Cub Cadet GT2544 4.30 star(s) (8)

Cub Cadet GT2544
Model Year: 2008

I purchased this 2008 built machine (with only 30 hours on the clock) in June 2014 for only $2,500 AUD. When first released, I was told they were approx $6,500-$7,500. It was absolutely spotless, except for the broken bonnet where the screws have broken the retainer mounts. I've been told that this was a common manufacturer's problem with some models. To me this is only cosmetic (4 cracks on the plastic), but it has been strengthened and bolted right through now. It is equipped with a 20 hp V-Twin Kohler Command horizontal shaft engine which seems to be more than ample. The fuel tank I would say is a bit small (approx 10 litres). I would suggest at least 1/2 that again. The deck is very strong and I like the simplicity of the direct shaft drive to the transmission, leaving only 2 belts - the PTO and the deck belt. They are both very easy to change and the deck is very simple to remove and reattach and is grease-able. Diff lock would be an advantage. Overall, I would recommend this garden tractor for the price I paid ($2500 AUD).

Pros: Direct shaft drive, relatively quiet, heavy duty build, 44" 3 blade heavy duty cutting deck, simple to change belts (2 of), good turning circle, high back seat and arm rests, cruise control.
Cons: Seat sits a bit high for me, weak bonnet mounts, fuel tank a bit small.

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GT2544: Reasonable Machine
Model Year: 2004

Unit is 8 years old now. Has been put through its paces. Kohler Command 20 engine is excellent. Tractor itself seems to be holding up. Spring safety switch for starting is a negative. Need to have extra on hand. The spring breaks about every two years. Steering gear and fan it engages are sub par. Difficult to lubricate. Fan is very thin. Have extra gears on hand. Overall performance is satisfactory. Like I say, the 500+ hours are hard hours.

Pros: Kohler engine.
Cons: Weak steering and spring safety switch for starting.

Cub GT2544
Model Year: 0

Great machine. Had a few minor problems in the first season: defective hood and the related heat problems and both front tires needed tubes installed (leaking around the bead). Other than these 2 problems, it has been very satisfactory.

Pros: Cuts grass very good, put gator blades on it, but I think factory blades are just as good.
Cons: None.

Solid Garden Tractor
Model Year: 2009

Bought this tractor in 2009 because I previously had a IH 782 as a kid for our house in the country. I use this to mow the big yard in our new country house and it works great. You can't buy another garden tractor with the features for this little money. The reverse on the transmission is very jerky when you want to stop and it is weak. You can fix the weak reverse by adjusting the linkage. The hood is plastic and will break at the hinge if you leave it open for more than a few minutes due to fatigue at the bolt holes. The engine is superb. It is quiet and powerful however gas thirsty. The deck is easy to get on and off however it misses blades of grass even when the blade are freshly sharpened. However, if you cut the grass short it does a good job. This is the great grandchild of the 782 we used to have however the built quality is not the same unfortunately. If cub cadet is smart they will pull out the old design of the transmission on the 782 and use that on their new tractors. The hood should be stamped steel or have a metal frame under it to support the weight.

Pros: Shaft drive, power, noise, seat.
Cons: Reverse is slow and jerky, poor hood design, deck misses blades when mowing.

Little changed after 14 years.
Model Year: 2010

I traded a Cub Cadet 2150 for this that was close to 14 years old. I only had around 500 hours on the 2150, but I wanted more power and bigger wheels for our rough landscaping. I am very happy with the 2-cylinder engine and the hydrostatic drive. My 2150 was a manual drive. However, there are some things that have not changed after 14 years. The front headlight lens is still nothing but a snap on fixture. A lot of bumps will eventually dislodge it like my 2150. The bagger (triple) is a lot cheaper than my 2150, but they want $50 per bad that has a plastic frame to hold it onto the bagger assembly. I already have a torn bag after only 20 hours since the cloth is so cheap.The bagger also requires a single bolt to the tractor, which makes it a pain to quickly remove the bagger and add a pull cart. Every time you want to employ the bags, you need to tilt the seat completely forward to give clearance to remove the bags. This can be a pain since the seat is considerably heavier than the cheap models at Home Depot. Changing the oil is also cumbersome compared to my 2150 model. It's difficult to get an filter wrench on and the plastic tube to drain the oil is close to useless. It needs to be longer. I solved this on my 2150 by taping two tubes together. The new tractor used the same diameter tube, so I was okay with this. Compared to the low priced end at Home Depot, you can clearly see why this tractor is some 300 pounds heavier than the Home Depot version. I am not happy that the cutting deck has bolt on wheels. My 2150 used a pin configuration, and you could rotate the wheels 90 degrees to make it easy to roll the deck from under the tractor. The first time I adjusted the height of the wheels, I snapped one of the bolts. I guess they had Tarzan on the job that day, or the individual did not know how to set the torque on his gun. I was only using a 12 or so bar on my socket. Mostly due to our dealer in our area (Labuda Farm Service) I was picking up bolts in our driveway and finding the battery cables loose that would not allow the tractor to start. Shortly after these two problems (in the first month or so of ownership), I could not get the blades to engage at all. A quick free service call from the dealer showed the PTO pre-cable plug came apart under the dash.This had to be a Cub Cadet QC problem. I like this tractor due to its size, power and cutting width, but I am disappointed Cub Cadet has changed little in their design in the past 14 year. This very well may be my last Cub Cadet.

Pros: Kept too many of the bad design features on my 14 year old tractor.
Cons: Great power with the 2 cylinder Kohler engine.

Great Machine
Model Year: 2006

Great machine. Not as good or heavy-duty as the case 220 that it replaced, but that's all built into cost (1984 dollars versus 2006 dollars). Would not hesitate to recommend to another purchaser. Pulls a utility trailer (not a dump cart) with 2 cu yards of mulch without missing a beat. Great for plowing snow also.

Pros: Good unit
Cons: Not as good as my old Case 220

Not bad, just wish it was more powerful in reverse
Model Year: 2006

I bought my Cub after a ton of research, and found that it was the best bet for the cost. After 4 years, I pretty much feel that I bought a good tractor. You'll notice I gave the performance only 3 stars only because the reverse speed is slower and sometimes weak. I must admit I use it to back my 20' boat into and out of the garage several times during the recreation season. The garage has an upward slope, so the extra horsepower is nice to have, but still may weaken the cub after using it the past 4 years. This could be why the reverse is a little sluggish. However when mowing the grass, it performs exceptionally well. I've changed the oil in it a couple times. I buy the Kohler kit - about $30 bucks online. Comes with a couple quarts of kohler oil, oil filter, fuel filter, air filter, spark plugs, rag and funnel. Not a bad deal, especially for a mower that supposedly has expensive parts. I grease the joints and deck every season, and so far things have stayed in great shape. After each cut, I'll blow all the grass out of the deck and crevices to keep buildup from happening. Finally I'll hose it down with water. The deck is in great shape still, very solid. I keep 2 sets of blades, and switch them out every 20 hours or so. I've noticed that the cut is a little uneven on one set. Probably the blade. The PTO belt was changed after year 3, where I had to order another one for around $25 dollars. The deck belt is still in great shape. The battery died after the 3rd year, so I bought a sears die hard gold, and a float charger. I hook up the float charger so that I won't have that problem for a while. During the first season, which is odd, one of the headlights melted it's own housing. The mower looked odd with one light on, so I unplugged the other light. The dealer would not return my calls to help send another light casing. I'm still pretty pissed about that. They're a major Kubota dealer too, so I guess their Cub customers get the bad treatment. I bought the Cub on a 3 year Zero interest loan which helped in the decision. However, if I did it again, I'd pay cash. We don't and haven't done credit cards in over 2.5 years. Everything we have is paid for thanks to Dave Ramsey showing us how to buckle down and pay off our debt. Overall, would I buy it again? Maybe. I really wanted the Kubota diesel tractor, but at $10K I had to go with the Cub, with was $3K at the time. Whenever this one goes out - which I think will be a very very long time since I take care of my stuff, I may buy the Kubota diesel zero turn, just because it my family owns the Kubota equipment and never have problems.

Pros: Tuff. Decent Price. Easy to Maintain.
Cons: Reverse is slower than I'd like.

Glad it's tough
Model Year: 2006

I don't have a big place, but there are 45 degree hills to go up and down, lots of rocks, trees, and uneven ground. Got the GT2544 because it had a good sized deck and a drive shaft. Power is smooth and steady - handy going up those hills and not having to worry about tipping over backwards from a power surge. Heavy duty deck has handled all the rocks, branches and uneven ground and still cuts the grass evenly.

Pros: Just about everything, except the dealer - thank goodness for the internet..
Cons: Modern automotive steel is too bendable. Have had to replace the seat brackets that lost out to some low branches.