[John Arsenault]

I had a brand new John Deer lt110 ,biggest pile of gooey brown stuff I have ever owned. I spend way less then half that on my old vintage sears and love them.

What I really love about the sears suburbans is that they are as simple as simple gets. You get real levers to engage the implement not wimpy cables. All common hardware nothing fancy and or hard to find. The belt is on the side, so access to it is easy.

What I don't like about them is the Tecumseh engines , parts are obsolete , but with an engine swap its the best tractor I can think of for someone that don't like to tinker.

Find someone to put a brand new (quality) engine in an old sears and your done, I mean done done, like maytag man kinda done.

Cost 150.00 for the tractor 613.00 for the engine. 763.00 total investment and I can't for see anything needed in the future besides maybe a belt.

I did have to put in some work to make it but I would put the old Sears against any box store tractor any day of the week.

I had a simplicity too,but it was not as simple as these older sears. Plus it was not as light and nimble feeling as the sears.

My son is buying a tractor for his yard and we been through some options, he is on a budget and needs something turn key, so I told him to buy an old sears and a brand new engine and I will guarantee he will be set for a long time.

 

[John Arsenault]

Hey Smitty how's the knee treating you?

If it were me (you didn't say how big the yard is) I'd find her a used 12hp Wheel-Horse. I would without hesitation give one of them to anyone looking for a good solid mower. Very easy to maintain and about bullet proof. With the hydro you get hydraulic lift. They are easy on fuel and easier to steer. I have one in about this condition setting in the hangar that I only paid $200 for but is a manual tranny and lift. Need to get it running for the grandson.

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/grd/d/toro-wheel-horse-classic-312/6597805149.html

I can 2nd that recommendation of a WH...I have a C-120 that has never let me down. Around here you pay twice as much for WH stuff then Sears but your right there is not much stuff to go wrong.

 

[John Arsenault]

Go buy her a nice new one. Otherwise you'll be over there wrenching on it all the time!

The s240 sport deere is 2499. It's a nice unit. Although it has a Briggs and a k46. But would be perfect for an acre or less of non hilly yard. The x350 is 3199 and is a bit heavier yet.

The cub offerings aren't bad for lawn tractors.

But if you want to buy an older one...you can never go wrong with a 70s cub. Any model is a good one. I am partial to the 128. Pretty bullet proof. The old kohlers run forever. The transaxle is bullet proof. Not much that can go wrong.

How about steering issues and diveshafts? I just sold a cub and some N.O.S. parts I had for it and people went nuts over the NLA stuff. I sold the steering and got 3 more request for steering box so I know there has to be an issue with the steering.