The Garden Tractor Thread

[begreen]

I've been pretty pleased with my Craftsman. It mows our lawn and side fields quickly, turns on a dime, and is tough enough to stand up to the bumpy field terrain. Going on its 8th season soon and it has been very reliable. We don't go for the manor lawn, just a good quick cut. In spring this can be every 3 days. I like the grass collector with the right blades. We use the clippings for mulch and compost. Right now though the only thing to cut are dandelions and the grass over the septic field.

 

[gzecc]

I've been pretty pleased with my Craftsman. It mows our lawn and side fields quickly, turns on a dime, and is tough enough to stand up to the bumpy field terrain. Going on its 8th season soon and it has been very reliable. We don't go for the manor lawn, just a good quick cut. In spring this can be every 3 days. I like the grass collector with the right blades. We use the clippings for mulch and compost. Right now though the only thing to cut are dandelions and the grass over the septic field.

My grass is the best over the septic field. No weeds there unlike the rest of the yard.

 

[begreen]

Right now that is the only place with green grass. Our lawn and field is not like a golf course. More like a ski slope with moguls.

 

[Ashful]

Yea, I'd agree. My coworker is trying to convince me to get a zero-turn, although I can't justify purchasing another machine yet. I have 2 acres of mostly obstacles, and figure I could cut my 2+ hrs mowing in half, and that does add up to value in the long run.

An old member here, who was an OPE mechanic, used to say that a lawn tractor with 4-wheel steering could out-perform a zero turn on a property like yours. His reasoning was that zero turns are great for ripping across wide-open spaces, with the occasional obstacle, but most of their speed advantage evaporates when you have a LOT of obstacles. The lawn tractor with 4-wheel steering can negotiate those obstacles quickly and efficiently, and also serve purposes other than mowing.

I can't speak from any of my own experience on that, as I've not owned any lawn tractor with 4-wheel steering, but my neighbor does seem to like his. I mow with a Deere 757 ZTrak, and it covers ground so fast I sometimes feel like I'm doing internal organ damage from all the bumping around.

 

[begreen]

Good info, we have LOTS of obstacles.

 

[Knots]

Economy Power King and Jim Dandy. All gear drive and good fun!

 

[iamlucky13]

No garden tractor, but I'm thinking about it.

I bought a used Craftsman YT 4000 that mowed well when I tested it, but since then has been a hangar queen. It currently has a serious carburetor issue I need to give in and take to a mower shop to get fixed, since I haven't had time to figure it out myself. I was having problems with the transmission freezing up and causing the engine to stall until I realized it likes to collect grass clippings between the fan and the transmission case. I think regularly clearing that out has stopped that. The electric blade clutch draws so much current that if I turn the lights on, the meter shows net drain on the battery, so I can't really mow after dark.

And it couldn't climb over the moguls, as begreen called them, in my yard until I regraded last year. It still has trouble on the steeper sections if there's any moisture, but I just use the walk behind for that. My Husqvarna has been brilliant.

I also will never understand why they'd set up something marketed as a "yard" tractor with 1" to 4" deck height. I don't even know anyone who mows their front lawn only 1" tall, and I can't imagine a yard getting mowed shorter than 3". The spring rains in Washington don't pause long enough to mow until long after the grass starts growing, so a deck that can be set at 5 or 6 inches would make the first mowing of the season a lot easier.

If it starts treating me better after a good going over by a mechanic, the yard tractor can stay. Otherwise, it will probably get replaced by something I know I can count on.

But since I don't plan to do any regular tilling or towing, the other option that cross my mind was a large (36"+) commercial walk-behind. Honestly, my lot is hilly enough I probably should do so for safety - it's either lots time-consuming awkward patterns to manage up-down mowing, or else mowing cross slope while sitting on the uphill fender to stay upright.

 

[KD0AXS]

2000 John Deere 425. 20 HP Kawasaki engine, 54" deck, 46" blower.

Here it is set up for winter.

 

[Enzo's Dad]

My 74 Simplicity 3414 Baron s, I only use it for hauling.

 

[Ashful]

2000 John Deere 425. 20 HP Kawasaki engine, 54" deck, 46" blower.

Here it is set up for winter.

Did someone say winter?

First, we have to get thru walnut harvesting season:

... and tractor hay ride season:

Baby girl on my little tractor:

 

[Grateful11]

Did someone say air seat?

 

[bad news]

Economy Power King and Jim Dandy. All gear drive and good fun!

I have never seen one of these before. That's really something. Looks like it pulls pretty good?

Ashful, I don't think we live in the same part of town That is a remarkable lawn.

More of those Deere 400 series around than I realized I think. '74 Simplicity looks mint.

I started this thread, and it's not helping my growing lawn tractor interest. Maybe one more wouldn't hurt...

 

[BrotherBart]

Giving the poor garden tractor a break. It has taken a beating for 15 years now lugging everything. Of course right after big red was delivered it snowed like crazy and I found that the poor old Husqvarna garden tractor with the blade is still preferable for plowing 1,300 feet of driveway. But red is dog nuts for humping wood and gravel up the hill. Foton 35hp Chinese thingy. Yeah I know, but exactly half the price of a Kubota or Deere and at 68 I will probably fall apart before it does. Bucket forks are wonderful and much cheaper than back surgeries.

 

[Ashful]

That is one heck of a tall ROPS canopy! How many trees have you limbed with that, Bro? I hate mine, but figure I better leave it on, lest someone other than me roll the machine.

 

[BrotherBart]

That is one heck of a tall ROPS canopy! How many trees have you limbed with that, Bro? I hate mine, but figure I better leave it on, lest someone other than me roll the machine.

I took the canopy off the top of the ROPS day one. I had the ROPS folded down for a while but have put it back up.

 

[Grateful11]

We have 3 tractors with ROPS the rest have a cabs, the Kubota L3940, the Kubota MX5100 and the IH 686 Row Crop have a ROPS. The 686 has a factory canopy and ROPS and can't be folded down. We run the L3940 with the ROPS down about 99% of the time because it's used to feed cattle on a feedlot everyday and the feed trough covers are too low to get under with the ROPS up. We do put the ROPS up when moving round bales and heavy loads, would rather be on the side of safety. Also a guy told me one day, "if the ROPS is up put the seatbelt on, if it's down leave the seatbelt off".

 

[Ashful]

"if the ROPS is up put the seatbelt on, if it's down leave the seatbelt off".

That's in the user manual of any machine with a fold-down ROPS, as well.

Wish mine folded down. I keep breaking tree limbs, and just know I'm going to catch it on a porch overhang or garage door, one of these days. My mower ROPS folds down, but the tractor's is fixed.

 

[gzecc]

Cut's and full size always steel the spot light from the true garden tractors.

 

[bad news]

Asking too much?

...in retrospect, yes. Needed to move the car trailer back a few feet as it was a bit in the way and the Case was already out and about so I latched on and gave it a shove. It did it. Not much weight on those front wheels though. Sorry, terrible quality phone picture. Who else had their garden tractors out doing work this holiday weekend?

 

[Ashful]

Too friggin hot here for much tractor'n this weekend. Ground out and epoxied a garage floor, instead.

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

I use my husky with the deck and when I go deep, off the deck comes!

 

[Tom123]

I bought my 2000 series Cub Cadet used 16 years ago and it's been through the war and still going strong.

 

[Anumber1]

Not a garden tractor, only a crappy LT 1000 w/ 6 speed, but the 21 HP Briggs does not flinch in heavy grass, heavy loads, or when plowing uphill on a 10% grade. Lack of traction is the big issue.

View attachment 160320

I picked up a much unloved lt2000 from a co-worker that coulnt get it started.

Turns out the brake rod to the transaxle bent and jammed. This made it not quite close the brake safety interlock switch., preventing the unit from cranking.

Bent it back straight and it fired right up. Gotta love a free fix!

Its 8 years old but was only used 2 seasons before it was left to sit in a dirt floored shed till I got it.

Cuts great but yes... not a real garden tractor.

 

[crowescabin]

Here's my garden tractor. It's a craftsman gt6000. It seems to do everything I need it to do.

 

[2broke2ride]

Another Power King, shown here skidding black cherry, this is my 1975 1614. It has a 14 hp kohler, dual three speed transmissions, cat 0 three point hitch, fully hydraulic front end loader, and wheel weights.