I think I have Cub Cadet XT50, with 50 inch deck and three blades. I had it for about - not sure - a year? Year and a half? Anyhow. I was rolling it out of garage, with transmission released, and noticed, that it does not want to roll.
To my surprise, I noticed that it has huge toe in on front tires. Particularly, if the L one is aligned straight ahead and steering wheel plumb, the R one is pointing inward good 30 degree or so.
Well, dear CC in its wisdom made it with cheap metal steering rods, going from the steering gear to the front end ball joints. So the R side steering rod looked bent, vs the L side one. YouTube has bunch of videos on how to fix bad ball joints on those but, ball joints on mine are good, no play.
Steering rod is all twisted and bent per design but, on mine the upper section of it was arced. L side same section was straight. I was initially intending to remove entire rod and take it to vise and sledge and hammer out straight but, it's too much work.
I took monkey wrench, put cheat pipe onto it, locked wrench on the steering rod arced area and simply bent it back to eyeball straight. Right on the mower.Took me about 3 tries on that top arced segment. Reset steering wheel - and magic, now wheels where gently toed out. So I, simply, bent L side rod just a ted. Et voila, wheels pointing forward just as they should.
If someone knows of any rugged steering rods for those mowers, likely flat enforced, maybe stamped steel, let me know. I have shit for grading and 5 acre to mow. Those rods ain't gonna last, too flimsy.
To my surprise, I noticed that it has huge toe in on front tires. Particularly, if the L one is aligned straight ahead and steering wheel plumb, the R one is pointing inward good 30 degree or so.
Well, dear CC in its wisdom made it with cheap metal steering rods, going from the steering gear to the front end ball joints. So the R side steering rod looked bent, vs the L side one. YouTube has bunch of videos on how to fix bad ball joints on those but, ball joints on mine are good, no play.
Steering rod is all twisted and bent per design but, on mine the upper section of it was arced. L side same section was straight. I was initially intending to remove entire rod and take it to vise and sledge and hammer out straight but, it's too much work.
I took monkey wrench, put cheat pipe onto it, locked wrench on the steering rod arced area and simply bent it back to eyeball straight. Right on the mower.Took me about 3 tries on that top arced segment. Reset steering wheel - and magic, now wheels where gently toed out. So I, simply, bent L side rod just a ted. Et voila, wheels pointing forward just as they should.
If someone knows of any rugged steering rods for those mowers, likely flat enforced, maybe stamped steel, let me know. I have shit for grading and 5 acre to mow. Those rods ain't gonna last, too flimsy.
