Does anyone have any experience with Cub Cadet lawn mowers as sold by Tractor Supply? I am looking at the LTX 1045 or LGT 1054.
Many years ago I used to own a smaller Cub mower and it could not be killed, no matter what careless operator drove it.

 

Personally I would stay away unless you like MTD crap.

They aren't anything like the old IH units. I personally would look for an older 1250/1450/1650 Cadet, 300-325 Deere, or venerable workhorses like the Toro 520H or Case 444-448 series and do whatever you needed to do to keep it maintained. They sell engine replacement kits for all of those and it will last longer than you will.

I honestly don't believe they make a solid garden tractor anymore.

 

Any cub unit is mtd and Deere units not purched at a John Deere dealer are of lighter weight components a good 500 series Deere with a 7 iron deck deck is indestructible

 

Not prior to 1985.......... I think you meant the new ones, I can't bring myself to call anything newer than 85 a Cub..............

 

My old bolens is over 30 years old i just keep fix-en her but parts are hard to find

 

My "lawn" is in a flower pot. What the cat doesn't eat the wife clips off with a pair of scissors.

 

I have a 2003 Cub Cadet M60 Tank zero turn with a Kohler 27 hp. This thing is a Beast. It cut my mowing from 8 hrs to 2 1/2 hrs. I agree with others that the mowers from Tractor Supply/Lowes are not the same as the older models. Just wanted to put my .02 in for Cub Cadet, mine has been flawless. I would recommend a used Tank vs. a new TS or Lowes version.
Rick

 

depending on how much riding you have to do, If its over 3 acres I would opt for a Kubota diesel zero turn. They are expensive, will not fit in the back of your truck but are off the hook in speed of cutting and longevity and are EASY to work on. If you have a smaller patch I would shoot for a Toro

Gary

 

I'm agreeing with all the above. Myself, I got aggravated one day and traded 3 old machines for a new White. It is MTD repainted, with a Tecumseh engine. After every season, every nut and bolt on it seems to need replacing. Vibrates like the dickens. Only reason I keep it is to remind myself to not make hasty decisions.

 

I have a John Deere zero turn 425 the only downside is it came with a Briggs 27 hp engine.

I put about 95 hrs a year on it and it cuts just as smooth at 2 mph as it dose at 10 even in 9in of grass.

 

I finally got smart and sold all my old tractors ( had 4, 2 real cubs ( 1450 and 1650 ), a 318 Deere and a 446 Case ) and bought a ex- Chicago parks department Deere M665 60" zero turn trade in, mine had 6523 hours, but you really cant tell it if they were even halfway maintained, they had some with over 9,000 hours on them. Kohler 25 Hp V, bad to the bone. I went from 5 hours mowing to under 2.

I did break down last summer, my ex-boss was leaving the state, and his low hour Toro 520H with all the attachments was available for 400 bucks......... he was worried he was overpricing it so he called me to see what I thought.

I said SOLD!

So now the snow blower stays on until spring, when the tiller gets put on, mower deck stays in the barn in case the Deere ever falters.

 

Lots of good info here, thanks.

I should have stated earlier, that the main job for this mower will be two full sized football fields. There are some smaller areas where the riding mower can be used too, but the real small and tight areas will be with a push mower. One problem is that the operator will not always be the same person, so that means that TLC is drastically missing and things could get broken. "Gee, I have no idea how that could happen"......... Yeah right!!!!!!

Another problem is that this mower will be used far from a source of easily available spare parts and that is why a new unit is being considered as opposed to a cheaper (but condition unknown) used mower. Would love to buy the heavy duty J-D, but the orphanage cannot afford that.

The zero turn units are very nice, but we are being forced to compromise because they have a use for a small tractor and the zero turn units cannot tow anything. Hence the decision to go for the largest riding mower that they can afford.

One reason I am considering buying from an established business like TSC is that parts can be ordered from them and shipped down to us. Obtaining parts quickly is a major concern for anything that the orphanage buys. Whatever unit we end up buying, intend to at the same time buy a few parts that will probably be used soon, such as belts and mower blades. Any suggestions for what type of parts to buy and bring down south with us?

 

The belts and blades are a good idea. I would add several extra fuel filters and try to get a mower that has pressure oiling. Add a few oil filters to the list. The spark plug on my 10 year old mower has been changed maybe one time. I mow 2 to 4 acres with it depending on my mood. Battery needs replacement about every other year.

 

Stan, then perhaps consider a small diesel 17-25 Hp tractor with a finishing mower. There has to be a ton of them down there, old Kubotas, Yanmars, etc.

I just don't think you will get a satisfactory life out of the new stuff, even what TSC calls pro grade.

 

Stan go to Mytractorforum a and you'll get all the info you need in garden tractors vs riding mowers vs zero turns
It's like DTR for lawn equipment and tractors
Great bunch if guys there and tons of info
I have a 20 hp Simplicity Legacy with 60 deck, rear PTO three point and a FEL. ,plow , tiller and it has a locking diff. Wouldn't trade it for the world
You'll find the John Deere 318 , the JD 400 series. older CC tractors ( when international still made them) and the Legacy/Legacy XL' s are all highly regarded for ruggedness, versatility and longevity.
It realy comes down to service/parts availability in your area.
They're all gona be comparable price wise within a couple bundred dollars.
If you want a new machine, the best out there are the JD 700 series or the Legacy XL, again service/parts are ghe deciding factors

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