new craftsman or ?

[davideoftex]

I will be moving into my first house where I will need a large cut mower capable of doing other small jobs in the future (maybe). I always believe in getting more than I need as adviced here also.
My land will be 3 acres (- house and pool) and in great shape as far as smooth and flat.
The GARDEN tracror I am considering most at this time is the Craftsman 276942. This appears to be a new model. The last years model 276940 minus quite a few things was rated as #2 rider behind the JD 300 in the most dependable catagory.

Any advise on other mowers or this one would be great.

Here is a link to this mower.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/prod...ors+Series&pid=07127694000&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

David

 

[GerardC]

You should've posted this thread in the Lawn and Garden forum for more exposure IMO.

 

[IslandTractor]

I own a 21hp Craftsman with the B+S Intek motor. I must say that the thing has been pretty much bullet proof and while I "graduated" to a larger tractor I cannot bring myself to get rid the the Craftsman. I do think that 3 acres is the upper limit of lawn you'd want to mow with a 54" deck on a regular basis but the cost of moving to a tractor that could handle a 60" or bigger deck is going to be about four times what you would pay for the Craftsman. If your lawn is really flat and already in great shape, you might consider using the Craftsman to pull a six or seven foot gang of reel mowers to speed things up. So long as you mow regularly I would imagine that 26hp would be more than enough to do that.

 

[davideoftex]

Thanks guys for the reply's. I will copy and paste this question to the garden forum.

David

 

[arthurb]

Your choice of a GT has a lot of considerations. First, your budget. What are you able to spend? If your budget is less than $3000 you're looking at Craftsman, MTD and the entry level CC, JD and Toro belt driven tranny LT and GT tractors. I also own 3 acres of flat ground to mow, maintain a veggie garden and take care of snow removal from a 20'x80' stone driveway. IMO buy a shaft driven tranny GT. Look at the 2500 series CC. I use to have two belt driven tranny tractors to take care of my 3 acres. One was a LT, and the other was a GT. I now own a shaft driven tranny Toro WH 520xi with a 60" mower deck.

IMO a shaft driven GT has more torque for pushing and pullining with ground engaging equipment. I can't see myself going back to a belt driven tranny tractor. If you plan on doing more than cutting grass, I highly suggest you buy a shaft driven tranny GT. That's if you can afford the price. There maybe some people who disagree with my post, but my opinion is based on my GT experience. Take some time and look at all of your options. If you're interested in a shaft driven GT you'll be spending at least $3000-$4000. Good luck to you, and I hope this info will be helpful to you.

 

[davideoftex]

I have no problem with spending at that range for the right tractor.

Here is a link to a CC
http://www.fmabbott.com/new_vehicle_features.asp?veh=20697&CatDesc=#detail

I am on eyes to any other comments on other brands.

Thanks
David

 

[Gatorboy]

new craftsman or ?

Go with the ? -- everything is better than a Craftsman.

 

[davideoftex]

? would ? be in the 3 to 4k range?

 

[arthurb]

If you are interested in a CC, I would at least consider the model 2554. It comes with a 54" mowing deck. I mentioned in my earlier post that I also own 3 acres. It takes me about 2-2 1/2 hours to cut my 3 acres of grass with a 60" deck. IMO I wouldn't use anything smaller than a 54" mower deck to mow 3 acres. How do I know? I use to mow with a 46", and a 48" mower deck. Go to the CC forum and ask those members for their opinion. Take your time, ask questions and research what your GT needs will be. IMO the 2554 CC has a lot to offer for the price. A lot of bang for the buck. Maybe you might want to look at the 3000 and 5000 series CC????? Just depends on your budget and needs. Good luck.

 

[arthurb]

Oh, I forgot, the 2554 list for $3999.00 on CC website.