How To Install An Hour Meter On The Cub Cadet ZT1 54 Zero Turn Mower

[@spartaman1030]

Awesome video. Just bought the same zero turn and thought the same thing about Cub not including the hour meter. Oh well, throw one in and move on. Your video, voice, camera work, and explanation for this diy add-on is perfect. No frill, no BS, informative and to the point! Thank you very much. Going to throw in my hour meter in record time thanks to you!

[@SteeveeDan]

Glad it helped and thanks for taking the time to comment!

[@mikegeraghty9010]

😊😮t😊😢l😊lkll😊gl😮ilm😮😊😅

[@RLC2020]

great video, no b.s. and you gave the bolt head sizes. A+ man!

[@SteeveeDan]

Thank you!

[@keithhellyer4565]

Awesome video, just took delivery of a new ZT1 42 and surprised they didnt fit an hr meter, was looking to fit one and this video is brilliant.

[@sociopathmercenary]

Wasn't impressed with the $39 price for the Cub Cadet hour meter kit. Bought an analog hour meter off Amazon for $13. Since it wasn't going to match up with the precut hole, I cut a hole on the front of the plastic shroud and it fits perfectly. Just tapped into the existing wiring but left the plug in case I decide to go with an OEM hour meter in the future. Great video! Appreciate you taking the time.

[@SteeveeDan]

Irritates me that they didn't just put such an inexpensive and important item in this machine from the start.

[@derick2986]

They went through the trouble to cut out the insert and place a plastic piece in there, why not just put the hour meter in? That is crazy to me

[@SteeveeDan]

Totally agree!

[@sashimiturtle]

I have "Lo Oil Pres" issue with my brand new Cub Cadet ZT1 54. I bought a MTD hour meter from Amazon that was supposed to fit a BUNCH of different mowers, and was plug and play. Looks just like the Cub Cadet part too. Install was easy and when I started the mower up it was flashing "Lo Oil Pres." I shut the mower back off, and being a mechanic I went to trying to figure out the issue. First thing I did was remove the oil pressure sensor, this sits right above the oil filter on the Kohler 7000, and I bumped the engine over but didn't allow it to start. When I did this, oil came out of the hole for the sensor. This told me there was nothing mechanically wrong with the engine. I put the sensor back in and got my volt meter. The way the sensors work, is when pressure is applied to a diaphragm, a switch is made up and a circuit is made up to ground. With the engine off I had an open circuit, and with the engine ruining I had continuity to ground. This told me the switch was good. I then tested the same thing at the plug for the hour/service meter. Once again I had an open circuit with the engine off, and ground with the engine running. This told me the wiring harness isn't the issue either. The only thing left in the entire circuit is the hour meter itself. The Cub Cadet part is back ordered, so I'll just run the MTD part until the Cub Cadet one arrives. It's possible it isn't really compatible with my mower and Amazon lied that it was.

[@SteeveeDan]

After years of issues with things from Amazon, I tend to stay away from their "Fits All" parts. Many times they have created more problems than they solved. Try your local Tractor Supply, I was surprised they had them in stock. I don't know where you live but I just checked my local store in Upstate NY and they have them in stock. Best luck!

[@sashimiturtle]

@@SteeveeDan I tried to buy one when I bought the mower from TSC. The hour meter part was on the website but it was listed as unavailable and the employee said she couldn't even special order it. It's on backorder on the Cub Cadet website although I do have an order placed for one. I know there is no issue with the mower, and if you unplug the oil sending unit, the alarm goes off on the hour meter. I wanted to make sure I kept track of the hours on the mower because the first service is at 5 hours and is directly tied to the warranty. I'll just run the Amazon MTD meter until the OEM one arrives.

[@SteeveeDan]

@@sashimiturtle I guess the fact that so many didn't come with one, maybe they're having issues keeping up with demand. Hope you get it soon!

[@sashimiturtle]

@@SteeveeDan It should have been on the mower to begin with... being as it's technically a computer, and the only one on the mower.. and with all the computer chip shortage since all the bullshit that started in 2020. They probably decided to just ship the mowers without the hour meter and deal with backorders for the people who want to take care of their investment. It's clearly designed to have an hour meter installed. The wiring is there, the hole is there... they just filled it with a plug and said F it.

[@Thunderbyrd.]

Great video, much appreciated. It definitely should have came with one from the factory. My other Cub Cadets came with them. I can't imagine Cub Cadet saved more than two dollars by leaving it off their mowers. I wonder if that two dollars was worth ticking buyers/customers off who bought their mowers and found out later that it wasn't included. I hated having to spend Forty-three dollars and my time to install something that should have came with the mower to start with. Especially since your oil change and filter changes depend on the time running the mower. Ugh! Rant over.

[@SteeveeDan]

LOL, not a rant! Totally agree!

[@earllayne7583]

I did”t get the hour meter or the deck washer I will remember the next time when I need a lawn tractor.

[@SteeveeDan]

@@earllayne7583 It's ridicules that they didn't include these, in my opinion, essentials.

[@jaymeyers950]

Has your hour meter saying a low oil? I check the oil before starting and its ar the level it should be at

[@SteeveeDan]

Mine hasn't displayed a low oil message, sorry.

[@saigyl9149]

That might have been a maintenance interval reminder

[@BobG127]

Look again. It's probably saying low oil PRESSURE. Mine shows that when the key is in an "on" position before starting the engine. (If the engine isn't running, there is no oil pressure.). As soon as I start the engine, the low oil pressure message goes away.

[@SteeveeDan]

@@BobG127 Good point!

[@allenblixt6577]

Mine didnt come with a sticker so can i just cut that spot out an put the hour meter on

[@SteeveeDan]

Nice

[@vinceoleyar9411]

Mine came with one new...doesnt work great..shows hours properly but has shown Low oil pressure since new???

[@SteeveeDan]

I don't think the one I bought shows oil pressure.

[@homergarcia376]

Where did order the kit from

[@SteeveeDan]

Believe it or not, my local Tractor Supply had it in stock.

[@jacobwilliams7567]

Could you just zip tie new one under the panel once you connect it lol ???

[@SteeveeDan]

I guess if you wanted to!

[@TustinS]

Great video. thanks!

[@SteeveeDan]

Thank you!

[@A-mechanics-review-4U]

Peel the sticker off why?

[@A-mechanics-review-4U]

Came out sweet thanks for your time

[@SteeveeDan]

I guess technically you don't have to. You could always just cut out the spot for the meter and snap in the new meter. But the new sticker has a nice cut out that shows only the hour portion of the meter and covers the meter body itself. Guess it's really up the the installer.

[@SteeveeDan]

@@A-mechanics-review-4U Thank you, I appreciate that!

[@SteeveeDan]

Welcome!

[@jarrodsteinmetz]

Where did you purchase the new label from?

[@mikemcelwain]

that’s odd mine has one from factory

[@SteeveeDan]

Seems everyone's did but mine!

[@Belcher391]

Mine didn't either. I had to buy the meter separately

[@mikemcelwain]

@@Belcher391 I don’t get it they all should’ve come installed from factory

[@SteeveeDan]

@@mikemcelwain Agreed!

[@Todd408.]

I didn’t get one

[@varunkunwar2330]

Thanks hoss.

[@SteeveeDan]

Hope it helped!

[@Dadpool5864]

Alright Steve or Dan … if that’s your real name …. I just bought the zt1 50 it gets delivered in 2 days

[@SteeveeDan]

Actually, I have 2 middle names, Stephen Daniel. That's where my KZbin channel name comes from. Anyway, you won't be disappointed. I ran mine down to about 1/4 tank of gas last year and added some fuel stabilizer, ran it at an idle for about 10 minutes and parked it for the winter. A lot of my yard has already had a lot of growth so I grabbed the key, filled the fuel tank, checked the oil and fired it up and cut for almost an hour, problem free. Original battery left in the machine in the unheated barn all winter and it sill fired right up despite being 3 years old and some really cold winter nights. You're going to love this machine!

[@Dadpool5864]

@@SteeveeDan thanks Steve! I’m in Texas so I’m hoping the winter won’t be too hard on it. However I can’t wait to be able to spray paint it anything else than yellow

[@SteeveeDan]

@@Dadpool5864 I lived in Arizona for a while. Not much use for a mower in Mohave county but I was in Texas often and loved it . Best wishes.

[@Dadpool5864]

@@SteeveeDan just left Arizona last year, lived in Gilbert before moving to Waco

[@dannyfloyd1368]

You really don't need one if used for residential only

[@SteeveeDan]

True, but I like changing the oil and filter every 50 hours and this makes it easy.

[@waylander2]

I just got a 2024 ZT1. It didn't come with an hour meter or any warning lights i.e. oil level, engine temp. It's just cheap BS that they don't come with any of these necessary indicators. Also had to buy armrests. All this stuff should come with the machine. It's just another way to bleed the customers to increase profits.

[@SteeveeDan]

Agreed, big companies know no limit to their greed.

[@danno5805]

Yeah you'd think a $4,500 zero turn would come with an hour gage 🤦🏿‍♂️

[@SteeveeDan]

Totally agree!

[@BIG_MITCH17]

You did to much. All you have to do is take off the back supported by the 4 bolts, unclip the harness from the dummy block. push up on the dummy block and trim with a razor inside and remove. You will be left with a clean flush look. Simple quick and easy.

[@SteeveeDan]

It's a matter of preference. I preferred to use the new label so that all I see is the actual hour display and not the entire bezel of the hour meter.

[@txkflier]

That's what the dealer did on mine. Then he just pushed in the hour meter which split the label at all four corners and left the edges of the meter exposed. And it looks like crap. I'm going back tomorrow to see what the hell he did with the new label that was supposed to go OVER the hour meter.

[@dragonslayer1294]

Cub cadet are used to like them being they didn’t put an hour meter in. They suck.

[@eyeh8theleft]

I paid half that much for zt1 50, so didn't mind buying and installing hour meter and fenders, didn't suck as bad as paying $4500.