[gcbailey]

Hi all!!

Just found this great site, really good info. Just got myself a brand spankin new GT 2544, upgraded from a LT1045. Night and day difference. Anyway, I was mowing my neighbors yard, an older widow lady, she has some rough ground and I hear a loud pop. After mowing I find I can't lift the hood. Two of the screws bolting the hood to the air shocks or whatever they are to lift the hood is sheared. I called my dealer and he was more than helpful, had me bring it right in. This was at 4:45 and they close at 5:00. I live 20 minutes away. Long story short, it's going to take about a week for a new hood. Has anyone else heard of this. I have mowed this yard for the past two years with my LT 1045 and never had an issue, just a freak thing? My dealer's only conclusion was the screws were torqued too tight and popped...

Other than that, I could give some good stuff about the first 5 hours put on this thing. I did a lot of homework and so far I'm very happy. I live in WV and you know there isn't any level land so mowing on hills, wow! Now I just need to get some weight to hold me down.

 

[CCinCT]

If you do a search here about 2500 hoods you'll see that it's been a problem since the new hood design came out in 2006. Actually it's been a couple problems: first was a latch that would fail, then came the problem with the strut fasteners being fastened too tight. Latch problem was fixed sometime in late '06. Overtightened struts seems to rear its ugly head once in a while.

 

[Renster of N.H.]

gc,

I bought a 2542 this spring and have almost 10 hours on her. Getting ready to do the 1st recommended pm's. While researching my choice on this site before purchasing I read a number of posts complaining of hood issues such as yours. I checked ALL nuts, bolts, and screws after mine arrived, including the hood. This is something I would do with any major equipment purchase. I even made a few adjustments that weren't quite where they should have been. So far, I have had NONE of the issues that some others have complained about. But your hood incident apparently is not the only one I've read about. I do keep an eye on my hood hardware particularly because of these complaints. But, as I said, so far so good. Everything stays tight under there.

Renster

 

[dirtsaver]

We had a few at the dealership that were mis-aligned the first couple of years but no other problems. Then this month we've had four that broke at the mounting screws. One of them showed signs of abuse(running into tree or building or other solid object)the other three are obviously well cared for and the yards are very smooth with no bumps,ruts or other traps to cause the hoods to bounce or slam around.

One thing I've noticed,and it may not be connected at all,is these all broke once we started having 90* plus temps.

Cub had to backorder the hoods so I guess the problem is fairly common.

 

[gcbailey]

Never thought about the weather, we have had a really mild, wet spring. This first week of summer has been in the upper 80's. I try to take extreme care of my mower, especially for the money. My wife gets made because I baby my mowers more than my truck. I guess what was broke on mine would be the acutal mounting screws. The screws are still attached, the plastic literally snapped from under the hood, nothing looked out of the obvious from the outside. Like I said, she has some rough spots, backhoe ruts, but I go parallel and very slow. I hope this doesn't continue if that is the case.

My dealer did warn me about making sure the hood was closed right, he said that he has had 4 people shut the hood mis-aligned and the front plastic melted from the exhaust.

We had a few at the dealership that were mis-aligned the first couple of years but no other problems. Then this month we've had four that broke at the mounting screws. One of them showed signs of abuse(running into tree or building or other solid object)the other three are obviously well cared for and the yards are very smooth with no bumps,ruts or other traps to cause the hoods to bounce or slam around.

One thing I've noticed,and it may not be connected at all,is these all broke once we started having 90* plus temps.

Cub had to backorder the hoods so I guess the problem is fairly common.

 

[pfreiburger]

Over the winter I wired in a switch for the headlamps on my GT2550 and to do a neat job I removed the hood to work on the wiring harness. When taking the hood off I noticed that 2 for the 4 bolts were not fully tightened. I wonder if that could have been the source of your problem.

BTW, I replaced the bolts with studs & nylock nuts. MUCH easier to reinstall the hood. No problems with fasteners becoming loose thus far.

 

[Toolin]

My dealer did warn me about making sure the hood was closed right, he said that he has had 4 people shut the hood mis-aligned and the front plastic melted from the exhaust.

There's a nice design for you.. don't close the hood perfectly every time and it melts on you. :00000060:

Sounds like something worthy of a recall.

 

[moe1942]

My 2542 is a year old and no issues at all. I'd say my heat is higher than most 100+ for over a week and more to come. High 90's this time of year is the norm. Don't think heat is causing the problem. My dealer has only seen one failure.

In addition to making sure the attach hardware is tight, don't let the hood slam up on its own. Hold on to it til it comes to a stop.

 

[gcbailey]

I don't think there is a way to slam the hood with those closures, unless you really tried.

I talked to my dealer this morning, according to him the hood was changed from a year or two ago to help prevent the melting. Maybe when they went to the darker gray front piece, I don't know. I know the hood is totally different on the LT1045, not the automotive style. It would be nice to see a metal hood, but a plastic hood is on about every lawn and garden tractor there is anymore.

My 2542 is a year old and no issues at all. I'd say my heat is higher than most 100+ for over a week and more to come. High 90's this time of year is the norm. Don't think heat is causing the problem. My dealer has only seen one failure.

In addition to making sure the attach hardware is tight, don't let the hood slam up on its own. Hold on to it til it comes to a stop.

 

[pfreiburger]

My hood has been fine, except for the dumbass operator that left the hood unlatched while blowing snow last winter (I trimmed the melted plastic and no one is the wiser).

There is some major heat going on though. The Cub decal on the left side of the hood has a ripple in it where it actually stands about 1/8" off the hood. But after and hour or so of mowing, the ripple goes away, decal tight & smooth. I may investigate a supplemental cooling fan of some sort.

 

[Kbeitz]

Remember the good old days when you could push a car with the hood of your tractor with out damage ???

 

[gcbailey]

Remember the good old days when you could push a car with the hood of your tractor with out damage ???

If I was any good at sheet metal I would attempt a factory like 14/16 gauge replica hood to replace that one. Does anyone know if the 3000 series is plastic? I just wonder how much you have to pay to get that now days...

 

[moe1942]

My 2542 is a year old and no issues at all. I'd say my heat is higher than most 100+ for over a week and more to come. High 90's this time of year is the norm. Don't think heat is causing the problem. My dealer has only seen one failure.

In addition to making sure the attach hardware is tight, don't let the hood slam up on its own. Hold on to it til it comes to a stop.

Please read the last two sentences. I said slam up, not down. Assist it to the full open position so you don't stress the attach points.

 

[moe1942]

I live in a very hot clime and don't haver the heat issues others do. I did wrap my muffler and exhaust pipes with exhaust wrap since it was left over from another job. Reduced the heat quite a bit.

 

[gcbailey]

Please read the last two sentences. I said slam up, not down. Assist it to the full open position so you don't stress the attach points.

I had that pointed out to me before I even purchased the tractor. I stated earlier my dealer has had a few of these issues. Are the hoods put on at the dealership or shipped intact?

 

[moe1942]

I had that pointed out to me before I even purchased the tractor. I stated earlier my dealer has had a few of these issues. Are the hoods put on at the dealership or shipped intact?

Not sure. The gas struts are supposed to prevent the hood from slamming up but I'm not going to trust it. My 2542 has almost 40 hours with zero issues. Hope y'all don't jinx me...raying:

 

[gcbailey]

I just hope mine it's a sign. I've had 0 issues with my 1045, just did the 100 hour service. I know it's sad, but I'm really missing my 2544, I just had gotten to cut 4 yards, but no hauling anything to see how that does yet.

 

[jay25rs]

gcbailey,

First of all, congratulations on the new tractor! I do have a questions for you... if you open your hood, are you able to see the PTO pulley? or is it shrouded with sheet metal from the heat shield around the muffler?

 

[gcbailey]

Mine is shrouded, it really surprised me when I first saw the hood opened seeing that massive heat shield.

 

[JMoe]

I had that pointed out to me before I even purchased the tractor. I stated earlier my dealer has had a few of these issues. Are the hoods put on at the dealership or shipped intact?

Sorry to hear you got bit by this. I've read of many hood related issues since the plastic hood roll-out in 2006. You can bet there are also many that never get posted. I wish their was a catch-all cure aside from home-made hood mods. There's no way owners should have to go through the steps they do over something as ridiculous as a hood. It's impossible to get a good mix of everything in a GT these days. I could dance a Jig on the hood of my little Case 220, but it's about as comfortable as a cinder block to mow with/operate in comparison to a 2500 series Cub.

Joel