Craftsman life span

[frank_f15]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( He uses it to mow around 10 acres of lawn . It seems like he runs that thing 4-6 hrs a day 4-5 days a week during the summer . )</font>

now that is what i call using a GT /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif don't u think that u might be inclined to talk him into something a bit larger? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif i love driving my tractors but 10 acres with a 50 in deck? lots of seat time /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[ezzy]

Good luck with your Craftsman. Every craftsman item I own or have owned never treated me with the respect i gave them. I personally am through with all craftsman products, they have been nothin but trouble to me

 

[NIXON]

Ezzy
In some ways I agree with you . I have a craftsman rider that I love to hate .( i bought the cheaper end of the riding mowers ) But my brother in law has one that's been bullet proof . I think their hand tools are very solid as well . Mind you they aren't in the same class as say Snap on , but neither is the price . So I guess it's down to" buy cheap, pay twice" .
I do pole barns for a living . I use Bosch , milwaukee tools to do it . But at home for occasional use (home owner ) craftsman tools work fine . JMHO John

 

[jpr62902]

Ezzy, I agree with you. Both Craftsmans I've had have been woefully underpowered to cut/mulch/bag my thick Kentucky 31 lawn, and they just weren't that structurally substantial. Mind you, I never had any engine problems, but they did start to develop electrical problems within only 2 years, and I think the design of the 42" "EZ" deck is pretty poor. Craftsman's idea of a mulching deck is a covered discharge chute with slightly different blades -- no baffles to enhance mulching and blade design that is lacking. The bagger attachment continually clogs and broke in several places such that I had to bungee cord it together. The snow blade I had was also of very little use since the tractor was too light to push snow deeper than 2 -- 3". I also have a front mount dethatcher that makes the tractor nearly unmaneuverable since it digs in and lifts the front wheels off of the ground.

That said, the old saying, "You get what you pay for," rings loud and true here. I understand that many people have had lots of success with their Craftsmans and that's great -- for them. I, on the other hand, have experienced very little success with mine, coupled with a great deal of frustration. They should, underneath it all, design and sell attachments that work, or not sell them at all.

The bright side is, Craftsman finally convinced me to cough up the $$$ (over 10x as much) for my Kubota and I have never looked back. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

Actually, I HAVE a 1977 John Deere 68 and a 1989 John Deere RX 72 Riding Mower . The engines are on the back and they have pressed steel front ends. They have both been used commercially and are both going as strong as the day the were rolled out of Horicon Works. THAT's dependability!!!

 

[normde2001]

Seems to me that everyone is talking about how hard and long they work their tractor/mower/whatever and missing the point of the original post, which was "Is it true that I shouldn't ride it around with out a reason?" To that, I would have to say, yes it is true, no more than I would let it sit and idle for hours because I like the way it sounds.l

 

[JJT]

Norm, The title of the post was "Craftsman life span". It sounded to me like the poster wanted some real life data on craftsman lawn tractors.

 

[ezzy]

you are right I loved it when it ran, but I have too much to mow here for it to last and I just didnt have the time to take care of it the way I would have liked. I move out here from a small town but still basically a city so I am still on a learning process here, and thanks to everyone here on the TBN it is really starting to come around

 

[ezzy]

I know what you mean I just bought my first tractor, an old 8n and so far I am loving it

 

[JDgreen227]

Wow...I didn't realize JD made rear engine riders THAT long ago. I've got an '89 318 garden tractor that has close to 1400 very hard hours on it. No way would a Craftsman rear engine rider last as long as your JD's have. GREEN RULES. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif