New Riding Lawn Mowers

[bubbatime]

My best advice when looking for a mower is to find a gently used commercial mower over anything that is sold at the Big Box retailers. Check Craigslist and your local mower shops for a lightly used unit. You can save thousands this way and a commercial unit will literally last 20-30 years on a homeowner lot. The quality is night and day different.

Buy right the first time so that you don't have to keep buying a mower every 5 years.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Yep, we did look at them. I love a nice deere as much as the lawn guys do, but at TRIPLE the price there was no ROI for a homeowner.

The Craftsman I have will likely last for ten years in my service with very minimal care.

I may not last that long...


Agreed.

The combination of the average BITOGer and some common sense can make a Sears or MTD unit last decades.

The high dollar stuff is capable of tolerating lack of BITOGism and/or common sense better.

In regards to make/model engines on homeowner grade riders? I agree with the above who stated it's the transaxle, mowing decks, associated hardware, steering components, etc, that tend to fail first and need the most attention.

Used commercial grade stuff is a great option if you can find something decent within your price range. I've never been able to find that magic combination.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: cronk
If you want a good, long lasting riding mower, look at a John Deere X series. They have Kawasaki engines and they run forever with proper care.





+1. The Kawasaki is one sweet engine.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: Tdbo
Originally Posted By: cronk
If you want a good, long lasting riding mower, look at a John Deere X series. They have Kawasaki engines and they run forever with proper care.





+1. The Kawasaki is one sweet engine.


I have the Kawasaki engine on my toro zero turn. Very smooth seems to have a flat torque curve. Running mine on amsoil motorcycle 10w 40 oil.

 

[Jordan_FX4]

Kawasaki is by far the best IMO. I have a FB460V in a 1986 John Deere 165 and it still runs great, doesn't smoke, and rarely needs topped off over the course of a 6-7 month mowing season mowing a little over an acre. It's also one of the quietest small engines I've ever used.

My dad also has a Kawasaki in his John Deere X500, and so far it has been problem free as well though it's only 3-4 years old. I really can't say enough positive things about Kawasaki engines. Newer Briggs on the the other hand (Vanguard series excepted) not so much, other than parts are normally cheap.

However, as several others stated about any small engine if taken care of will last longer than the rest of the mower.

 

[cronk]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Yep, we did look at them. I love a nice deere as much as the lawn guys do, but at TRIPLE the price there was no ROI for a homeowner.

The Craftsman I have will likely last for ten years in my service with very minimal care.

I may not last that long...


You can get an X300 with 42" deck for $3000.
If thats triple the price of what you bought, I can't see a $1000 riding mower being anything that great or durable.

 

[SHOZ]

After buying my John Deere and I had second thoughts. I could have gotten a cheaper one from WalMart another big box store. I figure they will last 3-4 years.

The last one I had was a Yardman (MTD) with 4 wheel steering. The motor was OK but the cheap steering shaft and gear were the killer on it. Couldn't keep the thing going in a straight line. It lasted three years before I got rid of it.

After having the JD now for 13 seasons and just now needing repairs I'm quite happy. Parts are not that hard to get or any more expensive.

 

[bchannell]

Interesting discussion. I've been giving the subject some though lately. I'm a JD man, always have been. My last was a 318, probably one of the finest garden/lawn tractors ever built, by some estimates. I bought it in '94, and paid a princely sum for it. The Onan engine is a mechanical dream and runs well to this day,(my neighbor owns it now). However, as a mower it was what I would call pretty decent. AND believe it or not the frame cracked on mine right at the front axle cross channel. I was able to weld it and no harm done, but it's a bit of a disappointment in such a fine tractor.

Now jump ahead a few years and I have a Husqvarna 27HP Vtwin Briggs with a 52" fabricated deck, and this thing is an absolute mowing monster. I mean it has power like I've never seen in a mower before. High grass is nothing to it. Add to that, and I've said for years, that the JD 318 was almost helpless in wet grass. The Husqvarna never slips a tire. I had ag tires on the JD and chains on the Husqvarna, so there is some difference there, but not a lot, and the Husqvarna must have some sort of posi-track drive, cause it will go in even mud. The deck on the Husqvarna is stout enough to drive a tank over, the deck on the JD, is "pretty good" but nothing to make you brag about.
Now this is not a Husqvarna sold at big box stores, this is a dealer only tractor, but at 2011 prices that are around half what I paid in 1994 for the JD318, it's pretty amazing.

Time will tell how long it lasts, but so far, I'm pretty darn impressed with it. I only hope I can say the same thing in 10 more years or so. I still like JD's and am looking for a nice JD140 to rebuild, just for fun.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: cronk
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Yep, we did look at them. I love a nice deere as much as the lawn guys do, but at TRIPLE the price there was no ROI for a homeowner.

The Craftsman I have will likely last for ten years in my service with very minimal care.

I may not last that long...


You can get an X300 with 42" deck for $3000.
If thats triple the price of what you bought, I can't see a $1000 riding mower being anything that great or durable.


While you may imagine you know what I need you may also be incorrect.

I bought a 54 inch deck mower as I have a big lawn. I looked at Deere, no one said they don't make a fine product. But in actual lawn mowing they are no better than mine in any performance metric I use...

 

[SHOZ]

I would consider $300 a year a good figure for mower cost. Either with initial purchase or repairs after the initial purchase price is figured out. This is with a rider and more than a postage stamp sized lawn, +50 hrs a year.

 

[ChrisJH]

Originally Posted By: bchannell
Interesting discussion. I've been giving the subject some though lately. I'm a JD man, always have been. My last was a 318, probably one of the finest garden/lawn tractors ever built, by some estimates. I bought it in '94, and paid a princely sum for it. The Onan engine is a mechanical dream and runs well to this day,(my neighbor owns it now). However, as a mower it was what I would call pretty decent. AND believe it or not the frame cracked on mine right at the front axle cross channel. I was able to weld it and no harm done, but it's a bit of a disappointment in such a fine tractor.

Now jump ahead a few years and I have a Husqvarna 27HP Vtwin Briggs with a 52" fabricated deck, and this thing is an absolute mowing monster. I mean it has power like I've never seen in a mower before. High grass is nothing to it. Add to that, and I've said for years, that the JD 318 was almost helpless in wet grass. The Husqvarna never slips a tire. I had ag tires on the JD and chains on the Husqvarna, so there is some difference there, but not a lot, and the Husqvarna must have some sort of posi-track drive, cause it will go in even mud. The deck on the Husqvarna is stout enough to drive a tank over, the deck on the JD, is "pretty good" but nothing to make you brag about.
Now this is not a Husqvarna sold at big box stores, this is a dealer only tractor, but at 2011 prices that are around half what I paid in 1994 for the JD318, it's pretty amazing.

Time will tell how long it lasts, but so far, I'm pretty darn impressed with it. I only hope I can say the same thing in 10 more years or so. I still like JD's and am looking for a nice JD140 to rebuild, just for fun.


I bought the 48" version of the same tractor a couple years ago, to replace my aging Bolens. Not much wrong with teh Bolens but the little stuff was starting to add up (steering slop, needed a new starter, carb rebuild, etc)

So far the Husq is great. Im not a fan of the steering (it seems a little light duty compared to the rest of the unit), and I think the frame could use some stiffening, but other than that I love it. It has the heavier duty transaxle (which you will NOT find in a JD X300, no matter how much you pay), which is mostly the reason I bought such a big model. My yard is small, but I have hills that will test any hydrostatic.

I plan on stiffening up the frame myself once its out of warranty. Someone on MyTractorForum did the same to their Craftsman (a copy of the Husq tractor) and even gave some PDF files with dimensions to make steel plates to weld/bolt up.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: ChrisJH


I plan on stiffening up the frame myself once its out of warranty. Someone on MyTractorForum did the same to their Craftsman (a copy of the Husq tractor) and even gave some PDF files with dimensions to make steel plates to weld/bolt up.


Long time MTF member here too. I used to be on there a lot. I hear you on the stiffening up thing, but IMO, these machines need some flex to them. Making one area not flex some, will cause the next weakest link to break.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: SHOZ
I would consider $300 a year a good figure for mower cost. Either with initial purchase or repairs after the initial purchase price is figured out. This is with a rider and more than a postage stamp sized lawn, +50 hrs a year.


IME that is quite high. My last Craftsman was a 42 inch 16 HP that cost 900 bucks used and ran for 10 years with very little cost at all. I spent a total of 400 bucks on everything it ever needed.

My new mower now has 65 hours on it and will go a LONG way for us. Then we sell it and move on. Not very costly and works well for us with a few acres...

 

[HM12460]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
I would consider $300 a year a good figure for mower cost. Either with initial purchase or repairs after the initial purchase price is figured out. This is with a rider and more than a postage stamp sized lawn, +50 hrs a year.


IME that is quite high. My last Craftsman was a 42 inch 16 HP that cost 900 bucks used and ran for 10 years with very little cost at all. I spent a total of 400 bucks on everything it ever needed.

My new mower now has 65 hours on it and will go a LONG way for us. Then we sell it and move on. Not very costly and works well for us with a few acres...





I'm gonna have to agree. I buy/sell a lot of outdoor power equipment as a hobby and have found the older model Deere/Cub Cadet/Wheel Horse to be the best "bang for the buck" out there. I paid $300 for my old Wheel Horse in 1989 and still have/use it. Never any repairs, just regular maintenance. Although, I may spring for for new tires this spring, if it ever gets here.

 

[cronk]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: cronk
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Yep, we did look at them. I love a nice deere as much as the lawn guys do, but at TRIPLE the price there was no ROI for a homeowner.

The Craftsman I have will likely last for ten years in my service with very minimal care.

I may not last that long...


You can get an X300 with 42" deck for $3000.
If thats triple the price of what you bought, I can't see a $1000 riding mower being anything that great or durable.


While you may imagine you know what I need you may also be incorrect.

I bought a 54 inch deck mower as I have a big lawn. I looked at Deere, no one said they don't make a fine product. But in actual lawn mowing they are no better than mine in any performance metric I use...


I never claimed to know what your mowing needs are. I tire of people comparing a $1200 Craftsman to a $7000 top of the line John Deere. If your yard is large, you could certainly compare to Deeres of the appropriate size. There are certainly other decent mowers other than Deere. My friend has an older JD LX172 with a Kawasaki engine. That medium duty mower was used to mow at an Agricultural museum, probably close to 5 acres of grass. My friend has mowed with it for 5 years since, mowing not only his yard but 2 other yards he is paid to mow. That unit has close to 3000 hours on it with only minor repairs. Ever seen a Craftsman with 3000 hours on it?
The point of all this is that the initial cost may be higher, but those of us that keep our machines long term will be better off buying a quality machine that will last 20 years than a box store mower that may last 6-10 years.

 

[cronk]

54" Craftsman $2869
54" JD X320 $4599

Craftsman 2 year warranty
JD X320 4 year warranty

The JD does cost considerably more, but the fact that they offer twice the warranty says alot about the confidence in their product.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: cronk
54" Craftsman $2869
54" JD X320 $4599

Craftsman 2 year warranty
JD X320 4 year warranty

The JD does cost considerably more, but the fact that they offer twice the warranty says alot about the confidence in their product.


I don't think that's considerably more, once you start talking that size and price range rider. Given those two, I'd go with the JD for sure.

 

[ChrisJH]

Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: cronk
54" Craftsman $2869
54" JD X320 $4599

Craftsman 2 year warranty
JD X320 4 year warranty

The JD does cost considerably more, but the fact that they offer twice the warranty says alot about the confidence in their product.


I don't think that's considerably more, once you start talking that size and price range rider. Given those two, I'd go with the JD for sure.


Im not sure which Craftsman was priced in this example, but when I was looking at my Husvarna ($2699) I needed to spend close to $5K to get a JD with the same heavier duty transaxle. The Husq has a 3 yr full warranty, 5 yr on chassis and lifetime on cutting deck, so its closer to the JD than the Craftsman, for less money.

You almost need to compare some of the higher end Craftsman and Husqvarna units to an X500 JD, and those get expensive QUICK.

 

[edhackett]

The Craftsman and other "big box" mowers, including the John Deere 100 series have a design life of 5-8 years. The JD X series, have a design life of 16-20 years.

Ed

 

[ChrisJH]

Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: ChrisJH


I plan on stiffening up the frame myself once its out of warranty. Someone on MyTractorForum did the same to their Craftsman (a copy of the Husq tractor) and even gave some PDF files with dimensions to make steel plates to weld/bolt up.


Long time MTF member here too. I used to be on there a lot. I hear you on the stiffening up thing, but IMO, these machines need some flex to them. Making one area not flex some, will cause the next weakest link to break.


Yeah, I agree with you on that. The only thing I dont like is that, if the left front wheel is lower than the right rear, I can feel the flex through the hydro pedals. Its not HORRIBLE (Ive heard of people seeing the hood lift on one side, mine isnt that bad), but its there.

Husq changed the frame design the year after mine (of course)....they added a bend on the lower portion of the rails....mine is just flat. The chassis is actually not that expensive, it would just take a very long time to swap everything. The plates would probably stiffen it more than the updated chassis, but as you said then where does it break.

I dont do any heavy work with mine, so Im not expecting a permanent flex situation....would just like to get rid of that annoying flex feeling through the pedals.