Looking to purcase first ever riding mower/tractor

[dustycoyote]

I think that engine is less of a concern on the smaller, lower-priced mowers as most any engine will probably outlast the useful life of the rest of the machine. I see a lot of older worn out "lawn" tractors that are broken and have been replaced, but they still run. I rarely see one that is in nice shape that has a blown engine.

so if the engine is not a big concern, am I also being too concerned about the k46 transmission? Is it sufficient for my usage? If so then I think that 'dI feel pretty good about doing the yt46ls Husky rather than a cheaper garden tractor with no locking diff.

 

[jenkinsph]

I would not buy a k46 anything again, bought one when I didn't know any better and took good care of it. Lasted less than 275 hrs and top speed is about 3 mph when fluid is cool, slower when it heats up. Push a plow with it and you may not get 100 hrs on it.

 

[mikehaugen]

I am pretty sure that is the trans that everyone complains about, but I can't give you any first hand knowledge... though those are some of the things I was aluding to when I said "the useful life of the machine."

Heck I even had a deere 111 with gear drive that went out, with the briggs 11 horse still running strong.

 

[bcp]

It's enough to make a person look for one of those homemade garden tractors with an old car differential and transmission.



Bruce

 

[ajd187]

I think for that size property, any riding mower is going to be fine. Those Huskys would probably do the job.

With that said, I had a Deere X320 that I owned for three and a half seasons. I changed the oil, put gas in it, and that was about it. So they are reliable although the smaller 3 series have those crappy transmissions that everyone seems to have issues with.

 

[jenkinsph]

dustycoyote,
Rereading your posts about the hydraulics and power steering I would recommend having them for a machine with front blade. Being able to raise and lower the front blade while cleaning your driveway would be much easier. For the Deere mowers the x310 and higher model numbers is where the better transmissions start.

This is a smaller mower with a 42" cut, has the k58h transmission and has the hydraulics to raise and lower a blade or snowblower. Seems like the ideal combination for your uses.

 

[Crow Hunter]

so if the engine is not a big concern, am I also being too concerned about the k46 transmission? Is it sufficient for my usage? If so then I think that 'dI feel pretty good about doing the yt46ls Husky rather than a cheaper garden tractor with no locking diff.

I can give you my experience with the K46 trans. I wouldn't buy another mower with one.

I bought a Husquvarna LGT2554 from Lowe's in June of 2010 for right at $2500 tax and all. I have 105 hrs on pretty much all up and down hill mowing. After about an hour mowing, it will slowly lose power to the point that it will stop mowing uphill. If I let it "rest" for 30 min or so, it will be good for another 30 min or so before I have to stop and do it again. I talked to the local Husqvarna repair place and they stated it would be around $500 to replace it. Everything else about the mower is great. No rust, engine starts instantly, mows through even thick grass with no bogging down, but now it stops going uphill before I can get finished mowing the yard.

So it has basically cost me $40 every time I mowed my yard, by the time I factor in my labor and gas, it would probably have been cheaper to pay someone else to do it...:mur:

I am selling it to a friend who has a completely flat yard for $500 with him fully knowing what is wrong with it.

If you are going to be pushing/pulling stuff around that weighs anything, including yourself and the mower on any type of slope, you will probably want something more beefy than the K46. Don't get lured into a false economy, like I did. My new mower will specifically be ground implement rated, not because I plan on pushing/pulling anything because I have 2 ATV's for that. I am doing it because I don't want the transmission to be the weakest link.

Plus, it will be nice to ride something that doesn't sound like a jet winding up for takeoff under any type of load.:laughing:

 

[dustycoyote]

I can give you my experience with the K46 trans. I wouldn't buy another mower with one.

I bought a Husquvarna LGT2554 from Lowe's in June of 2010 for right at $2500 tax and all. I have 105 hrs on pretty much all up and down hill mowing. After about an hour mowing, it will slowly lose power to the point that it will stop mowing uphill. If I let it "rest" for 30 min or so, it will be good for another 30 min or so before I have to stop and do it again. I talked to the local Husqvarna repair place and they stated it would be around $500 to replace it. Everything else about the mower is great. No rust, engine starts instantly, mows through even thick grass with no bogging down, but now it stops going uphill before I can get finished mowing the yard.

So it has basically cost me $40 every time I mowed my yard, by the time I factor in my labor and gas, it would probably have been cheaper to pay someone else to do it...:mur:

I am selling it to a friend who has a completely flat yard for $500 with him fully knowing what is wrong with it.

If you are going to be pushing/pulling stuff around that weighs anything, including yourself and the mower on any type of slope, you will probably want something more beefy than the K46. Don't get lured into a false economy, like I did. My new mower will specifically be ground implement rated, not because I plan on pushing/pulling anything because I have 2 ATV's for that. I am doing it because I don't want the transmission to be the weakest link.

Plus, it will be nice to ride something that doesn't sound like a jet winding up for takeoff under any type of load.:laughing:

Thanks for the info. Even after doing quite a bit of research I hadn't really understood how risky that transmission is for any yard tractor that is going to do anything other than mow yards and at a completely level grade. It sounds like there are quite a few people who have good luck with the K46 but I personally think it is a great example of modern american under-engineering and over-marketing. I think it represents some pretty poor integrity by the OEMs to build that trans into tractors that are obviously marketed as more than a basic machine, sometimes even as being heavy duty. It's embarrassing that Husqvarna would put it in a Garden tractor machine! (Even if they use the term "LGT" or light garden tractor they know what the average consumer is going buy it for.) I had no idea that their LGT units have the K46.

Either way, it is starting to look more and more like I need to re-evaluate and probably go with a more expensive GT series tractor. I would love the X310 that has been suggested but think that I'll probably look at doing the GT54LS by Husky. Seems like a great deal for what features are included, and I really like the idea of the locking diff. Also, I found that all of the craftsman branded accessories fit the HUsky units too. For some reason the accessories at Sears are almost half of the pricing that Husqvarna lists online. If I do the Husky I'll buy the accessories there.

I wish I could find this unit with a 42 or 46 inch deck I don't really need the larger deck, don't want to have to make room to store it, and would REALLY prefer to buy a mower with only two blades.

FYI,
Interesting info as I started looking at Garden tractors.....
The sears Craftsman Garden Tractors (GT6000 is what I have looked at) are really appealing for price and features and are obviously Husqvarna machines. But what isn't immediately obvious is that whle they have the upgraded ground engaging transmissions, they are otherwise equivalent to the Husqvarna's Light Garden tractors and other basic machines in build. They use the lower gauge frame which is "rail" type. It is the same as the Husky yard tractor units, not the same was the frame that is found on the Husky GT or LS series. This seems to again be a very deceptive and poor practice. I can't imagine that this frame system is really built or "spec'd" to handle a long life of ground engaging activities. I'm a newbie and could be wrong but it sure seems that way.


Again thanks to everyone. Learning a lot here. Now I've got to go sell the wife on spending more than we had planned.

 

[jenkinsph]

Thanks for the info. Even after doing quite a bit of research I hadn't really understood how risky that transmission is for any yard tractor that is going to do anything other than mow yards and at a completely level grade. It sounds like there are quite a few people who have good luck with the K46 but I personally think it is a great example of modern american under-engineering and over-marketing. I think it represents some pretty poor integrity by the OEMs to build that trans into tractors that are obviously marketed as more than a basic machine, sometimes even as being heavy duty. It's embarrassing that Husqvarna would put it in a Garden tractor machine! (Even if they use the term "LGT" or light garden tractor they know what the average consumer is going buy it for.) I had no idea that their LGT units have the K46.

Either way, it is starting to look more and more like I need to re-evaluate and probably go with a more expensive GT series tractor. I would love the X310 that has been suggested but think that I'll probably look at doing the GT54LS by Husky. Seems like a great deal for what features are included, and I really like the idea of the locking diff. Also, I found that all of the craftsman branded accessories fit the HUsky units too. For some reason the accessories at Sears are almost half of the pricing that Husqvarna lists online. If I do the Husky I'll buy the accessories there.

I wish I could find this unit with a 42 or 46 inch deck I don't really need the larger deck, don't want to have to make room to store it, and would REALLY prefer to buy a mower with only two blades.

FYI,
Interesting info as I started looking at Garden tractors.....
The sears Craftsman Garden Tractors (GT6000 is what I have looked at) are really appealing for price and features and are obviously Husqvarna machines. But what isn't immediately obvious is that whle they have the upgraded ground engaging transmissions, they are otherwise equivalent to the Husqvarna's Light Garden tractors and other basic machines in build. They use the lower gauge frame which is "rail" type. It is the same as the Husky yard tractor units, not the same was the frame that is found on the Husky GT or LS series. This seems to again be a very deceptive and poor practice. I can't imagine that this frame system is really built or "spec'd" to handle a long life of ground engaging activities. I'm a newbie and could be wrong but it sure seems that way.


Again thanks to everyone. Learning a lot here. Now I've got to go sell the wife on spending more than we had planned.

Just checked out the GT6000 on the Sears website, curious if you read the reviews? Good luck with your purchase, I think you will need it.

 

[dustycoyote]

Just checked out the GT6000 on the Sears website, curious if you read the reviews? Good luck with your purchase, I think you will need it.

Jenkinph
I Had originally been looking at the GT6000 but wondered why they were so much less than other GT's. Read the reviews and saw that they are basically the LGT from Husky so I crossed them off my list. My frontrunner now is the GT54LS.
Or were you referring to the GT54LS when you said I would need luck?