Finally got a riding mower: Craftsman "Pro Series" GT7400

[Barry N]

After lurking on TBN for waay to long, I finally found a good deal on a GT7400 earlier this month. I will put up some tinypics photos - yes, it did happen!

See, it does get dirty fast! I also put up a post about "My newly-used GT7400" on MyTractorForum, for those of you who are interested. I find a lot of information on both TBN and MTF, so I hope it's not a problem. I am giving this machine a lot of work, and it tries mightily. I have been surprised to see how easy it is to blow off the dust with a leaf blower, and give it a microfiber cloth wipe-down. Of course, we haven't seen any rain recently, so getting muddy will take more to clean up. :laughing:

I'm pretty happy with my first rider mower, all in all.

Barry

 

[GolfAddict]

Congratulations! Nice looking mower. :thumbsup:

 

[roadhunter]

Looks like you got one of the nicest lawn tractors available.

 

[TikiGene]

Nice! I was considering the GT over the Z, but as you know from the other forum on here, I chose the Z7400. Looks like they share the same reinforced stamped deck. That tractor is sweet looking though and I bet it could pull a small truck!

 

[Cherokee140]

They are very good tractors....so many poo poo them because they are not green or whatever.

Those machines are just as strong and tough as anything out there.....good machine.

 

[Gary Fowler]

My brother in law has a 6500? Craftsman tractor style lawnmower that he has been using to cut about 3 acres of lawn for 5 years and the only repair has been a spindle that broke when he hit a tree root. Still on the same drive belts. He goes thru a set of blades every year with it because the little bend at the end that creates lift wears thru from dirt and sand erosion (too many crawfish mounds). He just changes oil every year and most times a new battery at least every other year. I don't know why they cant make a lawnmower battery that will last 4-5 years like car batteries. Even with winter maintainers, about 2 years is tops for them.

 

[Gary Fowler]

OH, yeah, how much did the 7400 run you? How much was the 6500 or equivalent number going for. I think it was a little over 2200 5 years ago.

 

[Barry N]

Thank you, Cherokee - I had originally planned on a BX, but this GT almost begged to be taken. Gary, it was essentially only "test-driven", with a few traces of grass in the deck, but barely over an hour on the meter, so I worked a bit on getting it dropped to less than 2K, then tacked back on an extended warranty and a sweeper and dethatcher and sleeve hitch, all on sale, of course. Oregon doesn't nick us for sales tax, either (they get it other ways!). So far, I've cut a ton of pasture and lawn, about 10+ hours, a couple of tankfulls of gas (and the reserve switch under the seat is quite handy!), and it has saved me at least that much time just in mowing alone. Even the black and yellow paint scheme is easy to keep neat, by blowing off the dust. Mud may be a bigger challenge, but this GT has its own covered parking.

 

[roadhunter]

My brother in law has a 6500? Craftsman tractor style lawnmower that he has been using to cut about 3 acres of lawn for 5 years and the only repair has been a spindle that broke when he hit a tree root. Still on the same drive belts. He goes thru a set of blades every year with it because the little bend at the end that creates lift wears thru from dirt and sand erosion (too many crawfish mounds). He just changes oil every year and most times a new battery at least every other year. I don't know why they cant make a lawnmower battery that will last 4-5 years like car batteries. Even with winter maintainers, about 2 years is tops for them.

Odyssey batteries makes some small models that last many years

 

[Gary Fowler]

Odyssey batteries makes some small models that last many years

Every battery I have found that lasts more than a couple of years is at least double and sometimes 3-4 times the price so it equals out in the end or is outright more per year of use to buy them.