Hey Gang! I have been absent/quiet for awhile. I've been busy with many repairs & some personal quandries...
Like Kevin (Vangellis), I began looking at new tractors last week. Heres why:
My JD 160's starter problem STILL exists (yeah, I know - its been over a YEAR 
) so that was kind of bugging me. Then I went to use the 160 for my first cut of the year, and I couldn't get the starter to crank no matter what I did. I recently acquired a literally like-new, JD STX46 tractor with ultra low hours, minus bagger for $500. I had no intentions of keeping the STX until I used it (since the 160 was dead) - what a nice machine! So I figured that if I want to keep the STX, I need a bagger. HMMMMM... the 160 has a bagger, so will it work? All the bag attachment hardware fit ok, the chute needs to be altered to mount on the deck, and the chute needs to be modified to curve into the hopper's top. I could just purchase the plastic chutes for $140, but that also requires a power-flow attachment for an additional $400. UH, no way! - I'll modify & fabricate something. All in all, no biggie so far. OK - I noticed the STX's grass discharge velocity was rather lackluster due to its flat, no-lift blades. OK - so I need high lift ones. This shouldn't be a problem, right? HA!! I began searching for 16" high lift blades & came up empty. Apparently Deere never made many 46" cutting deck designs, so the blades are hard to find. I found Gator's, but I wanted to see them before purchasing, as I didn't want to spend $60+ on useless blades (the STX has a 3 blade set-up) that will not allow me to bag my clippings. After some exhaustive, non productive internet & local searching, I decided to go to the local JD dealership to see if they could help me with my quest. He found an old commercial walk behind high lift blade but its no longer available & even this blade would require modification to make it fit my application. We then both perused thru books for over an hour & came up empty. Feeling rather frustrated at this point, I begin thinking about a new tractor. What the hell, I work hard - I deserve something nice. The Deere L118 was my choice but the price was $2500 plus another $325 for the bagger, plus tax. I go looking for blades & almost buy a tractor instead - my wife would have LOVED this one. So I go to Lowes to look for blades (again, no luck) & notice the Cub Cadet 1042. Nice little machine but I still would be in the $2k price area for tractor & bagger plus tax. After thinking about it for 2 days, I searched again & found a small, mail order farm supply house that offered the Gator high lift blades for $33 out the door, so I take a chance & order them. I have the bagger issue mocked up & almost completed. I finally get to the 160's starter for the 50th time. I find a corroded positive battery terminal & replace it - no change. I check voltages at the starter & all's fine. Apart comes the starter for the fourth or fifth time in a year. Everything looks & tests fine. I'm stumped. Then, somehow I decided to remove the connector from the back of the ignition switch for laughs. Guess what - all SEVEN terminals were badly rusty & corroded. They would pass sufficient voltage, but would NOT pass proper current. I take the Dremel & clean up the spades & lugs. After applying tune up grease to the connections, I slid the connector back on & the starter problem is FINALLY fixed! YIPPEE!! Once I get the blades on the STX & get the bagger/chute finished up, I can sell the 160 knowing its 100% and then have a sweetheart of a tractor for a fraction of the cost, and that makes me even happier than buying a new one.
Moral of the story - I gave it a few days & didn't make a snap decision. I want to add about 200' of PVC six foot privacy fence & enlarge my patio this year. Buying the tractor would have really killed my budget due to a rash purchase. I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger!
Thanks for listening!
Marty 
This message was modified Apr 25, 2005 by Majorxlr8n
