Have STX38. Why upgrade?

mroberts5 · Mar 14, 2016

I have a black deck STX38 that came with the house I bought. Other than the some minor issues this thing is seemingly unbreakable (you'd think I was trying to how I drive it).

Thinking of upgrading, but I honestly can't figure out what it would get me. What am I missing? I have about 3 acres of "lawn" that is mixed up with many trees, small out buildings, etc. Wider would make for quicker work, but I'm not sure it would be as agile. Power steering would be nice, but is FAR from necessary. It's rather flat, but not always smooth. Ive gotten stuck in ruts, and it won't break...just push it back out. Some areas I don't get to other than once or twice a year, and as long as it's not wet it'll take the 2-3 ft high grass down no problem. I keep a mulching blade (JD kit) on full time and it handles it fine. And I have a cart that I can fill with amything and it'll pull fine.

So what am I missing? I want a mower that will handle obsticles and brush well, and let me mulch grass and leaves...as well as pull a small cart. Would an upgrade do any of this better? I have a Ford 1920 for anything big, so no need for any other attachments.

Thanks.

Michael11 · Mar 15, 2016

It all depends on whether you really need to upgrade. You seem not to have many issues in what you are using currently I just keep on using the old one. If you can steer it, you can mow and it can move on command why change. Sure you can probably squeeze more years out of the STX and since it is basically giving you free service (you got it when you bought your home) I would just keep on doing what you are doing. Since it is free I use it all up and when it decides it had enough and either the engine gives out, the transmission no longer pulls or as in my old Murray I had for 18 years it is stuck only turning left and no straight ahead unless you got off and kicked the wheel over (the steering column broke) I would only guess it was time to go for a upgrade.

If I decided to upgrade I would be looking at diesel power and either a X700 series John Deere with the largest available deck with all wheel drive and 4 wheel steering or a Kubota GR2110 or 2120 The 2120 is what I went with I upgraded my lawn tractor as it was a pure mowing machine as the local Deere dealer was in the mode of not being competitive on the X700 series in diesel when I bought new. Since I already had a JD 2305 with all the available bells and whistle I only needed a good lawn tractor only and the Kubota diesel fit the bill nicely.

So since I got long winded in my response this in summary really all depends on you and only you. You can easily fix the little Deere up with any needed parts to make it a throwback machine that just does what you want.