# 2010 CUB CADET LTX 1040



## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

i am having trouble with it not moving in forward or reverse until it warms up. i changed both upper belts. i was told this cub cadet does not have a transmission in it. it has a forward and reverse handle on left side. changing the belts just helped very little. i was told it could be because i bought cheap belts off of ebay.... anyone have any thoughts on this ?


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## DennisF (Jan 11, 2021)

Cheap belts on eBay are often problematic. The OEM belts are often precision length, that is, they may be quality-controlled to ½ inch. Some belts on eBay are certainly usable, but both length and width are critical.


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

they was both under 25.00, would you consider those cheap ?


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

MTD 954-04208A Riding Mower Upper... 

Antanker Drive Belt 954-0467A...


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

Antanker Drive Belt 954-0467A...


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## DennisF (Jan 11, 2021)

The link you provided is very telling of the problem you are experiencing. Scroll down the page and read the REVIEWS. This is a prime example of "size matters", not price. For these MTD machines, always buy KEVLAR belts in exact OEM size.

I'm sorry I can't make a recommendation for you other than OEM.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Once again, *NONE* of the OEM mower manufacturers make their own belts. They have "their" belts made by the big belt manufacturers (Goodyear, Dayco, etc) and put into a $.25 packing sleeve with their logo on it, so they can sucker you into paying 3-4 times what you can buy the same belts for through the people that actually made the belt. Belts use a universal parts code based on width x length. A MTD# 954-0467A (Long belt) is 5/8" x 91". A MTD# 954-04208 (short belt) is 5/8 X 41

Go to the any of the big auto parts stores and tell them you want either a Goodyear, or Dayco belt and give them either one of the universal belt #'s listed below for both the long and short belt....

*Long Belt*
5L910K
BK88

*Short Belt*
5L410K
BK38

The "K" in the #'s above stands for Kevlar. The "A" in MTD # 954-0467*A* denotes an aramid fiber wrapped belt (same thing, Kevlar is just Dupont's trademarked name for an aramid fiber type belt)


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

just to be clear, should i replace BOTH of those belts, even the MTD upper one ? the upper one is

5/8" x 91";Made With Kevlar


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

raidman75 said:


> just to be clear, should i replace BOTH of those belts, even the MTD upper one ? the upper one is
> 
> 5/8" x 91";Made With Kevlar


You're saying upper/lower... I'm saying long/short. Upper/short belt actually attaches to, and drives, the "transaxle" (somebody told you wasn't there) Lower/long belt supplies the power from the engine and controls the travel speed through that set of variable double-pulleys attached to the right foot lever. Changing/adjusting the long belt is not easy the 1st time. Changing the short belt is one of those "Oh Crap" moments, when you're looking up at it the 1st time . Sounds like you changed the long one for sure and that didn't work. That either wasn't the problem, or you didn't install/adjust it right. 

Time for that "Oh Crap" moment. Pull the battery/battery straps and go through the top.... It's much easier. It's tough to get that short belt on working through the battery box, but damn near impossible working from underneath the mower. You have to get it started on two of the three pulleys, "wedged" on the 3rd, and then rotate all three pulleys to seat it in place

*Long Belt *(5/8 x91)
5L910K
BK88

*Short Belt *(5/8x41)
5L410K
BK38


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

when i push the right foot lever down nothing happens until the motor warms up, then even after its speed is much slower than a few yrs ago... should i replace even the belt 5/8 x 91 that was a kevlar ? also any idea if it could be rear end oil ? i had that suggested to me although i dont believe theres any way to add any...


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

If you were a customer of mine, you'd get both belts changed, as well as the transaxle oil changed


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

I reached up under today and the short belt was tight but the long one was loose..I will go to auto parts store and get those 2 belts and look into getting oil changed.,.I assume there's no way to just add oil...


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

I found this on YouTube...is it correct ?


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

raidman75 said:


> I reached up under today and the short belt was tight but the long one was loose..I will go to auto parts store and get those 2 belts and look into getting oil changed.,.I assume there's no way to just add oil...


Short belt is always going to be tight, that's what actually drives the transaxle. Long belt tension is controlled through the two idler pulleys on the bellcrank set-up that is attached to the right foot pedal. As you push the pedal down, the pulleys pivot to put more tension on the belt. The more the belt tightens, the faster the the ground speed at whatever RPM you have set on the throttle cable.

Just because the short belt feels tight, doesn't mean it's OK. It is designed NOT to slip, but if it's worn, or "glazed", from overheating it will slip. All V-belts "grip" the pulley in the area on the side of the belt. If you look at a v-belt from the x-section perspective, you'll start to understand that the lower a V-belt is riding in the pulley groove, is a good indication of how much the belt is worn. Study the picture below of what the x-section of a new belt is supposed to look like as it rides in a pulley.... Notice the "Belt ride-out", think of that as the "wear indicator" on the belt/pulley The lower the belt rides in the pulley, the more wear on the belt, or pulley. Bear in mind that pulley grooves wear also. You can have a worn out "Groove Angle" on your pulley and throw all the new belts you want at it and they will still slip. If you install a new belt, and there is no ride-out margin, as shown below, it's a good indication the groove angle is worn out on the pulley. Your 1045 could be 7-12 years old depending on what year it was made, pulleys need to be checked for wear, if it's got several 100 hours on it.


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

thanks...i printed this out to show the guy who put them on for me... they are both new. bought and out on in sept... i have smelled a slipping belt so im gonna guess its the big one...were gonna test it out in the next week and i will check back in here, also could it possibly be low on hydraulic oil ?? ...thanks


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Transaxle oil doesn't evaporate.... If it's low, there should be signs of it leaking at either the drive pulley shaft, or the axle shafts.


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

i have had leaks on the floor but their up towards the front to middle of the mower,not at the rear end..


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

if i jacked up the rear end and looked under while shifting from forward to reverse and pushing down the pedal would i be able to see if either of the belts are slipping before i start tearing it apart ?


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

raidman75 said:


> if i jacked up the rear end and looked under while shifting from forward to reverse and pushing down the pedal would i be able to see if either of the belts are slipping before i start tearing it apart ?


Jacked up, there's no resistance to the torque the belts provide to transaxle to drive the machine across the ground.


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

when the mower is cold it wont engage at all either way. when jacked up cold and put in forward looking under while holding the pedal down, wouldnt that show if the belts are engaging ? it takes a good 5-10 minutes of the motor running before it will go forward, it does engage in reverse a bit quicker.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

*"it takes a good 5-10 minutes of the motor running before it will go forward"*

OK.... It gets clearer with the more post. The engine being "cold" really wouldn't have anything to do with the problem you're describing as far as the belts slipping. That points more to an internal problem in the transaxle. It sounds like an "Oil Flow" problem in the transaxle, that could be as simple as a plugged filter. They used mostly HydroGear transaxles, but I have seen them with Tuff Torq K46 transaxles.

There was a big recall on that HydroGear transaxle in 2012, but that centered around a bad run of heat treated gears, and the problem was the transaxle locked up. The K46 Tuff Torq has never been that good of a transaxle.

Please don't take this wrong, but from your post I can tell you're a DIY guy that's just trying to get his mower going. To a professional mechanic, hydro-static transaxle aren't all that complicated, and they are simple to overhaul. Rebuilding one is about 4 hours (out/back in) and could run anywhere from $100-$400 in parts. There are even videos on-line that can walk a DIY guy through it with a pretty good chance of success.

The problem with being certain that your problem lies in the transaxle is it takes an $800 flow gauge/pressure tester, that most guys don't have, to do the actual trouble-shooting where you can be 100% certain. One simple telltale sign is the condition of the fluid in the transaxle. If it's black and full of metal savings, because it's never been changed, the odds are the transaxle is toast.

The cheapest suggestion I can give you would be to check the fluid condition. If it's bad, Change the fluid/filter and see if that helps the problem. If it doesn't help, then go on-line and study how a hydrostatic transaxle works. Pay close attention to a part called the "Center-Section", that's the most expensive part($200) and the one that usually wears out. Here's a "How to" videos on the overhaul procedure to help you decide.... Do I want to try to rebuild it myself, or just find/install a used one? 

K46 Tuff Torq Transaxle


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

lol..im not even a do it yourself guy, my next door neighbor has a garage full of mowers but hes not even on your level... he suggested checking the level of fluid and if low then fill it up and see what happens, he said thats the easiest and cheapest 1st step... when he did my belts he said it leaked oil on his floor but he said it was motor ..but not bad...its a 2010 ltx 1040


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

raidman75 said:


> lol..im not even a do it yourself guy, my next door neighbor has a garage full of mowers but hes not even on your level... he suggested checking the level of fluid and if low then fill it up and see what happens, he said thats the easiest and cheapest 1st step... when he did my belts he said it leaked oil on his floor but he said it was motor ..but not bad...its a 2010 ltx 1040


If the fluid service is unsuccessful, and you decide to shop for a used transaxle, look for Part # 618-04683, or 918-04666B. I believe the 618 is the Cub Cadet # and the 918 is the MTD #. That transaxle runs anywhere from $150 - $500 (new). 

To be honest with you, your 11 year old LTX 140 is not worth much more than $300-$400 (depends where you live), even if it was operating good. 

With Christmas approaching, the next 45 days is the best time to shop for a good used mower if you have the cash. People are trying to raise money for Christmas, or trying to pay off the credit card right after Christmas. If you wait until Ground Hogs Day, people will be getting tax refund checks and the price always goes up.


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

what is the best fluid to put in it ?


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

raidman75 said:


> what is the best fluid to put in it ?


Hydro Gear says 20w50 motor oil....


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

thats interesting because whats been leaking out of it is motor oil on the floor yet when i check the motor oil level its never low. if that rear end takes motor oil then theres the problem...that rear end is leaking somewhere...i can fill it back up but thats not going to solve the problem but could buy time...


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

raidman75 said:


> thats interesting because whats been leaking out of it is motor oil on the floor yet when i check the motor oil level its never low. if that rear end takes motor oil then theres the problem...that rear end is leaking somewhere...i can fill it back up but thats not going to solve the problem but could buy time...


Yep... Hopefully, you may be lucky enough that it's just low on 20w50. When you go to refill/purge the transaxle (search the internet for purging procedure), go to NAPA and get some "UV Dye" and add that to the oil. Leaking oil with UV Dye in it shows up under even a cheap black light as a glowing florescent stream. It's the best method to use to actually pinpoint oil leaks. If it's leaking "under" the machine, it's usually the pulley seal. If it's leaking around the drive tires, it's usually an axle seal

NAPA 78-8106 UV DYE

Walmart UV Flashlight $3.88


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

i would say its definatly low on oil because its been all over my garage floor only under the mower......but the big issue is where and why is it leaking and how big a job to fix it. seems to happen when its parked. i never ever seen a trace of oil on my driveway pulling out or into the garage,...also is there any products such as stop leak for this ??


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

raidman75 said:


> i would say its definatly low on oil because its been all over my garage floor only under the mower......but the big issue is where and why is it leaking and how big a job to fix it. seems to happen when its parked. i never ever seen a trace of oil on my driveway pulling out or into the garage,...


If you get that 1oz bottle of UV DYE, put 1/2 in the engine and 1/2 in the transaxle (there's enough for both). Get one of those cheap UV flashlights like the one in the link from Walmart. Run the machine to get it hot enough to start leaking and pull it in the garage. You may have to turn the lights off with a really cheap black light, but the oil leak(s) will show up under the black light as either a florescent green, or gold, stream that will led you to the source of the leak.


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

theres no local napa here. i cant believe auto zone or advantage auto parts dont carry that dye...amazon doesnt either... im ordering today...will any of the "stop leak"products work in plugging the leak..


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

..will any of the "stop leak"products work in plugging the leak..


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

raidman75 said:


> ..will any of the "stop leak"products work in plugging the leak..


Never heard of anybody using it successfully. Some pretty precision clearances in a hydrostatic transxle, I wouldn't recommend it. If you don't want to tackle repairing the leak(s), get it full, and keep it full. Park it over an old rug if you're worried about oil spots on the garage floor


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

from what i could find online that tranny only holds 0.6 qts...i bought a qt of 20/50 motor oil today along with some dye and a gun....i will just fill it up and see what happens..


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.....


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

i watched a video on how to do it...i think the only thing that worries me is getting the cap off to put the fluid in...


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

ok...theres no cap on top of this transmission. i went to a repair shop and gave them this serial number..1E163H30029.......MODEL NUMBER 13AX90AS056.......DOM 5/2013....He said this mower doesnt have a hydrostatic tranny , its just got a regular tranny that takes grease...he said it wouldnt have anything to do with it not being able to move... i told him how it would not move until warmed up and he was stumped on that... he said if its leaking there its a major job to fix, tranny had to be removed and separated and new seals... said for it being almost 9 yrs old i might want to just consider getting another one......does that make sense to you ?


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

I think your tranny is a Continuous Variable Transmission which is a step up from a gear tranny.


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

i think thats what he said the tranny is... he didnt give me much hope of saving it..


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

raidman75 said:


> ok...theres no cap on top of this transmission. i went to a repair shop and gave them this serial number..1E163H30029.......MODEL NUMBER 13AX90AS056.......DOM 5/2013....He said this mower doesnt have a hydrostatic tranny , its just got a regular tranny that takes grease...he said it wouldnt have anything to do with it not being able to move... i told him how it would not move until warmed up and he was stumped on that... he said if its leaking there its a major job to fix, tranny had to be removed and separated and new seals... said for it being almost 9 yrs old i might want to just consider getting another one......does that make sense to you ?


My apologies, I thought you said LT1045 which is a hydro, LT1040 is a CVT. Most common failure in those is usually the diff assembly (part # 918-04619) #3 in the parts diagram linked below. There's no fixing it without the transaxle coming out. It's a $150 part + 4 hours labor at whatever shop rate they charge. He's telling you $450 repair on a $350 mower.

LT1040 Transmission
LT1045 Transmission


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

yeah i came to that conclusion too... is he right that even changing that it wouldnt solve my problem of it not moving ? he said that will only solve the leakage. its got other issues that keep it from moving. he was stumped that it would not move until its warmed up.


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

is there fluid in this CVT ? i removed battery and case and looking down i see the 2 pulleys and 2 belts. they are tight and when pressing down the gas pedal the long one is tight...i see no where to add fluid, i noticed neither belts a v-shaped. they look square to me...i attached 2 photos...


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

Iif i hold the pedal down just half way it will run, but slow. the further i push the pedal the slower it goes and comes to a stop on grades, i went to a local shop and he says it has to be the belts, he looked at what i put on it and said they are cheap generics. i inserted belts i bought. do you agree ?


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

i took the battery and case out and sprayed the pulleys real good with silicone. then pushed the gas pedal up and down real hard to make sure nothing is seized. put it back together and started it up.i didnt have to wait for it to warm up. it went right into reverse and forward but only moved slowly. if i held the pedal only part way it moved right along in the yard. but when i would push the pedal further down it would slow down and come to a stop and wouldnt make a grade. i went to local tractor shop and told him it has the CVT. he said it could only be the belts and i showed him what belts i put on and he said their generic.he sold me 2 cub cadet belts for it.what is your opinion on that pedal ??


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

raidman75 said:


> i took the battery and case out and sprayed the pulleys real good with silicone. then pushed the gas pedal up and down real hard to make sure nothing is seized. put it back together and started it up.i didnt have to wait for it to warm up. it went right into reverse and forward but only moved slowly. if i held the pedal only part way it moved right along in the yard. but when i would push the pedal further down it would slow down and come to a stop and wouldnt make a grade. i went to local tractor shop and told him it has the CVT. he said it could only be the belts and i showed him what belts i put on and he said their generic.he sold me 2 cub cadet belts for it.what is your opinion on that pedal ??


*"he said it could only be the belts"*

I think he forgot, or doesn't know, the long belt drives a variable speed pulley. If you'll enlarge the second picture below (you posted it earlier) you'll notice how "shiny" the pulley groove surface looks... That indicates to me the belt *is* slipping, but the actual sides of the belt don't show excessive signs of "glazing" that is generated from heat as a belt slips. However, notice the bottom edge of the belt does appear to have an "edge" forming and signs of heat. Compare where the belt appears to have been riding in the pulley groove of the 1st picture and how it's shiny all the way out to the outside edges on your pulley? Looks like the variable pulley is closing all the way, but not gripping the belt. Notice the "spacer" at base of the pulley groove in the 1st picture? I don't think the pulley should be closing that far to allow the belt to ride completely at the outside edge of the pulley to "shine" it like that.... (variable speed pulley #956-04015A)


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

im trying to follow that..i do remember reading where those pulleys should move up and down and could seize...thats why i sprayed them with the silicone and pushed the pedal up and down real hard a few good times...i dont want to put those belts on and have the pulley ruin them... if it was yours what would you do next ?


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

raidman75 said:


> im trying to follow that..i do remember reading where those pulleys should move up and down and could seize...thats why i sprayed them with the silicone and pushed the pedal up and down real hard a few good times...i dont want to put those belts on and have the pulley ruin them... if it was yours what would you do next ?


*"he said it could only be the belts"* ---- *"i dont want to put those belts on and have the pulley ruin them"*

That's a dilemma for sure...... What's the guy that sold you the belts and told you that could be the *only* possible problem have to say?? 
If I was working on it, I'd have no choice but to get that VSP on a work bench to make sure it was working right. If I installed those belts on one of my customers machines and smoked them, because the pulley was the problem all along, I'd be the one buying the next set of the belts as well as discounting the labor to change the variable pulley.... 

"Belt Man" is getting a free ride in this deal, as far as trouble-shooting liability. He's already got your money in his pocket so don't expect a lot in the way of an answer when you ask him about the risk. If he's wrong and it's the pulley, I'm sure he'll be glad to sell you another set of high mark-up CC belts and overcharge you for the pulley also...


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

does the deck have any bearing on those pulleys ? i had a broken deck for a few cuts and didnt know it ...it actually broke off in my yard and and the cotter pin and J clamp was gone... i found them though... i had to get it welded..the deck was hanging down as you can see in this photo i attached...could this have ruined the initial belts and put that shine on the pulley or nothing to do with it ??? and if the plleys bad is it the big or small one ?


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Deck drive and ground drive are two different belts coming off the engine pulley.... The deck coming loose on one side and dropping out of alignment shouldn't have had much wear effect on the long ground drive belt, especially at the variable speed pulley. The VSP is the one where BOTH the long and short belts ride (double pulley). The other one connects directly to the top of the transmission....


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

ok..i am assuming its the smaller pulley that could be bad. can that be removed and replaced from the top thru the battery cage or does the deck gotta come off and do it from the bottom ?


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

raidman75 said:


> ok..i am assuming its the smaller pulley that could be bad. can that be removed and replaced from the top thru the battery cage or does the deck gotta come off and do it from the bottom ?


Sorry, can't remember exactly how that pulley mounts on a Cub Cadet at the moment, but here's a You Tube video on a Troy Bilt and I do seem to recall they use the same Pulley. Bearing failures and the pulley corroding up and not sliding on the shaft are the common problems. Cub bearing #941-0600, universal bearing # 6203-2RS (17 X 40 X 12 mm's), it takes two 

Troy Bilt VSP Failure

941-0600 Bearings on Amazon $8.50


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

ok... the pulley i should be taking off is the smaller one. those bearings are cheap and if thats the problem i could return those 2 belts. my neighbor does the labor and he wont charge me alot... after watching that video i am guessing thats it....also the link you posted for the bearings theres 3 of them for 8.50...is that correct ??


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

raidman75 said:


> ok... the pulley i should be taking off is the smaller one. those bearings are cheap and if thats the problem i could return those 2 belts. my neighbor does the labor and he wont charge me alot... after watching that video i am guessing thats it....also the link you posted for the bearings theres 3 of them for 8.50...is that correct ??



That's a really common bearing. $8.50 for 3 on Amazon. Cub Cadet wants $20 each....


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

do i need all 3 or just one ? thats what threw me.
i think i would be foolish to do anything more before having that pulley pulled off and looked at. if the bearings are broke i just saved 75.00 on belts i can take back..


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## raidman75 (Nov 23, 2021)

Thought I would log back in and thank u for all the info. The weather is breaking so I finally got the mower fixed. I bought the bearings u posted and the belts. The pulley was not easy getting out but my neighbor is pretty good. Changed the bearings and the belts and it's running great...thanks


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