Lawn Tractor - JD vs Craftsman

[skidoo]

OK, this JD is not a LAWN tractor. But, I did try to use this Craftsman Lawn tractor for my acreage. I beat it to death trying to make it do everything. I really needed a big GT.

Here is the JD parked next to the Craftsman...

 

[LBrown59]

OK, this JD is not a LAWN tractor. But, I did try to use this Craftsman Lawn tractor for my acreage. I beat it to death trying to make it do everything. I really needed a big GT.

Here is the JD parked next to the Craftsman...

This is sorta like comparing my MTD lawn tractor with my CC garden tractor.

 

[Revelation]

When I needed to buy a tractor to just cut grass, I wanted a quality brand first. I thought of the green and yellow and then went with one of their tractors that was in my price catagory that could handle 2 acres of grass. I found the John Deere LA 165, fell in love with it after cutting my grass with it the first time. It has been a great work horse ever since.

 

[bontai_Joe]

The Honda tractors would have... man those things were built.
I wish they still made them!!! Scott

I looked long and hard at the Hondas when they came out. Beautiful machines, but they were also extremely high priced. I think that's what killed them in the market. And now seeing how poorly Honda supports them with parts, would make me hesitate in buying one used, even if it was dirt cheap.

 

[Reverend Blair]

I'm considering a JD LA105 right now. It doesn't look a whole lot different than the Canadian Tire (MTD with different paint, I think) of a similar size, but Home Depot has the JD on $200 cheaper. Also, I have a bias for green paint.

The JD dealers don't carry the 100 series here at all, so I assume they are built for sale in home stores. The JD dealers both assure me that they do carry parts for the 100 series though. That is important because I've tried to get parts for saws, nailers, and compressors through home stores and it's roughly like rubbing pepper in your eyes.

I'm going to be mowing a little over 1/4 acre with it, tilling a largish vegetable garden, moving dirt and snow, around here, and it will no doubt see similar service at friends' and relatives' places, since after working all week I often end up spending weekends working even harder for free.

It's also going to haul a fair bit of crushed rock and lumber when I'm working. We set fence posts in 3/4 down lime around here because soil and weather conditions conspire to make concrete a really bad idea unless you go down more than six feet, and I'm really tired of driving a wheelbarrow. I'll be building my own cart for that kind of hauling, since the manufactured ones have high sides and little length.

I have a question about the scraper blade though. I can get a used one for about fifty bucks, but it's likely not off of a JD (not sure what it's off of). Are they a universal fit, easily adaptable, or am I going to have to shell out for a scraper blade.

I'm also wondering about foam-filled tires. Are they available for the 100 series? The area behind my fence gets used for a lot of construction for photographs when I write, and any work for clients means nails etc. on the ground.

I'd be very happy to avoid flat tires.

I know the 100 series is small for construction work, but I need small to get in where I need too, and larger mowers are no good in my yard. I also don't want to spend a lot because I'm likely going to be dropping $20k or so on other equipment this year, and just spent $12k on a used 1/2 ton, so I have to save some money for beer and cigarettes.

 

[Scooby074]

Honestly, id look at the 300 series, especially if you want it for more than a lawn mower. Im currently in love with the X324 to replace a 25 year old craftsman garden tractor. The 4 wheel steer looks like a valuable option, if you have any trees. Essentially its like having a zero turn and still having the capability to tow trailers and be used on slopes and rougher ground.

Local deere dealers sell the 100 series. I looked at them and they wernt made much different than a MTD to me as well. They seem to have a very light frame and construction.

Maybe the dealers dont sell the 100 series out there because they dont want to compete with Home depot? I understand that deere mandates that they sell the 100 series for the same price as HD. Which likely means theyre running on a tight profit margin.

 

[LBrown59]

I don't think it will take the abuse you have planed for it..

I'm considering a JD LA105 right now. It doesn't look a whole lot different than the Canadian Tire (MTD with different paint, I think) of a similar size, but Home Depot has the JD on $200 cheaper. Also, I have a bias for green paint.

.

 

[Reverend Blair]

I don't think it will take the abuse you have planed for it..

Neither do I, really. I expect there will be more than a few repairs. My niece is married to a JD mechanic though, and my nephew is a small engine guy, so they can e-mail me how-to's when I get into trouble.

If I get two years service out of it, I'll be in a position to buy something bigger for work and heavy service around here though, and I can semi-retire the 105 to grass mowing duty.

The problem, as I said, is that I have to spend a whack of money on other things this year. There's only so much in the budget. If there was more writing work last winter, it'd be a different story, but the economy kind of put the kibosh on that. I have some summer writing/photography plus the fence and deck thing, but not enough to have everything I want.

Things kind of went sideways for me on the 105 deal yesterday though. Home Depot is out of stock and not getting any more. I've contacted a local dealer via e-mail to see if he's willing to get one in, or possibly if he has a low-hour one that came in on trade, but the dealer closes early on Saturday, so I wasn't able to talk to him in person.

Maybe the dealers dont sell the 100 series out there because they dont want to compete with Home depot? I understand that deere mandates that they sell the 100 series for the same price as HD. Which likely means theyre running on a tight profit margin.

I think maybe they just can't be bothered with the small stuff because they are busy with so much of the big stuff. This is still a big farming area with lots of flat land and room for big equipment, and farm sizes have been growing like mad. Would you want to spend your time selling lawn tractors when there are people looking to buy 9030s and the implements to pull behind them?

 

[bontai_Joe]

First Deere makes Deere tractors, not MTD. Any resemblence is coincidental. The LA100 series would do most every thing you listed except cultivate in the garden. There is no rear sleeve hitch available for plows and such as this is strictly a lawn tractor. The front blade is mostly ment for snow, the tractor isn't strong enough for scraping hard soil, but I suppose it will push some loose dirt around

 

[LBrown59]

The front blade is mostly ment for snow, the tractor isn't strong enough for scraping hard soil, but
I suppose it will push some loose dirt around

Might if it can get enough traction.