Garden tractor reccomendations?

   / Garden tractor reccomendations? #1  

radnack

Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2014
Messages
29
Location
NY
Tractor
TYM T451
Hi im looking into upgrading a john deere e180. Ive got large hills to mow that are quite long. The transmission in the e180 isnt holding up at only 100ish hours. Wondering what would be good replacements with at least a 54 inch deck. Brand doesnt really matter. Prefer new. Hoping to spend the least as possible. But looking for reccomendations and around how they are costing.
 
   / Garden tractor reccomendations? #2  
Quite a few people around here have the Deere X7** series garden tractors. They make them in diesel/gas, 2 or 4 wheel steer and drive. They are also made in this state.
 
   / Garden tractor reccomendations? #3  
The warranty's already expired?

Husqvarna TS354XD has a K66 transmission instead of the K46 in your Deere.
 
   / Garden tractor reccomendations? #4  
Check out Simplicity/Ferris made in Sherrill NY (used to be in Munnsville NY) and the Simplicity garden tractor line is made in WI - they might make them in NY too - not sure.

Otherwise the JD garden tractors are good as are second hand Cub Cadet garden tractors - if you can find a shaft drive Cub with a 54" deck for $1000-1500 in nice condition and the hydro's in them were good too.
 
   / Garden tractor reccomendations? #5  
Mostly happy with my Cub Cadet XT2 LX 42 Enduro which I bought new at $2000, year and a half ago. Since then they have gone up $500. Are you sure you need a 54 inch deck? The XT1-ST54 KH would do, but the 54 inch fab deck adds another 1K to the price.

I have a few complaints after using mine for a year and 1/2.

The turn radius is fantastic, yet this also creates a weakness, in that if you catch a wheel on a tight turn, it will break a tooth off the steering gear. Most garden tractors of this size have the same weak design - MTD tractors. Takes about two hours to replace this $40 gear.

It is a thirsty machine. Not sure how I would quantify gas usage.... GPH, or MPG, but it will run through 3 gallons in about an hour at full throttle. This might be typical, but to me it "feels" like a gas hog.

The differential to the XT2 is not limited slip. This is very surprising for a tractor that supposedly can be used for snow removal. On some of my slopes I can't mow if the ground is at all wet.

To paint a very wide brush: Garden class tractors, now, are all the same, with only a few differentiating features.











 
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   / Garden tractor reccomendations? #6  
Just make sure it doesn't have a Tuff Torq trans.
 
   / Garden tractor reccomendations? #7  
Just make sure it doesn't have a Tuff Torq trans.
Well that eliminates pretty much all Deere models including the range topping X758 diesel!!🤯
 
   / Garden tractor reccomendations? #8  
I was referring to the earlier Cub Cadets from the 90's to early 2000 with the Sunstrand hydro's - for example I found this 1864 this summer with 185 hours and had the deck blasted and epoxy painted. Then went thru it changed the valve covers, engine and hydro oil and now its ready for a new home.
 

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   / Garden tractor reccomendations? #9  
Cub cadet 2500 series would handle the job no problem
 
   / Garden tractor reccomendations?
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Yeah the warranty is out its over the amount of years allowed. That was the next thing i was curious about was the K66 transmissions? I saw the husqvarnas with them in them. I was wondering how much better they would hold up. I was looking up those XT series cubs and according to tractor data it says it has the k46. That husqvarna looks like a decent price alot closer to what i was looking to spend than the x7 series.
 
 
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