A Brief History of Cub Cadet Lawn Care and Snow Removal Equipment
Cub Cadet lawn care and snow removal equipment are American made and internationally distributed as one of the most recognized brands in the industry. Originally starting as a premium line of small tractors, Cub Cadet was established in 1960 as part of International harvester. In 1981 International Harvester sold the Cub Cadet division to MTD Products, a family-owned company started in 1932. MTD continues to own and operate the brand today.
In the 1960’s, Cub Cadet small lawn tractors were marketed to the owners of rural homes with large lawns, which were increasingly popular at the time. These small tractors were also marketing with a variety of Cub Cadet branded after-market attachments, including mowers, blades, snow blowers and front loaders.
During 1965-1967 Cub Cadet came out with their 1×2 and 1×3 series of small lawn tractors. In this time period, Cub Cadet also came out with the model 123 series which replaced the three-speed gear-driven transmission with a shaft-driven hydrostatic transmission. Hydrostatic transmission allows the operator to have complete control over their speed by eliminating the clutch and requirement to change gears, but people were sceptical of this technology at the time. People thought these transmissions would not be durable enough to withstand constant use. In response, Cub Cadet painted a few model 123’s in tiger stripes and put them in circus acts where the operators would perform tricks like jamming the machine into reverse and forward while moving to prove the durability of the new transmission.
Throughout the decades, Cub Cadet has introduced a variety of new technology to the market, cementing them as a leader and innovator in the lawn and garden care equipment world. Here are just a few of Cub Cadet’s achievements:
- 1990 – Four-wheel steer zero-turn ride-on mowers with steering wheel technology (first and only in the world)
- 2007 – Four-wheel steer (Synchro-Steer™) technology debuts as an industry first
- 2009 – Cub Cadet zero-turn riding mowers offer the industry’s tightest turning radius
- 2010 – Most advanced zero-turn ring mower with lap bar technology
Handlers is proud to represent Cub Cadet lawn care and snow removal equipment, including their full line of zero-turn riding mowers and their X Series ® of snow blowers.