This post got started when a woman responded to a previous post of mine and she told me of her frustrations with her tractor and how her son has had to keep it running on the small farm they own, with much doctoring.
She has a 2013 Husqvarna YT46LS with a Kawasaki 600 and Tuff Torq K46, 1,300 hrs on it. No complaints with the motor or transaxle. Her complaints were in how flimsy the construction has always been, the parts that are superseded that are supposed to fit but don’t, and very little confidence in the manufacturer in general.
To top the cake in troubles and fixes, she described in detail how after the 5th starter that didn't work, how it would get stuck in the down position was finally remedied by a piece of metal from a coke can, needless to say, they are both done with the little tractor.
I was eventually asked for an opinion on what tractor she should be looking at because she was done with this one and didn’t want all the constant little problems. She just wanted a little tractor that would work reliably and operate as if someone had cared about what they built.
This is the eternal quest for the holy grail of lawn tractors that the forums are full of. I started to look at the current market and realized how bad it was and seems to be getting worse. Her goal was to keep around a 46" mowing deck size so that is what I based my search and observations on, and I thought others here might be able to benefit also.
So the question, I'm in the market for a lawn tractor, what should I buy?
This is my response to her,
The 2013 YT46LS has the Tuff Torq K46 Transaxle and the Kawasaki FR600V series engine. The Kawasaki FR600V did have a pull start option or conversion. The Tuff Torq K46 is in the residential class and not rated for much more than mowing grass on relatively flat ground, yet it still works with all the things you have described to me that you use your tractor for. You really did get your moneys worth out of it from my point of view. The Kawasaki engine is the best part of that tractor in my opinion and I would give weight in that direction on your next tractor.
The question of recommend is difficult without knowing what goes into the answer because a lot comes down to expectations, but I'll give it a try. Follow up with part-2.
She has a 2013 Husqvarna YT46LS with a Kawasaki 600 and Tuff Torq K46, 1,300 hrs on it. No complaints with the motor or transaxle. Her complaints were in how flimsy the construction has always been, the parts that are superseded that are supposed to fit but don’t, and very little confidence in the manufacturer in general.
To top the cake in troubles and fixes, she described in detail how after the 5th starter that didn't work, how it would get stuck in the down position was finally remedied by a piece of metal from a coke can, needless to say, they are both done with the little tractor.
I was eventually asked for an opinion on what tractor she should be looking at because she was done with this one and didn’t want all the constant little problems. She just wanted a little tractor that would work reliably and operate as if someone had cared about what they built.
This is the eternal quest for the holy grail of lawn tractors that the forums are full of. I started to look at the current market and realized how bad it was and seems to be getting worse. Her goal was to keep around a 46" mowing deck size so that is what I based my search and observations on, and I thought others here might be able to benefit also.
So the question, I'm in the market for a lawn tractor, what should I buy?
This is my response to her,
The 2013 YT46LS has the Tuff Torq K46 Transaxle and the Kawasaki FR600V series engine. The Kawasaki FR600V did have a pull start option or conversion. The Tuff Torq K46 is in the residential class and not rated for much more than mowing grass on relatively flat ground, yet it still works with all the things you have described to me that you use your tractor for. You really did get your moneys worth out of it from my point of view. The Kawasaki engine is the best part of that tractor in my opinion and I would give weight in that direction on your next tractor.
The question of recommend is difficult without knowing what goes into the answer because a lot comes down to expectations, but I'll give it a try. Follow up with part-2.