Understanding Longevity

[JDGUY]

I've noticed that John Deere tends to use statistics in the marketing of it's products. For example I own a LT180 lawn tractor, on the website they claim that it has a 40% longer life than the 100 series. How do the consumer relate this to years. The LX says it's frame is 30% heavier than the LT and is has a 43% longer life that the LT. If I was to keep my machine in tip top shape and maintain it well how many years do you think I can get out of it? I cut 2.2 acres at least once a week if not more (during summer months) from early May to late October. TIA /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[gamble77]

If you get over 1500 hours on it count your lucky stars

 

[JDGUY]

What about all this "Longevity figures"

 

[rdln]

For your level of machine, based on experience, you should be able to go 7-9 years before you need minor work done i.e. spindles, pto clutch, front axle pivot,

They might be playing on the mentality that if it cost 1000 -1500 more new than you might want to stick more money into it to keep it going, thus "lasting" longer.

 

[Stephanie]

I think of it this way - the L100's are a 7-10 year tractor, the LT's are a 12-15 year tractor, the LX's are a 17-20 year tractor.

Of course, this all depends on how much you beat it up and take care of it!!!

 

[johndeere2210]

I hope I don't speak out of turn here. We have old LX mowers out that are 10-12 years old that have never required anything but belts and batteries. I personally have a
late model LX176 that is in excellent condition and last year I replaced the hydrostat fan, input shaft sheave, hydrostat drive belt, primary and secondary deck drive belt, both deck spindles and both drive idlers. The mowing conditions were extremely dusty and all the parts that required replacement were the parts that were most exposed to the dirt. I also have a 2004 L100 that will need drive belts after only one year of use. The longevity of the mowers that you have mentioned is based on the thickness of the metal in the deck, frame, front axle, etc. The bearings in the mower deck on the L100 series are slightly smaller than the bearings on LTs and LXs. The other significant difference is that the LTs and LX series mowers are built or assembled in the John Deere Horicon plant and the L100 series mowers are built by Scotts, as were their predecessors (Sabre). I hope this kind of clears things a little. Bottom line is that with proper care and maintenance, and realizing that deck bearings don't last forever, even a "low end" L100 will outlast most of the department store branded mowers.

 

[bontai_Joe]

Deere's lifespan calculations are for the average machine receiving average mantenance while being used for an average amount of hours per year. There were hundreds of thousands (millions?) of Ford model "T"s made before the 1930s and the vast majority are gone, but there are a few still around. It all has to do with the use, care, timely repair and replacement of worn items, exposure to the elements and changing the oil.