Goodbye Les Baer purchase hello new Mower

[9mmfan]

If you want longevity out of it, go commercial.I personally recommend X Mark. Those things are tanks.

 

[Wolfhound]

How about one of these?

 

[patience0830]

I've got a Scag going into its 14th year. It's more like a Wilson Combat than a Les Baer though...and that's for the ones with a Kohler engine instead of a diesel or liquid cooled engine. Still though, you might check the used ones. Unless it's been used by a commerical mowing company, chances are it's not nearly worn out yet. Our dealer seems to always have one or two used ones on his lot.

I'm convinced, I'll have to replace the engine on this thing long before the deck or any other body part rusts out.

Owned my first Scag for over 20 yrs. Little brother is still mowing with it. Bought a used Scag Freedom-Z (61") a couple of yrs ago and i expect it will outlast me. It was $3500 used though.

Buy once, cry once. True about scopes and lawnmowers, among other items.

 

[Expat]

If only the boy had been as dependable mowing as the tractor...

So what kind of Les Baer is going up in the Classifieds?

 

[wcd]

If only the boy had been as dependable mowing as the tractor...

So what kind of Les Baer is going up in the Classifieds?

Will just start over again lol. I guess that's what I get for being too frugal, but family first. Besides 3 hours behind the push mower 18 cut i think was more than enough to justify the purchase. Ended going with an Ariens fully welded deck Comercial engine 3 year commercial warranty no hour limit and 10% military discount on top of it.

 

[wcd]

If you have a deck that rotted out in 5 years then you did NOT do maintenance and can expect the same from the next mower...

I would recommend a zero turn with a thick fabricated deck as they can stand up to having moldy grass never cleaned out of them.

A cheap TSC zero turn moweris just another throw away, you get what you pay for.

If you want a 3,000+hr mower you have to $$$

Cleaned the deck after each use. Appears that year they used aluminium spindles on the steel deck, with no rubber washers hello Galvanic corrosion. It literally corroded right at the mounting points.

 

[OSAKNUC]

I have a Yard Machines or MTD (can’t remember which off hand, but it’s red and has a 42” deck). It’s just over 14 years old, beat to crap, never maintained but starts every time. Battery is probably 5 years old. It’s well beyond its useful life but I just hook up the jumper cables start it, mow, and put it away wet.

 

[kris46143]

Seems that all lawnmower decks will rot out before the engine quits. I just bought a Hustler Raptor 54 in Zero Turn last Spring from Rural King. It's going to last way longer than anything I've had in the past. It's not a thin stamped deck... is a welded/fabricated thick steel deck. They have them on sale for about $3900 right now. I love mine. It's one of the best investments that I've made. It saves me so much time.... I'll have more time for reloading and shooting!

 

[patience0830]

Seems that all lawnmower decks will rot out before the engine quits. I just bought a Hustler Raptor 54 in Zero Turn last Spring from Rural King. It's going to last way longer than anything I've had in the past. It's not a thin stamped deck... is a welded/fabricated thick steel deck. They have them on sale for about $3900 right now. I love mine. It's one of the best investments that I've made. It saves me so much time.... I'll have more time for reloading and shooting!

Seems like the faster i can mow, the more I do mow.

Kinda evens out.

 

[ghuns]

The new, super fast, zero turns are awesome. If you have a perfectly smooth yard. If you have converted pastures and minimally prepped, former bean/corn fields for yard, they'll beat you to death.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

The new, super fast, zero turns are awesome. If you have a perfectly smooth yard. If you have converted pastures and minimally prepped, former bean/corn fields for yard, they'll beat you to death.

And don't forget about the moles that make their mole-hills into mountains. The struggle is real.

 

[rhino]

These problems used to be solved using teenagers pushing mowers under duress.

 

[wcd]

These problems used to be solved using teenagers pushing mowers under duress.

That's funny

 

[Grogmister]

I have been looking at all the brands myself. I’m not going with one of the big box store models but I’m 99 percent sure I’m getting a JD. the X350 with a 48” deck is a little over $3k. If your budget is limited then hit Craigslist. There have been some really good deals on low hour used tractors in realy good looking shape. I’m building a new house so all my funds are on hold right now so I have not been able to pull the trigger on one. Just what I have found in my searches.

 

[HubertGummer]

I've got a early 90's craftsman that was sitting by the curb 11 years ago. Cleaned the carb, adjusted the mower deck for level and put a battery on it. Been fine since.

Just found a early 2000's craftsman by the curb this spring. All it needed was the steering gears taken apart and put back together correctly. I took the deck off and gave to my dad. Did a pully swap and governor adjustment and got it to go 32MPH.

Can't beat free-if you're lucky enough to find one for free.

 

[patience0830]

Did a pully swap and governor adjustment and got it to go 32MPH..

 

[Expat]

I've got a early 90's craftsman that was sitting by the curb 11 years ago. Cleaned the carb, adjusted the mower deck for level and put a battery on it. Been fine since.

Just found a early 2000's craftsman by the curb this spring. All it needed was the steering gears taken apart and put back together correctly. I took the deck off and gave to my dad. Did a pully swap and governor adjustment and got it to go 32MPH.

Can't beat free-if you're lucky enough to find one for free.

A friend of the wife’s family lived up in one of the Chicago suburbs. He made a living picking up gas equipment that was put out to the trash because they wouldn’t start. He said most of the time all they needed was the carb cleaned and fresh gas, maybe a new spark plug, and they were ready to go.

 

[HubertGummer]

A friend of the wife’s family lived up in one of the Chicago suburbs. He made a living picking up gas equipment that was put out to the trash because they wouldn’t start. He said most of the time all they needed was the carb cleaned and fresh gas, maybe a new spark plug, and they were ready to go.

It is amazing the good stuff that gets thrown away. Most people just can't or won't fix the simplest things.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Those of you saying that the JD stuff sold at Home Depot / Lowe's / etc aren't "real" JD equipment... You could not be more wrong.

A JD E100 lawn tractor from Home depot is the exact same thing as an E100 from a JD dealer.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Those of you saying that the JD stuff sold at Home Depot / Lowe's / etc aren't "real" JD equipment... You could not be more wrong.

A JD E100 lawn tractor from Home depot is the exact same thing as an E100 from a JD dealer.

This information is years old now but I asked a JD dealer one day about the lawn tractors at places at Lowes, etc. He told me all of the JDs were built in a JD factory (he named the place but I've long since forgotten it) and that even though you were buying it from Lowes, the local JD dealer would be the one standing behind it. Like I said, this information is at least 10 years old now and things might well have changed. But if you're seriously thinking about a JD lawn tractor, ask them who is going to support it and then ask that dealer about it.