Buying Advice Rebuild old JD110 or replace?

   / Rebuild old JD110 or replace? #1  
D

dlabrie

Gold Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2002
Messages
422
Location
Campton, NH
Tractor
Kubota B2910
My JD 110 (300hours) needs to have its Tuff Torq transmission rebuilt. I have read a number of articles and watched a few You Tube videos on how to do it. I have the transmission apart on the bench and the cost of parts and s/h is close to $500. I am not sure I want to spend that kind of money on a 7 yr old, heavily used lawn tractor. I came close to buying a CUB CADET XT1 ENDURO SERIES 46 IN. 22 HP V-TWIN HYDROSTATIC RIDING MOWER for $1600 but realized it had a similar TT K46 transmission.

I mow about 4 acres, half of which is of hilly. I was thinking of maybe getting a rear finish mower for my Kubota B2910 but wonder how awkward it would be getting around the house, trees, and barn.

So I am looking for advice on whether to rebuild the old mower, buy a rear PTO finish mower, or buy a new lawn/garden tractor. I am leaning towards getting a new lawn/garden tractor but want something that will last more than 300 hours.

Thanks
 
   / Rebuild old JD110 or replace? #2  
I would scrap that light duty mower and look for something with at least a 3400 series drive by Hydro Gear for mowing 4 acres. If you like the JD brand something like the X545 might work for you. I am not sure what drive unit it has but it is a much more heavy duty mower. Look to spend about $6K for it though.
A good zero turn with 3400 series is going to be about the same price. I recommend the Ferris brand for zero turn. I have the IS700Z and love the power and minor fuel consumption.
 
   / Rebuild old JD110 or replace? #3  
Here are several relevant threads from the TBN archive: Google/ T-B-N

Finish Mower VIDEOS: tractor finish mowers - YouTube

Why not use your B2910 with a 72" Finish Mower and have only one very solid diesel engine/transmission combination to maintain?

Cheap equipment is expensive equipment to maintain.

From reading your earlier posts, it seems you use your equipment HARD.
 
   / Rebuild old JD110 or replace? #4  
dlabrie said:
So I am looking for advice on whether to rebuild the old mower, buy a rear PTO finish mower, or buy a new lawn/garden tractor. I am leaning towards getting a new lawn/garden tractor but want something that will last more than 300 hours.

Thanks
Click to expand...

For me it would depend on how the property is laid out and what type of things you will have to mow around.

I can cut just as close to buildings and such as I could with a mid mount and it is no harder to do than with the mid mount. I get less trimming with the weed eater as I can actually get under the trees without battling the trees simply by backing the mower only under and not trying to drive under even with a small Husky mower.

For me I guess unless it was a very small yard with lots of ornaments to get around I would choose the Rear finish mower every time. Takes less time to cut gets under things better and will trim just as close to everything else. AT the same time it has cut my mowing time in half and leaves a better finish for those of us who just cut and don't try to have the perfect lawn.

Price wise I see many used rear finish mowers for sale for about the same and sometimes less than your rebuild for the K46 and A decent new lower cost rear finish mower can come as cheep as a box store rider. With care and proper maint the rear finish mower will outlast most riders you will be able to buy and even if it breaks repairs would not be near what they would be for the rider.

Does anyone you know have a rear finish mower you could try out before you decide?
 
   / Rebuild old JD110 or replace? #5  
I'll throw out my default answer when people ask about lawn tractors.

Used commercial zero turn.

There are almost no "lawn tractors" that are rated to mow 4 acres. I've destroyed multiple JDs trying to mow 3. If you buy one, you will wear it to death. A RFM? Might work, but that depends on the land and what there is to mow around. You'd be more able to answer that question than us. Zero turn will work for pretty much any finish mower situation, hold up really well, and be fast.
 
   / Rebuild old JD110 or replace? #6  
That Tuff Torq K46 is best avoided .
There was some extended forum post here about some people rebuilding the K46 with basic tools and a few low cost updates nearly into a K66 . with the result being a tractor that could wheelie, smoke the tires and out pull a D4 Cat.
Personally I think the claims are overly optimistic .
 
   / Rebuild old JD110 or replace? #7  
TheMadOne said:
I'll throw out my default answer when people ask about lawn tractors.

Used commercial zero turn.

There are almost no "lawn tractors" that are rated to mow 4 acres. I've destroyed multiple JDs trying to mow 3. If you buy one, you will wear it to death. A RFM? Might work, but that depends on the land and what there is to mow around. You'd be more able to answer that question than us. Zero turn will work for pretty much any finish mower situation, hold up really well, and be fast.
Click to expand...


The X310 up to 2015 and the new X370 have a beefy transaxle. Any tractor below those are a lightweight lowest price at any cost disaster waiting to happen.
Our old LX 188 has been mowing 2 acres of hills and ditches a week since 1996. Just blades, belts, spindle bearings, batteries, a carb , air filter, tires , seat and usual ignition parts.
What models were your Deere mowers?
 
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   / Rebuild old JD110 or replace? #8  
A 111(Which I've previously called a 110, my mistake) and a 160. Both 80s models, I think. They were both really slow(less than an acre an hour), had way to small of a tank, and were always breaking SOMETHING. If I only had to mow half an acre I'd consider them a good idea. Don't get me wrong, I got years of service out of each of them, but I almost never was able to get through a month without getting under the things. The 111 was also really tippy, not fun on side hills.
 
   / Rebuild old JD110 or replace? #9  
   / Rebuild old JD110 or replace? #10  
Probably the cheapest thing to do is fix the lawn tractor and talk to TT about a k57 upgrade. This should increase the life of the k46 transmission some. I would also consider adding a 3pt finish mower for the larger areas and trim with the smaller lawn tractor.

If a zero turn can handle your hills and you are okay with spending more money that would be the fastest mowing and highly maneuverable. Just as with the lawn tractor don't buy a cheap model get a better model that is durable.

For a garden tractor where steep hills and maneuverability are both important I like my x749 with 4x4 and four wheel steer. The diesel runs a long time on a single filling and the ground speed is higher at 8.5 mph than most smaller lawn and garden tractors. NLA, I would look for a good used one.
 
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