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tdw1026

Cub Cadet LT1045 - Mower Blades Not Turning Correctly

tdw1026
12 years ago

I have a Cub Cadet LT1045 purchased in 2005. I recently mowed 1/2 of my yard, switched the mower off to open a gate for the back yard, and when I went to start the blades via the PTO, the mowing deck was not working. Here is what I have found: If the mower deck is raised as high as it will go, the blades will turn when you engage the PTO switch, but starts slowly, If you lower the mowing deck to where there is any resistance (i.e. higher grass), the blades will stop turning. You can hear the blades turning again when you raise the deck back up. The belt appears to be on correctly and not slipping. It does not appear to be anything electrical, as the PTO does seem to start the mowing deck. Could it be the clutch? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Comments (16)

  • tomplum
    12 years ago

    You really should pull the deck and give an inspection. One needs to know that the spindle bearings are not binding, the tensioner and idlers move freely etc Belts simply wear as well and you may want to compare it to a new one. It is possible too that the belt has hopped one spindle pulley and is dragging on the spindle housing.

  • smithallen885
    7 years ago

    I have a LT1045 and my blades will stop turning when I go faster and when I drop my deck down to 3 it will stop turning all together

  • rexlex
    7 years ago

    suspect either a damaged/stretched deck drive belt or a sticking pivot for deck takeup idler.

    Pivot plate is spring loaded. With engine off, chk plate for free movement and clear of trash. If plate moves freely thru it's full range, then chk deck drive belt for being stretched too far.

  • krnuttle
    7 years ago

    There is one other possibility. If the bolt holding the blade to the shaft became loose. the blade would be free spin independently of the shaft. In this condition I would suspect that just because of friction with the bold the blade would start spinning, but when it hit the grass it would stop.


    If it were mine I would immediately check both bolts holding the blade to the spindle. (Or what ever the mechanism was that served the same function)

    You could have a similar situation with similar results if the pulley on the spindle became loose on the spindle. ie miss key on the shaft?

  • smithallen885
    7 years ago

    My mower will bog down but the motor does not bog down

  • rexlex
    7 years ago

    lt1045 carries a 3 blade 46 inch deck. Smithallen indicates entire deck is slowing down under load, but engine is not....correct?

  • smithallen885
    7 years ago

    That is correct.when you put the deck down in 3 it will bog way down

  • rexlex
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    then, smithallen885, look for problem in either deck belt stretched too long or spring loaded idler takeup pulley pivot bar is sticking and letting belt be slack. If neither of those things, then electric PTO itself may be slipping - very unusual.

  • PRO
    Eat Me
    7 years ago

    The deck design on these mowers must have been drawn up by some 3rd grade elementary school kid.. Stupidest things I have ever encountered.

    Remove the deck, then the belt.

    Remove the idler tension springs.

    Remove the bolt that holds the idler pulleys to the deck.

    Move pulley A as far back as possible without it hitting the belt where it passes to the rear of the deck. WELD IT in place.

    Reinstall the the front idler pulley. Make sure it moves freely.

    Reinstall the tension spring.

    You will need another belt other than the factory size (off of the top of my head,can't remember the size).

    Reinstall the deck and a new belt.

    Problem solved.


  • rexlex
    7 years ago

    bullhockey welding? Bwah- Hah-Hah-Hah.....

  • HU-674470857
    4 years ago

    Bent PTO engaging handle. Causing slack in the system when you engage mower blades. I bet your handle wont fully move into the off position. It stays about halfway. So when you engage, it's not fully engaged. That metal arm is junk and easy to bend. Bend it back and possibly change PTO cable and I bet the farm it fixes it.

  • John Heck
    4 years ago

    Just a word about slipping belts on a deck that is low to the ground------ I watch a lot of U tube videos and have come across ( Grass Rats ) mower repair shop in Indiana. There is a lot of tongue in cheek comedy but then they show a serious video. Any way that was the situation and Taryl took the tension spring off heated and bent a hook into it closer to the center of the spring and he says it works fine

  • HU-798179113
    3 years ago

    OK. I'm having a similar but opposite issue. When the deck is raised high (8) the blades spin slowly. If I lower the deck to (3), the blades spin faster and I can mow. Seems opposite of the complaint which started this thread. Also, when I mow, the left most blade (3 blade Cub Cadet) doesn't seem to cut as well and I'll have to mow that area again making sure it gets hit by the center blade or right blade. All 3 blades were recently removed and sharpened and the balance was verified. The blades were put back on in random order. The mower was doing this prior to removing and sharpening the blades. Are these 2 related (I think they are) and what's my next move to fix it? Model RZT-L54 (17CRCACA009). Thanks!

  • HU-641053820
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    My zero turn troybuilt will drive fine when it’s on. But when I engage the blades sound like they are spinning to fast? could it be a belt

  • Ben Hawkins
    3 years ago

    Agree with the bend pto handle. It doesn’t take much to bend it apparently. what I have to do every once in a while (still trying to get it fixed) is with the mower off, engage the blades. detach the mower safety button (you might break it otherwise) then put a block of wood about a 1.5” between the brass handle button presser and the black frame. Then disengage the blades and pull the handle back hard until it bends.

    i keep having to do this so I don’t know if there’s too much friction or something in my deck, but this is what works for me.

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