Michael

AJace wrote:
I am guessing it is a running change and that the newer mowers will get the new spindles after JD has used up the old ones first.  I noticed that some of the tractors at Home Depot have the new spindles with the grease zerks and a few did not have them. 

I have a L-120 with a 48" deck and it is the a 2 year old with a little over 200 hours.  I have used it only for mowing a light hauling.  This is a really good tractor for the mowing end and it has taken a lot of abuse from me and keeps coming back with a incredible job of making my old reclaimed pasture (incredibly rough yard with rutts and bumps all over it) smooth and good looking.  The engine has never bogged down in all the time I have had it (I have even mowed 12 inch high grass and one pass and its mowed nice and neat) and the only problem was I hit a rock once or something and had to replace the spindle (I don't do just one but replaced all three, and also replaced the orginal blades which I had sharpened but they needed to be replaced this was at 185 hours, that way I am in once and out and the new spindles have a grease zerk which the old ones do not)  The comparsion I have is to a el cheapo old Murray garden tractor and this one is much easier to manage and much easier to control with the foot hydro and the Murray with the gear lever.  I also had a Craftsman which absolutely was underbought for my 2 acre lot and just plain could not stand the yard as it literally was falling apart from day one on my yard.  This is no bash on the Craftsman but it just could not take the bumps and rutts as I had 4 stamped steel axles in a little over 2 years.  The Craftsman ended up at my nephews place where he had a smooth 1/2 acrce lot and it works great for him.

Me, I would buy the Deere,  The reason is that even with the sweet engine the Husky has I have had my share of problems with the Husqvarna (Sears) with poorly designed small parts (they tend to be undersized and then You spend dollars after the warranty replacing parts that are again undersized and the same problems appear) while my Deere has never had a major problem (a rib nut came off and the mulch plug strap broke in the last 2 years).  I have basically the same model but a larger deck and electric PTO a L120 that is 2 years old and it has stood up to a lot abuse in my old converted pasture.  I end up mowing from the end of Feb to middle of November every year and only this spring after a 150 hours did I have to replace the blades as I finally could not sharpen them (thats impressive to me)  My old Craftsman had to have new blades every year and I never Could keep a good edge on them.  I am now really seeing a lot of my neighbors going green after having a lot of Craftsman tractors before.  I was one of the first in my neighborhood to have a L-series and everyone was impressed by the mowing job a triple blade tractor can do and it has never failed me yet.

I find this one interesting, but here is my take on this issue if the L-series are junk how do you explain my 2 year old L-120,  This tractor has taken all the abuse that my rough yard can give and the only warranty issue on the tractor has been the rib nut on the hood fell off and sheared the hood pins on the right hand side of the hood.  A new hood and I was back in operation mowing yard.  My dealer has been excellent in the turn around of the unit in the fact he had the new hood and tractor back to me in 3 days and it has kept my over 2 acres of lawn mowed and looking like a professional has maintained my yard.  I finally had to replace the blades on the tractor after 2 full seasons of mowing the grass this spring.  A funny thing is if this is the POS that everyone claims how come are the tractors are flying off dealer and Home Depot sells areas?  I think that the update to the tractors is a good thing.  The L110 is discontinued and the L-111 is replacing it.  The L-111 has the same engine as last years L-120 and the 42" deck(basically the same as last years L-118),  The L-118 this year has the Briggs and Stratton 22 HP engine 42" deck.  The L-120 has the new 22 HP engine and the 48" deck and the L-130 remains the same except the L-120 and L-130 has a hundred dollar increase in price.

Mang wrote:

I have used something similar for years when I used to be a vehicle mechanic,  Today I work on aircraft and we do not use them but I still do work on the side and I have used mine for over 20 years.  Mine is a Snap-On it is durable,  I also second the safety glasses and also recommend hearing protection.