Tractor/Cart/Mower Advice

[SteveHGraham]

I am in the process of preparing for the move back to the United States. Yesterday, I learned that the seller of the house wants my dad to buy his Kubota L3710 tractor with front end loader, an old John Deere lawn tractor, and an EZ GO ST-350 golf cart. Wonder if anyone can provide useful input.

I have no doubts about the Kubota. If the price is right and the hours are low, it would be perfect. The mower and cart, however, are not as exciting.

The mower is a model 430 with a "dump cart," whatever that is. Sounds ominous. It has a "five-foot belly mower," which probably doesn't mow bellies. Here's the issue: it's 20 years old. Is it possible for a lawn tractor to survive that long without being ready to scrap? I just learned it has a Yanmar diesel, so that's encouraging. Tractordata.com says these machines cost $9500 new in 1992.

I'm going to call the lawn 3 acres, so I guess this machine has been cutting that regularly since the house was built, and because the house isn't 20 years old, the tractor must have had some wear on it already.

The golf cart is just sad. It runs fine, but when you step on the gas, it seems like nothing happens. I am not looking to do burnouts, but I'm pretty sure I can outrun this thing. I saw someone on the web claiming 23 mph for one. He must have pushed it off his roof. Also, it's gasoline, so I have doubts about the longevity. It may be nearly ready to scrap.

If anyone has comments on these models or general advice, I would appreciate it. It appears that the tractor's used value is around 10K.

I have avoided mowing lawns my entire life, so you can imagine what I know about lawn tractors.

[warmstrong1955]

I'm not sure if a JD 430 is one I've rented before, but all those old John Deere's I've been around are heavy duty. I think the one I rented sevel times over a couple of years was a 400.....had a Kohler gas burner in it, but probably about the same tractor.
The phrase "They don't build them like they used to" applies.

If it's had reasonable maintenance, and the price is right...I'd buy it.
You may want to search & check availability of parts....mainly the hydrostatic transmission.

Golf carts....who knows.....

Bill

[SteveHGraham]

There are two John Deere model 430's. One is a real tractor, and the one I'm looking at is a lawnmower with a little diesel. Just to be clear. I looked up "John Deere 430" and found myself looking at photos of a pretty big machine.

[warmstrong1955]

Yup. The 400 series types I know, are of the garden tractor variety.
I rented one to mow the place we bought in Corbett....about 3 acres. Something the folks we bought the place from didn't do often....if at all. Hard to go pick fruit in the orchard when the grass & weeds are 5' high. The Deere did a good job.
When I got it mowed, and then worked on it to get it shorter and shorter, and again the second year, to find all the rocks, stumps, and whatever, I splurged on my MTD 'creampuff'. An MTD....ain't no John Deere.

I haven't been around the 430 small size farm tractors.

Been around a lot of 4500, 4510, 4610....among others....which are utility tractors. We Used 'em for basic transportation in the mines after a few modifications. Also good tractors. I've done well with the John Deere stuff. Service & parts with them included.

Bill

[SteveHGraham]

I have a friend looking around for a mechanic who can check this stuff out. We'll see what happens.

[stephenc]

I have a Ford diesel lawn tractor roughly the same size and age as the John Deere .
Here's my take on things .. maybe it will make sense to you .

It's a lawn tractor , if it has had anything close to normal maintenance done to it it is probably pretty sound mechanically . . The tractor itself anyway .

The biggest issue is probably going to be the mower deck itself ,.. it's 25 years old .
It's at about the right age for rust , use and abuse to be taking its toll . Even if it has been taken care of .
Holes and stress cracks will likely start appearing in the next few years along with the never ending battle with worn out spindles , idler pulley's belts , guide wheels , gear boxes .. etc etc etc

What you end up with is a nice tractor that's nearly useless because the deck is worn out . And finding replacement decks isn't all that easy . After all anything you find is going to be 25 years old as well and is likely to have the same issues as the okkn you have .
Or it could be like my tractor with brand new decks available. .. for $3500

[SteveHGraham]

Those mowers seem pretty expensive. A web source I found says MSRP was $2500, but I see people asking nearly $4000 for used ones. Can't figure that out.

[stephenc]

I think you was a lot closer with the $9500 msrp.
When I bought my Ford I got the original sales reciept and all the literature that came with the tractor new .
In 1993 it was $8200 and some change . I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the John Deere was quite a bit more then that new .

[steamin10]

IMHO small lawn tractors are, well small for small pool table lawns. They generally worry through over grown and unkept lawns with the according expendature of time. I have three running tractors at present, two home type and one case 235 diesel. All out of service with deck issues. The last one, a Crapsman 19.5 hp with 42 cut, is down due to operator error after mowing some anti tank mines ( edging bricks ) placed for decoration. I lost the ends of the split mulching blades, and a lower spindle bearing. A second spare deck is being matched up to the machine, and repairs will commence to the now injured one. There is a third deck, that can be used for parts. Charlie my neighbor down the street, has a garage full of spare parts, and is my hole ace with knowledge and parts. Said in earlier posts, I abuse the machine, and it was bought knowing it would be pushed hard. (Bricks not included). High HP and fairly small cut for rough work to chew through. The 60 inch deck for the diesel is for a more manicured lawn, and spit a gearbox when it mowed a branch hidden from view. The decks are a constant reminder of how frail the equipment is for normal yard work. Rough land really requires a larger tractor with good footing and a brush buster type mower rather than a delicate finish mower. Depends on your wallet weight too. None of this equipment is cheap if it works. I am tempted to build a small 48 inch hog with its flat sheet and cheep angle iron because of new cost. I can source used and scrap metal much cheaper than new, and get a gearbox off the net.

A dump cart is a non starter, as I picked up several towable things for garden and feed work around town used. I put trailer balls on all the towables, or a loop handle for man hauling if it is a smaller 4 wheel cart. The little box carts I find are too small and considered bonding two together for capacity. The hand loop just drops over the ball and off we go.

I love my diesel compact for feature and power. I assume that JD, Pagoda, and that ilk are similar, being built heavy like a real tractor. Cast iron rather than sheet metal.

[warmstrong1955]

Those mowers seem pretty expensive. A web source I found says MSRP was $2500, but I see people asking nearly $4000 for used ones. Can't figure that out.

No way it was $2500 !!
I was looking at getting a John Deere back when, until I priced them. I remember it being over $10K, with a bagger and a couple other options.
It was more than my wallet could stand at the time, hence, why I have an MTD. 18HP, 46" deck....$1800. Works....but again...ain't no John Deere!

So....I got curious...and I looked it up....
Here's what I found...
http://www.tractordata.com/lawn-tractor ... e-430.html

Bill

[SteveHGraham]

That price information makes it all make more sense. I could not figure out how a lawn tractor could increase in value over 20 years.

RE lawn tractors v. real tractors, there must be some reason why this guy has both. There is a lot of pasture on the property, and I am sure he uses the bush hog for that and to keep the woods clear, but the few acres around the house are ordinary grass. I assume it is difficult or impossible to get a lawn-quality result with a farm tractor, or he would be doing it. Backing into tight areas and circling trees would not be fun.

I do wonder about plain old lawnmowers. The "dreamer" crowd where I live uses stand-up machines with two levers. You stand on the deck, and the mower zips along and makes tight turns. They can knock off half an acre in no time, and it looks like a new one would be under $4,000. I assume there is a reason why the seller has a lawn tractor instead.

[warmstrong1955]

'Real' tractors are better suited to mow acres, not landscaped yards. They don't cut so evenly, scalp the higher spots, etc.
Lawn tractors, and zero turn lawn mowers like you are talking about....do just that. The mow lawns.
The garden tractors, especially like the 430 you are looking at, are more versitile. They have PTO'S, some both front and rear. You can get tiller attachments, snowblowers etc.
They don't, at least most, have any real loader attachments, or backhoe attachments. Not sure about the 430....

Just a matter of what you want to do,

Bill