50 Inch deck is more than plenty for a yard no matter the size or the complexity. The Cub Cadet Lawn Tractor LTX 1050 might be a tad bit more expensive, than the other five in my list of ‘Top 5 Riding Mowers’, but the features it offers are ample justification. Take for instance the OHV Kohler V-Twin hydrostatic 24 HP engine. It is way more than what similar sized riding mowers offer and yet with hydrostatic transmission it eliminates the necessity to shift while changing direction or speed. Engaging the blades is easy with fingertip controls and this mower features headlights! With a tight turning radius of 12 inches, the LTX 1050 is among the most maneuverable Cub Cadet riding lawn mowers
Product Info:
- Riding Lawn Mower
- Lawn Tractor
- 24HP, 725cc V-twin OHV Kohler Engine
- Hydrostatic Transmission
- Non CARB-Compliant
Features:
- 50 inch cutting deck
- 12 Height Positions
- 3.3 gallon fuel tank capacity
- Cruise Control
- Weight: 620 lbs
- 3-years limited warranty
In-Dept Review of the Cub Cadet Lawn Tractor LTX 1050
Ease Of Use
Before you take my rating for granted, please understand that I possess a bit more than average knowledge on lawn care and engines. For me replacing a broken belt, fixing minor engine issues are nothing out of the ordinary, but having said that, it also happens to be the reason why I rate it a bit lower than the others even though feature wise and capabilities listed, it is an awesome riding mower. Almost all Cub Cadet lawn mowers tend to have a few nagging issues primarily because cost cutting measures. Nevertheless, the manual and with experience around lawn care products, you will find them benign enough.
First off, using the mower or rather riding it is an absolute pleasure. Just fire it up like you would your average gasoline walk-behind mower and start mowing. Before you mow though, set the height you want, which doesn’t need any extra effort thanks to the fingertip height lever and off you go. This Cub Cadet lawn tractor LTX1050 can operate the blades in both the forward and backward direction or in other words it allows for reverse mowing. Add to this, the fact that the new 24 HP Kohler engine has mower power to help it traverse steep inclines, which was a major turn-off with the last edition of this model that was underpowered with a 19 HP engine operating the same 50 inch deck. As for adding accessories, this can take on carts, thatcher, tillers and more.
Cut Quality
The hydrostatic transmission helps maintain your speed and power regulating it such that the blades never overspin or underspin in either the forward or reverse direction. This translates to a very even cut all the time regardless of the height and type of grass. Be it dry, wet or really tall adamant grass, this mower chomps through it all.
Mulching needs an additional mulch blade that is not packaged with this mower. It costs a wee bit but can come handy if you intend to go green with fertilizing your yard. I personally haven’t yet tried out the mulch plug but from what I hear, it ought to work just fine.
Height Adjustment
Not many riding mowers offer up to 12 height settings. You can go as low as 1.5 inches for a clean shave or stay at 4 inches for a week’s stubble. In fact, you can cut across a large 2 acre field at 1.5 inch setting without worrying of the grass height at the start.
Motor Power
Like I mentioned previously, these Cub Cadet garden tractors usually feature small engines but the LTX1050 now comes with an improved 24 HP, 725cc Kohler OHV V-Twin engine with a 3.3 Gallon gas tank. This translates to immense power, probably more than is required for those with a level lawn. Having the extra power does come handy when trying to mow an uneven lawn. It powers seamlessly out of ditches and breaks well enough going downhill. Its cruise control comes in handy on longer straight areas.
Maintenance
Remember that I said the Cub Cadet lawn tractor wasn’t exactly designed for the average homeowner? Well, the problem is this mower uses a lot of components that will eventually need repair or replacement. For those with absolutely no knowledge on lawn care equipment and their maintenance, it can be a nightmare having to call on the services of a knowledgeable friend or a service technician. For starters the belt always seems to tear apart every couple of months and the first time you replace it is a major nightmare. Then it is the brakes that wear quick, some plastic component somewhere or the blades that dull or crack in a year or two. If you really want a riding mower, these are some of the perils to getting one. However, if you are only interested in purchasing a riding mower that will last a good three years and then you can go in for a good replacement, this is a good choice since the first three years are covered under manufacturer’s warranty (albeit only the running components such as the belt isn’t).
Cost Effectiveness
Considering the amount of repair and maintenance needed by the Cub Cadet Lawn Tractor LTX1050, it may not be a good investment for those with a yard smaller than 2 acres but for those with a large enough yard, finding a reliable mower can cost twice that of these cub cadet garden tractors. Hence, it is a wise investment if you don’t mind learning a bit of lawn equipment DIY tricks.
- Impressive set of extra features
- Power motor
- Good cut quality
- Ugly design
- Mulch option is additional
- Needs more maintenance
Do not buy any lawn mower made after 1980. They are all junk compared to older ones. Hydrostatic, and vertical shaft engines – are two no-no’s. Compare them to garden tractors made in the 1970’s and witness the differences. Many of them are still daily users. I have five of them. I gave a 2010 Husqvarna LGT2554 to my Son-in-law because it is junk. Named LGT for light garden tractor, BUT, it is not recommended in the owner’s manual to hook any ground engaging accessories to it, or climb steep hills, or use it for extended periods of time. This is all lame.