Craftsman, John Deere, Cub cadet , or Husqvuarna?
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Simplicity Lawn Tractor Riding Mower w/ rear Bagger & Headlights
my buddie is selling this...i am thinking of buying it..whats your thoughts...
my buddie is selling this...i am thinking of buying it..whats your thoughts...
What a nice old classic!!! I'm partial to Simplicity though. Since owning mine, I'll never buy another brand. They pioneered the full floating deck and striping rollers. Makes for a beautiful, non scalping cut.
It's the only non-commercial mower left that stll has a full floating deck. All others, even the big name brands use a suspended deck.
Mine's a 2002 model and will soon upgrade to a 2010 or 11 model.
attached is a picture of mine with the 42" snowblower attachment I have for it. The mower deck is a 44" tripple blade which yields perfect cuts. This outfit would be perfect for you in Chicago!!! And for the right price I could deliver!!!
BTW, the snowblower has only one season of use (no snow down here in TN) and is like new. Original cost $1400. Tractor's origiinal cost $3400
Somebody make me an offer I can't refuse!!
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Blown&Injected
Active Member
- Joined
- May 31, 2001
- Messages
- 3,721
Thanks guys.
Yeah, it seems that the Craftsman and Husqvuarna are the same MFR, but still not quite the same. It looks like the Craftsman has 23x10.5 rear tires and the H has 22x9.5 rear tires - did not notice the size of the front wheels/tires and do not recall if the wheels were different in the rear or just the tires.
I have not seen a plow attachment for the H while the C has them listed on the Sears site.
The C has arm rests and adjustable seat and the H just an adjustable seat but I do not care too much about the arm rests unless the seat is just totally better all-around.
The H (by the way the one I looked at was at Lowes) has a nice grill guard like bumper and the Craftsman has nothing up front - wondering if all that needs to be removed to attempt a plow mount - if it can even be done on the H
If they are both basically the same but one has a better seat and bigger tires - Sears for $2,700, on sale now 20% off price,
or,
Lowes - slightly smaller tires - nice grill guard but maybe no plow = $2,300 and I have a 10% off that price = $2,070
Will a slightly larger tire be worth all that extra $? I am seriously leaning towards Lowes
Yeah, it seems that the Craftsman and Husqvuarna are the same MFR, but still not quite the same. It looks like the Craftsman has 23x10.5 rear tires and the H has 22x9.5 rear tires - did not notice the size of the front wheels/tires and do not recall if the wheels were different in the rear or just the tires.
I have not seen a plow attachment for the H while the C has them listed on the Sears site.
The C has arm rests and adjustable seat and the H just an adjustable seat but I do not care too much about the arm rests unless the seat is just totally better all-around.
The H (by the way the one I looked at was at Lowes) has a nice grill guard like bumper and the Craftsman has nothing up front - wondering if all that needs to be removed to attempt a plow mount - if it can even be done on the H
If they are both basically the same but one has a better seat and bigger tires - Sears for $2,700, on sale now 20% off price,
or,
Lowes - slightly smaller tires - nice grill guard but maybe no plow = $2,300 and I have a 10% off that price = $2,070
Will a slightly larger tire be worth all that extra $? I am seriously leaning towards Lowes
Blown&Injected
Active Member
- Joined
- May 31, 2001
- Messages
- 3,721
So 1" bigger tire for $700 - Is the bigger tire that important - my yard is basically flat???
++++++
Along my research I have not noticed any bad press on that make but I fear used lawn care tools from anybody that still does yard work - so unless it is an old person that will be hiring somebody, or for whatever reason no longer has a yard to care for, I wonder why the machine is being replaced?
...but then....
Of course I am skiddish from dealing with an old cheap machine. The only reason I am considering a new maching is that the old one is TROUBLE
++++++
Along my research I have not noticed any bad press on that make but I fear used lawn care tools from anybody that still does yard work - so unless it is an old person that will be hiring somebody, or for whatever reason no longer has a yard to care for, I wonder why the machine is being replaced?
...but then....
Of course I am skiddish from dealing with an old cheap machine. The only reason I am considering a new maching is that the old one is TROUBLE
whitecobra98
Member
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2006
- Messages
- 738
I love my Simplicity....very well built, well thought out layout of controls...my yard is bumpy, but with the full width roller it stripes and cuts great...no problems at all as of yet, but its only 2 yrs old
Night Train
Member
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2002
- Messages
- 329
My son found a few 1980's like new condition JD diesels. He as one and I have the other. Nice and quiet and sips fuel compared to gas. Tons of power and lots of options. I think each of them was less than $2,000 with decks. Seld propelled walker is a Toro.
UPDATE
Ok fellas OLD POST. but just to update the cheap LA105 $1500 mower I bought from Lowes in 2009 It is now 2012 I have 38.4 hrs on it. I use an automotive Purolater oil filter synthetic 10w 40 synthetic Mobil 1 oil. I bought the first battery for it a week ago 3-15-12.
Still going strong about time for an air filter thats it..... Good mower. Just keep taking care of it like its a $4500 mower. I did good so far. If something major tears up I'll update again.
Ok fellas OLD POST. but just to update the cheap LA105 $1500 mower I bought from Lowes in 2009 It is now 2012 I have 38.4 hrs on it. I use an automotive Purolater oil filter synthetic 10w 40 synthetic Mobil 1 oil. I bought the first battery for it a week ago 3-15-12.
Still going strong about time for an air filter thats it..... Good mower. Just keep taking care of it like its a $4500 mower. I did good so far. If something major tears up I'll update again.
Can't beat a Simplicity for quality of build and especially the quality of cut!!!
TR Custom Parts
Mark Hueffman - Owner
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
- Messages
- 12,713
Nice to hear Mark maybe I'll catch up with you (70hrs), like I said if I can get 10 years I'll be satisfied.
Dave be honest with me I've been trying to figure this out ever since I watch baseball.... How do the lawn mower put those stripes on the lawn? a special blade or technique in cutting?
Dave be honest with me I've been trying to figure this out ever since I watch baseball.... How do the lawn mower put those stripes on the lawn? a special blade or technique in cutting?
It's a simplicity exclusive:
In the "non commercial" world like ours there's only one way to get it done right. It's a Simplicity pattened deck design. Full Floating deck on striping rollers.
In the "commercial" world (those zero turn units in the 12 -15 thousand dollar range) they come with the rollers, but a supended deck.
Notice how on ALL other riding mowers the deck is suspended under the tractor and you adjust the cutting height by raising or lowering deck with a lever. Whatever movements (up/down, roll, yaw) is the same thing your deck is going to do. Tractor moves up and down, so does your cut, and susceptable to scalping, etc.
On a Simplicity, the deck is "floating", that is to say, it's riding on the ground via the striping rollers. It matters not what kind of crazy movements the tractor might make because the deck follows the ground, not the tractor. No scalping or other ugly stuff. Makes for a perfectly uniform cut, and because of the striping rollers they lay the grass over a little in the direction of travel. So you mow in opposite directions on each pass. In other words make a u-turn and the end of each pass. (but dont try that with yours because you don't have the stripping rollers to create the finish).
I could take some pictures to show you how it all works, but I doubt you'd be interested in buying such a mower, since you budgeted an LA style J.D.
You guys must have some tiny lawns with only two digit hour readings!!
I've got 450 "zero defect" hours on my Simplicity. Let me know when you get some serious hours on those LA John Deere's
In the "non commercial" world like ours there's only one way to get it done right. It's a Simplicity pattened deck design. Full Floating deck on striping rollers.
In the "commercial" world (those zero turn units in the 12 -15 thousand dollar range) they come with the rollers, but a supended deck.
Notice how on ALL other riding mowers the deck is suspended under the tractor and you adjust the cutting height by raising or lowering deck with a lever. Whatever movements (up/down, roll, yaw) is the same thing your deck is going to do. Tractor moves up and down, so does your cut, and susceptable to scalping, etc.
On a Simplicity, the deck is "floating", that is to say, it's riding on the ground via the striping rollers. It matters not what kind of crazy movements the tractor might make because the deck follows the ground, not the tractor. No scalping or other ugly stuff. Makes for a perfectly uniform cut, and because of the striping rollers they lay the grass over a little in the direction of travel. So you mow in opposite directions on each pass. In other words make a u-turn and the end of each pass. (but dont try that with yours because you don't have the stripping rollers to create the finish).
I could take some pictures to show you how it all works, but I doubt you'd be interested in buying such a mower, since you budgeted an LA style J.D.
You guys must have some tiny lawns with only two digit hour readings!!
I've got 450 "zero defect" hours on my Simplicity. Let me know when you get some serious hours on those LA John Deere's
Blown&Injected
Active Member
- Joined
- May 31, 2001
- Messages
- 3,721
110 hrs on the 54" Husqvuarna - 2nd oil and filter, original battery still like new, blades still original but after another sharpening that will probably be it.
Use it like a mule in the yard for all kinds of stuff - no problems or complaints
We live out in the country and I have about 3.5-4 acres to mow. Some of it is "Unimproved" So I swapped a JD 345 for this.
Kubota ZD326. 26HP Diesel zero turn. I can mow all of it in about an hour now using less than a gallon of fuel.
Suspension seat hell the darn thing even has adjustable lumbar support
Kubota ZD326. 26HP Diesel zero turn. I can mow all of it in about an hour now using less than a gallon of fuel.
Suspension seat hell the darn thing even has adjustable lumbar support
