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Murray VS Lawn Chief (by MTD)

1K views 0 replies 1 participant last post by  Torque454 
#1 ·
I posted this on the Murray section first, but would like to hear the MTD side of the story as well.

Which tractor is better to you guys? A murray, or an MTD?

I have both and While I like mowing with the MTD better (i think), I also think the Murray is a better tractor. Heres why.

1) The Murray has a 5 speed transmission + reverse. And while I dont like the single SLOW speed reverse, it does actually have 5 forward speeds. It does not have a single speed transmission (1 forward and 1 reverse) like the MTD. The MTD uses a variable speed pulley to adjust the ground speed. Seems cheap and less reliable to me. The variable speed setup and the clutch/brake does seem to work smoother, however.

2) The Murray actually has a lever and belt tensioner to engage the blades, and the tension is the same no matter what height the deck is at. The MTD drops the deck and pulls it backwards a bit to engage the blades. The further down the deck goes, the tighter the belt would be it seems. The MTD seems to provide a slightly better cut, but it wont go through the tall grass the way the Murray will. Its more of a short grass type mower.

and finally 3) The Murray has two arms from the steering sector, one for each wheel. I could see this as being good or bad, but it seems more reliable tho. The MTD has one rod off the steering sector, to the right wheel. And from the right wheel to the left wheel is another.

To me the Murray seems like a better tractor. I know that mine has a TON of hours on it and it keeps on going. Its been used commercially since the day it was bought in 2001. My MTD doesnt have near the hours on it and the deck hasnt been bent up and cut on and everything else the way the Murray has. All in all the Murry still does a nice job and it will do anything you want it to do. The Lawn Chief has wheels on the deck where the Murray does not. It may have a thicker or better reinforced deck than the Murray does. The Lawn Chief is also faster. On one yard it cut my mowing time from 2 hours and 45 minutes to 2 hours and 15 minutes.

So I think i like mowing with the Lawn Chief (MTD), better atleast in most cases, than the Murray but the Murray is a better, tougher tractor I think.

What do you guys think?
 
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