Husqvarna mowers?

Anyone familiar with the Husqvarna (sp) riding mowers? Our current mower which is 12 yrs old is on it's last leg, and for some reason I can't keep a battery in it for more than one season. Somehow it drains the power from them and I've had to put a charge on it at least 3 times a season. Anyway, the wife and I stopped at Lowe's today and looked at some mowers. Didn't care for the Troy-Bilt's or the John Deere's (I know, that's almost sacriligous, lol). The Husq we liked, and I know old Paul Harvey is always talking-up the Husq products. Any pros or cons on that brand that anyone has to share? Oh, it also has a Kohler engine on it instead of a Briggs & Stratton.

Hey Waterwings, Got one myself, its 4yrs old and its' the 21horse and 48inch cut. I've been pleased with it.

Cons are I bought a complete tune up oil change package for it on the second year from Rural King. by the third cut it started to choke out and black smoke. Long story short here, after I finally took it in to the pros they said it was the air filter and it needed a special one. of course they had it, marked with a red stamp-the man said that was what it should use. Well it worked and I've been buying them since and have had no problem like that since.

The deck wheels and nose roller always tears up by the end of season, I had to learn not to cut with the deck com[pletely all the way down-to much wieght on the wheels(I suppose)

The deck colgged up alot untill I modifyed the discharge, alot better now.

The factory deck belt pulleys are junk, I replaced one at least every year. last year they came out with new ones that you can grease now 8)

Pros, First time I used it I ran over a log chain while mowing and killed it dead. after a brief look at the owners manual I took the deck off for the first time and removed the log chain, put it all together and it fired up and never missed a lick

It has took all the abuse thats been throwed at it accidental or not and it keeps going, of course some constant repairs on the deck every year are expected(I cut 3 acres with it)

its the HydrStatic trans also witch is nice and would never get another with out one.

Very price competive, I'm over all impressed with the abuse it can take but a little more routine repairs than needed. This may remedy itself if I get a bigger cut ratio next time. I don't think they are junk.

a very good mower they are =D>

Thanks for the info! Our old mower has the hydrostatic trans which is nice. We're looking at the 46" cut, which will be plenty for the 3/4 acre our house sets on. The one thing that is different from the old mower is that it sets up a lot higher. I probably won't be able to do my "lean to one side on edge of seat" and cut the bank trick anymore for fear of rolling it. I looked at the replacement belts they have in stock and they don't look like the typical belt, plus they also carry the necessary replacement filters. I did lower the deck and it does go low! My yard slopes pretty good with some uneven parts, so I won't be able to put it real low anyway.

A friend of mine has a Troy-Bilt, and he's had a lot of problems with it, so that discouraged me against that, but it could just be that 1 out of 100 that has problems like anything mechanical. Thanks for the info!

FishingBuds, with those problems you are still happy with it? I wouldn't be.

Hydro is worth the money, they make life easy and last longer the gear drives. Nothing wrong with Kohler over B&S, I prefer Kohler. If you want a tractor that will run a long time, get one with an oil-pump system (with an oil filter) rather then a oil bath.

Personally, I'm a Deere guy. I worked at a Deere lawn & garden dealer for 3 years, worked with them every day, and bought two tractors (one for mom's place and one for grandmom's). I really believe they are worth the extra money, and even the budget models are good.

Waterwings said:

"lean to one side on edge of seat" and cut the bank trick anymore for fear of rolling it.

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That happen to me, on my parents sears craftman.

Darn thing popped a wheely going up a bank and it went straight back, I fell right behind it and it kept going backwards, caught the seat so it didn't shut off and down it came on me. I managed to put my foot on the hood and pushed with all I had and it rolled to the side and layed down right next to me. I didn't cut grass that way anymore. side to side I ride the ditches now with my rearend half on the seat

The new ones do look good, I wonder how the decking wheels will hold up for me :lol:

My mother has a Craftsman and I use it to cut her lawn for her. I like it for what she bought and the task asked of it. She has 2/3 acre and she bought the lowest priced LT1000 Sears had. I would have gone up a model and got one with wheels on the deck to prevent scalping the lawn. Discharge only clogs up when I can finally get to the back yard (low and wet in the spring) and cut the tall 12" grass.

Husqvarna makes some real good chain saws. I don't know anyone with one of their mowers though.

My dad has a Husquvarna mower. Loves it. My Mom will even mow the lawn now.

What little I've played around with it, I really like it too. I'd buy one...if I needed a rider.

Thanks for the input fellows . Last night I thought about something that I need to check......will the new mower fit through the gate opening in the back yard. The old mower can come through pretty good when I bungy cord the discharge chute in an up position, but that mower is only a 36" cut. Gonna have to do some measuring today and go back to Lowe's and do some more measuring. I really don't want to widen the gate opening and have to make a new gate

I'll bet a goat would fit through the gate and no modifications needed, cheaper on gas too.

flounderhead59 said:

I'll bet a goat would fit through the gate and no modifications needed, cheaper on gas too.

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Lol, you're right on that! There's a field I pass everyday on the way to work and back, and there are some cows in there grazing. I've wondered if the farmer would loan me one..........but I then again I wouldn't want to cleanup the huge piles of crap, lol :shock:

I guess telling the wife to collect it for the garden is out? :lol:

flounderhead59 said:

I guess telling the wife to collect it for the garden is out? :lol:

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:shock: That's a death wish there!, lol :lol:

We looked at the zero-turn mowers Lowe's carries (John Deere and Troy-Bilt). Nice pieces of equipment but to much $$ for me, and I'd definitely have to change the width of my gate opening to the back yard to get one of them in there, lol. Headed to Lowe's here shortly to measure the over-all width of mowers. It never ends, lol ](*,)

I'm good to go! Measured the gate opening, which is 55", and the overall mower (deck) width is roughly 50". \/

I bought a used sears crafts man tractor for $150 back in 02 changed the battery and blades and has been running strong since then
it has a kohler motor on it

Wayne

redbug said:

I bought a used sears crafts man tractor for $150 back in 02 changed the battery and blades and has been running strong since then
it has a kohler motor on it

Wayne

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You got a heck of a deal!

Waterwings said:

[
You got a heck of a deal!

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My neighbor got the mower with his house he used it for the first season then it wouldn't start he called sears for a service call they wanted $150 to show up so he sold it to me and bought a new one mine had a bad battery..
my wife thinks he just felt sorry for me having to cut a half acre with a push mower..

Wayne

Went by Lowe's today after work and got it. They couldn't deliver it until Wednesday morning, but were gonna charge me $50 for next day delivery! Wednesday is two days away :roll: . Anyway, the salesman asked me if it would fit in the back of my truck, and I said I didn't know if the bed was wide enough, so we went out and measured it. Had maybe 1" of clearance on each side between the wheel wells. Had to run with the tailgate down, but tied it in good. Thought my neighbor had some tailgate ramps but was wrong. He did have a long 2"x6" that we had to saw in half to make the ramps. Anyway, went and got some gas, checked the oil, did the pre-lim stuff, then cranked it up. Headed to the back yard and asked the wife to open the back gate. On her way to the gate I forgot that the go pedal on this one is not the stop pedal on this one! . Ran right into the gate, backed up slightly.................and friggin' did it again. Broke one board in the gate, but no damage to the mower. I got a few words from her and the daughter for that feat, lol. Anyway, it cuts great and is fairly quiet.

:lol: woops =D>

Waterwings said:

Anyway, it cuts great and is fairly quiet.

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Cuts wood? Fairly quiet for a wood chipper? :lol: Don't worry, sounds like something I would do too.