Need Recomendations for a Garden Tractor -Tell Me About Yours

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Does anyone have a recomendation for a Garden Tractor? I'm looking for something that can mow 2 acres twice a week and also till my acre garden. Do you have any experience with accesories: snow blowers, tillers, trailers, winrow?

What Brand do you have? What did you use it for? How may horse power does it have? Would you have bought the same or done it differently? What accesories do you have and did they work for you?

-- Storybook Farm (mumaw@socket.com), July 05, 2001

Answers

I have an older Craftsman 16 hp lawn tractor that used to have a belt driven tiller attachment. What a waste. I strongly discourage any one from spending the $ on a lawn tractor for anything other than simply mowing easy terrain. If you want to perform other duties with the "tractor", invest in a higher end model with differential lock and possibly a pto. They are expensive, but a compact tractor with hydraulics, 4 wheel drive, pto and 3 point hitch will give you virtually unlimited flexibility for present and yet un-thought of future work projects.

I have a JD 755. It's the next to the smallest compact tractor they make and I love it. It is 24 hp, 3 cylinder deisel, 4 WD. I have loader with 4 way hydraulics, rotary mower (bush hog type), howard rotovator tiller, auger with 12" and 18" bits, fork lift forks that attach to the loader bucket and draw bar with trailer ball. It will take mid mount and rear mount grooming mower decks, front and back blades, snow blowers, rotary broom, backhoe, rear fork lift forks, box scraper, and other discing, plowing and planting implements that are rated for its size. The 4 WD, differential lock and differential rear braking make it virtually impossible to get stuck, although I've come close.

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), July 05, 2001.


I strongly discourage any one from spending the $ on a "compact 4wd tractor" to mow 2 acres and till up a garden unless you are made of money!

If you are handy and like to tinker, I recommend an older (1965 to 1976) Sears garden tractor. This is not the same as a Craftsman. I have 5....ranging from a 6 hp, 4 speed with 36" push blade, 38" deck and 3 pt hitch....to a 12 hp hydrostatic drive with 42" deck...to a 12 hp, 8 speed with 42" deck and 40" sickle bar mower....to a 16 hp twin, 8 speed with a larger 3 pt and disc, cultivator, and 2 plows.

These were built to last and many more attachments are still around...3 pt tiller w/8 hp engine...snow blower...compost mill...4000 watt genset...mid and rear blades...hay rakes...and hydraulic front bucket/lift...and more.

Check out http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/thesearsgardentractorclub for more info and pictures.

-- Jason (AJAMA5@netscape.net), July 06, 2001.


Skip, how much did that Deere 755 cost?

-- paul (primrose@centex.net), July 06, 2001.

I'm sure this is the first time I've ever agreed about anything with Skip....:)........but.....

Having had two Craftsmans, and two piece-a-junk Cub Cadets (top of the line, brand new), then finally bought a very used John Deere (which I resisted doing for years simply because having one is a weird kinda rural status symbol around here, and I naturally resist whatever's popular)............my very important opinion is.............I LOVE JOHN DEERE!!

The garden tractor we have is a beautiful thing.........does everything you ask it to, and three times more...........I could go into detail, but won't bore you, unless you wannna talk to me personal like..........email me....... I am: earthmama8@yahoo.com

-- Earthmama (earthmama48@yahoo.com), July 06, 2001.


We have a GT 235 John Deere lawn tractor. It has a 54" mowing deck and a 42" snowthrower. We've had absolutely no problems with it since we bought it two years ago. The snowthrower handles heavy Upstate NY snow very easily. We were given a front push blade but it is, in my opinion, fairly worthless. I wouldn't pay for one.

It is hydrostatic (is that the word I'm looking for?)- no shifting, and very easy to run. But it was pricey. John Deere does have a decent warranty. If you plan on using the snowthrower in heavy snow get the chains and wheel weights-they're worth it.

It mows and throws, and I think this model (18 HP) would handle a small plow OK but I wouldn't get anything much smaller.

Stacy in Upstate NY

-- Stacy Rohan (KincoraFarm@aol.com), July 06, 2001.



Define everything you need to do with the tractor. You said mowing and tilling but then you ask about snow blowers. What else does it need to do. How big of an area do you need to till? How much snow do you get?

If your buying used then make sure you get everything you need with the equipment you buy. Finding attachemnets on older tractors is hard if not impossible.

If your buying new, whats you budget, champane or beer? How long does this tractor have to last? You have john deere on the top end, figure $5000-$8000 for the tractor an attachments. On the low end MTD and its many relabled sisters. Even here your looking at $3000-$5000 price tag.

-- Gary (gws@redbird.net), July 06, 2001.


I have a six speed, 14 horse,20 plus year old belly mower; the sand has long ago eaten the belly mower away so it was discarded and all that is left is the basic lawn tractor. I equiped it with a 12 volt pump (salvaged from a truck tailgate lift) for the hydraulics for the three point and use existing lawn tractor sized attachments. My mower is two 30 inch blades powered by an 18 h.p. Brics & Stratton twin of its own, mounted on a sheet of 1/4 inch plate with a tail wheel. Ground breaking is done with a 2 disc adjustable homemade attachment with space for adding weights. All this has been done as the needs came foward, the tractor was $100.00 20 years ago, the rest of the stuff came from my "treasure" pile. The tractor will drag a 7,000 pound Ford 1 ton around on level ground. I don't know what type of grass that would need mowing twice a week, the cows and I am interested in knowing.

-- mitch hearn (moopups1@aol.com), July 06, 2001.

We have 8 acres now, moved from 140 in the mountains of WV. We have a large diesel Leland/Long tractor which we used in WV. Our needs have changed and are now looking for a small tractor like a ford with pto to maybe some day operate a baler. We have a tiller which we used in WV with the big tractor. Our garden tiller, walk behind model does as good a job as the tiller on the tractor. Better even because the tractor tires compacted the soil where it drove over the ground. What we will do is have a local farmer plow for us and then use our walk behing tiller to till and smooth. We garden 5 acres of our 8. Corn, green beans and tomatoes for sale. We plan to add a small orchard in the fall. You will need a mowing blade. Like what is used to cut hay this works off of a pto and is really handy. Somethimes during hay season farmers have break downs and will share the hay for help with mowing, raking or baling. It's always good to help your neighbors because they in turn will help you. We have always tryed to independent but it helps to do things together things always seem to get done a lotg quicker working together. Last year or baler died and the neighbor offered to help for free. What would have taken 2 days for me, my husband and 14 year old daughter to do, because our baler only tied one side of each bale I tied the other. Our nieghbors came in with their children and grandchildren and baled and put our hay in the barn in 2 hours. What a blessing. Of course the year before that their rake broke down and we helped them so what goes around comes around. Make a list of what you want and how much you can spend or trade and try not to compromise to much. lol enjoy the good like. Linda in Indy

-- Linda in Indy (peacefulvalley3@yahoo.com), July 06, 2001.

I have a Ford 1720, 2WD, with a front loader. While 4WD would be nice, since the rear end is kinda light with that much weight on the front, I find it not a deal breaker (unless you're going to have some serious hills). I mow with it (I have a 5 foot Agritec rotatry mower - I really like it as it cuts just as nice as the 36" deck did on my old 12 HP Wheel Horse, but MUCH faster). My buddy has a 4 foot tiller I can borrow for the garden (you'll never go back to a small tiller!). It's moved TONS of rock (literally) and dirt for me. The landscape blade works real nice too and was money well spent.

-- Eric in TN (eric_m_stone@yahoo.com), July 06, 2001.

Ive got a troy built mower and its a dandy wouldnt take for it i also have a horse troybuilt tiller that im going to sell and buy a smaller one going to cut down the size of my garden. bob se.ks.

-- Bobco (bobco@hit.net), July 06, 2001.


I couldn't resist comment on this thread. John Deere and I have been working where work was needed on this acerage and earlier bigger ones since Sept. of 1977. Same tractor, same 12 horse engine, 47-inch mower deck and trailer. Even original tires! I can't estimate how many hours and miles of mowing, pulling, pushing, cultivating and occasionally providing transportation for a daughter, then granddaughters.

You can't beat the quality and support. I can't think of much that hasn't been replaced or repaired and it just cranks up and goes on and on and on ....

Vern M. Dogwood Valley in the Arkansas Ozarks

-- Vern M. (modeland@runningriver.com), July 06, 2001.


a used 300 series John Deere garden tractor would be perfect. Look for one in the 12-18hp range. Some came with hydraulics and pto which is a big plus. The hydrostatic(like an automatic) transmissions are ok but you'll go through alot of shear pins if you don't come to a complete stop before reversing direction which is tempting to do with those. JD made a full range of accessories for these too.

-- somebody (something@somewhere.com), July 07, 2001.

I mow 2.5 acres every week and have had many different garden tractors from brand new to well used. My favorate is the old, 1970 - 1975 Cub Cadet with the 12 hp Koehler motor. My 2.5 acres is hilly and this machine has never had a problem. My new (3 yrs old) Yard King (MTD) blew the engin and I bought anouther old cub for $300. It runs rings around the MTD.

-- Paul (treewizard@buffalo.com), July 11, 2001.

Go and talk to you nearest John Deere Dealer and hask him about the 4000 series. I don't know how much you are willing to spend but in the long run you are going to be happier with a deere and it will serve you much longer then sears or anything else.

Todd Anderson

-- Todd Anderson (fsdelta@gavtron.com), September 17, 2001.


Iam surprised know one mentioned Gravely, these are best by 10 times over any other Garden Tractor. I have quite a few of them. A couple I bought brand new, both two wheel and 4 wheel. I mow with an 18hp w/hydraulics 50" deck (optional 72"). I have attachments that are 50 years old, that will work on my new tractors. The interchangeablity is endless. I could go on and on, but would be boring unless you really want to hear about Gravelys. I have many attachments and tractors for sale also.

-- ron marquart (rmarquart1@juno.com), December 13, 2001.


Love our little John Deere (it's *my* tractor!) Our old hulking Ferguson just sits and pouts (and waits for new hydraulics, I guess...) We have a mower, trailer, plus 3-4 other attachments, including a blade. It's small enough to maneuver around the barns, tote a few bales, get loaded up with dirty bedding, etc. Interesting that I have never mowed the lawn with it! I'd definitely recommend either talking to local tractor afficianados (bet they like Deere) or else going to a Deere dealer for info. But hey, what do I know? ;-)

Good luck deciding!

-- sheepish (WA) (the_original_sheepish@Hotmail.com), December 13, 2001.


I would recomend an older Allis Chalmers or Simplicity garden tractor there is a lot of "stuff" out there for them. The don't break, and wear less then any other tractor I've owned. They are cheaper then a used JD or Cub and just as good, if not better. I have 5 of them, AC B-112, AC B-210, AC Homeseader 8 (lawn tractor), Simplicity 7010, Simplicity 7117H. I also have 2 cubs but my heart is with AC/Simplicity. There is a very informative site about them at www.simpletractors.com

John

-- john necina (aardvarkiq@gmx.co.uk), January 11, 2002.


I own a 1986 simplicity tractor with a 16hp twin engin and it takes all the hell i can dish to it i like john deer better but they are very pricy.a cheeper vertion of john deder but the best of the most componets is a sabre.

-- ROBERT VISNER (ROBERTVISNER@HOTMAIL.COM), April 05, 2002.

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