Baby "Tractor" Help

[Alan L.]

Re: Baby \"Tractor\" Help

I think the consumer report on the Sears being 2nd only behind the JD is probably misleading. The Craftsman works fine for a few years but people don't ask them to go 10 or 12 years because they don't have that much cash tied up in them. I have a Craftsman 15.5 HP mower thats about 6 years old. It hasn't given much trouble, but I doubt I will try to get a lot more out of it before I sell it.

 

[TresCrows]

Re: Baby \"Tractor\" Help

Hello, can you tell me please which lawn forum you guys are talking about? Is it specific to lawn equipment like push mowers etc.?I have some questions regarding my old fleet of Lawn Boys that perhaps might fit there. Oh, I have a BX also. I have found it easy to manuever through most of my yard and the few areas it cannot get to I use my weed eater. I do have a smaller lawn tractor but I think I will give it to my dad. I really have no knowledge of large johndeere equipment but my neighbors large deere garden tractor seems to be a decent enough unit though it is no where in the same league as the BX. I mentioned in another post that other neighbors seem to be transfixed with the 25 horse Sears hydro. I am sure one could get years of service on a typical urban residential lawn but problem is we all have at least 5 acres to mow and tend for. Both of my neighbors Sears mowers are showing distress after just one season. The johndeere seems to be hanging in there after two years of rough use though it rattles and shakes and my BX still smells new, maybe in a few more years it will actually get broken in. Back last year when the temps were pushing 100 degrees still in late September is when we all decided to prepare our seed beds for fall planting and we all used my tine harrow (alluded to on another post earlier). I saw a lot of blue smoke coming out of those Sears units (kohler engines I think) when they were working hard pulling just 1/2 of my tine harrow (it breaks down into pieces). The little 'bota does not even feel it back there. I wish I had gotten the harrow a size or two larger. I predict a couple of worn out Sears tractors by years end and a johndeere in need of repair. Sorry for the long post. JR

 

[Roy]

Re: Baby \"Tractor\" Help

Garden Web:
Push mowers at http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/lmower/
Riding mowers at http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/tractor/

They recently split a forum into the 2. The general rift-raft populate the riding mower side.

 

[Corm]

Re: Baby \"Tractor\" Help

I have a WheelHorse / Toro that I bought new in 1988. It is a 312-H model (H for Hydro), with a 42" rear discharge deck. For 10 years, I mowed about 4 acres of rough lawn, hauled all of my firewood with it (with a small trailer), graded my 1/4 mile drive way (with a belly mounted 50" grader blade), and plowed my driveway all winter (with a 48" snow plow blade). I have about 750 hours on it now. Except for having to replace 2 main drive belts, it has been maintenance free. Since I bought my Cub Cadet 7260, all it does now is mow my lawn. When I have to replace it someday, I'll probably buy another Toro.

Corm

 

[M. Sullivan]

Re: Baby \"Tractor\" Help

Would avoid Graden Web, they censor posts. Appears JD might advertise, or something. I have a number of issues with them as a company, and did some research. Tried to pass the results to a number of newbies that were taken in by their advertising. Apparently struck a raw nerve, and I was banished. Not even an opportunity to 'discuss' or find out specifically why....they just set a link and send you to Disney site. Contaced the owning company and never got a response. A bunch of losers (the web masters) imo.

 

[Roy]

Re: Baby \"Tractor\" Help

M. Sullivan;

Another who was banished! I too was sent to Disney last year, simply because I came to the defense of another who was (in my mind) unrightfully banished. All I did was publicly post a nasty, and rude, e-mail that he received from the administrator, Spike. The banished one (Ron Ball, who was admired by most followers) had forwarded to me the e-mail he received from Spike, after he was thrown off. I didn't even add comments, all I did was identify the source, and post Spike's own words. Whoosh, a free trip to Disney! Talk about a double standard!

Banished and proud of it!

 

[alex_cocco]

Re:zero radius

if it is only for mowing look at the zero radius mowers, much easier to drive and cut twice as fast.

alex

 

[RMulkey]

Re: Baby \"Tractor\" Help

Hey Del,

I know what you mean about renting the 45000lb toys. The local Nations rents will drop off the excavator, bulldozer, or track loader for a weekend of fun and not even ask if I know how to run them /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif... And the best thing is for ~$5, I can get the no fault insurance /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif and send it back dirty.

Your post did not mention how much grass you need to mow. I went to a 22hp liquid cooled ZTR a 60" deck to mow 2 ac of lawn and 2 ac of pasture. It takes about 1 hour to mow 2 ac. This is clearly overkill for my once a week mowing, but they are safe on hills and mow around trees well. The are heavy enough to mow the pasture grass and not get beat up.

You can pick up a used lease return heavy duty comercial ZTR for ~$2000 which should last both our lifetimes for home use. I think the home stores are starting to sell some lighter duty home owner models that cost about the same as the lawn tractors but they don't have quite the "Tim Taylor" factor but should work well. Some good brands of comercial ZTRs are Scag (Scag.com), Grass Hopper, Emark, Walker, Grate Dane, and Dixey Chopper. I think JD even makes one. mine is a mid mount mower with the blades under the dirver. This is the most stable. The out front mowers are not quite as stable, but you can mow over pond edges and such.

Given you interest in toys, you probably knew all this stuff already...

 

[skent]

Re: Baby \"Tractor\" Help

I have been using a Troy-Bilt 14HP 42" Hydro since 89'. It does the close in work and the B7300 does the open spaces. The only problem with the Troy was the starter gear (B&S) is plastic and wears. Is quite a bear to replace on the B&S 14HP. But its been a real good little mower. We also use a Sears ST10 (10 HP 38" cut) made in 1977. I bought it used in 84 from a lawn mower service. It had been used by highschool kids and came with doser blade, wheel weights and chains. I hoped it would last me two or three years till I could buy another. It's still going strong (I use it to mow off my vegi garden and the dirty work) In 17 years all I replaced was belts and batteries. The biggest key here is PM. . .PM. . . PM

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Baby \"Tractor\" Help

I agree with most of the comments. I would stay with the more robust compacts - JD, IH, Gravely etc. I have had good experience (currently a JD185) with these, and bad experience with the cheaper ones (an older sears/mtd - mower died in one summer of cutting 2 ac). I have had great luck with my 185 in the last 6 years - the Kawasaki 17hp motor runs great! The tractor even handles a snowblower well. Given the going rate for these machines used I'd pick one of these over a new Sears any day.

I have to say the Scotts machines look very similar to my 185 - JD must be re-using their old tooling.