2005 GT3100 any good?

[mames]

I located a Cub Cadet GT 3100 for sale I researched and found complaints from two owners there transmissions went out and that this was a low quality machine. Any owners out there that can shed some light onto this?

 

[jdiederichs]

Mark, I don't have an answer for you on this model, but I am sure that someone will shortly; hang in there.

The only thing I know is that the first models had an aluminum cased transaxle, while the later design was cast iron. It was considered more robust for hard drawbar work, but both have served well IMHO

 

[toconnor]

I've owned 5 or 6 3000 series and they are great tractors. I had a GT3100. This machine has a non-locking differential CI rear. It shouldn't give any problems that I'm aware of. They were built in 2005 and have a Kohler Command CH23 engine that is an awesome motor. At this point in the game Cub Cadet was having problems selling $7000 lawn mowers so they did what I call "value engineered" some things off of them. Gone was the tilt wheel, head light switch(lights are on if the key is on), tail/backup lights and they put 9.5 wide tires on it. I couldn't believe my eyes one day when I spotted "Made in China" cast into the iron rear.

They all use Hydro-Gear hydro's and some machines do have a gerotor failures with less than 500 hours.

Mower decks. The ones with the rear rollers are the best. They did start making them cheaper and the ones with the large hole for the spindle to mount to are not made as heavy as the earlier models.

If you are buying this to mow grass it will hands down mow grass better than any Cub Cadet ever built.

Price. The GT3100 I sold had a 54" deck and was in like new condition with less than 100 hours on the meter. It was damaged when I purchased it and I probably put $500 into used tins and other stuff. I sold it for around $1800 IIRC.

What condition is the one you are looking at?

 

[mhomrighausen]

If the GT 3100 Series had a Hydro Gear pump/motor then it is the BDU23L series. In my opinion not anywhere near as robust as the BDU15L. There is a direct bolt up pump/motor (20 Series) being made to replace the BDU23L should one desire to spend the money and beef up your tractor's rear end. The new 20 Series won't directly bolt up and replace the 15U due to the offset shaft of the 15U. 23U has a seven piston pump/motor versus the 15U 9 piston pump/motor. Now if one can find any older skid loader or something that had them... to my understanding there are some 17 series out there that the cylinder block kit will fit very nicely into the 15 cylinder block kit.