Before buying a new tractor/mower, check for availability of repair parts
and get it in writing. But check out what is involved in changing belts.
I just had to do this on my old Craftsman and it took the better part of two
days. There are some really poor engineering decisions in the beast --
hidden bolts, directions don't tell you the easy way to get to some things
(take off the rear wheel to get to t he nut that holds the belt guide in the
back), just how do you insert the new belt so that it goes around all the
pulleys? On and on. Try before buy.

Stubby wrote:
Before buying a new tractor/mower, check for availability of repair parts
and get it in writing. But check out what is involved in changing belts.
I just had to do this on my old Craftsman and it took the better part of two
days. There are some really poor engineering decisions in the beast --
hidden bolts, directions don't tell you the easy way to get to some things
(take off the rear wheel to get to t he nut that holds the belt guide in the
back), just how do you insert the new belt so that it goes around all the
pulleys? On and on. Try before buy.



Buy one that don't have belts like a Kubota or Ingersoll

I have a 6 year old Craftsman- luckily I live next to my mechanically
inclined nephew who also already had one- he taught me some neat tricks on
how to easily remove the deck and maintenance- otherwise I'd have been lost.
Now I can remove the deck and change belts and clean and grease the deck in
about an hour. Changing oil and filters also takes about an hour.

Joe


"Rodney Kelp" wrote in message
...
Stubby wrote:
Before buying a new tractor/mower, check for availability of repair parts
and get it in writing. But check out what is involved in changing
belts.
I just had to do this on my old Craftsman and it took the better part of
two
days. There are some really poor engineering decisions in the beast --
hidden bolts, directions don't tell you the easy way to get to some
things
(take off the rear wheel to get to t he nut that holds the belt guide in
the
back), just how do you insert the new belt so that it goes around all the
pulleys? On and on. Try before buy.



Buy one that don't have belts like a Kubota or Ingersoll