Cub Cadet LTX1046 KW

[mattlenfest]

I got this lawn mower today brand new. I am noticing that this tractor has no traction on even the smallest slopes, the wheels just spin. Does anyone else have the problem of this mower getting little to no traction? Even on a grade of a normal driveway, but in the grass. I need something that is going to be able to climb up hills and slopes and grades. I was assured by the dealer that this had plenty of horsepower to climb hills and up ditches with ease. Well it has almost no power at all on the small slopes and hills unless I am going across the flat part of my yard, then it is fine. I am very dissatisfied with my 1899 purchase for the total lack of performance.

Please let me know if anyone else has this problem with the Cub Cadet LTX1046 with the Kawasaki motor.

Thanks,

Matt

 

[OldMachinist]

Check the tire pressure. Riding mowers are shipped with the tires over inflated so they don't bounce around during shipping. The dealer is suppose to reduce it to the operating pressure during set up but I've seen many that don't.

 

[k0ua]

I got this lawn mower today brand new. I am noticing that this tractor has no traction on even the smallest slopes, the wheels just spin. Does anyone else have the problem of this mower getting little to no traction? Even on a grade of a normal driveway, but in the grass. I need something that is going to be able to climb up hills and slopes and grades. I was assured by the dealer that this had plenty of horsepower to climb hills and up ditches with ease. Well it has almost no power at all on the small slopes and hills unless I am going across the flat part of my yard, then it is fine. I am very dissatisfied with my 1899 purchase for the total lack of performance.

Please let me know if anyone else has this problem with the Cub Cadet LTX1046 with the Kawasaki motor.

Thanks,

Matt

Please dont confuse power with traction.. if the wheels spin, the tractor has plenty of power to the wheels/tires..the problem is one of traction. First do like the other poster said, check tire pressure, then consider some wheel weights on the rear wheels, and/or "load" the tires with fluid, either rimguard (applied by a tire dealer) or RV anti-freeze ( its non toxic and none corrosive)or winter grade of Windshield Washer fluid, (the kind that is at least -20 degee) to add weight to the rear tires to obtain more traction. you may also have to add some weight to the front of the tractor/mower if when you turn sharply you notice the tires skidding sideways instead of biting in. and turning the tractor. There are many threads on here on how to add fluid to tires, use the search facility. Another thing that you could try is adding some bar-bell weights on the back of the tractor, down low so as not to raise you center of gravity.
But what you described is not a lack of power, but a lack of traction. Keep in mind if you were not mowing on slopes you would have no trouble at all maintaining traction, so the manufacture does not include weights of any kind both as a cost saving measure and because they are not needed by the majority of users. And extra weight just helps mash down the grass a little too. But if you need the weight to get the job done, then put on the weight... also more doughnuts might help too.

James K0UA

 

[mattlenfest]

Thanks for the quick replies. I am 6'2 280 pounds. I thought I should weigh enough without weights. Are there other tires I can put on this like monster trucks have to get some grip. I used my neighbors craftsman and it can climb up a 45 degree ditch no problem, it is also not a hydrostatic transmission. After I posted here last night, I did some googling of the problem I am having. It seems a lot of Cub Cadets are having this problem of no traction,slipping, under powered on slopes and hills. Just wanting to know if you guys have heard of this problem or is it just me.

 

[k0ua]

Ok sounds like you are a pretty good sized fella, and that will help. One other thing, be sure to lean your body weight in the direction of the slipping tire. You might be able to change tires with a different tread pattern and improve the situation, but I believe you will have much greater positive results with wheel weights and/or loading tires. This has one other benefit of lowering your CG for additional safety. Some tractors are better balanced than others, and perhaps your neighbors craftsman is such. It depends on the layout of the engine and frame, ans where the seat is located. The bottom line is you must increase ground pressure on the rear tires, adding weight is the easiest way to do that.

James K0UA

 

[mattlenfest]

Thanks! Now on to the second part of my post, have any of you other cub cadet owners had this problem of wheel slip, no traction? Without using weight packs and such.

 

[geneP]

I have a 2165. And yes, I think any lawn tractor will have problems slipping under the right conditions. Mine seems to be worse if I'm running parallel on an incline and try to turn sharply up the hill, especially going slow or from a stop. If that happens I just back up and attack from a slightly different angle.

 

[mattlenfest]

Thanks Gene, How does your mower do if you attack the hill/ditch/slope/incline head on? can you get up the hill? Or do you have a lot of wheel spin and go up half way then slide back down the hill with the wheels spinning.

 

[k0ua]

Thanks! Now on to the second part of my post, have any of you other cub cadet owners had this problem of wheel slip, no traction? Without using weight packs and such.

Yes when I had a Lt1042 Cub, similar tractor, with a Variable speed pulley instead of hydro, and a different smaller engine, than yours, it did slip and spin slightly more than the John Deere La135SE that replaced it. But it wasnt a great deal. I dont know if it is because of the different tires or overall balance of the tractor. Please consider this, Lets say you do get that wheel spinning under control when climbing that steep hill. There exists the possibility that if the rear wheels are now firmly planted on the ground that the front end can come up and you go over backwards. Adding some weight on the front, down low, can help prevent that. Also try not to hit any rocks going up, as that can throw your front end up and cause this exact very thing to happen. I have BTDT and did not like it much. when the tractor came up and pinned my right foot on the "go" pedal and turned over all in less than a second. I managed to kick and shove it off of me. Right now because your wheels spin, you are not getting enough traction to "loft" the front end. Think of a "funny car" , take a light to begin with front end, throw in a high horsepower engine, and some really "sticky" tires, what happens? the pinion gear climbs the ring gear the axle does not spin because of the sticky tires and the front end comes up and the car starts to flip over on its top, the only thing that prevents it is the wheelie bars on the back.
Now if you are thinking of going down this apparently steep hill, you can loose control 2 ways, one is that sometimes small hydro trannys dont have a lot of holdback brakeing action so if you let off of the pedal, the tractor may still go down pretty fast because the hydro cannot hold it back.. This is usually pretty controllable and not too bad. The second way is if the hydro holds just fine, and you let off of the pedal, the tires stop rotating because the pedal centers, and brakes. Then the tires lose all traction with the surface, and you REALLY go down fast. This is really bad, you have lost all control of the tractor, and can set it sideways and overturn.
The point of all this "maybe coulda shoulda" stuff is to make you stop and think, it is possible that this hill is just too steep to safely mow with this particular tractor? Maybe just break out the weed whacker?

Not trying to scare, you, just presenting a few things, and they are worth what you paid for them In the end it is still your tractor, your hill, your body and your choice. Could you post picture of this hill from several directions?

James K0UA

 

[geneP]

Thanks Gene, How does your mower do if you attack the hill/ditch/slope/incline head on? can you get up the hill? Or do you have a lot of wheel spin and go up half way then slide back down the hill with the wheels spinning.

I don't have any problems going up any of my hills straight on. I don't know how my hills compare to yours. Is your grass wet when this happens?