Bob_Bainbridge, How does your CC XT3 GSX cut?

[Rock Crawler]

I saw a post where you say that you also have this machine. Mine is with the 54" fabricated deck, and I am very much not impressed.

My nearly 700 hour old Craftsman (Husqvarna) with a 54" stamped deck mows at a much higher level of quality.

It seems like the grass under the Cub gets blown downward and not sucked upright... The stamped Craftsman deck leaves a military level flat top crew cut, nearly perfection in all grass types.

I sharpen and balance the blades on the 2 mowers every 8 - 10 hours, so both are maintained the same. On thick heavy pasture grass the Cub mows equal to the Craftsman, but around the house where there is fine bladed grass the craftsman really shines while my Cub Cadet really disappoints. I have to double mow in 2 directions with the Cub to match the cut quality of the Craftsman. That really makes me tight!

So share with me your feelings on the Cub XT3 GSX.

 

[Bob_Bainbridge]

I was skeptical when I bought it because my previous Cub 3235 had the 54 inch fabricated "ground following" deck which did a pretty good job of striping. The GSX has a suspended deck but I've been more than happy with the cut. Maybe I'm not as critical as you because of the quality of my yard. I mow 1 acre which has a lot of tree roots in the rear section and gets very wet. IT's under an inch of water right now from the weekend rains. I also cut it short with a setting of 3. When it gets too long and leaves clumps I mow it at the 3 setting and then attach the triple bagger and go back over it with a setting of 5. This picks up most of the loose grass but doesn't overwhelm me too much grass for my limited dumping area. I have 140 hours un 3 seasons and have not cleaned the deck or sharpened the blades yet.
Bob B.

 

[ChuckT]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a GSX. We have 1.5 acres of Florida weeds. Hoping the 54" deck is better for us.

 

[Rock Crawler]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a GSX. We have 1.5 acres of Florida weeds. Hoping the 54" deck is better for us.

In the flat lands of Florida, it's likely a great and fine machine that you will absolutely love. I would suggest getting the stamped deck, the airflow of the fabricated deck does not vacuum grass upwards nearly as well as a clean stamped deck.

My biggest gripe with the XT3 is the weak transmission compared to the Hydro Gear G730 in my Husqvarna/Craftsman that you see my wife using. That thing is much stronger on steep hills, and all I have is hills I'm planning to sell this thing this spring and go buy a Husqvarna with a Tuff Torq K66 and Kawasaki engine. I don't care how much money I lose, I just want this lame duck CC out of my life.

 

[ChuckT]

Hmm. I have a 42" Husky with a Kawa twin. The reason I'm going away from them is that frame cracking issue.

 

[Bob_Bainbridge]

In the flat lands of Florida, it's likely a great and fine machine that you will absolutely love. I would suggest getting the stamped deck, the airflow of the fabricated deck does not vacuum grass upwards nearly as well as a clean stamped deck.

My biggest gripe with the XT3 is the weak transmission compared to the Hydro Gear G730 in my Husqvarna/Craftsman that you see my wife using. That thing is much stronger on steep hills, and all I have is hills I'm planning to sell this thing this spring and go buy a Husqvarna with a Tuff Torq K66 and Kawasaki engine. I don't care how much money I lose, I just want this lame duck CC out of my life.

I guess different people have different expectations. If you sharpen your blades every 8-10 hours you obviously are more particular about your lawn than I am. I haven't sharpened my blades yet after almost 4 seasons of mowing. I will probably just replace them with new ones. My 1 acre is very wet at times in the rear section and also very rough with tree roots. My 44 inch stamped steel deck clogged and had to be cleaned 2-3 times annually. I also had 2 decks rust through in 26 years of service. My 2004 3235 with 54 inch stamped steel deck had baffles underneath which had to be replaced once after contacting a tree root. I also had to remove it annually to clean underneath. This was not a fun job for an 80-year-old since it weighed 260 pounds and had a driveshaft that had to be disconnected/connected and u-joints greased. I have not yet cleaned my 54 inch fabricated deck since new. I have the triple bagger but do use it all the time.

Bob B.

 

[ChuckT]

Mowing what passes for a lawn in Florida mean s sucking up sand. The sand dull the blades, etc.
I have to replace or resharpen at least once a season.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Chuck,

The frame material on the CC XT3 is beastly compared to my Craftsman. So if frame strength is your primary goal with the upgrade, I am sure that the XT3 frame will impress you and serve you well for many years. For serious hill climbing, there are better options. We all have our unique situations, that is of no doubt!

 

[ChuckT]

Not really hilly on our 1.5 acres. It does slope down from the back corner to the street in front of the house. Drop is 5 foot or so. So the diff lock for us is only going along for the ride.
It'll have to pull a dump cart, a spreader, a stick rake, a 40 gallon sprayer and _maybe_ a rear blade ( to fill in low spots).
Wifie has already said "go" on it, she doesn't like to spend any more time than I mowing, but I'll get her by the dealer this week for a look-see anyway.

 

[ChuckT]

Pulled the trigger on a GSX. Fab 54" deck and Mulching blades. Electric power steering sold wifie.

 

[Rock Crawler]

I'd have sold you mine with 60 hours on it for $3800. I just want to get out from under it.

 

[ChuckT]

Ran ours over the front lawn yesterday. It's supposed to rain today so it was a good opportunity to test the cut, maybe.
One thing _did_ NOT impress is the reverse gearing. Very abrupt transition from forward to reverse when engaged and the ratio is lower than comfortable.
Maybe I can get to feathering reverse with the pedal, certainly hope so, but it's press the pedal, press the pedal, press the pedal ... neck snap backward. Jeez. Who thought that was appropriate!
More ...

 

[Rock Crawler]

Ran ours over the front lawn yesterday. It's supposed to rain today so it was a good opportunity to test the cut, maybe.
One thing _did_ NOT impress is the reverse gearing. Very abrupt transition from forward to reverse when engaged and the ratio is lower than comfortable.
Maybe I can get to feathering reverse with the pedal, certainly hope so, but it's press the pedal, press the pedal, press the pedal ... neck snap backward. Jeez. Who thought that was appropriate!
More ...

There is a grease fitting under there at the pivot of the lever if I recall. Mine was similar, and if I recall correctly I found a grease fitting and slimed it up real nice and it helped a lot. If it wasn't a grease fitting, I lubed it up with a spray grease if some sort. That was over 6 months ago, so I'm foggy on the details.

 

[ChuckT]

I got some scalping (fab deck at position #2) when I was mowing the drainage swale along the road in front. It's not an extreme angle, the slope, but it feels uncomfortably so with this large machine.
Lastly it took a bit to clean off the mower afterward. Wifie insisted on the mulching kit and I'm glad I was wearing a dust mask. The debris was coated on the deck top to the extent of using an air hose twice to get it all off.

 

[ChuckT]

Thanks, I'll look at that.

There is a grease fitting under there at the pivot of the lever if I recall. Mine was similar, and if I recall correctly I found a grease fitting and slimed it up real nice and it helped a lot. If it wasn't a grease fitting, I lubed it up with a spray grease if some sort. That was over 6 months ago, so I'm foggy on the details.

 

[Bob_Bainbridge]

My Reverse doesn't engage any more abruptly than the forward gear. Perhaps the lube will help. My daughter cut the lawn last month on the "2" setting and the grass looked about the length of a putting green. Way too close for me. I normally cut at "3" and that's shorter than they recommend for best weed suppression.

Bob B.

 

[ChuckT]

We have several Water Oaks on the property at the front - lots of leaves and twigs and acorns and rain was forecast for Friday PM. So basically I was mulching leaves more than anything. Did a pretty good job tho a Lawn Sweeper maybe indicated. (Rain did arrive on schedule)
Best Lawn Sweeper I've seen is a Cyclone Rake. The impeller fell apart (!) after the warranty was up. Am looking at the Ohio Steel from
NT.
Yes to position 2 being too low I would have mowed another section on 4 but wanted to avoid running low on gas. And that section has new rye the ponies are enjoying. Leaving that be for the nonce.
Still searching for the perfect tow rake for leaves, acorns and twigs. A company called Gratz has a good looking unit (but 1.2 K!) that counter rotates and can be angled, and Yard-Tuff has a 60" tine rake at $250. Cheap SOB that I am Yard-Tuff is winning. Would be perfect if a sweeper and a twig rake had a pup.