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Detailed guide to buying lawn tractors or riding lawn mowers
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www.lawn-tractor-buyers-guide.com
© m a r t i n c o l e a n d l a w n - t r a c t o r - b u y e r s - g u i d e . c o m
The Lawn Tractor Buyer’s Guide
How to avoid costly mistakes when selecting your lawn tractor
Martin Cole
How to avoid costly mistakes when selecting your lawn tractor
The Lawn Tractor Buyer’s Guide
Martin Cole
First Edition 2011
Published by Garden Publishing
DISCLAIMERThe author used all reasonable endeavors to produce a high quality and informative document, based upon his own knowledge and research. The contents represent his own ideas, conclusions and opinions based upon that knowledge and research. However, no representations or warranties of any kind whatsoever are made as to the accuracy or completeness of any information within this document. The author, the publisher and lawn-tractor-buyers-guide.com, whether jointly or severally, shall not be liable in any way whatsoever for any loss or damage caused by the use, misuse or inability to use any or all of the information in this documents. By using this document, you agree to do so on the terms stated within this disclaimer and entirely at your own risk.
COPYRIGHTThe contents of this document are protected by worldwide copyright treaties and the copyright resides in Martin Cole and lawn-tractor-buyers-guide.com. You may re-distribute this document but only in the form in which it is published and only in its entirety with all hyperlinks intact and working.Except, as stated in the previous paragraph, no reprinting, copying, re-distribution, transmission, hosting or display of the contents of this documents is permitted except with the express written permission of Martin Cole.
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Table of Contents
.......................................ABOUT LAWN TRACTOR BUYERS GUIDE! 5
.................................................................................INTRODUCTION! 8
................................................................................TERMINOLOGY! 11
.......................................................................................................Lawn Tractors! 11
.............................................................................................Riding Lawnmowers! 12
...................................................................................................Garden Tractors! 13
................................................................................................Zero Turn Mowers! 14
........................................................................................................Yard Tractors! 15
...........................................................................................Riding Lawn Tractors! 15
..................................................................................................Other Definitions! 16
.....................HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT MACHINE FOR YOU! 18
........................................................................................What is your lawn like?! 20
..................................................................................................................Terrain! 23
..........................................................What do you want your lawn tractor to do?! 26
...........................................................How much money do you have to spend?! 29
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.........................................HOW TO COMPARE LAWN TRACTORS! 31
..................................................................................Engines and Engine Power! 32
........................................................................................................Transmission! 35
.....................................................................................................................Drive! 37
................................................................................................................Steering! 37
.........................................................................................................Cutting Deck! 38
..................................................................................................Grass Discharge! 38
..................................................................................FINAL WORDS! 42
.........................................................................................APPENDIX! 43
...................................................................................................Buying Checklist! 43
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ABOUT LAWN TRACTOR BUYERS GUIDE
Hello and thanks for downloading the Lawn Tractor Buyer's Guide from
www.lawn-tractor-buyers-guide.com. I think, for simplicity's sake, we'll just
call it ʻthe guideʼ from now on.
Before we get started I'll introduce myself and the Lawn Tractor Buyers
Guide website, so you know who and what you're dealing with.
My name is Martin Cole. I come to
lawn tractors from the perspective of
a gardener and a user of garden
tools rather than from the
perspective of a technician. I have a
background in both horticulture and
law (an odd mix, I admit) and plenty
of experience in writing and in home and garden renovations (another odd
mix).
I started Lawn Tractor Buyers Guide when I decided that I wanted to write
about gardening related topics and that doing so online was the way to go.
If you know anything about the online world, you'll know that it's pretty
pointless to just dive in to a great big topic like gardening and expect
anyone to listen to you. So, instead, I decided to find an aspect of the topic
I could start with and maybe work on from there. I therefore drilled down
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from gardening via lawns, lawn care and lawn mowers and eventually
found myself in the wonderful world of lawn tractors. And, in no time, Lawn
Tractor Buyers Guide went live online.
Since starting the site, Iʼve been continuing to add more and more content
and trying to ensure that it is and will always be a valuable resource in the
lawn and garden arena. This guide is part of that strategy and is intend to
provide even more value to the readership.
Hopefully, that little bit of background explains why the general approach I
try to take at www.lawn-tractor-buyers-guide.com is a non-technical one.
Although the approach may be non-technical, it is still thorough. The core
aim of Lawn Tractor Buyers Guide is is to simplify the information that is
presented so that it can be understood by all-comers, but not to over-
simplify so that it is of little value.
In fact, the site operates from the perspective of the person (perhaps a bit
like you) who might want to buy a lawn tractor or zero turn mower, but
wants to find out as much practical information as they can about the
different kinds of machine, the different models and the various tools or
attachments available, before parting with any hard earned cash.
I believe that most (although admittedly not all) readers are not hugely
interested in the mechanics of how a technical process, such as a
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transmission, works. Instead, most want to know what it actually does,
whether it will suits their needs and whether it is likely to provide good
value for money. I try to provide that sort of information on the site and
that is also the approach that I've taken in putting together this guide.
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INTRODUCTION
So, how is this guide going to help you avoid costly mistakes when
selecting your lawn tractor? The answer is that it will give you a
framework to help you direct your research towards the machines that are
most likely to meet your requirements. And why might you need help with
that?
Well, for a start, how many different lawn tractor and riding mower models
do you think are available on the market today? What would your guess
be? 50? 100?
Well to be perfectly honest with you, I don't know for sure myself. Models
come, models go and, frankly, life is a bit too short to count them.
However, what I do know is that at the time of writing, one manufacturer –
Craftsman - lists 34 different models on its website.
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Craftsman 19.5-42 lawn tractor
How many major manufacturers are there? Maybe 15 -20. If we take 15
manufacturers and estimate that they have, say, 20 models each, that
means there are around 300 different models on the market. And that's
just in the USA. There are different manufactures and different models in
the UK, Australia, Europe and so on.
The point is that if you are in the market for a lawn tractor or riding mower
it is not at all easy to know where to start when trying to determine which
model to go for.
In fact, one of the biggest and costliest errors that buyers make when
choosing lawn tractors is to buy a machine that isn't really suitable for the
conditions on their property. Since these are big ticket items, you need to
get this right and this guide will help you do that.
The guide develops some of the key advice from the website and
combines it with some further tools and information in order to provide you
with the ultimate resource to help you make the right choice of lawn tractor
or riding lawnmower.
Now, therefore, you have a big advantage in your search for the right lawn
tractor because the guide will help you find a way through the mower
maze and lead you towards a machine that's right for you.
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Now, a word about the terminology used in the guide. There are genuine
differences between lawn tractors, riding mowers and zero turn mowers
which I deal with below. Nevertheless, despite those differences and for
the sake of brevity and unless I'm specifically referring to one of those
individual categories of machine, I will use the term 'lawn tractor' in the
guide to cover all the different ride on machines. I'll also use the word
'lawn' to cover any area of your land where you need or want to keep the
grass mown.
As in all industries, there is a fair bit of jargon in the world of lawn tractors.
There is also a degree of confusion over how things are referred to and,
despite everything I said above about being non-technical, there are some
technical terms that we need to get our heads around so that certain other
things can make sense. So, it is for those reasons that I'm going to kick
off the guide with a few words about .... lawn tractor terminology.
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TERMINOLOGY
Although the American Society of Agricultural Engineers has set out a
standard form of categorisation of 'ride-on lawn mowers', there certainly
isn't universal agreement about what these machines should be called in
practice. There especially seems to be some overlap between what gets
called a Lawn Tractor and what gets called a Riding Lawn Mower, even
among the manufacturers and retailers. So, in this section I will run
through the differences between the different types of machine, so you can
have as clear an idea as possible about what is being referred to when the
various different descriptions are mentioned.
Lawn Tractors
The most obvious thing about a lawn tractor, as you can see from the
example below, is that it actually looks a bit like a tractor. The rear
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Craftsman 24-42 lawn tractor
wheels are bigger than the front wheels and the engine is at the front. A
lawn tractor's cutting equipment (or deck) is mounted in the middle of the
machine and it will generally be more powerful but in some cases less
manoeuvrable than a riding lawnmower. Some lawn tractors will accept
attachments, such as an aerator or garden tiller.
Riding Lawnmowers
You need to be aware that this description (along with 'riding mower' or
'ride on lawnmower', which is generally used in the UK) is very often
applied to any kind of mower that you ride on as you mow - which makes
sense if you think about it.
However, that means that the term riding lawnmower is sometimes used to
describe a machine that should properly be called a lawn tractor.
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Weed Eater One riding lawn mower
The basic distinguishing feature of a true riding mower is that its cutting
deck may not be detachable and will be mounted at the front, while its
engine will be located in the middle or at the rear. I tend to think that the
Weed-Eater riding lawn mower is a good example of this class of ride-on.
Garden Tractors
Garden tractors are like lawn tractors but more powerful. They are raised
higher off the ground and, as well as cutting the grass, can accept lots of
attachments and carry out a lot of different tasks, especially ground-
engaging tasks.
You could, for example, use a plow, digger, snow blower or backhoe with
one of these machines.
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Simplicity Legacy garden tractor
A garden tractor will be equipped with an effective power take off (PTO)
which is the means by which the power of the tractor engine is used to
drive other implements, such as the digger on this Simplicity Legacy.
Zero Turn Mowers
Zero turn mowers are quite different from the others. They are more like
riding mowers than lawn tractors but are usually steered with levers (or lap
bars) that allow each rear wheel to be controlled independently, thus
allowing the machine to turn without leaving any uncut grass.
The best zero turn mowers will give a faster cut than a lawn tractor or
riding mower on flatter areas and, especially on areas with lots of trees,
garden beds or other obstacles that have to be mown around.
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John Deere Ztrak zero turn mower
Just to further add to the confusion, Cub Cadet has relatively recently
introduced a range of zero turn lawn tractors – which pretty much do what
it says on the tin, i.e. they are essentially lawn tractors, with zero turn
capability. Cub also, in the UK at least, has a zero turn mower which is
steered with a traditional steering wheel rather than lap bars.
Yard Tractors
This term isn't used that often, but if there is a distinction, it is that yard
tractors fall somewhere between a lawn tractor and a garden tractor. The
yard tractor has more power and more accessories than the lawn tractor,
but is not quite as big and versatile as a garden tractor.
Riding Lawn Tractors
'Riding lawn tractors' is just a combination of terms used by some
manufacturers (especially Cub Cadet – what is it about those guys?)
rather than a different type of machine, but it's generally used to mean a
lawn tractor rather than a riding mower.
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Other Definitions
You'll also find the following terms referred to a lot as you trawl through
this guide and the website, so it will help to have a good understanding of
what they mean.
Mowing Deck or Cutting Deck
The structure which houses the mower's cutting
blades.
Discharge Method The means of disposing of the cut grass. Cut grass may be discharged from the deck straight to the side or to the rear of the machine, it may be retained within the deck and chopped finely and deposited back onto the lawn as mulch, or discharged to a side or rear collection bag.
Four-Wheel Steer A steering mechanism whereby all 4 wheels are turned at the same time by means of the steering wheel.
Four-Wheel Drive Where power is delivered to drive all four wheels at once.
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Power Take Off (PTO) A driveshaft that allows attachments and accessories to be powered from the tractor's engine.
Power Train Generally used to refer to the components that generate power and deliver it to the wheels, i.e. the engine, transmission, driveshafts or belts and differentials.
Transmission The means by which the power from the engine is transmitted through the drive components to turn the tractor's wheels and attachments, such as the cutting blades.
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HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT MACHINE FOR YOU
As we saw in the Introduction, there are perhaps around 300 lawn tractors
on the market, maybe more, maybe less. But, whatever the number, the
simple question that most people want the answer to is: which is the best
one?
Surely, if I'm the guy with the website on the subject, I must know.
So, instead of dragging this guide out over another 20 pages, why don't I
just get it over with now and tell you? You can then go to the nearest
dealer or jump online and order one (maybe even through my site) and we
can all go home happy.
Unfortunately, things are not that simple and here is why:
There is no such thing as the best lawn tractor ...
all there is, is the best machine for you.
You may think this is a statement of the obvious. In some ways it is, but it
is also the most important piece of advice in this guide. I urge you to keep
it in mind because the web is full of consumer reviews where people are
complaining that the machine they bought doesnʼt do what they want it to
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do. In many cases, this is because they didnʼt properly think about what
they would want the machine to do before they bought it.
The point is that all potential purchasers have different conditions, different
budgets and different requirements from their machines. That is why there
is such a bewildering array of machines on the market.
Manufacturers simply wouldn't make so many differently configured
models if the same basic machine would suit pretty much everybody.
Think how much more profitable it would be if they only needed one set of
machine tools, one production line and the same basic parts for every
model that was produced. It would probably also mean that prices would
come down considerably too.
Unfortunately, as far as prices are concerned, but fortunately in every
other way, the lawns and gardens of the world are as varied as the people
who nurture them. So the tools that those people require have to meet
that infinite variety of demands.
With all that in mind then, how do you go about working out what might be
the best lawn tractor for you?
In my view, you need to ask yourself the following 3 fundamental
questions:
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• What is your lawn like?
• What do you want your lawn tractor to do?
• How much money do you have to spend?
What is your lawn like?
Different machines are better suited to different conditions. Therefore in
looking for the best lawn tractors, you need to think about the specific
conditions of your land. There are two principle factors to consider - size
and terrain.
Size
Put simply, the bigger your lawn, the bigger (in terms of power and cutting
width) your lawn tractor needs to be.
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Is your lawn the size of a golf course?
If you think about it, the main reason you are likely to want to use a lawn
tractor is because of the size of the area you need to cut. Once you have a
lawn beyond a certain size (which will vary according to individual
tolerance), it will take you too long or it will be too physically demanding to
cut your lawn with a walk behind mower, even a self-propelled one.
One of the ways the lawn tractor cuts the time involved in mowing is by
having a significantly wider cutting deck than a walk behind mower.
Therefore more ground is mown with each pass of the mower.
It follows, therefore, that the larger the area that needs to be mown, the
wider the lawn tractor cutting deck needs to be in order to ensure that the
job can be done in the shortest possible time.
Cub Cadet (at www.cubcadet.com) provides the following estimates to
give you an idea of the potential time to be saved by choosing a wider
cutting deck, based on mowing a 2 acre lawn:
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SIZE OF DECK CUTTING TIME % TIME SAVED
42 inch 2 hours -
46 inch 1 hour 48 mins 10%
50 inch 1 hour 40 mins 17%
54 inch 1 hour 30 mins 24%
Table 1. Time savings arising from increased deck size
But there is also a relationship between the size of the area concerned
and the engine power that the best lawn tractors for that area will need to
have, mainly because the wider the cutting deck, the heavier it will be.
The following table provides a general guide to the appropriate engine and
cutting deck sizes for particular land sizes.
Please note there is some overlap between the categories as there are no
firm delineations. This is a general guide only and, as we point out below,
there are a number of other factors that may mean that the guidelines
don't precisely apply.
As a general rule of thumb, the size of the engine will generally be related
to deck size, as follows:
Table 2. Area, deck size and engine power ratios
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AREA DECK SIZE ENGINE POWERHalf an acre to one acre
(2023 m2 - 4046m2)38 to 42-inches (106.7cm) 12 to 17 horsepower
One to two acres
(4046m2 - 8092m2)42 to 46 inches (106.7cm
to 116.8cm) 15 to 24 horsepower
Two to three acres
(8092m2 - 12138m2)46 to 52 inches (106 .7cm
to 132.1cm) 24 to 27 horsepower
More than 3 acres 48 inches ( 121.9cm) plus
27 horsepower plus
So, the wider the cutting deck and the larger the area, the more powerful
the lawn tractor will need to be in order to do the work involved in covering
the ground with the mower deck over a prolonged period.
But the work that the lawn tractor has to do will be determined not only by
the size of the area involved but by that area's terrain as well. The best
lawn tractors for some kinds of terrains may not be suited at all to other
kinds of terrain.
Terrain
By terrain, we are essentially talking about all the characteristics of the
lawn, other than its size. You can determine the relevant characteristics of
your terrain by asking the following questions:
• Is the ground flat or hilly?
• If it's hilly, how hilly - what gradient are the slopes?
• Is the ground bumpy, rutted or otherwise uneven?
• Are there areas that are prone to being boggy?
• Is the grass often damp and/or particularly lush?
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• Are there lots of obstacles to mow around, such as trees, rocks,
flowers beds etc?
• Are there tight spaces or areas that require tight turns?
These kinds of characteristics are going to have a big impact when it
comes to working out which lawn tractor will be best for the conditions in
question.
You therefore need to think very carefully about the extent to which the
characteristics of your terrain are likely to affect the ability of a lawn tractor
to cover the ground. In broad terms:
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Perfect for a zero turn or 4 wheel steer model (and for my daughter to run around on)
The more challenging the the terrain, the more powerful the lawn
tractor will need to be and/or the more you are likely to need it to
have special features.
Here are some examples:
• If you have one and a half acres of sloping, boggy and uneven land,
you are likely need a tractor with more power than if you have the
same area of flat, unobstructed and well drained land;
• If the terrain is particularly testing, the best lawn tractor for the job
may be a 4 wheel drive model;
• If the grass is often damp and/or lush you may need a more
powerful machine to cut it. You will also need to avoid getting a
machine with the kind of bagging or collection system that can get
blocked by cuttings from damp grass. A simple side discharge or
mulching deck may be the answer in that case;
• If you have a nice clear rectangle of open land, you may not need a
machine with a particularly tight turning circle;
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• If you have a lot of obstacles and tight spaces, you may need a 4-
wheel steer model or even a zero turn mower or lawn tractor.
What do you want your lawn tractor to do?
I suppose the real question here is - what, if anything, do you want your
lawn tractor to do - apart from cut your lawn?
If the answer to that question is 'nothing', then it simplifies your choice.
You then just need to choose from among the best lawn tractors, within
you budget, that are suitable for the for your lawn's size and terrain as
discussed above.
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This kind of terrain demands power and good traction
If you think you might want your lawn tractor to do a bit more than just
mow your lawn, it complicates things a bit, but also introduces lots of
exciting options.
To get an idea of the potential that some of the best lawn tractors have,
take a look at the range of attachments available in the Lawn Tractor
Buyers Guide store.
You should therefore think carefully about what other tasks you might need
to use your lawn tractor for - both now and in the future. You then need to
ensure that you choose a machine that is capable of doing what you want
it to do now or what you might want it to do in due course.
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A typical lawn tractor tow cart
To determine whether the lawn tractor can carry out other tasks, you have
to consider:
• If it has been designed to be able to accommodate the appropriate
attachments or accessories, e.g whether it has the right anchor
points, power take off (PTO) shafts or towing hitch; and
• If it has the engine power and robustness to do the job in question.
Most reasonable sized lawn tractors with the correct fittings will be able to
tow a fertiliser spreader or a cart full of logs or lawn clippings.
The real test comes when you want to carry out 'ground engaging tasks'-
like digging, plowing or moving soil or aggregates. If you want to use the
attachments necessary for that kind of work, you undoubtedly need to
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Simplicity garden tractor
invest in the kind of lawn tractor that is made for the job - i.e. it has the
power and robustness to perform those tasks comfortably.
Remember, you need your lawn tractor to last so you do not want to be
pushing it beyond the limit of its capabilities week in week out.
How much money do you have to spend?
You could spend anything between $700 - $10,000 on a riding mower or
lawn/garden tractor and like most of the good things in life, the best
models come at a price.
Generally, as engine size and mowing width increases, so do the prices
charged. But there are other factors that affect price :
• Where you buy - a dedicated dealer may be more expensive than a
discount or big box DIY outlet. Then again, you are likely to get
more personal attention, advice and additional services at the
dedicated dealer.
• Quality - some lawn tractors, especially engines and transmissions,
are just better made than others and designed for longer life.
Hydrostatic transmissions in particular may vary quite considerable
in smoothness of operation and longevity. Axles can also be a good
indicator of quality. The better quality machines will often have cast
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iron or forged axles whilst lower budget machines may have steel,
welded axles.
• Reliability, parts and service - reliability will often come down to the
overall build quality, which is likely to be reflected in price. Similarly
it is often easier to obtain parts and service for the higher cost
premium machines because it is more economically viable for the
manufactures to maintain the appropriate infrastructure to support
these services where the revenue generated from sales is greater.
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HOW TO COMPARE LAWN TRACTORS
So, choosing the best lawn tractors involves first of all assessing your
own requirements and circumstances - your lawn, the tasks you want
carried out and your budget. If you don't do this, you could end up with the
equivalent of a Ferrari for doing the school run in.
Only once you have done this, should you think about the different types
and models of lawn tractors.
One of the difficulties for the buyer is that it is hard to pick out the
important details from the avalanche of information that the manufacturers
publish about their lawn tractors. You'll see lots of exclusive features and
detailed specifications and you'll be invited to marvel at various proprietary
trade-marked systems that will apparently change the face of lawn mowing
as we know it.
What you might not see, however, as you try to compare lawn tractors, is
the same degree of emphasis on a particular feature given by one
manufacturer as is given by another. You may not even see the same
words used to describe what is basically the same thing.
To help you cut through the the jargon and marketing speak, these are the
main features you probably need to pay attention to:
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Engines and Engine Power
The power that the engine delivers is measured in horse power (HP) or
(Hp). The greater the horse power, the more powerful the engine. In broad
terms lawn tractor engines may range from about 10hp to 30Hp.
The more powerful the engine, the more the lawn tractor can:
• Work on larger areas
• Cope with slopes, hills, uneven and unsound terrain
• Drive bigger cutting decks
• Use more attachments and, in particular, attachments that are
'ground engaging' e.g. diggers, plows etc.
A lawn tractor engine can vary considerably in design, type, price and
quality. There are a number of engine manufacturers that operate in this
market, but probably the best know and most well regarded are Briggs and
Stratton, Kohler, Tecumseh, Honda and Kawasaki.
Single cylinder engines
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The smaller lawn tractors and riding mowers are generally equipped with a
single cylinder air-cooled gasoline
engine with a vertical crankshaft
design.
An air-cooled engine relies upon
the heat which the engine
generates being dissipated through
fins on the engine casing when air
is blown across them by a fan. The
vertical crankshaft generally means that the mower deck is directly driven
by means of a belt.
Multi-cylinder engines
Larger lawn tractors tend to have two or more cylinders with a horizontal
crankshaft.
Multiple cylinders (especially
where there are three cylinders)
generally lead to smoother
operation of the engine.
The horizontal crankshaft means
there is a more direct mechanism
to drive the tractor, and hence
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more power is delivered, but there is usually a more complex arrangement
to drive the mower deck.
Multiple cylinder engines have more power than single cylinder ones but
have more parts that can fail.
Liquid cooled engines
Large lawn and garden tractors are likely to have a liquid-cooled, multi-
cylinder gasoline or diesel engine. The liquid cooled engine has a pump
which circulates water through the engine block and a separate radiator.
The water is cooled as it passes through the radiator and circulated back
through the lawn tractor engine. This system is more expensive than air
cooling but can lead to longer engine life by keeping engine temperatures
more consistent.
Diesel engines
Diesel engines may be more costly and are often noisier and dirtier than
gasoline engines. However, they can be more reliable and have a longer
working life. Diesel fuel may also be available much more cheaply,
especially where untaxed fuel is permitted for use off-road. The diesel
lawn tractor engine may therefore be the most economical, if available on
the model that suits your circumstances.
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Transmission
A lawn tractor engine has to drive not only the wheels of the lawn tractor
itself, but also the mower deck (and any other powered implements that
may be attached to the tractor).
The mower deck has to run at a constant high speed in order to be able to
cut grass efficiently. However, the lawn tractor itself has to be able to run
at various speeds in order to be able to start, stop and maneuver in the
ordinary way.
These different demands are accommodated by means of the Lawn
tractor's transmission. Therefore the transmission is one of the most
important lawn tractor components.
There are generally three types of transmission used on lawn tractors.
Hydrostatic Transmission
This type of transmission provides the best means of lawn tractor control
and allows infinite speed adjustment in moving forward and in reverse and
generally makes for easier maneuvering.
Hydrostatic transmission operates by means of a hydraulic pump linked to
a hydraulic motor which drives the lawn tractor wheels. It is operated by
hand levers or foot pedals.
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The downside of hydrostatic transmission is that it is expensive - it
increases the initial cost of the lawn tractor and leads to less fuel efficient
operation - and it can be high maintenance, especially in keeping the
system clean.
Gear Transmissions
A geared transmission on a lawn tractor is much like a manual
transmission on a car. There may be a number of forward gears, together
with a reverse gear.
The gears are operated by a lever and clutch mechanism - either a
mechanical clutch or a belt system and are often combined with the axle
into a 'transaxle'.
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Most of the better models, like this John Deere X748, feature hydrostatic transmission
Gear transmissions are usually reliable and efficient and are a relatively
low cost option in terms of initial outlay and relevant replacement parts
Belt Transmission
This is the simplest and cheapest transmission system and is pretty
effective on lower powered tractors.
Drive speed is controlled by a belt system between crankshaft and drive
wheel mechanism. No separate clutch is needed.
The belts are adjusted by control levers operated by the driver so as to
slow or increase the speed of the lawn tractor. Belt drives can be variable
speed or fixed speed or associated with 2-5 gears.
Drive
Lawn tractors may have two wheel drive or 4 wheel drive, i.e. power is
delivered from the engine via the transmission mechanism to turn the rear
two wheels or all four wheels. As with cars and other vehicles, greater
stability and traction can be achieved with 4 wheel drive systems
Steering
Most lawn tractors have front wheel steering, again like the typical car
arrangement. Some have power steering which mean that the engine
indirectly powers the steering, making it much lighter to operate.
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Some lawn tractors, like the John Deere x304 have 4 wheel steering. This
means all 4 wheels turn in response to a turn of the steering wheel. This
enables the lawn tractor to turn more tightly than a standard two wheel
steer model.
Cutting Deck
Cutting decks house the cutting blades. In most lawn and garden tractors
they can be detached. With cutting decks, the points to look out for are:
• The type and quality of the material they are made from (e.g. steel,
thickness of steel)
• The number of cutting blades (more blades means potentially more
efficient cutting)
• Size, i.e. width of deck. Width of deck determines how wide a
swathe of lawn can be cut in one pass of the tractor. The wider the
deck, the less times the tractor has to go up and down the land and
therefore the quicker the job can be done.
Grass Discharge
Most lawn tractors discharge the grass to the side of the cutting deck. This
means that the grass clippings are left on the lawn which can look untidy.
If the clippings are to be directed to a collection bag, which may come as
standard or as an optional extra, there may be a pipe or chute through
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which the clippings travel. With wet grass especially, this can sometimes
get clogged.
As an alternative to side discharge, there are some rear discharge
tractors. These discharge clippings behind the lawn tractor and, if linked to
a collection system, may have less mechanism to get clogged up than the
side discharge tractors.
You will also read that many lawn tractors have a mulching capacity. But
what is mulch and what does mulching mean?
Mulch is basically any material laid on cultivated ground to help prevent
weeds, to aid fertility, to help soil structure and/or to encourage moisture
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Cub Cadet side discharge model
retention. There are therefore many different types of mulch, but grass
clippings or shredded garden prunings are often used.
The mulching mower deck has blades that finely chop grass clippings into
mulch, so that they can be deposited back onto the ground that has been
mown. This accomplishes several things. Firstly, the decomposed
clippings can return nutrients to the soil and aid moisture retention.
Secondly, there is no need to collect the clippings which, on large areas, is
often impractical given the amount of clippings produced. Thirdly, the finely
chopped mulch does not look untidy in the same way that un-mulched
grass clippings can.
Some lawn tractors may have a dedicated mulching deck that has to be
fitted to enable mulching to take place. Other decks can be converted to a
mulching deck by the addition of a plate to blank off the side or rear
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Cub Cadet rear discharge model
discharge outlet, thus retaining the clippings within the deck until they are
finely chopped and deposited as the tractor moves on.
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FINAL WORDS
Even the cheapest riding mowers and lawn tractors represent a
substantial purchase. The top of the range models approach the price of a
small car. Itʼs therefore vital that you research your choice thoroughly
before buying.
This guide, and indeed the Lawn Tractor Buyers Guide website, aims to
help simplify that research task and point you in the direction of the
different factors you need to consider.
If there is one message that I have for lawn tractor buyers it is this:
First and foremost work out what you need based upon you own personal
requirements and the demands of the area you are going to be working
on. By being very clear about this, you can narrow down your search
pretty quickly and then focus on the finer specifications, prices and
available offers for the relevant models.
Whether you approach the choice from the point of view of a gardener
(like me) or from a more technical perspective, this approach should serve
you well.
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APPENDIX
Buying Checklist
Ask yourself these questions about your own requirements:
• What size do I have to mow?
• What is the terrain like?
! - Hilly, boggy, flat, empty, full of obstacles, tight turns?
• How much do I have to spend?
• What, if anything, do I want the machine to do apart from mow the
grass?
! - Pull carts, sprayers or spreaders, cultivate, dig, bulldoze?
Consider these features when comparing lawn tractors to buy:
• Engine - power, manufacturer, number of cylinders, cooling system;
• Transmission - hydrostatic, geared, belts;
• Drive - 2 wheel, 4 wheel drive;
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• Steering - power steering, 2 wheel or 4 wheel steer, zero turn, zero
turn with steering wheel or lap bars;
• Cutting Deck - width of deck, material made from, number of
blades;
• Grass Discharge - side discharge, rear discharge, mulching;
• Attachments and accessories - availability and suitability for those
you need.
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