DennisFolsom
Gold Member
I realize this is an old thread, but I posted in it back in 2012 when I had just purchased my Craftsman YT4000 (made by Husqvarna) and I thought this might be a good place to post an update.
The machine is now 7 years old, but only has 168 hours. I don't have as much lawn here as I used to at my old place. I probably mow about 1/3 acre, but half of that is pretty rough. It is former woodland, not fully tamed. I have removed a lot of rocks and stumps, but still have some that I need to be careful of.
The 24 hp B&S v-twin still purrs like new. No complaints at all so far on the engine, regardless of the low opinion some have of B&S.
I took the deck out from under today to replace the blades. I thought I had heard a bearing starting to rumble. Sure enough, the lower bearing on the left side is loosening. These are the "sealed for life" type. I consider 168 hours to be a pretty short life!:thumbdown: I put the mower back together for now, but I have just ordered a kit of 2 replacement spindle assemblies with grease fittings. (Over many years in the past, have owned 3 of the older heavy duty Cub Cadets. All had greaseable spindles and I never lost a bearing in one.)
The battery that came with this mower had the "Diehard" label on it. I thought it died pretty easy. I think I got 3 years out of it. The second battery was a no-name, but with a higher cca rating. I'm at about 4 years and counting with that one.
This relatively low-end model does not have the electric PTO clutch. Instead, there is a lever above the steering wheel, connected by cable to a belt tightener pulley. This arrangement works fine except if you forget to throttle down before disengaging. If you disengage at full throttle, it will throw the belt off the engine pulley. It is not hard to put back on, but you have to shut down and get off the tractor to do so.
Othewise, I have had no trouble or complaints. The old Craftsman (red Husqvarna) has done a good job for me.
I recently came home with "lawn tractor envy" after trying out a newer, bigger Husqvarna model that my daughter bought used. Sure, I would like a new bigger, better unit. I even started researching and looking at zero-turns. However, I can't justify the expense. With the new greaseable spindles, my YT4000 should go a good while longer. Maybe I can give you an update in another 7 years.:laughing:
The machine is now 7 years old, but only has 168 hours. I don't have as much lawn here as I used to at my old place. I probably mow about 1/3 acre, but half of that is pretty rough. It is former woodland, not fully tamed. I have removed a lot of rocks and stumps, but still have some that I need to be careful of.
The 24 hp B&S v-twin still purrs like new. No complaints at all so far on the engine, regardless of the low opinion some have of B&S.
I took the deck out from under today to replace the blades. I thought I had heard a bearing starting to rumble. Sure enough, the lower bearing on the left side is loosening. These are the "sealed for life" type. I consider 168 hours to be a pretty short life!:thumbdown: I put the mower back together for now, but I have just ordered a kit of 2 replacement spindle assemblies with grease fittings. (Over many years in the past, have owned 3 of the older heavy duty Cub Cadets. All had greaseable spindles and I never lost a bearing in one.)
The battery that came with this mower had the "Diehard" label on it. I thought it died pretty easy. I think I got 3 years out of it. The second battery was a no-name, but with a higher cca rating. I'm at about 4 years and counting with that one.
This relatively low-end model does not have the electric PTO clutch. Instead, there is a lever above the steering wheel, connected by cable to a belt tightener pulley. This arrangement works fine except if you forget to throttle down before disengaging. If you disengage at full throttle, it will throw the belt off the engine pulley. It is not hard to put back on, but you have to shut down and get off the tractor to do so.
Othewise, I have had no trouble or complaints. The old Craftsman (red Husqvarna) has done a good job for me.
I recently came home with "lawn tractor envy" after trying out a newer, bigger Husqvarna model that my daughter bought used. Sure, I would like a new bigger, better unit. I even started researching and looking at zero-turns. However, I can't justify the expense. With the new greaseable spindles, my YT4000 should go a good while longer. Maybe I can give you an update in another 7 years.:laughing:
. My price range is $1500-$2000. My lawn is 3/4 acre and basically flat. Up to this point, I have not considered the Craftsman lawn tractors because I always heard homeowners say they had a lot of problems with them in the past. Could you guys talk about the reliability and durability of these products? What suggestions/input can anyone give me on this matter? Has anyone experienced any reliability/durability problems with this brand as a whole? How has anyone found Craftsman manufacturer/retail support in the event of a problem? Who makes Craftsman lawn tractors and are they basically the same as Husqvarna tractors? Does anyone know anything about Columbia lawn tractors? Thanks for your help!
