Comparing "box store" John Deere lawn tractors: L, LA, D, and E series pros and cons

[@lawrencecarroll2031]

After listening to your comparison of the various Deere mowers; I think I'm gonna stick with my 16 year old Craftsman with a Briggs 18hp Intek. I mow 3 acres a week for about 6 months each year. I've replaced the governor and rebuilt the starter and of course normal maintenance too. Good video. Good consumer guide.

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Thanks! The older Craftsman mowers just keep going and going. The earlier inteks are better than the newer ones for sure.

[@TheIronDuke502]

Hello Casey, As best as I remember that the Scott’s riders were primarily sold at the Home Depot stores. I can remember that a friend of the family purchased one of the larger Scott’s tractors from one of the Home Depot stores in Lexington KY that had maybe a 20 plus horsepower engine and a larger mower deck that even my dad was complementary of in which Dad as a rule thought of tractors sold at box stores as “Tin Cans On Wheels” or “Throwaways” compared to the tractors sold at dealerships. And Yes, I still have my 165 hydro John Deere that I still use with my #10 John Deere lawn trailer pretty much every day both as a shuttle craft and to mow with. You know Casey, I would love to know how many hours that the 165 has on it - It was well used when I got the tractor.

[@EllisMowersandmore]

The 165 is a great mower, the one I had that time was very solid. The Scotts mowers were good too and the earlier ones were made by Murray, those and the JD derived ones were just cheaper units so they got used up although they were very good for a box store unit. I do remember HD started with the JD mowers because they made a big to-do about it marketing wise and Lowe's picked them up too somewhere down the line.

[@philliphall5198]

All I will buy and pay the most for is from 2004 and down ,the green with plastic trans not worth the price of a new trans Even the old Murray are better built better than LA Deere

[@sweetthing3914]

D-105 , 42" lift & cut 178 hours. the mower deck rusted completely, very thin metal. the older 42" mower deck were double plated around the front exit corner chute. when changing out the drive variable speed belt, the screws are bad about stripping out on the plastic transmission.

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Thanks for the additional info!

[@philliphall5198]

Our local JD did not sale the plastic trans and they don’t work on trans, just install new 800 bucks plus labor, shipping and shop supplies

[@georgestrickland9278]

good info on the box store john deere models,i would also buy the john deere over any mtd mowers,i'm surprised how many people think mtd makes some of the cheaper john deeres when they have a sticker on them telling you they are assembled by john deere in greenville tenn

[@EllisMowersandmore]

I know, there's a lot of myths out there about that but JD makes all their lawn tractors. They may take styling cues from MTD but that would be it!

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Maybe they used to make them in the USA and switched their parts sourcing overseas a few years ago. Something transitioned in 2019-2020 when they stopped making push mowers and other smaller equipment. But they are pretty poorly built too especially since they no longer make Craftsman mowers anymore as of 2018. Low margin product.

[@philliphall5198]

The only thing I like about JD is I can change them more for the repairs 😊 Thanks 🙏

[@kajlerdog628]

The best series of the is the John Deere, X 400 series of that era I have a John Deere X 4 85 that can pull those Mowers while mowing the grass

[@The_Warrior526]

My mom and step-dad got an E-100 a little while back. It's got the plastic transmission and the pedal is really stiff and hard to push down. I'm not sure what I could do to "fix" that.

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Nothing really that can be done, just the characteristics of that transmission.

[@philliphall5198]

Sorry they got plastic trans

[@marshallborder9089]

Question : I have a fourteen year old John Deere LA 115 , 42 inch cut with 168 hours on it ( 19.5 Briggs } . Belts look good , I have always serviced it and maintained it , should I change the drive and deck belts out this fall . I have jacked it up and shined a bright light and it shows no cracks or splits . ???????? No problem with it ever ...

[@EllisMowersandmore]

If everything is driving and mowing correctly I don't see the need to change out the belts if they are still in good condition.

[@marshallborder9089]

@@EllisMowersandmore Thanks for your feed back .

[@vikingerik80]

I have an LA105 with a deck mount that sheared off right where it connects to mower. Thanks for this video! You know a lot about these mowers! What are your thoughts on the LX255? I’m doing a restoration and hood shattered but that’s on my list!

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Thanks for watching! The LX255 is one of the best residential mowers ever made and will last forever if taken care of.

[@vikingerik80]

@@EllisMowersandmore thank you sir! You have some of the best content

[@ZombieSlayer-dj3wb]

Lt166 is 23 and still kicking

[@bronzechicken4437]

My E140 is par none as far as mowers I've had, as far as creature comforts go. I also acquired a Sabre way back when, and it's sure durable. I have one with the rare vanguard briggs on it. Where I am the L111s are super common with the V Twin Briggs on it, as are LA135 Special Editions with the bigger twin. Also on the E140 at least, they came with the 724cc V Twin, which is the bigger bore, and at least on my 2019, the choke isn't automatic like the Husqvarnas I've dealt with, but rather a spring loaded manual choke still. With that said I have an early 2000s big bore twin here should my E140 have issue.

[@EllisMowersandmore]

I do think the E series is definitely a step up as long as you don't get one with the plastic trans.

[@robertmailhos8159]

The John Deere lt mower I have came from the actual John Deere dealer

[@frankt6794]

Does anyone know if the 42” snow thrower on my LT series will fit on a L series?

[@EllisMowersandmore]

They are different frames altogether so you will likely have to modify it to make it work.

[@frankt6794]

@@EllisMowersandmoreI just need the gearbox. JD wants $965 for the gearbox and I can get the L130 blower for $300. No brainer if the blower guts are the same

[@flashes_of_ramfis]

Thank you!

[@liljoeii6091]

Thank you for the video

[@bethmotgomery2662]

💚💛