Shopping for new riding mower, John Deere?

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Fwiw I have a 2005 Cub Cadet SLT1554 I bought new. It now has over 550hrs on it. The head gasket blew on the engine recently. Other than that I have only had to repair some wiring to the fuse holder for the electric PTO that melted, plus a drive belt replacement.

It has had a hard life and it shows.

However I really wish I would have considered different options back then. I spent 2700 and I would have been better off buying a lightly used higher end tractor or spent a little more and got a nicer john deere.

The Cub has always felt cheap, It never instilled confidence in me, The hood latch broke at a very early point in the units life, the mounting for the hood latch seems to fail on all these. The steering never really felt "tight". It just feels like it can break at any moment.

My dad has an LA175 and it feels better than the cub. My mom has an x320 and it feels very well built compared to the LA series and the cub.

I cannot speak for never cub cadets but the older MTD ones are junky.
 
Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone

You may want to consider the Craftsman 42 inch Fast-Auto tractor with the stronger RS800SD auto/CVT transmission. They are good for hilly terrain if you don't mind the foot controls.

There is a also the fuel efficient 20 hp B&S V-twin model, both give up the high back seat and fender controls for a stronger trans and a better engine (on the LTD Edition model and loses the tight turn radius). I would go look them over before making a decision.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-42inch-turn-tight-174-briggs-stratton-platinum/p-07125581000P?
sid=I0084400010000100600&aff=Y&PID=4195712&AID=11569691&utm_medium=2306911_4195712_11569691

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-42inch-20-hp-briggs-stratton-platinum-v/p-07127398000P?
plpSellerId=Sears&prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2


The fast auto with the CVT seems like a good value but after some research, it seems that CVT transmissions are prone to fairly early failure also. Owners report very mixed reviews and say that they tend to blow gaskets and leak grease, especially if used on hills.

The 90th anniversary model has better reviews but doesn't say which transaxle it has.....
 
Originally Posted By: AMC
Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
You may want to consider the Craftsman 42 inch Fast-Auto tractor with the stronger RS800SD auto/CVT transmission. They are good for hilly terrain if you don't mind the foot controls.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-42inch-turn-tight-174-briggs-stratton-platinum/p-07125581000P?
sid=I0084400010000100600&aff=Y&PID=4195712&AID=11569691&utm_medium=2306911_4195712_11569691

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-42inch-20-hp-briggs-stratton-platinum-v/p-07127398000P?
plpSellerId=Sears&prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

The fast auto with the CVT seems like a good value but after some research, it seems that CVT transmissions are prone to fairly early failure also. Owners report very mixed reviews and say that they tend to blow gaskets and leak grease, especially if used on hills.

The 90th anniversary model has better reviews but doesn't say which transaxle it has.....

The anniversary model has the same RS800SD auto/CVT trans but speed limited to 5.5 mph. Too bad they don't put the V-twin in the fast-auto 42 inch.

Note: When reading those reviews make sure its clear exactly which trans they are taking about. There are several popular models and sometimes the reviews are outdated and/or lumped together, You may think they are referring the trans in the tractor you're consider but in fact they may be bad mouthing an older machine with a different trans.

Heres an article on the Craftsman CVT:

http://todaysmower.com/cvt-automatic/

However, if ultimate durability is a priority then you can got wrong with the 6 speed.
 
I have a family member who has a new Craftsman, bought it because the previous one was good but very old and not worth fixing. The new one has been worked on 5 or 6 times in a year and a half.

Plus when Sears goes down the tubes, you might have issues getting parts.
 
Originally Posted By: DuckRyder
Plus when Sears goes down the tubes, you might have issues getting parts.


The Craftsman brand has been sold to Stanley Black & Decker and the tractors referenced above are built by AYP/Husqvarna, parts and service going forward is not an issue.
 
Here is a review I posted recently on another forum comparing my brand new D160 to a 5 year old Cub Cadet LTX1050 that I use to mow my father's lawn. Personally I am very disappointed with the D160 because it transmits so much vibration through the steering wheel:

Quote:
John Deere D160 vs Cub Cadet LTX 1050

I just took delivery of a new John Deere D160 from a big box store today. Here is my general impression of it in comparison to the Cub Cadet LTX 1050 that I use to mow the lawn at my parents house. The Deere has a 48" deck and a 25 hp Briggs & Stratton v-twin vs a 50" deck and 22 hp Kohler Courage in the Cub. The D160 has a k46 TuffTorq transmission with an open differential; I am not sure what transmission is in the LTX 1050 but it too has an open diff. Here are my general impressions having mowed both my parents lawn in a Cub Cadet with 56 hours and my own lawn in my brand 0.0 hour D160:

Cut Quality: I was expecting the Deere to cut much better considering the blades were brand new and the deck was cleaner and slightly smaller. I couldn't notice any difference except that my impression is that the Cub disperses clipping further away in side discharge mode.

Seating Position: You sit significantly higher in the Deere. Consumer reports says the Deere is more stable, and it might be since the track on the rear wheels is wider. The seat in the D160 is definitely more comfortable than the one in the Cub.

Engine noise: The Deere is slightly quieter than the Cub. Also one of the resaons I bought a D160 rather than new Cub Cadet XT2 is that Kohler v-twin in the old Cub developed a slow oil leak around the cylinder heads very close to the exhaust. I consider that a real disappointment in and engine with only 50 hours on it. Of course the new Cub Cadet XT2 has a "new" Kohler 7000 v-twin vs the cheaper and older Kohler Courage in the LTX 1050 but I didn't want to risk having an oil leak happen again so I looked for a tractor with a Kawasaki or Briggs v-twin instead. Both engines start effortlessly and run without hesitation.

Steering: Both have fairly tight turning circles. The D160 transmits more engine vibration through the steering wheel. I think the Cub may have a slightly smaller turning circle and may require a tad less steering effort, but I am not sure about this.


Mowing in Reverse: Both mowers have an electric PTO and can mow in reverse but the setup in the Cub is much easier to use. With the Cub you merely turn the key counterclockwise by one detente and push a button that allows you to mow in reverse the whole time the engine is running. In the D160 you have to push the RIO button each and every time you choose to mow in reverse. As soon as you go forward again or lift of the accelerator you will required to depress the RIO button again if you choose to mow in reverse at some later time.

I wish I had a new XT2 to compare with my Deere to make the comparison more fair, but I am surprised at how well the older Cub in my parents house holds up in comparison with the Deere. At some point I plan to replace the front wheel bushings in the Deere with JD bearing found in the D170 and X300 lawn tractors.

That's all folks!

http://www.mytractorforum.com/45-backyar...ltx-1050-a.html

The D140 is very similar to the D160 with the exception of the wheels. One other thing I neglected to mention is that the battery tie-down on the D160 is a zip tie vs a higher quality steel tie down on the Cub. The cub also has a larger fuel tank.
 
Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
Originally Posted By: DuckRyder
Plus when Sears goes down the tubes, you might have issues getting parts.


The Craftsman brand has been sold to Stanley Black & Decker and the tractors referenced above are built by AYP/Husqvarna, parts and service going forward is not an issue.



They have to maintain parta availability for so many years anyways. I wouldn't be buying any extended warranties however.
 
Well to throw another mower into the competition, Sears has this "Pro" series 46" mower on sale for memorial day. It has the biggest strongest frame, biggest most powerful engine, biggest and best deck, the tightest turning radius, as well as the best steering and front end. It also comes with other goodies like a bumper bar, comfortable seat, rubber steering wheel and Bluetooth. It is very similar to the Cub Cadet XT1 LT 46 but has a better engine and front end. It is $1869 with free delivery and comes highly recommended by the guy over at today's mower. Sure it is a little more expensive than the others but it seems like a good value. With the extra power, it would probably work a little better with a snow plow for the winter, if I decided to go that route later. It has the k46 transaxle but I am not AS worried about that now. I watched a few youtube vids on swapping it out and is it pretty easy.

As far as Sears going under, I am not too worried about it. I don't think they are going to go out in the time that the factory warranty lasts. After that, cub cadet, husky or generic parts should fit and should the need arise, there are plenty of small engine repair shops in my area that work on any brand mower.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-pro-serie...ll=hp_row1_lag#


First world problems, they are a dousey!
 
Go used. Seriously.


I needed to replace my 15 year old John Deere LT155. The deck was rusty, and the K51 transaxle (similar to the K46) was groaning, despite 2 synthetic oil changes during its 650 hour life.

I was determined that my next tractor would have a beefier, easier to change transaxle. Dropping that K51 was a PITA. Troll around on Tractordata.com and you'll see what level machine you have to go with to find that. It's not easy nor cheap.

I ended up buying a used JD X540. It's a 2009 with 446 hours. Yes, it's used. However, if you crawl around one of these machines, you'll see that theres NOTHING in common with the machines parked in front of the Home Depot.

X540.jpg


For $2,900 (before you choke, keep reading), I got:

26hp Kawasaki LIQUID COOLED V-twin
48" deck
K72A transaxle (with drain plugs, visible reservoir and easily replaceable filter)
Pedal-actuated locking differential
Hydraulic-lift deck
power steering
An honest-to-God fuel gauge on the dash
Brush guard

721 pounds of tractor. Original MSRP of $ 7,600!!!!

I spent a weekend cleaning, polishing and replacing a few minor parts, and I couldn't be happier.

On my first mowing I was grinning like an idiot the whole time.

My 2 cents.
 
I have a Deere GT235 garden tractor. Really, just a really tough riding mower. It's absolutely incredible! Kawasaki Vtwin 18HP. Runs, cuts and mulches everything in it's path. Including tree trimmings. Turns really tight to the left, so I can go around trees with ease.

Go to the Deere dealer and purchase a quality unit. You will enjoy using a quality piece of equipment.

As mentioned above, Deere parts are easily available. Both online and locally.
 
Last edited:
gd9704, Nice snag. The x540's are going for 3,500 to 4,500 dollars in my neck of the woods. You might consider replacing it.....in about 25 years!
thumbsup2.gif
 
I would not worry about Craftsman parts, like stated earlier they are AYP built. I go to a Husky dealer to grab blades and belts.

I am envious of that X500 series! Those are some nice units!
 
I guess I'm not sure why I keep seeing the "American Yard Products" AKA, AYP name tossed around. AYP hasn't been a thing in many years. They were spun off to Electrolux years back and most currently to the Husqvarna group. Same production facility(s), different names/owners.
 
Originally Posted By: Lubener
Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
Originally Posted By: DuckRyder
Plus when Sears goes down the tubes, you might have issues getting parts.

The Craftsman brand has been sold to Stanley Black & Decker and the tractors referenced above are built by AYP/Husqvarna, parts and service going forward is not an issue.


They have to maintain parta availability for so many years anyways. I wouldn't be buying any extended warranties however.

The Craftsman tractors mentioned share the same platforms with Husqvarna and Poulan Pro models therefore many parts are interchangeable, especially typical wear items.

I wouldn't worry much about extended warranties either, I imagine they would be honored by Craftsman.
 
Originally Posted By: JTK
I guess I'm not sure why I keep seeing the "American Yard Products" AKA, AYP name tossed around. AYP hasn't been a thing in many years. They were spun off to Electrolux years back and most currently to the Husqvarna group. Same production facility(s), different names/owners.

Sorry about that. Just an easy, but outdated way to distinguish from the MTD built models.
 
Originally Posted By: Throckmorton
In the D160 you have to push the RIO button each and every time you choose to mow in reverse. As soon as you go forward again or lift of the accelerator you will required to depress the RIO button again if you choose to mow in reverse at some later time.


Ugh, that would be a deal killer for me right there. Constantly mucking around with a RIO button.
eek.gif
 
Originally Posted By: AMC
Well to throw another mower into the competition, Sears has this "Pro" series 46" mower on sale for memorial day. It has the biggest strongest frame, biggest most powerful engine, biggest and best deck, the tightest turning radius, as well as the best steering and front end.. It is very similar to the Cub Cadet XT1 LT 46 but has a better engine and front end. It is $1869 with free deliverythe winter, if I decided to go that route later. It has the k46 transaxle but I am not AS worried about that now.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-pro-serie...ll=hp_row1_lag#

Yes, it is a Cub Cadet platform, thats why its not the right choice for your hilly terrain. Oversize engine/mower deck with an undersized hydro K46 trans. Also, the deck doesn't work well on rough uneven terrain, mows best on nice flat laws.

If going big step up to a real Pro Series tractor like the Craftsman 50" 26 HP:

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-pro-serie...pe=G8#Imagezoom

However, both are probably overkill for your lawn size.

Should be some sales coming up for Memorial day. Also, check out the local Sears Outlet if you have one nearby.
 
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