# Lawn Chief Riding mower



## wrench191

I am looking at a Lawn Chief Riding mower 16hp, 48in deck, hydrostat drive.It has a 16 hp horz.briggs vanguard. Were these any good.I think they were made by True Value.


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## jhngardner367

I would have to see the model #,but they were made by MTD.


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## wrench191

Heres a picture of the mower and engine.


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## dangeroustoys56

Thats not an original motor- were a flathead briggs or tecumseh originally - lawn cheifs pretty much have the same chassis as a dynamark, made in the late 80's - most likely AYP manufactured. Guy on YT had a few of them and they pretty much looked like my dynamarks chassis wise ( pan chassis- peerless transmissions).


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## jhngardner367

If you tilt the seat forward,you should see a manufacturer's label,that tells who it was made by/model#/ser.#/date it was built.


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## wrench191

I googled Lawn Chief and found this. 

Is anyone familiar with a "Lawn Chief" riding lawnmower, sold by True Value hardware? The numbers on the mower are: 545 Hydro, Date-42M, Seq.-3467M, Model #-545-m, S/N-237131...15 hp 43" cut. This rider has a nice B&S OHV Vangard engine with the numbers m-280777, t-0128-01, c-9403294A. 

•LAWN CHIEF (an MTD brand sold by True Value, previously made by GENERAL POWER Equipment Co.) 

The B&S OHV Vangard engine must be the right motor for this mower.


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## wrench191

What a 16hp briggs vanguard hor.shaft motor worth?


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## jhngardner367

That is a 1994,and the engine is a vertical-shaft. The tractor,if it works well, is worth around $200-$300.


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## wrench191

Are you saying the mower pictured is worth 200 to 300? Or the one that I quoted that is a 15hp 38 cut. The reason I showed the other one that I found was to show that was the right motor that came in it. This is the one I am going to look at and the one pictured.Here is the add. 
Lawn Chief Riding Lawn mower 16hp, 48in deck, hydrostat drive, new deck belts, new battery, new inntertubes in front tires, 1 new spindle on deck, all around good lawn mower.


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## jhngardner367

The red one,in the picture,is the one I'm talking about. I don't see any other pictures.


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## wrench191

Thanks for the info but how do you know its a 1994?


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## dangeroustoys56

The year '94 comes from the CODE on the motor - '94' is the year of the motor manufacture - that tractor is older then a 94 - the tractor stickers verify the motor isnt original ( 14HP- 44" deck) - and has too many 'dynamark' pieces on it - like the deck lift handle and rear fenders ( almost exactally like my 88 kleen kut). Ive never seen any MTD's with fenders or lift handles like that.

The other kicker is this: http://www.ordertree.com/lowes/model-part-lookup/

look under "murray" and lawn chief is there as well as MTD . Best way to be sure is check the mandrels- MTD uses a 2 piece steel mandrel, while AYP/dynamark used a cast aluminum mandrel.


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## wrench191

I guess I didnt make myself clear enough.dangeroustoys56's said the Vanguard was not the right motor.So I googled Lawn Chief and found this guy saying quote- 

Is anyone familiar with a "Lawn Chief" riding lawnmower, sold by True Value hardware? The numbers on the mower are: 545 Hydro, Date-42M, Seq.-3467M, Model #-545-m, S/N-237131...15 hp 43" cut. This rider has a nice B&S OHV Vangard engine with the numbers m-280777, t-0128-01, c-9403294A. 

That is not the mower that is pictured or the one I am talking about. That one is a 15hp 43.
The one pictured is 16hp 48 and I dont know what year.


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## Rhonda M Kisting

jhngardner367 said:


> I would have to see the model #,but they were made by MTD.


Who is MTD?


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## Bob Driver

Welcome to the Forum Rhonda.... This Forum has been around for several years and one of the little "Watch outs" is to look for the date the thread was posted in the banners at the top of each post. This one is from 7 years ago

To answer your question.... Modern Tool and Die (MTD) is an American OEM manufacturer of outdoor power equipment. Their headquarters is in Valley City, Ohio. They've been around since 1932 and is a majority family-owned, private company, with 20% currently owned by Stanley Black & Decker.

They have a large assembly plant about 10 miles from me in Tupelo, MS. Their most profitable market share is lower end, homeowner, conventional riding mowers.

Enjoy the Forum....


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## andyvh1959

MTD, Murray, Noma, Dynamark, made many, many products for other brand names, Sears, Wards, Lawn Chief and numerous others. Heck, Noma even made the Ingersol lawn tractor I just recently sold. I think one of those four names even built products for some of the major familiar brand names at some time for the likes of John Deere and others. Any brand named lawn tractor product, like Sears, and many others are very likely actually built by the four mentioned.


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## 412know1seeks

andyvh1959 said:


> MTD, Murray, Noma, Dynamark, made many, many products for other brand names, Sears, Wards, Lawn Chief and numerous others. Heck, Noma even made the Ingersol lawn tractor I just recently sold. I think one of those four names even built products for some of the major familiar brand names at some time for the likes of John Deere and others. Any brand named lawn tractor product, like Sears, and many others are very likely actually built by the four mentioned.


Just got one, it/s pretty beat, but can do wheelies and goes 30mph. Anyone know about grading attachments?


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