Who makes Sears lawn/garden tractors?

twoone · Sep 6, 2011

Best answer thanks I always wanted to know the difference.

michiganmike · Sep 18, 2011

If you look at the complete model number , example, 917.289820, the 917 means that in the past . maybe 20 years,it was made by American Yard Products, which then I think got sold to Whirlpool, which was then bought out by Electrolux worldwide....but IF you talk to anyone at AYP, they'll say that they are currently owned by Husqvarna, which I THINK is owned by Electrolux,but I can't find it in print any where.
Check here Husqvarna: About Husqvarna and develop your own conclusions.

If the first three digits are 247, its manufactured by MTD. MTD Products - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Oh, and also, the last digit is usually zero, but if there is a one or a two or what ever, I think that it means there was some type of change in the model during production, maybe something as simple as a warning label.

Oh, and not to thrown water on anyone , but Sears, has never been a manufacturer, only a retailer of product. They hire vendors to design things to their "specifications" and then put their brand on it: Craftsman-Kenmore-Diehard.
There....that's MY two cents worth.:laughing:

RandyT · Sep 18, 2011

Husqvarna is owned by Electrolux. About 5 years ago Electrolux was split into two separate Corporations. Electrolux Home Products which it the appliance division and Husqvarna Home Products which is the lawn and garden division. Husqvarna owns the Poulan/Weedeater line, Dixon, Redmax, Mcculloch, Peerless transmissions, Makes products for sears (main retailer), Jonsered.

swampwizard · Oct 31, 2011

The $1200.00 Craftsman tractor is made by MTD, the more expensive Craftsman tractors are made by Husqvarna.

PILOON · Nov 1, 2011

"Oh, and not to thrown water on anyone , but Sears, has never been a manufacturer, only a retailer of product. They hire vendors to design things to their "specifications" and then put their brand on it: Craftsman-Kenmore-Diehard.
There....that's MY two cents worth."

And when negotiating with vendors, they demand deeper discounts so that they can undercut competition and because they have much higher overheads.
Most often a manufacturer will simply cheapen his product to meet the pricing specs. like nylon bushings vs brass or even ball bearings.
Then to make maters worse you only can get replacement parts from them as there is no cross reference.

To add to what Michigan mike said, somewhere in his chart comes Singer (like sewing machine singer).
I think they in fact own that whole mess Mike shows.

Often when you can access the info, you discover that two fierce (in the consumer's eyes) competitors are actually owned by the same company.
ex; Johnson- Huscverna- Poulin- Mcculloch

Black Decker- DeWalt- Delta- Skill-Porter- Cable-Rockwell all of which is tied in with Stanley Tools which in turn owns many many brands like Irwin, Proto, on and on.