[chuckles]

http://huntington.craigslist.org/grd/3879481921.html

I've emailed the guy for more details but I figured you guys eat sleep and breath these things and could probably help more than the guy trying to make a sale. I've been on the hunt for a heavy duty mower for my new 2 acre property. Any Input on this one or advice? Good, not, etc. have some slopes and need a tough hydro, wanna use it for other duties long term. Plowing, tilling, towing. Etc.

 

[kentucky wildcat]

bump

 

[skunkhome]

First of all I am not a fan of tractors with vertical shaft engines. That rules out most of the modern garden/lawn tractors. That said the tractor is fine for what it was primarily intended. It is a great mower with a K71 tuff torq transmission. Though it is capable of pulling a plow and certainly capable of tilling you will find that that particular tractor does not have the optional (expensive) rear lift or tool drawbar. If you ever see one with a tiller you will see that the belt routing to supply power to the tiller is a surpentitious affair that looks like a Rube Goldberg creation. It leaves me with the impression Simplicity never really intended it for such use. It is a nice tractor for the money and will give you a superior quality of cut but in my opinion is not the way to go for ground engaging rear mounted attachments.
If I were you I would but a very late model Deutz Allis or Simplicity Souvergn or a SunStar. JMO

 

[chuckles]

My primary purpose is mowing a large yard with a steep slope. The other AG tasks are just a side thought and not that important. I need a durable and capable hydro most of all. Don't wanna be replacing my primary purpose mower too quickly.

 

[John-RF]

If you are thinking of plowing, etc., I wouldn't go with a Landlord. I had one, great for mowing and snowblowing, looking for one now to be my permanent blower tractor, but I haven't seen one with a plow on it or pictures of one. If you have a steep slope I would be looking for a Sunstar with differential lock or a Legacy. You can pick up either with a $3000 budget. The Landlord has differential lock also. If you buy right you could find something with a plow you could buy that also. One thing you need to know about the guys on this site is that you NEVER have enough tractors. :thThumbsU:thThumbsU:thThumbsU

 

[Fcubman]

+1 on the diff lock for hilly terrain. Almost as good as 4WD.

 

[Talntedmrgreen]

Those are sweet mowing machines, especially in the DLX/Powersteer setup. The price is good too. Seems those run $1000-1500 or so around here. 20hp Briggs, 50" Simp deck, diff lock and powersteering is a great mowing combo. I'm sure it would blow snow and run a tiller fine, but those setups get pricey, and as mentioned, can be a lot more involved than on a Sovereign or Sunstar series machine, both of which I would prefer for anything ground engaging, but they will run more $, for a comparable model. (but it would be money well spent!)

 

[drbrian722]

As a mower I think you'll find it to be everything you would want and more. As a tractor it may fall a little shy of what the older units can do. I have a Conquest that is my turn key mower. It has a weaker transmission than the Landlord you're looking at and I plow snow with it, no problem. When you see the sub-frame that is used to mount the plow it will give you an idea of the strength and structure that has been removed over time. I'm also restoring a 3416 Sovereign that will be my worker as you cannot beat the older units for strength, durability and most of all for me, a plethora of cheap attachments. The tiller setup on a Conquest will set you back $1800 and they never show up used. On a Sovereign they show up for $200-$400 all the time. The only weakness for me is in the bagging/fall cleanup. The turbo blower and bagger setup on my Conquest gets pine needles, leaves, and grass clippings; the older units didn't really concern themselves with bagging and if that's important to you it will be more difficult to accomplish with the older machines.
Seeing that your looking to do what I'm doing in terms of a mowing machine and a working machine, I don't think you'll go wrong with the Landlord as a mower. Foot control hydro is great for mowing and the K71 will handle mowing on a hill with no issues.

 

[chuckles]

Ok so I guess it's definitely worth looking at then huh. Y'all say the price is good? Anything in particular these models are known to have wrong I should look at? And to elaborate mowing is 98% and the greatest priority. Ill haul a cart the other 1.5 %. I may plow a driveway the other .5% and I already have a walk behind tiller for a small garden so no biggie if this one isn't really set up for that.

 

[chuckles]

I got a buddy selling an 1989 wheelhouse 520h for the same price but with 400 more hours and its about a decade older. I realize these are closer to the classic heavy iron that you guys recommend for the hard tasks but reliability is most important to me as I have 2 acres with a large hill that i HAVE to tackle weekly. It's a tough decision. The GT's dont seem to pop up often around here with a good price that isn't junk.

 

[chuckles]

Also, does anyone know how the diff lock works on this tractor? Is it automatic or manually operated? If manual how do you do it? If automatic does it work well?

 

[locknut]

One of those pics show what looks like a foot pedal close to the rear fender.That is the lock pedal.Go slow,push down and you can feel/hear the rearend lock.Will stay locked if foot stays on the pedal.Personally,I'd be hesitant to pay that much for one of these w/700+ hours.Unless,all the normal wear parts have been kept up and replaced,especially the steering and deck parts.If you know what to look for,you could probably jack the seller down quite a bit.

 

[drbrian722]

The diff lock is a manual pedal. If you look at the second picture it would be pressed by your left heel.
It should also have a limited slip that prevents only one wheel from spinning. I rarely need the diff lock out side of plowing or hauling out in the leaves. That said, when I need it I'm VERY glad to have it.
A Wheel Horse is a fine machine, but asking in the Simplicity forum is going to skew the results. Nothing matches the floating deck for the quality of the cut that the Simplicity is going to bring. If your going to mow with it 98% of the time, then 98% of the time it will out perform a Wheel Horse.

 

[chuckles]

I understand mechanical things fairly well but not enough about tractors to know if one has been maintained properly outside of it being clean, starting quickly, not smoking, the oil level being within limits and it driving as it should. What do I need to check for on the steering and deck? I kinda think this guy may be "flipping" tractors. Think I've seen his backdrop on a few listings locally in pics. I tend to think I like $800 as my offer based on pics at this point.

 

[chuckles]

http://huntington.craigslist.org/grd/3817158551.html

He has this listed too so I'm confident now he trades a lot. Probably means I won't get to much in the form if its history and maintenance, also he will wanna make a profit so not sure if a good deal can be had...

 

[chuckles]

Now that I think about it those two mowers look ALOT alike.....

 

[chuckles]

Also, is this tractor new enough that parts can be obtained for repairs/upkeep.? Decks, hydro's, engines? (I know engines are out there new but what about deck/hydro parts)

 

[drbrian722]

The Massey 2716 is the twin to my Conquest, and in my neck of the woods that is a really good deal. If it were me I would grab the Massey and not look back, but the Landlord is a beefier machine.
1st and foremost walk away if you feel you should. I've walked from some deals in hindsight but I rather regret missing a deal than being taken to the cleaners. (A 4x4 Conquest with a 54" mower and a plow for $2000 comes to mind.)
Things I check; steering play and where in the linkage it is if it has any. (The steering gear is $60-80, a drag link end is $5.) This includes the axle bushing. I know they are a weak point on the Massey, but I also know it's a $30 fix. Listen to the transmission as you drive it and make sure it doesn't sound like it's grinding anything. Check the locking diff that it works (steady pressure on the pedal making a turn and it will push all the way down and it should now fight you to go straight. The Massey, like my Conquest should just push you in a straight line regardless of where the front wheels are pointing.
Listen to the PTO clutch engage and the deck for metal on metal sounds. Check the blade spindles for side to side play. I believe the common agreement is that 1000 hours roughly equates to 100,000 miles on a car, use that to judge condition and negotiation. I also believe that Briggs Vanguards (in both units) are rated for 2000 hours of life before a rebuild, part of why they cost what they do.
I don't think you would go wrong with either machine really. I KNOW that the Massey will do what you need and the Landlord is beefier than that.

 

[chuckles]

Ok so both are a viable option....hmm. The Massey only has 2xx hrs. Anyone know what hydro it has and if it has a diff lock? Will it handle/do the hills like the simplicity? (Think its a k71 from my reading).

 

[tractorboss14]

The massey should have a Tuff Torq k66 transmission. Yes it has diff lock:fing32: