cutting size.I have a 11 year old Bolens with a 38 inch cut and 15.5 HP.It runs as good as the day that I bought it.I used to have my older Home with 1/2 acre.I moved 5 years ago and bought a bigger Home in farming Country here in Virginia.I now have 1 Acre and is a little to Big for the Bolens riding mower but it still cuts good.So I am checking out reviews on all the new mowers and the prices and the Warranty they have on them.Never owned a Cub Cadet but the reviews I have read on them sound great.Even when reading reviews on other Brands like John Deere people will say no more JD going back to my Cub Cadet over and over again.More than likely will be next Spring before I buy one and just need to put back money each month for it unless my Bolens breaks down this Summer.Just spent over 200.00 on a new Echo SRM 225 weedeater last week and will install carburetor priming kits for my 2 push mowers this summer.I gave a thumbs up on your video and subscribed the least I could do for a review you filmed and put Time into it.Thanks Again Hands On!
You're welcome. I did a lot of research before buying this cub. No regrets, it's been a great mower for me. Thanks for commenting.
Thanks for the review I also have had mine for about two years now and have had no issues at al. The one thing I like is the reverse cut option. For the money I would say it is the best in the industry for it's size and performance. Happy cutting.
I agree it's a great machine. Mine just hit 144 hours and still going strong.
I got mine delivered in a crate too. Very happy with it so far
I have a XT1 with 135 hrs, & the large mow deck. Just this week I brought it out of winter storage for maintenance. The temps have been mostly below 32F around 10 days now, yet It started instantly, I am impressed. Air, oil, fuel filters changed, grease fittings all lubed, dialectric greased spark plug boot and ceramic area of plug, etc. Front wheels have a sleeve bearing to run in and to my surprise the zerk or wheel thread is stripped on a front wheel. Pulled the wheel off to inspect and replace needed part, but don't know which yet. Also load tested battery and it doesn't hold amps. My bad for not hooking a battery saver up.
I use real gas only, no ethanol, and dutifully use a fuel stabilizer, too. Also should mention even though I am an average 6" 200# guy, the vinyl on the seat is beginning to wear through.
Also it is comparatively quiet, maneuvers well, has great balance and driving manners, and did not break the bank compared to the green one.
Overall I give this machine a above average rating in all categories, and I expect to get good value from it.
I just got the XT1 with the 42" deck and 18HP engine. Love it so far hopefully it outlasts the Craftsman YT4000 that it replaced that only had 287 hours on it when the connecting rods decided to part ways.
I had a Bolens Lawn Tractor of middle 90's with 2 cyl B & S, gave me great and long service. Sorry yours didn't.
I always recommend ethanol free fuel, keep air filter clear of surface debris, and check if Kohler offers the larger capacity oil filter for your engine. In the 24HP its called the premium filter and it's about an inch longer. Also because of always present moisture in the soil, I believe in properly using dielectric grease on ignition connections.
Use sparingly, but apply anti seize to plug threads.
It should easily outlast your Craftsman.
MTD has done a pretty good job with the Cub's. Their reverse feature has been the same for MTD mowers for over 12 years but hey it works. My only complaint is when they stopped putting out the MTD mowers and started pushing these "yellow MTD" the price went up quite a bit.
I like how you drive it super fast at the end of the video! 😁
Great review, I have been trying to keep a 30 year old 2000 series tractor in some kind of shape 700 hours , welded the deck , replaced head gaskets because of mice the previous owner had , now the pto went. It is the end of the season now , Ill head to the dealer near me soon , they have ZT2 tractors on sale . Thanks again , there is a lot of mowers in that price range , just looking for a good one .
You're welcome, and thanks for the feedback. It sounds like you got about all you can out of that mower, good job.
Just got back from my dealer , he had a leftover XT2 lx46 , got a great deal bought it !
@@danielburkhart5435 Great deal man!
Great review. Very useful. Debating getting one of these.
Thank you, mine is still going strong. I think it's the best bang for less than 2k.
I just bought the Cub Cadet XT1 42" Kohler 18HP Single Cylinder about 3 weeks ago. I have yet to mow the lawn but have done a few test runs with it, and it seems like its going to be a far superior lawn tractor to the Craftsman YT4000 that it replaced. Seems the 18HP engine has more power to it than the 24HP twin Briggs & Stratton had in the Craftsman. The Hydrostatic transaxle is something I'll have to get used to though, the YT4000 and the Craftsman GT-18 I had prior to the YT4000 both had regular geared transaxles although the one in the GT-18 was far superior than the YT4000's was.
Agreed on the power lever Mine got delivered broke from delivery had to get it replaced Cub Cadet did cover after some persistence had prolb with normal CS Need to talk to one of there techs.👍
You have to go past the rabbit for choke. Not at the rabbit. Dont know if you noticed that. You'll feel it hit a wall at the rabbit setting then just go further till it clicks into choke. More where that N is.
Thank you. That's good to know.
Looks brand new. Great review. Love this type of content. Subbed!
Welcome aboard!
Great review I am considering purchasing this one
OK, we're at 3 years on ours, and here's our discoveries. The battery lasted about 2 years. No surprise there. The tires leaked from the week we bought it. The valve covers have leaked virtually since new. I've re-done them numerous times, following the instructions and even tried one time adding a gasket. No luck. Leaking again in a few weeks. Blew a head gasket, replaced under extended warranty, but it took 5 weeks. Got really rattly and poor-running, discovered the valves on one cylinder were loose. Just replaced one of the deck pulleys. You can't grease them, so when they go bad, they're just replaced. We have a little over 200 hours on it, mow 2 acres, use it for a few other chores like pulling a tow-behind tiller or a little trailer. Overall quite happy with it, and I don't figure it's had any more problems than any other would have had, and maybe less.
Thanks for sharing. I still haven't had any problems with mine but I'll check the valve cover. I had a craftsman that I drilled and tapped the spindles for grease zerks. IDK if that would work on the cub but you might give it a try.
I recently purchased one. The thing that I saw was the body has rolled edges and not just sheared metal. Attention to that detail sold me over the box store John Deere. Transmission is the same on both makes
I agree, when you put this cub next to most other box store brands cub is much higher build quality. Thanks for commenting.
I have the 19 hp and it carries my 240 pounds around fine. I’d want something that cuts a bit faster if I had acres of flat, open grass. Only problem I’ve had with “stepping” is when I turn too quickly. Starts every time. Only issues are the front tire not seated properly and ran flat and I’ve got some rust under the deck at 30 hours. Hose port keeps underside clean, generally, but not enough to prevent a little sticking and subsequent rust.
Good video. Honda, Kawasaki, Briggs & Stratton, Tecumseh, all great engines. They are a reputable name for a reason, but Kohler is the best in my experience. Toughest small engine I’ve seen.
14HP Kohler Command engine on my uncle's 29 year old SCAG 36" walk behind is still going strong...they're great engines.
They make solid motors.
Briggs and Stratton makes a terrible engine.
Considering this mower. Your review helps.
I've got a 1999 Murray LT with a Briggs 22hp v-Twin. I bought it for 75 bucks 12 years ago with a broken spindle and have been using it to cut 6 acres every week in FL since then. It ain't pretty but it's been a really great mower. I'm going to retire the old girl to backup status at the end of this season and am looking to get a Cub Cadet LT46 to take over the mowing job. I hope I get as many good years of service from the CC as I have from the Murray.
Update: After learning more about todays mowers I have decided to keep the old Murray in service and for $2K I can keep it running till the cows come home. 1999 Murray is made with no rust super strong cast iron underneath where it counts. All these new mowers are made from painted stamped steel. They sure don't make 'em like they used to. It's the ugliest mower in the county but also likely the best. Back in 1999 Briggs made a beast of an engine.
I have the XT2 and I have only two items worth mentioning. When it's cold and I mean in the twenties or teens the push button key that you insert into the engine ignition sometimes will not work. Most folks use their mowers in the summer but some people use them for snow removal. The starting problem is due to a plastic being cold and not as pliable but I'm not sure , a few minutes with a hair air dryer and gently heating solves the problem. The other problem is the metal supports underneath the armrest are stamped steel. The stampings are fine the armrests are fine but the stamping have a sharp edge and can be sharp to the point where could possibly cut your fingers when you lift up the arm rest while getting out of the seat. The fix for that is a few minutes with a Dremel tool will dull the edge of the metal stamping so you don't cut your fingers. Otherwise I have absolutely no complaints my mower has been a great and I have 30 hours on it in 2 seasons. I have the EFI 679cc Cub Cadet engine which is about 22 horsepower and a fabricated 46 inch steel deck. I live in Western North Carolina where it's very hilly and the mower pulls up the hills just fine with plenty of power. With the fuel injection I don't have to worry about carburetors or the problems that they incur. Is the mower worth the $2,600 that they sell for yes if you have at least 2 Acres or someplace that's very hilly. It has a very comfortable seat, is it easy to control, steering is effortless and it starts every time no matter how cold.
How do you like the engine on it? We've got an XT2 SLX50 coming tomorrow, and my dad was concerned that the engine is Cub Cadet and not Kohler.
@@TotemoGaijin So far I like the engine and it runs must fine. However the fuel injection system doesn't like water at all. I use the ethanol free gasoline and the solved my stalling problem after I would get on the mower and start to mow. Don't leave your tank empty or half full ether. Fill the fuel tank after every use. Don t use the old gas from a five gallon can that has been sitting all winter ether because the ethanol in the gas will attract water and you'll have stalling problems. Other than that the riding mower works just fine.
I love Cub cadets They are my favorite😃
I have the 2018 version same mower does a fantastic job you do have to adjust the front wheels
I assume you mean the deck wheels and I agree.
Just bought one got it because my neighbor recommended, I really like it
Great machine, thanks for commenting.
Great review! Mine is one the way right now from Home Depot! This made me feel good about my decision!
Just got my delivered today!!!
So, I used it yesterday for the first time! I have about .45 acres to cut. It’s sloped and surface is a little uneven with several trees and stumps to cut around. I’m very pleased with the handling on the mower! It cut more even than I expected it to on the sloped areas. Lawn looks great! The turning radius and ability to cut in reverse with easy toggle on/off are great features on this mower! Also, very comfortable seat! Love it so far!
@@williamladner8923 do you still love it 6 months later??
@@STILL-KICKIN Yes! Not a single issue with machine! Runs exactly as it should!
I have a cub cadet lt1042 I’ve used it on extreme slopes and it always made it up them and down them without a struggle
Just bought a 2018, sure beats our old craftsman.
John K just bought one , cant complain . I’m going to put grease fittings on the spindles and I will pack them with grease
Just bought one today... Great video, thanks 👍🏻
Hope you enjoy it!
My Gravely Z260 is a beast. I dearly love it. The biggest problem with that was? It had a 25 hp Kawasucky engine. They work good for 2 years then blows the rings out. You can't get parts for the Kawasucky engine. NO ONE WILL WORK ON EM EITHER! What i did was? Got a new 29 hp Brigg and stratton engine. Boy that a beast. She still mowing like PERPECT ! Lot better with the 29 hp Brigg engine
It never ceases to amaze me how folks make videos that have little or no experience with what they are pretending to be an expert in. Yes, you have a fuel pump, but with so little hours on it you are just starting to go down that deep rabbit hole, trust me. I have the same mower. Do I love it? Lets just say, It has a good looking stance for sure. I also have a 20/48 Scotts that I truly loved but the deck is way past it's prime so now I use it to tow things and a run around. It has the 20 hp Command and let me tell you it still puts the new 22 hp 7000 series to shame.
I think maybe you took me the wrong way. It was just my opinion as an owner. Never claimed to be an expert or tried to pretend to be one. I just wanted to do an owners review based on my experience. Back in the 90's I worked as a small engine mechanic but that was back in the day when almost every mower had gravity feed gas tanks. I was nervous in this video and I read the voltage instead of the hours, lol. It had well over a hundred hours on it when I made this video over 4 years ago. It's still the best mower I've ever owned and I should do a 5 year review to show how it's held up. I agree the older Kohler engines were better, but then again, almost everything was better. Anyway, no hard feelings and I appreciate the constructive criticism.
Cub Cadet sells a short Kohler filter that will provide good clearance with the steering rod They arent that much money, like 8 or 10 bucks. DONT beat on your oil filter to get clearance.
I got one like it 2 seasons back. Still working but had to do a warranty repair a year after I got it for the engine getting out of timing and putting a bind on the starter. It literally broke the starter shaft. The tech that fixed it said it was a known issue with cub cadet. I have trouble cold cranking it now but after that it’s cranking easily. I will try the cranking it on the lowest throttle and see if it helps.
Thanks for sharing. I still haven't had any issues with it other than the cold weather starting.
The choke is to help get gas above the cylinder head and to the spark plugs. Crank for a couple seconds and then switch to run and it will start. Otherwise, you are just flooding the cylinder and then too much gas eliminates the oxygen above the piston and it won't start. It needs the oxygen to help ignite the gas.
This is true for weed eaters . Pull two or three times on choke and come off choke and pull and the weed eater will start right up. I gave away two weed eaters before I learned this.
No fuel pump and the first thing I done was disconnect the seat switch (there is a trick to it you can't just unhook it) ,I have a grade to mow and need to lean on the side of the seat and with that switch you cant even lean if you move your but it cuts off. Edit : The oil filter is a Fram PH 3614 (junk) but instead get the TG 3614 (Tough Gard ) . It is for a 2008 + Ford Focus and other Ford compacts. It also works on many B&S Intek engines. Mine also dosen't step drop those deck wheels down so they are on the ground on level ground.
Glad you know frams are junk lol. Most dont.
Thank you for the honest review sir, have you tried out the headlights? Also, do the headlights get dirt and stuff in them? I’m on the fence between this model and a Husqvarna but I don’t want 3 blades.
Get a Deere.
Researching mowers today and your review was great. Deciding between XT1 and XT2 now! Thanks for the great video.
You're welcome. I'm almost at two years now with mine and it still works great. Just do the required maintenance and plan to change blades every season and you'll be good to go for many years. Thanks for the comment!
@@TheHandsOnChannel hi there great video thank you so much for sharing! My husband got this mower 3 days ago and to start it is really tricky it seems. It's not winter or cold here in Georgia yet. Also he got a brand new battery for it also. Hes read the instructions and folloeed them to the T. But still has trouvle turning it on. Any suggestions to help us???
Something I didn't cover in this video is that the throttle has a choke but to activate it you have to push the throttle all the way up. It's kinda hard and you will feel it when you push all the way to fast and then push a little more you should feel it engage the choke. For a year or so I was unaware that it had this feature and I regret not mentioning it in the video. If that is not the problem I suggest taking it to a cub dealer for warranty repair. It should start easy.
@@TheHandsOnChannel Glad you spotted that - I was about to tell you :-)
Great review, very helpful! Thanks!
I have one of these. The thing I have to remember is to put the throttle in the choke position when shutting it off. I cracked my knee on it a few times and I know I will break it off someday. Edit: looked it up, $54 for the replacement part. If it happens, I'll get an $8 universal choke cable to replace it.
Excellent video production
Last comment I swear 😂. If you notice it not going as fast in reverse and you really have to mash the peddle I find grass likes to get up in there and clog up the linkages for the foot peddels from time to time. Clean it out and good to go again. Mine also does just as well on hills as flat. The cut that is. I have noticed no real difference with mine and I have good slopes more than the 15 degrees stated in the manual.
I run an XT2 w/Kawasaki and couldn't be happier...all in all Cub Cadet really did a great job on the XT line...
I just brought one great information thanks 😊
How about a 6 year review?
I have the Craftsman twin , red instead of yellow. 3 years , just changing the oil.
Anybody having problems starting from a cold start there is a choke position on the throttle. Push the throttle past full and that’s your choke. It’s a little stiff but it will go into choke position. I have a 2015 model with 130 hrs on it and I haven’t had any problems at all. Only thing I have replaced othe than blades was the battery
Great video thanks for posting!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I bought my mower from 4 seasons in Barbourville Ky , they delivered it low on oil , then I bought a front bumper, and went to pick it up !! I ask the parts person if that what I receywas all that I needed ! Yes it’s was , got home I needed 4 bolts ! Called back , yes we will order ! After 2weeks went back , here are the bolts ! $12 dollars!i said no I’ll go get them elsewhere , told them every site I looked on it came with bolts and end caps , funny it came with end caps but no bolts , went to Barbourville bolt and screw got them for $1.12 , should have got them with number anyway !! Better watch big man at 4 seasons , bought a brand new mower from him , couldn’t even get hat from him to promote the brand he is selling , oh well ! Guess that’s just way it is ,
Thanks for posting this. It might help others that order the bumper kit. Sounds like 4 seasons doesn't care much about customer service.
Daryl Partin yes had to deal with customer service as well Mine was delivered were something had been shoved through the turtle rabbit throttle area think it was the delivery guys so had to replace the outer shroud and throttle body Phone tag with ladies on the phone ridiculous finally put me through to a tech helped out instantly Now having issues with throttle have to power down to get it to rev?Really dont want to call them back but think I have to it may be the guys I took it to Note:if you have any warranty issues they want you to get it to a shop in your area of their choice before they can do anything which is a pain because I do not have a trailer I may have to buy one so I can take care of warranty issues? I chose this over other brands because saw good warranty reviews I like the mower but second thoughts on some of the stuff I had to deal with to get my repair done overall they did take care of me took some time And a lot of phone calls it does mow my lawn nothing too crazy but have some hills and turns I have to deal with definitely puts it to the test.
They actually have a front bumper for these. I thought they come with one to be honest. I bought mine from someone and it didn't have one on it but i looked kn the ownwers manual and it showed one. But regardless I love mine.
I have the exact mower, it has 90 hours and no problems with it. Cuts 3 acres no prob.
Mine is at 45 problem free hours and counting. I mow about 2 acres. Thanks for commenting.
It's also the best ride as far as smooth riding. I have an Ariens I thought was smooth. Doesn't compare with the Cub.
Yeah, I have 50 hard hours on mine and no problems so far.
buddy. I passed on the XT1 for the new husqvarna YTH24V48.. I like the new XT1 and if I were to spend the money I would definitely go for the one with the fabricated deck hands down one of the best mower decks ive ever seen. However, I didnt like the amount of plastic on the XT1 stamped deck versions.. So, I spent the same amount and got the 48" husqvarna and the best part is it has a metal throttle and amazingly enough a metal hood, something i havent seen in a while..Also, the deck comes with a 10 year limited warranty.
"It will crank and crank." Yes, I learned myself. The throttle cable gets sloppy and so the choke did not fully close. You can adjust the choke/throttle/cable but watch videos here before doing this. After mangling the throttle cable control, I had to remove it and "Repair" the dash throttle control. A new control costs $40. Despite videos, you do not have to dismantle the dash to get the throttle control out of it. Use 2 wide painter putty knives (As the side of the dash throttle control body) and wedge one under the collar of the control and then use the other to pop/push in the 2 body holding clips (And 2 on the other side) and then pull the control out. Same goes for the ignition switch if service is ever needed on it.
I had a Cub Cadet xt1 46 from HD. It was a very good machine for the money.
Wish I had the 46 inch 2 blade deck. Nice video. Kohler engine-good.
Thank You Sir , for your informative reviiew. How would you rate the overall mower deck maintenacnce...from blade repacement...belts replacment..deck removal ect? Thanks Agian Steve
I've never removed the deck, I haven't ever needed to. The blades last about a season on my 2 acres. So far I've not had any problems with the belt or the blade spindles. Deck seems to be holding up well. I hope this helps.
I've had problems... Had to go in for repair. Warrantee was worthless, and had to pay $300 because they won't pay a fair labor charge. Now it's in the shop again for steering and wheel alignment issues. Out of warrantee for 3 months, the bill this time is $625 to fix.
Nice review. My XT1-LT46 at two years old and 64 clock hours just sprung a transmission leak on the left axle. The tractor bounces over exposed tree roots at several parts of the edges of the yard, and my own body frame has 240 pounds on it, so for me, the axle damage may be due to a mismatch between the driver and the tractor. The Home Depot price at the end of season sale in '15' was very reasonable. Now I'll get to see how the warranty repair goes. The service center may recommend a "commercial heavy duty" tractor to replace this one to avoid this kind of wear problem with the drive train. Bless Cub Cadet for their strong warranty!
Thanks for sharing. I still haven't had any problems with mine but I will keep an eye out on the axles.
@Patrickvegas you probably left gas in it over time, so yes it is your fault.
I bought the xt1 42in with 18hp engine. 30 hours on it and it doesn’t run great and the starter is going bad. I only bought a new machine so I wouldn’t have any problems lol. I bought the mid priced mower to also try an avoid having problems. I do like how the mower operates just not happy with the quality
I'd take it to Cub for a warranty repair.
looks pretty clean for a machine that's been thru a season 😊
Thanks, I try to keep my equipment clean.
I just got my xt1 46 yesterday. I got it home and after driving it off the trailer, I took it for a spin around my yard. It was too wet to mow but I wanted to check out the ride. It was in the highest deck height position and made a terrible noise...metal on metal. I realized the deck height handle was slipping in an out of the notch and banging. Upon further inspection, it seems as though the notches are not uniform. Some of them are bigger. Is this common or a factory defect do you think?
Hmm, IDK. I haven't had that problem with mine. I would try to exchange it if possible.
It is designed not to start at a high rpm you don’t want a motor starting when it’s cold at high rpm not good for them at all that is actually a great feature. Sure make your motor lasts a lot longer nice video.
13 hours shouldn't have had to touch that oil till 50 I think the manual says. got close to 40 hours on mine from mid way last season to this new season. Only complaint is the top of the hood likes to vibrate forward on the catches that hold it together. Have to slide it back every so often. That and the idle lever. Its a knee buster where its located and you hit a good bump.
Yeah, I misspoke in the vid. It had 44 hours at the time of filming not 13. I didn't realize the voltage showed for a few seconds before the hour meter. I haven't had any problems with the hood but the throttle is in a bad spot until you get used to it.
Kohler recommends “break in” oil change after 5 hours
MadMetalManiac74 I was thinking the same thing and change the blades too With only 11 hours?better get a case of them they are pricey and seem to be only certain places carry them home depot? Guess there’s no universal blade that fits their pattern?
The Hands On Channel have had issues with my throttlebody lately have to power down to get it to rev up and it’s tight not free lever I did get throttlebody replaced probably have to take it to the people I had to do some warranty on it. But don’t have a trailer so here we go again. There is one place that does there warranty work I am in the sticks and this is a busy time of season😡
When I bought my XT1 about a year ago the guy at Tractor Supply said use it for 5 hours then do an initial oil/filter change, then change oil/filter every 25 hours and it'll last forever.
No sound, great review!
Thanks for the feedback. I now have a better mic setup.
Thanks! Very direct, well done!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I didn't listen to your entire video so maybe you covered this. I just bought a new XT1 Enduro 46 and I like the machine. But I was unhappy to find that Cub did not supply grease fittings for the mower deck spindles. They now use sealed bearings there. Hard to believe that these bearings will last as long as "grease-able". I know there is a way to disassemble these spindles and convert them to zerk fittings and I may. My last tractor was a 2008 Cub Cadet LT1045 (46" deck with grease-able via zerk fittings spindles) and snow blade. After 14 years of fairly hard year round use that machine was still going strong and gave me very few problems. The Kohler engine was of course bullet proof. Sold the 1045 2 days ago and the new owner loves it as he should. No idea of the hours on the 1045 because the digital hour meter quit working after about 200 hours.
Yes you are right, the deck spindles do not have grease zerks. I have installed them on mowers in the past. You just have to remove the inner seal on the bearings so the grease can get inside and of course drill/tap in a zerk fitting. You've just inspired me to make a video on adding zerks to this model. My bearings have just started howling so I know it's going to have to be dealt with soon. Thanks and good luck.
I bought a 1984 782 d diesel cub cadette it is the best mower out here it has a 50 inch cut
Still going good even after 2 years? Just bought one last week. Awesome video!
Yes still going strong.
I have this mower, I bought it about 2 years ago. It cuts really well and has lots of power. My only complaints, the seat could be better because you do bounce around if your lawn is not perfectly level and the steering tends to get loose so you do have to fight it a bit as the gear wears out. I hears its an easy, cheap fix but ehh so far it runs good! I paid just under 1800 now it is over 2200 so yikes!! I have over 230 hrs on mine but I do cut about 4 acres with it every time. It has a very clean cut and it is pulls very strong I like it! You can't go wrong with it. I did have to upgrade to a big zero turn mower it just took to long to cut 4 acres with it!
It not just you mower I do the same thing with my 2018 rover (MTD) 547/38 last year I notice After washing the deck when I park it in the garage. even though I turn it off by the key. I had the key set in reverse mode and I know mine had only done about 12 hours But when I use it a few days later on the hour meter it said it done 38 hours. Now if Im finish with it I take the key out and hang it up Just to stop the hour meter ticking over in the garage.
Mine is on it's 6th season, only thing that broke yet was the plastic yellow key surrounding thing😂 awesome machine though!!
On the John Deere all you have to do is pull the plug off the back side of the backup button and stick a jumper wire with spade connectors into the terminals and it will back up without having to push the button.
my craftsman would clog up, like that. just early morning dew. I had to wait until, around 9-10 am to start mowing.
Get the Fram PH8172. Basically exact same specs as the Kohler oil filter including a height of 2.56 inches.
Very cool, thanks for sharing.
Frams are the worst. Look up Fram filter details
Good info. I think early spring this is what I’ll be purchasing to replace my old MTD. From a crate. Good thinking on that. 👍🏻 looking for something to put a plow blade on. Think this has enough power for that? I don’t want to burn it out.
IDK about a plow but I pull a firewood trailer around this hilly lot and it does fine for that. It might be worth a call to the dealer if that's important to you.
I will do that thank you
Don’t plow heavy snow with it. The transaxle will burn out pushing or towing too much. You’ll hear it whining louder when you’re working it too hard, so just know your limits.
I have the 42" Cub Cadet 3 stage snow blower for my XT1 18HP and it has plenty of power to run that blower, with a rear weight kit and tire chains it does awesome.