GT2554 hood broke again...

[turbojerk]

So now that my GT is out of warranty, yesturday the hood broke off at the hinge bracket at two of the mounting points. Its a real mess and is very difficult to open and close now. This being hood #3 do I have any options on getting it replaced under warranty for free? I'm NOT going to pay $300-$400 for a new one since it's CC's shiddy design...

T

 

[MESSMAKER]

The replacement hoods should have had a different design. Mine did on a 2544.

 

[Gator6x4]

So now that my GT is out of warranty, yesturday the hood broke off at the hinge bracket at two of the mounting points. Its a real mess and is very difficult to open and close now. This being hood #3 do I have any options on getting it replaced under warranty for free? I'm NOT going to pay $300-$400 for a new one since it's CC's shiddy design...

T

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.

 

[turbojerk]

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.

I could certainly fix it but that's not the point.... I fixed one hood problem now its broken in another spot...

 

[savageactor7]

WOW...your 3rd hood! YIKES!

I always had the idea in the back of my head that if our hood broke I'd just mod it into a conventional forward tilting hood.

pfreiburger did a forward tilting mod here http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=194702 He also did an easier 1st edition mod if you want to search for it.

No way I'd pay 4 hundred for a new hood...its not like we're going to pass on these tractors to our sons like our fathers and grandfathers did.

 

[JTKub]

That sucks! Unless you can work out something directly with Cub or a good Cub dealer, your only choice would be to customize it. There's no way I'd pay that much for a new hood, new design or not!

 

[turbojerk]

Just FYI,

Cub is getting me a new hood, update kit and decals. No hassel either. All it took was a simple phone call to the dealer and that was it... Should be here next week.

I'm VERY pleased about this as you can probably imagine!

 

[savageactor7]

Hey that's pretty decent they're giving you a new hood.

I know the hoods were a weak link when I got our 2550 so I always babied the hood ...that is I kept a guiding hands on when opening/closing.

Anyways the other day after mowing and before turning off the mower the hood wouldn't open for me. After mowing I ALWAYS idle down a good minute and open the hood before turning off the engine since reading about a backfire that started a tractor on fire.

Not that the tractor backfires but it's such an easy precaution to take to prevent a catastrophe that I'm not taking any chances.

As luck would have it seems my hood is starting to go because it was binding between my forefinger and thumb.

I was fortunate to have this paint stir stick laying close by and was able to open it with very little manipulation. I did some mowing with the stick inserted like you see for ease of lifting the hood and it worked fine.

...as an aside a token look under the hood revealed no easily detectable loose fitting that I could tighten up. I'll most likely just use this crude but effective fix until the hood breaks because...

...that's the way I am and I never liked the way the hood tilts back anyway.

 

[mowcub]

Savageactor7,

My hood did the same thing not long after I started using it. I thought I heard something fall off which I later discovered it was two screws on the hood hinge. I replaced them and it has been good every since. I don't think they were tight from the factory. They are on the small part of the hood hinge beneath the large cross brace. I'll try to get a picture if you need it.

The two screws I replaced are the silver phillips heads on the lower part of the hinge. Center of photo.

 

[savageactor7]

Well that sounds easy enough I look closer for the missing screws later on this morning. Thanks for the heads up mowcub.

 

[Mad_River]

My hood broke when I left it open overnight several days to trickle charge the battery. The design is not well done as the plastic the mechanism bolts to is not strong enough to support the weight of the hood. What needs to be there is a metal frame under the hood for the metal hinge to bolt to and support the plastic hood at the top. If mine breaks again I am going to fabricate a 1/8th plate steel skeleton frame to support the hood and bolt that to the hinge. Simple vice to bend the metal and some cutting tools should do the trick.

 

[Russell E Maddock]

Just FYI,

Cub is getting me a new hood, update kit and decals. No hassel either. All it took was a simple phone call to the dealer and that was it... Should be here next week.

I'm VERY pleased about this as you can probably imagine!

Greetings! I could see that you still have the center plug in the top of your plastic hood. On your new hood, remove the center plug. There is an air vent that this plug covers. Removing this plug will let much more heat out of the engine compartment. These plastic hoods don't do well with excessive heat in the engine area. I also found that by closing the hood gently, keeps the plastic mounts from braking. I also had to replace my hood. Cub Cadet didn't even offer to replace mine. Didn't replace the decals, just too expensive. Another very important thing to do after each cutting. Take the foam pre air filter out and clean it well, using a leaf blower, and clean the air-cooling fan and the whole engine area, this will help the engine as well as the whole engine compartment stay much cooler. Hope all went well with your new hood.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Greetings! I could see that you still have the center plug in the top of your plastic hood. On your new hood, remove the center plug. There is an air vent that this plug covers. Removing this plug will let much more heat out of the engine compartment. These plastic hoods don't do well with excessive heat in the engine area. I also found that by closing the hood gently, keeps the plastic mounts from braking. I also had to replace my hood. Cub Cadet didn't even offer to replace mine. Didn't replace the decals, just too expensive. Another very important thing to do after each cutting. Take the foam pre air filter out and clean it well, using a leaf blower, and clean the air-cooling fan and the whole engine area, this will help the engine as well as the whole engine compartment stay much cooler. Hope all went well with your new hood.

After 11 years, it's probably not good anymore.....