[2 cycle freak]

ive just went though i think was my 8th rider mower this year.im 100% done on buying used mowers for gutting some grass.i own a small yard mowing business and used mowers cannot handle the job.im looking into the LA105,does anyone have one? id like to know about how fast it goes,how heavy a load it can pull,common problems and how hard parts are to get for this model.

 

[Cat385B]

The L/LA series use the same light duty tranny found in other store box mowers. Are you pulling a roller, plug aerator, or a heavy sprayer? Or are the mowers not holding up to commercial amount of hours?

I do not or have not owned a L/LA series mower. So I can't help with the first two questions. Common problems mainly deal with the light duty tranny being used for something it wasn't designed for. Parts aren't a problem if you have a JD dealer nearby.

I'm curious as to which models of riders you have gone through.

 

[Brett-JDX748]

An LA 105 won't last if you pull anything or mow anything other than a flat postage stamp.

 

[Markcuda]

Buy the most mower you can't afford:trink39:

 

[PA318Guy]

Not sure just what the terrrain is there in Milwaukee, but as the others have said the LA105 is for flat lawns. You do some commercial mowing and my suggestion to you would be to stay with the x320 minimum if you don't want to be going through new mowers (LA series) like crazy! They are designed for residential and they do that very well, but don't expect them to hold up to commercial use!

 

[Incurorish]

The LA105 isn't a bad tractor for the price. The thing is to realize it is a cheap one. The transaxle is the spicer 5 speed that the L100 had (correct me if I'm wrong). If that's the case, the good news is when it goes out, it'll be relatively cheap to replace. Obviously you must take into account that any amount of hills and/or loads will reduce the life.

For parts, take a look at green parts store. They usually have a good amount of your common parts, not to mention it's fun just to look around.

 

[Team_Green]

There are two ways to do it.. Buy a new one when the inexpensive one brakes down or spend the money up front and buy one good one that will run for many years. The L/LA units are meant for lawns that are flat and not a lot of acreage..

 

[stoon boy]

I agree with TEAM Green, if you have a yard mowing business, pass on the L/LA series and buy something made to handle the rougher conditions of commercial use. Down time due to repairs , costs you money, time and customers if you have to say,"I'll be back to finish your yard as soon as I get my equipment fixed"

 

[Brett-JDX748]

It's one of those "Pay me now or Pay me later" but sooner or later, you are gonna pay me! deals

 

[Team_Green]

It's one of those "Pay me now or Pay me later" but sooner or later, you are gonna pay me! deals

yup.. and as said before.. If your down now waiting on parts it will cost you more in the long run.. Like one other fella on here i know.. he is the only guy running his equipment and he has two mowers for that down time of one unit.. Its almost needed to keep people happy..

 

[Beaumont]

ive just went though i think was my 8th rider mower this year.im 100% done on buying used mowers for gutting some grass.i own a small yard mowing business and used mowers cannot handle the job.im looking into the LA105,does anyone have one? id like to know about how fast it goes,how heavy a load it can pull,common problems and how hard parts are to get for this model.

Do you want the "god-4-honest-truth"
- If the LA105 is anything close to my less than 100 hour L110 (which I think it might be, except slightly different engine) that I got 5 years ago in a rural house purchase - run/run/run away as fast as you can, from this purchase thinking.

When I got the unit, my next door neighbor said it was at the Deere dealership, more than home (always being loaded on a service truck). When I got it, immediately a money pit & the L110 deck would always plug cutting grass. My plus 1 acre lot was flat, but the flimsy / thin sheet metal deck had to be sledgehammered out (with a 4x4 piece of oak) several times to make level again. It ended up being stolen, so the very entry level Deere frustration stopped.

Got a 318 Deere for snow duty and a GT262 JD with 48" mower deck now. (1992 & 1998 model, and they still run like new)
The GT is a work horse, I can't imagine going thru. 8 mowers in one season.
The right good-used rider, should last 20 years plus, with minimum expense.
Put your good money in one heavy duty machine. Buying higher end used, will save $$, in the end.

--------------------------------------
Beaumont { :>)) www.petperfectexpress.com
Golden Rule - "he who has the gold, makes the rule"
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http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=135888 http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=136600&page=3
1992 JD 318 original paint w/484 hr. on P218g Onan & #49 snow blower / 1998 JD GT262 w/brand new Kawasaki OHV & 48" rebuilt deck
http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=135838

 

[Sergeant]

Most of the deck issues Deere had with the L100,110,120 & 130 was taken care by the time they came out with a LA series To be honest in the LAseries I would have more faith in the Gear driven LA105 than in the LA series that uses the T40 Hydro which is in the LA110 thru LA155 you can easily Pull a 10cuft dump cart with it full a Lawn roller or spike areator and run a snow plow or a Blower on it. There have not been very many issues with the L100 & LA105 models other than the deck with the L100. My younger Brother Runs a JD service & Parts Dept for a dealer They have sold about 50 LA series just this year alone and I don't know how many the previous years since they stared selling the L series in 2003 They have only had a few transmission problems with the machines they have sold and most of the problems where from people trying to use them more like a Garden tractor than a Lawn tractor With the Gear Machines they have had zero transmission issues with L or LA series machine they have sold since 2003. One of there Customer's Buy's L & LA series tractors from them does use them for commercial mowing They also buy the Fancy Deere ZTRS as well from them. If use right and what they are intended for The machine will be fine there about a 8 to 10 year machine if serviced and used correctly:thThumbsU

 

[picframer]

An LA 105 won't last if you pull anything or mow anything other than a flat postage stamp.

Agree 100%, if you are having issues with tractors lasting, buy an older GT or at least start at the X300 level, the LA's are for consumers and the LA105 will never last if you have a small side business, the LA175 would last a while but it's not a route I would personally take.

 

[Brett-JDX748]

The real simple low down is that if you are buying new (and green) expect to spend about $5000.00 on a tractor that will be up to par for light duty commercial work. If you want something truly rated for commercial duty, expect to spend 7 to 10 grand and honestly that's right in line with what you will spend on a commercial duty Zero Turn from any of the "big names".

If you look at other colors, you could perhaps get into one of those new Sears Premium machines (made by Simplicity) or the various other brands that are the same machine, Massey, AGCO for 5K but honestly? I'd rather spend my 5K at the Deerelership...

 

[2 cycle freak]

ok thanks for a outstanding amount of replis,the thing that makes these mowers not last is parts avalibility,and driving them across town.and i sat on a ******** today and instanly fell in love with that big long red hood i loke and miss so much (had a cub 105 i miss to death) and the mowing acreige all aded up together would be around 2.5-3.0 acres.my maxximum spending limit cannot be no more than $1,600 red line.and compareing the JD to a ******** there about the same in quality,but the ******** is more comfterble for me.and the mowers ive had and destryed this year are 4 MTDs-(2-7 speeds,a 4 wheels steer,a realy realy nice 1979 8-30 that i couldent get parts for and a 5 speed that only lasted a day.)i had a 1963 cub 105,that was the caddilac of mowers til eletrical problems showed up.then i had a 1995 toro 13-38 that i was ripped off on,then a 1983 aerins RM830e that the motor puked a quart and a half of oil out the spark plug hole.that i wasted $400.i cant stand buying these used lawn mowers any more! and the one i cant affored is almost all of them.but im saving my money for a nice one and will make sure i dont get ripped off...even though thats the thing to do on a warrenty these days like when i bought a honda/MTD and when the carb started acting up i tried to take it back a week later and no documetns could be found on the warrenty.

 

[MTD snow plow]

Go buy a murray widebody LT they are good mowers.

 

[2 cycle freak]

Go buy a murray widebody LT they are good mowers.

murrys are long gone here,i wish they still made them though.