How reliable and durable are Craftsman Lawn tractors?

[DennisFolsom]

My Craftsmen has been reliable and never any problems. Things I like about it: Always starts - works well with my Chipper vac - easy to change filters/belts/oil. Things I don't like: never seem to be able to get a good adjustment on the platform - doesn't have very good traction - doesn't give as good a cut as my ZTR.

They are exactly the same as a Husqvarna and I believe the Husqvarna is less expensive at Lowes/Home Depot (don't remember which carry it) than getting the Craftsmen branded mower.

Never buy anything from Sears unless it's on sale. If it's not on sale this week, it probably will be next week.

I recently bought a Craftsman YT4000 24 HP with 46 inch deck on sale for $424 off the "regular" price. In my shopping at the time, this Craftsman seemed to be a better deal than Cub Cadet, John Deere, or Husqvarna at Lowes, Home Depot, Tractor Supply or Sears for an equivalent machine. I did find, after I bought, that my local Tractor Supply had a "Managers Special" on a V-Twin Kohler powered Cub Cadet for the same money I paid. I believe it was last year's model, because I did not find that model online at Tractor Supply. Anyway, that was the closest other deal to the one I got.

I'm still happy, because I like the key switch Reverse Operation mode on the Craftsman and the Husky much better than the arrangements on the Cub Cadet and the John Deere.

 

[jonnyc1999]

I have a 2002 or 2003 GT5000. It has been a good tractor, but it's on its second engine and was plagued with head gasket problems on its first engine. Just this week I finally broke a weld on the mower deck when I caught one of the anti-scalp wheels on a root.

The mower has plenty of power to mow and pull small implements. It loses traction long before it loses power, and the mower has cut through some less than ideal conditions perfectly.

 

[toppop52]

I've got a GT5000, 26 h.p. ohv v-twin B&S with hydrostatic drive, had to adjust the valves once when I first bought it, it had been used for 7 years to mow 3 acres with a 54" deck, then in a divorce situation sat for 2 years in the yard and had a stuck valve. I replaced the pushrod that bent from running it on the one cylinder that worked, adjusted the valves, used it for a bush hog until I was done with that, removed the deck and installed a Johnny bucket and have used it like a front end loader/bulldozer for a year at my new property. I have virtually nothing in it and it does the job very well. I continually use it past it's design specs and it keeps coming back for more.

 

[Housten]

My 2002 dgs6500 has only needed maintenance items replaced. With my past experience with mowers, I would call that reliable.

 

[Soby]

I had a 2000 GT5000 mowed 3.5 acres and blew snow for twelve years hydro finally went out this spring. The motor will continue life on my logsplitter. It was a good machine didn't owe me a thing. Replaced it with a 2305 JD but I still have the 1976 st16 sitting in the barn my parents bought new still tills the garden and mowes when needed.

 

[Dagoof]

As usual, you get what you pay for.

Craftsman is one of the many generic lawnmowers out there that I consider to be more or less disposable. This type of lawn mower is fine for it's intended purpose. It will mow grass and probably work fine for several years, but after 5-10 years the plastic parts will start wearing out and it's not worth fixing. If that's what you're looking for, then Craftsman is probably just as good as any other. You can run it into the ground, wear it out, get your use out of it, and then throw it away and buy a new one for not very much money.

If you're looking for more of a long term investment, look at Simplicity, Cub Cadet, John Deere, or something along those lines (Not the ones sold in big box stores) Name brands like these have a lot higher quality, and you'll be a lot more likely to fix them over the years and keep them longer, but you'll also pay the price for them.

It just depends on what you want.

There's nothing wrong with using disposable razors.

 

[toppop52]

And that's exactly how I view mine, got used as near throw away because it sat and they thought it was worthless, actually very minor repairs and I beat the crap out of it all the time, haul 250 lb buckets full of dirt, pushover saplings, move and spread loose media of all types. The front sheet metal is getting loose but I don't need the headlights, may just pull it off someday. I pull my trailer mounted sprayer, another utility trailer with 1000 lbs regularly and it works fine. What I do like is the heavier duty than most simple lawn mowers, 5 lug axle hydrostatic unit and 12" wheels with 23" tires, may put 25" on it this winter for snow moving. If it dies, I'll find another and put my Johnny bucket on and keep on rolling. I don't have enough sustained use for it to justify a $12000 tractor.

 

[IslandTractor]

I have a LT1000 with a ?21hp B&S engine that has done well over the past ten years. No repairs beyond replacing blades and no real complaints other than that the drive belt sometimes pops off (two minute field repair) and that the clutch is still a bit tight. Been through two starting batteries, annual oil changes and that is about it over ten years. Cannot complain especially as it is used to mow high grass and around wooded areas not a suburban lawn.

 

[mohaxim]

I will be buying a new lawn tractor to replace my 8hp Snapper RER which is 28 years old and just went bad on me. I guess I should not complain . My price range is $1500-$2000. My lawn is 3/4 acre and basically flat. Up to this point, I have not considered the Craftsman lawn tractors because I always heard homeowners say they had a lot of problems with them in the past. Could you guys talk about the reliability and durability of these products? What suggestions/input can anyone give me on this matter? Has anyone experienced any reliability/durability problems with this brand as a whole? How has anyone found Craftsman manufacturer/retail support in the event of a problem? Who makes Craftsman lawn tractors and are they basically the same as Husqvarna tractors? Does anyone know anything about Columbia lawn tractors? Thanks for your help!

I have a 6 year old craftsman lawn tractor with hydrostatic drive. The drive is toast and a replacement costs more than the unit is worth by far ($900+) MM

 

[TheGoose]

Have an '01ish LT1000 that has served me very well during the past 10 or so years. We recently acquired another property and the '01 now stays there permanently. My wife bought a new Craftsman. At first I was PO'd that she basically bought the tractor without my input but after looking it over I think she made a wise choice. I was going to look hard at the Husqvarna and other brands ( don't want a ZTR). The craftsman looks exactly like the Husq and it will mow in reverse without jumping through hoops. The mower mows well and the engine seems to have ample power. It even has a spin-on oil filter (the old one didn't). I think we paid about $1600 on sale. It's a 46" cut with hydrostatic drive.