Cub Cadet 1042 Be Aware. Cannot handle any slopes

[diesel_nut]

My 1872 says right on it: "Run at full throttle when deck is engaged"(parapharasing).
I'm pretty sure all lawn tractors are like that unless it specifies an rpm range.

 

[EuropaChris]

I think what is being missed here is that you're really not running at full throttle even if the throttle lever is jammed all the way up on the dash.

All the throttle lever does is control a spring that controls how far the governor opens the actual throttle plate in the carburetor. So, the throttle control on the dash really only sets the rpm that the governor will run the engine at.

On your car, there *is no governor*. The pedal controls the throttle plate directly. BIG difference.

What you do when running your tractor at 'full throttle' is merely set the operating rpm of the engine to 3600 (or whatever it's supposed to be). The governor will then control the throttle plate in the carb to keep the rpm at 3600 as load is added and subtracted from the engine.

The only time the engine is really at 'full throttle' is when you are asking the full rated horsepower to be produced. If you were to open the hood with the engine at full speed and the deck engaged, you would see the throttle plate open maybe 1/4 to 1/3.

Running 'wide open' is for the reason of a) getting the blade speed on the deck up to where it cuts and discharges efficiently, b) gets the engine rpm up where it is most efficient at producing power and torque, and c) gets the proper cooling airflow through the engine.

Point c) can be described as trying to make 75% power at 2400 rpm or 75% power at 3600 rpm. At 2500 rpm, you'll be burning the same fuel quantity, but have 1/3 less airflow (or worse) to carry the heat away. Your cylinders are going to run a LOT hotter at the lower speed, as well as increasing the loads on the bottom end of the engine because you have bigger power pulses to make the same horsepower with less revs.

I have a hard time running at full rpm as it just 'sounds' like it is hard on the engine. The engine 'sounds' better at lower rpm, kinda like a Harley. But, trying to cut grass at that rpm is just very hard on the engine. Puttering around the yard towing a little wagon is one thing, but mowing takes a bunch of horsepower.

I think I'll pull the 2544 out of the garage this weekend and fire it up. Looking like 70's next week here and the grass is greening up quick!

Chris

 

[Fordlords]

I have sent a snail-mail inquiry to Honda Power Equipment in regards to this WOT throttle at all times for mowing, I am curious as to what the right answer is from a manufacturer standpoint, I have found nothing in any manuals that recommend or don't recommend WOT for all mowing applications. I have always only used enough throttle to get the job done effectively, and have typically seen 20+ years of life out of many of my small engines. I'll let you others know what Honda's response to this question is. Maybe some others can send the same inquiry to Kohler and Briggs and Stratton?

-Fordlords-

 

[TimT]

According to my dealer the fix is a kit from CC that consists of a washer and heavier spring. The problem did not effect all 1042's but a variety of models that use the exact same system, I am waiting on this kit to be installed before I pick up my new 1042. He assures me that after the kit is installed the machine will be fine, no vibration problems and no slipping belts. As the experts here stated it is a known issue, not a big problem and a good dealer will make you happy with your machine. I will of course be my own judge when I get mine, but I have faith in the dealer.

 

[JTKub]

TimT- Your 1042 will be a fine LT with the right tension on the transaxle drive belt. There's a million sears and MTD units out there with the same hydro-gear transaxle that have never had the belt slipping problem some of the 1042's had.

G/luck
Joel

 

[Bob_Bainbridge]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have sent a snail-mail inquiry to Honda Power Equipment in regards to this WOT throttle at all times for mowing, I am curious as to what the right answer is from a manufacturer standpoint, I have found nothing in any manuals that recommend or don't recommend WOT for all mowing applications. I have always only used enough throttle to get the job done effectively, and have typically seen 20+ years of life out of many of my small engines. I'll let you others know what Honda's response to this question is. Maybe some others can send the same inquiry to Kohler and Briggs and Stratton?

-Fordlords-
)</font>
As was mentioned, WOT is not really WOT but a recommended speed that is set by the governor. As far as longevity, I ran my 1450 at WOT for 26 years with a Kohler single cylinder engine and it was still running well when I traded it in with 100+ hours on it.

Bob B.

 

[stevebig]

Hello everyone,
I too have had problems with by Cub Cadet SLT 1554 (only 25 hours on it) going up a 25% slope. I see that cub says to use only a 15% slope max.
My started slipping last fall picking up leaves with a bagger. I could not get up any of my hills (which are all about 25% slope). Now the leaves I picked up where dry and very light, but it could not make it up the hill.
I called service and they put on a new spring. So I decided to put my yard roller on it this spring (roller is about 2' dia x 4' wide). Well again I could not come close to pulling this up the hill. I had no wheel slippage and the engine did not sound like it was pulling anything. Oh and by the way I don't even have the heavy mower deck attached right now.
So I called my dealer and he called Cub and all they would say is the tractor is not capable of pulling a roller up a 25% grade.
Well I owned a Yard Man (by MTD) with a 48" deck and 18 H.P. engine. I did not have any problems with it pulling the same load up the same hill, until the belt finally stretched to far, where it started slipping. In fact the tires when pulling these heavy loads, would slip way before the transmition or belt would give out.
Well there is my sob story, going to go back and do some more complaining today.

 

[Maveric]

Regardless of what it is designed to do I would be dissapointed it the tractor drive didn't have enough guts to either load the motor somewhat or at least slip the tires in soft ground. With a tractor of this size and weight I would think that traction would be weak link.

 

[stevebig]

One more thing I would like to know about the belt drive to the transmission if anyone has a answer.
I have looked at the belt below and the spring tensioner has no gap left in the springs. You push on it and the pulley and it can not go back any further to provide anymore tension to the belt. I have looked at brand new models on the floor at a Lowes store and they appear to be the exact same way. Seems to me that the belt is oversized/in correct size since the belt can not be tightend any further by the spring. Does this sound like this is correct to any of you?

 

[JTKub]

CC needs to switch these babies over to chain drive! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif They'd climb a wall then. The system MTD/CC is using these days donsnt sound any better than the MTD transmatic. Worse yet, that system is on the 1040! /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Joel