hydrostatic transmission experts? 3000 series

[Bob_Bainbridge]

Bill, I guess in some respects I'm better off since I bought an older one. My 2004 3235 has 2 positions on the ignition switch. The first position turns the lights on but turning it to the second one turns them off. The 2004 doesn't have the reverse PTO lockout disable position. They probably used the same switch for the newer models but sacrificed the headlight OFF posiiton for the PTO. Perhaps it would only require a little rewiring. My deck doesn't raise & lower a much as I thought it should but it probably goes 3-4 inches. I'll have to measure it sometime when the grass starts growing again in NE Ohio. I agree with you about the difficulty picking something up on the ground but I blamed it on the size of the tractor - my wife says "Why did you buy that huge thing?". I noticed the difference in forward speed from my 1450 and have the linkage adjusted for max but have never checked the engine RPM. In 250 hours or so I've had no problems with the oil drain and am happy with it. I use the neoprene hose that came with it and prefer it over the 1450 which required removing the deck and belt frame assembly to avoid making a mess. Occasionally I get a little hydro leak which is probably one of those annoying check valves sticking.
My tractor (knock on wood) has never been back to the dealer for service of any kind. I had to replace the high-lift blades (for bagger) last summer since 3 of the 6 wing tabs were broken off. A good reason to keep kids and even adults away while mowing.

Bob B.

 

[william_wixon]

WILLIAM, I think it is reasonable to expect the travel speed promised, esp
since you are mowing large areas. 8 MPH is not very fast after all.

Since you mention it, does the machine travel a little faster when the
hyd oil is cold? If the oil is cold and there is less internal HST leakage
due to the oil being a bit thicker.....this makes a case for using a higher
viscosity hyd oil. It might only add a few tenths MPH, however.

RE HST drive control pedals, the same issue applies to larger compact
utility tractors. Rocker pedal vs. 2-pedal.....its what you get used to.

What kind of engine does that machine have?

hi dfkrug,
thanks for your understanding.
i haven't driven it enough yet (after the rpm's being adjusted) to be able to tell if it goes faster w/ cold oil.
i didn't know that's what it was called, "rocker pedal". i guess i got used to that on the old bolens. we did, as kids, apparently, destroy the differential by slamming it from forward to reverse though. <cringe>
had to go out and look, it says "kohler command 23". (two cylinder v twin gasoline)

 

[william_wixon]

Bill, I guess in some respects I'm better off since I bought an older one. My 2004 3235 has 2 positions on the ignition switch. The first position turns the lights on but turning it to the second one turns them off. The 2004 doesn't have the reverse PTO lockout disable position. They probably used the same switch for the newer models but sacrificed the headlight OFF posiiton for the PTO. Perhaps it would only require a little rewiring. My deck doesn't raise & lower a much as I thought it should but it probably goes 3-4 inches. I'll have to measure it sometime when the grass starts growing again in NE Ohio. I agree with you about the difficulty picking something up on the ground but I blamed it on the size of the tractor - my wife says "Why did you buy that huge thing?". I noticed the difference in forward speed from my 1450 and have the linkage adjusted for max but have never checked the engine RPM. In 250 hours or so I've had no problems with the oil drain and am happy with it. I use the neoprene hose that came with it and prefer it over the 1450 which required removing the deck and belt frame assembly to avoid making a mess. Occasionally I get a little hydro leak which is probably one of those annoying check valves sticking.
My tractor (knock on wood) has never been back to the dealer for service of any kind. I had to replace the high-lift blades (for bagger) last summer since 3 of the 6 wing tabs were broken off. A good reason to keep kids and even adults away while mowing.

Bob B.

hi bob,
thanks for your kindly reply. my 1864 had a similar key switch, two positions, one with lights off. turns out that was must've been the only thing i liked about that tractor. wow, 3 to 4 inches (your deck height adjustment). it totally seems to me mine only goes up and down an inch, and i'm not even sure if that's exaggerating (it might be less than an inch) (i guess i'll have to measure it too.) lol! "why did you buy that huge thing". huh, that's great you've had no problems with teh oil drain. sorry i expressed my paranoid view that cub cadet installed them deliberately to ruin people's engines. thing was, when i talked with the mechanic at the dealer about this he wasn't surprised and said they'd had problems with them before. he suggested that would be the first place i should look to try to find the leak (puddle of oil under my tractor). i did'nt want to take a chance with it again by having cub cadet send me a replacement, after that i didn't trust it at all. i like this tractor. even with all the things i said i don't like about it i REALLY like it. i do not like to think of myself as a difficult or pissy or litigious customer, i wouldn't've taken it back to the dealer myself either, (it's too much hassle (to take it myself) and the warranty doesn't cover transport fees (so i don't want them to pick it up)) i like to do all the work myself. turns out i could've resolved this whole thing myself if i had a tach (i assumed it was set at teh factory to the proper 3600 rpm).
that's pretty amazing about the wings on the high lift blades coming off. wow. i had my high lift blade wings (on the 1864) wear down just to the point where they were close to coming off but i never tried to imagine what it would look like to have those sharp shiny little triangles flinging through the air. ooch. i was lucky.

 

[Vernonator]

yeah, i am really that desperate. (i owned a cub cadet 1864 which i hated with a PASSION for many years and i want this $6000 machine to function *completely* to my satisfaction). or i was going to sue cub cadet to give me my money back. using that 1864 was torture, now they must pay me back for that torture. for someone to suggest to me that i ought to sell my newly purchased $6000 3100 at what i'd assume would be a tremendous loss, and then to buy a ZTR is... silly. it would be great to have 10 mph mowing, but i already own this machine and don't want to take the loss in selling it, i'm not asking for 8 mph *mowing*, you got that right? all i can expect is the rated 8 mph so i can zip quickly through the areas in my lawn where the grass grows slowly or to zip (at the full 8 mph) between mowing tasks, i don't want a "consumer grade" artificial limitation on the traveling speed, i got the top of the line 3100 so i woudn't have to muck around with the artificial dumba$$ "consumer grade" limitations. would you like to buy my brand new 3100 at the price i paid for it? my machine was, apparently, designed to go 8 mph, at least that's what's in writing on their specs, if that's a lie just for marketing i want to sue them, that's kinda like fraud, don't you think? i asked the dealer BEFORE i plunked down my six grand, kinda half jokingly, "do you have a "try it before you buy it program?" he said, NOT jokingly, deadpan, "NO".

Never suggested you sell your 3100 - I DO think you are being a bit, well, persnikity. I understand the specs say 8mph - my F-150 specs say it gets 21MPG Highway and I have NEVER seen that In a perfect world everything would work EXACTLY to spec, but well things are far from perfect.

Your 10pt list was well - interesting.....not trying to be a smart a@@ but if you hated your first Cub so badly why did you buy another?

I have the same 2004 GT3235 as Bob_Bainbridge and have not had any issues (well that were not self inflicted).

My dealer absolutley let me take mine home prior to purchase (had if for a week). If you think it should be perfectly to spec take it back and insist the dealer make it that way (good luck on that one). Hope you get it working to your satisfaction....

Mark

 

[VinceSMTA]

I as well am not trying to be a smart a#$, however, I completely agree with Mark when he says the 10 pt list was "interesting." About half of the issues on the 10 pt list should have been obvious and in plain sight before purchase. With that being said, I completely understand the logic behind believing that it is possible to alter the tractor once you get it home. On my 2542 I pulled the fenders and removed the Damper Cylinder so that my foot pedals were more responsive. Those little things do add up, so I hope that you are able to improve the speed on your tractor...good luck