How to Choose the Best Mower and Avoid the Worst! Lowes Mower Buyer's Guide
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2024
- Thanks for tuning back into Chickanic! If you found this video helpful, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and COMMENT!!
If you would like to show your support, find my Amazon Wish List HERE!
www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls...
Buy your own Chickanic T-Shirt or Hoodie HERE!
chickanic.com/
Find some of my favorite tools in the list below!
Get a WERA tool kit like mine HERE!
amzn.to/3CEkWo5
Get your WERA 8mm nut driver HERE!
amzn.to/3I4tx4B
Find your own 2 Cycle adjusting tool kit HERE!!
amzn.to/3IMn4vB
Get a compression tester like mine HERE!
amzn.to/3KM7Ibg
Get a spark tester like mine HERE!
amzn.to/3vIHUbM
Get your own digital tachometer like mine HERE!
amzn.to/3X2emS7
Find your own digital multimeter HERE!
amzn.to/38aX2FJ
Get some 12" hemostats HERE! I LOVE THEM!!
amzn.to/3tMvlvd
Get my FAVORITE pliers HERE!
amzn.to/36P5ud3
Get an Owl Torx drill bit set HERE!
amzn.to/3urvRze
Want a Endoscope like mine? Find it HERE!
amzn.to/3Ni71Ir
Get an ethanol testing kit HERE!
amzn.to/3YceU8h
Looking for the BEST 2 Cycle Oil? Find it here!
amzn.to/3E4kCkT
My name is Bre. I took two years of small engine repair at the local college. When I left school, I fell into a wonderful job at a local small engine shop where I worked the counter for a couple years. In 2010 my husband and I opened up our own small engine shop in central Arkansas where I am able to work alongside my family and best friends. We see over 2,000 pieces of small engine equipment every year, and answer 1,000's of small engine questions. We specialize in brands such as Briggs and Stratton, Kohler, Echo and Shindaiwa, but work everyday on MANY other brands like Stihl, Husqvarna, Honda, Craftsman, Remington, Red Max, Troy Bilt, Scag, Bad Boy, Hustler, World Lawn, Poulan, Mantis, Etc.. Hopefully, my experience I share, will save you Time, Money and Frustration in the future!
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue to provide you with free content each week!
Although very informative, these videos are for entertainment purposes. Please use all possible safety precautions when repairing and operating your small engine equipment. 
Хобби
Thanks for Watching! Find a link to all of my "Must Have", Favorite Tools HERE!! www.amazon.com/shop/chickanic?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_aipsfchickanic_9ERPFPBNGQ924P8NS63B
Do you know if any troy bilt decks would work on a cub cadet lt1042?
For the John Deere oil change, you can get a kit to convert it back to a regular oil system for around $20. I got three new cheap E120s for lawn crews to run and as soon as they each were due for the first oil change I swapped them to the old style system. $60 is $50 too much for an oil change, especially with three units getting 150-200 hours a season each, so 10-12 oil changes per year saves me $500-600 a year converting back those three units
I did the same on mine. The other issue with the EZ Change other than the exorbitant price is that you are only changing about half the oil so you never do a complete oil change.
Exactly! Between the cost and the half-ass oil change it’s definitely worth it to convert to the old system. Only time I’d say it’s a good idea is for a homeowner who can’t handle their own oil changes and only put 20 or 25 hours on it a year so only changing half the oil doesn’t matter if they swap it once a year
@@nodsib You make a solid case that the John Deere is poorly engineered.
@@drwisdom1 they are extremely well engineered, takes a lot of innovation and smarts to engineer that much value for shareholders into their product ;)
Definitely agree, first thing i did was change out that quick change (actually means quick cash for JD). Mower is nice, still have to clean that deck but not too bad. Overall,would have gone with zero turn style on my 3/4 acre place,but it is what it is. Thanks Chickanic!
This is actually a really useful video, especially at this time of year. You brought up some ideas I would never have thought of!
I have 2 weed eaters I watched your video and got them running. Thank you for your videos. I am learning how to work on small engines and you help me learn more.
I just bought a Bad Boy Rogue (Commercial) 72' deck with the Kawasaki FV 1000 35hp engine. As a mechanic, I am vey impressed with the openess of all the components. Eveything is very easy to get to. The deck is 3 gauge (1/4') with 3/8' side plates. It has a great suspension system with an adjustable suspension seat...love it !!
That broken down XMark would make a great restoration video! Thx for all your videos. The time you take to carefully show each step in a repair sets your videos apart from most others. Well done!
@@Rockjock007 your just mad because she can fix things better then you.
@@alexandercopeland2849 right lmao this doofus can’t even sharpen his own blades and he’s trashing this intelligent woman.
I have a Craftsman T1800/ 42” rider with twin cylinder Kohler motor to mow our one acre, it’s been trouble free. I bought it before our local Sears went out of business, gave a little over $1,000.00 when they had a friends & family sale. Your right about time to start mowing again, but with all of the rain we have a small lake in our front & back yard.
Delivered a nice even cut, has the super tight turning ability ruclips.net/user/postUgkx1VWTrayKBdCKAjzAcZ_Eg4dhHTae3LkN also recommend I was looking for, and is just a blast to drive. It takes a little bit to get used to driving one after driving a normal tractor style, but once you've got it, you've got it. If you're cutting lines, you have to be careful spinning the mower around or the back tire will dig a bare spot. Just take it nice and slow during the turn and then it's back to full throttle across the yard!
We have the 30 inch Troy Bilt riding lawnmower and we've had it for almost 7 years now. Wasn't that expensive, and it fit between our chain link fence gate to get into the backyard. We have it serviced every February before mowing season hits, and we've never had a problem with it. That switch near the mulcher cover was annoying at first, but it hasn't been a problem since we first bought it. It's an easy fix. Steering hasn't been a problem. One of the best lawnmowers I've ever used. Heck, I even gave our neighbor the second key and he uses it on his yard. Older, with breathing problems, and all he has to do is put gas in it. Like our little Troy Bilt.
after going through 3 or 4 of the lowes mtd type mowers, i started buying 50-60 year old cub cadets for a few hundred each and use those. for the price of 1 of these lowes mowers i can have a fleet of half a dozen old ones that are easy to work on with most parts readily available and are classic pieces of american made machinery. and they look good too.
Your video is the most practical overall opinion (review) and best I have heard for anyone wanting to purchase a rider for mowing their yard. Great tips on Mfrs, construction and possible service issues from a Lady who sees these machines pass through her shop.
Fine job and well done there Chickanic!!
Just found her today I luckily just bought a Ariens edge 52” from Lowe’s today and I had the same opinion she understands the industry has a lot of colors lol definitely glad I did my homework trying to avoid MTD stamped deck issues
I have a Craftsman from Sears from the 90's and was told that they are junk, but I was able to get in fixed in 2021 and it's hanging in there! I have a Briggs & Stratton from the 1970's bought at J.P. Penney, and it is still a monster. A twenty year senior to the Craftsman!
Transmissions keep breaking down. Swopped some and still bad. Crappy QC
A high quality mower that's often overlooked for the smaller lawns are the Snapper rear riders. The Hi-Vac series with a bagger will pick up pine straw along with everything else. They were once equipped with Honda engines but later Briggs.
I had an old 70's Snapper with a 30inch cut,one bland, best cutting mower I've ever had.
I remember when that Forest Gump special was around $1000 and that wasn’t long ago. I was blessed to buy a lightly used Toro time cutter for that back in 2015. Started a weekend lawn business and it paid for itself very quickly. Great stuff as always.
Not too many have the Gumption to start a business like you did, congratulations and all the success bernie
New mower prices are insane. Glad I bought a second mower a few years back for $1600. 24 HP Intek, 46 inch cut. My toughest mower is a 2000 Poulan Pro 42” cut. I purchased it for $2000 from Sears in 2000. That mower has been tough as hell. Still going strong. I have abused it and it still runs great. Blades, battery, oil, and belts are the only things I have had to replace. Mostly blades. Replaced belts once. Replaced battery three times.
We got a Husqvarna 26HP Kohler engine with a 54” deck and hydrostatic drive. It has a monster bag system on back because we live in the burbs with a ton of trees . Gives a nice smooth cut. It gets stored outdoors all year long with only a cover over it and has no rust anywhere.
Just subscribed today and enjoy the presentations. Saw this one and appreciate the commentary about stamped vs. fabricated decks. My first zero turn was a Toro (I forget the model) and I literally beat it to death over 7 seasons on 5 acres. Stamped deck, rusted out, blown spindles. Fast forward to a new zero turn, a Bad Boy ZT Elite that I bought in Mississippi in 2016. Less than 100 hours on it now, but I maintain it and the Kawasaki engine like they say. Since my wife and I now live in central Arkansas (hello, neighbor!) and since Bad Boy has their HQ in Batesville, AR, maybe a word or two about these machines. My research and experience with this machine indicates they're pretty stout from a construction standpoint, the Kawasaki engines (I have an FR730 2-cylinder) are excellent, and the only problem I have with it is that it's very sensitive to tire pressure. That, and the odd duck balancing of the deck can lead to stripes where you don't want them. Skag or Gravely might be a better overall machine, but they cost major $$$ when, as a homeowner, I just don't need that much machine. I needed more than the Toro offered, though.
Just bought an ariens apex 52 from Lowes. Did lots of research and this is basically an entry level commercial mower. It's awesome
Thanks, great advice as usual. You’re not kidding, sticker shock! Like twice what my YT4000 cost 12 or so years ago. “Craftsman” apparently changed manufacturers. The old YT4000 parts all seem to cross to Husqvarna parts which are usually less expensive than Craftsman. The advice on spindles is right on. Usually a rock breaks it before the bearing goes bad. Luckily the genuine Husqvarna spindles are not expensive, though it is still a pain in the neck to change them. I have wood sticks cut to length to wedge the broken off mounting tabs below the deck so I can back out the bolts. If there isn’t enough of the tab left to wedge, I use a Dremel tool to cut it off. Sometimes you can grab the tab remnant with Vise-grips.
18 yr-old Craftsman 42" LT2000 w/single cylinder. I keep spare spindles on hand - like you say, they definitely go out if you hit something and I do. Fortunately they're easy to find and not particularly expensive. But the engine has (knock on wood) continued to hold up fine.
we have a GT5000 that is trashed with only 150 hours on it
Go Girl! Nice and informative video. Being a farmer, and having to repair my stuff....Amazed at some of the changes in equipment. Case in point, you mention the small battery. I felft the same 4 years ago when I bought a Gravely 42 ZT. Turns out it is a AGM battery. (Research them). They are smaller, but just as powerful, and most cases last longer. My fav. trick is to have the deck fully raised and place and put weight on that foot to see how the mower deck wobbles.
I've had my Craftsman yard tractor for 20 years now, with a single cylinder, and the only thing I have changed is the spark plug, blades and the oil. No complaints. The one banger is still running great!
The older singles are solid engines. It's the new ones that are junkers.
That's when Craftsman was sold and backed by Sears and built to their standards. Any and all parts were readily available from Sears also. Those days are gone, unfortunately.
I have a Craftsman from Sears from the 90's and was told that they are junk, but I was able to get in fixed in 2021 and it's hanging in there! I have a Briggs & Stratton from the 1970's bought at J.P. Penney, and it is still a monster. A twenty year senior to the Craftsman!
20 years ago was a long time ago !
I got my craftsman in mid 80's, so almost 40 yrs now. Still runs strong. I even had a mowing business for 2-3 yrs of that.
spot on about the Ariens ztr. great mower . 40 yr small engine shop here. We are Lowes warranty center . We see very few of the Ariens in for repairs .
Thanks for a lot of good information. When you mentioned to stay away from the single cylinder engines, I had to write a comment. I have a 9hp 1964 (59 years old) Simplicity Landlord garden tractor with an L single cylinder engine and I still use it all the time. Regular maintenance is the big secret for long life.
We've got a 21hp Briggs single that's been in the family 14 years. Starts right up and doesn't burn oil. I've heard some of these have head gasket issues, but we've been fortunate.
I worked an assembly line at MTD years back. The Cib Cadet, craftsman, and others seemed the same but there were subtle differences most often that made the cub cadet ever so slightly better.
My cub cadet Rzt 50 I bought in 2007 is still going strong ...I just had to get the deck welded back together a few times 🙄
The CC has some beefier parts throughout.
It's odd that the Craftsman tractors still have steel hoods and the CCs have gone to all plastic. I think MTD should make a Craftsman ('garden tractor') w/ locking diff/ fab deck in their lineup. They seem to reserve that for Cub Cadet only - but you get a plastic hood and cheap brush guard.
@@cooldood1025 Plastic hoods are a good thing
There is a line of Cubs with fabricated mowing decks, instead of the usual stamped decks found on all riding mowers (John Deere, Craftsman, etc.) at the big box stores. The fab decks are 11 gauge steel, vs 13 gauge for stamped decks. The fab decks have lifetime warranties, and I know Cub does honor them. Beyond the decks, the Cubs have better quality parts. Considering the Craftsman mowers cost virtually the same as the Cubs, I'll always take a Cub over a Craftsman any day of the week.
Great video and overview of the "Big Box" mowers. A few years ago I bought a John Deere riding mower, but got it from a John Deere Dealer vs Big Box store. When time for an oil change came along I spent the $25 on the kit to get rid of the EZ change system and use a standard spin on filter. Best thing I did as $60 to change only half the oil is dumb!
I did the same...
@@gordonhutchinson2949 Dont know why everyone does not do this.
I’m a big fan of Craigslist free stuff.
I score free lawnmowers routinely.
Most need a good carburetor cleaning and a routine tune up and the blade resharpened.
Usually up and running for $50 bucks.
I had a Cub Cadet for over 15 yrs, was great until belt issues started. Bought Husquvarna & am loving it. I have many acres to mow & no issues..yet! Love your videos
This is exactly the info I am looking for, a recommended lawn mower to have, a family member is going to Hawaii next month and this is one thing to get/buy from Hawaii...a lawn mower...thank you Chickanic.
GE made an excellent electric tractor back in the late 60's to early 70's called called the Electrak. Used golf cart batteries on a 3 acre property, Had a 3 motor 3 blade front mounted deck that didn't trample the grass before cutting it. Worked very well cutting below spruce tree branches too.
Just looked that up, really cool I had no idea. But I can't imagine the performance would be great for anything more than a half acre of flat ground lol.
Have a 43 year old snapper rider still going strong.
Different brands, Case, Simplicity, AC but yah old iron ;)
New stuff complete garbage
Its hard to kill a snapper
Our personal mower at Eliminator Performance is a Snapper, love the simplicity of the drive system and easy to work on.
Don't know how old my Snapper Zero turn is.
I bought my Husqvarna from a large dealer that only sells Husqvarna products. It is not sold in box stores as it has the 22 horsepower Kohler twin in a 42 inch deck. Also have an 18 inch Husqvarna chainsaw. No problem with either one of them. Great products.
A bit over a year ago, I sort-of inherited my father-in-law's TroyBilt Pony lawn tractor. The 42" cut makes for a MUCH quicker mowing time on the over-half-acre lot I'm on now. Having been a truck mechanic for U-Haul and having done a lot of different stuff over the years, I know the value of being gentle on the equipment. I did scuff a front tire against a brick wall to the point that I had to have an inner tube, and I keep a trickle-charger connected to the battery if I'm not going to use the mower for a while. I'm sure I can do a lot of the maintenance chores myself, but as I get on in years, I find myself more willing to pay others to do things like change the oil or make sure the magneto is doing its job.
I’d like to provide one big plus on the Ariens Apex. What sold me on it was serviceable hydraulics with filters. If you plan on keeping a mower super long term, that was a huge selling point.
My hydraulics on my Grasshopper (made in Kansas) look serviceable too. But since the interval is 1000 hours, in 15 years of ownership (after buying used) I've never touched them.
The hydraulic drive systems are not built by Ariens they are industrial components, depending on their specs, good units have large hydraulic reserves and filters built into the units. It costs more, but it is worth if for the customer long term. I like Pharris as they have full suspension, which takes quite a bit of shock loading off of the drive units and the operator's bottom.
@@davidquinn9676 grasshoppers are the best not sure why people don’t pay the extra money and get a quality mower
You guys gotta be kidding you never heard of a hustler they were the guys were invented 0 turning runs forever cost a lot, but they’re well worth it the best I’ve ever used and I’ve used them all
@@jamesmiller8591 I've heard and shopped them all. I picked the Ariens because of cost, durability, and specifications for my non commercial needs.
This site is always worth a thumbs-up, but it's sure discouraging to see what passes for equipment now. The Tecumseh on my 45-year-old Garden Way still runs strong, although the spindles on the mower itself have been replaced several times. The engine is also a single cylinder, a type of engine that is perfectly reliable if it's built properly. Tens of millions of one cylinder motorcycles and older lawn care equipment have been superbly reliable since forever.
We're just being dealt crap these days.
I have an older JD LA145 . I do regular maintence on it and have had 0 issues with it . I like it very much .
that small riding mower that Lowes was selling for $1949 has been listed as discontinued for a couple of years. I picked one up at an "overstock" store for $110 otd. I had to modify the rack gear mount to limit its up and down movement and extend the shifter but I love it.
was that overstock store online?
On the exmark, I use "Mother's back to Black" on the plastic trim and fuel tank, etc. Very easy to use and returns a nice shine while cleaning off the dirt and fade. On the big box store mowers, I was told by a John Deere mechanic that the models sold at bigbox stores are not the same as those sold at a Deere dealer. Motors and other drive components are cheapened down to compete against the other brands. You get what you pay for.
One of the differences I noticed is that the mowers sold at a dealer have a bearing on the front wheel shafts. The ones sold at the ‘box’ stores have a bushing that wears out sooner. You can buy the bearing and retrofit your cheaper mower once the bushing wears out.
Great Video ! I had a Cub a few years ago .I loved the Kawasaki 18 Horse twin .I had the 42 inch stamped deck and no PTO. I hated the deck. It never could mow thick grass, the belt would slip !I tried a bunch of things to get the belt to do right but no dice! Leveling the deck was torture ! but when you got it dialed in ,it cut a beautiful lawn . In your video ,I thought I heard you Toro doesn't make a commercial rider . I went o their website and they do in fact make them but you ain't gone see them at a box store.
I have absolutely no idea why I am watching this when I do not have a lawn to mow! Must be the great, factual, no-nonsense presentation!
I have a lawn and a mower, but all I could think about is motor boats. :P
😂😂
@@rusmokin😆
I’m planning on retrofitting my easy change JD this year. It is a great mower. Although, I like the look of the lawn after I cut with my 21” 2006 snapper, but the rider gets to cleanup afterwards. ✅ Thanks for all you do👏
Conversion kits are fairly low priced. Very easy to do.
That's my plan as well as soon as I get to my first oil change.
I turned the stamped deck on my 50 inch White Horse rider to a fabricated deck as various parts developed cracks and holes. Most of the reinforcing was around the spindles as you might expect.
Thanks for NOT overcomplicating the explainations. Just means I don't need to use extra brain power. Great assortment of topics. Keep up the good work.
Good advice, thank you again. I bought lawn mowers at Sears for years and it's a shame that Sears is gone. The best was the one with the larger wheels on the rear and I think was a Briggs and Stratton engine, gave it to my son when I bought the Husqvarna I now have, big mistake.
A lot of truth and honesty in your review. The big box store mower are built for a price point. Stay away from the single cylinder, MTD stamped decks, and plastic transmissions. Keep up the great content!
So the John Deere s100 is a stay clear?
The new smaller batteries are AGM, or non-spillable type with glass mats. They're somewhat better from a safety perspective because they don't vent and can be turned on their side, they're also more durable because they don't really lose electrolyte as quickly and can take some abuse since there's no liquid sloshing around. As long as the CCA numbers are the same, they're theoretically better batteries.
I was coming here to say the same thing. Most new cars have AGM batteries now, too.
Time will tell if these batteries will work and last.
I noticed the sticker says 11 amp hour which is around a quarter of the output of a standard car battery. Not sure it matters for turning over a small engine though. Maybe smaller is better in that case.
@@RaffaPed Riding mower batteries are only about 150-300 cold cranking amps, so that sounds about right.
That same Technology Battery is in my BackUPS power supplies for my PCs. I get 2-3 years out of them and they cost around $30. I get the units for $5 at Thrift stores with dead or missing batteries. Regular lead acid batteries sulfate. That is to say they shed lead off their plates and it deposits at the bottom of the battery case. When the mound reaches the plate the cell shorts out and the battery dies. Sometimes you can shake the battery and break the mound away for a few more uses. I think the AGM batteries is a smart move.
Good Morning, I came across your channel and just love your video's on repairs. You make it interesting and very easy to follow along. Most repair channels the person spends a lot of time talking about things that don't have anything to do with the repair. Thanks again will keep watching for sure.
Thank you for this video. I had a Cub Cadet LTX1045 with the awful Kohler Courage single. Although it lasted me 10+ years, it was a constant battle to keep it mowing. Replaced that V.C gasket 6 times. Thanks to your advise i bought a Deere S140. Twin cylinder, 48" deck, and NO EZ OIL CHANGE! For me the S140 was the sweet spot in the line for a cost/benefit angle. I bought mine from the local JD dealer instead of the big box. They gave me the same price and much better service. It is a great machine and i look forward to many years with it.
I have a 1980s Simplicity (owned by Briggs and Stratton) rider, that I repowered with a single cylinder Tecumseh (10hp). Went from a crappy 12hp briggs that was worn out to a strong running 10hp techumseh, that I bought new old stock a while back. Love that thing and have less than 250 dollars in it.
Simplicity rocks. Dealer only, but worth it. All USA 🇺🇸... the genuine article. A used Conquest or Prestige (with Real hydrostats) is an investment you won't regret 😉
The more recent ones have Full suspensions and higher-speed trannys so you can mow quicker. Also true automatic traction control (and a diff lock). Mine's got real power steering, a rear hitch and a Johnny Bucket on the front. Also doesn't need choking and works Perfect👌.
Snap up a used Simplicity and win the game 😉
I love watching you. You are a blessing to all of us who work on our small engines.
The sticker shock has thus far deterred me from replacing my 16 year old Husqvarna, but the speed of a ZT is definitely is siren song having roughly 7 acres to keep up with. But so far despite using it more like a brush mower I've only had to replace 1 spindle.
That inflation's going through everything. Everything has doubled in price or more.
My two mowers are Snapper. I have a 21 inch Ninja Snapper and a 42 inch Snapper SPX. Both have done lots of mowing in my yard over the past half dozen years.
would appreciate seeing something similar only with the big box store push mowers, thanks for the great videos
One other thing to watch out for on the John Deere is to avoid those plastic transmissions on the lower-end models. Easy to spot, just look at from behind and you'll see that plastic housing around the rear axle.
Good looking out
The pot metal transaxles are bad enough. But plastic......yikes.
Which series doesnt have that?
The plastic manual trans was on the JD E100, and was discontinued 2021. All JD trans are hydrostatic now.
@@disco4535 you don’t get rid of the k46 plastic trans until the ~$6000 x380 or x390. And the x380 still as an internal oil filter. The x390 has an external filter. I think both are k58. Then the x500 series moves up to the much beefier k72 with diff lock.
I just went through this and ended up just getting an older shaft driven diesel deere for less money.
Take a look at models like the gt225/235/245, gx325/335/345/355 or like an LX255. Those are all 900-3500ish depending on model/location/condition and have beefier transmissions, some with diff lock.
We got an Ariens this year from Lowes. Got the 52" one at $3999. I really like it being a larger fella. It's seems to sit me at the right height and is easy to get out of the seat after a few hours of mowing.
I have a 2006 Troy-Bilt 50-in zero turn. They only build it for 1 year and then they switched in 2007. It's built so much better than the other models and I'm so glad I bought that one when I did. I haven't had any issues from it. One PTO switch and almost 20 years.
I agree 100% with your mower
Choices! Great video!❤️❤️
Good Morning Jeremy!
@@Chickanic mornin! It’s
That time ! Grass is knee high here in talty Texas!
Hey Chickanic..on that exmark you have on the trailer don't paint the fuel tanks..use Kiwi liquid shoe polish instead ..it won't flake or peel you will be amazed..I've used it in so many applications ..try it you'll see..just make sure the tanks are really clean..Cheers 🥂🥂🥂🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
There’s a spray called Back to Black I’ve seen at auto parts stores. It’s made for faded bumpers and trim, but it should work for tanks, too.
@@5roundsrapid263 I've used that before..it didn't last for me..used it on my 07 F-150 cowl screens mirrors and running boards about a month they needed it again..the shoe polish has been on it for about a year..and it still looks great..a lot cheaper..lol.. i don't tell everyone because they might laugh..Cheers 🍺🍺🇺🇸🇺🇸
Who cares about looks ..... just run
@@carlmorgan8452 well Carl...if I'm buying a used mower i don't want one that looks like it's been stored outside..if you don't believe it try selling one good running mower that looks bad ..
It won't happen..i know this because i fix and resell them.
I re-engined my ancient Craftsman a decade ago with a 22 HP single cylinder B&S. Original was 17 HP. It has been flawless. Only just now starting to use about 1/4 pint of oil per year of use between changes. It runs like a new mower. Just need to service the brake to make it a 10 again. Sorry to hear that some aren't good. This one is a torquey beast!
Been watching your channel for a while now. Have fixed 2 push mower with the help of it. But I have a POULAN-PRO for over 7 yrs and the most problem I have with it is the spendles cutting a 1.78 of land. I try and fix my own mowers and other people. I only know one other guy like you here in Moultrie Georgia his name is Calvin of MTPOWER. Keep up the good work and may you stay blessed for your honesty and kind guidance.
I'm glad i bought my Murray Select 42" 17.5hp Briggs back in 2019 for $900, brand new on clearance at Walmart and still running and cutting today.😊
Can’t beat the old Murray
I’ve put several new engine on last year and expect to do the same this year
@@philliphall5198 well its been 4 years since i boughtit,with the original battery and i haven't had any problem with cranking it.
I have a 1993 John Deere GT 262, wouldn't trade it for a new Zero turn. Like you said keep up on maintenance. Love your program, Thank you for all the tips and tricks. Take care 👍
is the hood broken like most of those models?
Thank you I bought a Ariens Apex 2 years ago and love it. Very well built I’m in Pea Ridge Ar so I know how it is mowing rocks
Yes, you are so right about the spindles on the Husqvarna‘s and the carburetor suck also
That was excellent, Chickanic! Thanks for the great information... Getting ready to buy a zero turn and thought I had to go with the Deere but I'm taking your advice on the beefier Ariens. (I'm rough on equipment): )
IMO, the Husqvarna's are made pretty well. I've had mine for a while and it's held up quite well
20+ years ago I bought a 42”-16.5hp hydrostatic MTD at Walmart for $1k. It lasted until about 3 years ago when it started to require to much repair to be reliable. Can’t complain a bit about that investment. Replaced it with a huskvarna 46” 22hp.. been great so far and I hope it performs as well as the one it replaced.
Hopefully yours lasts longer tha. my 160-hr./3-year-old Husq. YTH22V46 which just got the hydrostatic unit replaced and it's still not right.
Glad you mentioned Scag. I have a 4 yo Liberty Z 48" with Kawasaki engine. Other than standard oil and filter changes, changing hydro oil and filters and greasing zerks----not even 1 issue.
I’m looking for a zero turn but will not be buying new. Here in Canada, out used are more expensive (and that’s for 5-8 or years old or more) than the new one you showed us in the video. I’d gladly take a fixer upper and put an engine or something in it. Thanks for another informative video!
Get a X mark
I'm running a 11 year old Husky YTH24V48. I've replaced a couple of belts, one spindle and had to reweld the front deck support after an unintended collision with a solid object. The engine is going strong. I dread the day when the old Husky won't get the job done. Current pricing for that model is up $1100 from what I gave for it in 2012. Thanks for the great videos, I've learned a lot!
Bought the basic Ariens almost 8 years ago. Only oil changes and upkeep. Love it. The John Deere is a Pain in the butt.
Thanks for the video! I noticed a big change in the JD zero turns at Lowes this year. My 5 year old basic 42" JD zero turn has a hydroformed heavy deck on it. I always liked it because it cleans itself below pretty easily and doesn't collect debris in corners etc. That heavy deck will not bend before the mower stops against an obstacle. However, the newest JD zero turns at Lowes THIS YEAR have a lighter gauge deck on them. The easiest way to tell is that the decks are green instead of yellow and they have a curved reinforced rod around the outside of it. I went over and picked up on the deck and was surprised at the lighter weight and thinner metal used on the deck compared to my old model. I suspect the newer lighter deck will not be as durable over time.
Actually the decks on the z300 series( if that's the ones you're talking about) are pretty decent. They're all accel deep decks and the 42" ones are 12ga steel and the 48 and 54" ones are 10ga steel. I'm not sure what year the accel deep decks started,but it was around 2015 2016 somewhere in there. I think that they used the edge decks before that. I'm pretty sure they're 12 or 13ga. In any event they're solid and well designed.
Yellow deck color is the older and stronger made deck?
@@Justintm theres the edge deck that's on the 100 series tractors that are 13ga steel,the accel deep decks on their residential zero turns and 300 and 500 series tractors that are 10 ga,and the professional tractors and zero turns that get their 7ga high capacity deck. Even a 13ga residential deck will last for 20 years if you keep it clean and dry. The deeper high capacity decks will allow you to mow faster in even deep grass. The accel deep and high capacity decks do have more robust mounting hardware and are built to take more abuse
One thing about the newer Accel decks is the blade is almost even with the lip of the deck so you get no warning of a root or something. I bent my deck the first go around the yard. Then bent it again. I was messing around with my old mower and realized the blade was at least 3/4" higher than the lip. I hardly ever hit roots with that mower. My brother in law also got the same mower and he hit a root on his first go around at his house. Bent the deck. He had to buy a new one. I managed to massage mine close to normal.
I think the batteries in the craftsman items may be a small motorcycle style AGM battery instead of the traditional sealed lead acid batteries they've always used. They're supposed to last longer, but they don't. Also, anything you buy at lowes, home depot or tractor supply are made to be cheaper than the ones at a dealer. I did a comparison when working at an mtd dealer with a yard machines. Walmart had the same model for $10 less than ours. We bought one to compare. Looked exactly the same, but slightly different model number. Ours had 3 rings on the piston while theirs had 2. We also did the same with an Ariens from Lowes. Things were put together cheaper than the ones we sold. Had so many come in for service where ours barely came back for anything other than maintenance. There's a John Deere dealer near us that won't even take the equipment in if you bought it from lowes.
I believe you're right about those batteries being AGM. I saw those for sale st a Subaru dealer and I had to ask the mechanic what the belt was (for a car) because they have the same voltage and CCA as a lead acid battery but cost twice as much and all he said was "saving weight". So, if you are building a track car and you are looking at every option to shave pounds off your curb weight then that will take about 5 or so right there. Oh and if you live in extremely cold climates AGMs do not freeze either. Since no one mows in the winter and you might be storing that lawnmower for 6 months out of the year, well ok then. But aside from that chop out that plastic, crimp a couple of terminals on there and save your customers money.
It's well-known that WalMart negotiates to get slightly different model numbers with certain manufacturers in order to meet a price point. They do this with everything from car batteries to televisions.
Given how much that John Deere claims it doesn't have different mowers for different retailers (i.e. same model number equals same mower) that JD dealer isn't refusing to service the equipment because it's inferior quality, it's because you bought it from Lowes instead of from him. This isn't unheard of from dealers. If people can go to Lowe's and get the same mower cheaper, they will. This is particularly true that now you can get some of the heavier-duty semi-commercial mowers at Lowe's that used to be limited to dealers. The difference with big box mowers is that when they set them up they're often slapped together, so you might have to make adjustments to the deck, check the bolts, etc.
husqvarna 46 rider here,...was a return paid 1300. had choke outa adjustment hard start,...magneto air gap excessive,i changed wheel bushings to actual bearings,after fixing a few issues its been reliable, i also added a tubular bumper, i keep the deck pressure washed,and use wd40 😊...i also added L.E.D headlamp bulbs,
Just a quick comment, not sure if this was mentioned yet, but Toro does have a full commercial line also, the "Z Master", as well as heavy-duty home owner "Titan" and "Timecutter". I have an old Exmark Lazer Z 48" that I mow with, and it's an absolute beast! Built like a tank!
You are becoming a super star Bre! Love this channel
Bought a Craftsman T210 going on 3 years ago. I compared it to a similar John Deer setting next to it. Craftsman had better comfort by far. Higher back seat. Better feel as far as turning goes. Near zero turn turning ability which going on 3 years for me has been awesome. That higher back seat was a huge plus for me. I mow about 1 acre where I currently live then over 3 more on property I am currently developing into a small farm/homestead. I was personally not impressed with the John Deer at all. The craftsman is very quiet as well and my neighbors owns a John Deer and the thing sounds like a Sherman Tank when he mows lol. No kidding we hear it plain as day inside our house and are always very pleased when he finishes mowing 😂. My family says they don’t even know I am mowing unless they are in a room close to where I am mowing at the time. Could not be happier with that T210 Craftsman. It rides great cuts even and with the ability to steer so tight combined with the hydrostatic drive my mowing time was cut in half or better. Love this thing. Hope it holds up. I usually take families older broken down mowers and fix them then run them till there is nothing left. It was a cheap way to save a lot of money over the course of my life. At near 60 I finally decided to spoil myself for a change. I am glad / thankful the good lord gave me a very strong mechanical ability allowing me to fix pretty much everything I have owned my entire life. Its saved me tens of thousands over the course of my life. I gotta say though having a mower you can walk up to and pretty much count on to do its job every time is nice. I will say there was an issue with this particular model back when I bought it. The deck drive belt jumped off a couple times when I hit heavy grass. I had seen videos about it and people were trash talking this mower. So I took a look. Grabbed the pulleys one by one and sure enough there was one loose. The bolts were never tightened at the factory. I tightened them and checked the others which were all good. Never a problem since then. It was brand new but I was not a bit upset. I expect human error with most anything these days as quality seems to no longer be a priority.
Terry
You couldn't GIVE me a craftsman ANYTHING. Bought one of their weed eaters years ago and it worked for one and a half uses and started having issues with it. Bought my Deere 3 years ago and aside from it being noisy It's been one of the best things I've ever bought. It'll actually last too, so there's that.
I bought that craftsman r110 30” rear engine rider in 2019 for $899! It’s been a great mower! Haven’t touched it other than to sharpen the blade! I live in Kentucky so the climate is all over the place and it fires right up every spring so far!
I totally understand the sticker shock. Bought a Cub Cadet 42" mower less than five years ago, saw the same mower at Home Depot and it was $1,100 more than what I paid.
Thankfully I keep the maintenance up on mine and hope to keep it for several more years.
I must have lucked out. I bought a craftsman mower about eight years ago and never had a problem.
I have a 20 year old craftsman lt2000 with a single cylinder Kohler 17hp Command Pro. The engine is great. Still going strong.
I have the same thing. So much stuff is broke on it but it runs and I cant afford another one.
Thanks for all the advice that is easy to understand. I'm buying a new zero turn after having a Deutz-Allis rider for 20 plus years. I'm buying a Ariens at the dealer. Love your cat with the eartip!
I just looked at a base level Bad Boy that I really liked but it had the single cylinder brigs. This video reinforced my concerns.
I have a 2009 JD LA115- changed the TuffTorq oil a couple years ago along with yearly oil changes and it runs just fine. Mows really well too after leveling the deck. It's way overkill for my now smaller yard, but it's definitely handy for ongoing lawn improvements and getting my backyard done within 10 minutes. $1700 back then and it came with the $200 dump cart (the good one) for free.
Those days with those prices may never be seen again, too bad things were looking not bad back then.
Yeah, I watched her earlier video and where she mentioned that equipment prices all went way up, and I ended up browsing the equivalent JD 100 series...believe the equivalent of the model above is like $2200-$2300 now...
@@mattb9664 Our local JD dealer says the transmissions on the 100 series last anywhere from 350 to 700 hours. Two of our customers experienced transmission failure around the 600 hour mark sad. Basically if you have a large yard you want a commercial unit pay more but lasts a long time if properly maintained.
I send out a message via the neighborhood social media from time to time, and have got so much outdoor power stuff “destined for the trash”. Most of it was nearly in new condition .. just needed a carb kit or cleaning, etc. (ethanol gas disease). 😮
Back in 2018 I bought a Toro SS5000 Timecutter Zero Turn. It's been great so far. Normal maintenance , blade replacement, oil changes, etc. are cheap to perform. Stamped deck has survived 5 years so far with no rust out. Had to replace spindles due to noisy bearings but the replacements are about $70 for all 3. The jewel on the SS5000 is the Toro designed and built 26.5 HP vertical twin engine. This thing is a powerhouse! Easy starting, quick to warm up and never quits. Even the battery lasted 4 years before requiring replacement. This was a great deal at $3200 back in 2018.. I imagine they cost more now but this one seems to be worth it...
1999 brigg and Stratton push mower original love it so much it hadn't been started for three or four years and it started right up without being cold started
Thanks for all your great videos. Very informative and useful. I have a small repair business to keep me busy and try to keep up with inflation even though I am "retired". I am on the same page as you regarding the quality of Craftsman, Cub Cadet and Troy Bilt (MTD) junk. I've experienced the same issues with steering on the 30 inch Craftsman. My client was a big man over 250 and the steering was always striping out. A couple of items that you might add to your info is how stupid the design is on the smaller cheaper 30" machines. As you know of course, getting to the carb easily is a must for good design and the 30" Craftsman really is poorly thought out. You have to work so hard to get to the carb on that rear engine beast that the money you saved disappears after the first 2 service calls. Next is the most important piece of info about MTD and that is to stay away from the Powermore or should I say Powerless piece of crap engine.
One of my friends gave up his 25 year old Murray rider because it was costing him about $200 a year for aging spindles, belts, battery etc. He thought he deserved a nice new rider and the Craftsman name is one older (80) generations really respect so he got a new rider with bagger 42" and extended warranty for around $2500.00 a few years back. He bought in August, put about 10 hrs. on it when he lent it to me to pick up leaves in the fall. I always check oil first thing before borrowing any equipment and it was not low but black as 5 yr old oil with 500 hrs. I told him he most likely has a blown head gasket. He got Sears service and they said I was right and he will order the part and be back in 2 wks. Then after 3 weeks he said they should have called him because they are getting a new engine because the Chinese mfg. does not supply them specs for head gasket bolts so they don't work on those engines.
Fast forward one year and the new engine is better but every time I see my friend use it I ask to check the oil. It's always low and black. He checks it most times he uses it now (about a 1 hr mow) if he thinks of it. He let me use it recently and after about 20 minutes it started spewing smoke again. Most likely a bad head gasket again. I aborted the project and hope it is just a head gasket but I know these engines have lots of blow by. I advise my clients to be sure and avoid the no name engine by Powermore.
Its literally a snowstorm here today. I think I'm safe for quite a while. Bout 3 feet of snow on the ground at the moment.
Mine is a 90’s Wizard, basically an MTD. I bought it off my uncle. It was in rough shape. Single cylinder Briggs blew up, replaced it with a V Twin. New belts, blades, paint, seat, wiring, muffler, spindles, tires, and rewired it. Runs great, and didn’t cost me over $500 all together.
I have a 2014 craftsman 4000 I bought brand new from Sears.still running.i change the oil and plugs every year.i did re lash the intake and exhaust intake 3 years ago and it's still runs good.i have a JD 120 I bought 3 years ago for my house and love it.20 HP vs the craftsman 17.5 is a big difference.time to replace the craftsman soon though it's getting tired.im looking at the JD s120.22 HP twin looks like a rugged machine.i might bite the bullet in Feb or March when I might get a better deal.they have simple change over kits to eliminate the 80 dollar oil change system which I did on my 120.love your video s
I put a 190cca lawn tractor battery out of my Sears Suburban in my daughter's 1994 Toyota Corolla and it started it fine. I actually cranked it for almost 5 minutes when it ran out of gas. My Kubota G4200 diesel garden tractor battery went bad and it was around $120-$150 depending on where I could find it. It is a very hard to find battery so I changed the terminals from top post to ring terminals and put a 12V 35AH U1 AGM battery in it. It was 1" shorter and fit perfect in the battery tray. Was $56 and available everywhere online. Those tractors don't take much to start them if running correctly. The small John Deere with a single cylinder engine and 42" cut is a great tractor and cheap. It will also use way less fuel to mow the same amount of grass with just a couple more passes. Big decks are overrated for most yards and a smaller deck gets around things better and in small places. A smaller deck also mows uneven and hills better. My 40" Kubota mows better than my 60" Ferris Pro Cut Z without scalping certain areas of the yard.
Getter done
I read a John Deere mower manual recently and it was printed by MTD. Some checking shows that MTD bought the John Deere residential mower line. I know MTD bought Cub Cadet, Husqevarne, Bolens, Yarman, Craftsman, Troy Bilt, etc..
Yep and they really double the price also
All John Deeres are made by John Deere.Box store models are made in Greeneville, Tennessee. Dealer models are made in Horicon, Wisconsin. MTD never made John Deeres. JD did make movers for Craftsman a few years ago. Scott's, Saber, and Craftsman.
There’s always someone trying to talk this garbage lol, all John Deere mowers are built by John Deere, there is no manual printed by MTD, quit talking out of your butt!
I convert those JD easy oil change systems back to old school. There are kits to do that. It's cheap and simple. You remove all that and install a nipple into the block and install a normal oil filter. Also, when switching them over, you will find that you will be adding significantly more oil to fill and that is because the Easy fill system does not allow for removal of all the dirty oil. I convince everyone of my customers to do this. Check it out. BTW, I think you are the best on here!
Your advice is precious as gold, thank you, thank you, thank you!
Something else to think about, some riding mowers have a safety that kills the engine with the blades running when you try to back up from a tight spot. Craftsman riders have the key switch with backup enable spot to keep the engine AND the blades running when you need to back up (saves wear on the blade drive belts).
I just bypassed the switch on mine... not a Craftsman. May be a personal preference, but at times, it is more efficient to cut going backwards.
One of the most irritating safety features ever!
Thanks for all your info and videos. I noticed you didn't say much about husqvarna .I have a ten year old lgt 2654 that lowe's told me was garden tractor (could handle ground engaging implements) the trans is not that strong there is a problem where the axle bolts to the frame .but all and all been a good tractor. 450 hours
I used to work at the Murray factory in Lawrenceburg TN back before they were taken over by B&S. We used to make craftsman for sears back then.
My own mower is a snapper rear engine rider i bought new in 2001. It always starts on the first pull. I only paid $1000 for it back then. My dad just bought a new one and it was $2000.
Thank you , you answer my question. I've been asking for 2 weeks.
John Deer. Twin cylinder. Thanks again ...and used.
This would have been great information to have about 2 years ago when I bought my Cub Cadet. Since I bought it I have put spindles on about 3-4 times a year.
Cub Cadet = MTD Junk. Stickers are cheap.
3-4 times a year? I have a Hustler commercial bought in 2005 that has had all three spindles replaced once.
@@jeffstanley4593 Same here. I got a old 1998 Ferris Pro Cut Z 61" that has had the greasable spindles changed once a couple of years ago. I changed the original drive belt last year finally because it was cracking. The belt is a 4 rib serpentine like 106" and is $140
I agree a fabricated deck is better then a stamped deck. I have both. The only thing I think is the stamped deck clears the grass better then the fabricated deck. A 23 year old yard man with a 46" stamped deck and a 9 or 10 year old Cub Cadit Z-Force with a 48" fabricated deck and both are rusty on the bottom.😁