lawn tractor

[anthonyk]

Does anyone have any idea who makes the Husqvarna lawn tractors?
I've been looking for something to use on the lawn (can't use the 47hp Century on the grass!) and am considering the Husqvarna 20hp riding lawn tractor with the Kohler engine and hydrostatic transmission. Can get one for about 1600 bucks, but wondered if they were maybe available under a different name for less, or anybody had any experience with them.

thanks, Anthony

 

[IMCA38]

Husqvarna makes their mowers at a plant in Beatrice, NE, about 40 miles from here. I believe the plant used to be called Kees Mfg or something like that. I have been told that Craftsman was the same as Husqvarna. I don't know that for fact, but I do think the tractors look very similar except for the paint color. A friend of mine knows someone who works at the plant, and got a good deal on one of the 17hp residential ZTR mowers. I guess they had some that were sold at Lowes and they had issues with a cable breaking on them. Apparently Lowes made Husky take them back so they ended up back in Beatrice where they were retrofitted with a better cable and were factory reconditioned and sold direct from the factory. Friend seems pretty happy with his ZTR unit.
Hope this helps...

 

[bontai_Joe]

Husqvarna, Craftsman and Poulan are all made by AYP which is or was affiliated with Frigidaire and Electrolux. I don't remember the details of who owns who. The 3 brands are not totally identical as some features are different. Some models have different engine choices and available options like gages. Best way to compare would be to go to each brands website and see which one is closest to what you want.

 

[ThistleKop]

A few yrs back there was a great consolidation of manufacturers of lawn and garden equip. One must be careful today or you can pay a premium for a tractor that is available with a different badge for less money. Years ago Roper Mfg. made many Sears units. They had some cozy arrangement. Roper became American Yard Products (AYP). A few years later AYP was bought by Electrolux. If you look on the nameplate of Craftsman, Husqvarna and some others you will see they are made by EHP (Electrolux Home Products)

 

[anthonyk]

That's kind of what I was suspecting, and why I bought my Century instead of a more expensive badge.
Thanks, I'll keep digging.

anthony

 

[LBrown59]

One must be careful today or you can pay a premium for a tractor that is available with a different badge for less money
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Another way of putting it : An Off brand with a known name brand lable on it for more noney-Result you pay the brand name price for an off brand product.