Is thirty years too long to keep a lawn mower?

[whitenorth]

I've got my Dad's 1966 John Deere 110 riding lawnmower. 60 years old next year. My Dad was using it up until he passed in 2021. My brother inherited it and he used it until last year when a bearing went out on the mower deck. He gave it to me and I have a place seeing if they can put new bearings in the spindle since they are no longer available. I will have the other 2 done as well if they can. If they can't, my brother has a place that has done special bearings that are no longer available for the place he works for. Hoping my place will be successful as my brother is about 4 hours away from me.

Other than that, it still runs and drives great. Only thing that is temperamental on it is the variable drive but, that has been that way for as long as I can remember.

I am also running a 1990 Ford 1520. 35 years old. Nothing currently wrong with it. Use it to and the front 2 stage snowblower to blow out my driveway. Have not hooked up the mower deck to it yet as I only bought the tractor last October. Didn't mow with it as the mower deck gear box seal leaked but, that should be fixed this week. Really overkill for what I need to mow but, bought it for blowing out the drive mainly. I'll mow with it just to so that it doesn't sit all summer.

 

[CalG]

I have found this to be a good place to get belts from;
V-Belt Guys: Online Replacement Supplier & Manufacturer

I'm still using my Kubota F2000 built in 1986 or 7 so 39 years old

Thanks for the reference.

They sure don't make finding anything easy. Put in a part number, came back with four pages of possibles to weed through. Jeesh!

I'll keep trying. ;-)

 

[hodge]

I'm running a 40 year old Steiner S20, and it's got tons of life left. I like the older, simpler, more durable stuff.

 

[tacticalturnip]

My Honda push mower must be 25 years old or so, I'm certainly not the first owner; I have no plans to replace it unless it really gives up the ghost.

It's not something I get excited about, not like the admitted retail therapy that comes with say- a tractor.

 

[CalG]

My Honda push mower must be 25 years old or so, I'm certainly not the first owner; I have no plans to replace it unless it really gives up the ghost.

It's not something I get excited about, not like the admitted retail therapy that comes with say- a tractor.

True about those tractors being in a different class.
The Fordson is 73 this year.

 

[Deere Dude]

I've got my Dad's 1966 John Deere 110 riding lawnmower. 60 years old next year. My Dad was using it up until he passed in 2021. My brother inherited it and he used it until last year when a bearing went out on the mower deck. He gave it to me and I have a place seeing if they can put new bearings in the spindle since they are no longer available. I will have the other 2 done as well if they can. If they can't, my brother has a place that has done special bearings that are no longer available for the place he works for. Hoping my place will be successful as my brother is about 4 hours away from me.

Other than that, it still runs and drives great. Only thing that is temperamental on it is the variable drive but, that has been that way for as long as I can remember.

Those 65-66 JD 110s and attachments are worth quite a bit for collectors and hobbyists. Just like some cars. They were quality made and hold up quite well. They may not be as intuitive and easy to drive but they are popular in parades and tractor shows, especially around Illinois and Wisconsin.

 

[whitenorth]

Those 65-66 JD 110s and attachments are worth quite a bit for collectors and hobbyists. Just like some cars. They were quality made and hold up quite well. They may not be as intuitive and easy to drive but they are popular in parades and tractor shows, especially around Illinois and Wisconsin.

I don't know, I grew up driving that tractor once I got big enough. It is simple and easy to use. Easy to push around if needed to. Plus, it is running on the 2nd or 3rd crank. Not bad for an engine that old. Plus, there are a lot of fond memories with this tractor.

I know it threw a rod in 2003 (found the paperwork when my dad bought the parts) that only cracked the block. Didn't put a hole through it. I'm told he JB Welded the crack and its been running ever since. Other than the replacement parts in the engine, blades and having bearings replaced in the mower deck once already, it is all original. Still running the same tires it has always had. Benefit of being kept inside in a basement that never got below 50 degrees.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can get the spindles new bearings.

 

[tacticalturnip]

True about those tractors being in a different class.
The Fordson is 73 this year.

You've got a collection; one day I hope to have one myself.

 

[CalG]

You've got a collection; one day I hope to have one myself.

Anyone with a friend at the bank can buy a new one, It takes a certain level of cray-zy to keep the old ones going. ;-)

 

[ultrarunner]

New is easy… good used is unique.

I still have my 3.5 hp Craftsman with untouched engine… it did 6 yards every week and bought it 1985… deck is getting thin so I’ve started using the HRM 215 pro Honda I gave mom in 2000 with aluminum deck.

Add me to the long term owners club.