Who still mows with vintage JD garden tractors?
- Thread starter artfull dodger
- Start date
scollins
Silver Member
The LX188 was over-built back then with a K61 Tuff-Torque transmission, with 3/4" instead of 1/2" lightweight spindles on the L, LA, and D series lightweight tractors nowadays.
The torque is equivalent to the K58 tranny (200 ft. pounds) torque on todays X320 through X360 tractors.
As far as heavy towing, though, you're right. I can tow a 25 gallon sprayer uphill, but it is really straining.
Luckily, I have a downhill run with a cart full of firewood on the way back to the house. I REALLY need to replace it with an X500 with over 400 pounds of torque with the foot peal that can lock the rear wheels together.
This little "bull dog" mows all my fire trails in the woods out back, as well as the yard.
SC
The torque is equivalent to the K58 tranny (200 ft. pounds) torque on todays X320 through X360 tractors.
As far as heavy towing, though, you're right. I can tow a 25 gallon sprayer uphill, but it is really straining.
Luckily, I have a downhill run with a cart full of firewood on the way back to the house. I REALLY need to replace it with an X500 with over 400 pounds of torque with the foot peal that can lock the rear wheels together.
This little "bull dog" mows all my fire trails in the woods out back, as well as the yard.
SC
buck12
Veteran Member
buickanddeere said:
Back several years ago when I was looking for a used mower a John Deere mechanic told me to look for a GT series over a LX series because the GT had a much stronger rear end.
scollins
Silver Member
I just looked up this series on tractordata.com
The GT series had a K71 transaxle. The LX series had the K61 and later the K62 transaxle.
I had to "dig" for the info.
NOTHING irritates me more, when I am looking at a JD, Husqvarna or Cub Cadet brochure, than looking at the transaxle specifications and seeing nothing more than "Hydrostatic Drive".
No S!
I like to look at detailed specifications, and a lot of manufacturers do not "volunteer" that information. "Hydrostatic" could mean anything from the puny K42 to the massive K90 series transaxle.
Your JD mechanic was right. The even heavier series was the GX.
Too bad what they left me at the farm was not a GT or GX!
The 3 point arms hit whatever I try to tow with the JD2305 (really a Yanmar built for JD). I would trade up to the new series made in Horicon, WI, but the dealer only wanted to give me 6 grand trade in for a 10 grand tractor.
SC
buickanddeere
Super Member
Quickest way to tell a lawn tractor/lawn mower from a garden tractor designed to climb hills or tow a load. Is the lightweights mount the rear wheels direct on the axle with just a keyway. A HD tractor uses a five bolt rim and five bolt rim to hold the rears on.
buickanddeere
Super Member
My LX188 pretty quit driving years ago except on level ground , in particular during warm weather and extended operation.
It was a slow a tedious task to run and drain the oil from the transaxle. Then fill and keep hoping the pump would prime.
Running straight 60wt Amsoil motor oil for the past 5 years. Climbs the steepest ditches now but am expecting to hear a bad sound, stop moving and see an oil slick at any time.
Running a set of 23" dia, 11" wide ATV tires on the back. They just clear side to side and will rub on the mower deck if inflated over 2 psi.
No more ripping and rocking back and forth by the kids when stuck or on a hill.
It was a slow a tedious task to run and drain the oil from the transaxle. Then fill and keep hoping the pump would prime.
Running straight 60wt Amsoil motor oil for the past 5 years. Climbs the steepest ditches now but am expecting to hear a bad sound, stop moving and see an oil slick at any time.
Running a set of 23" dia, 11" wide ATV tires on the back. They just clear side to side and will rub on the mower deck if inflated over 2 psi.
No more ripping and rocking back and forth by the kids when stuck or on a hill.
Gary Fowler
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2008
- Messages
- 11,998
- Location
- Bismarck Arkansas
- Tractor
- 2009 Kubota RTV 900, 2009 Kubota B26 TLB & 2010 model LS P7010
I have a JD 332 diesel that I use for a backup mower. It has the Yanmar engine and still runs like a champ with power steering and hydraulic system for raising the deck and has option for rear 3PH (which I dont have on it) and 2 sets of front remotes for I presume a snowblower which I also dont have. It still mows good and pulls a 54" mower deck well with only 14 HP compared to my zero turn with 26 HP and 52" deck and they both will mow about the same speed but the JD uses about half the fuel of the gasoline zero turn doing the same job. The deck just about rusted out but with some judicious welding and additional sheet metal it still gets the job done.
General Stuart
Member
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2012
- Messages
- 31
- Location
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- Tractor
- 1983 John Deere 318 & a 1986 John Deere 130
Hello All
I just found your forum here and Joined today. I have a First Year John Deere 318 that was made in 1983. I have had it about Three years now. I found it at a John Deere Tri-Green dealership in the back row. It had a flat front tire & Dead Battery. I Bought it for $300.00 and returned with my Landscape Trailer, Jumper cable's and a 12-Volt air compressor. The sales guy came out back to help me load it with Three other's, but I all ready had it on my Trailer and was strapping it down. They figured it did not run and took it in a day before I had bought it. I had to replace the Point's & Condensor when I got it home and changed all of it's fluids. It has mowed fine for me for the past Three years with it's replacement deck being a 48-MOW 140/318 deck. This deck came on the Tractor and looked as though it had only been used a couple of time's before I bought the Tractor. The deck alnie sell's for $1200.00. The sales guy told me that it belonged to an Old Man that Passed away and his Grandson Traded it in Not running for a new smaller Riding Lawn Mower, Silly Boy
Here is how it looked when I brought it home Three Years ago. The battery charged up fine, and the right front tire was replaced with a new one shortly after I got it. It had 759 Hour's on it's hour meter when I brought it home, I switched out the rear Turf tires for some Duro Brand-Bar style tires shortly after getting it
Lat Last summer, I added a Model 30 tiller to my 318 Package. I found it in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and made the round trip in 22 Hours being 1178 Miles. I Gave the seller his asking price $800.00 for it as it had not been used much. It hooks right up to my Tractor and uses a Belly mounted Hydraulic pump. I don't have a Three Point hitch, but this tiller came with the Factory bracket's to use it without 3-Point. I just had to add them to my existing Rock shaft and Placed the Lower Bracket's to my lower Tractor Frame. The Model 30 tiller came as a 30" cut, But this one had the Optional 12" Tine extension making it a true 42" Cut. It is an animal and in Virgin ground, only took me Three Passes to get 14" Of Powder fluffed seed bed as shown
I Mow Two full acre's of Grass each week with my 318 so by the end of last summer I noticed my engine was getting tired, as we have a super long Mowing season of about Nine Moth's of the year. I decided to "Stay" with The Onan that it had from The Factory and had Kustom Small Engines /Clark Racing out of Ohio build me a new engine. I restored the Tractor while I was replacing the engine, by Taking to down to a Rolling Chassis, sanding it all down and Re-Painting it so here is how it looks now. My Hour Meter had stopped working at 937 Hour's so I had no idea of just how many hour's were on my engine when I replaced it. I Placed a new hour meter so now I can Keep Track of the engine hour's accuratley. I came across a 4-Way 54" dirt dozer blade this Past spring. I Picked it up for $100.00. It came to me rusty and was made for a 400 series Tractor. I Modified it's quick attach frame so that it fit my Tractor, By Narrowing the Main Plow frame, then welded it all back up and restored the blade. I now have all of the Equipment that I need for my 318 as shown below now restored and ready to work, This coming spring.
This is our trimming Mower. It is a 1986 Model 130 John Deere. It has a five speed Transmission. I found it on our local Craig's list for $100.00. It has a Nine Horsepower Kawasaki engine in it. I replaced the blade, deck wheel's, and changed all of it's fluids. I had to rebuild The Carburetor as it surged bad when we got it. It mowed all last season with no issues. I replaced the deck Bearings about Mid summer and it run's quiet and Cut's clean. I now have less than $200.00 in this little lawn Mower and it cut's smooth and even. This is my wife's Mower & she love's it
I just found your forum here and Joined today. I have a First Year John Deere 318 that was made in 1983. I have had it about Three years now. I found it at a John Deere Tri-Green dealership in the back row. It had a flat front tire & Dead Battery. I Bought it for $300.00 and returned with my Landscape Trailer, Jumper cable's and a 12-Volt air compressor. The sales guy came out back to help me load it with Three other's, but I all ready had it on my Trailer and was strapping it down. They figured it did not run and took it in a day before I had bought it. I had to replace the Point's & Condensor when I got it home and changed all of it's fluids. It has mowed fine for me for the past Three years with it's replacement deck being a 48-MOW 140/318 deck. This deck came on the Tractor and looked as though it had only been used a couple of time's before I bought the Tractor. The deck alnie sell's for $1200.00. The sales guy told me that it belonged to an Old Man that Passed away and his Grandson Traded it in Not running for a new smaller Riding Lawn Mower, Silly Boy
Here is how it looked when I brought it home Three Years ago. The battery charged up fine, and the right front tire was replaced with a new one shortly after I got it. It had 759 Hour's on it's hour meter when I brought it home, I switched out the rear Turf tires for some Duro Brand-Bar style tires shortly after getting it
Lat Last summer, I added a Model 30 tiller to my 318 Package. I found it in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and made the round trip in 22 Hours being 1178 Miles. I Gave the seller his asking price $800.00 for it as it had not been used much. It hooks right up to my Tractor and uses a Belly mounted Hydraulic pump. I don't have a Three Point hitch, but this tiller came with the Factory bracket's to use it without 3-Point. I just had to add them to my existing Rock shaft and Placed the Lower Bracket's to my lower Tractor Frame. The Model 30 tiller came as a 30" cut, But this one had the Optional 12" Tine extension making it a true 42" Cut. It is an animal and in Virgin ground, only took me Three Passes to get 14" Of Powder fluffed seed bed as shown
I Mow Two full acre's of Grass each week with my 318 so by the end of last summer I noticed my engine was getting tired, as we have a super long Mowing season of about Nine Moth's of the year. I decided to "Stay" with The Onan that it had from The Factory and had Kustom Small Engines /Clark Racing out of Ohio build me a new engine. I restored the Tractor while I was replacing the engine, by Taking to down to a Rolling Chassis, sanding it all down and Re-Painting it so here is how it looks now. My Hour Meter had stopped working at 937 Hour's so I had no idea of just how many hour's were on my engine when I replaced it. I Placed a new hour meter so now I can Keep Track of the engine hour's accuratley. I came across a 4-Way 54" dirt dozer blade this Past spring. I Picked it up for $100.00. It came to me rusty and was made for a 400 series Tractor. I Modified it's quick attach frame so that it fit my Tractor, By Narrowing the Main Plow frame, then welded it all back up and restored the blade. I now have all of the Equipment that I need for my 318 as shown below now restored and ready to work, This coming spring.
This is our trimming Mower. It is a 1986 Model 130 John Deere. It has a five speed Transmission. I found it on our local Craig's list for $100.00. It has a Nine Horsepower Kawasaki engine in it. I replaced the blade, deck wheel's, and changed all of it's fluids. I had to rebuild The Carburetor as it surged bad when we got it. It mowed all last season with no issues. I replaced the deck Bearings about Mid summer and it run's quiet and Cut's clean. I now have less than $200.00 in this little lawn Mower and it cut's smooth and even. This is my wife's Mower & she love's it