CCinCT
Gold Member
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2006
- Messages
- 280
Agreed! There's hope that with the redesigned hood of the 1000's, they've realized that front hinged is the way to go. Guess we'll find out next year when they update that 2500's.
So....Hood #3 (06 GT2554)
- Thread starter turbojerk
- Start date
dqdave1
Veteran Member
If your dealer has documented your hood problems, I would get copies of the documentation from him, send it to Cub Cadet Headquarters asking if they have a cure for the problem and to extend your warranty on the hood issue for another 5 years.
Jason1010
New member
I'm a new member but have spent many hours reading posts from members.
My longwinded $0.02:
I went into the garage today and noticed that I'm going to be on hood #3 as well.
Mine is a 2008 GT2554 that I bought new. The first hood let go at the hinge within 20 hours of use. The dealer said it was from overtightening at the factory. Okay, fine. Two weeks later I got my Cub back from the dealer and finished the mowing season. The second hood made it through 2009.
Last year we moved across the state and the Cub didn't have more than 10 hours mowing time the whole season. It was last used about September and then parked in the garage. I went out today and noticed it had popped up at the back. The studs molded into the hood had split and the brass nut insert had simply pulled out.
I had intended to pull the gas struts off the hinge mechanism to try to prevent this from happening, but didn't get around to it.
I don't think this was a entirely a heat related issue as much as it is due to the constant stress of from the gas struts pushing against the closed hood hinge. Heat may have been a catalyst, weakening the plastic to the point the hinge tears the mounting studs apart.
Ultimately, the hood is an extremely poor design. The hood and several other issues will make me think twice about any future Cub Cadet products.
My warranty is about to expire, so hopefully I can get a new hood. First, I'm going to remove the gas struts; then I'm going to try to make a lightweight frame out of steel tubing or aluminum angle that connects the hinge to the latch to remove any stress from the actual hood itself. Essentially, the hood would simply sit on the frame and not have any actual load placed on it...
The photos are of the first and second hood (003 and 1461, respectively) broken at the hinge location. The second hood, installed by the dealer, did not have the plastic block off plate over the center louvers.
My longwinded $0.02:
I went into the garage today and noticed that I'm going to be on hood #3 as well.
Mine is a 2008 GT2554 that I bought new. The first hood let go at the hinge within 20 hours of use. The dealer said it was from overtightening at the factory. Okay, fine. Two weeks later I got my Cub back from the dealer and finished the mowing season. The second hood made it through 2009.
Last year we moved across the state and the Cub didn't have more than 10 hours mowing time the whole season. It was last used about September and then parked in the garage. I went out today and noticed it had popped up at the back. The studs molded into the hood had split and the brass nut insert had simply pulled out.
I had intended to pull the gas struts off the hinge mechanism to try to prevent this from happening, but didn't get around to it.
I don't think this was a entirely a heat related issue as much as it is due to the constant stress of from the gas struts pushing against the closed hood hinge. Heat may have been a catalyst, weakening the plastic to the point the hinge tears the mounting studs apart.
Ultimately, the hood is an extremely poor design. The hood and several other issues will make me think twice about any future Cub Cadet products.
My warranty is about to expire, so hopefully I can get a new hood. First, I'm going to remove the gas struts; then I'm going to try to make a lightweight frame out of steel tubing or aluminum angle that connects the hinge to the latch to remove any stress from the actual hood itself. Essentially, the hood would simply sit on the frame and not have any actual load placed on it...
The photos are of the first and second hood (003 and 1461, respectively) broken at the hinge location. The second hood, installed by the dealer, did not have the plastic block off plate over the center louvers.
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VinceSMTA
Silver Member
Make sure to ask for the hood reinforcement kit that Cub came out with. If I get a chance I'll try to find the number for you.
diesel_nut
Gold Member
2008 model 2554. Live in the hit south. Not one problem with original hood. 89 hours.
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Jason1010
New member
Update to 5/30/2011 post.
I called the Cub Cadet dealer where I purchased my GT2554. The service department would warranty a new hood (and decals). They also said there was a hood brace kit that was released in the summer of 2010, which they would install. I now have to take it from Southwest Oklahoma to Northeast Oklahoma.
Interestingly, the fellow I spoke to in the service department noted that the week prior he had a customer that brought in two GT2500's; both of their hoods had broke.
The hood brace kit is supposed to do the trick. Maybe I won't have to make my own after all...
I called the Cub Cadet dealer where I purchased my GT2554. The service department would warranty a new hood (and decals). They also said there was a hood brace kit that was released in the summer of 2010, which they would install. I now have to take it from Southwest Oklahoma to Northeast Oklahoma.
Interestingly, the fellow I spoke to in the service department noted that the week prior he had a customer that brought in two GT2500's; both of their hoods had broke.
The hood brace kit is supposed to do the trick. Maybe I won't have to make my own after all...
Just a thought. Your design has channeled all the hot air onto the PTO. My experience with electric PTO's is that they do not like excessive heat exposure. If you don't feel this is a concern a good design. I think if it was mine I would install a baffle inside the shield above the PTO to divert heat away from the PTO. Or fabricate a baffle/shield to attach to the top PTO mounting bolts that your current shield would go over the top of to divert heat.
mowcub
Member
I removed the cover plate on the top of my hood and could tell a big difference in the amount of heat contained when I would raise the hood. Mine has the reinforcement that still remains on the center louvered section. I don't know why they added the cover unless it was to keep rain out. I don't know why anyone would leave it sitting outside uncovered anyway. Mine is a 2010 GT2550, but I think the hood is the same.
OP
turbojerk
Bronze Member
So far so good with the PTO. Been 2-3 years now.
Problem is that the hood now has broken back at the mounting hinge just like jason1010's...LOVE IT!!!!
Sorry to hear your problem has returned. Have you considered measuring the stand-offs on the bootom of the hood where the hinge assembly attachs. Then using the stand-offs as pilots drill four holes through the hood then remove the broken parts with a dremel tool. Then fabricate new stand-offs and use four stove bolts to attach the hood to the hinge assembly. The round top of the four bolts should not destroy the aesthetics of the hood that much. I think I would consider this before spending four hundred dollars on another hood that in all likeihood will also break.