cub cadet LT1046

by Dave Laroute
(pembroke, canada)


This tractor has lots of power to climb my One Acre of slopped lot.I have changed the drive belt after four years of hard use cutting the grass twice a week and pulling loads of dirt with a wagon behind.I change the oil and filter twice a year and keep my blades sharp.This is my first lawn tractor and i am very happy with it,but i also think they are only as good as the person looking after them.

Comments for cub cadet LT1046

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Jun 12, 2018
Rating
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Regrets
by: Regina McCoy

My yard has grass 8inch tall right now because my LTX1046 has give me problems since the day got it. I regret the day I saw it. Belt will not stay on. Had to replace pulleys already. Had to replace starter.

Apr 11, 2015
Rating
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Much better than some make it out to be
by: Anonymous

I bought my lawn tractor very used (over 500 hours) and I use the heck out of it. I mow (not mowe or moe) just shy of 2 acres with it every week and I use it to haul a small utility trailer which I surely overload; I even mow my fence lines around the entire 18 acre property and this thing just goes. I am very pleased and impressed with its ability and dependability. Even in -10F it starts right up and moves through snow surprisingly well.

I have changed the deck belt and have replaced a couple of pulleys and a spindle module, but with the hours this unit has on it, I expect that. The belt is NOT that difficult to get on or off, you do not need to remove any parts to make that happen, just use the mechanics of the tractor to rotate it onto the main drive pulley.

Today I pulled the mower deck in order to get a look at what is causing a rumble/vibration and it is the idler bracket. Its a $20 part and a 20 minute fix.

I will buy another of these, without hesitation, because I have confidence that it will give me hundreds of hours of service, and with proper maintenance, those will be largely trouble free hours.

If purchasing new, I strongly suggest purchasing from a reputable and service minded dealer. Big box stores don't give a hoot about that, they are merely after the sale. I just purchased two other Cub Cadet products and the dealer was priced within $20 of Home Depot. Good luck getting any kind of service from HD!

I don't give 5 stars to any product, because nothing is perfect.


Dec 23, 2014
Rating
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piece of junk
by: Anonymous

If you want a tractor that works don't get Cub Cadet. My dad bought the cub and the first problem is it won't start if it sits and you have to keep charging it. The battery was replaced and same problem. The mower will quit when your mowing on level ground. Cub Cadet worked on and replace part after part and we told the we wanted it replaced but the refused. After the year the finally replaced it and got a new one.

When we got the new one it wouldn't even start when we found it sitting out side because they didn't tell us the were dropping it off. It went back to the shop a few times and still never fixed. On one of those times it was in because it would be dead it it sat and we went to pick it up and they said they couldn't find a problem. When we went to start it it was dead and had to be jumped.

There are to many problems to list here but we've had it or the replacement 2 years and still haven't had one that works.

Cub Cadet was turned into consumer complaint and fraud div. of Wis. and you can read the complaints on their website for the next 3 years.

Cub Cadet did reply back and the last reply they said it was not designed for fields. Every complaint they were given they were told it was in the yard and no hint of a field was even used so they basicly are saying we don't care.

Apr 07, 2013
Rating
starstar
slow pulling cub
by: Anonymous

I have A 1046 cub that does fine as far as cutting but it has got so slow that I can use my push mower almost as fast It did this after about two years old. There is know way to check the trans fluid and it dose not have A filter on it. I have changed the belts on it when it first started doing this two times to make sure I did not have A bad belt.I have changed to A better mower now.I cant recomend CUBCADET MOWERS TO ANYONE ANY MORE.

Dec 30, 2012
Rating
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Excellent Mower
by: Denny Huyler

Mine is a 2007 and I have not replaced a drive or blade belt nor had them come off. Spindles are greased with every oil change every two months.
I mow 2.5 acres often as I like a nice looking yard and this mower does not leave any scalp marks. Mower is twin cylinder and has always run like a top.

Aug 24, 2012
Rating
star
JUNK JUNK JUNK
by: Anonymous

I bought mine 3 yrs ago, worst mistake ever made.
I have a flat yard, a little less than an acre. I mowe it twice a week and washed after every mowe.
I had to change the spindes for the 2nd time and the deck belt 3 times. Now the mower stops as I'm driving mowing or not. I don't mind spending money on proper maint. from wear and tear, but the spindles are cheaply made as the deck that's about to rust through. Seems like a money pit to me. I had a Craftsman mower for 18 yrs. and only changed the spindles on it once. and the belts twice to for preventive maint. the deck finally rusted all the way when I gave it away.

Sad, cause I had great expectations from the name
Cub Cadet. I always heard great things about this mower. Now I tell everyone to stay away. I will buy another Craftsman this next year and sell this as fast as I can. I'm not saying all of Cub Cadet products are trash but this model is CRAP.

Jun 20, 2012
Rating
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this thing is junk
by: Anonymous

heavy or not that drive belt is coming off right after you get started. Sounds like a I'm not alone in cub cadet lt1046 hell..

Apr 02, 2012
Rating
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I also own one
by: Anonymous

I bought my 1046 after owning a J D 30 in. cut to speed my bi-weekly moe job time in half. HA ! If I'd have only known. BELT PROBLEMS, BELT TENSION PULLEY BENDS DOWN and have to jam a wedge under it to keep aligned with the blade pulley. Two weeks into owning it, ANd I mow twice a week, well established yard ,no hills, just flat half an acre of centipede.Can not believe it is so bad I actually hate it . Do Not Buy ONE! And I am not one of those other dealers writing bad reviews. also if you know a cure for this problem please send to oposingz@ yahoo.com

Mar 22, 2012
Rating
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junk
by: Anonymous

just junk the deck mounts in front are cheapy made and the drive belt don't last very long. Mowing in heavy grass the mower just slips and you have to slow down in order to mow. Just cheapy made. Had trouble with it every since it was new. Next time I'm going to walmart and buy a cheap one there same thing as the Cub

Aug 17, 2011
Rating
star
Nothing but trouble
by: Heath

I have this model of cub cadet and purchased it about 6 years ago. That was the biggest mistake I've ever made. The drive belt has slipped off twice this summer and since I can't change that one myself the costs have been racking up. Also my deck belt falls off every 2nd or 3rd cut even after tightening..Stick with John Deere..We have a JD that's over 15 years old and besides the brakes giving us a problem a few years ago we've never had a sinlge issue..Live and learn I guess!

Aug 17, 2011
Rating
star
LT 1046 Belt Problems
by: Rhonda, Ohio

I have nothing good to say about my Cub Cadet. I cannot get through one cutting without the belt coming off. Biggest piece of trash I have ever owned. Good thing I do not keep y baseball bat in the same location as the mower!

Jul 03, 2011
Rating
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Lubricating
by: Anonymous

Love the mower but can't figure out where the lubricating spots are on the top of the deck. Does anyone know if you can lubricate the blades from the deck top?

Jul 12, 2010
Rating
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Great Mower
by: Anonymous

My LT1046 with a 3 blade 46" deck is great! It is now over 3 years old. Only one problem - replacing the DRIVE belt is a headache.

Apr 15, 2010
Rating
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overall good
by: Anonymous

Pros:
-Inexpensive
-Easy to work on

Cons:
-Belt falls off desk easily
-Light sockets burn out fast

I have had a Cub cadet LT1046 riding tractor for about two years now. After riding on John Deer, Craftsman, and a few other commercial mowers, this seems to stand up to the task. I purchased the mower with 15 hours on it and it now has 260.

I have not had any issues with the hydrostatic transmission, or the drive belt. The deck drive belt is another story, due to the fact that I need to tighten the pulley every 10 hours or so. The mower cuts evenly and has a smooth ride. The deck has quick release mounts so when I sharpen the blades, it is a easy process.

This mower has a 23.5 horse Kohler Command motor that I have never had an issue with, of course I keep up on normal maintenance. The oil drain spout is close to the frame rail, giving me the need to get a longer drain tube. Back to the engine, it has enough power to keep me mulching through some pretty high grass.

There have only been a few rare occasions where the engine has shut off from the deck clogging and that was 3-4 foot high grass. The tires and tie rods are pretty durable if you tend to bump into things often. I opted for the bagger option on the back of this unit that works pretty well when the grass is dry and not too long. It was easy to install and simple to take the bags off to empty. It had a few mounts that snap in on the back and a tube that connects to the discharge on the deck.

The deck has a deck wash feature installed that I have used a few times. There is a connection that you hook up to any hose nozzle and then connect to the deck. There cannot be too much dried on grass under the deck otherwise it will not work. Overall this mower has pleased me in my time using it. I now might be looking for a large Cub Cadet.

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