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Its no secret that I think the Cub GT2000 is by far, hands down the best value on the market for lawn/garden tractors and I thought the best way to illustrate this is by doing some research on the important stuff in any mower.

So to start I selected the transmission and as a basis of comparison I opted to compare the Cub to what some view as the gold standard in the lawn and garden tractor segment the mighty John Deere.
To be clear, JD produces a fine product, but until you get into, well into the select series line one is getting only exceptional value in the fit/finish dept.

Not until one gets into the X700 series with the Kansaki TuffTorque K92 does the a Deere owner get anywhere near the drive of the Cub GT2000, and the cost of membership in this club is about three times that of the Cub Club.

I am not making a direct comparison to the K92 and the BDU10 because the Tuff Torque, on paper, bests the Hydro Gear in weight on axle BUT until the 700 the hapless Deere owner gets a very sub standard drive compared to the Cub and only until the upper X500 series will one even get a 'serviceable' drive and even then the K66's filter is internal AND the unit has alot less fluid AND its cast aluminum rather than cast iron AND AND you will pay roughly twice the cost of the Cub 2000.

All the X300 series use an vastly inferior, compared to Cub, drive with no filter at all and about 1/3 the amount of juice and with a mere 600 or so lbs max axle weight rating-but hey at least you have the green machine.....

So as we can all agree that transmission/drive choice is one very important indicator of overall quality and longevity I believe that the win in this first category goes clearly to the Cub Cadet GT 2000 Crossover tractor.

Up next; engines and why Kawasaki certainly was once the best but sadly now, except in very specific pieces of equipment there are far better choices.

Robert,

Glad you are so happy with your riding lawn mower.

I suspect the transmission in your CC2000 is better than the lower priced Deere offerings D100 series through the x300. Can't speak about the new x310 because I don't know the info yet. Your transmission has quite a bit more torque than the k46 does, on the order of about 50 to 60 ft lbs better and that is very good.

The x320 and up to the x360 riding lawn mowers in the Deere line use the k58 transmissions which will produce more torque than yours by about 15%. This is based on the BDU 10S, if you have the BDU 10L then they are very comparable.

I looked carefully online at your CC2000GT and couldn't see where it is capable of using for anything other than mowing. Looks comparable to an x320 Deere riding lawn tractor and available at a good price too.

Disclaimer: Lots of guessing here with very little factual specifications to compare between these two transmission manufacturers. Most specifications were not a direct crossover so some interpolating was required. Facts are hard to come by , opinions are plentiful.

Comparing your Cub Cadet 2000GT to a Deere x700 series is simply laughable.

jenkinsph said:

Comparing your Cub Cadet 2000GT to a Deere x700 series is simply laughable.

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You are correct...
But robert is going to rant on, just for argument sake... good luck trying to respond to him, most have quit trying ... :smile:KennyV

KennyV said:

You are correct...
But robert is going to rant on, just for argument sake... good luck trying to respond to him, most have quit trying ... :smile:KennyV

Click to expand...

Yeah we are having a snow day today, snowed yesterday and last night, I am staying off the roads today. Tomorrow is another work day though.

I'm sure it's a great post Robert.....unfortunetly, about halfway through the second paragraph my brain freezes up and I become mentally paralyzed.
I'm not sure but I think it has something to do with the content. :mur::mur:

Boys, the facts are the facts, not until the upper model 500 series does the green owner get a drive that has a filter, yes its an internal filter but at least a replaceable filter is there, and yes it only has about 1/3 fluid of the Cub 2000 but that makes no difference in operating temps or longevity right?

And not until into the 700 series, does one get a drive with an external filter and huge fluid capacity, wonder why Deere uses this type of drive on that series :anyone:

jenkinsph, what is laughable is trying to compare the ultra entry level drive Deere uses in 80% of their select series to the heavy duty drive Cub uses in 100% of their 2000 series- for always less money and most of the time for an awful lot less money than JD.

Yes of course the Deere provides features the Cub does not, but remember the topic at hand.

Robert,
All my trucks are automatic including two ford 550s' and all of these have internal filters, no need for a spin on filter.

Facts, good point bring some.

Gotta go to work using my worthless Deeres.

You think a spin on filter is important for a garden tractor, I think having a three point hitch is more relavant, so is four wheel drive. While you may have a nice riding mower it is worthless as a garden tractor.

I would sure be interested in the Kawi engine report and the better ones available.

jenkinsph, lets go MOWER model by model, one at a time;

X360, $5,200 usd, Tuff Torque K58, sealed, 2.6 qts fluid, max weight on axles, 617lbs

Advantage Cub GT2000 for roughly $1,800 usd LESS :biggrin:

Robert,
Your CC2000 GT doesn't have the refinements of an x360 more inline with an x320 less the better Kawasaki motor.

jenkinsph, As I stated the fit and finish of the JD is superb but throughout the 300 select series the JD drive is vastly inferior to the Hydro Gear BDU.

However I am curious as to why you consider the Kanzaki K58 sealed drive which contains approximately 2/3 LESS hydro fluid and which has a very low weight on axle rating to be superior to the BDU-could you give some specifics? Aside from the fact that the 58 has an ALUMINUM case and ALUMINUM gears.

Why are so many people like this;

Upgrade Kit forJohn Deere* X300 - Kit Description

making so much money fixing the X300 oem drive ??

Can't seem to find any folks making cash with BDU drive upgrade things-why might that be jenkinsph???

Robert,
Both the Deere 320 model and the Cub 2000 have drive systems that are good enough. Both can cut the grass at a similar speed. Both are what I consider a good basic riding mower, the Cub may be at a slightly better price point. Hard to tell about price for sure without sitting across the desk at the dealers looking at hard numbers.

If and when I buy a new mower for my lawn at home I will consider a lawn tractor similar to the x320 Deere and/or the Cub Cadet 2000 GT. I will also look at zero turn models too since these are becoming popular with most people and I have other tractors to deal with lawn maintenance jobs. At any rate any of these will work to mow my own lawn of 2+ acres. I may spend more money and get a better quality mower if I decide to cut commercially but doubt it because I don't see me being in the lawn cutting business (not enough profit for me).

I have already posted numerous times why I chose the x749 for my commercial work in detail. It is the best fit for my purposes and so far I have been well satisfied with it.

I am curious what things you plan to do with your Cub Cadet besides mowing? You are very concerned with "factory authorized" attachments and I don't see where Cub offers anything besides a mower deck for your model. That is why I think you have a lawn tractor not a garden tractor.

Now other than responding to your other thread one last time I will say that I am done here. I really don't have time to argue over lawn mowers, everyone should buy what they want and hopefully be happy with their choice.

• Overview
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Best lawn tractor overall

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• Our Analysis

The 42-inch John Deere X304 lawn tractor has better build quality than the entry-level John Deere LA series, and it is rated for mowing a larger area. Reviews praise the four-wheel steering and 15-inch turning radius, which make it easy to mow around trees and other obstacles. The X304 also wins praise for overall comfort, cruise control and many other conveniences. The warranty is for four years or 300 hours, whichever comes first. Side-discharging clippings is the standard mode; switching to mulching or bagging requires extra options plus a blade change. If you don't need four-wheel steering for mowing around obstacles, and are willing to settle for slightly less performance in bagging mode, consider the less expensive 46-inch Snapper NXT2346 (*Est. $2,600), which features a smaller 14-inch turning radius plus conveniences that make it easier to use.
We found three excellent comparison reviews of the John Deere X304. At ConsumerReports.org, it's tested, rated and ranked in comparison with 34 other lawn tractors, all but one of which are priced much lower. At the German publication Family Home and Garden, it's tested along with seven more comparable lawn tractors over a longer period of use. At The Telegraph, a U.K. newspaper, it's one of five lawn tractors chosen for testing that meet strict European Union emissions limits. There are useful comments from owners at GardenWeb.com and ConsumerAffairs.com, and ConsumerReports.org now also publishes ratings and reviews from owners. You can view some videos of the John Deere X300 series of tractors at YouTube.

Ric, the Deere 300 line really is a fine product as far as an entry level consumer grade machine goes but if someone is interested in much more robust transmissions at a much more attractive price point then the Cub GT2000 crossover with the massive heavy duty BDU drive is the brand to go with.

Why would anyone spend money on a machine with a 'good enough' drive -tnks jenkinsph- when you could go with the Cub GT2000, at less money, and get a real good BDU transmission?

So once again I have provided proof positive that the Cub GT2000 crossover tractor bests by far, the John Deere X300 series in the drive used. Deere selected a completely sealed K58 with about two qts of fluid: Cub Cadet chose to offer their customers a massive BDU drive with spin on filter, cast iron case, cooling fan and about 300% more fluid than the Kanzaki K58 toy drive.

Next up the very pricey X500 select.......does alot more cash mean the green owner gets alot more transmission? stay tuned-more facts coming your way.

Forgot to add this very significant piece of info;

The K58 drive has a weight limit of approx 697 on the axles, the X360 mower and deck DRY weighs in at 681lbs so for some here:

697 minus 681 = 16 lbs left for gas, operator and attached accessories and accessory/load hitch weight

All for only about $1,600 MORE than the Cub GT 2000

Enough said?

Are you implying that the entire weight of that tractor is on the rear wheels?

Once again, poor logic dominates your judgement.

Fair enough but read on-by the way I was in error, the rated capacity of the K58 is 329lbs.
Four gallons of fuel is about 24lbs, shall we say the operator is 200lbs?, total of 224lbs.

So even at a 50/50 split : tractor weight 681 / 2 is 340, operator-200lbs?, now 540lbs, fuel is over the rear, another 30 lbs, 570, so while the number is better its still bad; from 16lbs all the way up to
59 lbs,

Another 4 stone for only $1,600-those are some expensive rocks.

Can you see why the k58 is so popular for the upgraders :laughing:

Are you seriously going to say that the K58 doesn't blow big time??

And by the way chev, the weight rating usually is static, think of that all you 58'ers every time you hit a bump.....

Since Robert can't seem to tell the truth, I will add some specs for the TuffTorq K58 and the Hydro Gear BDU10S.

http://tufftorq.com/images/TTC-L&G-K58.pdf


http://www.hydro-gear.com/Sales-Flyers/BDU BLN-0061.pdf



If you look at the Hydrogear drive it is rated for a continuous load at 85 in lbs/1000psi. Problem is the continuous rated pressure is only 850 psi so this equates to 72.25 inch lbs or about 6 ft lbs. At the peak intermittent pressure it will produce 178,5 inch lbs or almost 15 ft lbs.

When you consider input speeds are similar and mph of the two mowers is almost identical the reduction ratios in the transaxles should be similar too. I used the ratio of the K58 to come up with comparable torque to the rear wheels in ft lbs to the CC GT2000 since I couldn't find any hard data specs from Cub Cadet. This would bring us to an axle ratio of about 31.4 approximately, and inserting the 6 ft lbs continuous rating multiplying the two 31.4x6= 188.4 ft lbs of torque to the rear wheels. The intermittent rating would be 467 ft lbs peak torque.
So Tuff Torq rates the K58 at 217 ft lbs of torque and the BDP10S has a continuous rating of 188 ft lbs of torque. So, once again Tuff Torq wins. Just kidding my smilies aren't working right.

Now I know Robert is super proud of his transmision and I also think it is a good unit but when you consider that both use 1" axle stubs that are fairly short how much load do you want to put on them. Last important point I would bring up is I couldn't find any information on the Cub Cadet axle assembly, I would have preferred to have this to add to the facts.

Facts, data, something Robert hasn't laid out yet


In closing both are good enough to mow the lawn and the Deere is also capable of adding snowblower, front blade, bucket, hydraulic deck lift and hydraulic power steering.

robert said:

Fair enough but read on-by the way I was in error, the rated capacity of the K58 is 329lbs.
Four gallons of fuel is about 24lbs, shall we say the operator is 200lbs?, total of 224lbs.

So even at a 50/50 split : tractor weight 681 / 2 is 340, operator-200lbs?, now 540lbs, fuel is over the rear, another 30 lbs, 570, so while the number is better its still bad; from 16lbs all the way up to
59 lbs,

Another 4 stone for only $1,600-those are some expensive rocks.

Can you see why the k58 is so popular for the upgraders :laughing:

Are you seriously going to say that the K58 doesn't blow big time??

And by the way chev, the weight rating usually is static, think of that all you 58'ers every time you hit a bump.....

Click to expand...

Thought I would quote you before you changed your tune.

robert is only baiting you... He is just wanting to argue... and our right, he often changes his statements to continue an argument... the only "facts" you are apt to see from robert, will be skewed toward his position, and then are generally used only if they fit his self-serving statements... It's a mistake to respond to his misrepresentations...

Kenny your right, but anyone reading this later to needs to be aware of it too.

That is the only reason I posted a response on this thread....
There is going to be someone eventually reading this that will not know that he has a whacked out agenda, and may take him at his word that he is stating facts... It's a shame that his self indulgent pranks May lead someone astray....

Thanks jenkinsph for your effort to warn others of this devious thread... :smile:KennyV

I love that I can disprove the fanboy in one sentence and it takes paragraphs of dribble to justify his crap propaganda.

And I love my cub cadet.

jenkinsph, thank you for the links and I have to correct another error yet again, the rating of the K58 is 629 NOT the 329 I cited, my thought process was working in the 50/50 split mode.

But boys you miss the thrust of the thread, lets talk about the weight rating/specs of the K58 AND the general level value when a maker chooses to use a sealed, non serviceable drive in a machine that is an awful lot more money than another brand that offers a much much higher level of quality of hydro drive.

This cannot be disputed, the BDU drive in the Cub GT2000-at $1,600 less than the X360-will run far cooler and last much longer than the K58 while doing much more work than the K58-this one can take to the bank.

robert said:

....................by the way I was in error......................

....................and I have to correct another error yet again...................

Click to expand...

Seems that happens a lot with you.

robert said:

And by the way chev, the weight rating usually is static, think of that all you 58'ers every time you hit a bump.....

Click to expand...

yet another false claim.

Even office chairs are not rated for static weight.

Robert,
I spent the time to bring some facts to this discussion and see that all you bring is your opinion. You are obviously obsessed with your lawn mower and lack any ability to reason or comprehend the manufacturers cut sheets I provided.

Most of us enjoy using our equipment to make our homes and properties a better place to live. Some of us use our equipment to make a living too in part and these same people have equipment that far supercedes the level of the homeowners in general. If you are so unhappy with your Cub Cadet as I suspect you are you should trade up to something better. Get something with ground engaging capablilities and mowing capabilities if you want. That would be much more fun than a simple riding mower like you have now.

What happened to the up next kawasaki engines and the better engines available part of this lol?

possum,

I don't know but I might have to compare my older L130 with the larger 23hp Kohler to his Cub for alot less money.

Robert,
I will help you with a picture demonstarting "proof positive" that those Deere axles are really weak.

Proof positive.

OMG does all this mean that when I sell my JD I won't get 10 times as much for it as I would get for a used GT2000.
That would be really disappointing.

Yep, but today only I will go ahead and take it off of your hands and all you will have to pay me for the disposal fee is half of what you paid for it. :thumbsup:

Found out the new x310 has the K58H tranny so this may be a closer match to the GT2000. With power steering and hydraulic lift, snowblower, blade capable looks like the x310 is the better choice.

im wondering the next mower i should buy, and thinking about a cub cadet gt2544 does any body here have any experience with them?

mazza
australia

Try a new post, get more attention that way.