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Lawn Tractor? Cub Cadet, John Deere, Craftsman or Husqvarna

AGENT J

"If you ain't first, you're last"
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So im in the market for a new tractor, a real garden tractor not a zero turn one.

Growing up we always had a Cadet, the last one lasted about 20 years and for the first 14years of its life it was abused/ Oil barely changed in it, grease points never greased, outside kept with just a tarp over it.

But that thing just kept on ticking, finally the deck started to rust and the mice eat at the electrical one to many times for me to care.

at the same times growing up and until now, one neighbor also had Cadets and the other craftsman. The craftsman lasted just as well and i used it at times myself, his were maybe 2 years off or so.

My brother has had a Deere for about 12 years(he won it), i used it and its very nice.

I have NO experience with Husqvarna except for a guy at work that swears by them but these are the also the top tractors on consumer reports.


any advice, what do people have here?



its hard to not get another cadet after having one so long but craftsmans i could get a little cheaper and it seems to be nearly as good.
Not really looking to spend more than 1800 on the initial tractor.

models im looking at

Cadet LTX1040
Cadet LTX1045
Deere 120
Deere 130
Craftsman 28852
Craftsman 28856
Husqvarna yth23v42
Husqvarna yth23v48

All hydro statics and Kohler or Briggs & Stratton engines

reading on line it says craftsmans are made by husqvarna
 
You clearly are not a redneck. John Deere is the only redneck approved lawn mower.
 
You clearly are not a redneck. John Deere is the only redneck approved lawn mower.

well "stereo-typically" i guess not lol

but the one neighbor that had the cadet, id say he was a SERIOUS contender for "redneck" but maybe since we are so far north it was true redneck
 
So im in the market for a new tractor, a real garden tractor not a zero turn one.

Growing up we always had a Cadet, the last one lasted about 20 years and for the first 14years of its life it was abused/ Oil barely changed in it, grease points never greased, outside kept with just a tarp over it.

But that thing just kept on ticking, finally the deck started to rust and the mice eat at the electrical one to many times for me to care.

at the same times growing up and until now, one neighbor also had Cadets and the other craftsman. The craftsman lasted just as well and i used it at times myself, his were maybe 2 years off or so.

My brother has had a Deere for about 12 years(he won it), i used it and its very nice.

I have NO experience with Husqvarna except for a guy at work that swears by them but these are the also the top tractors on consumer reports.


any advice, what do people have here?



its hard to not get another cadet after having one so long but craftsmans i could get a little cheaper and it seems to be nearly as good.
Not really looking to spend more than 1800 on the initial tractor.

models im looking at

Cadet LTX1040
Cadet LTX1045
Deere 120
Deere 130
Craftsman 28852
Craftsman 28856
Husqvarna yth23v42
Husqvarna yth23v48

All hydro statics and Kohler or Briggs & Stratton engines

reading on line it says craftsmans are made by husqvarna

Isn't this why people have kids?
 
lol
yes but i still want a good tractor

If you are shelling out for the brand you need to go to an actual dealer and not a place like Lowe's that sells the brand. From what I have been told, places like Lowe's carry mowers that were manufactured by third parties under license and not the real deal manufacturer. In other words, the Lowe's John Deere were not made by John Deere but by whoever makes their other mowers.

I have a Troy-Bilt. When I bought it, I narrowed it down to the Craftsman and the Troy-Bilt. They were literally the exact same mower except for the paint job and name on it, except the Sears Sales price was still a few hundred more than the Troy-bilt regular price. I compared everything about them I could see--same parts, same design, same molding/trim--exact same mower.

I have never known anybody to have mower warranty service through Sears, but everyone I know who has had other product warranty service through Sears had nightmarish experiences.

Either way, you need to spend the extra $15 and get the deck wash nozzle--it will keep your deck from rusting out from underneath to wash it out as soon as you finish mowing. Decks have gotten increasingly crappy thin no matter what brand you buy these days.
 
1.)If you are shelling out for the brand you need to go to an actual dealer and not a place like Lowe's that sells the brand. From what I have been told, places like Lowe's carry mowers that were manufactured by third parties under license and not the real deal manufacturer. In other words, the Lowe's John Deere were not made by John Deere but by whoever makes their other mowers.

2.) have a Troy-Bilt. When I bought it, I narrowed it down to the Craftsman and the Troy-Bilt. They were literally the exact same mower except for the paint job and name on it, except the Sears Sales price was still a few hundred more than the Troy-bilt regular price. I compared everything about them I could see--same parts, same design, same molding/trim--exact same mower.

I have never known anybody to have mower warranty service through Sears, but everyone I know who has had other product warranty service through Sears had nightmarish experiences.

3.)Either way, you need to spend the extra $15 and get the deck wash nozzle--it will keep your deck from rusting out from underneath to wash it out as soon as you finish mowing. Decks have gotten increasingly crappy thin no matter what brand you buy these days.

1.) yeah i heard this too, stories about tractors failing and then when taken to a dealer they were found to be assembled wrong or not lubed/greased where needed etc

2.) i love troy bilt mowers but i only used one tractor that was troy bilt and it broke alot BUT it was used at the softball fields and it probably wasnt rated for that much use but that experience make me gun shy of them.

3.) all the models im looking at have a wash system built in :)


thanks

i actually meant to say 1042 and 1045 for the cubs
 
1.) yeah i heard this too, stories about tractors failing and then when taken to a dealer they were found to be assembled wrong or not lubed/greased where needed etc

2.) i love troy bilt mowers but i only used one tractor that was troy bilt and it broke alot BUT it was used at the softball fields and it probably wasnt rated for that much use but that experience make me gun shy of them.

3.) all the models im looking at have a wash system built in :)


thanks

i actually meant to say 1042 and 1045 for the cubs

I am on my 3rd troy-bilt mower. The first died in a fire that had nothing to do with the mower--I loaned it to someone who was fueling it while smoking and set it on fire when their ash fell into the fuel stream--they dropped the gas can onto the fire and then tried to use water to put it out and the whole thing melted before the FD could get there (yes a royal dumbass); the second one which I got used, I still have but the deck rusted out around the spindles and I could never find a replacement deck for a price making it worth replacing so I use it basically just to pull a wagon around or drag stuff like tree limbs. The main problem I had with it was once the original springs for the pulleys under the deck rusted and broke, none of the replacement springs I ordered ever really worked right and had a tendency to break or pop off. The springs were cheap to replace but the shipping and handling was a little insane----like $12 SH on $3 worth of springs that came in a padded envelope. The current one I have is doing alright so far and is a different design than the second one which should address the rust issue via the deck wash and that the deck is open above the spindles so water & dirt don't accumulate there.

I am the way you are about Troy Bilt's with John Deere. We had one when I was in my teen's and it had constant issues with running rough that we were always having to tinker with the fuel system and I did yard work for a man who had one and he had the same issue with the engine and the bagging system was too good--it took forever to mow that small yard as I was constantly having to empty bags and unclog the chute that would get packed like concrete once the bags topped off. I hate bagging mowers anyways.
 
My old man's preference was always the Cub Cadet.
 
You clearly are not a redneck. John Deere is the only redneck approved lawn mower.
A goat is the only truly approved red neck lawn mower. Horses aren't bad. Cattle are okay. Sheep will eat the grass and the roots, which will cause a range war or lamb chops.
 
So im in the market for a new tractor, a real garden tractor not a zero turn one.

Growing up we always had a Cadet, the last one lasted about 20 years and for the first 14years of its life it was abused/ Oil barely changed in it, grease points never greased, outside kept with just a tarp over it.

But that thing just kept on ticking, finally the deck started to rust and the mice eat at the electrical one to many times for me to care.

at the same times growing up and until now, one neighbor also had Cadets and the other craftsman. The craftsman lasted just as well and i used it at times myself, his were maybe 2 years off or so.

My brother has had a Deere for about 12 years(he won it), i used it and its very nice.

I have NO experience with Husqvarna except for a guy at work that swears by them but these are the also the top tractors on consumer reports.


any advice, what do people have here?



its hard to not get another cadet after having one so long but craftsmans i could get a little cheaper and it seems to be nearly as good.
Not really looking to spend more than 1800 on the initial tractor.

models im looking at

Cadet LTX1040
Cadet LTX1045
Deere 120
Deere 130
Craftsman 28852
Craftsman 28856
Husqvarna yth23v42
Husqvarna yth23v48

All hydro statics and Kohler or Briggs & Stratton engines

reading on line it says craftsmans are made by husqvarna

I got the Craftsman 24 hp and on this my third season with it I couldn't be happier. I have had no problems with it at all and I mow close to two acres of pretty rough ground with it not to mention a mile or so of old skid trails on my land that I mow for after dinner strolls. I haven't even changed the belt yet.
 
So im in the market for a new tractor, a real garden tractor not a zero turn one.

Growing up we always had a Cadet, the last one lasted about 20 years and for the first 14years of its life it was abused/ Oil barely changed in it, grease points never greased, outside kept with just a tarp over it.

But that thing just kept on ticking, finally the deck started to rust and the mice eat at the electrical one to many times for me to care.

at the same times growing up and until now, one neighbor also had Cadets and the other craftsman. The craftsman lasted just as well and i used it at times myself, his were maybe 2 years off or so.

My brother has had a Deere for about 12 years(he won it), i used it and its very nice.

I have NO experience with Husqvarna except for a guy at work that swears by them but these are the also the top tractors on consumer reports.


any advice, what do people have here?



its hard to not get another cadet after having one so long but craftsmans i could get a little cheaper and it seems to be nearly as good.
Not really looking to spend more than 1800 on the initial tractor.

models im looking at

Cadet LTX1040
Cadet LTX1045
Deere 120
Deere 130
Craftsman 28852
Craftsman 28856
Husqvarna yth23v42
Husqvarna yth23v48

All hydro statics and Kohler or Briggs & Stratton engines

reading on line it says craftsmans are made by husqvarna

My dad (who takes his mowers WAY too seriously) just bought a new cadet. He says that B&S engines are crap but anything with a Kohler should be good to go.
 
If I was buying one today, the thing I would look at is ease of removing and replacing the deck.
 
If I was buying one today, the thing I would look at is ease of removing and replacing the deck.

I agree that and deck washing is important to me along with 4 scalp wheels.
The cadets have something called "quick release" decks.

the cadet i have does not have this so i have to look into it and the others.
 
My dad (who takes his mowers WAY too seriously) just bought a new cadet. He says that B&S engines are crap but anything with a Kohler should be good to go.

I agree with this.

I was in commercial mowing so have a fair bit of experience with manufacturers. Kohler and Kabota are my preferred engine manufacturers while B&S are on my black list. I bought a top of the line B&S commercial grade engine that had a 5 year warranty and was quite expensive. After only about 6 months of use it starting to burn a lot of oil so I took it in for repair under warranty, 3 months later they sent it back saying they could find no issues with it. I took it back in an reexplained the problem, a couple months later they called me and said that they would not cover it under warranty because the oil was low (it wasn't I double checked it on their lot before handing it over). I explained again to them that was part of the issue that it was burning copious amounts of oil and that if they had run it for very long then of course the oil would be low. I refused their denial and told them they had better make good or I would take them to court. They already had my engine tied up for several months now beyond what I felt was acceptable. Eventually they agreed to send me a new engine and shipped one out. The new engine started to smoke after only 2 months (same issue) so I sold it for next to nothing to a buyer that was aware of its troubled history.

Kohler and Kabota engines would typically last me thousands of hours without an issue. Many times the rest of the mower would fall apart and the engine would still be going strong. I cannot recommend their higher end models enough.
 
I agree with this.

I was in commercial mowing so have a fair bit of experience with manufacturers. Kohler and Kabota are my preferred engine manufacturers while B&S are on my black list. I bought a top of the line B&S commercial grade engine that had a 5 year warranty and was quite expensive. After only about 6 months of use it starting to burn a lot of oil so I took it in for repair under warranty, 3 months later they sent it back saying they could find no issues with it. I took it back in an reexplained the problem, a couple months later they called me and said that they would not cover it under warranty because the oil was low (it wasn't I double checked it on their lot before handing it over). I explained again to them that was part of the issue that it was burning copious amounts of oil and that if they had run it for very long then of course the oil would be low. I refused their denial and told them they had better make good or I would take them to court. They already had my engine tied up for several months now beyond what I felt was acceptable. Eventually they agreed to send me a new engine and shipped one out. The new engine started to smoke after only 2 months (same issue) so I sold it for next to nothing to a buyer that was aware of its troubled history.

Kohler and Kabota engines would typically last me thousands of hours without an issue. Many times the rest of the mower would fall apart and the engine would still be going strong. I cannot recommend their higher end models enough.

I have had lots of success with B&S engines on lawn mowers but never had one that i know of on a tractor. The cubs i had all had kohlers, I think Cubs only use kohlers and Kawasaki.

Deeres use only B&S I "think"

i know craftsman uses both, not sure about the ones i was looking at though and husgvarna uses all three Kohlers, B&S and Kawasaki. Again though not sure about the models i was looking out.

thanks for the info, ill have to check it out since ive had lots of success with the small engines
 
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