Cub Cadet LT1050 3.90 star(s) (13)

Money Pit
Model Year: 2013

We bought this brand new. We thought Cub Cadets were good. Every year since. we have had something major broken. Transmission leaks oil, the engine head gaskets leaked oil, the belt broke and is a nightmare to replace, etc., etc.

Pros: It's yellow
Cons: It's expensive and breaks all the time, didn't even make it to 200 hours

Would Never Recommend
Model Year: 2006

We purchased this new because we heard Cub Cadet was supposed to be good. I paid top dollar for it and every single year at least one or two major parts have broken.

Pros: None
Cons: Simply put, do not buy

Not as Good as the Old One
Model Year: 0

We got this to replace a 17-year-old MTD Cub that we'd owned for most of its life. The new one is not as good as the old one. It cuts well, but has some downsides, including a limited cutting height range, difficult deck belt replacement and poor traction.

Pros: Cuts well.
Cons: (1) Unrealistic cutting height settings, we only use the top 2 of 10. (2) Deck removal and replacement for belt service is PITA (3) We have a hilly property, and this one spins its wheel a lot. It spins it.

Cub Cadet LT1050 2006
Model Year: 2006

I purchased a used Cub Cadet in August of 2012 with 187 hours on it. It now has around 217 hours. It starts up fine and cuts with no problems. I has a tight turning radius. This makes it easier to get around trees and bushes. The only problem I encountered in the past two summers(2012 & 2013) is that the tractor abruptly stops moving, that is, I suddenly cannot move forwards or backwards. Everything else keeps running---the engine and the mower blades. I have to shut it down and wait awhile, then start it up again and most of the time it starts moving again. If not, I wait more and try again. Sometimes it does not happen at all and sometimes it happens 3 or 4 times during a cutting session. This might be caused by a worn drive belt so I purchased a new drive belt that I will install in hopes that this will resolve this random problem. It could be that the old belt is slipping. Other than the problem of it suddenly not moving, the tractor works great.

Pros: Cuts great, starts up with no problem, tight turning radius.
Cons: Stops moving forwards or backwards, not sure what the problem is.

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LTX 1050
Model Year: 2012

Evening guys. Purchased the LTX1050 last year for the father in law and he wanted something that was dependable. Now that his health is going, I opted to add an MTD snow thrower to the package. So, double duty for the tractor. I haven't taken off the deck yet, but that's next weeks plan and to mount the under carriage assembly. Once I have it on, I'll write a review on the hook up. The performance of the snow thrower will have to wait 'till we've had a few good snows. So maybe by January the way this year is going. Denis Allan

Pros: Great turning and easy operations.
Cons: Wish it had power steering.

LTX 1050 VT
Model Year: 2011

Although the tractor itself ran smoothly, the deck is a piece of crap. In under 135 hours, a spindle went and I had to replace 3 belts at a cost of $60 each. I couldn't wait to get rid of it.

Pros: Nice looking.
Cons: The deck is worthless.

Cub Cadet LT-1050
Model Year: 2005

Overall, I would have to say that the mowing deck could stand to have improved discharge capability. Alternate blades which do a better job of discharge and not so much mulching would help. Center cutting blade does not get as much drive as outer blades and consequently does not cut as well as outer blades---tends to leave uncut grass in the middle of a mowed path. Steering bearing has poor surface area for the forces it is subjected to. Headlight assembly gets dust and dirt inside and is not easy to clean without breaking plastic retaining tabs.

Pros: Easy starting and deck height selection.
Cons: Key switch selection of ability to continue to mow while backing up does not hold setting well.

Cub Cadet LT1050
Model Year: 2006

Equipment is excellent. trying to locate bearings for the three spindles. Today I learn that we do not have a cub Cadet dealer here in south Texas. So had to buy for the web, which is okay. rtaylor252

Pros: Great machine.
Cons: No dealer here in south Texas.

LT1050 Man's Best Friend
Model Year: 2004

Great product coming up on 10 years!

Pros: Everything.
Cons: Nothing.

Still Breaking In
Model Year: 2011

I bought this tractor for its grass cutting quality and turning radius. Its triple blade vacuum cuts clean and leaves minimal clumping in tall grass. It has a tight turning radius but at the cost of the outer tire scrubbing the lawn. The gas tank is easy access but fills poorly and only three quarters before belching its full. Some linkage vibration noise on acceleration from the Hydrostatic transmission and accelerator rod but nothing detrimental. Engine is strong and great tractor for attachments (sweeper, thatcher, aerator...) and cutting so all in all a plus for MTD. I will have to see how the Kohler Courage Pro SV725 stands up to the test of time as they have used a lot of nylon and plastic parts to my liking but that's development and progress I guess.

Pros: Cuts clean w/o clumpping, runs well, hydrostatic trans/ acceleration.
Cons: Noisey linkage, fuel fill slow & awkward, scubs outer wheel for tight radius.

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Hour Meter for LTX1050VT
Model Year: 2010

I got this machine to help pull a small trailer around and mow grass. It has less than 20 hours, but the hour meter is acting up, or trying to tell me something, I don't know which. It tells the battery voltage when turned to the on position, but not running. Then it has an hour glass and records hours of run time, but mine suddenly has an upside down "L" shaped symbol and reads 1.2 in the hour section. I can't find anything in the owner's manual that explains the situation. I have to drive 20 miles to get back the to dealer, but I guess I am headed that way.

Pros: Starts easily and has plenty of power.
Cons: None yet.

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Cub Cadet LTX1050KW
Model Year: 2009

I purchased my CC LTX1050KW about three months ago and have already put on about 27 hours. I have never been too keen on Kohler Courage engines so I opted for the Kawasaki 22HP V-Twin engine and the 50" deck. The main reason for me purchasing this over the LTX1046 was the engine and the deck. The added blade (three blades vs. two on the 46" deck) along with the center roller on the deck make an enormous difference in cut quality for my lawn. My old tractor would scalp and spit rocks, hit raised mounds/rocks all of the time but with the center roller I have not once had that problem. I truly am amazed at how well this tractor performs. My land is relatively hilly which requires a lot of articulation of the deck. The deck conforms to my landscape irregularities brilliantly. I have nothing but five stars for cut quality all the way. So far as the engine, like I mentioned before, I have had problems with quality with internal components of their engines. I take meticulous care of my equipment but I've still seen a broken rod. When I went to rebuild the engine I noticed that the Kohler Courage had plastic cams/gears. I've heard that Kawasaki had done the same with some of their OHV engines in the past but had had almost no issues with it. However, the Kohler Courage lineup seemed to have a problem with overheating due to a bad headgasket. I don't know if it was due to the head bolts coming lose, stretching under heat or just plain bad quality of steel, but either way it made for an expensive fix (and I didn't have to pay for labor as I did the work myself). SO...to make a long story short I've been kind of weary of Kohler since and went for the Kawasaki 22HP V-Twin. Though it only has 27 hours on it it has performed excellent. I always clean my engines after every mow with an air gun and change the oil every 15 mows. It's a bit excessive I suppose but preventive maintenance is always a good thing. The overall quality of the tractor is very good. I like the handles it has on the sides, the drink holders, the seat is very comfortable, the cruise control is an excellent feature, the electric PTO has been reliable and the belts have held up very well. The hood rattles a bit but that's nothing a little foam can't fix. The deck washer system is great too. I always give it a good clean with an air gun and then use the water nozzle to finish up the cleaning of the deck underneath where the blades are. Attachments are aplenty for this tractor too. There are plenty of tow-behind attachments but there is also the option of a snow blade and a snow blower/thrower for the front. I've custom made both front and rear weight brackets to hold 180 pounds each to help keep the tractor firmly grounded for when I use the plow this winter. In addition to 2-link chains front and rear I should not have too much problems with the front end being pushed to the side when the plow is at an angle (too little weight will cause this). All in all, this is a wonderful machine. There are folks out there that equate MTD with JUNK. I agree to some extent, but just like with any lineup of most anything, there are always the high end and the low end. I totally disagree that this is either junk or low-end: you get what you pay for. This is a solid tractor that will give you much in return if you take care of it. With a little ingenuity and some welding skills you can really make this tractor perform with optional attachments too. Just because something isn't offered for it doesn't mean it can't be made!

Pros: Center deck roller, 3-blade deck, & Kawasaki engine.
Cons: The misconception that everything by MTD is junk; not in this case.

LT1050
Model Year: 2008

I've had my machine a bit over a year and honestly I'm not entirely sure on the purchase date just entered something in. It's performed flawlessly for me with required maintenance. Only gripe I have is sometimes the hour meter reads all 000s and is fixed with turning the tractor off and back on once usually. Some things I changed for better performance in tall grass include removing the blockage at the discharge with a sawzaw and adding gator blades. The machine never really bogs down but you do have to be careful given the motor has some good power of belt slippage when mowing through heavy stuff at high speed.

Pros: Great value, great power, great overall.
Cons: Small: hour meter, also had to re-soder a light connection in one head light