New member, new D130

[SaintD130]

Hi all! I've been enjoying getting aquainted with several of you via reading many of the threads on the JD forums.

I just got my new D130 and am looking forward to a nice long relationship with it
Having searched the forums it seems that the entry level JD line has many negative comments/opinions from members, mainly those with larger (better) tractors. How about the rest of you, what's been your experience with the new "D1xx" series?

 

[kansas john deere]

As with just about anything you get what you pay for. As long as you treat it right and do the maintance it should serve you well in my opinion. The entry level machines are not designed to cut grass everyday day in and day out like the more expensive ones. With that being said if you use it for what its designed for they will last. I am still waiting for both of mine to quit so I can upgrade to a more modern machine. They just will not "die" dang it. Welcome to the forum also.....Gary

 

[SaintD130]

Thanks Gary. Agreed on getting what you paid for and buying what you need. With an acre of lawn, no heavy brush but some incline I'm expecting that the D130 will do just fine for the weekly mow and other basic yard duties.

What are your thoughts on adding the 46" snowplow, chains and rear weights for some normally light Seattle winters?

 

[jenkinsph]

Hi all! I've been enjoying getting aquainted with several of you via reading many of the threads on the JD forums.

I just got my new D130 and am looking forward to a nice long relationship with it
Having searched the forums it seems that the entry level JD line has many negative comments/opinions from members, mainly those with larger (better) tractors. How about the rest of you, what's been your experience with the new "D1xx" series?

First, WELCOME TO THE FORUM

I have an L130 new in 2005 with 225 hours on it and a new x749 with about 100 hours. The reason alot of us have upgraded is because we have had transmission problems with the 100 series. I don't think you need to be a lawn care professional to wear out the 100 series tranny in a short period of time. You can rebuild them for a couple hundred bucks in most cases though.

The D 100 series are new and have not had enough time in most cases to wear out the transmission yet. These were introduced in the last 12 months as I recall and most will have very low hours. I haven't heard or read much about catastrophic failure, most cases the mowers just gradually get slower and slower.

From what I have read and seen people tend to move upscale with their tractor and equipment purchases over time. Many of the compact tractor owners started out with pushmowers and over time have had a variety of equipment such as riding mowers and in most cases learned their lessons at their own expense. I would hesitate to throw out their opinions in favor of reviews of new owners with less than 50 hours on the D series mowers.

 

[EdC]

Welcome to TBN!

I have an L120 with more than 400 hrs on it (battery was dead for long enough the hour meter reset). Until I got my 2320 that L120 was seriously abused although I was very careful to change oil on time and air filter even more frequently. There have been no problems at all( other than the battery going South) with that lawn mower. I even ran it with cut down car tire chains in the winter and as long as the snow was not too deep there were no problems. I have never attached a plow to my though: don't know how it would handle the shock loads involved with plowing.

 

[mjncad]

Welcome Saint. My neighbor has a BBM (Big Box Mart) Deere lawn tractor that he occasionally plows snow with. I can't imagine having that much weight hanging over the front axle without power steering and a hydraulic lift for the blade. I even put two 42-pound suitcase weights recommended for a plow setup on the back of my L(emon)-130 to help lighten the front end. I call it "Poor man's power steering." It helps a little bit with the keyword being "little."

In my neighborhood lawn tractors regardless of brand see harder use than most as we use them to cut a mixture of grass and weeds.

As long as you realize the old L(emon) and L(emon)A(de), and new D(ud) 100 series rigs are not in the same league as Deere's X-series, you won't be surprised should it act up on you.

In any case, enjoy it and be safe.

 

[SaintD130]

Thanks for the welcome and advice guys

 

[jinman]

The 2nd best advice I can give you is to buy and keep plenty of spare parts for the deck: idlers, spindles, blades, etc. Grease your spindles every 8-10 hours. Don't wait for the recommended 25 hours.

The very best advice I can offer is to tell you to take that D130 back and get an X320. You'll pay another $1500 for it, but you'll be a lot happier with it.

The 100 series mowers are maintenance nightmares. While parts are cheap and easy to come by, you will spend lots of maintenance time keeping it going. We have an LA145 that requires constant maintenance/repair. I also have a stash of parts since I buy in bulk.

 

[jenkinsph]

The 2nd best advice I can give you is to buy and keep plenty of spare parts for the deck: idlers, spindles, blades, etc. Grease your spindles every 8-10 hours. Don't wait for the recommended 25 hours.

The very best advice I can offer is to tell you to take that D130 back and get an X320. You'll pay another $1500 for it, but you'll be a lot happier with it.

The 100 series mowers are maintenance nightmares. While parts are cheap and easy to come by, you will spend lots of maintenance time keeping it going. We have an LA145 that requires constant maintenance/repair. I also have a stash of parts since I buy in bulk.

Wow, curious what the problem is with your deck? I still have all the original deck parts including the belt. Changed out a few sets of blades is all. I clean the deck off with my leaf blower after each mowing and check the idlers and spindles when I change and sharpen the blades.

My only real issue with the L130 is the tranny slowing down after warming up it is down to about half the original speed now or worse. Don't think I will be using it much this summer unless I rebuild the tranny.

 

[mjncad]

Electric clutches for these BBM mowers are not cheap. I hear they're over $200 a pop now. Of course that's a moot point if your PTO clutch is a lever instead of a switch.

These BBM decks seem to be hit or miss as some have lots of trouble, and some don't. My gripe with mine is I've gone through 3-belts in 80-hours of use and had an idler pulley bracket break in two. Knock on wood my spindles haven't acted up...yet, and I hose my debris off with a garden hose.

 

[jinman]

Wow, curious what the problem is with your deck? I still have all the original deck parts including the belt. Changed out a few sets of blades is all. I clean the deck off with my leaf blower after each mowing and check the idlers and spindles when I change and sharpen the blades.

I suppose it could just be the 48" deck that has so many idler problems, but another poster just posted photos of an idler that froze and ruined the mounting stud. I quit washing off my deck and only use compressed air to blow it off. I just put on new blades, greased the spindles, and replaced one idler. Now, after four 1-1/2 hour mowing jobs (just 6 hours), I have another idler starting to howl. My problems with the deck are real and persistent. I cannot say the two-blade decks like the 42" will have the same problems, but I suspect they are all similar. Your L130 may have a different design of the deck belt routing. I think if I had mechanical engagement of the PTO instead of the instantaneous shock of the electric PTO, my idlers would last longer.

The reason I cannot recommend the 100 series mowers is a combination of the deck problems and the carb float valve problem I had with the engine. John Deere knows there is a problem with the float valve, but they won't change it unless you complain. The combination of those two issues makes me unable to recommend this mower. In my opinion, JD is not doing themselves any long-term benefit by selling these mowers. Many people will buy these and see them as a reflection of all JD products. It's just not the reputation I would want as a manufacturer. My transmission has worked perfectly for four years. If that dies, I'll just haul the whole thing to the scrap yard and sell it by the pound. I would not sell this to somebody else. I considered that and then realized my moral compass won't let me sell something that I have no faith in. If I sell it, it will be for scrap. If I put it on craigslist, it will be in the free-stuff section. Even for free, it will come with warnings and a bag full of bad parts.

 

[jenkinsph]

Jinman,
I would suspect we have the same or similar decks and that the most likely cause for your problems would be misalignment of the idlers mounting from the factory. Just a guess, but I could measure the angle of the idlers on my deck for you if it might help you. Mine is a 48" three spindle deck also.

I had a few problems with fuel delivery on my Kohler engine and added an electric fuel pump which make starting much faster and dependable.

Lookng at the D130 specs this mower has a 42" two spindle design which would be less complex with few idlers and parts which is a plus imo.

 

[EdC]

Boy, reading about all the problems with the 48 mower and the carb float really makes me feel lucky. My L120 was bought the first year these tractors came out and has been trouble free except for the battery replacement a few years ago and blade replacement. (Note to self: do not believe it when you say " Oh the mower will clear that rock":laughing