Craftsman Tractors -Better Than The Bad Rap?

[bp fick]

I know, I know, whenever someone wants to make a certain point in their conversation on this forum, all too often they allude to a Craftsman as if this was the lowest of mechanical debauchery in all the world. I don't know.

All I know is that I have had this YT4000, with Briggs 18.5 horse and 42" deck for over 4 years, cut an acre of grass every week, and other than a new battery, a spark plug, air filters, and annual autumn oil and filter changes, I have have had nothing ever go wrong. It starts, it runs, it cuts the grass.

Oh, I have had two broken deck lift rods. Quick and Easy to get, mail order direct and easy to install. (although, they are a very weak link). Moral? Don't hit a stump or bang a tree with your deck.

Anyhow, I know person after person likely has their Craftsman horror stories to share, but dang it, this little red job has been a pretty fair unit. No complaints.

 

[biggerten]

I've got a YT4000, love the d*** thing.

Has a 24 HP B&S two cylinder, 42" deck and HST transmission (my first HST). Sold by Sears, manufactured by AYM (Husqvarna).

Man, oh, man, why did I wait so long for an hydrostatic transmission? Zip, zip, zip, back and forth with no shifting and it's fast. It hauls my really big patoot up an incline twice as steep as the printed gauge suggests (no doubt a lawyer was invloved in that).

The twin cylinder is smooth running, cast iron sleeves and a pressurised oil system, but a spare filter from Sears is $14. I'll be looking to cross that filter!

I am very pleased.

 

[Baucom]

I'm glad your Craftsman has served you well. It appears that you maintain it well, and that goes a very long way to making any machine hold up well.

 

[bp fick]

I'm glad your Craftsman has served you well. It appears that you maintain it well, and that goes a very long way to making any machine hold up well.

Aye Captain. Very, very true.

Still, an acre of grass a week is no work for softies. In that regard, no babying it. As for the oil, filters, lubricating and monthly cleaning, yup. Don't they just run better if you do that? I don't know.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

I have a Craftsman GS6500 B&S 24hp - 54" deck, purchased 2006. Clock showed 114 hours a few days ago. As you say, "it starts, it runs, it cuts."

Put in gas, change the oil, grease the zerks, sharpen the blades from time to time, clean out the chaff & dust as needed, wash it occasionally, power wash the underside of the deck annually and yes actually waxed it once.

What more can you ask?

 

[Volfandt]

Used to have GT6000 w/44" cut and I used it to cut two acres a week for 7 seasons. Had to replace the electric PTO when I 1st got it and swap out the starter on the Kohler M18 a few yrs later but nothing else except normal scheduled maintenance items.
Cleaned it up and parked her in the front yard for sale when I bought a SCUT. She sold within a couple days for nearly what I originally gave for it. Probably still keeping on

 

[James Loehr]

I have a 2004 DLT3000 with 18.5 briggs and 42 deck. It's had some hard use and has done some stuff that should have been done with a larger tractor. Three sets of blades and a hydro fan (my mistake) and normal maint. If Craftsman tractors have a problem it has to be Sears.

 

[bp fick]

I have a 2004 DLT3000 with 18.5 briggs and 42 deck. It's had some hard use and has done some stuff that should have been done with a larger tractor. Three sets of blades and a hydro fan (my mistake) and normal maint. If Craftsman tractors have a problem it has to be Sears.

Well, here is my theory, and mind you, only a theory. Sears is but a sales point. That IS a problem. Do they really have trained sales staff? Up and down, I would say, Shrug?. Do they or have they always had a way of standing behind their equipment with service? Does the average Sears customer even feel confident he can get it serviced? And where? Who can they take it to for regular maintenance?

I am not saying that this is THAT much different from buying a lawn/garden tractor from a big box, discount, or "rural" store, and Sears may even be better than those outlets, but you see the issues? When you buy a Deere or other Name Brand, you know where it came from and where to take it for service and so forth.

Now, or so my theory goes, that since Sears sells so dog gone many of these machines, (which are indeed made by the Husqvarna subsidiary, now, while formerly they re-badged some MTDs, I believe) it is just easier to say, "Craftsman are junk", while it MAY be that their actual failure to hours of use ratio is not significantly any worse than a half dozen other name plates.

Given the number of testimonials here, my guess is that these tractor are pretty average or better, especially for the price.

Well, that's my theory anyhow. I don't know.

 

[LostInTheWoods]

Moral? Don't hit a stump or bang a tree with your deck.

I've hit stumps with my Craftsman. Lots of 'em. A few hard enough to stop the tractor and bend the front tires back to one side and jar your teeth at the same time. We built in the woods and on old pasture, and have about two-and-a-half acres to mow. After three years, its starting to shape up. But our Craftsman DYS 4500 (26HP 54" deck) has had zero problems despite being abused up and down hills, into holes and ditches that had been hidden by brush and briars that I really should't have been asking this machine to cut in the first place.

I change the oil and filters every season, which is probably barely adequate maintainance for the hard use. Other than that, no problems with Craftsman in my experience.

 

[Ron D.]

I have a Craftman GT 5000 hydro garden tractor w/48" deck I bought in April 2005 for 1.3 acs. It has been a great machine and has the Kohler Pro 25hp. I just purchased a zero turn because I've added a lot of landscaping, but still have the Craftman, and prior to the ZT used it every week to cut grass in season. My wife uses it constantly to pull a little utility trailer, usually full of dirt, compost or mulch.

The one odd thing I noticed when I first got it was that it turned sharper to the left than the right. I called Sears who sent out a repair guy that said it was normal because it discharges on the right. This really made no sense to me and it appeared that the steering gear at the bottom of the steering shaft wasn't clocked in the middle. I called Sears customer service who said the repair guy was not correct and that it should turn the same both directions. Sears sent me another tractor at my request, and they did so without hesistation. The replacement turned just like the one I sent back, and the steering gear appears to be clocked the same as the firt one. BP Fick has a point that the service people may not be as competent as a Kubota or JD dealership, but the replacement without question was pretty nice.

All I've ever done is service and just did the first blade set replacement. It runs like new and still mows excellent, even though I hung the deck a couple of times, evidently without messing up the aligment. I'm keeping it for a back-up mower and many other uses. I think mine is made by Electrolux according to the Sears person I asked.

 

[bp fick]

Ron,
Electrolux is Husqvarna.
That corp has so many names and levels, but that's them.

 

[J35]

I have a 2003 42 in. cut 17 HP Kohler HST that has been a real work horse, only parts replaced has been a Idler pulley and the mower belt.

It has mowed 1 1/2 acres every week from mid April to mid Oct going on six years, we fenced and crossed fenced 15 acres into one acre paddocks with cattle panels it drug every cattle panel two at a time with a bundle of five t-posts on top to their place, the wife has used it to pull a manure spreader every week when she cleans the barn,I got chains for it so she can keep going when there is snow and ice. I have wore out two sets of plug aerator tines, it has spread every pound of granulated lime and fertilizer for are pasture (many tons), every summer we water ornamental tree's and shrubs with a 40 gal water tank on a small trailer with it, there's more but my finger is getting tired, like the wife said if it dies tomorrow it don't owe us anything. OH yea if you take two steps any where on my place you will be going uphill or down.

I treat it to a new set of blades once a year, and fresh oil and filters twice a year, it uses the same oil filter as my Toyota pick up.

Have fun

 

[Alan L.]

I frankly don't know where Craftsman gets such a bad name. They are great for the money you pay for them. And, you DO know where to get them fixed - Sears. In fact the Sears guy came out a couple of times and year and did maintenance such as blade replacement, or belt replacement. First lasted over 10 years and then gave it away still running.

Replaced that one and used the replacement for 4 years mowing about 2 acres a week, then replaced with a Scag ZTR which we use for about 10 acres or so. Gave the old Craftsman away to a friend, in like new condition.

I can't complain about them. Of course the ZTR is much faster and does a much better job, but then I could have bought 5 or 6 Craftsmans (or is it "Craftsmen"?).

 

[Scooby074]

While not as new as most of the ones discussed here, out 1986 Craftsman has heldup very well. Not fancy as the new ones so i dont know about them.

Its done everything from tilling , pulling out trees to snowblowing without any real issues. Cast Iron Commercial briggs has been bulletproof, except for some issues i had with a defective carb.

Mower deck isnt as nice as the Deeres or other high speed / high lift mowers. Plus it scalps a bit on uneven ground. But the old girl wont die.

Someday, maybe next year, i might look at a 300 series deere. When shopping i found that in order to get the same heavy frame and parts like my craftsman GT i had to look past the 100 series.

 

[DavidVT]

It is nice to see that some are indeed still happy with their Craftsman tractors.
I used to be one of the faithful and kind of wish I still could be. The old 'grey' Craftsman of which I used and/or owned four of them over the years.

Sorry, done with post 99 Craftsman (Green 50" w aluminum Kohler) and the new Husqvarna that replaced it. I can't keep that Kohler running reliably despite liking the tractor when it ran. The Husqvarna seems to have a higher center of gravity and won't hold moving down steep hills. At least it has zerk fittings.

I'd gladly trade them both for a good running older 'grey' Craftsman with a cast iron engine from the good old days!

 

[jhwentworth]

Ron,
Electrolux is Husqvarna.
That corp has so many names and levels, but that's them.

Since 2006, Electrolux is no longer associated with Husqvarna. Electrolux bought Husqvarna in 1978 but in 2006 they transferred all Husqvarna shares to Electrolux shareholders and Husqvarna is now an independent company. In 1988 the Husqvarna Group of Electrolux bought Roper's gardening group and changed the name to American yard Products (AYP). AYP now builds lawn and garden products for Sears, Poulan, and Husqvarna. Poulan is also owned by Husqvarna.

My opinion of AYP mowers is that they provide excellent value for the money. Some Sears service centers may not have the level of expertise you want, but there are so many AYP mowers out there that there shouldn't be a problem finding a repair shop. Another plus for DIY owners is Sears PartsDirect.

 

[bontai_Joe]

MY opinion for what it's worth is that it is difficult to find a better machine for the money spent. With a little patience and catching the right sale, you can get a very basic lawn tractor for just about $1000. They work well as the testimonials above show if you stay within the limits of the machine and do the required maintenance. The guys that have problems either don't grease and change oil and filters, or drive in a "crash & bash" style jerking the tractor over and through obstacles at max speed, or are continuiously asking the tractor to do WAY over what it was designed to do. I remember reading one guy cursing his tractor because it didn't cut well at full speed. His thinking was if it goes 7 MPH, then it should cut any kind or height of grass at 7 MPH in all conditions. That kind of owner would have gripes about any machine he buys. My point is some complaints are legit problems with machines, and some complaints are problems with the operators.

 

[bp fick]

Since 2006, Electrolux is no longer associated with Husqvarna. Electrolux bought Husqvarna in 1978 but in 2006 they transferred all Husqvarna shares to Electrolux shareholders and Husqvarna is now an independent company. In 1988 the Husqvarna Group of Electrolux bought Roper's gardening group and changed the name to American yard Products (AYP). AYP now builds lawn and garden products for Sears, Poulan, and Husqvarna. Poulan is also owned by Husqvarna.

My opinion of AYP mowers is that they provide excellent value for the money. Some Sears service centers may not have the level of expertise you want, but there are so many AYP mowers out there that there shouldn't be a problem finding a repair shop. Another plus for DIY owners is Sears PartsDirect.

Thanks so much jh. Following the corporate goings is interesting and thanks for clearing all that corporate stuff up in a simple way, although, what seems most important is that AYP makes all those mentioned brands, as well as the Craftsman. Yes, I do indeed love PartsDirect.

Speaking of corporate stuff and multiple brands marketed, have you noticed how many brands MTD has absorbed lately? Geeeesh.

Bottom line? Craftsman prices are indeed good. Craftsman machines are fairly comparable in quality and support to the vast majority of the brands marketed. Shoot, not to cause a stink or anything, but the little Deere that are sold everywhere are pretty basic, off manufactured thing too. Just saying, as the earlier poster said well. Buy it right. Treat it right. Maintain it right. Seems reasonable to me.

Again, almost 400 hours on mine, with no issues. That's all I can say. Would I buy another one? Why not. Didn't even buy the 60" belly mower for my Kubota. For $1800, I decided to just keep the Craftsman. Besides, the 42" deck just fits between my trees now.

 

[bontai_Joe]

Just to be a little picky, I believe American Yard Products, Inc no longer exists as a manufacturer of anything, it is all now under the Husqvarna name, and they build most Craftsman tractors, Poulan, Jonsered, Husqvarna and a few others. I'll be giving away my age with this, the first time I ever heard of the Husqvarna name was on motocross motorcycles in the 1960s-70s. Awesome machines!!!!! They no longer manufacture motorcycles, but do put their name on a line built by BMW.

 

[bp fick]

well, we must be of a similar age, Joe, cause I too fondly remember those Huskie dirt bikes of the 60's and 70's. Dang! The lucky young pups that had those were the envy of all us high school guys.