6 Common Cub Cadet XT1 Problems and Solutions

A garden tractor is a piece of multipurpose equipment that you can own. It’s an all-in-one tool for mowing the lawn, ploughing or running snow. Large projects often use this giant tool. But you can have it for personal use too. A friend of mine has this Cub Cadet XT1 for their garden.

But there is always some homework for having a giant tool. You might get some problems. Don’t worry; you can solve most of these problems at home.

Here I have identified some of the most common issues you can face while using Cub Cadet XT1.

These include engine failing, engine overheating problems, mower deck stuck with grass, mower deck keeps falling off, blades do not engage, backward motion not working according to command, the engine will not crank, excessive vibration, smoking problems, etc.

I will talk in detail about all these problems so you can fix your Cub Cadet XT1 mower tractor at home.

Cub Cadet XT1 Problems And Solution At A Glance:

Problem	Solution
Bagging or discharging poorly	Sharpen the mower blade
Mower not cutting in reverse	Disengage the cutting deck before reverse move
Tractor not moving freely in neutral mode	Make sure the transmission valve in the right position
Engine is smoking	Check the oil seal is locked, and there is no leakage.
Unusual vibration	Replace any damaged blade
Engine cranks but does not start	Check the fuel level
Engine does not cranks	Check for any loose cable in the battery
Cutting the grasses unevenly	Slower your speed and replace or sharpen the old blade.
The mower is hard to move	Adjust the driving belt tension
V-belt slips off	Clear any debris in the belt area.

We already got an idea about the most common problems with Cub Cadet XT1. Let’s discuss it further to know how you can fix it. It will help you to save your time and money as you don’t have to see a mechanic in the first place.

1. Bagging Or Discharging Poorly

Sometimes, you might see that your lawn tractor is not picking up all the cut grass and leaving the clipped grass on the ground. That means your lawn tractor is failed to bag the grass properly. It happens for some reasons like lack of air movement under the mower deck, clogged blower tube, worn blades etc. You can fix this by clearing the air filter, looking for any air blockage and cleaning any debris from the lower part of the tractor.

Solution

To maintain the bagging and discharging problem, always try to make room for one-third of the full bag. Clear the bag before it’s too full. The bagging problems can be easily fixed if you identify the main reason behind this.

• Check your tractor blades to see if they are installed correctly. If not, read the manual instruction and set the blade according to the process that is shown in the manual.

• Clean the inlet tube area; if it’s clogged, it will cause a bagging problem.

• The inlet tube screens let the airflow. The inlet screen might be clogged with debris when you unload the bag. Brush the screen off to avoid this.

• Replace the bad deck belt.

• Belt-driven grass collection system tractor often has a fan to airflow equally. Sometimes, the fan gets worn. You must set up a new fan to get a better bagging service.

• If your engine is slow, it will prevent bagging the grasses. Start it at a standard speed.

2. Mower Not Cutting In Reverse

Riding mower tractors can give you a tough time. Sometimes, you can see that your tractor is not going forward or reverse. it looks like a difficult situation but don’t worry. You can fix this by yourself if you check some parts and give troubleshoot at home. All you have to do is diagnose the problem to take further steps.

Solution

three reasons can lead you to a situation where your mower tractor won’t move forward or reverse. It could be the driving belt, hydrostatic drive or bad friction plate.

• Inspect the driving belt. The belt should be tight but not too tight. Tighten the belt if it’s slack. Replace the belt if it’s old and worn out.

• Check the hydraulic drive to see if it’s disengaged; then, it prevents your mower from going forward or reverse. Engage the hydraustic drive properly. If it’s unknown to you, follow the user manual.

• Replacing the friction wheels might help you with this problem.

• Check the ignition switch or pus button if it’s set in reverse; if not, set it to reverse, and you can have a reverse cut.

3. Mower Tractor Not Moving Freely In Neutral Mode

After a ride, sometimes a tractor does not move at all or does not move naturally. In this case, the freewheel control might not be in the proper place. It sometimes happens when you remove one or two gears.

Solution

Purging the transmission might help you with this problem. The belt could be the problem also. Bend the metal tang in the middle, which will help the belt keep on the pulley.

• Find the small key that locks the wheels to the axle; you might have lost it while removing the tires.
• Try to purge the transaxle. It sounds critical, but you can do it at home by following some simple steps. Your purge transaxle will be in the normal position.

4. Smokes Coming Out From Engine

You might be confused and worried when you see your engine smoking as soon as you start the vehicle. But I can assure you that it’s common for all mower tractors. If the mower’s carburettor is not getting enough air, the gasoline ratio rises in the air mixture and causes smoke. A dirty air filter will also make the vehicle smoke.

Solution

You can spot three colours of smoke in your mower. You can know the reason behind the smoke by identifying the colour of the smoke. Gas-powered mowers have more smoke problems than usual. Most of the time, smoking does not indicate a major problem.

• If your exhaust leaks oil, it will release black, white or blue smoke. Check the oil seal cap for any leaking. If you spill some oils while changing, it will turn into a cloud of blue and white smoke, so wipe off the extra spills to avoid that.

• If you see some black smoke after a few minutes of the run, it might be an engine problem. When the mower cools down, check the air filter. Unclog the air filter if it’s clogged. Stop using too-rich oil mix to avoid this clogged air filter problem. Replace the air filter if it’s not able to filter anymore.

• A faulty carburettor will end up leaving white smoke; give a check on that.

5. Cutting the Grasses Unevenly

When you finish mowing and see that the lawn has been cut in uneven shape, this must be frustrating. This happens because the tire pressure is not good, the blades are worn out or unbalanced, the deck is clogged, or the wheels are placed in the wrong position. You can fix this easily.

Solution

• Avoid high speed. Fast mowing will give you mostly uneven cuts.

• Do not cut with a dull blade. Change or sharpen the blades to get nice and even cuts. Do not cut wet grass if you want your blades to last long.

• Check the tire inflation of all four to balance the tire pressure.

6. The engine Cranks But Does Not Start

A bad gas can lead you to the position where the riding mower engine will crank but won’t start. A clogged air filter blocks the oxygen circulation in the system and prevents the engine from starting over. A worn or bad spark plug could also be a problem in this case.

Solution

• To unclog the air filter, tap it a few times to remove all dirt and debris and wash it. If it’s still clogged, you must replace it with a new one.

• Check for loose, dirty and disconnected spark plugs, and change or tighten them if needed.

• Clear the mower deck of debris.

• Clean and refill the mower oil tank.

FAQs

Wrap Up

A lawn tractor saves your valuable time with mowing the lawn, yard or any big space. But maintaining a heavy machine is not easy. You might have a tough time using the machine if you are not a professional. Most of the time, you might not be ready to see a mechanic. Moreover, it will cost you a lot.

So, to avoid the extra hassle and a lot of money, you need to know about the problems you might get with Cub Cadet XT1 and the solutions. In this writing, I tried to briefly describe the problems and the possible solution to some common problems. I hope it will help you and save you valuable time and money.