Cub Cadet 1042 Deck Belt Keeps Coming Off

This alteration was not instructed by Cub Cadet but works. The new belt part # is 754-04060
I know, I could have done better editing this video. Excuse the rush job, but you can get the gist.

[@michaelbrowne479]

Thank you my friend, you have added 5 years to my life which is the time I spend refitting the deck belt, have completed your fix and haven't looked back, thanks again.

[@poopiemcpoopnfart2303]

Can't thank you enough Kirby. My LT1042 went from being a POS to mowing like a champ. By the way, you're modification is actually an upgrade to the next generation design for that same deck. I'm sure that Cub cadet's reason for this upgrade is the same as ours, although they would never admit that. If ever I meet you in person the beer is on me!

[@loriclark8603]

It worked!!! Thanks for the video, my husband followed your instructions 2 years ago and it hasn't popped off since. It used to be a nightmare.

[@yobwok]

Glad it helped. Mine was aggravating before also.

[@BluemoonBC22]

Hi, I had the same problem. I took mine to the shop and had them watch your video and make the changes. Worked like a charm!!! The guys at the shop were also impressed. Thanks so much for making this video. Cheers from Downunder!

[@whatmeworry8681]

BluemoonBC22 What size belt did you use ?

[@b85douglas]

+whatmeworry 97?

[@yobwok]

Glad it helped

[@yobwok]

I wrote it in the video description. I hope you get it fixed

[@dchez602]

My Cub 1042 is a 2007 and had a deck like this. I had ordered a belt for it and it was too short, but after I repositioned the pulley, like in this video, I was good to go. Good information, thanks for posting!

[@TheYearOfTheRedDoor]

Man, oh, man! You saved my sanity! I have a Troybilt SuperBronco with the same deck. Except my pivot arm did not have the bolt that needed to be ground down. Easy, peasy, fix. Thank you so much. Got my mower back in service, flawlessly cut my knee-high grass. And a fringe benefit is that the new arrangement doesn't vibrate nearly as much, making my 12-year old mower MUCH more comfortable. And I think the cut is cleaner, too. Awesome solution!

[@yobwok]

Glad it helped.

[@calebhewlin3672]

Hey, thanks for taking the time to film and explain this. Had a belt start jumping off, and i couldn't get it to stop. Moved the pulley like you said, put a shorter belt on, and it runs smoother than it ever has. Really appreciate the help. BTW, i used a 96 inch belt at first, but it was a tad loose, took a few seconds for the blades to spin up, and it would bog down... went and got a 94 inch belt from advance auto, and it runs strong. Also, like another comment below said, i just flipped the bolt instead of grinding, and it worked.

[@yobwok]

Glad it helped

[@jimbevins6515]

This alteration works great ! I used the 64" belt. Mowed for 4 hrs. not a problem. My LT1042 kept throwing the belt before I switched the pulley. Thanks Kirby !

[@mrmichaeltscott]

It worked! Perfectly! Thank you! The bollt you have to grind, I just flipped it over. I used a 2x2 cut to length to hold the spring tension while I installed the belt. Between the two left pulleys. This is crazy good info. It even sounds way better running! Thanks!

[@DaveSomething]

thanks! I wish I'd found this video nearly 6 years ago, it would have saved me a lot of time, cash, and blood pressure medication! works like it's supposed to, so far! I used a 94" belt, it's a little tight but it fits with just barely enough slack to get it around the main pulley.

[@leelovstad6902]

Today converted our 2007 LT1042 as described using a slightly worn 954-04060 from our newer Craftsman T1400. This -04060 is specified for the T1400 and the older LT1042 configuration so we're not jeopardizing a new belt with the trial. Our ongoing problem of the Cub rolling and then breaking the belt on uneven ground has not occurred in the hour trial mowing on some of our most uneven plots. I suspect there is less tension on a 96.6 " belt but I'm accustomed to slowing for dense stands so this may be incosequential. Well worth the trial.

[@AllDaCraze]

Thsnx, for the video. It is the fix I needed for my Scrub Cadet.

[@Thorborn83]

Thanks for this great video, I was about to give up on this mower, I just could not keep the let on, I did this modification and its runs like a champ again! Thanks again!,

[@yobwok]

Glad it helped

[@DTuckerMD]

It looks like I may have too much slop at the hole where the bracket mounts to the deck. The bushing is free to move a little due to wear and that's enough to let the pulleys drag. Not sure what I'll do next.

[@larrymiller1046]

Belt kept coming off now u show a better design 👍

[@petercatrionaarnold-nott1065]

I made exactly this discovery today. I had bought the belt for the LT1042 and found it was way too short. Bought a longer belt (I guessed the length coz I didn't realize the configuration was different until later). Still no luck. Realized the set up on the mower was different to the manual, moved that pulley, and now the belt fits!! Hope it stays on.

[@kevintomb]

ACTUALLY this is how the diagram for belt routing and pulleys looks on some of Cub Cadets diagrams. I think it was a change they made over the years.

[@jeffweber9640]

brilliant. worked perfectly. thank you very much for posting this.

[@yobwok]

Glad it helped

[@71160000]

I had the same issue with a model 1046. I looked under the mower with the deck all the way up and all the way down and it became obvious what the problem is. When the deck is lowered it pulls the belt down off the drive pulley when the cut lever is disengaged. It doesn't come off while actually mowing but when you disengage the cutting while the deck is in the lower positions. If you simply raise the deck before disengaging the blades the tension will keep the belt on the pulley. So always engage and disengage the blades with the deck in the high position. If the belt comes off then it needs to be replaced.

[@greenmarine5]

Excellent video and I'm going to try it, but I'm expecting maybe to loose some RPM speed on the blades, due to the shorter belt and shorter travel? * EDIT * I followed what you did and have mowed 3 times since moving the pully and going to a 96" belt. BEFORE, the 109" belt would get extremely hot, so hot it would make the belt almost melt and cause it to prematurely narrow and role off of the spindle pully. Now with the new/old style configuration I can mow my whole back yard ( 1 acre ) and the belt is barely warm and I see no problems with mowing or bagging. Thank you for sharing. * EDIT * Nearing the end of summer and still mowing great, back and front yard = 2 acres. Now I can feel confident when I sell it I will be selling a good working product to someone else I want to upgrade to a Toro Time cutter Zero turn * EDIT * It's now year 3 after doing this fix and still on the same Belt, with very little signs of wear.

[@kenhall1204]

Kirby is smart. It fixed my cub cadet.

[@yobwok]

I used the the part # in the video description and that same belt , that I used in the video in 2012, is still working today. I hope yours will last too : )

[@richtoomsen9100]

Thanks for posting this mod. I've broken 3 belts in the last couple years - I kept wondering if that upper pulley being so far out of the horizontal plane would cause undue friction on the edges of the belt. Glad to know there's a solution.

[@yobwok]

Glad it helped

[@CharlesMantia]

I fixed it. You need to add a belt guide bracket in front of the engine pulley from the bottom of the engine to the wire bracket. bolt it to the body under the engine and then weld it to the wire bracket on the rear of the engine pulley. just a flat thin piece of flat metal to keep the belt from coming off the engine pulley when changing deck height. When in the middle position the belt is way too lose to stay on. Add the bracket and no more problems.

[@greenmarine5]

but the original design causes to much friction on the belt because at cub cadets design the belt is at an angle because the rear pulley is higher than the other 3 causing the belt to heat up get soft and either roll off the pulley or completely give due to the heat and snap in two. It's a failure in design and a failed consumer product.

[@jamesmerideth3152]

First off I thank you for sharing this video, I was wondering if anyone could help I've followed and done everything put back together and my pto will not engage, I have the lt1040 and went with a 93" belt, any ideas on what I might've done wrong or missed, thank you

[@jamesmerideth3152]

Update, I've found my problem wires to my pto were broken, thanks again for a solution to the belt problem

[@robertmccleery6056]

I have a 1045 and when I am mowing, the odd time, the motor just stops! The only way to restart is to release the PTO and then it restarts. Any ideas or suggestions?

[@waynesoucie7104]

Great informative video to solve a infuriating problem with the LT1042. Great job.

[@yobwok]

Glad it helped

[@oyetos]

Great post and thank you but am I missing something here, the video skips many times and seems to cut out some important points is there a longer version of this video?

[@mrmichaeltscott]

2 years later in buying my first replacement belt after this mod. I mow 2 A 3 times a week.

[@greenmarine5]

awesome thank you, it's been 2 months for me and the belt shows hardly any wear, glad I can look forward to at least a full year of mowing two acres. Instead of going threw 2 belts in one summer.

[@wjoellock]

I was wondering if you have to grind the bolt for pulley clearance or can you just take it out?? also does the spring go back in the same location? mine seems to be pulling it way up when re-attached?

[@wjoellock]

never mind the above...just notice on the lawnmower that the purpose of the bolt/pulley clearance issue is to catch the piece from pulling up when re-attaching the spring...i just flipped the blot without having to cut it and it seems to work fine.

[@calebhewlin3672]

Thanks for the heads up, i just flipped the bolt and it worked fine.

[@yobwok]

yeah, I should've just turned the bolt around

[@a.l.8618]

The pulleys are not supposed to be level. The top one is at an angle to feed the belt down.

[@wjoellock]

can anyone comment on the belt size difference--3" seems pretty significant...what size should I buy?

[@Vgp-rp4iu]

What year mowers have this issue? I have a 2012 ltx1042 and I've never had any issue with any belt coming off. Is it just on older mowers?

[@greenmarine5]

2006, 7, and 2008 models. and it was only on the LT 1042, the LTX took the place of the LT and cub cadet/MTD did what General Motors does. Instead of doing a recall on bad design they discontinued the model, thinking they wouldn't be responsible after that..I hope someone starts a class action

[@barnes80]

Do I really have to shave that bolt down? Can I not just take it out and reverse it? Or can I just leave it off entirely?

[@yobwok]

Of course, you can just reverse it. I did not do it the easiest way. Thanks for watching.

[@joeymoss1268]

It worked for me thank you

[@poorbitchracing3255]

I tried this on mine but the belt would get really hot Then it would break do you have any suggestions

[@justnel4]

Very interesting. Typically I would like to assume there would be a reason not to simply switch it like this, as the manufacturer typically has a reason for doing this. However just like you my dad and I have been having this problem since I was a kid. I might give this a shot

[@poopiemcpoopnfart2303]

Cub cadet did this same upgrade to this deck post 2007 (I'm sure for the same reason). Kirby's mod is actually upgrading the pre '07 cc design to the post '07 cc design for this 42"deck.

[@nastyku]

This still holding up for people? Need to buy a used mower and found a 1040 in good shape with low hours but read some reviews and they looked nasty, belts seems to be an incredibly common issue so if this works that would be nice

[@greenmarine5]

find a used john Deer, Ariens, or Toro you'll be much happier...trust me : try to stay away from MTD products most of them are made with cost effectiveness first instead of mowing quality.

[@augustusgupta8864]

I've done what you've shown, but the belt still keeps coming off, I wonder if I should try a 94" belt?

[@augustusgupta8864]

i went with a 93" and it works great now.

[@augustusgupta8864]

Augustus Gupta I've done over 3 acres now without throwing the belt.

[@rock44260]

what are the part numbers for the 94" and 93" belts? I tried the one above and it lasted for a while but is coming off again. thanks

[@augustusgupta8864]

A92K/4LK940 Kevlar V-Belt 1/2"X94" A91K/4L930K - V-Belt with Kevlar Cord - 1/2" x 93" Two complete summers and only throw a belt once when the blade hit a stump and came to a dead stop.

[@nate1643]

mind posting the link for the correct belt ? thanks

[@barnes80]

I also have no idea what you’re doing with that copper wire.

[@InsideStrate]

Used to stretch spring to hook it back on

[@barnes80]

@@InsideStrate I figured it out once I tried to do it by hand lol

[@yobwok]

Yeah. Please excuse my poor video editing.

[@jeffgrant6914]

Your right cubcadet went to hell when mtd took over so did Craftsman

[@jerryhonkala9296]

Adjust blade timing cub ltx 1042

[@lesterruffing4371]

Thank you!!

[@rcrobertson9563]

great video !!!

[@yobwok]

Thanks. I could have done a better job explaining and editing but hope it's helpful

[@Spiritpup5]

Cub went to hell after MTD took them over from I.H.

[@kevintomb]

Ehh not so sure,. They are made cheaper for sure, ive owned a few, but the older IH ones from the late 70s and early 80s were getting to have issues even back then, especially for a fairly pricey small lawn tractor. So people quit buying them.

[@jointedsteel4819]

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