Stabilizer link - is it nessessary?

[sofasurfer]

Cub Cadet LTX1050. I just found my stabilizer link in the garage. I had forgotten to put it on the mower. Is its sole purpose to keep the deck from moving sideways? Sounds pretty unimportant considering the lift bars don't allow more than about an inch of sideways movement. Also, eliminating the stabilizer link just makes deck removal that much easier. How important is the stabilizer link?

 

[Ken22]

I would put it on. Manufacturers try to keep machines as inexpensive as possible and would not have put it on if the engineers didn't think it was necessary. It may have something to do with safety.

 

[Mower King]

Cub Cadet LTX1050. I just found my stabilizer link in the garage. I had forgotten to put it on the mower. Is its sole purpose to keep the deck from moving sideways? Sounds pretty unimportant considering the lift bars don't allow more than about an inch of sideways movement. Also, eliminating the stabilizer link just makes deck removal that much easier. How important is the stabilizer link?

Sure, it will work without it but, for how long before you start throwing the belt off. When you engage the blades, have you ever noticed how it twists the deck? That stabilizer rod helps keep the deck from twisting thus...keeping the belt more aligned and tight when engaged.

 

[Rivets]

Realize that you have one of the cheaper units on the market. If it wasn’t needed, they would have not put it on originally. Put it back on.