# need advise on garden tractor please



## sawlog (Dec 7, 2016)

hello, im new here. im from central Illinois.
I have been looking at garden tractors. we have 3.5 acres of flat land that I mow once a week. we have started a Christmas tree farm on 2 acres of it this past spring. 
I wore out my 6 year old craftsman riding mower this year from mowing the field ( 2.5 acres) I figured up that I put 126 miles on that mower this past summer from that field. 
so im want to buy a better mower that will last. im not wanting a z turn. im wanting a garden tractor. 3000 - 3500 bucks is my limit. I have been looking at the husky yt48xls but I just found out that it has the k46 trany rather then the k66. would that be a big deal if I just plan on mowing and maybe snow removal with it?
if there are better tractor options please let me know. 
thank you
phil


----------



## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

Husqvarna GT52XLS- Kawasaki 
It has the Kawasaki engine, and hydro gear rearend.


----------



## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

wjjones said:


> Husqvarna GT52XLS- Kawasaki
> It has the Kawasaki engine, and hydro gear rearend.


Only problem is, there are no attachments for it,besides the deck.
No push blades etc.

If you're mowing more than 1 acre,find a tractor with larger rear tires(23- 10.50-12),and the ability to get a push blade,or snow thrower for it.
Units with the 20x10-8 rims aren't rugged enough ,for your needs.
I would look for an older model JD,or Simplicity .
Most of the newer,so-called "garden tractors" are just heavier lawn tractors,and if you check them,you'll find none are able to push snow,or level ground, etc.
People just aren't doing gardens,anymore,unless the get a larger unit ,that's built for it(At a MUCH higher price).


----------



## fatjay (Dec 6, 2013)

Are you looking for new only, or is used an option? If so, it really opens up your options. With 2 acres mowing with a finish mower, I'd want to go as large as I can. The 70's cub 154/184 has a 60" deck with 3pt, can be had with huge turf tires, 4cyl gas or diesel engines, live hydraulics, and will mow anything you throw at it. I had one for years and only got rid of it because the hassle of low hanging tree's hitting me in the head because the mower sat so high. They can be had for $1500 and will be a lot more tractor for your buck than something new. Well maintained, it should have no problem going for many more years.


----------



## Mowerman (Oct 13, 2003)

My Dad RIP owned a Husqvana on a few acres & my Family still has it . It's a great machine . Here's a clip from Youtube of what you can do with one of these machines . [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crDJucdoKBA[/ame]


----------



## sawlog (Dec 7, 2016)

fatjay said:


> Are you looking for new only, or is used an option? If so, it really opens up your options. With 2 acres mowing with a finish mower, I'd want to go as large as I can. The 70's cub 154/184 has a 60" deck with 3pt, can be had with huge turf tires, 4cyl gas or diesel engines, live hydraulics, and will mow anything you throw at it. I had one for years and only got rid of it because the hassle of low hanging tree's hitting me in the head because the mower sat so high. They can be had for $1500 and will be a lot more tractor for your buck than something new. Well maintained, it should have no problem going for many more years.


Haven't really thought about buying used too much. Just don't have time to work on stuff. I want to turn the key and go and be done with it. I have alot of irons in the fire.


----------



## RM-MN (Sep 11, 2015)

sawlog said:


> Haven't really thought about buying used too much. Just don't have time to work on stuff. I want to turn the key and go and be done with it. I have alot of irons in the fire.


Pull some of those irons out of the fire. Life is short enough without all the stress. 

If you buy new you still have no guarantee that the tractor won't need to be worked on...but many of them are so complex now that you have to take them to a dealer with specialized equipment to get them fixed and now you have an expensive tractor that is costing you more yet.

Step back and look at your life. Do you really need to mow 2 1/2 acres? Who are you trying to impress. 

Take a better look at some of the used tractors. Not lawn tractors, you want to do to much to be using such a small unit that wasn't designed to last. Look at a small, older farm tractor. Notice how big the transmission and rear end are? They're built that way to be rugged. Now look at the transmission of the lawn tractor. Notice the difference? How about the engine? The farm tractor has a cast iron block and replaceable sleeves so it can be fixed when worn.


----------



## sawlog (Dec 7, 2016)

RM-MN said:


> Pull some of those irons out of the fire. Life is short enough without all the stress.
> 
> If you buy new you still have no guarantee that the tractor won't need to be worked on...but many of them are so complex now that you have to take them to a dealer with specialized equipment to get them fixed and now you have an expensive tractor that is costing you more yet.
> 
> ...


I did take some time lastnite to look a some used mowers online. I found some older john Deere's and simplicitys that didn't look bad. They were garden tractors. As far as trying to impress... We live in a small town with less then 200 people with half the houses needing tore down. Believe me, there is nobody to impress here. I just like the way it looks.


----------



## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/riding-lawn-mowers/gt52xls/960430159/

This one is a GT.


----------



## sawlog (Dec 7, 2016)

wjjones said:


> http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/riding-lawn-mowers/gt52xls/960430159/
> 
> This one is a GT.


Thank you, that one mows faster too. That's a good thing for me.


----------



## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

Yep, and it has the bigger rear tires. I have seen them with electric sleeve hitches on them too.


----------



## willy81 (Jan 30, 2020)

wjjones said:


> Yep, and it has the bigger rear tires. I have seen them with electric sleeve hitches on them too.
> [
> 
> 
> ...


----------

