Everyone loves the Timemaster, tons of info. out there on it. If you have a ton of obstacles then a zero turn could be an option. You'd be done in 15 mins with a Timecutter 4200. More than double the price though, cuts 42". More on reddit.com

I have the Cub Cadet Pro-Z 154S steering wheel zero turn and love it. I demo'd a lot of mowers and it was the only one that could safely handle my hills for under $20k (I paid ~$8k but tested mowers up to $20k and was ready to drop that much for anything that was safe on the steep hills).

Don't buy their mulching kit, save yourself the money and just get gator blades, they work way better.

More on reddit.com

Does that mower have the Kohler engine? If so, go to Kohler's website for the service manual. You can find your particular manual by choosing from the options listed on the drop down menu HERE . I see many of the Cub Cadet LT1042 had the Kohler 18hp Courage, which is available for view. It has a small troubleshooting section on fuel delivery issues that may be of help. Did you check/replace the plug? Is the plug delivering a spark? There are ways to test this, but please be careful when doing so. If the spark plug is good, then it is possible the carb is your problem. Can you spray starter fluid directly into the carb and see if the mower starts? If it starts, runs for a moment, then stops...it is probably fuel. Don't do this more than once. Repeated use of starter spray can potentially cause small engine issues. Here is a direct link to Kohler's Courage engine, 16 to 20 HP....if that is indeed the power for your mower. More on reddit.com

Of the 3, the Cub Cadet is the only one with a fabricated deck. Since you mention trees, I'd spend the extra and get the fabricated deck over a stamped. If I were to choose from these 3, the CC would win based on deck build and size. Depending on your hill size, you might consider searching for something with serviceable hydro-static drives.

More on reddit.com