19 year old Craftsman 42" tractor deck at EOL

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1969383S

1969383S

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It has been a good mower for many years and stored outside for the first 12. New Deer being picked up tomorrow! Very little maintenance over the years, gas tank and blades. Always liked the dark green as it reminded me of few Mopars from my early days! RIP and hopefully I can sell many good parts still on it including a great running 19.5 B/S. The deck is about to split in half!
 
What??? No photos??? I got rid of all my GT stuff

ST 16 I brought home a few years ago, fixed the U joint on the blower drive and used it for a few years

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"The fleet" I think this was 08--09. I have none of these now. The Craftsman on the left was a real huge POS. I've since bought a used Ariens "same specs" IE same 8 hp same 24" runs circles around that POS. The far right was a huge 10hp? 32? 36? Ariens, it worked great but beat me to death.

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"Failed experiment." This would have worked with a LOT more power. I did not realize how much HP the single stage GT blower needs. I think this was an 8 or 10 hp tiller motor
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We had a record snow that winter
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Ha Ha Del!

Little to no snow here in Ga! All I can say is it has been a good mower and well worth the $ 800 paid in 97 for purchase. Going Deer green now!
 
I had a Crapsman we bought in 99 that the deck rotted through in 2009. I figured we got 10 years out of it, sell it and get another Crapsman.

Big mistake. It's all MTD garbage now. My 09 is still running....but been nothing but a headache.
 
ToMang07 said:
I had a Crapsman we bought in 99 that the deck rotted through in 2009. I figured we got 10 years out of it, sell it and get another Crapsman.

Big mistake. It's all MTD garbage now. My 09 is still running....but been nothing but a headache.
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That's why I went Deer.

I have a Cub Cadet tiller and it has been ok short of the starter rope failure in one year of use. My dad loves his 54" CC tractor, but I choose the JD, hopefully it is not a just a MTD in sassy grass green!
 
By the way the old forest green Craftsman was very reliable. The deck is the only major piece that is failing in 20 years of service and was rarely ever cleaned. Hope that wash out feature on newer brands help make them last longer.
 
By the way guys, don't let people tell you that the JD sold at the "big box" stores are "same as" the JD at the dealer. Friend of mine had one, things like the deck bearings are cheaper design/ construction.

This is true of a lot of stuff. I once had an "RCA" TV that had been sold by Wards. It was NOT Wards branded, it was RCA. The tuner died .003 seconds after the warrantee was up. I went to a TV shop and told him I wanted to try and fix it, If I paid him could he photo me a diagram? He took one look at the model no. and said "you bought that at Wards, right?"

Tuner was NOT RCA, was contract built specially for Wards
 
67Dart273 said:
By the way guys, don't let people tell you that the JD sold at the "big box" stores are "same as" the JD at the dealer. Friend of mine had one, things like the deck bearings are cheaper design/ construction.

This is true of a lot of stuff. I once had an "RCA" TV that had been sold by Wards. It was NOT Wards branded, it was RCA. The tuner died .003 seconds after the warrantee was up. I went to a TV shop and told him I wanted to try and fix it, If I paid him could he photo me a diagram? He took one look at the model no. and said "you bought that at Wards, right?"

Tuner was NOT RCA, was contract built specially for Wards
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Have not heard Wards in a long time! Damn we are getting old!
 
chryslerfat said:
Just put new blades and a deck belt on my forest green 42 inch Craftsman.
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I should have pulled the deck prior to buying new blades today! Other wise I would not have got the Red premium blades today or any for that fact! Thought it had a few more years in her. Insult to injury, I stabbed myself in the fleshy thumb area with the box cutter after opening the new blades and removing the display hanger piece! Why do they have to package them so damn securely? Shame the 19.5 runs like a top and the rest is fine but for the thin deck!
 
67Dart273 said:
By the way guys, don't let people tell you that the JD sold at the "big box" stores are "same as" the JD at the dealer. Friend of mine had one, things like the deck bearings are cheaper design/ construction.

This is true of a lot of stuff. I once had an "RCA" TV that had been sold by Wards. It was NOT Wards branded, it was RCA. The tuner died .003 seconds after the warrantee was up. I went to a TV shop and told him I wanted to try and fix it, If I paid him could he photo me a diagram? He took one look at the model no. and said "you bought that at Wards, right?"

Tuner was NOT RCA, was contract built specially for Wards
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Intresting, I felt something a miss so I bought from a dealer. The pricing is actually a tad below the big box stores as well. WTF!
 
1969383S said:
Intresting, I felt something a miss so I bought from a dealer. The pricing is actually a tad below the big box stores as well. WTF!
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Big Box can get away with it. People automatically think they'RW cheaper so they don't shop around.
 
I have a 95 Craftsman with a 42" deck. It's been a good mower for what I paid for it. I've had to weld the deck a time or 2, but it still cuts my crappy yard real well. It has about a half a round of slack in the steering, and I need to put a carb kit on it....but other than that it is in good shape.
 
We've resorted to push mowing this entire property so far this season because I can't make a decision. The Snapper front engine mower has been sooo good for sooo long but now that 14 hp B&S has significant blow by, misfires, etc... It's been consuming oil for a few years. My guess is the failed stem oil seals finally became bent valve(s) and more.
I found that a new engine can be had for around 550 shipped. When I noticed the shipping weight ( 88 lbs ) I realized I'm not able to R&R the engine. That box would sit on my front doorstep indefinitely.
Lowes will deliver a whole new mower for about 3 times the cost. They haven't said they will haul away the old one ( like their household appliance sales policy ) and I don't know how that modern, mass production unit would compare to the older Snapper.
At the current rate, we'll need a new push mower also by next season. UGGH.
 
My father bought a John Deere RX75 the year I was born and their house was built, '89. That thing cut the grass for 26 years with zero maintenance done to it before the engine started leaking oil out the exhaust and wouldn't run. I tried to get him to let me rebuild the engine but he just wanted to get rid of it. Wish we kept it. After the abuse that thing went through and still worked has sold me on JD.
 
I can't believe people still buy tractor type mowers!! After mowing with zero turns for years, I try mowing with a tractor type and it just SUCKS!
 
75slant6 said:
I can't believe people still buy tractor type mowers!! After mowing with zero turns for years, I try mowing with a tractor type and it just SUCKS!
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Zero Turns are great if mowing is all you want to do.

Towing. Rototilling. Plowing. Thatching. Spreading. Sweeping. Snowblowing. All things that a zero turn doesn't do.
 
ToMang07 said:
Zero Turns are great if mowing is all you want to do.

Towing. Rototilling. Plowing. Thatching. Spreading. Sweeping. Snowblowing. All things that a zero turn doesn't do.
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That's true. I've never done any of that stuff so I'd never thought about it like that.
 
75slant6 said:
I can't believe people still buy tractor type mowers!! After mowing with zero turns for years, I try mowing with a tractor type and it just SUCKS!
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It ain't zero turn but darn if it don't turn much harder the my old reliable craftsman did! Love the hydrostatic drive and deck clean feature! The cruise control is pretty much stupid though! Darn sure sit much higher though and the branch saw got some use today! My back does not hurt either, nice smooth ride!
 
Dealer really appreciated me showing up with 24' car hauler though, I told him sorry only trailer I have short of the 5-ver. He enjoyed the easy load!!!
 
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