# Just Bought a New 2x 28" HP Cub Cadet



## RickDangerous (Mar 27, 2017)

What do I need to know? Anything? Do these have a pretty good rep or?

I was wondering a few things:

-How many HP do these 277cc engines have. The salesman said "about 10" but I feel like it's probably more like 5-8?

-Where does MTD (who I was told is subcontracted to make these for cub cadet) make them? USA? Mexico? China?

Thanks in advance! I previously had a snapper 5/22, but the recent cold snap killed it so I went out and grabbed this after a little research to match my Cub Cadet Zero turn lawn tractor


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

its about an 8.5hp. imo all mtd stuff is junk i would have gone with an ariens or toro powermax


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## RickDangerous (Mar 27, 2017)

43128 said:


> its about an 8.5hp. imo all mtd stuff is junk i would have gone with an ariens or toro powermax


I checked out the MTD site...It seems like the actual MTD models are more entry level than some of the companies they make them for...interesting.

Anyone know where they are manufactured?


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

MTD has a factory in the Cleveland, OH area. But, they probably import a lot of stuff from China. I think all snow blower engines are now made in China except for maybe certain Hondas that are actually made in NC.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Its not correct that MTD is "subcontracted to make these for cub cadet". MTD owns the Cub Cadet brand outright, and has since 1981. Cub Cadet is wholly owned by MTD, its one of many brands in the MTD family.

Its also not correct that Cub Cadet snowbowers are "junk". Not literally. They can be fine if well cared for. From a quality standpoint, they are not as good as Honda, Ariens or Toro however, and MTD's will likely have a shorter life and break down more often, but they can be fine. They are the Hyundai of snowblowers.  you didnt necessarily make a terrible mistake, but if you had asked here before buying it, everyone would have said dont buy it, get an Ariens or Toro instead..simply because, you can do better...but thousands of people have MTD's, and they get the job done, just with stastistically lower reliability and lower quality overall. But they still work. 

Cub Cadet snowblower body made in the USA, engine made in China.

Scot


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## jonnied12 (Jan 14, 2017)

43128 said:


> its about an 8.5hp. imo all mtd stuff is junk i would have gone with an ariens or toro powermax


 *43128* Get off your high horse.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

jonnied12 said:


> *43128* Get off your high horse.


yeah, I considered deleting that post, since it was quite rude to a new forum member..
but he did actually use IMO, (In My Opinion) which is good, and something im always harping about!  (I dont like it when people state opinions as facts, without saying IMO)
and.. its an opinion which is common here, and justified..although the word "junk" is a bit extreme, IMO.
So it wasnt _what_ he said that was bad, it was just the _way_ he said it..So I left it. 

Scot


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## stromr (Jul 20, 2016)

I've got a 2007 Cub Cadet 524 SWE that was used and abused for 8 years before I bought it for $100. After much TLC and surprisingly few new parts it has been very reliable. Only parts I have replaced are the impellor bearing, drive plate spring, and carburetor gaskets. I did replace the original Torch brand sparkplug and the nuts and bolts the previous owner used as shear pins. The quality of the powder coat paint is not good, has peeled off in many places. The wheels had rusted solid to the axles because they never lubed them at assembly. The cables are original, never replaced while my neighbor's TroyBilt, virtually the same machine, 3 years newer, has had the cables replaced. As sscotsman has said the quality and reliability is statistically lower with any MTD product. The Chinese engine, a Powermore, isn't really! Although it did run better once I adjusted the valves and rejetted it. The bottom line is used or new any of these MTD products are dependent on your willingness and ability to perform maintenance. Grease and oil are your friend!


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## RickDangerous (Mar 27, 2017)

No offense taken! I'm going to do the driveway tonight and will take some pics


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

i personally love the engines, i think every honda clone is great and i haven't found one i didnt like. my issue is with the quality of the chassis


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

i personally love the engines, i think every honda clone is great and i haven't found one i didnt like. my issue is with the quality of the chassis


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## tpenfield (Feb 24, 2015)

I have a Troy-Bilt snowblower, which is another MTD brand. I knew before buying it that it was a mid-tier machine. I wanted to get a Toro, but needed a machine in a pinch, and the Troy-Bilt was readily available.

It is always a bit difficult asking for purchase advise after the fact.


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## RickDangerous (Mar 27, 2017)

Worked great, I like how the machine handled. May need to get chains for the tires, they spun a bit when I trid to dig in with the bucket.

Granted this was only 4 inches but it ate up the berms at the end of the driveway. 

Doesn't wreak of fumes like my old Snapper did either, I could breathe normally the whole time. lol


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## jonnied12 (Jan 14, 2017)

IMO these machines are better than some people give them credit for.
IMO I think my MTD Troy-Bilt is just fine, as is your new machine.
Enjoy it.


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## guyl (Jun 12, 2016)

My MTD (made in 2006) has given me fine service without a single issue. The 10.5 HP Tecumseh engine starts up every time. This past summer I completely disassembled the bucket to give it a nice fresh repaint, and replaced the impeller bearing while I was at it. Should be good for at least another 10 years. Maintenance is needed for any brand if you want it to last longer.


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## barney (Nov 21, 2017)

I looked at a brand new Cub 2 x 24 this morning and it looks every bit as good as my new Toro 826. But I don't know enough about snowblowers to really know the difference if there really is any.

With that said the Toro 826 has a side re-inforced single cast chassis. No-stick non-clogging high strength polymer impeller housing and chute design and the acclaimed quick chute handle. Apparently it has a full length augur shaft, not two halves. Supposedly has high strength gears so no frequently breaking shear pins in the augur. 

The Cub 2 x 24 may or may not have all of these design considerations but it did have bigger 15 inch Xtrac wheels versus my 13 inch Xtracs and it had lights which mine didn't. Both machines were the same price (CAD). The Toro has a 252 Loncin with a fuel shut off, the Cub has a 212 ???.

Mine came from a local Toro dealer with a $180 off as it was a discontinued model, the Cub came from a big box store.

I've seen pictures of really old MTD models that looked in great condition and watched a video this morning of a guy with a brand new Ariens 30 SHO that was obviously not working the way it should have with the owner getting no help from Ariens warranty service.


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## tpenfield (Feb 24, 2015)

My Troy-Bilt has the drive wheels stop turning much like the Ariens video showed . . . happens when I try to push the machine into some hardened snow. The wheels will just stop turning.

I have a feeling that these various brands of machine use very similar drive and blower mechanisms. My thoughts were that the drive wheel had heated up and was slipping or just 'popped' up from contacting the drive disk. 

I switched to a higher gear and just 'pulsed' the machine into the bank until it ate it up.

It is interesting to see even the high-end machines have issues more common to the mid-tier 'store' brand machines.


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

*Ariens from SBD*



barney said:


> I looked at a brand new Cub 2 x 24 this morning and it looks every bit as good as my new Toro 826. But I don't know enough about snowblowers to really know the difference if there really is any.
> 
> With that said the Toro 826 has a side re-inforced single cast chassis. No-stick non-clogging high strength polymer impeller housing and chute design and the acclaimed quick chute handle. Apparently it has a full length augur shaft, not two halves. Supposedly has high strength gears so no frequently breaking shear pins in the augur.
> 
> ...


======================================================


Hello Barney,


I am pretty sure that the fellow "unemployed *******"neglected to do a few things. 
1. he did not loosen the four bolts that hold the impeller and cross auger housing together to align the snow blower drive with the impeller to have the correct alignment to assure it works correctly.
a. it explains to "me" why his auto turn function is not working too as he is not transmitting the full power available via the belt drive system. 
2. he is not using it with the skids lowered all the way too as that is one part of his problems with this snow blower as it is simply digging in like it is supposed to and
the drive system is not fully engaging. 

3 he needs the weight kit to counter the cabs affecting the snow blowers tracking to a minor extent but he needs to add the weight kit and align the drive system with the auger and impeller drive shaft.


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## barney (Nov 21, 2017)

leonz said:


> ======================================================
> 
> 
> Hello Barney,
> ...


The guy was on the phone with Ariens warranty, one would hope they could have helped him with your advice about bolts. As for skid height, the guy has many years snow blowing experience so doubt the skids/cab is the problem. He should take the machine to the nearest Ariens outlet but I don't know that he has one nearby. Point I was making is no matter what 'class' of machine you buy you can have problems.


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

True so true,


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## RickDangerous (Mar 27, 2017)

One of the best views in the world for a snow blowing aficionado! haha.


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## stromr (Jul 20, 2016)

RickDangerous said:


> One of the best views in the world for a snow blowing aficionado! haha.


That's about the same amount of snow I got the other day and my old Cub went right thru it. We're expecting some more tonight and I have no concerns. I'd use my single stage on the deck but it needs a new pull cord and it's a been too cold for my 70 year old bones the last couple of days. Just have to go slow and shovel my deck then when I'm "warmed up" get out the 2 stage and go to work. Cub Cadet has become the top of the line MTD brand. It appears they are trying to distinguish between their brands with new features every year. I see all the Cubs now come with steel chutes. Don't know how long this one will last but I wouldn't hesitate to buy another. For all I know this one may outlive me!:smile2:


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## NoMoreMrICEGuy (Oct 16, 2018)

Congratulations on the purchase! I'm very close to buying this exact blower myself. I was curious, how fast is the 4-6th setting on the transmission? I have a long driveway (approx. 230 ft.) and wanted something that could assume a good pace on the straight aways.


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## RickDangerous (Mar 27, 2017)

It's quite fast! 

So two winters of use now with no problems.

The only issue i've had, (and i had this with my previous snapper as well) is that when its suuuuuper cold (like 20 below) the blade wouldn't spin initially. I have to try it several times (it will stall) before it kicks into gear and starts moving. This only happened to me once or twice this past winter. I assume its because some gears somewhere are frozen up or the pivot point of the blade that gets wet is frozen up, most likely the spindle that the blades slide onto.

Is there any recommended way to deal with this so you don't break your unit? This is how i killed my Snapper, trying to get it to turn when frozen. Should i blow a hairdryer on it for a few minutes? I keep it in a garage but it isn't heated and I can't get it into the house obviously haha.


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## SimplicitySolid22 (Nov 18, 2018)

Glad to hear your Cubbie is treating you well. When you say blade spinning are you talking about the augers/rakes or the Impeller (the three or four blade piece) behind the augers that throws your snow???? 



Or are you talking about the Drive system...friction disc & Friction wheel???? one might be slipping?


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## RickDangerous (Mar 27, 2017)

The augers/rakes. It's like it freezes up at SUPER low temps. Got it moving but want to avoid burning out any gears if possible...


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Seems like another reason why you can not trust ratings from Consumer Reports that rate the Cub Cadet tops.

They may emphasize price more than reliability and longevity in their ratings. they say they emphasize owner feedback more now but almost any NEW snowblower works well for the first few times.

If someone thinks something is junk I think their opinion should be heard. It's not all a bed of roses in the snowblower world. New potential owners should be able to hear all sides of the story BUT they should back up their opinions with facts and/or personal experience.

Now I think Coors beer is Junk.


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

*snow blower issues*



RickDangerous said:


> It's quite fast!
> 
> So two winters of use now with no problems.
> 
> ...


===================================================================


If you can afford to purchase the smallest kerosene fired salamander/space heater purchase it as you will be able to warm up the snow mule and also melt all the snow and ice off of it and inside the snow mule.

The best rule of thumb is to warm it up for ten minutes with the space heater facing the cross auger housing
to warm up the gear box and the cross auger housing and in the process warm up the engine oil and V belts. 

When you clear the driveway make your first pass down to the road/street and get rid of the END OF DRIVEWAY MONSTER and feed the moat monsters with its remains-don't worry they can handle all the salt from the END OF DRIVEWAY MONSTER so there are no issues there.

By doing it this way you will flush all the salt and scrape up dirt through it while crossing the driveway and when you make the succeeding passes up and down the driveway the snow blower will only be dealing with snow that is free of salt and road dirt.

All you will need to do is fire up the salamander when your done and melt all the crap out of the cross auger housing and by then the drains in the impeller housing will have allowed all the snow to melt and drain away to the floor drain if your garage has one AND you will be able to heat up your car and also melt of the ice and snow out from your vehicle before you park it in the garage. 

Don't invest in a propane fired heater UNLESSS you purchase one of the 2 element Mr. Heaters and a 40 pound propane tank.:smile2:


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## Clutch Cargo (Dec 27, 2015)

Congratulations on your purchase. I owned a previously enjoyed MTD machine for many years and it served me well. IMHO, any piece of equipment will treat you well if you treat it well. Proper & regular maintenance is essential! Take the advice regarding technique presented here and don't overwork it. Do all this and she will be your best friend for many years to come. The only thing I see that is missing on Cubs in general is a fuel shut-off valve.


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## vstorm (Dec 9, 2019)

You bought a good machine with higher reliability than both Ariens and Toro no matter what anyone on here thinks or says. People who say that they don't like CR just don't want to believe the truth. CR's reliability data is based on polling readers over years of product use by many owners. In this years report, there are more than 17,000 users reporting on machines from 2 years old to 10 years old. You don't have to read CR however, this forum and others will show you that Ariens has big problems now. Toro is doing better but their reliability has been slipping as CC's has been rising. The market and the machines are changing and CR helps one to stay on top of things. Their, as reported by thousands of owners, reliability and repair data is the best indication of future problems and bad brands, not your neighbor or your uncle or anybody on any forum. What do they really know?


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## jtw1979 (Mar 14, 2017)

Definitely agree with above. Ariens has been slipping in quality for awhile. The auto turn is nothing but problems and Ariens are quite expensive compared to the CC. The Honda's might be way better but are not easy to find and cost 3X what I paid for my CC!


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## rod330 (Oct 9, 2015)

It's safe to say that all manufacturers have produced some unreliable models from time to time. 

As a general rule, I believe Ariens and Toro offer better mid-priced two stage machines than MTD and Briggs / Simplicity and Husqvarna. With regard higher priced machines, Honda tends to lead the market in the United States but Ariens, Simplicity and Husky have some outstanding offerings too. For example, Simplicity's Signature Pro series evolved from the bulletproof Gilson UniTrol legacy of the 1970's.

When you evaluate snowblowers, keep in mind that most manufacturers are relying on LCT, Briggs or Honda engines. Again, I think Honda wins this competition but the others are good engines too. So, you really have to look at the design, controls, drive mechanisms, etc.

For the average consumer who isn't a snowblower addict and isn't inclined to take on major repairs, worry less about the brand. Instead, follow these two common sense principles:
* Buy from a local dealer who has integrity - avoid box stores and online sources
* Read your Owner's Manual thoroughly and perform the maintenance tasks to the letter

For the average snowblower user, how the machine was assembled and maintained is far more critical to reliability than brand. Don't get all wrapped up in Ford vs. Chevy and Coke vs. Pepsi debates.


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## Snowbelt_subie (Dec 20, 2016)

The problem I have with Mtd they rust out faster than all the other snowblowers. 

The schutes suck and they feel like an absolute rattle trap.

Other than that they ok and will blow snow.

Not sure about new equipment the last 5 years or so from any of the manufacturers as they haven't made it to the secondary market yet. I dont buy new plenty of good used equipment for 1/3 of the price new.


Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## vstorm (Dec 9, 2019)

The facts are in, Ariens, Toro, Simplicty, B&S do not make better overall machines than MTD. That has been true for quite some time now. The Ariens machines that I have looked at are very sturdy and well made with thick steel and excellent paint jobs. They throw snow with authority. However, the first thing you have to do apparently is to buy a weight for the bucket!!! If you don't, your machine will ride over packed snow? Hey, I say if it needs a weight, add a weight at the factory. Even better, restore the machines balance that was lost when they moved the axle forward to compensate for a poorly designed steering system. The steering system is still iffy, a local dealer told me that it wouldn't be advised on a rough gravel driveway like mine. I tried my sons here and it wanders as it bumps along. I figure I can add some wheels to the bucket that would help but why should I? Now they are having problems with their EFI. When will it end? MTD is till using the same steering system that is on my 1993 CC. Bulletproof. Steering is good and the axle is locked until I say so. I haven't heard of either of those other two problems plaguing a CC or TB which are the two top MTD brands. Don't make the mistake of thinking that all MTD machines are identical, not so. All MTD machines may be essentially similar but they do have different features and in some cases, different specs. All info on all of their machines is readily available on the internet. Toro is doing better than Ariens but still a notch below CC and TB in reliability. If you don't plan on or can't fix your own machine, that is a major consideration. Especially when company's like Ariens are releasing untried new systems. When I worked in the computer industry as a reliability engineer, the bean counters came to the conclusion that it would be cheaper to fix known problems in the field than to lose the market window for a new feature or product by taking the time for proper testing. The way the market for OPE has been changing for the past decade or so, I suspect that that is exactly what's happening here. You can only get away with selling faulty products while leaning on your reputation for so long before big bad things happen to your consumer base. The way Ariens has been growing, I hope they get it together soon. I have one of their machines and it has been running since 1965 and that's what has endeared me to that company. I'd like to think that that legacy will go on.


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## vstorm (Dec 9, 2019)

orangputeh said:


> Seems like another reason why you can not trust ratings from Consumer Reports that rate the Cub Cadet tops. They may emphasize price more than reliability and longevity in their ratings. they say they emphasize owner feedback more now but almost any NEW snowblower works well for the first few times.
> 
> Your opinion of course. My opinion is that the facts don't care if you believe them or not, they are still facts. Unless you have a better way of reviewing data from 17000 users at once, I'm not interested in just your uninformed opinion. My brother in law who is a mechanic tried to tell me once that Toyotas were not as reliable as everybody thought. When I asked why, he told me that it was the number one car he got in for repairs. He didn't take into account that most of the cars that showed up in his shop were more than ten years old and had more than a hundred thousand miles on them. He also prided himself on treating people fairly and not overcharging. As a result, he had a lot of low income customers and college students from the nearby city campus. When I asked him compared to what, he told me that he rarely sees any 10 to 15 Y.O. "American" cars come into his shop. I asked him if he had checked the salvage yard lately.
> 
> ...


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## toofastforyou (Jan 29, 2019)

43128 said:


> its about an 8.5hp. imo all mtd stuff is junk i would have gone with an ariens or toro powermax


If you don't have anything good to say then why don't you *shut the f**k up*? :angry::icon_cussing_black: … The original poster was asking about his new snowblower and all you have to say is that it's "junk"…  … I'm not sure that's the kind of advice he was looking for… :hellno: … and last, he probably doesn't give a s**t about what you would've bought.
and


orangputeh said:


> If someone thinks something is junk I think their opinion should be heard.


The original poster had already bought his snowblower… The guy came here happy to tell everyone about his new machine so there was no need to reply by insulting him on his purchase and tell him that he should've bought another brand. 

Claude.


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## Greg13 (Nov 25, 2018)

Unfortunately when you add "new & improved", Engineers justifying their jobs, cost cutting and added government regulations you have the perfect recipe for failure. 

I'll stick with my 80's Toro Powershift.


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## Snowbelt_subie (Dec 20, 2016)

If I use your Toyota analogy it makes sense . When I look online for blowers I don't see many Mtd blowers over 10 years old but its flooded with ariens blowers from. 10-50 years old. 

The mtds are all probably rusted out in the scrap yard. 

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