I've got a Scag going into its 14th year. It's more like a Wilson Combat than a Les Baer though...and that's for the ones with a Kohler engine instead of a diesel or liquid cooled engine. Still though, you might check the used ones. Unless it's been used by a commerical mowing company, chances are it's not nearly worn out yet. Our dealer seems to always have one or two used ones on his lot.
I'm convinced, I'll have to replace the engine on this thing long before the deck or any other body part rusts out.
If only the boy had been as dependable mowing as the tractor...
So what kind of Les Baer is going up in the Classifieds?
If you have a deck that rotted out in 5 years then you did NOT do maintenance and can expect the same from the next mower...
I would recommend a zero turn with a thick fabricated deck as they can stand up to having moldy grass never cleaned out of them.
A cheap TSC zero turn moweris just another throw away, you get what you pay for.
If you want a 3,000+hr mower you have to $$$
Seems that all lawnmower decks will rot out before the engine quits. I just bought a Hustler Raptor 54 in Zero Turn last Spring from Rural King. It's going to last way longer than anything I've had in the past. It's not a thin stamped deck... is a welded/fabricated thick steel deck. They have them on sale for about $3900 right now. I love mine. It's one of the best investments that I've made. It saves me so much time.... I'll have more time for reloading and shooting!
The new, super fast, zero turns are awesome. If you have a perfectly smooth yard. If you have converted pastures and minimally prepped, former bean/corn fields for yard, they'll beat you to death.
That's funnyThese problems used to be solved using teenagers pushing mowers under duress.
A friend of the wife’s family lived up in one of the Chicago suburbs. He made a living picking up gas equipment that was put out to the trash because they wouldn’t start. He said most of the time all they needed was the carb cleaned and fresh gas, maybe a new spark plug, and they were ready to go.I've got a early 90's craftsman that was sitting by the curb 11 years ago. Cleaned the carb, adjusted the mower deck for level and put a battery on it. Been fine since.
Just found a early 2000's craftsman by the curb this spring. All it needed was the steering gears taken apart and put back together correctly. I took the deck off and gave to my dad. Did a pully swap and governor adjustment and got it to go 32MPH.
Can't beat free-if you're lucky enough to find one for free.
A friend of the wife’s family lived up in one of the Chicago suburbs. He made a living picking up gas equipment that was put out to the trash because they wouldn’t start. He said most of the time all they needed was the carb cleaned and fresh gas, maybe a new spark plug, and they were ready to go.
Those of you saying that the JD stuff sold at Home Depot / Lowe's / etc aren't "real" JD equipment... You could not be more wrong.
A JD E100 lawn tractor from Home depot is the exact same thing as an E100 from a JD dealer.