Craftsman Pro Series garden tractor upgrade + review

[@DavidNewton-x5n]

I've had the 8300 [50 inch] since 2015; have 12 acres to mow. This is cattle country so mowing through the fields is like riding a bronc; this mower really takes a beating. That said, it is STRONG. I just bought the John Deer X590 [25.5 hp, 54 inch deck]] which has more bells and whistles but this older 8300 is stronger. My wife and I now mow the fields together, me in front about 20 yards and she follows next to me - we cut an 8 ft. 6 inch path - did a 4 acre patch a couple of days ago in 1-1/2 hr. She has the Deere and says she can tell this older 8300 cuts more powerfully.

[@noeldominguez4803]

Awsome, mine is still going strong great machine glad yours is still going. To bad they dont make them anymore, im looking to get a kubota zero turn and give mine a little time off

[@DianaSoler1954]

Noel tengo uno de esos. Lo compre en SEARS antes de que cerraran aqui en PR y me gusta todo lo que explicaste del tractor. Facil de darle mantenimiento. Thanks! Diana Soler

[@JohnMarionDotCom]

Great video. I couldn’t find any video reviews of the new Craftsman garden tractors until I found your video. Thank you!

[@noeldominguez4803]

thanks hope video is helpfull

[@stevensilva1350]

I like the sandwich holder

[@RobinRK1962]

"...a rod poked me in the face, and that's not nice." (glad your ok, but you've probably made people laugh when you said that) awesome video

[@brudoug1]

Great video. I bought the pro series 46” a few weeks ago and so far I am very impressed with it. One thing I didn’t like was the headlights. They aren’t very bright and they are on all the time. I added a much brighter multi-LED light in the center of the grill and installed an on-off switch in the dash that controls all 3 lights so I can turn them off in the daytime.

[@noeldominguez4803]

CONGRATS on your new machine. my next upgrade will be the light switch i just disconect the wire plug on day time. but will install the switch in coming days

[@joshuathewelder24]

Thanks for the help. Now I know what to look for when I go to Sears and buy a tractor

[@cyclonus01]

Have the same tractor. 8400 pro series but the 2016 model. I beat the hell out of it and still runs great. I dont like how getting the deck off is such a pain though.

[@noeldominguez4803]

Yes the deck can be hard to remove and put back but i will give a trick to put the belt back on the pto with ease. tie a rope or wire on the deck spring then pull to strech the spring.(tie rope around the seat fully streched) ) this will lossen the belt so you can place the belt on pto. remove the rope and its done. hope it helps. happy mowing

[@cyclonus01]

@@noeldominguez4803 it would be great if you could do a video on this

[@paulbaker5085]

Yea put your food or drink in those holder and they fill with dust and grass .

[@noeldominguez4803]

yeap thats a flaw.

[@triplec3204]

Jonny products sell a front bucket with acuators that lift about 175 lbs for 2000$😬

[@garyalensr]

That is definitely a nice looking mower! I have to ask, what kind of fuel are you running in it? It looks pink. I might have just been the lighting, but that's why I asked. Awesome upgrades, and awesome tractor

[@noeldominguez4803]

we use just regular gas. yea it looks a little pink thats because the gas producers shell, and others put a little tint so you can identify premium from regular

[@baptistfaith]

I have this mower 26 hp. X 54" cut that is over 20 years old. I use my old mower at the mountain place and bought a new one for my residence, but I don't think the new one is the tractor that the old one is. I had to replace a battery in the new one at the start of the 2nd year

[@noeldominguez4803]

Roger Townley well usually if the machine is not in use for along time a couple of months or more the baterry dies. It has happend to me before on a couple of tractors , generators

[@noeldominguez4803]

Roger Townley and toys, my solution a battery charger or mantainer this will keep baterry charged, but the life spann of these small bateries is more less 2 years, also it wouldn hurt to turn on at least once month and let it run 10 min. Hope this helps.

[@baptistfaith]

Listen up, I paid $4000. + and in less than 2 MONTHS the battery would not start the mower, go back to the old technology, lights don't need to burn all.tje time. You have to START The mower with the lights ON, you have to START The mower at Full throttle, put a manual.chock on the mower. The older mower is 20 yrs old and still cutting great..

[@noeldominguez4803]

Yes I agree with you everything made today does not last as long. I beleive your battery is probably under waranty maybe they can cover it. Some times this happens. Yes they should correct the issue with the lights iam placing a switch so I can control whe I need them on.

[@baptistfaith]

You are missing the point. I have the same mower only about 17 years older, and it say at my other place in the mountains for longer AND enclosed on only 3 sides . I turned the key and it started, now what

[@healthyamerican]

i have a 2017 g8600 pro series craftsman with 54" deck. would i be able to put a smaller deck on the tractor as i dont want a 54" deck. how would i find a good match for this tractor, model 27047. i prefer 42, 44, 46. nothing over 46" deck. was hoping to find another mtd tractor and swap out decks. thanks for any help

[@juanalonzolaque3376]

Great video, I been looking at a 8400 26 hp.54 "wide.garden tractor..thanks for sharing.

[@noeldominguez4803]

thanks hope video is helpfull

[@baptistfaith]

I have one, just unplug your head lights, they are on all the time, and no manual choke, cold machine at Full throttle, but the 27 hp. Kohler will cut anything you can. Run over

[@baptistfaith]

The new mower will cut faster than my old mower

[@2431doubleb]

I have this same tractor when I engage pto the deck shakes violently, I have it at full throttle, twice the belt even came off, blades are not the issue. Bad Mandrel?? Once it’s going it’s fine and doesn’t seem t shake as bad when I’ve been mowing a whole and then turn it on. Please help.

[@robevaldez5841]

@@2431doubleb I think you have to let it warm up my turns off if it's 40 degrees when I turn on blades

[@sonnynick1]

Great job on the video.

[@mrcovert011]

Noel have you changed the transmission fluid? How was it?

[@yupx3822]

Nice video. How's the transmission (k58 I believe) holding up with the mowing, scrapper, steep hills, and larger tires? Have you changed the transmission fluid at all? Notice any decrease in speed over time? I have the same mower and really like it. I like the tight turning radius, deck clipping discharge and it has decent power. I have 100 hours and had some minor issues such as a bad deck spindle and the choke cable needing adjustment (I had poor cold starting until I figured out how to adjust the choke cable). Overall it's been a good machine. I think it would be hard to find a comparable mower for the value (when found at discount, I paid $2400 for a returned unit). It's unfortunate Sears went out of business making this mower difficult to find. I too think the tight turning radius with automotive style spindle is great.

[@noeldominguez4803]

Yes, is very unfotunate sears is out. the transmition slows down after 1hr use it has 200hr of hills. a mechanic friend told me that when the oil heats up it tins. make it lose pressurre. solution ived order a trans repair kit. will repair soon.what i do is use it 45min. give it rest alternate with the trimmer and continue. otherwise the tractor has plenty of power it cuts flawless and never given me any problems. i just bought a zt1 zero turn its super fast and you can turn on a dime however in hills it slips a lot and it can get skechy. i will get lug tires to see if it performs better. but it will not beat the sears pro series in hill climbing and maintaining grib and direction. i feel safe on this tractor on hills.

[@charlescoker7752]

hwow put the mower together. MTD ,or Yardman?

[@ethanisaacvernon401]

Outstanding

[@joshuavalladolid9132]

Hows the tractor doing? Can you give us a update? Do you still have it?

[@noeldominguez4803]

Yes I still have it has 200hrs since the video changed the blades a couple of times and oil change, it works great starts up quick and mows very nice still strong. Very well built machine for the work i do.

[@joshuavalladolid9132]

Awesome I just purchased one with 30 hours on it. It's amazing so far when I compare it to the 2021 machines it's built allot tougher then most and to get the same build id need to drop 4000 to 6000 dollars. What sleeve hitch you using noel?

[@noeldominguez4803]

@@joshuavalladolid9132 i got the one from sears and it works fine. It has a good design to move all implements available for its size. the only thing i would change would be the handle its not very ergonomic. you have to strech your arm quite a bit and requires muscle power.there are some electric ones with actuators but i dont know how they perform

[@Mr.Pink1992]

Great video. Bought pro series last week. What kind of tires are those? I would like to put them on mine.

[@noeldominguez4803]

Congrats on your new machine you will be another happy mower

[@hanoverbill8174]

Can you still buy this tractor, and if so where?

[@noeldominguez4803]

Aparently sears is not selling it and craftsman been triying to get some info from them and nothing, however it apears on their web site but nothing. but if you get your hands on one let me know, im looking to get another one.

[@sae9381]

What is the actual model number and the horsepower of this Pro-series?

[@joshuavalladolid9132]

What tractor tires do you have one there. Brand and size? Thanks for your replies

[@noeldominguez4803]

Carslile ag tires 23 x 10.5 x12 got them on eBay make sure you put ag tires with same tread pattern on front for better steering

[@joshuavalladolid9132]

How are you liking that tire on grass? Does it grip? Does it tare up your grass? Good all around.

[@noeldominguez4803]

@@joshuavalladolid9132 the tires are awsome they have a really good grip specially up hill even if its wet., if i the tractor gets stuck on something it can dig a hole . overall i prefer these tire becuse i have hills and cant aford to lose time sliping with the turf tires.

[@joshuavalladolid9132]

What size tire you have in front?

[@kajlerdog628]

Hell this is just a souped up a lawn tractor my John Deere x485 will pull this this thing while mowing it has power steering hydraulic deck lift 25 hp Kawasaki Efi liquid cooled shaft driven deck and transmission plus mine has the optional three point hitch so I can put a box blade behind it or hydraulic tiller

[@hunterlogan2913]

and way more $$$$

[@charlescoker7752]

What brand motor is in this machine. Do they offer the 7000 series motor?

[@noeldominguez4803]

The motor is a 27hp 2 cilinder Kohler

[@charlescoker7752]

@@noeldominguez4803 What series? Lookin

[@noeldominguez4803]

@@charlescoker7752 don't know

[@ralphsalvati3776]

What's going to happen when sears closes all togheater,service?

[@jamescowan5205]

Crafstman are made by Husqvarna.

[@JohnSmithNE3478]

@@jamescowan5205 some, but some are also MTD. Most of the pro series are MTD

[@Hayden_gearheart]

Do you still have the mower

[@noeldominguez4803]

yes and it still works flawlless it has 110hrs of use.

[@Hayden_gearheart]

@@noeldominguez4803 thanks man just bought today best mower i ever had

[@noeldominguez4803]

Great just do maintenance and you will have it for long time happy mowing

[@robevaldez5841]

@@Hayden_gearheart you have pictures of yours

[@plainspokepictures7291]

Do you need the mulching kit if you don't have the bagger?

[@Thomas59374]

lmao and another thing that i did was and also another thing that i did was and also i didnt like the ---- that came with it so another thing i did was damn man you basically built the tractor they should be paying you

[@noeldominguez4803]

If you guys want more info. Write me a line

[@noeldominguez4803]

that is true, the next upgrade a light switch and leds they are always on when tractor is on even on daytime. The other tractors I had did have a light switch I dont know why craftsman are is so inconsistent changing features on All of their models some features should be standard on all of them like 1. Light switch 2. Lighter plug 3. Horn for safety 4. Rear reflectors Many more

[@noeldominguez4803]

Congratulations. I got the tires at eBay