|
I have a bone to pick
I don't know what affiliation this site has to cub ,but I'm telling right now. The new cubs are not the old CUBS !! Oh they make me wince when I work on them. Just not the Cubs of years gone by. Plastic !!!!!! There hasn't been a good CUB built in about 14 yrs . Maybe I'm wrong. Next they will be built in china. Now that's my opinion. If any of you think I'm incorrect, then by all means change my mind. Please !!!! I have never wanted to be proved wrong anymore than now .........................:Detective1: It's like the heading states... Only Cub Cadets! A site dedicated to one of the toughest garden tractors ever made!
|
+1000
I bought a lt1050 after I moved here for FL to TN from the Big Orange Box. I went through 3 of them, first dropped the deck in less than two hours, second lost a trans in less that 8 hours and the third ate another trans in less than 11 hours. You bet, absolute JUNK. Sorry guys but they're junk. Scott That's the story that got me to my first 1250 and then I realized the '82's and I got rid of that QL real quick like. BTW HD took it back after like 8 months of sitting in my garage. |
I AGREE 100% !! I worked at the H.D. for a while, and I heard a lot of complaints about the Cubs and saw several returns!
|
It's not just the CCs, but any and all of them at the big box stores...nothing like old iron! The fact that they are still getting the job done 40 years later speaks volumes about their quality.
|
My parents have a box store cub cadet and it is junk except for the Kawasaki engine. It's falling apart. My former employer had a box store JD and it was junk also. These days you've got to spend the big bucks in order to get new good quality machine.
|
Eagle: Which ones are you working on?? Like DYT said, the Cub Cadet branded machines found at the box stores (Home Depot, Lowes, Tractor Supply, etc.) are simply rebranded MTD made throw-aways. Apparently market share is critical to manufacturers and I recall, when I was working at a dealership, that about 2001 or so, Cub Cadet notified dealers that, for that reason, they were about to move the Cub Cadet brand into the mass market area. Thus all the 1000 series Cub Cadets that are pure POS.
However, if you bother to go to a real Cub Cadet dealer and look at the 2500 series and up (3000,4000, etc.) you will find something approaching if not the general quality of the older Cub cadets: Cast Iron Differentials, HydroGear Hydrostatic transmission (basically the old Sundstrand IH used), direct engine-to-transmisisn driveshafts, sturdy frame, Cast Iron front axles and other similiarities. Personally, I'm not too fond of the styling, but they are catering to the feminine buyers (more than you think) with that rounded look.... There are some still new tough Cub Cadets out there but ya ain't gonna find 'em at the box stores.... Myron B CCSupplyRoom |
Trying to compare one of the box store, low end models to one of the IH built Cub Cadets is like comparing apples to oranges. Cub Cadets were never cheap to buy, and the price that was paid for a new one 40 years ago, would be in the $5K to $6K range or more in todays dollars, and that $1995 box store special certainly does not compare to an old one, in either quality or price, but it is what the american public buys.......and throws away and buys another when it's broke. As AAgitch said, you have to spend the bucks to get the quality. I have owned a lot of Cub Cadets, from prototypes to a 2008 model 2544. Most of them were good one's, some were models I don't want another of, but they were all Cub Cadets and in my opinion were still the best of the brands out there, dollar for dollar.
|
The basic quest of Cub Cadet up until about 1996 was [How can we build a better machine] . After that the new quest has been [How can we build them cheaper]. It's just not Cub either. Deere is about as bad. At least they still build good stuff from the 300 series up. I remember walking into the Cub dealer in Carlisle around the year 2000. The first thing I noticed was that the rear wheels were 4 lug not 5. Reminded me of a Pinto. The fenders were cheap stamped sheet metal. The saleman was telling me how they were going back to a cast iron rear end. But only for a limited time. Well I'm looking at the specs right now for the 3000 series. It does still have a cast iron rear. Maybe I was a little hard on Diesel. Maybe I need to find a Cub Dealer and actually look at these tractors again. It's been 9 yrs since I have looked at them. Like I said, change my mind. There are times when I like to be proven wrong. Thanks !
|
Even back in the early 80's, Cub Cadets weren't cheap even by todays standards. The x82 series sold new in the $3000 - $5000+ range. As far as new ones, I can't complain too much about my 2004 2180, but in it's defense, it is a 2000 series and the body was made out of steel. But it's nothing more than a heavy duty lawn mower. Used in the correct aplication, it should last me quite awhile. I would say that the 1000 series probably would do too bad as long as they are used for what they were designed to do. And that is mow grass in a realitively flat yard. They really aren't built to do any ground engaging equipment. Although, a friend of mine has a 2005 1042 that he has seriously abused, and it keeps on going.
AJ |
Myron I have a lot of grass to cut and was thinking about a zero turn Cub are you saying don't buy. What do you recommend. JMD:bigthink:
|
Myron,,,,,as far of the looks. YUCK. I wrote to Cub about this last month. Told them the tractors look like a bug.:biggrin2.gif:
|
I Agree!!
4 Attachment(s)
It's a constant argument at work..they buy a box store lawn tractor, it breaks, and then they wonder why I won't attempt to fix it for 'em..I could have sold 'em an old Cub for half the price, and be good to go until they retire!! This all I collect(and put to use!!)
|
I'll definitely stick with my older IH built Cub Cadets. :ThumbsUp:
|
As it's been mentioned, the GT2500 series and the 3000 series are still built tough. Drive shafts, premium engines, cast iron rear ends, etc.
On the JDs, Deere makes the lower end products that are sold at Lowes and HD (also sold at dealers) in a plant in Tennessee. But their higher end products, i.e. the X-series - X300, X500 and X700, that are only sold at dealers are made in Horicon, Wisconsin, which have been cranking out Deeres since 1963. |
JMD: Zero Turns are great for lawns/yards with lots of trees, shrubbery etc., but I recommend you get one of the good heavy duty models from a real Cub Cadet Dealer, and not one of the box store versions..
Myron B |
New box store cubs:beatdeadhorse: Old cubs:drool2:
Nuff said! |
Thanks Myron I have lots of trees takes me two days to cut the grass with 42inch mower now and thats not doing the trim work so you know what I'm saving up for.JMD:Cub3:
|
Not at all sure about the new larger tractors, but I've seen a lot of the disposable ones come and go. I think it's funny as heck that if I (or anyone else) were to spend $2000.00 on an old Cub Cadet, they would have a machine that (with a little preventative maintenance) would withstand a LOT of abuse and still hold up for a lifetime, but instead people go buy a new one and throw it away in four years. And you can't make these people believe any different!!! I guess that's what we get for creating a world in witch everything is disposable...
I'll take an Original through 169 and you can keep your new ones. And Yeah, It probably won't be long until a sticker saying "Made In China" apears under the hood. It's just my opinion but if there were no market for things made over seas then there would be no over seas goods here in the US. We've done it to ourselves. |
Quote:
AJ |
Originally Posted by Yosemite Sam
I'll take an Original through 169 and you can keep your new ones. __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ______________________________ I'll even trade two 108's for a good 782 to a 982, and both will be running after Ft Allan. |
Well I agree with Sam and Jim.
|
Quote:
A complete "restoration" probably wouldn't have cost much more, but I felt the need to draw the line somewhere. Besides, it's NOT going to be for show, and I figure it'll outlast me.:D |
I think your money was well spent !! Right Art ?? :biggrin2.gif:
|
Mtd
Thanks Wild Bill I have a MTD Lawn mower thats cut about 5 acres for the past 10 yrs and i hate to say it but it got no care,one oil change road hard and put away wet. As you know I had a problem with find sand in the tank that was clogging the gas filter as fast as I changed them causing the motor to surge. I only have myself to blame it's had no care and has done its job. I love my 102 but that MTD not bad. I have a roper 12hp at the shop thats a belt drive for 20yrs that got less care,I think I have change the oil twice still has the plugs it came with. Neither mower owes me a thing.I do take better care of the CUB. JMD
|
ajgross, If I run across any red ones, I'll be sure to send them your way!
While I'm here, please understand that I'm not bashing anyones tractors... I'm just kinda like the guy who says "I don't know art, but I know what I like". Besides, what could be more fun than getting seat time on 35 to 48 year old tractors, knowing all the while that when I'm gone, my Daughter will be able to sell them to guys like you for a darn site more than what I've got in them... Then you guys can enjoy them for as long as you want. For me, it just doesn't get much better than that. Isn't that pretty-much what a "hobby" is all about??? |
Listen guys, I really shouldn't have started this thread and I think we should just let it settle to the bottom ,where it belongs. On to more positive less divisive subjects . :crap:
|
No Mark , I think you brought up a good point.
To be able to tell what the differance is when buying a good cub. also the differance of an LT ,GT The new fellas on here may just be looking for the name ,as we all are putting Cub Cadets up high on a pedistel . I was almost guilty of that myself when I was thinking "Green" Talking to a friend that worked for De$$e he said if I wanted a cheap DEE%# to buy a Yardmachine as the rears, motors and such were the same in the LT series. I would still own anything from a 318 and up but I can have two Cub Cadets and still have gas money for a year for the price differances. Still won't cost an arm and a leg for parts. |
Jim, I sent you a PM.
|
I agree that there hasnt been a heavy built cub since the red ones. I have a 1872 that is nice. I have around 10 new cub cadets around here that ive gotten that have something wrong with them. They dont make em like they use to.
|
Why I decided to find a Cub Cadet Instead of Something New
This is an old thread, but I am going to chime in anyway. I worked on Cub Cadets from 1972 to 1975, when I was in high school. We also sold Ariens, Toro and Lawn Boy. Not all products were garden tractors, but it was clear that out of all of the stuff we sold and serviced the IHs were much more solidly built than anything else by a wide margin. I did a couple of major repairs (I seem to recall rebuilding a Sundstrom hydro and replacing the frame on another 'cause the owner had slammed it up over a curb for years and broke the front axle bosses). The IHs were easy to work on (I remember that the Ariens machines were like Chinese puzzles). Over the years, I haven't owned any machines other than lawn mowers, but I have always checked out the machines at dealers and big-box stores. Looked at the frames, the sheet metal, the mechanics (steering, braking, controls, etc.) and I always concluded that, in the garden tractor category, no one did then or has since built a machine that comes even close in quality to the IH Cub Cadets. When I worked on them, we also had an IH pickup (what I used to pick up and deliver equipment) and it, too, was built like a dang tank.
When I recently decided to mitigate my property for wildland fire defense, Colorado State Forest Service kindly came up and helped me mark trees that need to come down. It turned out to be a lot. I decided I needed something to haul the logs to wherever I was going to stack them, and the first thing that came to mind was to find an "old" Cub Cadet. |
| All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:10 AM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2026, vBulletin Solutions Inc.