Cub Cadet LTX 1042 KW (42") 18HP Kawasaki Lawn Tractor

This is probably the best 1000 series tractors on the market. You could pay more for a heavier duty tractor but for someone with 1 acre or less this is the best. I saw where some were having trouble with the deck bearings. This could be a problem with any brand. It is my opinion that if you just blow the grass and dust off instead of washing, the bearings will last a long time. The times that you do wash. make sure water doesn't stand on the deck for an extended period of time. My Kawasaki engine is smooth and has lots of power. I also purchased the mulching kit and it works great for getting rid of all my leaves and I have a lot of them. I believe that with a little routine maintenance this LTX1042KW will last me for many, many years.

This is probably the best 1000 series tractors on the market. You could pay more for a heavier duty tractor but for someone with 1 acre or less this is the best. I saw where some were having trouble with the deck bearings. This could be a problem with any brand. It is my opinion that if you just blow the grass and dust off instead of washing, the bearings will last a long time. The times that you do wash. make sure water doesn't stand on the deck for an extended period of time. My... more

First, it is everything that I expected, from its Kawasaki engine, the Hydrostatic Trans, to the High Back Seat and the Cast Iron front axle and welded 9 gauge steel frame. Best of all, its made right here in America. I don't know who says you can't get quality in American made products but they should take a closer look at this Tractor and Cub Cadets attention to detail.

Enough of that, now lets talk about the Pro's. The Kawasaki engine starts as fast and easy or even better than my Toyota Truck. It is fairly quiet and smooth, all the way up to about 7/8's throttle. At full throttle, it gets a little louder but by no means objectionable. It is still quieter than the other tractors that I have had, not to mention any names. I believe that it is partially due to the size and location of the muffler and also due to the Kawasaki engine and its automotive style oiling system.

Next is the Hydrostatic Trans. I have a Hydrostatic Trans. on my Snowblower and I love it. This is what prompted me to make sure that my Lawn Tractor also had a Hydro. Trans. It is very smooth and takes full advantage of the Kawasaki engines power. I am not going to go into detail on how the Hydro. Trans works but you have full power from a very slow creepy crawl to high speed. This is very handy for driving around plants, trees and edging. As opposed to having to use a gear box, which I had to do for many years.

Now I will talk about Ergonomics and controls. I for one find the High Back adjustable seat, seat height, steering wheel, foot pedals for forward and reverse, foot brake, grab handles and cutting blade PTO and cutting height lever, just about right for my size, which is 5' 11", 220 lbs. The dash also has easy to see and clearly marked LED lights and Hour Gauge. Everything seems to be in the proper place, easy to both see and read.

Fit & Finish and Quality: I happen to be a rather fussy person. I do not approve of poor workmanship nor will I purchase anything that I think might be sub standard. I guess that statement kind of tells you how I feel about the Cub Cadet. Everything seems to be in the proper place including the battery which is under the seat. Speaking from 30 years experience as an Electrical Design Engineer the wiring, harnesses, connections, wire and harness routing, and hardware used is first class with one exception. The manual states that the main fuse for the battery is in the forward engine compartment. It is not!. It is under the rear deck, just below the battery, which is a good place, because it is well protected. It is also a standard 20 amp automotive fuse in a wired fuse holder with a locking pin, which keeps the fuse from vibrating loose and falling out.

This has gotten to be way longer than I had anticipated but this is the end. How does it work?? Very well thank you. I have not noticed any problems of any kind. It has a tighter turning radius than most Garden and Lawn Tractors, it cuts a very even and smooth path and because of the 4 wheels on the deck and a little deck wheel adjustment, I have not scalped any part of my lawn, even the hilly and bumpy parts. The mulching attachment is very simple but works as advertised and I have not noticed any mounds of grass on my lawn after cutting. I rather have found finely chopped pieces of grass that should feed my lawn rather than clog it up.

One last word. Check the oil level and tire pressure when you get your Tractor. Enough said!

First, it is everything that I expected, from its Kawasaki engine, the Hydrostatic Trans, to the High Back Seat and the Cast Iron front axle and welded 9 gauge steel frame. Best of all, its made right here in America. I don't know who says you can't get quality in American made products but they should take a closer look at this Tractor and Cub Cadets attention to detail.

Enough of that, now lets talk about the Pro's. The Kawasaki engine starts as fast and easy or even better than my... more

While looking for the mower I found out the the Home stores offer different models than the Dealers. This was true for the 3 top brands I was looking at, John D, Husvarna, and Cub Cadet.
Different engines, transmissions, seats and features.

So after knowing what features, engine etc. we wanted, it was clear we needed a dealer type model.
So then we started looking for dealers that had the model we wanted for a good fair price.
Between the 3 manufactures, the Cub Cadet had the features at a price we liked, the reviews are great so that is the one we picked.
We settled on the Cub Cadet 1042 KW with a Kawasaki engine, the hydro trany, cruise control, high back seat and more.
We found the best price at Mowers Direct, with free shipping, and no sales tax.
The engine is quite compared to my neighbors Craftsman, and the sharp turning radius makes getting in and out of tight places easy. The cruise control makes cutting my 2 acres easy!

While looking for the mower I found out the the Home stores offer different models than the Dealers. This was true for the 3 top brands I was looking at, John D, Husvarna, and Cub Cadet.
Different engines, transmissions, seats and features.

So after knowing what features, engine etc. we wanted, it was clear we needed a dealer type model.
So then we started looking for dealers that had the model we wanted for a good fair price.
Between the 3 manufactures, the Cub Cadet had the features at... more

I had a John Deere LT150 with a 38" deck which worked well on my property, and I knew just how wide a space I could fit through between trees and on various walking paths. The 42" deck, though only 4 inches wider, is taking some cautious getting used to, but today after my first mowing, I am pleased with the Cub Cadet's smooth handling and smooth, quiet Kawasaki engine. This engine is an obvious step above what I had and came highly recommended by my local small engine repair and maintenance shop over the Kohler and Briggs and Stratton engines.

I had a John Deere LT150 with a 38" deck which worked well on my property, and I knew just how wide a space I could fit through between trees and on various walking paths. The 42" deck, though only 4 inches wider, is taking some cautious getting used to, but today after my first mowing, I am pleased with the Cub Cadet's smooth handling and smooth, quiet Kawasaki engine. This engine is an obvious step above what I had and came highly recommended by my local small engine repair and... more

Great mower and I would highly recommend the Kawasaki engine over the Kohler - I had a Kohler in my previous mower and from day one it was hard to start.....mower is great - my only complaint is the instructions to prepare the mower for the first using did not include to check the bumper to be attached correctly - my first 20 minutes it fell off and hit the blade and bent it.....it was not properly attached....other than that, great mower, quiet and rarely needs choke to start, even on the first start....great value.

Great mower and I would highly recommend the Kawasaki engine over the Kohler - I had a Kohler in my previous mower and from day one it was hard to start.....mower is great - my only complaint is the instructions to prepare the mower for the first using did not include to check the bumper to be attached correctly - my first 20 minutes it fell off and hit the blade and bent it.....it was not properly attached....other than that, great mower, quiet and rarely needs choke to start, even on the... more

I've used my Cub Cadet for the last 9 years that now has 3800 hrs. Amazing machine with strong mowing power regardless of the height of the grass. I mow with it twice a week and it leaves the lawn in great condition at both of our farms.

This was a positive experience for me. Tractor was delivered on schedule it was well packaged started easily. Definitely get lift gate service. I would definitely buy through Mowers Direct again.

Great experience. I did a lot of comparing on this site and others and decided on the Cub Cadet. I sat on my couch and ordered my tractor on Sunday night and unloaded it off the truck on Friday. Took about 20 minutes to remove from the crate. Had to add a little oil, fill the gas, connect the battery and I was test driving it in no time. I have used it three times already to mow and a few times towing a trailer loaded with wood chips. Nice smooth operation and that signature Cub Cadet cut. Lots of power. Much more than I expected and very stable on my hilly lot. I have ordered a couple of things from PED and have been impressed with the service and fast delivery. I'll be back for a generator next.

Great experience. I did a lot of comparing on this site and others and decided on the Cub Cadet. I sat on my couch and ordered my tractor on Sunday night and unloaded it off the truck on Friday. Took about 20 minutes to remove from the crate. Had to add a little oil, fill the gas, connect the battery and I was test driving it in no time. I have used it three times already to mow and a few times towing a trailer loaded with wood chips. Nice smooth operation and that signature Cub Cadet cut. Lots... more

From the first time I used the new mower it stalled and then quit running. Called the company I purchased my Cub Cadet from and they said they needed to pick it up and bring it in to work on it. This would have cost $50 both ways. I then changed the air filter with a new one I purchased. This did not work, so I took the fuel filter off and it was FILTHY. Purchased a new fuel filter, that looked nothing like the one I had taken off, and my mower has worked like a charm since. Feel someone was working on a Cub Cadet with a Kohler engine that needed to be replaced and used the one from the one I purchased with a Kawasaki engine. When the shop worker called to check on my mower, to pick it up that day, I told him what had happened and he acted rather sheepish. This is not a good policy for a company that sells and repairs Cub Cadets.

From the first time I used the new mower it stalled and then quit running. Called the company I purchased my Cub Cadet from and they said they needed to pick it up and bring it in to work on it. This would have cost $50 both ways. I then changed the air filter with a new one I purchased. This did not work, so I took the fuel filter off and it was FILTHY. Purchased a new fuel filter, that looked nothing like the one I had taken off, and my mower has worked like a charm since. Feel someone... more

I did a lot of research before buying this machine from this company. Very happy with both.

I was in between a Husqvarna and a John Deere for quite sometime and was trying to decide which engine was the best choice. I started looking into Kohler and Briggs but then started reading up on the Kawasaki engine and how much better they were. After doing some research on Mowers Direct I decided on this Cub Cadet with the Kawasaki engine. It was shipped to my door within a few business days. I elected to pay extra to have it shipped to me in a truck with a tommy gate and I would recommend that you consider this as well. The wooden crate the mower came in was large and protected the mower from any outside damage. There were at least 30 bolts to remove just to un-crate the mower, but in my opinion it was well worth the extra effort to remove the boards considering the protection it offered. I connected the battery, secured the front bumper, checked the oil, put some gas in it, and it cranked right up. The mower is fast and very enjoyable to mow with. My only minimal disappointment is that I didn't get and electric PTO engagement rather than the manual lever. It is a small thing but really insignificant, but it would have been nice. Overall I am very satisfied with my purchase.

I was in between a Husqvarna and a John Deere for quite sometime and was trying to decide which engine was the best choice. I started looking into Kohler and Briggs but then started reading up on the Kawasaki engine and how much better they were. After doing some research on Mowers Direct I decided on this Cub Cadet with the Kawasaki engine. It was shipped to my door within a few business days. I elected to pay extra to have it shipped to me in a truck with a tommy gate and I would recommend... more