Tractors, Mowers, Chippers, Trailers, Chainsaws, Generators, Driveway Erosion Control, ETC.

Can't you shorten one of the lift arms? Make the soil roll to one side more than the other.

Good on you maintaining the road even if others don't understand that speed beats the road up.

 

Cheap Husqvarna works for me, frontyard, backyard, and what we call our back 40 works for me.

 

More pictures of the banshee!

 

Almost a 24 hour cure I got it out. Fired right up to my amazement. Ran it for a little bit, mowed a little bit of stuff by the side of the garage and the drain field. Changed the oil and ran it some more. No leaks as of yet.

Also threw the battery in the Cub and let it run for a little bit.



Started right up as if it never sat. I used some treated ethanol free gas before putting it away. Not sure if it made the difference, but it couldn't have hurt.

Also jinxed myself probably. Put the snow blower back in the shed...

 

Finished up the punch list for this unit.

Picket it up late last fall.

Rebuilt the deck and a few other small item were repaired or replaced.

This is a nice mower! I almost don't want to sell it.

 

My current project:

I'm very impressed with the Dollar Tree brand of cleaner.

I pressure washed this deck and very little of the grass staining was removed.

I sprayed this oxygen Orange stuff on the deck and gave it a very half assed scrubbing with the deck brush after letting it soak a bit.

Hit it with the PW a bit later and all the grime was gone!

Color me impressed.

 

Maybe try the redneck grader method...air down the tires on the ditch side.

 

I need to deal with mine this year. I hadn't done anything with it since 2020 and the potholes are growing. Good excuse to get gravel brought in to extend the driveway and parking area for the shop too

 

Replaced the seat delay switch. It lives under the seat hing cross member.

I have now officially test driven it. I moves under its own power. They hydros feel normal, so that's a good thing.

 

After running it a bit, did find the main seal is leaking. I get that changed after I clean up the deck. I want my work bench back.

 

I like to rebuild these idlers. I grind off the rivets and pound the rivets out. After installing a new bearing I bolt the 2 halves together using nylanuts.

Didn't have and bolts and nuts.

 

Fordson, on the Santa Rosa Creek Rd.

 

My grandfather passed last September and since then I’ve started to help take care of yard work and such at the home. My grandmother has severe dementia and is unable to do it. They have a ‘07 Cub Cadet LT1045 with the dreaded Kohler Courage 20, and a ‘07 Kubota GR2100. I decided to do some basic maintenance on the Cub today. Oil/filter, fuel filter, air filter, spark plug, and grease. Super glad I did….the date written on the oil filter was April 2014!

Anyway, it’s running alright at this point with only 276 hours on it. It has the infamous oil leak above the muffler but otherwise seems okay. I also checked for any loose bolts under the flywheel that could potentially come out, but all were tightly in place. That said, I know these engines aren’t very well liked and known for their reliability. What else can a basic d.i.y. mechanic like myself do for it? With having the Kubota I’m not super worried about the Cub but would like to take care of it and get as much time out of it as possible. Thanks in advance.

 

The only thing I can telphink of is the compression release on the cam may stay stuck. You will think you have a weak starter or battery, but it's just that CR. Help the flywheel crank by giving it a little help. Leather gloves and twist the flywheel grass filter while hitting the starter and the starter will usually take over after you move past the compression cycle.

 

I have a (first year) 17 hp Courage on my small ZT, 2006 model and over 500 hours. With a ZT just about all the hours are at full throttle.

I did Lock-Tite the top cover bolts when it was almost new. Last year I adjusted the valves for the first time only because the valve cover gasket was leaking a bit.

As Kirk said, occasionally you need to give it a helping hand to get spinning but it has never failed to start.
My mower had thousands of miles on the trailer as well.

Much better on fuel than the old K-Series flatheads.

I have used the Kohler branded 10W-30 oil and a WIX filter, changed every 50 hours. It uses almost no oil between changes. When I adjusted the valves the engine was spotless inside, I posted pictures here last summer.

I blow out the cooling fins with a leaf blower after every use.

I have had 5 or 6 mufflers on it over the years, my theory is the power pulses of the big single cylinder are harder on the muffler than a similar size twin cylinder.

It also sheared 3 of the 4 mounting bolts that hold the engine to the mower body, I finished the season with one bolt and crossed fingers. That was years ago, I probably used Lock-Tite on the replacements and they haven't come loose again.

The Courage won't ever be the legend of toughness like the old K-Series but with good care they are fine for a non-commercial lawnmower.

 

Thanks for your input. I intend to give it the same level of care I give my mower (JD x380), unfortunately I’m just catching up several years late on this Cub.

 

The Scag that I bought in the Fall has the KT715 engine... I don't know it that's good or bad compared to the older engines y'all are talking about.
The only thing so far that bothers me about it is that if I forget to set all the safety's (parking brake, disengage blades) when I get off of the mower briefly but leave it running, the engine spits and sputters before stopping from the automatic engine kill. It really doesn't sound good, and ends with a loud pop. I'm getting better at remembering to set the brake and disengage blades, but is there a fix for the times when I forget?

 

I wonder if you have a bad seat delay switch. It's job is to keep the mower running if you hit a bump and your weight momentarily lifted off the seat. It's a common part to fail. I really don't know Skag machines that well.

Which Scag model is yours?

 

Honestly just regular basic services will be just fine for that trouble prone engine. The thing with small engines is most people neglect them way too much.

The only thing that stands out on those to me is the bottom cover leak that can be annoying. Pulling the engine and re-sealing takes care of it most of the time. However, that is kind of out of the scope for most people.

I run a high Zinc oil in my Cub with the 22HP Kohler twin. I grab a 6 pack of Valvoline VR1 10w30 racing oil on Amazon. I bought the synthetic variety last time, but with current cost my next one will be the conventional. The Kohler 10w30 has a nice dose of Zinc in it as well. I'm just a Valvoline guy