# 3x26 poor performance



## Jerryb (Jan 25, 2016)

Just had to clear 28 " of snow. My new 26" 3x does well on loose snow but when up against a drift of 36". it just will not blow , especially if snow is compacted form a little sun. Wheels just stop and auger keep on going with no snow out of the chute. Just like I was trying to push a stone wall. Bad unit or need some adjustment. Bought at Home Depot, do they do adjustments?


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## Elt31987 (Sep 6, 2015)

Sounds kind of similar to this thread that has just been started as well

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/cub-cadet-snowblowers/82465-cub-cadet-28-3xhd.html


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

:welcome: to the forum Jerry

Home Depot assembles it but that's as far as they go unless you just happen to run into a blower enthusiast who'd be willing to help you out.

I wouldn't think it uncommon any machine might have some trouble cutting through 26" of snow compacted form a little sun.
What gear were you using ??


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## Jerryb (Jan 25, 2016)

1st gear or 2nd, no difference. I also have trouble getting the machine into 2R, really difficult to do.


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## redshome (Sep 23, 2015)

JerryB I feel your pain man. I bought mine from a dealer and have performance issues like yours also. I just wish I would have videoed the problems I was having. Next time I will.

One reply told me It is what it is.....You get what you pay for. So I guess we are stuck.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

redshome said:


> One reply told me It is what it is.....You get what you pay for. So I guess we are stuck.


Well you paid good money and the Cub isn't top of the line but it's a good machine that does well and most owners of the newer 3X cub's really like them so I'd say it might be more a matter of going through the adjustments.

I did feel (IMHO) that going through 36" of "snow is compacted form a little sun" does sound to ME like a tough job for any blower and wanting to have something between neutral and first gear has been mentioned before from a lot of different manufacturer owners.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

Jerryb said:


> 1st gear or 2nd, no difference. I also have trouble getting the machine into 2R, really difficult to do.


hello jerry, welcome to *SBF!!*
sounds like your cub had poor assembly from home depot


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## bad69cat (Nov 30, 2015)

it's always best to get at the piles when they are fresh and haven't had time to cement up.... but it does sound like somethings amiss? Can you post up the model and serial number for us.....


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## Jerryb (Jan 25, 2016)

*Follow up*

I called Cub Service and they recommended tightening drive cable as in the manual. I did this and there is some improvement and I know drift removal is difficult. Any one used tire chains on this model with its deep tread tires? 

Shifter was adjusted but I cannot make it any easier to get into R2. Advice was that it should be difficult since it tightens the cable to its limit and that perhaps the cable will stretch some with age and use. Sounds like no advice at all to me. I wonder how someone with poorer arm strength could do it at all!


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## Jerryb (Jan 25, 2016)

reply to bad69cat. Model is 31bn5571736 (3x26) s/n 11154b30304


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## canadagoose (Dec 5, 2014)

Jerryb said:


> I called Cub Service and they recommended tightening drive cable as in the manual. I did this and there is some improvement and I know drift removal is difficult. Any one used tire chains on this model with its deep tread tires?
> 
> Shifter was adjusted but I cannot make it any easier to get into R2. Advice was that it should be difficult since it tightens the cable to its limit and that perhaps the cable will stretch some with age and use. Sounds like no advice at all to me. I wonder how someone with poorer arm strength could do it at all!


Hi Jerry
No something was not assembled properly. It shouldn't be difficult at all to put it into R2 or any gear for that matter. I'm sorry I can't offer any advice on how to adjust/correct this but I'm sure someone here would be able to help you out with that

And welcome :white^_^arial^_^0^_


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

canadagoose said:


> Hi Jerry
> No something was not assembled properly. It shouldn't be difficult at all to put it into R2 or any gear for that matter. I'm sorry I can't offer any advice on how to adjust/correct this but I'm sure someone here would be able to help you out with that
> 
> And welcome :white^_^arial^_^0^_





Jerryb said:


> I called Cub Service and they recommended tightening drive cable as in the manual. I did this and there is some improvement and I know drift removal is difficult. Any one used tire chains on this model with its deep tread tires?
> 
> Shifter was adjusted but I cannot make it any easier to get into R2. Advice was that it should be difficult since it tightens the cable to its limit and that perhaps the cable will stretch some with age and use. Sounds like no advice at all to me. I wonder how someone with poorer arm strength could do it at all!


They make cross link chains that are suppose to work for deep treads. They basically are X shaped so the chains don't fall in the treads.

I used a Troy Bilt that had that shifter set up. It seemed like a crappy setup to me. Instead of using a solid rod like most machines they just use a steel cable. There is a return spring that pulls it to F6 and then every gear down you pull it you are putting more tension on that spring. The solid rod machines are just free floating, but those springs/cables that MTD uses are under a lot of tension.

Maybe when in storage store it will the shifter pulled all the way down in an attempt to stretch that spring out quicker.


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## canadagoose (Dec 5, 2014)

Shryp said:


> They make cross link chains that are suppose to work for deep treads. They basically are X shaped so the chains don't fall in the treads.
> 
> I used a Troy Bilt that had that shifter set up. It seemed like a crappy setup to me. Instead of using a solid rod like most machines they just use a steel cable. There is a return spring that pulls it to F6 and then every gear down you pull it you are putting more tension on that spring. The solid rod machines are just free floating, but those springs/cables that MTD uses are under a lot of tension.
> 
> Maybe when in storage store it will the shifter pulled all the way down in an attempt to stretch that spring out quicker.


Yes the Cub Cadets purchased in big box stores use a cable for gear selection. The Cub Cadet HD models use a heavy duty rod. I used to have a Craftsman which was a great machine but I don't recall if it had a cable or a rod but I never had any trouble with gear selection on that one either. I wonder if all machines with cables have that problem or if it wasn't properly assembled ??


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## jims94vmx (Feb 13, 2014)

things like this make you glad when you have a great dealer. I have no faith in the big box stores for things mechanical. I wouldn't even let them put together a gas grill.
Hope it all gets worked out....sucks when things don't work. I can tell you that it can and should work that is......something amiss.


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## Forcefed4door (Jan 26, 2016)

I don't understand, there really isn't match assembly when they come on the pallet. Couple cables/rods and the shoot controls. I don't think it's the dealers to blame.


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## ald1952 (Feb 1, 2016)

*Poor snow removal*

I also have a new 3X26 HD Cub that was a replacement for a new 3x26 that had the auger rattle. (dealer was good enough to swap machine out) However the past few days sent us heavy wet snow approx. 6-8", this machine would barely handle this snow and in some cases just jammed up and pushed the snow like a plow. The intakes and shoot were liberally sprayed with silicone anticipating heavy packing. My old machine a 8 horse Toro with conventional auger would at least break this snow up and spit it out when used in 1st gear. The three stage Cub seams to just to pack the snow behind the first auger overwhelming the discharge auger. I'm seriously considering taking a loss and going for a conventional auger machine and possibly not the Cub Cadet. Any ideas or thoughts appreciated.


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## bad69cat (Nov 30, 2015)

I think your probably right...... just a bad design from the sounds of it. That's to bad > yet another fail on Cub's part. They should have never gone the MTD road - but, it's still their design and MTD just builds what they are told. SO it's still their fault in the end......
Sorry it didn't work out for you. I used to be a big fan of Cub - it's painful to see them self destruct.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

bad69cat said:


> I think your probably right...... just a bad design from the sounds of it. That's to bad > yet another fail on Cub's part. They should have never gone the MTD road - but, it's still their design and MTD just builds what they are told. SO it's still their fault in the end......
> Sorry it didn't work out for you. I used to be a big fan of Cub - it's painful to see them self destruct.


Im not 100% sure, but I dont think that how the Cub Cadet/MTD relationship works..

I have some books on Cub Cadet garden tractors, and from what I remember in those books, it's more like this:

Cub Cadet brand was created by International Harvester in 1960.
Cub Cadet garden tractors were built by IH from 1960 to 1983.

In 1981, IH sold their Cub Cadet division to MTD. it remained fairly independant for awhile, but eventually the "real cub" designs were phased out, and MTD designs took over.

Since then, MTD has owned the "name"..but MTD is the "parent company" and MTD actually designs and builds everything..they then just paint and letter snowblowers, mowers and tractors for the varions brand-names that they own: Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt, Yard machines, and several others.

Cub Cadet is not at all indepandant from MTD..Cub Cadet is simply one of many brand names that MTD owns..Its similar to a Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge or Ford-Lincoln-Mercury relationship, but with much less independence among separate brands. I dont believe Cub Cadet actually exists as any kind of individual entity that designs anything..MTD runs they whole show, they design everything, then they just put different paint and labels on the various machines..

Its also entirely possible that Cub Cadet garden tractors have a completely different evolutionary timeline than do snowblowers. I believe current Cub Cadet garden tractors can be said to be evolutionary descendants of the original line..but Cub Cadet never made their own walk-behind snowblowers..ever..as far as I know...so I still think Cub Cadet snowblowers have nothing to do with Cub Cadet in a design sense..they are "100% MTD"..

im fairly sure that is correct..but it might not be exactly correct! 
if not, I would be interested to learn the actual relationships between the brands..

thanks,
Scot


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## jims94vmx (Feb 13, 2014)

Don't know why the bashing....hence my video in my signature. Something not set up right! Don't believe me....watch what it can do below........sorry that you are having issues.


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

the sad thing about mtd is they use the good reputation of brands like mtd troybilt, craftsman and many others and use it to suck people in to buying low quality overpriced equipment, built to be as cheap as possible and nothing more. but thats just my opinion


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## Mr Fixit (Nov 19, 2013)

After a blizzard here we often get record cold snaps. That freezes the snow like concrete. I own an old 1980 Canadian 8-26 and 2 stage. In the front set out maybe 5" in front is a 3/4 pipe about 4 " higher then the front. When it gets into the high drifts and spins out, I press the handles down a few times and the machine tunnels on using that front bar. Once the drift breaks over the chute, I reverse lifting the skids/scrapper up. I clean up under the machine and drive in again, tunneling another 3 feet. That front bar saves me by keeping me cutting the drift for me. No shoveling at all. The second pass is much easier as I take a half bite. Yes I have twisted link chains on the tires. To clear my 85 foot driveway, I must blow everything ahead 15 feet 4 times to get up to the front of the house. So all my snow gets hard before I finish blowing it on my front lawn. That's a real test for the machine. The front bar saves me every time!


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## DennisP (Jan 10, 2016)

I would argue the HD versions and commercial versions of MTD branded products are still good, just that the "one design used everywhere" stuff is getting cheaper and cheaper...

I would not rebuild my 2011 vintage 524SWE the way I am rebuilding a 1999 Craftsman 247.88530. The sheetmetal is better on the 1999, the design is a lot more heavy duty, and I am adding a ton of cool features that were available on that vintage in other product offerings (like White Outdoor electric chute control for example).

It is VERY obvious that MTD wants something to last 5-6 years of decently heavy use, then need to be replaced as a whole. With minimal use maybe 10-12 years, and everything else falls in-between.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Back in the day MTD wasn't a bad machine. They never were anything fancy. Just a decent, mostly reliable piece of equipment. I'm not so sure about their newer stuff. I did have the opportunity to use a new troybuilt blower during the big storm we just had and I have to admit I was mildly impressed. It handled the deep snow with ease and it didn't bog down the engine. It seemed it would be a better performer if it had an impeller kit though. No. I'm no fan of MTD's newer stuff but a really deep snow that has had a chance to sit creates a bit of a problem for most blowers that have the impeller behind the bucket edge. The best way I've found to deal with that situation is to actullay break a path with a shovel, blow it out and then take a half bite or so and you'll do fine. JMHO and a few years of blowing experince. I still think the 3x is snake oil.


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

Mr Fixit said:


> A The front bar saves me every time!


Can we see a photo of this bar? Might be something we can add.


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## barney (Nov 21, 2017)

Mr Fixit said:


> After a blizzard here we often get record cold snaps. That freezes the snow like concrete. I own an old 1980 Canadian 8-26 and 2 stage. *In the front set out maybe 5" in front is a 3/4 pipe about 4 " higher then the front. When it gets into the high drifts and spins out, I press the handles down a few times and the machine tunnels on using that front bar. Once the drift breaks over the chute, I reverse lifting the skids/scrapper up. I clean up under the machine and drive in again, tunneling another 3 feet. That front bar saves me by keeping me cutting the drift for me. *No shoveling at all. That's a real test for the machine. The front bar saves me every time!


I know this is an older post but found this snowblower hack interesting as did at least one other guy in the thread who asked the poster to follow up. Shame he didn't see it as it sounds very interesting and maybe something some guys might benefit from. 

Not quite sure where exactly the guy mounted the "tunneling bar". Either 4 inches off the ground 5 inches out front or 4 inches above the top edge of the chute 5 inches out front.


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## bp0416 (Jan 1, 2018)

I know this is an older post but it sounded from the symptoms like the accelerator shear pin or pins were gone - no spinning accelerator, no snow to the impeller. 

Anyway, I just bought a 2017 3x 26" with steel chute and am concerned about 2 things: 1.) Shear pins shearing under normal use (though this may have been due to a bad batch of shear pins made out of 'Chineesium') 2.) Performance in slushy, wet snow.

Based on research, I'm almost tempted to use my 30 day unconditional return option and opt for a 2 stage. Snow coming this week so we'll wait and see!


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## 2point2 (Sep 20, 2014)

jims94vmx said:


> Don't know why the bashing....hence my video in my signature. Something not set up right! Don't believe me....watch what it can do below........sorry that you are having issues.


That is a great video and shows exactly what my experience is. When the engine loads up like that it is no longer a snow blower, it is a snow pump. :nerd:

I push mine to the limit to try and justify some modifications I want to do. It's been tough.


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## bp0416 (Jan 1, 2018)

Well - 16" of heavy snow - not really wet just heavy. 3x 26 was initially not that impressive. Hit a small stick - sheared both accelerator shear pins. Replaced the shear pins and 10 minutes later the drive belt for the impeller/auger up in smoke and I do mean a lot of smoke. Auger/Impeller freewheeling. What a piece of crap. Returned to Home Depot - looking at an Ariens......Not impressed, luckily I have great neighbors who finished my driveway.......with an Ariens 28 Deluxe......


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## Kris3983 (Feb 10, 2018)

Bp. Sorry to hear that you got rid of your 3x. I have the same machine and with as much use that i got out of it i only went thru 5 pins and only one,of them i have no clue why it went. The other 4 i see why they broke. And they all were on the accelerator augers. I think those pins break so,easy is because they spin so fas that when it come to a,complete stop they is a lot of force on the shear pin


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## 1132le (Feb 23, 2017)

only 5? ive broken 1 in 35 yrs
it should not be common


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

About the shear pins..some thoughts from another thread on the MTD "3 stage"




10953 said:


> the shear pins i see breaking by me are the 2 for the auger. guy across from me has a troy built has them snap simply trying to get though the plow banks .last year was a light winter still he lost 10 . had to resort to a 5/16th grade 3 bolt on a sunday and stripped/broke the gear box now he has a honda with a payment book.





sscotsman said:


> Im sure this has already been mentioned, but the light-bulb just went off for me..
> It would seem the reason these MTD (Troy-Bilt, Cub Cadet, and others) shear pins break so often is that the shear pins are intentionally designed to be very weak, because the gearbox is so weak. So a very weak and poor quality gearbox needs very weak shearbolts to protect it..Which explains breaking ten Troy-Bilt shear bolts in a season.
> 
> seems obvious now!  but I honestly never made that connection until now.
> ...


From: http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/troy-bilt-snowblowers/117121-3-stage-vortex-any-opinions.html


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## stromr (Jul 20, 2016)

I read a review last year by some consumer website of the Cub Cadet snowblowers and the interviewer asked an engineer what the life expectancy was of todays snowblowers from MTD. He responded that they feel 7 years without major problems is good. 
Also read on the governments EPA site that small engines on power equipment only have to meet the exhaust emissions for 250 hours or 5 years whichever comes first.
I imagine any of us with a machine made since 2000 who hasn't had major problems is beating the planned obsolescence the factories are striving for.
There is a guy in Minetto, NY with a OPE junk yard for snowblowers, lawn mowers and garden tractors that is a sight to behold!


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## tpenfield (Feb 24, 2015)

I think the best MTD blowers are the most simplified ones. MTD is not the type of company that can reliably build the more sophisticated machines IMO. So, if you go for something in the MTD family with bells & whistles and pay the big bucks, you are setting yourself up for some disappointment. If you stay simple and lower priced, it will meet your expectations.

BTW - the Cubby in jims94's video seems to me like it is falling flat on its face when it hits the EOD pile. 

Recently, my brother was the (not so) proud owner of a Cub Cadet for 2 days . . . he had the place he bought it from come get it. Now getting an Ariens Deluxe 30.


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