Riding Lawn Tractor Help..My JD is junk

[tomxc700]

If all you do is cut grass with the mower than get yourself a zero turn, you will love it. Your cut time will be cut in half or more. I love mine what use to take 3 hours now takes just over 1 hour.

 

[redrev]

john deere 318 find a nice used one...one of the best ever built.

 

[snot]

I echo the JD post. You need to buy the green at the green stores only. And by the way, expect to pay a little green for it. I just replaced my 14 year old 262 lawn tractor this year with an X500. Absolutely no problems. It still had the original belts. Yearly oil change and grease, and your good to go for years.

 

[chevyman]

Have a 94 LX 176 14 hp Its been a great mower never any problems. I would still take it over any new L series john deere. Dont by a L series, it sounds like you did. Went cheap you get what you pay for. I can see why you had problems. Also mow with a 425. thats a solid mower. 1300 hours and still going strong.

 

[polarisrider1]

buy green and you will see red.

 

[famousguy]

Ok, well when I bought it I did not try to go cheap at all. I did not think I was being cheap. It is a John Deere that I bought from a well known John Deere dealer. It is a piece of junk.
I had no idea that John Deere makes some junk and some not. If that is the case, then that is a very foolish move on thier part, because they do not get a second chance with me.

Glad that many of you have good experience with the green, but I have had enough green.

I am leaning towards the Kubota.

 

[zx6r1996]

I am a big fan of Simplicity equipment. I have two of their tractors (one at my house, one at my shop), no problems with either of them.

 

[maj16]

I have a 2001 JD GT 235, have used and abused the thing. Drag, sweep, mow, haul dirt, leaves, kids, wood. It's done everything, starts and runs great, and does a nice mowing job. I live and bleed green, wouldn't own anything else. I bought it used 3 years ago, haven't put a dime into it as of yet. That being said, you must get a "Garden Tractor" or bigger. No lightwieght Home Depot or Lowe's bought junk. Even the Cub Cadet's and Toro's sold at those places are manufactured by MTD. IMO....

 

[todds]

I think you'll be happy with a Kubota. Sorry, can't help with model numbers as it's been a few years since I moved, but I had friends in Indiana that were very happy with their Kubota.

 

[elf]

I've got a 1998 JD LX188. It's the 18 horse kawasaki liquid twin. Awesome mower, mowed over 2 acres with it for 8 years, 48" deck, 42" blower. Had a camshaft gear after 4 years but they fixed it for free. Engine originally had a plastic gear on the camshaft, replaced with a steel forged gear.

 

[lotoftoys]

I have a 2350 Kubota with 60" deck and loader. Great little machine though when mowing hard on a hot day it tends to get warm so I back the RPM down to 3500 and no problem. Will try some different thermostats next year etc.Also have 2001 Deere 425 that is a trouble free machine. Had some great Simplicity machines also. If you are mowing an acre go for the garden tractor twin cylinder quality. If you have the money and want it to last for ever go diesel.

 

[famousguy]

Thanks lotoftoys

I am thinking of going with either a B or BX. Both are diesel.

They are a lot of money, but I am hoping for something that lasts.

 

[lofsfire]

famousguy~ obviously there are a few JD fans on the site. And from my experiences with my friends and father-in-laws JD I would have to agree. I have a Craftsman that has had lots of little problem. And during one of the little problems that I could not figure out I had a Sears home repair guy out to the house, he told me the same thing as above that some of the JD tractors are made by the same company that makes most of the other tractors. JD just does a better job at covering there tracks. You have to buy their attachments b/c the bolt patterns will not line up, stuff like that. want to confirm it go look at the Craftsman 48" deck 3-bin bagger and then look at the Husqvarna 48" deck 3-bin bagger. the only difference is about $40. Want mor prof really look at the frames and you will see the difference and similarity.

Sorry of rambling my point was the smaller size tractors are not built like the commercial grade one. And I would agree with you thought that you bought it for a dealer and paid for that but have not gotten good service out of the unit so its time to move on!

As far a Kubota I have one friend that has and 197? some that is diesel and he loves it. It has 4 wheel drive attachments off a pto, and all the bells and whiles for the 1970's.

I also have a friend the ha a lawncare business and he swears by Dixe Chopper.

Good luck with your decision!

PS my Craftsman is about 9 years old now and the problems seem to be gone now, at least for the past 6 year. All my problems were related to the mower deck belt. Which end up being changed out for a larger size due to "shrinkage". At least that what they said it was and now since Sears does everything by part number, I now have a special number for my belt to remember. Besides the belt/ deck problems my tractor runs great!

 

[toddspolaris]

buy red and save green, and what I mean by that is get away from the steering wheel and go buy yourself a TORO zero turn mower. Top rated timecutter z is an excellent mower with baggers available also, good pricing and awesome cut.You'll cut your mowing time in half leaving the nicest cut your money can find. End of story

 

[lenny]

Kubota is very nice. I bought a brand new zero turn 22 hp diesel 60" deck. Unit was complete hydro. I tell you the truth, you will never need to buy another mower as long as you live. I mowed 5.5 acres back in Illinois with it. I bought it on 07 for $13,300 and sold it 2 years later for with 122 hrs for $12,225. I cannot remember the model # but it was a commercial unit with very thick metal. Nothing cheep there. My buddy runs older Woods or Grasshopper and they are high quality machines. The mower I bought before that was a Jacobsen turfcat. It was 15 yrs old with 650 hrs and ran like a top, I paid $1900. If you don't want to spend the big bucks buy an older commercial unit that was been privately owned, kinda hard to find buy very possible

 

[sabercat]

I'd do what Brett Favre suggests, Snapper!

Bretts lawncare tips

 

[lenny]

I forgot to mention, A buddy of mine bought a "Saber" which is JD's cheap line. It's green and looks like a JD and is made by JD. I think JD wanted to expand their market and appeal to the masses and compromised the quality. I think their older stuff is good. I have a 5 yr old simplicity and it is a pile but it is also cheap line of simplicity like you get at Menard'<font color="ff0000">&#149;</font><font color="ff0000">&#149;</font><font color="ff0000">&#149;</font><font color="ff0000">&#149;</font><font color="ff0000">&#149;</font> has a great Onnen* motor but the rest of the unit is kinda fragile imho

 

[snowlover]

Go with a good zero turn mower and you will never look back. I have an Exmark Lazer Z with a 60" deck and I use the crap out of it. It has @2000 hours and just replaced the muffler, seat and 1 head gasket. Motor is a 25hp Kohler with NO problems. I mow lawns for a living...

I would also look at Hustler, JD comercial or Toro for a quality zero turn. My mom has a New Holland/Toro zero turn and it is not commercial and she mows 3 acres and has had no issues with hers. 3 of her neighbors have JD zero turns, 1 is commercial and 2 are 1 step down(not big box store models) and love them.

I do not know a lot about Kubota but what I have seen they are top notch. Simplicity is another great mower, best cut out there!

I would go zero turn and you will be happy.

 

[asmski]

Skag or Dixie Chopper are my recommendations

 

[yamahauler]

holy crap 13K for a mower at your house. I didn't know they got that expensive except for a golf course.