Last good year for Cub Cadet /John Deere Lawn Tractor?

[targa911S]

My Yanmar has 948 hrs on the meter. There is no stopping it. Well recently I had to put a rectifier on it s the battery would not charge. $25 and it's running like a bull

[VincentVega]

Anyone have experience with the plastic cam gear issue with a Kawasaki? I found what seems like a nice 345 but it falls in the range for the cam gear issue. I've read a bunch about it not havent seen once first hand. DIY repair?

[asphaltgambler]

Hey guys - I did pull the trigger on a 1991(1 year only) John Deere 430 diesel ( Yanmar I'm told ) with almost new full hydro snow plow. This is more of a compact tractor than lawn tractor. Full hydraulics, drive shaft to trans & mower deck, rear PTO. It has some new parts but still needs a little love.

It is supposed to be the '32 5-window coupe of the lawn tractor world, to me I really dig it. Paid $3900.- delivered to my home.

For some reason pix are not getting here - I'll work on that

[pavulon]

sweet! Do 430's have a differential locker?

[asphaltgambler]

Yes, auto style individual; rear drum brakes. Also hi/Low range trans

[targa911S]

Bravo! Well done! I'm sure you will feel like i do in that it is a great tool. I recommend Rotella oil and to use JD Hy guard hydraulic fluids. You won't regret this purchase when you see just how reliable it is and how much work it saves you. You know that they make a high lift for that ...right?

That was a $10,000.00 tractor new..
http://www.tractordata.com/lawn-tractors/000/0/4/44-john-deere-430.html

[asphaltgambler]

Just pulled this of off the interwebs, identical condition

[LakeCleElum]

Originally Posted by asphaltgambler

Just pulled this of off the interwebs, identical condition

Well done.....U got a great deal on a Garden Tractor that could outlive you.

[asphaltgambler]

Well - that's the plan! It is really over- built even though its 25 years old. I see it as an investment in my new home lawn care wise. Also, after this past winter where we received waaaay un seasonal winter storm - like 32"+ I'm done hand shoveling driveway

[targa911S]

And it's a real Deere.

[asphaltgambler]

It is especially when the new real ones at the dealer still have a 'fan' belt connecting the engine to the trans at a price of $5K+

[bpu699]

I bought a Home Depot John Deere d140 6 years ago for $1400 or so. Have been beating on it for 5 years mowing 2-3 acres and riding over brush, branches, ravines...

Absolutely no issues.

Is a $4500 John Deere better? Sure. But what's the point...

[VincentVega]

asphaltgambler - nice pickup, good luck with it

Originally Posted by bpu699

Is a $4500 John Deere better? Sure. But what's the point...

I hear you. Thats where I started until I read up on transaxle issues. I want to pull a cart and a cyclone rake and know I'll overload each. For everyone I read thats happy with a k46 trans there are at least as many that have a boat anchor since an upgraded replacement is more $$ than the machine. Crap shoot I guess.

[LakeCleElum]

Vincent - I've read the same drama on the K46 and other transaxles - Never had a problem with 25 yrs of exclusive JD ownership: STX -38 - LT 155 - 160 - 316 - 318 and G100............

Well one small issue: I had my 316 in the back of my pickup and only taking it 2 miles, so set the brake and didn't tie it down. They don't roll when in gear, right?...Except when you hit rough pavement and it came out the back of the truck at 45 mph.....It did ruin that tranaxle, sliding down the road in gear......Neighbor had a spare he gave me, but a lot of work to change it out....

All are bullet proof in my opinion, I've only changed the fluid on the 316 and 318......

[Geoz1]

For mowing the acre I have, I use a Simplicity 7012H (Hydro static). The cut is second to none. I have plowed snow with it, but hated lifting the blade, and the manual angle adjustment. I have had it about 10 years, purchased from the original owner. It also has a roto tiller that gets used twice a season for my small garden, and a neighbors large garden. Over all, excellent garden tractor. The bevel gear box is the weak point. I had to rebuild it a few years back, spending around $350. in parts.
A elderly neighbor passed some years back, and I bought a Wheel Horse 312 Black hood 2 speed (somewhat desirable), in near new condition with a plow, wheel weights, chains, and mower deck from his sister. The plow was never used. I really liked being able to angle the plow on the fly, but disliked the manual lift. I ended up selling it last year. It was a great garden tractor, I kind of miss it. I used it heavily when taking down 5, 100+ year old oaks in the neighborhood. I didn't care for the rear discharge deck, but another excellent garden tractor. I changed the plastic seat pan to a metal one right away, before it was damaged. It's a hard to find piece.

A month or so ago, I purchased a JD 314. It is in really nice shape, well cared for, and came with a single stage snowblower, wheel weights and chains, along with the 48" mower deck. I had to replace the drive shaft and coupler's right away. $250. It's a common problem, that has been revised, this was original. I need to fix the play in the steering, but overall, perfect machine. Once again, I do not care for the way it cuts the lawn. I bought it as a workhorse/snow machine. It has hydraulic lift for the blower and deck. That's why I bought it.

I am looking at buying a JD 318 with a wounded engine, that will allow me to add additional front and rear hydraulics, along with power steering. The biggest reason, is so I can put a 4 way plow on it, hydraulic angle, along with the hydraulic up and down that it already has. It is a very stout garden tractor.

All of these have the K series Kohler engines that I am a big fan of. But they are thirsty when it comes to fuel.

Each of these brands that I have owned, are great garden tractors. They all have their weak and strong points.

I have had the Simplicity about 15 years. It was a free with a bad swash plate in the hydro pump, $30. fix. Over 15 years, I have spent around $800. on it rebuilding the engine and bevel gear box. If the original owners kid, didn't take the engine to high school shop class for a "rebuild", I believe it wouldn't have needed a rebuild. They honed the **** out of the cylinder, and when it was hot, it had a ton of piston slap and loss of power.

Everytime the neighbors see me on a new tractor, they ask about the Simplicity. I tell them, it's fine. LOL They all have box store models of Simplicity, JD, and Cubs. They get maybe 10 years out of them before the deck rots out, or the crappy tuff torque hydro/diff goes out.

I'd rather have a well built garden tractor, than a POS box store unit. These will out last me if properly maintained.

[Geoz1]

Also, these are late 70s to early 80s vintage. I have had no problem getting parts for any of them.

[targa911S]

Originally Posted by bpu699

I bought a Home Depot John Deere d140 6 years ago for $1400 or so. Have been beating on it for 5 years mowing 2-3 acres and riding over brush, branches, ravines...

Absolutely no issues.

Is a $4500 John Deere better? Sure. But what's the point...

Deere envy?

[ckelly78z]

The Home Depot John Deeres will serve most of the public just fine by mowing a small lot, and plowing a smooth driveway, and possibly pulling a yard cart. These lawn tractors weren't meant to do much else.

My dad and were talking about this same this weekend. We were at a plow day at a buddy's farm, where 15-20 garden tractors get together with their 1 bottom furrow plows, and spend the day plowing a feild mostly for fun, with a nice buffet picnic for lunch. I was using my 1976 John Deere 214 that still had all the original running gear (never opened up), and he was using a 1968 Cub Cadet 147 (same thing, all original). We have also rototilled numerous gardens, tractor pulled, and done countless other heavy duty projects with these tractors. (after the plow day, my Dad re-installed his frontend loader on his tractor for using to haul wood all Winter).

The frame, running gear, cast iron motors, and replaceable bits suchas bearings rather than bushings, and 5 lug wheels on hubs rather than a cotter pins and axle keys. All of these things are super heavy duty on the older CCs, and JDs.

[OK-944]

My wife and I bit the bullet four years ago...and basically rolled the price of a new JD X500 (with 54" mower deck, wagon, and 48" snow blower) into the overall cost of our then new (to us) home in Vt.

We're on 25 acres (mostly mixed hardwood) with about 4 of these open (mix of lawn and pasture, mixed terrain from gentle to decidedly rough, with a long gravel driveway). With the beating I give this machine on a weekly basis year-round...I cannot imagine that anything less would hold up.

I'd previously considered buying something used...but the combination of having a truly great JD dealership located nearby, plus the fact that I'd rather save my limited wrenching-time for my cars (1985.5 944 and 2005 Saab 9-3), I'm glad that I bought new.

[asphaltgambler]

Hey Targa911 - what is a 'high lift'??