3X® 26" Snow Blower

Name: 3X® 26" Snow Blower - 3X™ THREE-STAGE POWER
Brand: Cub Cadet
SKU: 31AH5DVAB56
Availability: OutOfStock

3X™ THREE-STAGE POWER

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3X® 26" Snow Blower

3X™ THREE-STAGE POWER

Take down the wall of winter with this 3X 26 in. 357cc Gas Three-Stage Snow Blower engineered to handle 18 in. of snow†. Three-stage design features a durable, center-mounter steel accelerator that spins 10 times faster than the augers to break down and quickly clear heavy, wet snow. Includes trigger-controlled power steering with a self-propelled drive engineered for control, maneuverability, and single hand operation. A heavy-duty cast aluminum auger gearbox and steel chute is designed to help protect the unit.

26 in. clearing width and 21 in. intake height is designed to throw snow up to 40 ft. away while clearing up to 12 in. of snow†
Three-stage design with durable, center-mounted steel accelerator spins 10 times faster than the augers to break down and quickly clear heavy, wet snow
357cc 4-cycle OHV Cub Cadet engine delivers the power to help clear snow on driveways that are 12+ cars in size

Heated grips help provide warmth and comfort.

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3X® 26" Snow Blower Features

Specs & Maintenance

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Specs

Engine

Engine Brand Cub Cadet®
Engine Model Number 683-WUB
Engine Displacement 357cc
Fuel Tank Capacity 5 quarts US / 4.7 L
Engine Start Recoil and Push-Button Electric
Governor Mechanical
Fuel Delivery Carburetor

Drive System

Number of Forward Speeds 6
Number of Reverse Speeds 2
Drive Type Friction Disc
Drive System All-wheel Drive

Controls

Handle Grip(s) Soft-Touch Heated Grips
Chute Rotation Control Remote Overhead Crank
Chute Pitch Control Remote Single-Lever
Chute Rotation 200°
Single-Hand Operation Standard
Steering Control Trigger-Controlled Power Steering

Power and Performance

Clearing Width 26"
Intake Height 21"
Auger Gear Box Heavy-duty cast-aluminum
Number of Stages Three

Dimensions

Auger Diameter 12"
Impeller Diameter 12"
Accelerator Diameter 12"

Specifications

Tire Size 16" x 4.8"
Tread Xtrac®

Additional Specifications

Headlight(s) Dual LED
Shave Plate Heavy Duty Steel
Skid Shoes Reversible Poly
Drift Cutters No
Auger Material Serrated Steel
Chute Material Steel
Model Number 31AH5DVAB56

Warranty

Auger Gearbox Warranty 5-year limited
Residential Warranty 3-year limited
Commercial Warranty 1-year limited
Chute Warranty 3-year limited

Disclaimers

Specifications Specifications subject to change without notice and without incurring obligation. Products depicted on website and other advertisements are for demonstration purposes only. Actual products offered for sale may vary in design, required attachments, safety features and non-functional appearance from. See other general disclaimers at the bottom of our website.
Snow Removal †Results may vary depending on weather and snow conditions
Xtrac® Tires **Xtrac® is a registered trademark of the Carlstar Group, LLC

Maintenance

Deluxe Snow Thrower Cab Installation

TRICKS AND TIPS

Protect yourself from the elements while you are clearing your driveway with a snow thrower cab. Follow these simple step for installing your cab on your Cub Cadet Two-Stage snow thrower.

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How to Clean Out a Clogged Snow Thrower Chute

REPAIRS

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How to Prepare Your Snow Blower for Storage in the Off-Season

MAINTENANCE

Learn how to properly retire your snow thrower for the season with these helpful snow blower storage and maintenance ideas from Cub Cadet.

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How to Prepare Your Snow Blower for Winter

MAINTENANCE

Prepare your snow blower for use this winter with snow thrower maintenance tips from Cub Cadet. Our snow blower tips will help ensure your machine is

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Maintenance Schedule & Tips

MAINTENANCE

Keep your snow blower in good condition with snow thrower maintenance from Cub Cadet. Proper snow thrower maintenance is essential when you're

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Recommended Snow Thrower Back-Up Parts

TRICKS AND TIPS

Learn how to replace your Cub Cadet walk-behind lawn mower wheel with this simple five-step guide.

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Snow Thrower Safety Tips

SAFETY

Use a snow blower or snow thrower to keep your paved drive and walkways snow-free during the winter months. With snowblower safety tips and operation advice from Cub Cadet, you'll have your driveway cleared of snow in no

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Troubleshooting Auger or Drive Loss on a Two-Stage Snow Thrower

REPAIRS

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Manuals

Model	Manual	Form Number
Model: 31AH5DVAB56	Description: MANL:OPER:31X:500/600/800:NA
	Manual: MANL:OPER:31X:500/600/800:NA	Form Number: 769-26795	View Options: Download
	Manual: MANL:OPER:BILING:31X:5X/6X/8X:	Form Number: 769-26467	View Options: Download
	Manual: MANL:OPER:BILING:MTD ENG:357/4	Form Number: 769-25490	View Options: Download
	Manual: MANL:OPER:BILING:MTD ENG:357/4	Form Number: 769-26922	View Options: Download
	Manual: SHEET:SUP:31CUB_SNOWBLOWERS:1X	Form Number: 769-26938	View Options: Download
	Manual: SHEET:SUP:31X2X-3X:CUB:US_CA	Form Number: 769-26490	View Options: Download
	Manual: SHEET:SUP:BILING:EPA:CARB:EXH:	Form Number: 769-26276	View Options: Download
	Manual: SHEET:SUP:BILING:EPA:CARB:EXH:	Form Number: 769-26611	View Options: Download
	Manual: SHEET:SUP:BILING:EPA:EVP:21-22	Form Number: 769-26272	View Options: Download
	Manual: SHEET:SUP:BILING:EPA:EVP:22-23	Form Number: 769-26607	View Options: Download
	Manual: SHEET:SUP:Warranty_Addendum_In	Form Number: 769-26830	View Options: Download

Find Parts

Product Reviews

Rated 5 out of 5 by Rick 69 from Outstanding [This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This is a snow eating monster never was able to throw snow as far as this, over the last 30 years of snow blowing there was only one thing that would stop me my hands would get so cold I would have to stop and worm them up no matter what kind of gloves I wore. Nothing can stop me now with the heated hand grips I actually turned them off for a while because my hands were so worm. The power steering also came in handy. Worth every penny spent.

Date published: 2021-02-23

Rated 3 out of 5 by abspapa from Could be better I am 67 year old male. I have a double car driveway and 100' of sidewalk to plow. I like to plow when the snow gets to no more than four inches. I live in Northern Idaho. It's rare to get 1' of snow in each storm, but it has happened. 6" is our average snow storm here. I did a lot of research on all brands of machines available in my area before buying the Cub Cadet. I ended up buying the cub probably because of the three stage blades. Now for my review. My machine plugs up quite frequently. It's not easy to unplug the chute everytime it plugs up. You have to stop plowing and take the plastic shovel they give you to unplug the ice that compacts in the chute. It takes a lot of extra energy to stop plowing every time the chute plugs up. The chunks of solid ice that builds up and stops the snow from passing through the chute are hard to remove from the base of the chute. I don't know the scientific reason that it plugs up so frequently, however I'm inclined to think the third stage blades are the cause for the frequent plugs at the base of the chute. I have a next door neighbor who has a two stage thrower (red in color) that plows right next to me. He never stops to unplug his. If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't buy a 3 stage cub. But you can't test drive them before you buy. So you go by what they say the machine will do. It would be nice that things we buy would do what they say they will do. This machine wears me out after about an hour of plowing. After that hour, I'm so wore out that I have very little steam left to do anything else but take a nap. The machine has several forward speeds. The slowest speed is a bit to fast for me. It could use one more slower speed than the slowest speed it is configured for. It has a very slow reverse speed. I'm not sure why they did not include a very slow forward speed for those that might be more comfortable walking slower in cold weather. Especially on 180 degree turn. It really whips you around. The hand grips are hard to squeeze for arthritic fingers. The motor is strong. Starts every time. Good traction at the tires level. The lights are kind of useless. They get covered with snow very quickly: of course you can wipe them off frequently. Hand warmers work. They should put a snow melter at the base of the chute to keep it from plugging. I'm going to wait to see if anyone from Cub Cadet reads this review and contacts me to say how sorry they are that I'm disappointed with their product.

Date published: 2019-02-23

Rated 1 out of 5 by cp149 from Expensive paperweight Instant buyers remorse. The tires are utterly useless - too small, no traction. The belly pan sits way too low so any snow underneath pushes the snowblower up, making traction even worse. You literally have to push with all your strength to get this thing through anything. If you happen to have dry, level pavement underneath then it's ok - it actually throws snow really well. Fix the traction issue and you have a half decent snowblower. I am selling this thing instantly - I just feel bad for the person who buys it. I am dumbfounded that this made it through design.

Date published: 2022-12-25

Rated 1 out of 5 by Feedup in the Sierras from Awesome SNOW PLOW! We are 30 hours into this machine and find it an expensive SNOW PLOW - if you have heavy wet snow, buy something else as this machine is not engineered to grind and lift anything but Utah Powder - just gave up and having the neighbor do the rest with a HONDA! Wish I had his machine.

Date published: 2023-03-10

Rated 2 out of 5 by Freddy from was very disapointed had 1 good season after last season had 2 snow storms maybe 4 hours use this year the belts broke and the auger cable was streched out the auger hole is too small when snow is more then 6in causing thechute to clog waited 1 week for parts so i got stuck doing it by hand very difficult to r&r belts got the job done will sell it cheep and by another brand

Date published: 2018-01-16

Rated 5 out of 5 by Yoyo from Power steering There’s no fighting there’s no manhandling there’s a lot to be desired using and watching a friend trying this out. It’s just a pleasure to walk behind and admire how well it gets the job done. A great snowblower to be admired for years to come. Recommended definitely

Date published: 2018-02-28

Rated 1 out of 5 by Harley05 from STAY AWAY FROM THIS ONE!! If had left a review in the first 6 months of owning my 31AH5DVA710 3X26" Cub Cadet Snow Blower I would have given it 5 stars. Now after 2 years ownership I say stay away! I have maintained this machine very well throughout my ownership. It has left me stranded in multiple snow storms now. This machine chews up belts like my dogs chews pig ears. I now stock belts in my own garage so I can make a change right in the middle of a storm. Two days ago...during a storm...the drive belt blew again. Today when opening the unit for replacement I found that the belt was intact but this time it was the tension spring for tension pulley of the drive belt. We are getting 10" of snow in the next 24 hours and now I am waitng for parts again!!! Plus the part was $3.97 with $4.99 for processing!! After this winter I am trading this in for an Ariens.

Date published: 2023-01-20

Rated 5 out of 5 by Bobo from It's excellent so far! I ordered it month ago, late for winter season, though... but a couple snow storms came... the latest on Mar 04 was 8" heavy wet snow, it handle the snow like a champ, I like it... Matched with its description, all features counted! 3 Stages does it best!

Date published: 2019-03-04

Rated 5 out of 5 by Seganmore from Powerful Only had two snowfalls since purchasing, one was a sleet / snow and the other only two inches, so I honestly haven’t had a chance to run it through it’s paces yet. Pros: immediate start with just the pull string. I’m normally an electric start person but just one pull starts this beast right up. Headlights are bright, I find first gear perfect speed so far, have only used higher speeds for moving into positions to start plowing. Heated grips are a nice addition, never had them on previous machines I’ve owned. Cons: two reverse gears are practically non existent. Much easier to back a little and use power turn to change opposite direction than back up at less than turtle pace the length of driveway run. In icy conditions the knobby tires could absolutely use chains, as they spin a lot when trying to move on anything other than a flat surface.

Date published: 2019-02-15

Rated 1 out of 5 by Snow Doze from OMG. Big Loser I was told by my local lawn maintenance shop that the 3x snow blowers are the greatest new thing to snowblowers. After owning the 3X 30” Cub Cadet snowblower for two years I realized I was sold a machine that was all gimmick and no substance. In the perfect snow condition the blower works well. But any moisture or heavy snow and it clumps and seized up. It literally shuts down and lets you know you wasted your $$. I am so disappointed that I was sold a snowblower that had claims of innovation and greatness but has no ability. Not even the purple pill could help this fella ( the snowblower). The machine looks nice and seems solid. It just doesn’t throw snow. I cannot recommend this machine. I believe Cub Cadet knows the three stage was a marketing ploy which wasn’t tested or proven. Please buy anything other than this.

Date published: 2021-02-11

Rated 5 out of 5 by Rhino from Digs out fast We just had our first blizzard of the season. This thing was a beast. No problem clearing our property, & had to help a couple neighbors too. Over a foot of wet heavy snow and it did not intimidate this Cub.

Date published: 2018-01-26

Rated 5 out of 5 by LarryHilf from Nice piece of regular not expensive snowblower I own such machine. And it is good if you apply slight amount of effort to find out how to solve issues. Shear pin issues is solved easily. Just take regular low quality steel bolt (never stainless or other nicely hardened steel) and use it instead. Low qualiy bolt will brake when jammed and will cost you nothing.Google how to use bolt instead of shear pins. If you have snowblower which does not blow snow far go to Youtube and find out how to tighten belts from engine to augers. It is 10 minutes job which will immediately do a magic. Do not overtighten, be reasonable. Yes, this type of machines is not benchmark in snowblowers, they require slightly more adjustment. But once adjusted they will do job as good as best of snowblowers.

Date published: 2024-10-09

Rated 5 out of 5 by palomo01 from A Great Machine.. Powerful and easy to operate, also I love this features; like the heated grips and the lights.

Date published: 2018-01-27

Rated 1 out of 5 by Save me from Happiest Day of My Life [This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Some might think the happiest day of their life was their marriage or the birth of their 1st child. Mine will be the day my wife lets me sell this PE O S. I’ve owned snow blowers for 25 plus yesrs but never one like this. Day 1 it worked like a snow blower but the snow was light, fluffy and only 3”. Since then it’s been a fight that’s included a plethora of broken shear pins, burned up belts, replacing carburetors and brutal force needed to push it against the most common snowfalls. All while I watch neighbors breezily clean their driveways with other machines. I’m only in year 3 of this horrid affair yet pray each day that the motor will give out as the rest of it is crap designed. Until the day that I’m allowed to sell it I wish to reach as many poor souls as I can and plead with them not to buy this machine. Save yourself the anguish, grief and shame that comes with buying this machine. Remember some times less is more. A 2 stage will cut into the snow where as the 3 stage tries to push it first. Whoever designed this probably never tried it in a real world application. If you’re still interested in getting this 3x style please reread this as well as many others that haven’t been censored. Please

Date published: 2020-12-17

Rated 1 out of 5 by Redneck from Piece of crap I live in northern Idaho and was looking for a good snow blower. Bought this last season and what a piece of crap. The auger gets clogged all the time. In the videos it shows the snow being thrown a long way. Yeah good luck with that. If I could get rid of it I would and buy something else. It waste your money on this. I’ve heard Cub Cadets were great machines. Not this one.

Date published: 2020-10-24

Rated 5 out of 5 by Home Driveway from Wouldn't have survived without the 3X 26 I have had nothing but excellent performance from my 3X 26 Snow Blower this winter. I have snow from 5' to 7' piled next to our driveway and on the park strip. There have been days where I have to plow two or three times a day to keep up with a storm and the 3X 26 never let me down. I even plow the street, because it may be 24 hours before we see a plow, so we can make it out of our neighborhood. I replaced a 30" stage 2 snow blower with this 26" one, I can cover more ground quicker with the stage 3 blower than my 30" stage 2 could handle. Three of my neighbors plan on getting this model since on several occasions I have helped clear their apron on their driveways after the plows finally come through. So far this blower has been an excellent purchase.

Date published: 2019-03-18

Rated 5 out of 5 by BettyLovely from Great blower [This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I bought my Cadet 3 winters ago. I am very pleased with this snow blower. It ha been very reliable in removing the heavy mid-west snows we get, particularly this winter. The best part is my brother-in-law really likes it, because he's the one who shows up every time it snows to use the Cadet blower for this senior citizen. He's been able to do all the snows, and do all the maintenance on the Cadet with little trouble. As long as he's happy, then I'm a happy Cadet ;owner too.

Date published: 2021-02-21

Rated 5 out of 5 by nancy from started right up and went through the snow with no problem. love the turning when you touch the braking lever.

Date published: 2017-12-15

Rated 3 out of 5 by Antonio from Disappointing Bought at the end of last winter; used is for the first time in November of 2018. R1 was not working; then it would not "throw" the snow...it did push it, however. Took it to get repaired under warranty, and have not used it since I got it back. Let's hope it works as advertised in the future

Date published: 2019-03-18

Rated 5 out of 5 by GraniteNH from Awesome Performance I was not looking forward to getting back into the snow blower game after years in a condo. Noticing that prices have gone up a LOT in 20 years, I figured, if you're gonna be a bear, be a Grizz and went with this puppy. It ain't now slouch. Operates really easy, chomps snow and throws it in another zip code and makes fast work. Less than 6 inches, 3rd gear (2 for heavier snow). Never could do that with others I've owned. Super easy to control, love the clutch on either side. Only thing I could say to improve is put the unclogging tool somewhere like the top vs the bottom so when its wet and heavy, the snow doesn't push it out of the way or loose. My wife is from TX, 1st season up here in "the tundra" and she figured it out on her own and tears up the snow herself.

Date published: 2020-04-26

Rated 1 out of 5 by TheStoneRemovingExpert from Crappy Design Makes for Crappy Product The thing has enough power, but it's got a serious Achilles heel. The rotating accelerator/impeller all the way at the back of the intake has two holes in it large enough for gravel to get into and grind / seize up the machine by getting caught between the impeller and the back of the intake. Once the gravel is in there, there's no getting it out easily. The holes are just big enough to get a finger into, but not big enough to maneuver or grip the stones to pull them out. You can finger your pretty little cub cadet snow blower all night trying to get the stones out, but it ain't happening. The only solution is to spend an hour or more taking the entire machine apart to remove the impellers out and get the stone(s). I'm 0 for 2 this season on getting through my driveway without a stone getting in there. I guess cub cadet's idea of the ideal snow blowing experience is to make it last twice as long by forcing you to play mechanic on your equipment as often as possible. So, so, so dumb.

Date published: 2023-01-25

Rated 1 out of 5 by Springs from Not Good With Wet Snow We purchased two 26" snow blowers for our apartment community. Fluffy dry snow this thing is a champ as all snow blowers are, but with wet snow it plugs the chute and will not throw at all. Unless you get dry snow all the time do not recommend the 3rd stage, it's not good.

Date published: 2020-04-16

Rated 1 out of 5 by CubForget from Hot Steaming Pile [This review was collected as part of a promotion.] don't bother. what a colossal waste of money and time. the impellers are too far apart, so the front chute will reliably clog. I'm gunna have to sell this and make it someone elses problem now; how fun.

Date published: 2021-02-03

Rated 1 out of 5 by SBird from 3 Stage Design is Horrible! Works great on dry powder, but forget it if the snow is slightly wet. When this happens the machine clogs and clogs and clogs!!! Cub Cadet ought to sell a conversion kit to turn these thing back to the reliable two stage design.

Date published: 2021-02-28

Rated 4 out of 5 by LookToLuke from Good value Pros: The machine starts flawlessly and runs well. The machine makes light work of the snow left at the end of my driveway by the plows. Snow is blown much farther away than my previous machine which is nice. The heated grips are awesome and the lights are very nice to have. Being able to run the machine one-handed is also great. Cons: The 'transmission' wasn't set properly from the factory/installer so that the machine didn't move when R1 was selected. Taking the machine back to where I bought it isn't practical so I must perform the maintenance myself. The mechanism that adjusts the throw 'angle' doesn't work fully so I can only select about 75% of the range using the lever - the last 25% I must adjust manually. The handle-bar mounted lights are good but are often blocked somewhat by the chute. A small pile of snow is often left in front of the machine for some reason.

Date published: 2019-02-23

Rated 1 out of 5 by Poor Quality from Terrible Product I bought this machine last year. The second time I used it the belt broke. I used it twice so far this year and the belt broke again. The chute is constantly clogged with anything other than light fluffy snow.

Date published: 2022-01-18

Rated 5 out of 5 by JLK1 from Very Happy I am very pleased with the performance and operation of this snow blower. I clears all types of snow well, easy to start and operate. I researched a number of different units and am glad I purchased this one.

Date published: 2018-01-27

Rated 1 out of 5 by diggler from wet snow performance Had a chance to use it with the nor easter we got. Dry moderate snow pretty good. Wet heavy snow no good. Impeller for shute jams up way to easily. Have another brand that eats right threw the same pile.

Date published: 2021-02-03

Rated 2 out of 5 by Sweeney from Front auger I have use the snowblower 15 times and I have gone through 15 Cotter pins because the new front stage propeller that’s supposed to cut through the snowbank keeps blowing the cotter pin’s any suggestions

Date published: 2021-02-05

Rated 1 out of 5 by Lukenbuck from If you just need exercise... Garbage. I've given this thing so many chances. Brand new. Clogs in 3 inches of snow. I spent more time unclogging the chute than moving snow. If Cub Cadet will take it back for $250, send a truck.

Date published: 2021-01-31

3X™ 26 Snow Blower Reviews - page 4

3X® 26" Snow Blower

You're shopping available inventory from

3X® 26" Snow Blower Features

Easy Start Ups

Effortless Control

Work Longer

Specs & Maintenance

Specs

Engine

Drive System

Controls

Power and Performance

Dimensions

Specifications

Additional Specifications

Warranty

Disclaimers

Maintenance

Deluxe Snow Thrower Cab Installation

How to Clean Out a Clogged Snow Thrower Chute

How to Prepare Your Snow Blower for Storage in the Off-Season

How to Prepare Your Snow Blower for Winter

Maintenance Schedule & Tips

Recommended Snow Thrower Back-Up Parts

Snow Thrower Safety Tips

Troubleshooting Auger or Drive Loss on a Two-Stage Snow Thrower

Manuals

Manuals

Model

Manual

Form Number

OPERATOR'S MANUALS

Product Reviews