[markm3]

Have been racking my brain over the last few weeks about this. Originally liked the Deere better, but after looking closer at the Cub, I started leaning more toward it. The Cub looks to have some better components. A few plastic idler pulleys can be seen under the D105, plus Deere could have done a nicer job making the wiring neater.

Slightly fearful of the Kohler Courage, but tempted by it's slighty higher torque rating. Would it even be noticable in mowing performance ? Think the Intek of the Deere is the better choice ?

Control layout of the D105 is better in my opinion. Figure I've spent years reaching to my right for a shifter, so the Cub would have a learning curve. Seem able to get on and off the D105 better. Cub seat feels a bit nicer and the cloth like material might beat out the Deere during scalding hot days.

Plastic housing transaxle of the D105 doesn't have much of an appeal, nor does the plastic hood hinge setup. Noticed the higher end Deeres have a hinge closer to the Cub's design and also the same brand of tires. (Kenda on the D series, Carlisle on Cub and Deere X's)

Like the fuel tank under seat on the D105, figure it gives more weight over rear axle and a lower center of gravity. Wish it was mounted to something and not just flopping around.

The few posts about the LTX1040 in the Cub forum seem set against the CVT setup, advise is usually to spend the extra for the Hydro. Postings about the D105 do not seem against the CVT setup, even though from what I can tell it's is a new setup as far as components used.

Spindles and deck pulleys look better on the D105 (but looks can decieve) also I can see the grease zerks. Know the Cub has them but have not been able to actually see them. Only 2 anti scalp wheels on the Deere compared to 4 on the Cub. Read that on a 42in deck it's not an issue.

Does either mower actually mow better ? Cub brags on the "aerospace engineer designed deck" Either one less likely to clog or leave an unmowed strip due to blade offset ?

Cub deck seems to "float" easier using hands to lift it. Deere deck seems to resist upper movement. Is it just heavier ? What's better, deck that floats up easier or one that stays planted on the ground more ?

Paint under the Deere deck looks thin, the deck of the X series looked much better. Fear is that Deere is building the D series more to a price point than MTD is with the Cub.


Like the warranty of the Deere better. Cub has that (for them) convienent clause about "normal wear parts". Not that they would, but I can imagine the "well every part wears out" line when something goes wrong. Deere is supposed to be checked out buy a local dealer (have to buy at HD due to credit) but who knows how well checked they are. Lots of Cub buyers seem to have to tweak deck leveling etc once at home.

So, is either one going to be more durable.
Either one going to have fewer problems intially ?
Better cut from ?
Or is it all a wash and I may as well decide if I like Yellow and White vs Green and Yellow. :dunno:

Thanks for suffering through my long winded post. :fing32:

Oh, the SO likes the Deere better. She of course is going by looks.

(noticed in youtube vids that Cubs go "Mmmmmmmmmm" while the Deere has a "Rawrrrrrrrrr" sound with the PTO engaged) :ROF

 

[JohnnyReb]

Horror stories about the Kohler Courage single cylinder engines are all over the web. Never owned one myself but I had a cub with a 24hp twin that ran great. Plastic cam gears in the engine seem to be the main gripe and cause of pre mature failures. HOWEVER the complaints online are a small Margian of the thousands that are probably running just fine. Remember most people womt write reviews on them unless its a complaint. For a cheap lawn tractor to cut grass with I wouldn't put much worry into it. Keep them clean and keep the maintanence up and you will be fine. I liked the Kohler over the Briggs myself...just seemed meaner and more powerful. I wouldn't be scared of either though. BUT....there's a better choice than both of those if you want to spend a little more. Cub offers a Kawasaki engine when you get up to a LTX1046 or so. I would definitely go Kawasaki if given a choice

Personally I like the Cub better in this category as far as the tractor itself. Cheaper and there really isn't alot of difference other than green paint. The JD isn't the quality of John Deere you buy at the dealer. They are both of the same caliber IMO....being that they are both a budget entry level riding mower. Pick the one that's the most comfortable and feels " right". Other than this the only real difference is engine choices. Single cylinder I say to Briggs. Twin cylinder I say Kohler. Kawasaki over both



Speaking of tweaking cubs at home and deck leveling.....that's because box stores don't really set them up. That goes for the JD as well. When you buy from a dealer they do all these things for you. When I bought a cub from HD they didn't even grease it and the tire pressure was twice what it was supposed to be.

Cut quality...my cub cut great! It was a 50 inch deck though. Never used a 2 blade smaller one but I'm sure it cuts just fine. My deck didn't have any grease seeks though. Sealed bearings.

And of course the JD is made to a price point. They are made to compete with MTD and other box store tractors. Nothing wrong with that. Sounds like you are aware of it so you know what your buying.

My complaint with the JD D series was the seat felt like it was too high. Felt like I was sitting on a bar stool way up over the hood. The cub sat lower and more even with the hood. I was just more comfortable on the cub.

Ultimately I sold the Cub and bought a X340 John Deere and haven't looked back

 

[davidg]

i moved your thread here since it is asking to help chose between 2 different manufacturers. This way more folks can see it and give opinions for either side.

 

[OldBuzzard]

In the last couple of years, MTD decided that they wanted to go head to head with the low end Deere mowers, and they chose the Cub Cadet as the 'brand' to do it with.

Although it will cause a lot of gnashing of teeth by the Deere fanatics, they have succeeded, and the 1000 series CCs are every bit as good as, and in some cases better than the low end Deere. Especially when you factor in price/performance.

That said, I'd advise against the LTX1040, and recommend the LTX1042 KW for two reasons.

First, while it is a bit higher in price than the 1040, you get a 2-cyl Kawasaki engine instead of the much maligned Kohler Courage in the 1040.

Second, it's only available from a dealer, and you will have people that know how to properly assemble, setup, and adjust the mower deck for proper cutting, as opposed to some bozo at a box store that just slaps it all together and has no clue that there are adjustments to be made.

I'm not saying that Deere makes bad mowers, but the Cub Cadets have them beat in the under $2,000.00 range.

 

[Chris223]

In the last couple of years, MTD decided that they wanted to go head to head with the low end Deere mowers, and they chose the Cub Cadet as the 'brand' to do it with.

Although it will cause a lot of gnashing of teeth by the Deere fanatics, they have succeeded, and the 1000 series CCs are every bit as good as, and in some cases better than the low end Deere. Especially when you factor in price/performance.

That said, I'd advise against the LTX1040, and recommend the LTX1042 KW for two reasons.

First, while it is a bit higher in price than the 1040, you get a 2-cyl Kawasaki engine instead of the much maligned Kohler Courage in the 1040.

Second, it's only available from a dealer, and you will have people that know how to properly assemble, setup, and adjust the mower deck for proper cutting, as opposed to some bozo at a box store that just slaps it all together and has no clue that there are adjustments to be made.

I'm not saying that Deere makes bad mowers, but the Cub Cadets have them beat in the under $2,000.00 range.

Not that some box stores don't have their fair share of those - but it's not ALWAYS the case. We have an excellent assembler at my store who knows everything there is to know about assembling the things we sell. He is also well aware of the adjustments needing to be made, and when he has the time to, he will do that. Check the tire pressure and deck level. He is far from "some bozo".

BTW - I've also read many threads on here since I joined of people buying all-mighty Select Series John Deere's and getting them delivered not even CLOSE to set up properly. There are bad dealers too.

If you have no choice but to buy at Home Depot - then come apply for a credit card and buy from the blue box because that means job security for me! lol. But in all seriousness, I would probably flip a coin. Both are good mowers, I do like Briggs anything over Kohler Courage though. Not sure where you like the Deere warranty better though... doesn't the Cub have a 3 year vs a 2 year and they are ALL "manufacturer defect".

 

[Displaced Hokie]

Cub has had a horrible repair history for the past 10-years per Consumer Reports. Usually double what JD has, and that includes the 100-Series.

The D105 is a fine tractor. The Cub is OK. Cub putting the fuel tank in the front versus the rear is a blatant cost saving move despite the performance and safety advantages of having it mounted low, across the axle, and away from the engine.




Sent from the MTF Free App

 

[OldBuzzard]

Cub has had a horrible repair history for the past 10-years per Consumer Reports. ...

We are not talking about 10 years, I'm talking about 2-3 years.

I have a 2010 LTX1045 with the Courage engine. The Kowasaki wasn't option in 2010 or I would have gotten it.

I did a lot of research and read a lot of reviews from a number of sources on the CCs before buying. One thing that stood out was that virtually every bad review was given by people that bought at the box stores while almost every glowing review came form folks that their's at a dealer. Most of the gripes were about throwing belts, uneven cuts, etc. Things that all pointed to shoddy assembly/setup.

Don't just take my word for it, do a Google search for Cub Cadet Reviews and pay attention the the age of the mower and to where the person purchased it. You will see what I saw.

There may be SOME box stores that have someone that knoes what they are doing but they are definately in the minority.

 

[oefveteran]

The Deere D series, even when sold through a box store, are assembled by a dealer tech.

 

[JSB33]

Earlier this year I faced the same decision/dilemma on what tractor to choose. My 2 finalists were the D130 and the LTX 1042KW. After countless hours on the web, multiple visits to dealers and taking to as many people as I could I went with the Cub.
No small reason was the engine. I was very drawn to the Kawasaki. The Cub dealer is a strong one which helped and most importantly, I just found the Cub more to my liking.
The combination of the engine, the chassis, the layout of where things are, the comfort of the machine and the dealer were all factors that made it an easy choice for me.

Both are good machines when used as intended, it comes down to buy what you like.

Edit
I forgot to address the quality of cut. I am getting the best cut I have ever had. My D105 owning neighbor across the street came over to tell me how nice my lawn was looking with the new tractor. It made me smile.

 

[markm3]

I appreciate all the replies. I ended up going with the Deere, before anyone really had a chance to give their opinion. It came down to the wire.I had to get a friend with a trailer to help who was only available for a short period. I would have liked to purchased from a dealer, but that was out of the question due to lack of credit. I was still second guessing at the store, but people already think I'm looney for all the worrying and research just to buy a mower. Well, I like knowing my purchase is going to be satisfactory for many years. Especially when I will be using it for years later (hopefully).

I'm reasonably content with the Deere so far, but far from thrilled. The RIO switch drives me crazy. If I had known it had to be used "everytime" I would have leaned even more to the Cub. Yes, I know it can be bypassed and it will be. The cruise on the Cub would also be nice as the "go" pedal is a bit stiff to keep pressed down.

I have no doubt the plastic hinged hood is going to break. You can practically see it bending under the weight of the hood, VERY much so if you raise it after mowing and the heat from the exhaust has made it soft.

Starts good, have had a few backfires after cutting off ignition. Seems that's common ? Louder than I expected. Not so much the exhaust note itself, but more of your hearing how thin the muffler is made.

Some of the grass isn't cut clean at the top. No idea what kind of grass is in yard. There are some sections that were re-seeded with a totally different grass. It's a real wide flat blade, which grows much faster than the rest.

That's what it seems unable to cut, it leaves it ragged on top. Have never really cared before, but before was with a 300.00 Gov't surplus mower.

It's built less than an hour away, in this old abandoned Murray plant, with John Deere signs just to fool you : )

 

[oefveteran]

Cut the engine at full throttle. Doesn't make sense, I know- but trust me.

 

[matt167]

The Rio I don't find an issue. My neighbor has had me mow her lawn for her a couple times with her L115, and holding the button for a second does not bother me, but the L115 is a Hydro.

I know the D105 has a vari drive setup and that would get old with the Rio. What they really should do with it is have a pawl that disengages a lever on the PTO lever when the shifter is put into reverse, but use a second latch so it won't shut off the mower until the clutch is released and 'bumped'. That would allow holding the PTO lever in place while reversing as a mechanical RIO.. Disabling the safety's isn't an allowed discussion on these forums, not even to verify an issue.

As for the ragged grass, you may have to decrease your ground speed.

 

[JohnnyReb]

Cut the engine at full throttle. Doesn't make sense, I know- but trust me.

It doesn't make sense and it is wrong...

Air cooled engines cannot cool if they are not running. If your running a engine at wide open throttle and just turn it off guess what happens....it gets hotter. There is no longer any air flow from the fan to cool it.

Want to stop the backfires? When your done mowing and want to turn the engine off let it run just above an idle for 1-3 minuets before shutting down. This lets the engine cool after a hard run by running the fan at a speed that distributes cool air over the engine while its not under a load. Lowering the engine to normal temperature before shutting it off will prevent damage and stop backfiring...,and ultimately prolong the life of the engine.

The horror stories about Kohler courage and other box store brands having engine failures are most likely results of poor owners IMO. Simple things such as letting a engine cool can greatly affect the life expectancy.

 

[Displaced Hokie]

Shut downstream 1/4 throttle to prevent backfire. At idle, the fuel shutoff solenoid doesn't affect the idle circuit.

Remember that you can release the RIO button once moving in reverse.


Sent from the MTF Free App

 

[Chris223]

We are not talking about 10 years, I'm talking about 2-3 years.

I have a 2010 LTX1045 with the Courage engine. The Kowasaki wasn't option in 2010 or I would have gotten it.

I did a lot of research and read a lot of reviews from a number of sources on the CCs before buying. One thing that stood out was that virtually every bad review was given by people that bought at the box stores while almost every glowing review came form folks that their's at a dealer. Most of the gripes were about throwing belts, uneven cuts, etc. Things that all pointed to shoddy assembly/setup.

Don't just take my word for it, do a Google search for Cub Cadet Reviews and pay attention the the age of the mower and to where the person purchased it. You will see what I saw.

There may be SOME box stores that have someone that knoes what they are doing but they are definately in the minority.

There's hardly anything to assemble on these out of the crate. throwing belts to me doesn't say anything about a box store not being able to properly assemble a tractor and I would be willing to bet my John Deere dealer had no belt adjusting during set up of my X500... similar to my friend who bought a Cub 1046KW at a dealer a couple years ago. In fact the only mower my assembler has to do anything "major" on would be the 54" cut mowers we sell, those he has to put the deck on.

Reviews have become near useless online - because so few people are informed about what in the world they are buying and how to use it. Even dealers sell stuff to people who don't have a clue.

-Congrats on your purchase, and don't worry so much about the hood. I have been selling these things for 7 years and not once had someone complain about the hood hinge breaking, the design hasn't changed either.

 

[Jim_WV]

mark, congrats on your new ride, some other members here have bought the D105 as well, including myself. You can read reviews here http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?p=2918721#post2918721 .

You'll notice on page 26 of the operator manual about "stopping the engine" it says and I quote :

1. Let engine run at high throttle without load for a few seconds.

2. Turn key to STOP position. Engine will stop and headlights will turn off.
(why they mention the headlights will turn off I don't know, they don't come on unless you switch them on :dunno: ).

It defintley goes against what I have done in the past, even with my old L120, which is to idle down and turn the engine off, but I have to say I've tried this as the manual said to do the last two times and no backfire.

Another thing is the RIO as mentioned already. As long as you just press the button before putting it into Reverse, there is no problem, works just fine, you don't have to hold the button down either.

Best wishes in enjoying your new ride :fing32:.

 

[wizzo]

Enjoy your new Deere!

 

[oefveteran]

It doesn't make sense and it is wrong...

Feel free to argue with the D series owners manual. :thThumbsU

 

[Displaced Hokie]

Back in the old days, if you shut down at high speed the engine would continue to suck in raw gas and would wash down the cylinders, causing wear.

Modern era engines with fuel shutoff solenoids are different. When you turn off the key, a plunger stops flow to the main jets. No wash down, no backfire, no damage.

BUT!!!! The fuel shutoff does not control the idle jet circuit. So if at idle, fuel may still he pulled into the engine after shutdown. Mainly causing . Technically, today it is actually WORSE to shut down at idle!


Sent from the MTF Free App

 

[Umaxman]

The Deere D series, even when sold through a box store, are assembled by a dealer tech.

:ditto: