Best older standard transmission garden tractor

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
I would prefer to buy an older (better-made) garden tractor. I have tried, and did not like, recent John Deere hydrostatic tractors. I'd like to find an older model with the highest possible horsepower and a wide mowing deck.
 
One of the best I have ever found was an older Cub Cadet. Most had drive shaft drive and a clutch and a heavy deck.
 
If you have a really big yard, a Farmall Cub, A, B, or an Allis Chalmers B or C with a Woods 59 inch deck might work.

John Deere had the 318, an older hydrostatic drive that is still widely considered the best garden tractor ever made. Last made in 1992.

The John Deere 216 had a 16 horsepower Kohler engine, four speed manual transaxle with a variable speed setup, and 47 inch deck. The same tractor was available as the 214, 212, and 210 (less horsepower) and all of those tractors could use the 47 inch deck. Most parts are still available from Deere.

Sears had a Suburban with a 16 horsepower Onan twin cylinder engine and a manual transmission. Parts can be difficult and expensive for the Onan. Wheel Horse and Simplicity had manual transmission tractors.
 
have a 312-8 Wheel horse that has been a great tractor (1989 model) and, at least around here are pretty easy to find. i think they made them clear into the 2000's.

FIL had a old Power King 1212 that was a beast until the deck rotted out. Built (design) much like the old cubs with a dry clutch off the engine.
 
I'm not sure at what point you stop calling something a "garden tractor" and start calling it a "compact tractor" instead. There are many compact diesel tractors out there around the same size as many garden tractors - but with more rugged drive-trains.

Deere made a 318 garden tractor with a Peerless gear transmission that was rugged enough. 18 horse with a 50" mower.

Wheelhorse had the D250 with a gear transmission and a 20 horse, four-cylinder water-cooled engine. Came with a 48" or 60" mower.

You could buy a compact Yanmar with a Deere name-tag on it like a 650 or 750 and get a rugged gear-trans.

There are many, many makes out there with a gear trans.
 
(quoted from post at 17:01:56 09/20/13) One of the best I have ever found was an older Cub Cadet. Most had drive shaft drive and a clutch and a heavy deck.

Yes, Cub Cadet, hands down. Most parts still available and an active collector/user community for support. Even the older hydros have a good reputation. Once MTD got ahold of CC the reliability is not what it used to be.
 
I'm pretty sure all the hot rod garden tractor pullers use old cub cadet rear ends.

Someone mentioned JD212 models I had one and was not impressed with the peerless rear end.

Find a JD 650 or 750 compact with the factory belly mower. We bought a 750 new and it has been trouble free.

I also had a 318 and was not impressed. I don't like the hydro on the dash and the Onan engines are not that wonderfull. You have to pull the engine to change a starter ! I like the 425 better and really like the foot hydro pedal design.

I mow with a F725 JD now and it is a good machine. Front mower and a foot hydro and really tight turning radius.
 
While the cubs had a pretty rugged manual transmission they never did put much HP in front of it. If I recall correctly the biggest manual transmissions only had 12 HP. Their hydro tractors are VERY tough.
 
An Allis Chalmers 5020 or Simplicity 9523 (same tractor) is a rugged little tractor that sells much less than The green ones. I have over 1800 hours on mine. I have a five foot belly mower for it as well as a loader. I have a 2 14" plow, a five foot disc, a five foot rotary mower and a five foot 3 point blade. I use it to rake my hay.
 
(quoted from post at 10:01:56 09/20/13) One of the best I have ever found was an older Cub Cadet. Most had drive shaft drive and a clutch and a heavy deck.

I'll 2nd that emotion :wink:
 
Would you believe I maybe looking for a standard rear end for a cub cadet. I it looks like will be getting a cub cadet with a bad hydrostatic drive. but the engine runs well
 
Right on with Gravely, I purchased mine in 1980 and still use it almost daily .Routine maintenance,synthetic oil and a battery every 15 years is all it needs. 8000/800 with Kohler engines are great machines.
 
Wheel Horse, Simplicity, Cub Cadet, Deere, Gravely...the options are out there. Look around and see what you like.
 
OLD,
If you need cub parts let me know. I should have either a manual or hydro for narrow frame cubs. Not too far away, down I44 near Tulsa.
 
We need to chat. Have a complete rear from a 107 cub that you can have down in Fair grove. Any chance that you still have that old cub cadet mower deck???
 
This is a cub cadet 1250 with hydrostatic drive but it does not work. I was hired to install a replacement hyd pump and then to get it running. I did so but that did not fit it. So the guy payed me for my work and then gave it to me. So if I can in turn fix it he wants to buy if for the cost of me getting it going again which I would do but also do so cheaper then I would sell it to some one else
 
I was where you are 5 years ago, with several acres to mow and only a 42 inch Murray. I went thru my Cub cadet phase and this year spent the big dollars on a Ferris Zero Turn. Even after replacing the worn out Intek twin on it that had been cobbled together to sell by some Iowan farmer,I couldn't be happier with the upgrade.

If you have a LOT of mowing to do the older garden tractors can take too much time. A commercial zero turn will cut so much time off that task you'll be looking for more grass to mow.

If you do stick to the Cub line, any of the cast iron rear end tractors will do the job. You'll be looking far and wide to find a larger mower deck that isn't worn out or rotted. If you do find one take care of it and it should last a lifetime. You will also have many different options for add on equipment, and the support of several internet groups specializing in CC tractors.

If CC had made a foot pedal operated hydro, it would be on my list of go to garden tractors. My Murray has a foot pedal hydro and it would mow circles around the 1200 in tight spots. Unfortunately it is so worn out in the deck department I need to find a complete deck assembly or spend a month building a new one.
 
I have a 15 year old JD275 48 inch 17 hp kaw, hydro. No problem. I have a 10 year old husky varni, 48 inch 23 hp briggs, 350 hours, hydrostatic, no problem.

Todays mowers you have two choices, a hydro or a tranney with 2 belts and a pulley that changes size to vary speed. IMHO, the hydrostatic has way more pulling power. The 2 belts won't hold up if you need to pull hard and the pair of belts aren't cheap. I have an old troy-built 46 inch 20 hp briggs with 500 hrs on it. Learned the hard way, the two belt tranny is crap for pulling.
George
 
The ones that ran Cub rear ends around me were not stock. If they wanted them to live the used a Dodge Dart carrier instead.
 

Hard to beat an old cub cadet with a 3 spd.x/mis.and Hi/LO aux.Parts may be hard to come by though.
 
Hydrostatic is perfectly fine, infact superior if it is a HD ground engagement unit with 5 bolt rear rims.
Light duty toy hydrostatic transmissions hold the rear rims onto the axle with a "C" clip.
 

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