has anyone ever heard such nonsense?

[BlackOps]

i have owned and used lawnmowertype garden tractors from 18 hp years ago to 24 hp. i have towed trailers full of wood etc for decades too. the larger HP i have used bigger trailers and hauled more weight without any issues to transmission, etc.

the current dealer i have - a husqvarna guy said that you can only tow under warranty around 350 lbs and that includes the weight of the driver. WTF???? most companies have ads etc showing them towing carts and soil etc behind their machines to show they are of value to help out around the home, etc. that means a heavy person can't ride them or you cannot pull anything with them of substance. the trailer has wheels and the weight is towed horizontally as opposed to vertical weight (wife is a physicist) - and it seems like a crock of manure.

any thoughts???

 

[Industrial Toys]

Yes, How does a guy find a wife that is a physicist?

 

[DieselBound]

Now you're stuck with that "information!" You see, the manuals don't seem to actually state any weights. Looking through one of them (one that's similar to my mower) I see this:

TOWING CARTS AND OTHER ATTACHMENTS
Tow only the attachments that are recommended by and
comply with specifications of the manufacturer of your trac-
tor. Use common sense when towing. Too heavy of a load,
while on a slope, is dangerous. Tires can lose traction with
the ground and cause you to lose control of your tractor.

---

"Tow only the attachments that are recommended by and
comply with specifications of the manufacturer of your trac-
tor."

This sounds more like WHAT than HOW MUCH. That they don't list even this info sets them up for a challenge in court. Anything that is acknowledged to be capable of towing lists limits; without stating what they are (but no you know what they are! :laughing they cannot challenge you on one.

If anything happens you are likely able to contest it on the ground that your common sense is perfectly sound! But, now that you've been personally notified what the actual magic number is then you're on the hook!

I'd have to say that this is all no more than CYA for personal injury liability than vehicle liability. Basically, if the machine can pull (and you'd know if you're straining the crap out of it) then it can do the job.

So, note to others out there: DON'T ASK (just do it)!

 

[Wagtail]

I'm just speculating here... It probably has to do with the increased morbid weight averages in western society.

The tractors are only designed to take a certain amount of abuse and Husky has seen a dramatic increase of warranty work due to grossly overweight 'operators'.

 

[zzvyb6]

Yes, How does a guy find a wife that is a physicist?

Look for someone who likes large Hadrons.

She's relativistic and likes her parents and siblings.

She thinks at the speed of light.

She believes in the five fields: electromagnet field, strong force field, weak force field, gravity, and the Sally Field.

Firm believer in the G-String Theory of Everything.

She's kinda quarky.

Likes particle accelerator pedals.

Tractor beams (goes without saying).

Has a tachyon pulse.

Up, down and strange is handy.

Wears gluons in public.

Dark Matter and Dark Energy fan.

Went to a 5th Dimension concert.

 

[BlackOps]

he was talking about the weight breaking the trans.... i have a real hard time with what he said....

 

[John Fitzgerald]

Why don't the manuals say something like "persons over 300 pounds should not operate this equipment" if the tractors are that weak? Other equipment has weight limits.

 

[DieselBound]

he was talking about the weight breaking the trans.... i have a real hard time with what he said....

Unless Husqvarna or the dealer can produce customer-oriented documentation (which should be in any Operators manual) then it's hearsay. If you're worried about breaking something then get something more robust; otherwise learn to monitor for the tell-tale signs of over-stressing things and should you misjudge THEN you can determine whether you wish to spend time battling these guys.

It's a bit of a problem that we've gotten ourselves into with all this integration we've been doing in manufacturing. Integrators have to battle with their suppliers. When there are two parties that an end-user ends up having to fight then things get really hard. It's made worse when the integrator switches suppliers and then has to deal with warranty stuff with the old supplier. High-end equipment tends to cover warranty stuff better because it's built in to the high-end prices. Mowers aren't really high-end; the "manufacturers" (actually just integrators) have crap for margins, so almost by default warranty stuff is going to be a battle (they already have the staffing to wear you down).

 

[Industrial Toys]

Look at the old Deeres, Bolens, FORD, Wheelhorse and so many other 60s garden tractors. Then look at the current day consumer junk. Built as flashy as possible to catch the gullible consumers eye and as cheaply as possible to make good profit, and sell a shiny new one sooner rather then later.

 

[xring100]

i have owned and used lawnmowertype garden tractors from 18 hp years ago to 24 hp. i have towed trailers full of wood etc for decades too. the larger HP i have used bigger trailers and hauled more weight without any issues to transmission, etc.

the current dealer i have - a husqvarna guy said that you can only tow under warranty around 350 lbs and that includes the weight of the driver. WTF???? most companies have ads etc showing them towing carts and soil etc behind their machines to show they are of value to help out around the home, etc. that means a heavy person can't ride them or you cannot pull anything with them of substance. the trailer has wheels and the weight is towed horizontally as opposed to vertical weight (wife is a physicist) - and it seems like a crock of manure.

any thoughts???

Sounds like they have cost optimized the mowers transaxle like the cheap transmissions they put in the box store zero turns. They will burn up in 150 hours if you have hills. These cheaper box store mowers are designed for a price point not for durability.