LTX1050, can I upgrade the transmission ?
 

i just purchased a used 2009/2010 Cub Cadet LTX1050 Model number-13RF91AP056 / Serial Number- 1L039H66398... it has a Hydro-Gear 618-0319 transmission...
it worked fine when i looked at it and bought it( the 2-3 min i drove it)... got it home and started cutting the grass and after 15-20 min, it starts to slow down then it starts to almost stop when turning and any incline uphill... the previous owner has replaced the drive belt and all the pulleys and tensioner... i have changed the oil with 20-50 purged after oil change( the oil i drained was black and smelled burnt), checked the brakes, linkage and engine shaft pulley... it gets really hot to the touch after about 20 min of driving on flat land and starts to get SLOOOWWWWW, as it did before i changed the oil...

is there a better hydro trans i can replace this one with... a serviceable one with a changeable external filter... of just a better trans than what it came with... Thanks David...

Dave,

Sorry for the bad news but you don't have any options. Not really any such thing as a good belt driven hydro anymore. HG is not known for it's "super great" hydrostats, even in direct drive units. About the only thing you can do is cut your losses, look for used, or buy a new. Not the first time someone has joined up and said that the trans in a 1050 was junk.



We hear a lot of complaints about the LTX1050's. Apparently, they are junk. Most all of the members here don't own anything newer than about 1995 when the last of the "good" mowers were made. Oh, the 2 and 3K series weren't bad, but not built like the older stuff. So, go over to our "For sale section, and peruse through. See what you can get for 1/4 of what you paid for your newer tractor, and be much happier in the long run.

Maybe you can sell it to a sucker on ebay. Make sure it's cool when they test drive it. :bigeyes::biggrin2::biggrin2:

i have been surfing the net and cant find much on these at all... ill just keep cutting 20 min at a time... lol... i read here in a post that these trans are rated for 300 hrs... wish i would of known of this forum ahead of me spending 400$ for this mower... the past owner replaced all the blades and spindles on the deck, a new battery, and drive belts and pulleys... he bought a kubota zero turn and didnt need this one... i was thinking it was a good deal for the 50in deck and Kawasaki motor with 400 hrs... guess ill check ebay for another trans...

Look on Craig's list also, I've seen a lot with crapped engines so maybe you can make one good one out of 2. Most of the machines with the bad engines are the Briggs or Courage engines but I think the trannys are the same. Or do as Jon suggested and send it down the road and save yourself the trouble of doing anything with it.

Are the transmissions the same or will interchange on any other mowers?

Should be the same trans as just about any other mower of the same size. Not many manufacturers outside of MTD anymore. Craftsman, Wal-Mart (whatever brand they carry now), Ranch King, Poulan, and other MTD's. You'll just have to compare and research. I am certain other "brands" have the same trans.

That's what I figured, thought I'd throw the question out there. Looks very similar to the tranny in the husqvarna 1538.

I've had my LT1050 for 10 years now, about 525 hours on it. Other than normal wear and tear and maintenance it has served me well and still acts like a new tractor. I cut about 3 acres in the Ozarks which is hilly, rock strewn and rough. I also built a small sleeve hitch with an actuator which lets me maintain my gravel driveway with a small box blade (again, homemade). There are a ton of negatives about this tractor on this forum but I don't know why. It's a lawn tractor, nothing more nothing less. It isn't supposed to be ground engaging or an equal to the older tractors which were built heavier. My suggestion to you is find a local dealer and see if they have any line on what you need. You can buy these tractors new for about $2000...but the transmission will cost you big time if you want to replace it. And don't ask for help at the big box stores....that's just a waste of your time. By the way, MTD makes your tractor and there are tons of them out there. You may find one with a blown motor that you can use the rear end from. It depends on your commitment. And if you like the LT there is always a chance of trade in.

I wish I had done more research on this too. Had several LT 1000 series that have performed well enough for the $ spent without problems. So I bought this LTX1050 at an auction for $475. Started, ran well, moved it to the trailer. Thought I got a good deal till I tried a little mowing. Two times around the yard when I started noticing noises and reduced overall performance. By the time I made it around the third time, it would barely move and wouldn't climb over a twig. Grrrrrrr.

Check out musties video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfh-HjJX7iM

Not sure if its the same trans, but you can extrapolate a plan based on his ideas and execution. He was able to repair a DOA trans that had just leaked out all the oil.