Manufacturer Instructions

[Plati]

OK. This is about a Cub Cadet rider. Sorry, it's related though. Sue me.
This is about manufacturer instructions and how they might be wacko.
There is a lot of discussion about this on here (fluid changes, etc.)

I needed to sharpen the blades on my (sorta new) Cub Cadet XT1 so I googled it to see what tips I could find. The first thing I found was an instruction from Cub Cadet telling me my blades should be REPLACED EVERY YEAR. Not sharpened, replaced. If that isn't stupid I don't know what is. Must have been mandated by the sales department. Then I find a video telling me to completely remove the deck to change the blades. F that, put the front up on blocks and reach underneath. Again - stupid IMHO. Must have been mandated by lawyers. Also ... you need to buy this special tool to hold the blade in place while loosening/tightening. I have a special 2x4 segment I use for that. Seems to work pretty well. Ha!

While I'm totally off topic. The spindles have no grease fittings? WTF are you kidding?
Again, someone in parts sales mandated that to sell spindles? They already sound bad.

 

[riphip]

Yep. Sell more parts like that. Do not wash the deck after mowing, use blower to clean off. Bearings are not sealed as well as they were long ago. High end mowers (Gravely, etc) do not have grease fittings either. Check bolts and nuts also. Sometimes not tight from factory...can get them in the shipping crate faster.

 

[Trainmaster]

We old timers are seeing a different world indeed. I used to shop for and do repairs for things that would last me 30 years. I don't think I need that anymore.

 

[Plati]

BY the way, there was like ZERO grease in front wheels and steering spindles. I found out because it made a howl while driving. New with no grease. Bought it from a Dealer too, not HD. Changed the oil and it was BLACK @ 32 hours. That makes me feel good about the Kohler engine. Rant over.

 

[VoxVeritatis]

Wouldn't know about Cub Cadet, except my father-in-law and son have had made same/similar observations regarding theirs.

Myself? I'm still mowing with my original owner, 1999 46" WMT Murray with the 17.5hp Briggs & Stratton engine. It went into service a few years prior to my original owner 2002 5.4L Eddie Bauer.

 

[rjdelp7]

Sharping blades wrong can cause an 'out of balance' vibration. There is a guy in my area that professionally sharpens and balances for $6/blade, from his home garage. He generally won't do a blade more than one or two times.

 

[Plati]

Sharping blades wrong can cause an 'out of balance' vibration. There is a guy in my area that professionally sharpens and balances for $6/blade, from his home garage. He generally won't do a blade more than one or two times.

you can balance them easily as i'm sure you know
but you're right .. should balance as part of process every few years
(take a little more off the heavier side)
just like an airplane propeller needs balancing
even though I never have and never had a problem
i try to take off an equal amount from both sides

 

[Aspen03]

My father had a cub cadet that is a horrible pos. It's maybe 6 or 7 years old. He replaced 2 of 3 spindles a couple years in, that deck rusted out this year and I drove to Columbus Ohio to buy the only deck available within about a 900mi radius along w new spindles. It eats belts, doesnt cut very well compared to his old craftsman, and in general is a pita maintenance wise. I'd never buy one after what hes gone through. He has a good $5k into a 52inch rider between purchase price and all the repairs its needed.

My gas push mower is an MTD with a 5hp Briggs. I gave up on it years ago hoping it would die. I put gas and oil in and have my neighbor sharpen the blades each year. He is a fabricator and knows his way around a piece of steel. Has some fancy balancer too as he also does lawn care as a side gig is quite serious about it. It won't quit. Smokes on startup, burns oil, fires up 1 pull each and every time, even after sitting over winter. I'm convinced its the one thing I own that will outlive me.

I got lazy and bought a new electric push mower that's self propelled and will never look back. It cuts so much better, requires almost no effort to mow and is so quiet I can mow whenever I want as it wont wake the baby or disturb neighbors even at 9PM. I'll keep the gas one around if it happens to get outlandishly tall or it's very wet. It's nice being able to mow after work and not waste days off messing w the yard.

 

[riphip]

I have sharpened & balanced my blades for years on different mowers. Grinder w/80 grit wheel or pad & any straight shaft that will fit through the blade mounting hole.
The newer riding mower decks are made of thinner stamped metal. If you look at the bearing towers when the belt engages, the towers will tilt at a slight angle due to the stress from the torque of the belts.
If I can, when I can, I use a needle greaser to get under the seal of any bearings with some good anti-friction tube grease since most new bearings do not come with much as they used to in the OLD days.