Did you know that Deere GTs &LTs are....

Robert_in_NY · Jun 7, 2012

Engine_Tech said:
Sabres were simply cost-reduced JD's, built off old JD platforms. Example: most of the old Sabres were built off the old JD STX chassis. Same with the JD Scotts. What confuses people is that some Scotts were made by Murray before JD started building them for Home Depot in 1999.

JD built all of these, and the current value tractors in their factory in Greeneville, TN. Just Google it.

JD has never subbed out a tractor, ever. String trimmers, snowblowers, pushmowers - at times yeah. But never tractors.

I don't know if your referring to just the lawn tractors since that is what this thread is about but John Deere has had others build some ag tractors. The first one that comes to mind are their 5000 series narrow tractors that are (or at least were very recently) made by a company in Italy where just about every narrow vineyard tractor is made.

ctlguy · Jun 8, 2012

orchard/vinyard tractors 20a, 76f, etc are the italy machines.

aczlan · Jun 8, 2012

Don't forget the Yanmar built Deere CUTs of the 80s and 90s.

Aaron Z

Engine_Tech · Jun 8, 2012

Scooby074 said:
:thumbsup: It was the older Scotts I was thinking of. I thought that Deere was always behind them and continued to contract out them for the life of the product.. Didnt know that Deere wasnt always the OEM and that they took over the line and moved it in house!!!

See how these rumors get started :laughing:

Maybe to be more clear, the name "Scotts" was licensed by Home Depot from Scotts Co. for use on the lawn tractors HD sold (regardless of who designed/built them). Originally, the Scotts-branded tractors were provided by Murray and were based on other Murrays. In 1999 John Deere became the provider - and the machines were based on a JD design. Same "Scotts" brand, but totally different machines.

In 2002 JD redesigned the platform but Home Depot kept selling them under the Scott's brandname. In 2003, they went green and yellow and became John Deere branded.

I will also say any JD-built tractor will have a genuine "John Deere - Moline IL" serial number sticker on the frame. Even if JD wasn't on the hood, it was always on the SN tag.