I'm looking to buy a lawn tractor for the first time and am a little confused as to which would best suit my needs. I have 1/2 acre with a walkout basement (the land on the sides of the house has a decent slope from front to back) without much in the way of obstacles. Front and back yards are flat. Primarily, I am looking for a riding mower that bags well and gives an even cut. Since it is a new home I am also looking to do some light landscaping and perhaps put a nice patio outside the walkout basement, therefore I am also looking for a machine that can tow a modest cart up and down the short hill alongside the house. I was all set to purchase the JD LT160 until I read in your forums that its towing capability might not suit my needs. Does anyone have any suggestions for another machine(s) that will perform these tasks? The LT160 with mower deck and bagging system is about $3000 and I'd like to stay in that ballpark if I can. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
First time buyer needs info
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normde2001
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I'm sure almost any riding mower has the ability to pull a "modest cart", however, by light landscaping, if you mean moving dirt with the machine, I don't believe it will do that. I'don't believe you can do much more than cut grass with a $3,000 new machine.
Anonymous Poster
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I'm no expert on tractors or mowers, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but I recently made a similar purchase...
After much shopping both new and used, I came across a used, low hour Scotts 2548 (on the TBN classifieds actually - and the tractor was about 20 mins from my house!). If you don't know, the Scotts tractors sold through Home Depot for a year or two are simply different colored Deeres - they even say Deere on them. The 2548 is the comparable to the L130. With a 48 inch deck, 25 horsepower, and Hydro drive I have found it to be a versatile and useful machine.
I paid $1700 for it, and have been working it hard for the last month. I went back to the Deere dealer and purchased a bagger kit (works great if not too wet) and a 7 cubic foot trailer which I promptly modified with heavier/wider tires and 36" side panels - I have already overloaded it several times, and it works and the tractor tows it with no problem. I have also pressed the tractor into service cutting overgrown portions of the property, and it has performed admirably.
I'd highly reccomend looking for a clean used Scotts 2548 (they sold orignally for about 15% less than the Deeres, so used prices are a bit less also) or Deere L130.
Gregg
( I guesstimate I've had as much as 600lbs or so in/on the trailer...)
After much shopping both new and used, I came across a used, low hour Scotts 2548 (on the TBN classifieds actually - and the tractor was about 20 mins from my house!). If you don't know, the Scotts tractors sold through Home Depot for a year or two are simply different colored Deeres - they even say Deere on them. The 2548 is the comparable to the L130. With a 48 inch deck, 25 horsepower, and Hydro drive I have found it to be a versatile and useful machine.
I paid $1700 for it, and have been working it hard for the last month. I went back to the Deere dealer and purchased a bagger kit (works great if not too wet) and a 7 cubic foot trailer which I promptly modified with heavier/wider tires and 36" side panels - I have already overloaded it several times, and it works and the tractor tows it with no problem. I have also pressed the tractor into service cutting overgrown portions of the property, and it has performed admirably.
I'd highly reccomend looking for a clean used Scotts 2548 (they sold orignally for about 15% less than the Deeres, so used prices are a bit less also) or Deere L130.
Gregg
( I guesstimate I've had as much as 600lbs or so in/on the trailer...)
davesisk
Platinum Member
Just a thought here...you might want to take a quick look at the Power-tracs ( Power-trac's web-site). Check out the PT-180. It's $4500 new (plus mower and bucket attachments), but sounds like this might do what you want pretty well (although I'm not sure if there's any kind of bagger available...there might be). You can pick up 600 lbs in the front loader, so who needs a shovel and cart, eh? /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif This might be above your price range, but take a look anyway...you might find one used at a price within your budget.
Some info on my old PT is in my signature, go check it out. It's not for sale (or at least, not yet, anyway), but I used it to dig and move around 4 tons of materials (excavated dirt and delivered gravel, sand, retaining wall blocks, and brick pavers) last summer...simply couldn't have done it all by hand. Here's a link to that project: Dave's patio project from last year.
HTH,
Dave
Some info on my old PT is in my signature, go check it out. It's not for sale (or at least, not yet, anyway), but I used it to dig and move around 4 tons of materials (excavated dirt and delivered gravel, sand, retaining wall blocks, and brick pavers) last summer...simply couldn't have done it all by hand. Here's a link to that project: Dave's patio project from last year.
HTH,
Dave
Anonymous Poster
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My prefrence has always been with the Orange Bota's, they make a T1570 with 15hp hydro 40" deck for about $2900. +tax. Reading your post this machine might have a drawback or 2, depending on how steep your grade is. the small rear tires might have to work hard on the up drive, and with that said you might also have touble with a cart in tow. Thing is the machine is a good solid lawn tractor that has good grass cutting features. The bagger is kind $. Good luck Stan'daman /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I'd say your only towing issue may be traction based on how much of a grade you have. You don't get much for $3000. You may want to look for a lawnmowerbynet type web site.
Try to get liquid cooled if you can. Kubota has it at the T1760 and up.
Good luck,
Try to get liquid cooled if you can. Kubota has it at the T1760 and up.
Good luck,
MossRoad
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I have a 1960's Simplicity with a 8.5 HP engine that tows a cart just fine. I'm sure any large lawn tractor with decent tires will suit you well. I'd go for a hydrostatic unit, if possible. Also, get one that can handle ground engaging implements, like tillers. You can get a pretty decent lawn tractor for under $2000 and a cart with bagger motor for around $1000. Try over in the lawn and garden forum. There is lots of good infor over there.