Lawn Tractors

[Ashful]

Just to clarify, you can buy the same models at a dealer that HD/Lowes carry. If the model # is the same, it is the same machine.

Maybe true today, but according to a friend who's a retired Deere dealer mechanic, this was not the case 10 years ago. It's going to take Deere a generation to undo the damage caused to their reputation by that bonehead move, as many still assume semipro's statement is the case.

 

[Beer Belly]

Dollar for Dollar, if I was buying a "box store" lawn tractor, it would be a Deere. They are hands down the best you can get for the money spent. I would absolutely insist on a hydro trans as well. The gear drive models offered these days are very light duty (not even bushings on the output shafts anymore!) and the hydros have proven to hold up better. The Deere units are also the only ones to my knowledge that use 1-piece welded frames. Take a look under some competitive units, if you see self-tapping screws holding the thing together, don't walk away, run.

Take a look at the D105 for $1500.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/203659...gId=-1&storeId=10051&N=5yc1vZc5c0&R=203659663


Husqvarna would be my next stop. You can buy some pretty nice garden tractors built by Husqvarna in Lowes but you mentioned a $1500 price cap.


Cub Cadet is a mere shadow of it's former self. The writing was on the wall in the 80's when IH sold the line to MTD.

I agree 100%......

 

[Jags]

As soon as the warranty runs out on this thing, I am gonna get a zero turn:

 

[Ashful]

As soon as the warranty runs out on this thing, I am gonna get a zero turn:
View attachment 98673

Independent rear braking on a tricycle... pretty sure you already have a zero-turn, there.

 

[Bret Hart]

As soon as the warranty runs out on this thing, I am gonna get a zero turn:
View attachment 98673

Might have to wait a while to replace that one. Looks like it has another 50 years left in it.

 

[Jags]

Might have to wait a while to replace that one. Looks like it has another 50 years left in it.

Its been doing the job for 74 years now. Was told it has a 75 year warranty. It will probably fall apart next year.

 

[Ashful]

Its been doing the job for 74 years now. Was told it has a 75 year warranty. It will probably fall apart next year.

Yeah, but it looks like you wore out the original seat within the warranty period. Or... did it wear out you?

 

[Jags]

.. did it wear out you?

Yes. The old butt slapper pan seats were not known to be comfortable. Now that air ride, fully adjustable puppy that resides on it now...Oh, yeah. Folding arm rests and all.

 

[ironpony]

I have a 1937 JD B on skeleton steel wheels, talk about a rough ride...... it aerates the lawn well though.

 

[Jags]

I have a 1937 JD B on skeleton steel wheels, talk about a rough ride...... it aerates the lawn well though.

Good traction in the slop though.

 

[ironpony]

Good traction in the slop though.

only if it does not sink....................

 

[Beer Belly]

As soon as the warranty runs out on this thing, I am gonna get a zero turn:
View attachment 98673

Love them ol' Tractors.....can get them on Craigslist here, fully restored for under 3k

 

[blades]

1500 and under and a bunch above that also are just lawn mowers, the trannies all hydro have little to no provision for cooling themselves and are the weak link in all of them. none of them are for ground contact addons. And are fairly poor at towing anything as well. If the trany goes south might as well just buy another one as the replacement cost is 2/3 of the mower. ( rebuilding is not an option either as it cost all most as much, with shipping more) Name brand doesn't mean squat in this price range. All are built to maximize profit at the expense of durability.

 

[MasterMech]

I have a 1937 JD B on skeleton steel wheels, talk about a rough ride...... it aerates the lawn well though.

Pictures or .........

 

[MasterMech]

1500 and under and a bunch above that also are just lawn mowers, the trannies all hydro have little to no provision for cooling themselves and are the weak link in all of them. none of them are for ground contact addons. And are fairly poor at towing anything as well. If the trany goes south might as well just buy another one as the replacement cost is 2/3 of the mower. ( rebuilding is not an option either as it cost all most as much, with shipping more) Name brand doesn't mean squat in this price range. All are built to maximize profit at the expense of durability.

If your looking for garden tractor capability in the $1500 range (new machines) then you indeed are going to be very disappointed. I'm pretty sure the OP is looking for something that looks good to the neighbors (and the wife), won't fly apart on him in 2 years and oh yeah, cuts grass. If he was looking for a stump puller my recommendations would have been very different.

 

[Ashful]

If he was looking for a stump puller my recommendations would have been very different.

It doesn't take much of a stump to stop a much larger tractor. The owner in this photo apparently failed Physics 101.

 

[semipro]

Maybe true today, but according to a friend who's a retired Deere dealer mechanic, this was not the case 10 years ago. It's going to take Deere a generation to undo the damage caused to their reputation by that bonehead move, as many still assume semipro's statement is the case.

Yep. Sorry for the misinformation. My info is dated by at least 3 years.

 

[BrotherBart]

Ten years ago I bought a Husqvarna branded 22 horse garden tractor at HD. I have worked that thing like a rented mule doing everything around here. Including many overloaded trailers full of wood up hill out of my woods and plowing snow. Never has missed a beat. One problem now is that the float in the carb is stuck so I have to park it aimed uphill a little until I am sure warm weather is here for good and take the carb off.

The Huskys and their twins the Craftsman tractors are made by American Yard Products (AYP) in North Carolina.

 

[velvetfoot]

That is where the Ariens model I bought at the HD a couple of years came from. It also is hydrostatic and a 22 hp vtwin BS Intek. Interesting how they've changed the design and now the tank isn't under the seat anymore, plus the latest trend seems to be "Automatic", which involves pedals somehow. I've towed many overloaded trailer loads of wood from my splitting area down the driveway.

 

[nate379]

Wanted to mention to that the ZTR works just fine for tugging a yard cart around. I made a hitch for the back of it (the ones they sell would have lasted me a day at best) I used it all this summer to move gravel and stone around, musta had close to 1000lbs in the cart and no troubles moving it.
Also used it to drag an old 1 ton 4x4 van around in the driveway. Probably not the best thing to do, but I didn't blow up the hydrostatic!

Bought it last year with 100 hours, was 2 or 3 years ago. I put about 350hrs on it just last summer. After running a ZTR for a while there's no way I'd go back to a tractor for lawn mowing. I can't think of even one benefit a tractor has over a ZTR.

I keep the snowblower on the tractor instead of swapping between the deck and the blower (PITA!).

 

[Ashful]

I can't think of even one benefit a tractor has over a ZTR.

Pushing a snow plow / snow blower.

I keep the snowblower on the tractor...

Yep.

Actually, I do a lot of fertilizing and yearly aerating / over-seeding on my lawn, and would find it impossible to do that with my ZTrak.

 

[MasterMech]

The Huskys and their twins the Craftsman tractors are made by American Yard Products (AYP) in North Carolina.

I believe AYP is no more but for all intents and purposes HOP (Husqvarna Outdoor Power) is the same thing these days.

I thought newer Craftsman was built by MTD since the Sears/Husqvarna relationship went south? I could be wrong on that one tho.

 

[nate379]

I'm talking for cutting grass...

Don't know what you are using for fertilizer but I pull a spreader and aerator around with my ZTR and it works just fine.

A cheapo "throw away" lawn tractor isn't going to be any better than even a low end ZTR.

Now if you want to get into pulling little plows and all that, it's garden tractor or CUT and $1000 ain't gonna touch anything that's new!

Pushing a snow plow / snow blower.


Yep.

Actually, I do a lot of fertilizing and yearly aerating / over-seeding on my lawn, and would find it impossible to do that with my ZTrak.

 

[Ashful]

I'm talking for cutting grass...

Don't know what you are using for fertilizer but I pull a spreader and aerator around with my ZTR and it works just fine.

My spreader is a Herd M-12, which would likely have you ZTR in permanent wheelie stance! The bigger problem, even with a more "residentially sized" spreader, is maintaining constant speed for proper coverage, and controlling the hopper shutter to start/stop. This is where a little tow-behind broadcast spreader on a lawn/garden tractor excels.

Plug aerators are very hard on hydrostatic units with insufficient cooling. Even my little 42" / 200 lb. unit put a good strain on the IH Cub 123.

 

[nate379]

I'd love to see photos of that spreader mounted to a lawn tractor. That thing is made for a CUT which is not what the OP is looking to buy.