LT Cubs Unite!!!

[tbear]

All, I have an SLT 1554 bought it last summer. I Love it. I mow about 1 1/2 acre, I pull a lawn sweeper, cart, roller(fully loaded with water), and an aerator. i have 2 small hills near the house about 35 to 40 degrees and go up and down those fine.
As far as ground speed i think it is plenty fast enough for mowing. I find myself actually cutting at a slower pace for a better cut.
Only 1 problem has occured, Excessive smoking on startup. Called dealer and he took it back and replaced the valve seals under warranty, now no problems.
Oh and did I mention I'm a big guy 350. So this tractor has plenty of power to move me and a roller.

 

[tbear]

All, I have an SLT 1554 bought it last summer. I Love it. I mow about 1 1/2 acre, I pull a lawn sweeper, cart, roller(fully loaded with water), and an aerator. i have 2 small hills near the house about 35 to 40 degrees and go up and down those fine.
As far as ground speed i think it is plenty fast enough for mowing. I find myself actually cutting at a slower pace for a better cut.
Only 1 problem has occured, Excessive smoking on startup. Called dealer and he took it back and replaced the valve seals under warranty, now no problems.
Oh and did I mention I'm a big guy 350. So this tractor has plenty of power to move me and a roller.

 

[JPPWNY]

I bought my SLT1554 last June 1 and have put 39 hours on it already. I have no idea how many acres I mow, as I mow clearings, walking trails and the driveway at my camp. Some of the terrain is steep. So far the mower has been phenominal. No problems, no complaints.
I had them do the valve work people on this forum talked about and it doesn't smoke anymore.
I don't think speed is an issue, I am mowing not racing.
I do haul small loads of wood in a pull cart with the SLT1554 and it works just fine.
I would have bought the 2554 if it didn't look so ugly in 2005, but I can't say I regret the purchase of the SLT1554 at all.
One thing that worries me is the belt really flops around sometimes when I am mowing. I don't know if it is normal, but it seems to cut fine when this is going on. Other times the belt travel is fine. I have a feeling one day that baby is going to fly off when it gets flopping like that.

 

[JPPWNY]

I bought my SLT1554 last June 1 and have put 39 hours on it already. I have no idea how many acres I mow, as I mow clearings, walking trails and the driveway at my camp. Some of the terrain is steep. So far the mower has been phenominal. No problems, no complaints.
I had them do the valve work people on this forum talked about and it doesn't smoke anymore.
I don't think speed is an issue, I am mowing not racing.
I do haul small loads of wood in a pull cart with the SLT1554 and it works just fine.
I would have bought the 2554 if it didn't look so ugly in 2005, but I can't say I regret the purchase of the SLT1554 at all.
One thing that worries me is the belt really flops around sometimes when I am mowing. I don't know if it is normal, but it seems to cut fine when this is going on. Other times the belt travel is fine. I have a feeling one day that baby is going to fly off when it gets flopping like that.

 

[stevebig]

Please don't call it bashing.

I think of this forum as more of trying to get information from others that may be having problems with the same tractor and sharing information. I'm not saying that people can't come across as bashing a product and some certain may intend that.

With that said......

I had bought the SLT 1554 it would have been the 2005 model. I did have transmission problems with mine going up a 25% slope. Now indeed my slope equats to about 50 feet to get up it, which calculates out to about 13 feet of vertical rise plus/minus. My tractor just mowing grass would barely make it up this hill when mowing after the tractor was well warmed up. With a small lawn roller it wouldn't move at all. With that said and with other post on this web site, there may be a design flaw with the 2005 model or maybe it is only with a select few.

So after talks with Cub Cadet and my dealer they recommened that I should go up to the 2554 with shaft drive. So I didn't trade up for a ego thing at all. This coming from a guy who owned a Yard Man 18 HP with hydro transmission for 10 years on the same very lot and had no problems with the belt driven transmission. I put that tractor thru a ton more pain than the CC1554.

For the short time that I had the tractor it did cut the grass very nice in flat areas. I did have some problems where 2 grades would meet say at a swale for a example that the mower would dig into the grass for the lack of rollers near the outside. I also had a grass catcher attached to it and that worked great, except when it became full and would not get up even my little encline that went up about 4 feet.

So all and all I think that tractor would have/should have worked fine for me for my yard. Believe me I sure didn't want to fork over that extra $1,400 for the next model up.

But as it goes I think it was worth it, since it does have the power to pull items up my hill. Not to mention rollers near the outside of the mower deck so it doesn't dig into those same areas that the 1554 did.

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I will give you a smile to end my conversation.

 

[stevebig]

Please don't call it bashing.

I think of this forum as more of trying to get information from others that may be having problems with the same tractor and sharing information. I'm not saying that people can't come across as bashing a product and some certain may intend that.

With that said......

I had bought the SLT 1554 it would have been the 2005 model. I did have transmission problems with mine going up a 25% slope. Now indeed my slope equats to about 50 feet to get up it, which calculates out to about 13 feet of vertical rise plus/minus. My tractor just mowing grass would barely make it up this hill when mowing after the tractor was well warmed up. With a small lawn roller it wouldn't move at all. With that said and with other post on this web site, there may be a design flaw with the 2005 model or maybe it is only with a select few.

So after talks with Cub Cadet and my dealer they recommened that I should go up to the 2554 with shaft drive. So I didn't trade up for a ego thing at all. This coming from a guy who owned a Yard Man 18 HP with hydro transmission for 10 years on the same very lot and had no problems with the belt driven transmission. I put that tractor thru a ton more pain than the CC1554.

For the short time that I had the tractor it did cut the grass very nice in flat areas. I did have some problems where 2 grades would meet say at a swale for a example that the mower would dig into the grass for the lack of rollers near the outside. I also had a grass catcher attached to it and that worked great, except when it became full and would not get up even my little encline that went up about 4 feet.

So all and all I think that tractor would have/should have worked fine for me for my yard. Believe me I sure didn't want to fork over that extra $1,400 for the next model up.

But as it goes I think it was worth it, since it does have the power to pull items up my hill. Not to mention rollers near the outside of the mower deck so it doesn't dig into those same areas that the 1554 did.

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I will give you a smile to end my conversation.

 

[SuburbanSam]

woow tbear, your tractor is pulling a load. I'm about 260 myself and I've had all sorts of fears over what could happen if my belt slipped at the top of my hill. Your post definitely relieved some of my fears...

Syncro I'm don't mow at full speed yet myself. But it's because my tractor is new and so's my land. Just soded. So I need to be really carefull and cut diagonally right now. While cutting straight I've allready pulled up a few piecesof sod. Cutting on the diagonal works out much better for me right now.

As far as belt drive goes, my dealer told me that Cub is the only company that makes a "residential" tractor with shaft drive no matter what series. So again I think many of the older cub owners here bought Cub for that very reason.

To get more traction on my swales (I've got 2 pretty deep ones), I was going to go to those Super Lug tires, the ones that look like a construction machine tire, to see if I would get more traction. Will let you guys know if I switch.

Thus far JPPWNY seems to have some real test terrain. Please tell us more. Also interested in knowing if your tranny belt or your deck belt is flopping? I believe the deck belt can be tightened. I don't know why the manual isn't more open about replacing the tranny belt.

It would be good if someone could describe a belt slippage experience or two. By reading this board I'm scared to death of being on top of a 5 foot wide thingamado and having it roll flip and turn over on me. Does anyone know that if the belt brakes if I would be able to get back into my garage at least to get the mower on my trailer? Would the tractor be so unstable that it could actually roll over if the belt slips? Or does belt slippage mean that you won't be able to make it up the hill, but you should still have some pull left to perhaps make it over other flat land and even perhaps around your house without the pto engaged? THese questions are important to know in case anyone of us has a situation. We might need to know how to deal with it.

And lastly to JTKub, you're right a 54" deck is alot for 1 acre of land. But I tell you that I was so worried about the new cub quality and engine life bashing that I got the biggest deck to try and save hours on the life of the mower. That's what I mean, so many larger cub owners have spent so much time raising the terror alert around here, that I bought a case of duct tape to go along with my new tractor... I wondered if old Karl R. himself posted on this board? Also the reason that I looked high and low for a 1554 with the command engine rather than the courage.

Again any comments on how to improve performance, and usage of cub LT's through technique, experience or other attachments is VERY MUCH APRECIATED on this thread.

 

[SuburbanSam]

woow tbear, your tractor is pulling a load. I'm about 260 myself and I've had all sorts of fears over what could happen if my belt slipped at the top of my hill. Your post definitely relieved some of my fears...

Syncro I'm don't mow at full speed yet myself. But it's because my tractor is new and so's my land. Just soded. So I need to be really carefull and cut diagonally right now. While cutting straight I've allready pulled up a few piecesof sod. Cutting on the diagonal works out much better for me right now.

As far as belt drive goes, my dealer told me that Cub is the only company that makes a "residential" tractor with shaft drive no matter what series. So again I think many of the older cub owners here bought Cub for that very reason.

To get more traction on my swales (I've got 2 pretty deep ones), I was going to go to those Super Lug tires, the ones that look like a construction machine tire, to see if I would get more traction. Will let you guys know if I switch.

Thus far JPPWNY seems to have some real test terrain. Please tell us more. Also interested in knowing if your tranny belt or your deck belt is flopping? I believe the deck belt can be tightened. I don't know why the manual isn't more open about replacing the tranny belt.

It would be good if someone could describe a belt slippage experience or two. By reading this board I'm scared to death of being on top of a 5 foot wide thingamado and having it roll flip and turn over on me. Does anyone know that if the belt brakes if I would be able to get back into my garage at least to get the mower on my trailer? Would the tractor be so unstable that it could actually roll over if the belt slips? Or does belt slippage mean that you won't be able to make it up the hill, but you should still have some pull left to perhaps make it over other flat land and even perhaps around your house without the pto engaged? THese questions are important to know in case anyone of us has a situation. We might need to know how to deal with it.

And lastly to JTKub, you're right a 54" deck is alot for 1 acre of land. But I tell you that I was so worried about the new cub quality and engine life bashing that I got the biggest deck to try and save hours on the life of the mower. That's what I mean, so many larger cub owners have spent so much time raising the terror alert around here, that I bought a case of duct tape to go along with my new tractor... I wondered if old Karl R. himself posted on this board? Also the reason that I looked high and low for a 1554 with the command engine rather than the courage.

Again any comments on how to improve performance, and usage of cub LT's through technique, experience or other attachments is VERY MUCH APRECIATED on this thread.

 

[DmansPadge]

As for the belt slipping or coming off.... don't worry. As long as the machine is setup correctly... you shouldn't have to worry about the drive belt for years to come. I've seen belt driven mowers last 15+ years with no belt problems at all. If the belt slips while going up a slope... you'll simply slow down and likely come to a slow stop. (But, if this did happen you should stop ASAP to prevent damage) If it breaks or comes off... you'll simply stop. You are gonna be just fine.

 

[DmansPadge]

As for the belt slipping or coming off.... don't worry. As long as the machine is setup correctly... you shouldn't have to worry about the drive belt for years to come. I've seen belt driven mowers last 15+ years with no belt problems at all. If the belt slips while going up a slope... you'll simply slow down and likely come to a slow stop. (But, if this did happen you should stop ASAP to prevent damage) If it breaks or comes off... you'll simply stop. You are gonna be just fine.