A reliable used lawn or garden tractor?

[s219]

I'd stay away from Deere L and D series -- those are the cheapo ones made for the big box stores. The LT, X, and GT models are fine.

I retired my LT150 after 15 years because the deck was starting to rust through and I didn't want to spend $500 on a new deck shell for a tractor worth about $400. But the rest of the tractor is in great shape and it runs like a champ. If you can't find any good tractors up your way and you want a small project, give me a holler. That tractor mowed a lot of grass at my old property. Would be kind of small for 0.8 acres, but I used it to mow 0.5 acres all the time. It's a gear model and does great on all kinds of terrain. Beware of hydrostatic on many of the smaller models, as they are not intended for hills or large mowing areas.

 

[D2Cat]

If you need something to mow with, and maybe pull a yard cart, I'd suggest looking at the older Kubota TG 1860. It is 18 HP, 54" cut, power steering, hydrostat. They made the gas which has the Kawasaki water cooled engine, and a two cyl. diesel. Both nice machines. Diesel more economical for fuel. Kawasaki had a fiber gear on the camshaft and required replacing at around 1000-1200 hours. Easy to fix, new camshaft gear is metal.

You can usually find the TG 1860G for $1500 range, and Diesel $2200 range. They make a nice cut, turn easily and sharp. Almost a zero turn. Check your Craig's List.

 

[grm61]

I'd stay away from Deere L and D series -- those are the cheapo ones made for the big box stores. The LT, X, and GT models are fine.

I retired my LT150 after 15 years because the deck was starting to rust through and I didn't want to spend $500 on a new deck shell for a tractor worth about $400. But the rest of the tractor is in great shape and it runs like a champ. If you can't find any good tractors up your way and you want a small project, give me a holler. That tractor mowed a lot of grass at my old property. Would be kind of small for 0.8 acres, but I used it to mow 0.5 acres all the time. It's a gear model and does great on all kinds of terrain. Beware of hydrostatic on many of the smaller models, as they are not intended for hills or large mowing areas.

I have a LT160 I mow about 21/4 hilly acres with, its a pretty good mower, I like the 16 horse kohler single, it has good torque, it pulls down and works.

To the op, I have a cart that I used to use before I bought my tractor, used to load it with large rocks and dirt, at the old house, things were fairly flat it did fine.

The hydro trans would probably not like a steady diet of pulling a 500lb cart on a grade.

Its pretty tough though, If I ride it like a dirt bike, I can mow my 21/4 hilly acres in about 1hour 40 min with a 46inch deck, that is running as fast as it will go..and it is rough...

Aside from my tractor, that riding mower was the best purchase I ever made.

 

[5030]

WOW! You've got some nice toy chest.:shocked:

I have lots of 'toys'...tools. I farm and raise feeder cattle so a skid steer is necessary, just like multiple tractors and all sorts of implements. Farming ain't cheap even though the product is.

 

[flusher]

I bought a 1973 Bolens GT1453 about 7 years ago off Craigslist for $600. Included a 48" 3-blade mid-deck mower, a 34" wide rototiller.



It was powered by a 14 hp Tecumseh 1 cylinder, 4 cycle engine. When that engine bit the dust, I replaced it with a 420cc Predator engine from Harbor Freight.

 

[5030]

Hard to beat a Predator for repowering anything. I have 3 in service now, all excellent

 

[hawkeye08]

East coast, you should not overlook Gravely riders, I bought my first one when we were building our house. It moved alot of dirt, mowed many acres of grass. I bought my second one when I found one with FEL and third one mainly for parts, but it ran pretty well so used all 3. I have many attachments, from 48" snowblower, front blade, mid blade, rototillers, front mower, mid mower, etc. I needed something bigger and my wife decided a Kubota would fit the bill... Gravelys 8000 series, rear engine, 4 speed transmission with high/low (gives you 8 speeds forward, 4 reverse (some will say 8 speeds reverse). Parts are not cheap, but it is built like a tank.

Folks have repowered them, putting modern engines on (such as 24HP Honda, etc). I think the only thing that has drive belt is the 50" mid mower and the belt runs the spindles from the gearbox that is powered by PTO shaft... There are clubs and collectors all over the eastern states. Not so much out west here...

I still have them all, need to figure out how to consolidate and sell excess..

 

[5030]

I would stay away from the newer Deere mowers. They are lighter color green much more expensive MTD mowers in my opinion. The older Deere mowers are solid. The Kubota garden tractors especially the diesel ones are hard to beat. The older Cub Cadet stuff is good. I could mow .8 acres in about 30-40 minutes on my 42" deck Cub Cadet garden tractor or about 15-20 minutes on my 50" deck ZTR. On any of the used machines make sure the deck isn't rotted away because it's usually the first thing to fail.

Aren't the new box store JD's just MTD's painted green? My neighbor has one (next to my farm) and it sure looks like a green TSC lawn tractor, right down to the sheet metal back piece with a hole stamped in it to 'pull' a cart with..... probably pull the back off instead.

looks pretty cheaply made... but it's green and says 'John Deere' on the hood.

 

[Rustyiron]

My little story… 30+ years ago (our first house), I wanted a mower because a rear finish mower on a tractor kinda sucks. Found a "new fangled" type of commercial mower (used) at a Kubota dealership. It was a Kub. F-2000 front cut 4x4, $4500. I had convinced my wife that this would be the last mower we should ever need to buy, and that has proven true. For reasons I skip the explanation on, it has sat for the past 7 years and was vandalised. The starter and clutch are still available along with some misc. parts like the lever for the hyd. mower lift valve, engine oil fill screw in cap, key switch, everything!! This is a 35 year old machine!
It only has about 2900 hours on it but that $4500 over 30 years works out to $150 a year. In all those years, it only got (needed) a belt or 2 and oil changes, & and a gear box on the mower deck.
This mower is basically an old "B" tractor that runs backward. Someone else suggested an old Kub B, it might just be the last mower you'll buy!

 

[5030]

I did. Was my first of many Kubota's and I wish I still had it. Great little workhorse. Ran all day on a gallon of diesel. Real simple too. Like your F2000, parts are still available. I may just buy one and restore it...for nostalgia sake.