Old Garden Tractors in 2023

Bill VA · Sep 25, 2023

Its been a long time since IH Cub Cadets, Wheelhorse Tractors, etc came off the assembly line.

Question is - are you still mowing and running your old garden tractor full out for hours on end like you did when they were new or are they retired to light duty with a newer mower taking its place.

partsman1055 · Sep 25, 2023

I use my Cub Cadet model 70 on a weekly basis to mow my yard. Takes about 45 minutes for the job. This machine has had just about everything rebuilt. Also use a 126 every other week to mow. About 2 hours mowing time.

timcasbolt · Sep 25, 2023

I repowered my John Deere 110 a few years ago and use it year round.

gab · Sep 25, 2023

I run four Wheel Horses and a JD 110, put four hours on one mowing today.

Phil B. · Sep 25, 2023

I mowed every week (in season) with a CC 128 since 1974 till 2018 when I moved. Now its too small and Im trying to sell all my CC stuff but nobody wants it. The newer generations dont want the old stuff and couldnt work on it if they owned them anyway.

Bill VA · Sep 25, 2023

Thanks for the replies!

CKain(MI) · Sep 25, 2023

I use a 1971 and/or a 1972 Case 444. both have a 44 deck. no rust holes! love the hydraulic drive.

circus · Sep 26, 2023

(quoted from post at 07:30:08 09/25/23)

Question is - are you still mowing and running your old garden tractor full out for hours on end like you did when they were new or are they retired to light duty with a newer mower taking its place.

No. Cost too much to fix. The old garden tractor is retired to hard duty like blowing snow or the garden.
Mowing is done by an old Murray I got for free.

Loosehandle · Sep 26, 2023

I mow with a JD 110 and 212 50 and 40 years old. The k series Kohler engines will outlast me.

Keith True · Sep 28, 2023

I have a 73 Wheelhorse that has been around here since new,bought in June of 73.It is a 12 automatic,and has never been left out in the weather.It's had 3 or 4 deck shells,but the 12 horse Kohler has over 4000 hours on it,never apart.The neighbor that bought it new hung a Hobbs hour meter on it when he bought it.It's had a couple of carbs,the throttle shaft eggs the body out and won't idle.It is starting to use a little oil now,but that engine has never been started with the throttle raced up,and never shut down without idling for a minute first.It's always had 15-40 Shell Rotella oil used in it.It's burned Cumberland Farms Gasahol in it since it came out here in 1980,so apparently it doesn't care about what it burns.

tractorguy2 · Oct 1, 2023

My dad was a Snapper dealer. I still have an Extra Tough RER dad sold new and then bought back. It has a grass catcher and Thatcher attachment. I use it only in the spring for thatching and picking up leaves in the fall.

My regular mowers are an Ex mark and a Bad Boy 54

I also have a RER Snapper 30 dad put a 2 cylinder opposed Koehler 22hp engine on. He called it his Harley. It was dad's last project before he broke his neck and could no longer work. I really have no use for it. I do mow the garden and sweet corn off in the fall with it.

dhermesc · Oct 12, 2023

My 1450s are my only mowers. They each average about 30-40 hours a summer mowing my place and occasionally helping out at our church. I've had other cubs but these 1450s just don't seem to be lagging behind anything except the higher end Zero turns. Recently while helping at the church another guy brought his new cub (it could have been 10 years old for all I know) - a conventional garden tractor type of mower. It had a 52 deck vs my 50 deck and 24 hp V twin engine vs the old Kolher 14Hp. We set at the same height and I kept up about 15' feet behind him and my wife 15' behind me - taking 154 swaths - things get done fast at that rate.

560Dennis · Oct 14, 2023

Bolens husky 600

Keith True · Oct 14, 2023

I have an unrestored C-160.Mine has a little different grille,the slots are full width,not separated by the vertical bar.My hood decals are also full length,not the short ones like yours.Mine was bought new with a 42 inch rear discharge deck.

Ande · Oct 25, 2023

Many of these we sold new in the 70s and 80s and they still are doing what they were intended too. I have 9 running and do different jobs from mowing, hilling potatoes, snowblowing, grooming my roads of weeds. These are 446 and 448 Case's and a couple Ingersolls ( company that bought Case's outdoor power equipment line)

Bolens123 · Jan 29, 2024

i bought a bolens 900 new in 64 with a 38 inch deck and its still like new.

Rkh · Jan 29, 2024

I have 2 1968 simplicity garden tractors with 2 mower decks, snow plow, snowblower, garden plow, and garden tiller. One is my dad's, that went through flood in 1972. Had to replace that engine, but other tractor has O.E.M. cast iron engine. These are real garden tractors.

Brian G. NY · Feb 1, 2024

I have a soft spot in my heart for the Jacobsen built Fords. I have several from 10HP to 16HP.
I bought this LGT 125 (12 HP) for $75 about 40 years ago. I've never had a mower deck on it but it sees plenty of wor

k with the plow in the winter and the sickle bar mower in summer. Tough, tough little machine!

Ford LGT-120 and Sickle Bar Mower 007.jpg

DoubleO7 · Feb 1, 2024

Brian G. NY said:
I have a soft spot in my heart for the Jacobsen built Fords. I have several from 10HP to 16HP.
I bought this LGT 125 (12 HP) for $75 about 40 years ago. I've never had a mower deck on it but it sees plenty of worView attachment 4242k with the plow in the winter and the sickle bar mower in summer. Tough, tough little machine!View attachment 4239 View attachment 4241

Those 12hp garden tractors did and do more work than todays 24hp tractors designed to do the same things.
Makes you wonder if the grass is tougher, the snow is deeper and the gardens all have more clay these days?

Ande · Feb 1, 2024

Ande said:
Many of these we sold new in the 70s and 80s and they still are doing what they were intended too. I have 9 running and do different jobs from mowing, hilling potatoes, snowblowing, grooming my roads of weeds. These are 446 and 448 Case's and a couple Ingersolls ( company that bought Case's outdoor power equipment line)

Below is a 1975 446 Garden tractor with cast iron rear axles and front. Still a WIP unit but still working on it

Old Garden Tractors in 2023

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