Buying Advice Sick and tired of low quality riding lawnmowers

[buickanddeere]

If you want quality, you will have to pay for it .
With JD lawn tractors you need the purchase a X380 or higher to obtain a medium duty transaxle . Instead of the disposable K46 transaxle used on the lower models .

 

[pmsmechanic]

I went to my local John Deere dealer and told them that I was looking for an F-935. I wanted a traded in model that they had not put through the shop as I enjoy repairing equipment. I ended up at around $6000 into a 1994 model with a 72" deck. That was probably around 9-10 years ago. Repairs have been minimal since and I have a quality mower at a 2x box mower price. I also have a mower that I'll be able to use for the rest of my life. I use about 60 liters of fuel a year mowing around 2 acres of a 3 acre acreage. The diesel engine starts well and has adequate power. A newer model would be nice but I don't need it. I think I'm ahead a long ways vs buying a box store mower.

 

[attract her]

"If you want quality, you will have to pay for it ." bd #41

Yes,
- O R -
find a bargain, either a model that's been on the dealer's showroom floor too long, or a bargain on a nice machine at an estate sale, etc. Read the obits. Or persuade your neighbor with the nice machine to trade up, without trading in. Buy his from him, so he can get that zero turn he's had his eye on.

"More than one way to skin a cat."

 

[RandyT]

I have an LX280 with the tough torque, so far so good, as long as you keep the cooling fan clean, oil in good shape they seem to be ok, dont overheat them by doing more than they were designed for is what i have heard is the biggest part of their failure. Agreed, the two speed, bolt on rear wheel units whether older or newer machines are heavier designs and typically bigger gears/axles to take the strain.

Mowing is one thing, pushing with a blade, dragging an implement, running a tiller, all heat up oil which reduces life if you are slipping/overheating things and if you burn/boil the oil you better change it. Hydros are nice but have their limits like a clutch - something will give eventually.

You answered the majority of the causes of hydro failure. Most lawn tractor hydro's are designed to operate on level ground without any towing, and a normal weight operator. Add slopes, towing a yard cart and/or bagger will exceed the limits of the lower end units.

 

[attract her]

"You answered the majority of the causes of hydro failure. Most lawn tractor hydro's are designed to operate on level ground without any towing, and a normal weight operator. Add slopes, towing a yard cart and/or bagger will exceed the limits of the lower end units." RT #44

a) Oh.

b) Thanks. I did not know this, even if I should have.

c) I've had my JD #D140 for a few years. It's got 13.2 on the LCD clock on the dash. I've put gas in it 2 or 3 times since I bought it. I don't have a cart for it, but do sometimes carry tools, an electric hedge trimmer, loping shears, etc. Sometimes I think I should just get sheep or goats instead. I'd hate to have to eat the JD.

d) Thanks RT.

 

[strantor]

Are you sure he can't do a zero turn? You said he had a stroke, but that means different things for different people. Is one side of his body limp? If not, I would put him on a zero turn and see if he can make it chooch. If he can, that opens lots of doors. I had my daughter mowing with a ZTR when she was 10. I say that not to brag but to illustrate that it's not that hard (depending on your handicap), and I realize that a little girl and an elderly man with stroke damage aren't quite apples to oranges.

If you find that he can run a zero turn, I can tell you that I'm pleased with my 60" Hustler Raptor SD. That's a $5000 mower but they have cheaper, smaller ones that I would expect to be of equal quality. I have 160 hours on mine and no problems to report.

 

[atsah]

I have seen next to new X475's around with a deck and blower for 4 grand.. 3-400 hours.. I have also seen nice 445's for 3 grand..

 

[ruffdog]

My father's Husqvarna riding mower with Kholer 26 HP Courage (SV735S) engine is bending/breaking starter motor shafts.

Here is an interesting video on the Courage 20 having a start problem and the cause: Mouse nest blocks air cooling passage, overheat, exhaust valve guide moves, decompression doesn't work, starter can't turn over engine.

 

[D2Cat]

ETD66SS, here's a mower that meets your specifications, and it's located in your neck of the woods. It's an older model Kubota that came with a Kawasaki 17HP water cooled engine, or a Kubota diesel. I would prefer the diesel (but I own one of each), has power steering and you can mow around a 12" like a zero turn.

21 kubota tractor - farm & garden - by owner - sale

 

[searcyfarms]

is he partially paralyzed in arm/hand ? if so and you are concerned about him trying to run two levers, i am not sure about other brands but country clipper offers a zero turn in a joystick and i have read about them and people love them - say once you go to a joystick you wont want to use anything else.