|
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 13,606
Campfire Outfitter
|
OP
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 13,606 |
looking for the best new garden/lawn tractor out there. does anyone have any recommendations <$5K? not really looking for a zero turn one, it would be nice if it could take attachments just in case future needs require them. needs to be easy to use as well. online reviews don't really help since most of the time people don't write something about it unless its bad. been looking off and on for the last month and learned enough to know I don't know what makes one a great one. any guidelines people can provide the better, such as: pros/cons of mower deck width transmissions adjustable height of deck power, what size engine should I consider the minimum?
thanks, any advice is appreciated
Beware of any old man in a profession where one usually dies young.
Calm seas don't make sailors.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 834
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 834 |
Once upon a time it would have been Gravely. They had all kinds of attachments and extremely well made and virtually indestructable. Now everything not John Deere green is pretty much pure junk. The one exception is Kubota. But neither JD nor Kubota are in the price range you indicate. One thing for absolute certainty, ztay well away from Cub Cadet. The old ones were great. The new ones are horrible.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,326
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,326 |
It's a little older but I have a Craftsman (same thing as Husky). It has the Kohler 26hp and the hydrostatic transmission. So far in 7 years it's been close to flawless. The hydro tranny is very handy but it gives up a little power to the manual. My partner has the same tractor with a 24 hp kohler and the manual and it will outpull mine with the 26hp.
I have a sleeve hitch on it and use a homemade cultivator. The hitch has no downward force so it needs some weight added to dig in even a little. However, the weight can make it quite hard to lift. The hitch mechanism is a bit flimsy for lifting very much weight.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,659
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,659 |
It's a little older but I have a Craftsman (same thing as Husky). It has the Kohler 26hp and the hydrostatic transmission. So far in 7 years it's been close to flawless. The hydro tranny is very handy but it gives up a little power to the manual. My partner has the same tractor with a 24 hp kohler and the manual and it will outpull mine with the 26hp. I have been using the same Craftsman for 18 years. Did it ever need any repair .... Yes, of course. However I have always been able to fix it myself at low cost. All in all, its been great to have.
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much" Teddy Roosevelt
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,003
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,003 |
looking for the best new garden/lawn tractor out there. does anyone have any recommendations <$5K? not really looking for a zero turn one, it would be nice if it could take attachments just in case future needs require them. needs to be easy to use as well. online reviews don't really help since most of the time people don't write something about it unless its bad. been looking off and on for the last month and learned enough to know I don't know what makes one a great one. any guidelines people can provide the better, such as: pros/cons of mower deck width transmissions adjustable height of deck power, what size engine should I consider the minimum?
thanks, any advice is appreciated What are you intending to do with it? If it's just for mowing larger acreages, the lower-end John Deeres work very well. I bought a JD D130 this summer to mow my 1 acre grass cover around my house, and it works very well. Hydrostatic trans, 22 hp twin motor, 42" deck fully adjustable, etc. I didn't want anything bigger than the 42" deck because of some tight spots I need to negotiate. So far, I am more than satisfied with the tractor. It is very easy to use, anyone could run one with a minimum of instruction. It will take a number of attachments, such as snow blade, leaf pickups, tow behind aerators, etc. if needed. Cost was $1900, but they go up in price and capability from there. You will have to look hard to find a bad review on a John Deer implement.
I'd rather be a free man in my grave, than living as a puppet or a slave....
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 926
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 926 |
Might take a look at Simplicity. There older mowers are built like a tank. Don't know about the new ones.
Grammar is important. Capitol letters are the difference between "helping your Uncle Jack off a horse" & "helping your uncle jack off a horse".
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,721
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,721 |
I'm somewhat in the same boat.
Had a Husqvarna hand grenade an engine on me 2 weeks ago. Kohler Courage 20 single with less than 200 hours. Tractor, engine and mowing was one giant POS from day one. Reviews are all over the place and nothing is cheap.
On the positive side, I don't have to mow a 5x15 foot section of my lawn anymore as the oil killed it.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 13,606
Campfire Outfitter
|
OP
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 13,606 |
I read somewhere that as of this year the craftsman mowers are built by someone else now, not Husky anymore Raven these are pretty new, anyone ever tried one? lots of positive reviews, especially on customer service. any thoughts?
Beware of any old man in a profession where one usually dies young.
Calm seas don't make sailors.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,809
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,809 |
Are you just going to cut grass or are you going to need a tiller or something for the garden?
"Men must be governed by God or they will be ruled by tyrants". --- William Penn
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 19,503
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 19,503 |
I read somewhere that as of this year the craftsman mowers are built by someone else now, not Husky anymore Raven these are pretty new, anyone ever tried one? lots of positive reviews, especially on customer service. any thoughts? That's an interesting concept.
4 out of 5 Great Lakes prefer Michigan.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 12,664
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 12,664 |
I bought an Cub XT3 in June to mow with. I put Ag tractor type tires on it and it does a good job for me. I wish the deck would raise 1/2 more at the top setting but I can live with it as is. Around here the XT3 is the only shaft drive under $5K. The XT3 has a drive system that you can replace the fluid in and has a spin on filter. They are built by MTD.
The Karma bus always has an empty seat when it comes around.- High Brass
There's battle lines being drawn Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,311
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,311 |
My "Nothing Runs Like a Deere" JD 300 transmission took a chit at a whopping 242 hours, out of 2 years warranty, mowed 1 acre of grass once a week, never again! I paid $3K for the JD, I just bought an XMark zero turn for $5K, it's a 10 times better mower! I think JD's are now made in China. Good luck.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,379
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,379 |
deeres are garbage, look at simplicity, i love them, and my whole family has them after i had mine for 10 years an abused the [bleep] out of it
I kill chit. "The Heathens nest"
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 96,121
Campfire Oracle
|
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 96,121 |
My "Nothing Runs Like a Deere" JD 300 transmission took a chit at a whopping 242 hours, out of 2 years warranty, mowed 1 acre of grass once a week, never again! I paid $3K for the JD, I just bought an XMark zero turn for $5K, it's a 10 times better mower! I think JD's are now made in China. Good luck. You have to get into the 320's before you get the 'better' transmissions.
"Dear Lord, save me from Your followers"
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,408
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,408 |
i've had a simplicity regent 44" deck & 22hp briggs for 6 mowing seasons now. i mow about 2.5 acres of grass and trails. or should i say my boys do. they killed a mtd troybuilt in 9 years but this simplicity is still going strong. i think with bagger i had just shy of $3k OTD. the bagger was a waste of $400 but the rest of the mower is very well built. had to replace a spindle housing this year when a stump bent it up. i'm on 2nd set of blades but thats it.
My diploma is a DD214
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 11,520
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 11,520 |
Not all John Deere's deserve the green paint. simplicitys are good mowers I've got a older model 2001 maked AGCO Allis
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 5,932
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 5,932 |
My JD LT178 is 18 years old and still mowing grass. Been serviced every year. As far as I'm concerned "Nothing runs like a Deere".
Beware of thieves, scammers and dishonest members on the "Fire" classifieds. Ya there is a thief here too. Whatever!!
They're all around the CampFire and everywhere.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,477
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,477 |
RE just mowing lawns, we mow a couple of strips of about 2000 yards of road frontage and 3 yards, about 2 acres total, sometimes as often as every 5 days. And its not unheard of to mow in January.
We've had super luck with Walmart riders.... bought one in 79 that lasted until about mid 90s.
Then bought a used 80s model that lasted until about 2013 or so and tossed a bolt in a rod, and simply bought a 300 buck replacement motor and put it in place. Going good today.
have a Bad Boy zero turn the wife finally thought it might be nice if she could get all the stuff mowed in one night instead of a couple....
But the wally one still gets work done.
IMHO if you maintain your stuff it generally lasts, as long as it doesn't have a lot of plastic parts like Craftsman chit started putting on in years past.
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 18,033
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 18,033 |
I bought a used Sears this spring. So far so good. It's a 46" cut, I think 17 h.p. Kohler. I'd have to go out and check to be sure, but I knew the guy I bought it off of and he was real happy with it. Basically outside of oil changes, the only money he put into it in over 10 years was a new belt and he replaced the deck bearings one time. Depends on your needs. All I use it for is mowing the lawn, and moving a little wood around the lot in a small trailer.
molɔ̀ːn labé skýla
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,224
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,224 |
I would agree with the Simplicity and the older Deutz Allis, type mowers/garden tractors. My dad used to mow 19 rural cemeteries. He is no longer mowing the cemeteries, but still has the mowers and uses them to this day. He did put new rings on the pistons of one of the engines though. The drivetrain has help up very well.
|
|
|
|
114 members (01Foreman400, 338Rules, 406_SBC, 1minute, 1_deuce, 16 invisible),
1,580
guests, and
937
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,191,493
Posts18,472,090
Members73,936
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|