[sloe]

Trying to convince a friend of mine in the DC area to dump his Craftsman and replace it with a real machine - he just spent $400 and two weeks of time replacing the spindles and pulleys on his deck, and said it took him and his son almost an hour to get the deck back on, even with the help of a 4' pry bar.

I simply shook my head and told him it takes less than five minutes to install or remove a deck on a Deere. I looked at the DC Craigslist out of curiosity to see what he could get, and found a 655 with a loader and 60" deck for $5500 - exactly what I've been looking for, and within my price range :duh:

 

[Sergeant]

If It had 4WD I would be all over that I always Liked the size of the 650 & 655:thThumbsU

 

[Yooper75]

That'll learn ya!:ROF

 

[wizzo]

I see a road trip in your future.

 

[CADplans]

DC always seems to have some great CL deals,

I browse for just the OPPOSITE results. I know the machines are relatively available, so I do not have to jump on every one that I do find!!

So, in my case, the browsing actually saves me money!!

If my machine fails, within a reasonable distance I can have the machine of my dreams, within a week or two!! :drunkie:

Until then, momma gets to keep the money in the bank!!

 

[Diesel332]

That's MY problem! :sidelaugh

There's so much nice stuff on CL, but I have no room for it and the wife says no. Id like to keep my wife, so I'm not gonna argue. :sidelaugh :sidelaugh :sidelaugh

 

[summers5]

Trying to convince a friend of mine in the DC area to dump his POS Crafstman and replace it with a real machine.


Not all craftsman's are POS as you say.Older ones are built a lot tougher than my 97'.Off hand what year and model is his?

Nice tractor, tho in iowa area they can go cheaper.

 

[mikgran]

Trying to convince a friend of mine in the DC area to dump his POS Crafstman and replace it with a real machine.


Not all craftsman's are POS as you say.Older ones are built a lot tougher than my 97'.Off hand what year and model is his?

Nice tractor, tho in iowa area they can go cheaper.

My 2 neighbors both own Craftsman gear driven LT1000`s. Both machines are over 12 yrs old. Neither have had any mechanical issues with them.

 

[Diesel332]

My friend had his 10 year old Craftsman throw a rod really bad about two weeks ago. Single cyl Kohler Command 18.

 

[69project]

I have had two Craftsman. One a hand me down from the BIL. I blew the motor after a season and put a new B&S in it, ran fine. When I moved I put out in the front yard and it sold in 4 hours. The tractor had about 10 seasons on it when I let it go, pretty solid machine all things considered. I did not treat it that well but it took the abuse. The second one I owned was a RER w/ a 30 inch deck and that little bugger was quite tough. I had that one from 2003-2009 and all I ever did was buy batteries for it, every season like clock work. Never even changed the oil. Gave it to a friend, still works to my knowledge. So yes, Craftsman can be junk, particularly their spindle designs but some of them work out pretty well. They are not made to be that serviceable by the owner in my mind so....it's almost like Sears wants them to be throw aways after 5-7 seasons so you can spend more money in their store...

 

[Jopopsy]

You roll your dice w/ ********. They have a few winners but they are few and far in between from what I've seen/heard. And yes I did own one; it is the sole reason I found the Garden Web forum and this one many moons ago !!!

As to browsing and getting hooked, I try not to look for anything if I don't need it. Otherwise I end up buying it !!! Regardless if I need it !!!

 

[sloe]

Not all craftsman's are POS as you say.Older ones are built a lot tougher than my 97'.Off hand what year and model is his?

Here's his original complaint that started the whole mess:

I have a Craftsman 18 hp lawn tractor. 10 years old.
Model 917.272751
42" cutter deck. The original mower deck belt stretched out over 8 years to the point where it would not engage the blades.
SO, I replaced it, only to find out one of the guides on the deck had been damaged. I had to saw it off & grind it down so it wouldn't slice into the new belt.

The new belt started smoking immediately after I installed it.
Well, the new belt only lasted 2 years, and it failed.
The new belt failed from the OUTSIDE, NOT THE INSIDE, as do most V-belts.
I dropped the deck, again, and found no shiny areas.

I checked all the idler arms, pulleys, guides, etc. Can't find any apparent problems.

I installed the new belt exactly as the diagram shows in the owner's manual.

Any ideas as to what's going on here?

 

[matt167]

That tractor is on the LT1000 chassis. I had a simmilar 16hp model which was made in 1998. Tough tractor, pulled more than it should, got patch fixes when it broke rather than buying the parts but it was reliable, ran well and always gave a great cut.. There is 2 ways that belt can go on the deck and look right, if you put it on wrong it will shred the belt every time, and I have put it on wrong while going by the diagram which is also under the Right foot rest on the one that I had. Also I know that the deck guides are necessary for that belt not to flip.. Takes a few mins to remove and install the deck. 4 cotter pins IIRC... All in all, it was a good machine for me. I gave it away when I got my John Deere LX188 but if I had a choice between that Craftsmen or a John Deere L/LA/D 100 series I would take the Craftsmen every time, or the Poulan version as they are identical.

 

[X485SENoob]

Want!!

 

[Sergeant]

Trying to convince a friend of mine in the DC area to dump his POS Crafstman and replace it with a real machine.


Not all craftsman's are POS as you say.Older ones are built a lot tougher than my 97'.Off hand what year and model is his?

Nice tractor, tho in iowa area they can go cheaper.

I agree with You There 1994 and Prior Craftsman tractor where strong enough to Take a Kwik-way Loader and a Majority of Craftsman tractors were Made By Roper Until 1988 when Electrolux Bought Ropers outdoor Power equipment line and changed the Name to AYP. But they Kept the same frame and front axle design thru 1994 Sears actually owned a Majority of the stock of Roper Until 1982 When they sold there shares Back to Roper. Roper really Built some strong Tractors at Great Prices In there day for example the Sears/Craftsman FF series which was designed to compete against the Deere Model 400 tractor Only Problem was Deere changed to the 420 during the time the FF series was out:thThumbsU

 

[krazystang]

My Craftsman Takes about 3 minutes to take the deck off. It's one of there Garden tractors though, maybe different from the LT series.

Pretty sure there LT1000's are the low end craftsman. Cant expect much from a $1K tractor anymore.




Sent from the MTF Free App

 

[summers5]

I agree with You There 1994 and Prior Craftsman tractor where strong enough to Take a Kwik-way Loader and a Majority of Craftsman tractors were Made By Roper Until 1988 when Electrolux Bought Ropers outdoor Power equipment line and changed the Name to AYP. But they Kept the same frame and front axle design thru 1994 Sears actually owned a Majority of the stock of Roper Until 1982 When they sold there shares Back to Roper. Roper really Built some strong Tractors at Great Prices In there day for example the Sears/Craftsman FF series which was designed to compete against the Deere Model 400 tractor Only Problem was Deere changed to the 420 during the time the FF series was out:thThumbsU

That's the sears tractor I was trying to remember the FF40 I think. Yes sears has done alot of cutbacks.When I got mine i thought its thin here and there but as years went by i saw the frame get thinner and then the hydro really went down sized,mine at least has a filter and the oil can be changed. Now i don't evan know what to compare it to.They started the brite colors and its been over a year since ive been in sears who knows what they are selling.

 

[Sergeant]

The Hood Just Looks Bad On the Current Craftsman tractors. The thing I really can't stand about Most tractors sold in retail stores is the fact they did a way with the Implement lift Handle Now You Attachments have two separate Handles one for lift and one for angle Because Most do take there Mowing deck off when doing snow removal Now if You Put a weather enclosure On them Your Lift handle for your Blade or Blower is outside of the enclosure Cub Cadet at least when they relocated the Lift Handle to fenders in the Mid 90’s with there older 2000 series the Handle at least still lifted the dozer Blade and the same goes for there current 2000 series with Manual lift. Though the separate lift handle for the sleeve hitch was sort of a Good Idea which Sears had done in the Past as well with there 3point Hitch on the Roper Built tractors for Sears The Dixon clones that have electric lift it’s Just for the deck Height I would Have Made it so that actuator Had also Lifted the front Blade and Blower as well. To me it’s just a waste to Have it just for the Mowing deck on the Dixon :thThumbsU