# Deere or Craftsman?



## steveh_131 (Dec 12, 2013)

Hello all,

This is my first post here although I've been browsing for several months!

I have experience with larger tractors, but I have a small yard now and am in more foreign territory.

I have a dilemma and I was hoping for some advice. I have a half acre yard, mostly on a slope. Living in North Indiana, having a snowblower/snow-blade option would be a bonus.

I have been given two other tractors recently. I am planning to use/repair one and sell/scrap the other. I would like some input on which I should choose to keep.

*Option 1: John Deere 180. *

It has a 46" deck. No other implements. It needs a battery and possibly a front tire. The owner is not sure what's wrong with it. It belonged to his grandfather, who thought the transaxle might be bad. The current owner thinks maybe the brakes were all that was wrong. Engine ran fine when it was parked.

It did have some issues starting...something in all the safety circuitry between the brake pedal, seat sensor, etc.

http://www.tractordata.com/lawn-tractors/000/0/1/18-john-deere-180.html

According to that link, it was made between 1986 and 1990...so it's at least 25 years old.

*Option 2: Craftsman 917.27---. *I can't make out the rest of the model number. It looks a lot like this one: 










I'm thinking maybe it is an LT1000? Model number 917.270810 is my best guess, manufactured around 1997.

42" deck. 19hp engine. Also no other implements. Needs a battery and a back tire for sure. The owner said that it ran fine when he parked it, but it sat and rusted for many years. 6-speed trans.

It looks very similar to my Bolens, so I wonder if one potential bonus is that the parts may be swappable. I think the decks are identical. Is it possible they came from the same manufacturer?


So a few questions for you garden tractor veterans...

1. Would the Deere be more versatile as far as implements? Pulling wagons, snow blower/blade, rear bagger, etc?

2. If the transaxle needs work, is this a deal-breaker? They sound expensive. I'm not afraid to tear it apart, but is it more time and money than the tractor is worth?

3. Any other things I should inspect/test the tractors for before I make the decision?

4. If the Bolens tractor has a shifter on the floor and the craftsman has it on the side, does this mean the transaxles would not be compatible between the two? Could the engines be compatible?

5. I mow around a half acre, not too many obstacles...maybe 8 trees and a swingset. Which one do you think would get the job done faster and easier? 4" more on a deck sounds awesome.

6. Do any of you use similar tractors with a rear bagger to pick up leaves in the fall? Is that a viable solution for a lot of leaves?

7. Any other pros and cons for either?

Thank you guys in advance for any help you can offer!

Steve


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

Welcome to the Forum!..Steve.. Craftsman. I have a ys4500 with the 54" deck, and a dys4500 with a 48" deck and the mowing time isnt all that different. Transaxle issues can get exspensive especially if you dont know what the problem is.


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## fatjay (Dec 6, 2013)

My white has a bagger that I use for mowing. Picking up leaves IS an option, but you will be making a dump trip every 5 minutes. Leaves don't pack down like grass, they stay fluffy. Just doing my front yard I had to dump a good 20 times. One pass, it's full and time to dump again. Mulching is a better option. Sending the kids out with rakes is the best.


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## steveh_131 (Dec 12, 2013)

wjjones said:


> Welcome to the Forum!..Steve.. Craftsman. I have a ys4500 with the 54" deck, and a dys4500 with a 48" deck and the mowing time isnt all that different. Transaxle issues can get exspensive especially if you dont know what the problem is.


Thanks for the input!

I hear you on the transaxle. That will be a pain if it's bad.

If the transaxle turned out to be functional, would the craftsman still be your choice?


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## jhon (May 9, 2011)

One thing you might want to look into is how readily available the parts are for each of these machines. As it looks like no matter which one you buy, you will need parts. 

And if the transaxle is shot, I would walk away from that one unless you know whee you can get another one on the cheap.


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

steveh_131 said:


> Thanks for the input!
> 
> I hear you on the transaxle. That will be a pain if it's bad.
> 
> If the transaxle turned out to be functional, would the craftsman still be your choice?




Yep Craftsman. I have never seen to many of the newer John deere tractors hold up very well. I have always had pretty good luck with Craftsman.


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