Pics of Mikes new JD GT275

[botamike]

Found this old girl on the local Craigslist. Got the tractor with mower deck and a good spare 17hp Kawasaki single for $660. A new hood, replace the missing fender skirt on the one side and some new foot rest mats will bring her back to looking good. She runs good, mower deck eats leaves and just totaly destroys them. I will also be adding the optional integral hitch (sleeve hitch) from the JD dealer so I can use my Brinly implements behind her. The foot control hydro is such a nice change from the hand control hydros I am used to, frees up my hands for other duties. Cheers Mike

[Deadman]

Sweet!
Is that really a single cylinder?
I have a LX279 thats a 17HP Liquid cooler Kawi.

I bet yours is air cooled, thats why.......

[botamike]

Yepper, Kawasaki 17hp single cylinder OHV engine. Its NLA from Kawasaki now so if you blow one up, its done. So I jumped on this one when he offered up the extra engine. Plenty of power and uses less fuel than a twin, cheaper to overhaul to. SEW offers a B&S Intek engine as a replacement, which in my experience are junk. The engine runs strong, no smoke, could stand having the carb torn down and cleaned though. Mike

[kebo]

Great deal on a very nice condition JD mower! That's why I'm hooked on craigslist. You can find some awesome deals there if you have the cash on hand and are ready to jump on moments notice.

[botamike]

Thats right, I was actualy the 2nd buyer, the first lowballed him because of the busted up hood. I got it for $60 more than that guy lowballed it for and even got the other engine. The guy is moving to an appartment and needed it gone. He also has a brand new LA165 with 3 hours use on it that he was selling $500 under what he paid for it. As a mechanic, I dont care for all the twin cylinder machines that dont need to have a twin. Just that much more cost on overhaul/replacement and maintance. Most is to make up for the loss of torque from running lean to meet EPA ratings. Mowers will have catalytic converters built into the mufflers in the next couple of years thanks to big brother!! I saw the email from MTD on it, will add around $15 to the cost of each tractor. Some of my fellow tractor guys talk down on these vertical shaft tractors, calling them rubber band drive since its all belts, but I find it does everything I need and more, just stay within the design limits. I replaced a 1964 Cub Cadet model 70, which while built like a tank, its getting hard to buy parts for. Most things are going NLA now which is driving up the cost of the exhisting parts. Very little other than common parts are left now. Atleast parts avaiblity is good on the GT275, much newer, more comfortable and she will look nice again soon. Just need to deal with the wallet pain on that hood. Just over $400 for that hood from an online source, thats for a brand new one. Cheers Mike

[Deadman]

Hey, before you dump the cash on a new hood, try some of that new plastic polish thats available. I know some of it does wonders to a hazy plastic like that hood. it might be worth a try for a $5 bottle....

[botamike]

The hood has major issues, look up near the dash, all the loovers are bashed out, and the hinge is totaly smashed, it just sits there, I have to remove the headlight bulbs and lift the hood straight up to get it off the tractor. Here is a pic of the spare engine, if someone needed a good spare engine, send me a good hood! Cheers Mike