Made it to 1,000 hours!

[William1]

My Sears Craftsman garden tractor with a HST and a 22Hp Kohler Commnad V twin has made it past 1,000 hours.
Engine, I replaced the oil seal on the flywheel side at about 800 hours. Spark plugs, oil, air, oil, filters and minor adjustments. One out of ten cold starts, it burns blue smoke for the first two seconds and I attribute that to being a horizontal engine and oil pooled in the barrel but has zero consumption over a year.
Trans still runs perfectly. Tires about 1/2 worn (have a slow leak in both left tires, need to top off once every four months). All the belts changed a few times Mower deck was replaced due to rust after 15 years. Driver seat is shredded. I taped it once, lasted a single mow. I've replaced the battery once in a 18 years I have had it.
I wonder it it will make it to 2,000? Though I doubt I'll still have it. The BX25D does a lot of the chores I used to make the lowly garden tractor do. I now run the garden tractor only 32 or so hours a over a year now. Just mowing and leaf pickup. It does a pretty good job mowing. I just wish it sipped fuel like the Kubota. It consumes a gallon of gas an hour.

 

[RCW]

Congratulations!!

My Dad has one similar. Not sure model or hours, but it's 20+ years old.

He says it burns oil like a lantern. He sticks with it because it's reliable, mows well, and the smoke keeps the mosquitos away.

Probably will be looking at selling the house, etc. in the next couple years to go to senior living place......so he's not looking to change.

Not judging Craftsman quality, but some people love them; others not so much.

Of course, some people treat and maintain them well; others not so much.....

 

[William1]

Opps, I did forget one significant problem.

The steering assembly (like it matters...). The shaft and sector gears rode in plastic bushings. They wore out (of course) and the shafts did as well, so much so that just before I redid it I could only turn one direction or the gear skipped and steering wheel simply spun. Prior to near complete failure, you could turn the steering wheel close to 1/2 turn before direction change.
I bought a new shaft, sector gear and the holder. I also bought five, self centering sealed ball bearings. A few hours of careful setup got the bearings mounted and set right. Two years so far and faultless. All real tight now and it turns nearly as easy and more solidly than the BX! Cost for this was about $100

 

[AndyM]

When I left the big city to become a country bumpkin in 2004 (I would NEVER go back by the way) my new neighbor (and now good friend) suggested I get a cheap little tractor to haul garbage and the like. We found this old sears for $250 and I still use it. Doesn't get much rougher than this but hey, it runs and burns no oil...

 

[RLinNH]

Great news. Proper maintenance and most items tend to last longer than we think. Here's to another 1,000 hrs