Garden Tractor Needed?

   / Garden Tractor Needed? #1  

BurntGasket

New member
Joined
May 30, 2012
Messages
5
Location
Lancaster, PA
Tractor
In The Market
I have been very impressed with this forum and was hoping I can get some opinions on an upcoming purchase.

I have a 0.75 acre property with approx 42 mature trees. The primary purpose for the lawn/garden tractor will be to collect leaves with Cyclone Rake or similar. However, I have visions of also using a core aerator, roller, etc. I can also see helping out (charging?) neighbors with both leafs and aerating.

It sounds like those activities are on the borderline of requiring the transmission of a garden tractor. I am hoping to keep the tractor spend to <$3,000 so I was looking at the Husqvarna YTH24V42LS (24HP Kawasaki, 42" Deck, K46 Transmission).

For the few hours/year I may be doing ground engaging, I am not sure I can justify the $4,000 spend needed to get larger transmission. Additionally with my property, I really do not need the >50" deck that seems to come with Garden Tractors.

Thanks so much for any input!
 
   / Garden Tractor Needed? #2  
Might want to post in the lawn and garden forum. But, if it were me I'd be looking for a good used JD400 series. Best there is, and can be had with all-wheel-steer, which you will appreciate with all your trees. These tractors are way better than anything new for under $6000.
 
   / Garden Tractor Needed? #3  
Agree with Gittyup^^^^^^

Also I have a 48" deck for my x749 so smaller decks are still available.
 
   / Garden Tractor Needed? #4  
:welcome: to TBN. Don't waste your time or money on the "Box Store" riding lawn mowers. Regardless of the brand name, they are all made by MTD and they are all junk. You'll be lucky to get 2-3yrs out of the best one before you have to replace it. Your better off to get, like the others said, a good JD series from the dealer or other brand equivalent. You want a garden (tractor) not a riding lawn mower. An example, my father-in-law bought the biggest, most expensive, top of the line Cub Cadet from tractor supply $4000.00. In a year less than 80hrs, engine problems, later trans problems, and finally the mower deck. He mowed 1.5 acres with it and he was later told that was too much for that mower. :mad: Now it's in the scrap pile. John Deer, Husqvarna, Cub Cadet, Poulan, etc. If you see it at Home Depot, Lowes, Tractor Supply, Wal-Mart, Sears, etc. they are all the same piece of scrap.
 
   / Garden Tractor Needed? #5  
I would agree with the above comments. When we bought our current house, the owner offered to sell me his 4 year old John Deere GT245 with 200 hours for $3K with a front blade for snow and tire chains and the 54" deck. Hard to swallow since I could buy a new one at Lowes with the same name on it for less. Went to local John Deere dealer in FL at the time and he said it was a pretty good deal. Bought it for about $2500 and other than a broken belt and tie rod and battery, it has performed flawlessly for now 200 more hours. I have used it for mowing mostly, but also pulling rental airater, sprayer, and seeder. Used it the first year for the snow and it did an acceptable job on our 400' drive but now have a larger Kubota that I use on the drive. Parts are usually available at the JD dealer and if not, the have them in a couple of days.
 
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   / Garden Tractor Needed? #6  
Disagree with the "all made by MTD" part, as many are made by Briggs and many others by Husqvarna, but the point is spot on.

Do not buy a lawn/yard tractor, regardless of puffed up deck size, and puffed up horse power. That stuff is eye candy and marketing.

Educate yourself as to the upgraded transmissions in a better GT series tractors. You'd never regret it. I'll personally never buy another small tractor without a quality transmission again. Just not worth it if you expect to pull anything substantial, traverse up a hill, etc.
 
   / Garden Tractor Needed? #7  
bp fick said:
Disagree with the "all made by MTD" part, as many are made by Briggs and many others by Husqvarna, but the point is spot on.

They are actually made by either MTD or AYP. Briggs doesn't make mowers, they make engines.
 
   / Garden Tractor Needed? #8  
If you look at used machines, I'd toss the Ingersol 4000 series and Simplicity Legacy/MF 2900 in there with the JD 400 as a couple other darn sturdy GTs too. Down side of the Simp/MF would be lefthand mower discharge might make it difficult to add non-OEM leaf collection.

Just to stir things up a little, the tasks you mention can also be done using a decent (read at least prosumer or entry level commercial) ZTR. Case in point, my DC Silver Eagle can easily pull 1000# roller, and full-sized models are rated for 2000#. Also would cut your mowing time significantly. Might be able to snag a used commercial unit in good shape in your price range if you're not in a rush.
 
   / Garden Tractor Needed? #9  
They are actually made by either MTD or AYP. Briggs doesn't make mowers, they make engines.

Ah.... Simplicity, Snapper, Murray?

Yes, AYP is one of the divisions of the whole Husquarna/Electrolux complex.

The original point that was made was a good point, don't buy a big box store machine without realizing that MTD makes many, many colors and "names", but MTD doesn't make them all. AYP makes a bunch of "names" too; many Craftsman, Husquarna, Poulan, etc.

Perhaps this discussion is just a bunny trail anyhow. Buy quality, that is the point.
 
   / Garden Tractor Needed? #10  
If looking at used, the Deere 400 series have a good name, as does the CubCadet GT3000 series (IMO, they are very much comparable).
Hydraulic deck/attachment lift, power steering, diff lock, great machines.
The hotel I worked for recently bought a Cub Cadet GT3200 with ~600 hours with a mowerdeck, plow blade and snowblower for under $4000

Aaron Z
 
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