I owned a landscaping business after I retired from the army, and had 3 of those Craftsman Zero Cut Mowers, and except for cracked decks, never had any major problems with them. As my business expanded, I eventually bought John Deere mowers and, and sold the Craftsmans for reasonable amounts. Thanks Joe! Allan in Columbia, SC PS., I actually invented a method to prevent cracked mowing decks, presented it to Sears/Craftsman years ago, and they turned down my invention. No problem though,as a few years later Craftsman tanked, and I sold my invention to Murray Outdoor Equipment!
Close the handles. They should be right next to each other. You can steer with one hand. There is also a way to set it up for cutting in reverse so it doesn't shut down. That mower is made by Cub Cadet. I have that exact mower. But yellow and black. Also you can adjust the hydraulics to turn sharper. But the main reason it's looking awkward is the handles are part way open.
Bro if you hold them drive control handles closer together (pull them inward so the tips are almost touching) it will be so much easier to control. Retired Landscaper of over 20yrs. Great Video!!
Great buy! I'm not wishing for bad luck, but I was hoping there would be s-o-m-e-t-h-i-n-g broken so I could see your approach to fixing. Its always fascinating how you bring stuff back to life!
When you bag you usually install high lift blades that lift the grass and create more air flow for pushing the cut grass and leaves into the bags. Those blades with the tall bent lip are high lift blades
Little piece of advice, cut around your trees and fence posts first. That way all you have to deal with is open ground with no real maneuvering. Learn the property real good so you can avoid any rocks or stumps that may wreck your blades or shafts. Zero turn mowers can make short work of bigger properties but they do take a minute to get used to. Thanks again for your time today and enjoy the rest of your week.
Not a bad buy but I’d personally resell it and get a true commercial unit for the amount of property you have to maintain.. Hustler, Skag, wright, toro’s commercial line, x mark just to name a few and they will have a fabricated deck not stamped and ground speed will be way higher as well as blade tip speed. ! As others have mentioned pull the bars completely closed also.
Nice machine and great find! You'll find it easier to steer if you hold those handles to their innermost position it will keep you from getting too squirrely on it
Wow man, that is really short for Wisconsin climate. Longer grass is better for lawn health till it gets over 60F consistently. I am from Racine. I lived close to the lighthouse near Johnson's Wax home with observatory. I have no idea if it is still there on Lighthouse road, right on the lakefront. It has been a while since I have been back. I miss it there. Great Score!!!
I would look up on the internet for that year of Kohler motor because at some point they started putting plastic camshafts in their engines and they were exploding , still a great deal on the lawn mower My 60 inch Bad Boy cost $7,000
They are the only way to go for mowing!!! My Husqvarna with 24 h.p. cuts about 2 acres, the rest of the 5 is all Kubota with brush hog, it does best, bit rougher.
Zero turns are the greatest lawnmower invention ever But if you have a very steep side Hill... They don't like to do the hillside ways you have to go up and down and sometimes that's still sketchy
Not a bad deal! My only suggestion is don't engage the PTO at full throttle. Do about 1/2 throttle, engage the blades, then throttle up. At full throttle there's a lot of belt slip and you'll wear the belt out faster.
I bought a Hustler Raptor back in 2017 with a Kawasaki engine on it, I liked it so much that I bought a bigger 60" model SDX with the Kawasaki engine not bad machines but they have items that break on rough ground eventually that's the only draw back other than they are back killers from bouncing around on rough ground too much, Me and my wife both have some purple pillows brand name pads that really helps out, They are fun to mow with enjoy.
Upgrade the oils to Amsoil. They have a special Small Engine Oil. They also have a Hydrostatic Oil. Both are worth the extra $$$$. Wix 57148 Harley Davidson is a 5 micron filter. The above combination has been flawless. Nice buy. Don't cut the grass that short. Grass is being stressed. It's going to burn out. Dont use hi-lift blades unless u using a bagger: they consume a bunch of power and create a bunch of noise.
Looks pretty dry where your at. The recommendation for grass cutting height is 3". While you have the mower in the garage, just measure the blade height from the floor to the cutting edge of the blade, lifting the grass deflector, figure what setting on the height lever is 3".
Every week it's something new. You're consistency is nuts! It's only a matter of time before I come check your page and see you and Vinny rebuilding the carb to a small airplane lol.
Yes mow with the handles pulled right in next to each other but do not wash the green grass off as water will get in the bearings and ruin them just scrape the wet grass off and allow to dry
You mention hills. I had a new craftsman riding I got for my new property. It couldn’t handle the hills. The hydro trans went out 3 times. Luckily covered under warranty. After the 3rd time I parked it and sold it before it could break again. Hopefully your zero turn doesn’t have the same issues.
U should buy a 20x30 foot plus portable storage building for by your house, they are water tight they get delivered to you for around 10k depending on the exact size
I use a zero turn at work all day they are amazing for sure and I mow way steeper inclines than what your doing they do go pretty sideways on a hill that I can say😊
When we where using Ferris mowers,we always greased the cutter drive pulleys,every week. Might be worth having a look. Be careful near peopl, the house,the blades can shoot things out like bullets.
I'v had a toro Z5000 since 2006 only issue was the Kohler Courage engine it had muffler would keep falling off and the Single Cylinder courage engines are the worst motors ever made in my opinion I changed mine to a Kohler Command 23 I got for $50 that was on a John Deere L130 the twin cylinders are just ok I highly recommend the Command series Kohler engines all my mowers/equipment have a kohler command or honda engines I'v been working on mowers for 8 years last year I bought a Great Dane Chariot 61" zero turn with no engine and wire harness but I put an engine on it and rewired it and it's been the best mower i'v ever had only paid $300 for it and over time I think i'v put almost $1000 into it I got a good deal for sure
Scag Commercial Mowers Joe, are built tough for rugged terrain such as yours and Bad Boy is another name I've researched on RUclips. if you ever get either one later on in life.
You can see from the overspray on the decals on the deck, most of the machine has been repainted, that's why you think it looks so good. Plastics have had armorall or ATF rubbed on them. It's probably been well used.
You got a great deal on that. Kohler is a good motor. Did you mention what size deck that was. Something to think about mowing on hills, preferably left to right, most stable. If you try to nose up a hill, that's the most dangerous of approach. They become nose lite, as most of weight is shifted to rear tires. By design the mower deck is very heavy therefore it becomes the forward counter balance. Then that helps balance the mower from becoming a wheelie unit. The driver is seated back from center toward motor. Even if your angle on the trailer ramps, could potentially dump you. Be careful, I know this stuff worked at a dealership that sold Bad Boy mowers. Still cool
Wow zero turn is a whole lot faster than belly mowers. Hope this is fast enough for all that cutting .! With all that stuff you could have a dealership?
Nothing better than a zero turn for mowing a decent sized yard…you will not want to mow with the other rider again. Play with the air pressure to get the most comfortable ride and best traction.
that is going to save you a ton of time, the Krohler engine is good but they have a counter balance system that comes apart if the oil is not changed often .
Joe, your videos are well done and entertaining - I've even toyed with the idea of buying a used 250 dirt bike and fixing it up, but I can't find the deals like you within a large radius and I live near Seattle. Not to get too personal, but a few questions: 1) what is your career such that you can afford to buy and work on these vehicles?, 2) do you sell most of the vehicles you fix?, and 3) how do you find these cheap vehicles?
need to bend and fix the handles so they come together and almost touch, the its easier to control and can use one hand to hold both in a way and keep a straight line better, and its better on bumps
When operating the mower you should bring the steering handles all the way in to the front of you sometimes you had one in and one out other times you had both of them out
be careful with that courage engine they are known for problems, but at least you got a twin cylinder might be your saving grace! Joe how in the heck were you able to back that off the trailer with the arms in the up position? Clearly the brakes are not engaging when the arms are up. Also that is a residential mower one tell tale give away is the deck it is stamped, not welded with thicker steel. They don't put courage engiine on commercial mowers either. I see courage I run the other way I don't walk I run. Make sure you use the best oil and keep it as full as possible courage engine have a counter balance and if they don't get enough oil the top bearing fails and will eject itself through the block. ask me how I know!!! Love the vids., and good luck!
It's odd that the pto disengages when you go in reverse. I have a newer model craftsman zero turn and it cuts whether you're going forward or backwards. Btw, I'll never go back to a riding mower with a steering wheel ever again either.
Once you get your own home with enough property you learn real quick it’s better to buy the yard equipment that’s on the hire end I had a toro lawn tractor that was nice But way to slow bought a craftsman man zero turn & literally was half the time Just buy the better equipment you will be glad you did
Wow they must be expensive in ur area. I've had two. One paid 500 and other 250. I sold one for 900 and other for 450. Both ran great and were in as one better shaped. But n8ce score on getting a bagger with it. Of course mine needed mechanical work but only cost me for front tire tubes. That model not much faster then craftsman 4000 riding mower with the 52" deck. Only advantage is the zero turn around bushes and turn around time. I doubt you'd notice it though with much smaller zero turn deck.
Sometimes you can take out that switch that shuts the blades off when you go in reverse. It's usually a button on one of the handles they hide in there on zero turns, and on the gear shift on tractor mowers. I know it's super annoying when mowers don't mow in reverse especially tractor mowers. It's a pointless "safety" feature. Most landscape companies order them without that or take them out. Lots of the commercial grade mowers don't have that. Sometimes you need to mow in reverse up really steep hills or you just do a willy on a zero turn lol.
I just finished my lawn, i come in to relax and watch you mow yours. What a fascinating time to be alive. Seriously tho, love the videos.
I owned a landscaping business after I retired from the army, and had 3 of those Craftsman Zero Cut Mowers, and except for cracked decks, never had any major problems with them.
As my business expanded, I eventually bought John Deere mowers and, and sold the Craftsmans for reasonable amounts.
Thanks Joe!
Allan in Columbia, SC
PS., I actually invented a method to prevent cracked mowing decks, presented it to Sears/Craftsman years ago, and they turned down my invention.
No problem though,as a few years later Craftsman tanked, and I sold my invention to Murray Outdoor Equipment!
All owed by mtd
Close the handles. They should be right next to each other. You can steer with one hand. There is also a way to set it up for cutting in reverse so it doesn't shut down.
That mower is made by Cub Cadet. I have that exact mower. But yellow and black. Also you can adjust the hydraulics to turn sharper. But the main reason it's looking awkward is the handles are part way open.
Yeah
Yeps I have the Cub version also👍🏾
Nope both cub cadet and troybilt are owned by mtd.mtd makes both
@@catsbyondrepair AYP owns them all, but close enough, I usually call em MTD too
Bro if you hold them drive control handles closer together (pull them inward so the tips are almost touching) it will be so much easier to control. Retired Landscaper of over 20yrs. Great Video!!
Great buy! I'm not wishing for bad luck, but I was hoping there would be s-o-m-e-t-h-i-n-g broken so I could see your approach to fixing. Its always fascinating how you bring stuff back to life!
don't worry, its a craftsman/AYP product, something will break - engine, hydraulic wheel motor, some weird wiring thing, etc.
@@M.TTT.was just gonna say exactly what you said 😂
I love all your videos.
But what I really love is your talent on a 2 stroke bike you actually rev it like a racer
When you bag you usually install high lift blades that lift the grass and create more air flow for pushing the cut grass and leaves into the bags. Those blades with the tall bent lip are high lift blades
The man could literally open a shop with all the stuff he has.
He sells all this stuff i think
and get taxed? No thanks
Jjfjn mdw🎉
Makes grass cutting a whole new experience!
Little piece of advice, cut around your trees and fence posts first. That way all you have to deal with is open ground with no real maneuvering. Learn the property real good so you can avoid any rocks or stumps that may wreck your blades or shafts. Zero turn mowers can make short work of bigger properties but they do take a minute to get used to. Thanks again for your time today and enjoy the rest of your week.
Not a bad buy but I’d personally resell it and get a true commercial unit for the amount of property you have to maintain.. Hustler, Skag, wright, toro’s commercial line, x mark just to name a few and they will have a fabricated deck not stamped and ground speed will be way higher as well as blade tip speed. ! As others have mentioned pull the bars completely closed also.
I own a craftsman mower and it has performed well for many years. I always change oil and filters annually.
Nice machine and great find! You'll find it easier to steer if you hold those handles to their innermost position it will keep you from getting too squirrely on it
The key to keep those mowers pristine is washing the deck after wet grass or any grass
On the next video Joe is gonna cut his neighbors grass for free 😂
If you bring your hands and the sticks closer together it will be more comfortable and easier to drive. Just a suggestion.
I love these oddball videos it’s good change every once in a while
Welcome to zero turn grass cutting I got a John deer zero turn z235 great machines !
Wow man, that is really short for Wisconsin climate. Longer grass is better for lawn health till it gets over 60F consistently. I am from Racine. I lived close to the lighthouse near Johnson's Wax home with observatory. I have no idea if it is still there on Lighthouse road, right on the lakefront. It has been a while since I have been back. I miss it there. Great Score!!!
This is the all real men channel the place where strong men get things done.
I would look up on the internet for that year of Kohler motor because at some point they started putting plastic camshafts in their engines and they were exploding , still a great deal on the lawn mower
My 60 inch Bad Boy cost $7,000
They are the only way to go for mowing!!! My Husqvarna with 24 h.p. cuts about 2 acres, the rest of the 5 is all Kubota with brush hog, it does best, bit rougher.
It's standard op procedure to bring both arms in until they stop and operate it that way though. lol.
lol hahaha, his neighbors are probably looking out of their window like is he cutting his grass with a dirtbike helmet on 😂
Haha for sure
I would keep that Husqvarna Rider though because in sketchy areas them kind of lawn mowers are way more stable on hills
Not really
@@jlucier59 they're much more stable than a sit-on zero turn, what're you on about?
Joe got a haircut before he got the ZERO TURN MOWER, Nice Cut. lol..
Zero turns are the greatest lawnmower invention ever
But if you have a very steep side Hill... They don't like to do the hillside ways you have to go up and down and sometimes that's still sketchy
Cheap homeowner ZTR. Why isn’t that farm ground being farmed?
Not a bad deal! My only suggestion is don't engage the PTO at full throttle. Do about 1/2 throttle, engage the blades, then throttle up. At full throttle there's a lot of belt slip and you'll wear the belt out faster.
I bought a Hustler Raptor back in 2017 with a Kawasaki engine on it, I liked it so much that I bought a bigger 60" model SDX with the Kawasaki engine not bad machines but they have items that break on rough ground eventually that's the only draw back other than they are back killers from bouncing around on rough ground too much, Me and my wife both have some purple pillows brand name pads that really helps out, They are fun to mow with enjoy.
Upgrade the oils to Amsoil. They have a special Small Engine Oil. They also have a Hydrostatic Oil. Both are worth the extra $$$$. Wix 57148 Harley Davidson is a 5 micron filter. The above combination has been flawless. Nice buy. Don't cut the grass that short. Grass is being stressed. It's going to burn out. Dont use hi-lift blades unless u using a bagger: they consume a bunch of power and create a bunch of noise.
Looks pretty dry where your at. The recommendation for grass cutting height is 3". While you have the mower in the garage, just measure the blade height from the floor to the cutting edge of the blade, lifting the grass deflector, figure what setting on the height lever is 3".
Every week it's something new. You're consistency is nuts! It's only a matter of time before I come check your page and see you and Vinny rebuilding the carb to a small airplane lol.
Yes mow with the handles pulled right in next to each other but do not wash the green grass off as water will get in the bearings and ruin them just scrape the wet grass off and allow to dry
May I suggest for you hearing protection a pair of hear muffs. Your family will thank me later. Good job finding this super machine!
i have the same mower but motor blew before i got it. it now has a 25hp kohler. gave 100 dollars for it. works perfect
Youre having as much fun on a mower as you would a dirt bike!
You mention hills. I had a new craftsman riding I got for my new property. It couldn’t handle the hills. The hydro trans went out 3 times. Luckily covered under warranty. After the 3rd time I parked it and sold it before it could break again. Hopefully your zero turn doesn’t have the same issues.
Brilliant. The farmer who rents your field will be very appreciative of you cutting the boarders too I'm sure.
U should buy a 20x30 foot plus portable storage building for by your house, they are water tight they get delivered to you for around 10k depending on the exact size
I use a zero turn at work all day they are amazing for sure and I mow way steeper inclines than what your doing they do go pretty sideways on a hill that I can say😊
Love your show, buddy 👍 greeting from Macedonia 🇲🇰
We need rain in wisco! Atleast my mover deck is clean from getting sandblasted lol
From experience, pasture grass will quickly dull the blades. Keep them sharp or suffer premature belt failures. Enjoyed the video.
Nice machine joe defo makes life easier and it’s mint condition well worth the money 👌👍🔧🔧🔧❤️
I’m only a SCAG guy but I was a landscaper as my first career and had a few different brands I’m a SCAG guy
When we where using Ferris mowers,we always greased the cutter drive pulleys,every week.
Might be worth having a look.
Be careful near peopl, the house,the blades can shoot things out like bullets.
I'v had a toro Z5000 since 2006 only issue was the Kohler Courage engine it had muffler would keep falling off and the Single Cylinder courage engines are the worst motors ever made in my opinion I changed mine to a Kohler Command 23 I got for $50 that was on a John Deere L130 the twin cylinders are just ok I highly recommend the Command series Kohler engines all my mowers/equipment have a kohler command or honda engines I'v been working on mowers for 8 years last year I bought a Great Dane Chariot 61" zero turn with no engine and wire harness but I put an engine on it and rewired it and it's been the best mower i'v ever had only paid $300 for it and over time I think i'v put almost $1000 into it I got a good deal for sure
Maybe cut the grass at 3" or 3.5" in the dry sell.... love your videos,!
Great buy and addition to the fleet
Scag Commercial Mowers Joe, are built tough for rugged terrain such as yours and Bad Boy is another name I've researched on RUclips. if you ever get either one later on in life.
To make the bagger work best, you need high lift blades and a discharge blockoff on the deck.
You can see from the overspray on the decals on the deck, most of the machine has been repainted, that's why you think it looks so good. Plastics have had armorall or ATF rubbed on them. It's probably been well used.
This is why we can't find anything on Marketplace...Joe has it all at his place 😂😅🤣
You got a great deal on that. Kohler is a good motor. Did you mention what size deck that was. Something to think about mowing on hills, preferably left to right, most stable. If you try to nose up a hill, that's the most dangerous of approach. They become nose lite, as most of weight is shifted to rear tires. By design the mower deck is very heavy therefore it becomes the forward counter balance. Then that helps balance the mower from becoming a wheelie unit. The driver is seated back from center toward motor. Even if your angle on the trailer ramps, could potentially dump you. Be careful, I know this stuff worked at a dealership that sold Bad Boy mowers. Still cool
I think he mentioned 54 inch
No hat today??? I'm at a loss.....
Wow zero turn is a whole lot faster than belly mowers. Hope this is fast enough for all that cutting .! With all that stuff you could have a dealership?
The baggers make great trash cans on the side of my shop. *_BRING ON THE VINTAGE MOTORCYCLES_*
Nothing better than a zero turn for mowing a decent sized yard…you will not want to mow with the other rider again. Play with the air pressure to get the most comfortable ride and best traction.
To bad it wasn't something broken to be fix but still interesting to see what a zero turn can do good video 👍
You could add a roundup sprayer to the mower. That would keep your trails clean all summer!
and give you cancer at the same time! Epic!
@@M.TTT. you have to ware a gas mask!!
Why don’t you try and get some trials bikes to repair. Love all the videos 🎉
Love your videos you have came so far
Ah yes... every Wisconsinite's object of desire 😂😂 (I see people using zero turns on 30x30 lots.)
Hahaha it's true
Good buy !!!
that is going to save you a ton of time, the Krohler engine is good but they have a counter balance system that comes apart if the oil is not changed often .
Even then, check and ensure your motor mount bolts are tight at least before you mow, those can loosen because of the shaking, if you can, loc-tite em
those courage engines are junk
@@M.TTT. you aren't wrong about that, the above is why they are
Joe, your videos are well done and entertaining - I've even toyed with the idea of buying a used 250 dirt bike and fixing it up, but I can't find the deals like you within a large radius and I live near Seattle. Not to get too personal, but a few questions: 1) what is your career such that you can afford to buy and work on these vehicles?, 2) do you sell most of the vehicles you fix?, and 3) how do you find these cheap vehicles?
Scalped that lawn good.
Edit- the blades in the box are high lift for the bagger. Might have mulchers on it now that the bagger wasn't hooked up.
need to bend and fix the handles so they come together and almost touch, the its easier to control and can use one hand to hold both in a way and keep a straight line better, and its better on bumps
definitely the deck has been re painted theres red over spray on the deck shoot but looks good
Craftsman is a decent mower I have one48 inch zero turn
Why em I addicted to watching you fix things 😂
When operating the mower you should bring the steering handles all the way in to the front of you sometimes you had one in and one out other times you had both of them out
Best youtuber 100%
Cool looking Zero turn!
The only man on earth I can get enjoyment out of watching him cut his grass!
You got a steal on that thing, even considering it is a Craftsman.
be careful with that courage engine they are known for problems, but at least you got a twin cylinder might be your saving grace! Joe how in the heck were you able to back that off the trailer with the arms in the up position? Clearly the brakes are not engaging when the arms are up. Also that is a residential mower one tell tale give away is the deck it is stamped, not welded with thicker steel. They don't put courage engiine on commercial mowers either. I see courage I run the other way I don't walk I run. Make sure you use the best oil and keep it as full as possible courage engine have a counter balance and if they don't get enough oil the top bearing fails and will eject itself through the block. ask me how I know!!! Love the vids., and good luck!
Kouler motors that are courage are not as strong as the command motor,best of luck🙏👍,great buy👊
a lot of courage engine gest cracks in the block and leaki valve cover gaskets.
Looks like Wisconsin has about the same amount of rainfall as Minnesota, dusty!
It's odd that the pto disengages when you go in reverse. I have a newer model craftsman zero turn and it cuts whether you're going forward or backwards. Btw, I'll never go back to a riding mower with a steering wheel ever again either.
You can make it so it cuts in reverse
Neighbors are like he's wearing a helmet to mow his lawn😅
Bring your hands closer together
What a brilliant machine think l will get an Ariens 52 inch great video Alan Northern Ireland 👍
Didn't realise you had an Elvis Quiff Joe.
Noti gang💀🔝
Congratulations you are first
I meant to say 🔛🔝 lol
@@jakekymantas8778 thx
Look into a commercial grade with suspension like Ferris IS3300x. Thank me later.
Congratulations, looks like another great find and a fun ride. Thought you'd be a John Deere multi-function tractor kind of guy.
Great buy, nice rig, maintainence another learning moment
Great show brother 👏
Once you get your own home with enough property you learn real quick it’s better to buy the yard equipment that’s on the hire end I had a toro lawn tractor that was nice
But way to slow bought a craftsman man zero turn & literally was half the time
Just buy the better equipment you will be glad you did
Wow they must be expensive in ur area. I've had two. One paid 500 and other 250. I sold one for 900 and other for 450. Both ran great and were in as one better shaped. But n8ce score on getting a bagger with it. Of course mine needed mechanical work but only cost me for front tire tubes. That model not much faster then craftsman 4000 riding mower with the 52" deck. Only advantage is the zero turn around bushes and turn around time. I doubt you'd notice it though with much smaller zero turn deck.
Sometimes you can take out that switch that shuts the blades off when you go in reverse.
It's usually a button on one of the handles they hide in there on zero turns, and on the gear shift on tractor mowers. I know it's super annoying when mowers don't mow in reverse especially tractor mowers. It's a pointless "safety" feature. Most landscape companies order them without that or take them out. Lots of the commercial grade mowers don't have that.
Sometimes you need to mow in reverse up really steep hills or you just do a willy on a zero turn lol.
We need vinnie!!!! 😊
Great video as always
Craftsman is usually pretty bad when it comes to mowers. The tractor style ones at least.
Joe what hapoend to the tow behind brush hog you had for cutting trails??
I still have it
That's one of the better ones
Eye and ear protection are used by most landscape professionals.