Want serious snow clearing power, but don’t have the money for a commercial snowblower? Already own an XT1 or XT2 lawn tractor? Cub Cadet makes a 42-inch snowblower attachment that fits these mowers and uses the same snow crushing three stage auger system found in their largest stand-alone models.
Three Stages are Better than Two
This attachment uses the same three-stage system found on Cub Cadet’s 3X models. While a two-stage blower picks up snow and pushes it out of the chute, this type of blower has an intermediate stage that chops up the snow to make it easier to move. On average, this increases output by around 25% without requiring extra power. Since it’s powered by the large engine in your lawn tractor, it can deliver commercial-level performance at the cost of a small residential blower.
The auger housing is 42 inches wide and has an intake height of 23.5 inches, letting it move snow up to 18 inches thick. Once lifted and chopped up by the main augers, the third auger pushes the snow through a high arc steel chute. This chute can rotate up to 180 degrees, which isn’t as much as a stand-alone unit due to interference with the mower cowl, but will still let you spread snow over a wide area to avoid building up snow banks.
This attachment has two control levers that extend to the operator’s position. On the right, there’s a lever to easily lift and lower the unit, letting you drive around without the scraping against cleared pavement. On the left, there’s a crank to change the chute position, a lever to adjust the chute angle, and a switch to start and stop the augers.
Compatibility
This attachment fits 2015 and later XT1 and XT2 lawn tractors. It should be used with a rear weight kit fitted with two 42 lb. suitcase weights and a set of tire chains to help the mower get a grip on icy pavement. These accessories aren’t included with the snowblower itself since these parts can vary model to model and can be used with other accessories, like the dozer blade.
Installation
A carriage assembly attaches to the mower using Clevis pins and lock rods. This assembly replaces the deck and connects the PTO to the auger drive belt. A bumper also needs to be installed to provide slots for the snowblower frame. Once those parts are in place, the snowblower slides into the slots and locks into the carriage assembly. The auger drive belt is then attached to the drive pulley on the carriage assembly.
When it’s time to go back to mowing, the snowblower can be slid out from underneath the mower, and the carriage assembly can be removed and replaced by the deck. The bumper can stay on the mower, although XT2 owners will probably want to refit their stock bumper for added front end protection.
Getting Parts and Accessories for This Attachment
From tire chains to skid shoes, if it fits a Cub Cadet, you can get it from cubparts.com. We’re a certified dealer, which lets us offer the full line of OEM factory parts and accessories. Our site lets you look up your model and see exploded parts diagrams and factory descriptions so you can be sure you’re ordering exactly what you need. We ship across the U.S. and Canada.