Cub Cadet Waranty warning

I just wanted to share my experience with anyone looking to purchase a mower. I purchased a brand new cub cadet RZT mower after doing a lot of research. Based on the reputation I chose Cub Cadet. A year and a half later I noticed a spot rusted through the deck. I contacted Cub Cadet and was told I needed to bring it to an authorized dealer. I was given several choices based on where I lived. I started calling the dealers on the list and after weeks of "we will call you back, or he is not in" I was finally able to get a dealer that would speak with me. The dealer was very hesitant and short with me on the phone soon after I described my issue. After getting the dealer all of the information they sent it in to cub cadet and I was told that the damage must have occurred because I hit something. I then provided them with very specific pictures on the clearance between the blade and the deck, all clearances were over a half of an inch except the area where the blade was hitting the deck. This is less than 1/8". It is obvious from the pictures that this was an issue from the factory, either the deck was stamped incorrectly or the blade was manufactured incorrectly, either way this is not caused by me hitting something. Cub Cadet, after hours of phone interactions has told me that they will not cover this under warranty. Buyer beware. Cub Cadet does NOT honor their warranty. I would have chosen another brand if I knew this was going to be the case.

suggestion: call & take deck to local machine shop for repair. i did this with my 46" Simplicity deck a few years ago, machine shop did jam up job welding crack at front of deck.

Hello,

Here is Plan B, take them to small claims court. Seldom, today will a manufacturer honor their warranty, but when you open a case against them via small claims court, you will get results, and pronto.

Sorry, I don't advocate frivolous lawsuits, but you should get and demand what the manufacturer claims.

Just document who and when you contacted, before taking further action.

Regards

Jeff

Sorry to be the wet blanket here but that is not a manufacturing defect.
It is post manufacturing damage, not a pressing error.
I fix them all the time with a pair of 36" shifters.
The only question is weather you have caused it by banging into things or if it was stoved in during trasit between the factory & your yard
So the dealer is quite right , not a warranty claim. At best an insurance claim but as you have been using it for over a year little chance for that.
Clearly the blade has been striking the deck which is what has caused the split and it has been doing that for quite some time.
The corner of the blade is quite rounded from striking the deck & the blade has a lot of dents , suggesting running over a lot of things like roots or tree branches or rocks.
Pressed decks are not all that strong and can be bent back by running into things like big tussock grass clumps which one of my customers on acerage does all the time.
Bend the deck strait again, shrink the stretched region back to flat run a bead of weld on the inside of the deck then put a patch plate over the section on the outside.

Have a good think about getting a fabricated deck which will take a lot more rough usage.

jp1961 said:

Hello,

Here is Plan B, take them to small claims court. Seldom, today will a manufacturer honor their warranty, but when you open a case against them via small claims court, you will get results, and pronto.

Sorry, I don't advocate frivolous lawsuits, but you should get and demand what the manufacturer claims.

Just document who and when you contacted, before taking further action.

Regards

Jeff

Click to expand...

And plan C is the manufacturer files motion to move the lawsuit to federal circuit court along with their counter lawsuit for all legal fees.

bertsmobile1 said:

Sorry to be the wet blanket here but that is not a manufacturing defect.
It is post manufacturing damage, not a pressing error.
I fix them all the time with a pair of 36" shifters.
The only question is weather you have caused it by banging into things or if it was stoved in during trasit between the factory & your yard
So the dealer is quite right , not a warranty claim. At best an insurance claim but as you have been using it for over a year little chance for that.
Clearly the blade has been striking the deck which is what has caused the split and it has been doing that for quite some time.
The corner of the blade is quite rounded from striking the deck & the blade has a lot of dents , suggesting running over a lot of things like roots or tree branches or rocks.
Pressed decks are not all that strong and can be bent back by running into things like big tussock grass clumps which one of my customers on acerage does all the time.
Bend the deck strait again, shrink the stretched region back to flat run a bead of weld on the inside of the deck then put a patch plate over the section on the outside.

Have a good think about getting a fabricated deck which will take a lot more rough usage.

Click to expand...

I agree. It would be the same as taking your car to the dealer and trying to claim that a dent in your oil pan was caused by a defect. Damage like this ONLY comes from being struck. The manufacturer does not and should not warranty these claims.

I am sorry for problems; it is always frustrating when something just doesn't go as you plan. While you may be frustrated with Cub Cadet it is likely you would have experienced the same with any other manufacturer. In the future plan for something more durable as you likely need it. Best of luck.