[ChuckT]

CC GSX XT3 with 54" Fab'd Deck, Purchased in January 2019. (Currently less than 50 hrs on clock). Bad Dead-Man Switch?

Ran ours for maybe an hour today to mulch the leaves and spread one compost pile on the ponys' main pasturage. Wifie was driving and the deck kept cutting out. Only the deck, not the engine.

We _think_ the problem is the seat "deadman" switch (?). Everytime the CC would lurch, going over a clod, an Armadillo dig or a rut, the deck circuit would cut off and she'd have to toggle the PTO switch off and then on. I flipped the seat up and found the switch somewhat loose. I was able to tap the switch into the seat under-mount a bit and that seemed to help. But we also noticed that the electric deck positioning mechanism was ... flakey.
The dealer will pick it up for service Thursday. I'll post what transpires.

>> She may not have enough weight to keep the switch tripped. My MIL couldn't keep my old Wheelhorse running. Part of the reason they gave it to me.
On my XT3 a slight unload of weight from the seat kicks the deck out before it kills the engine. Happens to me on my bumpy yard all the time.

>>It's actually working as designed. My bumpy land unloads my azz from the seat, deck kicks out first. If I stayed off the seat the engine would die. I'm OK with that. Makes me slow down a bit in the rough stuff.

 

[ChuckT]

The dealer, when he came by, said he'd seen this before and had a solution. More as it happens

 

[Steve Urquell]

If running over bumps is supposed to turn the deck drive off maybe this should be a seperate thread?
I tried to start a new thread with cut and paste but could not make it work.

Chuck, on page 14 of the operator's manual it says "The electric PTO (blade engage) will automatically shut off if the operator leaves the tractor's seat with the PTO knob in the ON position regardless of whether the parking brake is engaged."

So, for me, when I hit a bump that bounces me off the seat (even for a second) the blades kick out. It's to keep you from getting chopped up by the blades if you roll the tractor. I just turn off the PTO and back on again and keep going.

Just depends on how easy it's kicking out. Good to have the dealer look at it.

 

[Mudyapster]

My PTO has shut off on me also when I've hit a bump big enough to raise my butt off the seat. It is a good safety to have.

 

[ChuckT]

Chuck, on page 14 of the operator's manual it says "The electric PTO (blade engage) will automatically shut off if the operator leaves the tractor's seat with the PTO knob in the ON position regardless of whether the parking brake is engaged."



So, for me, when I hit a bump that bounces me off the seat (even for a second) the blades kick out. It's to keep you from getting chopped up by the blades if you roll the tractor. I just turn off the PTO and back on again and keep going.



Just depends on how easy it's kicking out. Good to have the dealer look at it.

Hmm, "RTFM", guess I missed that.

 

[Steve Urquell]

Hmm, "RTFM", guess I missed that.

No worries. I never tell someone that or to "search the forum n00b!"

It's a forum. A place to share ideas and help out folks who need it. If I can't help I don't post. :thThumbsU

 

[Mudyapster]

My biggest issue is ice chest placement. That drive shaft hump down the center makes it difficult.

 

[Steve Urquell]

My biggest issue is ice chest placement. That drive shaft hump down the center makes it difficult.

Couple wood blocks screwed or velcro'ed to the cooler bottom? One for each side of the hump. Or a little wood platform for the cooler to sit on.

 

[Mudyapster]

My biggest issue is ice chest placement. That drive shaft hump down the center makes it difficult.

Couple wood blocks screwed or velcro'ed to the cooler bottom? One for each side of the hump. Or a little wood platform for the cooler to sit on.

Hey Randy that's the same idea I came up with. LOL

 

[Steve Urquell]

Hey Randy that's the same idea I came up with. LOL

You know what they say Don, great minds...

 

[rudedawg]

Aw heck just fab a canopy, attach a plastic crate on it then place ice chest and other work related paraphernalia in it- problem solved...:thThumbsU:sidelaugh

 

[ChuckT]

My biggest issue is ice chest placement. That drive shaft hump down the center makes it difficult.

Love it!

 

[ChuckT]

Chat session with Cub Cadet from the website was disappointing. The rep on the other end was volunteering zip. Just - take it to your local dealer. Well been there, done that. I was hoping for an acknowledgement of similar instances with other CCs or XT3s. Foolish thinking on my part. Good customer service would have been overnight shipment of replacement parts to me or the dealer. No joy there.

 

[ChuckT]

After mulling this over for a few days and scratching my posterior a while I'm coming to the conclusion that I was looking at the wrong component. The seat switch it working as designed - operator off the drat with the deck engaged, deck shuts down. A safety feature and not be be messed with. Also voids the warranty.
Here's the situation (and this happens to me) going over an exposed root or an abrupt rut the seat springs compress and when _they_ release the operator (me, and I weigh in at 210 approximately) and the seat together are propelled upward and _THIS_ causes the seat switch to shut down the deck. My conclusion is that the seat springs need to be "cushier" (technical term). So I have measured the spring: 2.4" tall, 1.3" diameter, and 6 coils of 0.175" wire.
Maybe the design assumed an operator would weigh in the 250# range? And Wifie is 150 ish soaking wet.
Now, can I find "softer" springs ... ?

 

[Flaken]

I had somewhat of the opposite problem with my GT2544 where the springs would bottom out on just about every bump. Instead of that cushy (another related tech term) ride for my large fat posterior, it would be a hard jolt. What I did to solve it was place another spring inside the original spring that was an inch longer. After doing that, the combined springs gave a smoother ride.

 

[ShotgunWedding]

On my GTX2100 which is the XT3 precursor, the seat switch is overly sensitive, seriously overly sensitive. That is it's only problem.

 

[ChuckT]

Flake do you have any dimensions for your seat springs? Maybe they would be a direct swap size wise?

 

[Flaken]

Flake? Is that something akin to Chuckie?:tango_face_wink:

No, I do not as that tractor is history. The problem I ran into with was the bottom of the spring itself as it is formed into a small spiral to encircle the bolt and they are a bit difficult to find. I just took the inside diameter of the original spring and found a longer one to fit inside. Those are much easier to find.

 

[ChuckT]

Thanks, researching spring sizing.

 

[Mudyapster]

Why not just cut about 1/2 of one revolution of the spring off. That would make it a little weaker spring. If that isn't weak enough cut off a little more of the spring. Sounds easy enough to me to weaken a spring.