White Spots on Hood

[racemech]

I have a 2006 GT2550 with 22 hours. I have been using the free tractor cover that Cub Cadet offered. Since I have been using the cover, white spots or blotches lighter than the factory color have been showing up in random areas. They will last for about a week, then disappear, only to reappear in a different area. Any ideas?

 

[OldMachinist]

They are probably water spots from condensation under the cover.

 

[Fordlords]

A light coat of car wax on the hood will probably eliminate the spots and keep them from recurring.

-Fordlords-

 

[bermuda_ken]

Maybe it has a case of the tractor "mumps" and is sick of being covered up. I bet that if you drove/worked it more, the spots would go away!!!

 

[micman32]

All Cub Cadet gave me was a travel mug! I don't think white spots are anything to worry about!!!!
Wait until the first scratch gets put on it.

 

[racemech]

Well Guys, I appreciate the insight on my problem. I would agree that it is condensation causing the spots. I have one that is roughly 8" x 10" that has been there for a week and a half. I have left it uncovered for two weeks now... HOWEVER, I just discovered the solution to my problem this afternoon while mowing...Total Hood replacement! The front of the hood is now warped and the grill is partially burned from the exhaust. Looks like the hood latch slipped on the mounting screws and the exhaust did the rest. I will be contacting my dealer in the morning. Funny thing though, I just turned 25 hours...I guess the dealer can do the 25 hour oil and filter change while it's there. Also, my wife noticed that my left front rim is warped.

 

[Fordlords]

A few weeks back there was a post from another 2500 series owner who's hood melted and we were wondering how that happened- now I guess we know Owners of these machines should probably check their hood mounting hardware to make sure it is tight.

-Fordlords-

 

[racemech]

Well guys...I finally got my mower back from the dealer after two weeks. The hood was replaced because of the hood latch screws coming out. They had to mail the hood stickers to me because they were on backorder. I just put the new stickers on the new hood about 4 hours ago. Happy to finally have my baby back, I went and started to mow the back 4 acres. I stopped about an hour ago to get a beer refill. My usual practice is to raise the hood when I shut it down so I don't get the dreaded brown spots on the lawn. When I reached for the hood latch...you'll never guess what I found...after only 2.4 hours of mowing, the NEW HOOD DID THE SAME THING! MELTED AND WARPED!!!! I'm beside myself. I figured that the technicians at the dealership knew what they were doing, so I shouldn't have to check behind them. I may get kicked off the forum by saying this, but I'm about to take this $4000 mower back to the dealership and trade for a JD. I used to be a Ford mechanic several years ago, and you can bet that I never had any of the vehicles I worked on fall apart after a repair.

 

[micman32]

After reading your story, I am glad I have the metal hood!

 

[iquester]

Wow. Bad move. No opportunity for rust must have seemed to someone like a good idea. Wonder if it was the engineers or the bean counters?

I am happy to have a metal hood in Kansas on my nine-year old 3185!

M Gardner