The dirty truth and lies about garden tractors today.

In this video I discuss the issue with fake garden tractors, it yard tractors dressed up to look like garden tractors. I also discuss with you the price/performance value leader in garden tractors Abilene as of 2019.
This video shows the merit of the Husqvarna TS354XD Kawasaki powered and Tuff Torq K66 equipped 250 FT/LB transmission. This is the absolute highest performing product within $1500 of it's retail price. Nothing really competes until you get into substantially more expensive hardware.
Please, like and subscribe to my channel if you enjoy the kind of content I share. I am here for you!

[@bikerrick]

I did not see anything that looked like The dirty truth and lies about garden tractors today all I saw was an ad for your tractor

[@LarryMusgrave]

You missed the point that was my intention to make. The rear axles in many of the retail/box store units that actually appear to be a more HD garden tractor are not at all so.... Husqvarna themselves has a unit that appears as a garden tractor with the larger wheels and tires but actually has the K42 rear axle/Transmission under it. It is total junk... So the point is that a buyer does need to do some leg work to dig a bit and learn what their needs are and what components would be minimally required to handle those needs. There are obviously folks who want much more than this TS354XD can deliver, and for those folks it's going to be Simplicity or John Deere who makes a product that can pull a garden plow and do work that is more sub compact utility tractor like. If like me, your on steep slopes and only do lawn maintenance and mowing with no intentions to plow and turn earth for gardens or do other ground breaking tasks, this unit is the sweet spot in price and component build out.

[@bi4702]

I agree I can't believe I watched that video

[@thejnelson88]

I got a john deere lx188 22 year old that I'd line up with you. Water cooled and all original.

[@NeoMK]

I'd line up a 1973 JD 110 and drag that pos down the road all day

[@garyoliver9409]

He is talking gibberish. Dont care about all the tech jargon. I have a JD X534 that I truly love. 12 years old and so far has been a trooper.

[@emanueliscoming7454]

I've had mine for a few weeks now. This thing is a beast. Cuts through 7" tall grass like butter, no windrow, can barely see the clippiings. no problem at all reversing up a 45 degree hill(w/lock diff engaged). looking forward to pulling a 48" yard roll this week. the seat is incredibly comfortable.

[@mechanicallycreative9788]

Slight toe in is an integral component to having a vehicle drive straight, without toe in the wheels tend to wander.

[@Snowmannorth]

Great video Larry! I bought a 2018 TS348xd, same tractor as yours, with exception of deck size. Works great on the hills with the axle locking ability. You’ll be reminded it’s still locked when you can’t turn it. 😀. The deck could mow a bit better in my opinion. I bought a mower lift (Cub Cadet from Tractor Supply) to make the deck cleaning easier. The engine is rock solid. High back seat looks great but I’m seldom leaning back. The armrests seem to get in the way for me. I tightened them to keep them up and out of the way, but needed to add a sleeve inside the armrest mount so as not to keep bending the mount and the armrest kept falling down. Just little things, but love the tractor! P.S. Like you, I did lots of research before purchasing.

[@LarryMusgrave]

I feel that many people just look at the price tag on tractors in front of the local Lowe's or Home Depot and shop by price. Living where I do, on my sloped property and pulling roller, aerator, broadcast spreader and 25 chemical sprayer.... If you don't know what your buying, your just throwing money away. I was out last night putting down 120 lbs of 12-12-12 to get the season started. 2 weeks back I put down 180 lbs of crab grass pre emergent, so in 6 more weeks I'll be on to overseeding if I don't have to hit it with the Gordon's lawn weed killer. The only thing that this has really struggled hard with is the plug aerator that had 150 lbs of steel added to it. I had to go back to old faithful with chains and weights to get that done. One negative I see is that I can not fit chains between the tire and the deck. There is maybe a half to three quarter inches of clearance. I really need chains!

[@kmcwoodwork]

15 year old John Deere with brigs and Stratton still runs good cranks every time but everything else is fallen apart

[@okflix]

I am glad I read the comments before I wasted my time! Paul

[@gatsbylight4766]

*CORRECTION: TORQUE SPECS:* [ 0:44 ] Contrary to what Mr. Musgrave stated in the video, the torque specs for the transaxles he mentioned are as follows: *TuffTorq K66:* 250 *NEWTON-METERS* (Nm) Continuous torque - *NOT* 250 *_"lb-ft_*_ continuous torque"_ as stated in the video. The torque specs listed in the TuffTorq manual are printed as follows (and are often misread because of the parentheses): *TuffTorq K66* *Axle Torque (Rated)* 37.22:1 = 420 (310) Nm (lb-ft) 22.19:1 = 250 (185) Nm (lb-ft) *Meaning:* Newton meters (Nm) are listed first, pound-feet are listed in parentheses. 310 lb-ft intermittent, 185 lb-ft. continuous. The torque specs listed in the HydroGear G730 manual are printed as follows: *Hydro-Gear G730:* Intermittent 445 lb-ft (603 N-m) Continuous 230 lb-ft (312 N-m) **** Manuals for both of these transaxles are available on the manufacturers websites respectively.

[@LarryMusgrave]

And while the K66 is a decent transaxle, if you had an option of the Hydrogear G730, you would always take that option.

[@lancephelps3333]

Great video having mine delivered on Saturday. I had a Cub Cadet for ten years and was a piece of crap from day one. Hope you post more videos as you use your new tractor.

[@randyscott3386]

BIG BIG THANK YOU TO LARRY MUSGRAVE ! You sold my ass on the TS 354 XD ! I've been on the computer for hours looking for an honest GARDEN TRACTOR and that's it . NOTHING else even comes close when you factor in the price !

[@quicktoevil]

Found one of these with the HG 730 and its impressive to say the least.

[@martinradtke5181]

Great review. Son in law inherited a 2002 Simplicity Broadmoor 38" cut with B&S Itek & K61 Tuff Tork Hydrostatic transmission. Still running well at 19 yrs old & 600 hrs. Good point to remind buyers. This K61 has drain plugs & outside fill reservoir. Easy to service. I've since found out how CHEAP some new riding / garden tractors are made. Most K46 Tuff Tork Hydrostatic transmission do not have drain plugs!

[@hometowndiy9109]

Nice mower, 5 years ago I bought the next model down from this, its the kawi FR691, fab deck, but its the K46 that was originally the auto locking rear end. My only complaint was that the auto locking rear end, was locked anytime the machine was under power. So for example, turning up into a hill, it would lock and either push the front end, or scuff the inside tire. Luckily the dealer was able to get Husqvarna to warranty a non locker, as I had no use for it anyways.

[@charlescastle5566]

First time watching your channel. I will subscribe and will be watching from now on. When this video first started I thought wow this guy hasn't ever tried a Simplicity or a Deere. After watching a few minutes I get where your coming from. When i was younger i worked at a dealership that sold Arians, Snapper, Simplicity, and John Deere. As far as I'm concerned nothing beats a Simplicity period. Even some of the older tractors we built to be true garden tractors. I'm talking about their mid 60's models were built to do about anything you would need to do in your garden. It's hard to tell someone that a 8hp lawn mower can plow you garden or you can put the tiller attachment on it and till your garden with a 8hp tractor until you show them. I really like the specs on the tractor you bought but I'm a Deere or Simplicity man myself.

[@cspellman]

Thanks for your opinions on the K46. I was lookin at the John Deere X350 which has the FS600V and K46. I have a little less than 1acre and its relatively flat. It's good to know that it probably wouldnt hold up well if i tried to use it for clearing out some of the debris in the back or putting snow tires on it and plowing the long driveway.

[@jeffreyMagnum460]

18 year's on my 21hp b&s 46" yard machine and still going strong. I've pulled my 5500lbs extended cab 8ft bed Silverado up my steep driveway when my shifter cable broke. I have 75lbs weights in each wheel and I had to bolt on 50 more lbs on each wheel to pull my truck up the driveway.

[@JD-tl7ld]

I hate to break this to you, as you've gone on about the rear end, engines, and tires... That thing is nothing but a fancy lawn mower that can pull a wagon, or run a blower. A true garden tractor needs to be capable of running ground engaging attachments. I have one and it's a capable mower, but you put a real blade on it. Its going to fold like a cheap suit. I have an old International cub from 1968 that can plow all day, run a blower, run a tiller, and pull a two bottom plow.

[@dean4075]

did not see a pto or 3 point, lawn mower not garden tractor , jd spot on

[@LarryMusgrave]

I already have a Kubota b2650 that weighs 5000 lb and can do everything and more that you're talkin about. A yard tractor absolutely will not work on my property, that's where these well-appointed low and garden tractors shine. Some people need the function of a yard tractor but with components that can withstand steep hills and pulling small trailers and plug aerator on steep hills. This unit rate here shines for that application. I'm well of the high-end x700 series from John Deere that you can get into the $12,000 area with. But I already have a $30,000 Kubota that can pick that thing up in the bucket and toss it over the hill, so I have no interest or use in that type of machine.

[@prestonfergus800]

I still run a cub 129 and pulled my cart w/3/4 ton of stone in it last summer ...no issues.

[@bigspaceghost]

I’m still running a 1977 Allis Chalmers 917H. 16 horse single cylinder kohler. Pto in front and has a rear attachment drive. Can this Husky run a rear tiller?

[@andrewbrummer9539]

@bigspaceghost we have a 918h with a 22 horsepower repower we till and push dirt with the snow blade we also have a snowblower and a badass deck that we mowed full hieght corn stocks over

[@greggreen6636]

If u need a real tractor, get a tractor. If u need a mower, get a mower. Usually attempts at combining the 2 never has faired well

[@LarryMusgrave]

I have a real tractor, and I need a garden tractor. Both have their place and fill a void. My Kubota is to heavy to be used on manicured lawn.

[@nonyadamnbusiness9887]

You obviously don't have any experience with garden tractors from the 60s and 70s. Power King, Simplicity, Gravely, Cub Cadet, Case and John Deer all made very good garden tractors that made very good lawn mowers.

[@Tractors101]

@@nonyadamnbusiness9887 I agree completely, especially being a vintage cub cadet collector. Those old narrow frames are basically just small tractors, that's how they are built and what they were marketed as. They existed before the term "garden tractor" was even used. They are absolute tanks, theyre heavy, built to last, and are just such good machines. Yes, other tractors I'm sure have comparable performance, but all I can talk about is cub cadet because that's what I collect.

[@nonyadamnbusiness9887]

@@Tractors101 Spent a good part of my childhood on a 124, mowing an acre and a half, pulling a Brinly breaking plow, and an old single gang mule disk, and occasionally pushing snow off the driveway with the blade.

[@C2owner]

Bought a 48in. Husq W/Kawasaki 24hp motor in 2012. No real issues other than the trans fell out 2 times. My dealer said the frames on the Husq are weak because of the gauge of metal used.. warranty didnt cover anything and Husq refused to acknowledge it was an issue. I wont buy another.

[@LarryMusgrave]

What model was that with the 2 failed transmissions, what transmission model was in it?

[@mtj2085]

I don't believe this comment.

[@C2owner]

@@mtj2085 I dont care whether you believe it or not- it happened just as I said The transmission itself wasnt bad nor did I say it was- it was how the trans was attached to the frame. I paid $450 to have braces installed to shore up the connection.

[@bobpeckinpaugh2550]

Informative, thank you!

[@JohannZ100]

I watched your video through and I agree with you 100% The TS354XD is what I'm going to buy. You explained what a yard tractor is vs a garden tractor. The yard tractors are the Craftsman t310, Cub Cadet XT1 ST54, XT2 SLX50, Deere's LA150, D170, and s180. All these models I mentioned have the same thing in common. They look like a garden tractors but they are not. They have very weak unreliable transaxles especially the K46. They have big wheels on front and back. Just because they have big wheels doesn't mean its a garden tractor. The garden tractor is the TS354XD Husqvarna with the K66 transmission which is in your video. You are right about Briggs engines. They are junk. Head issues, Carburetor issues, Overheating issues, list goes on and on About the Briggs engines. Most of the engines that come into my shop for repair have Briggs engines. While the Kohler Command engines and Kawasaki engines are out working while the Briggs engines are either being in the shop or sitting in the yard yet to be given to somebody like me years later. I've scrapped a bunch of Briggs engines recently. Don't let product design and corporate claims fool you.

[@t.d.mich.7064]

I like my TS 348 purchased from the factory in Feb 2018, the only thing I would like added would be a fuel gauge that you can see. I purchased the front end scoop with it, and added a beefy 1 7/8" ball hitch to the back. The sheet-metal frame would bend on its own,so I sandwiched 2 plates, using the provided holes in back, for a secure mounting.

[@jeronimo2152]

Got a pic of that?

[@t.d.mich.7064]

I will try to get a pic for you in the near future, but in the meantime, what I did was take a 5x7" flat plate for the inside and a 13" long piece of 3 1/2" x 3 1/2 angle iron for the outside and sandwiched the back plate of the tractor in between with 4 bolts. A 3/4" hole drilled through one leg of the angle iron for a hitch ball. I did make a couple of cuts across the angle iron for relief to make a slight downward bend, to make the ball sit more vertical, and then rewelded it solid for strength. This may all make more sense when you see the pics.

[@t.d.mich.7064]

@@jeronimo2152 See my reply to your question on the video presentation site. You are not able to upload photos anymore on youtube. If you like, post your e-mail address in a reply to me , and I will sent you 4 close-ups of the install. Tim

[@MrRoboto57]

Nice video Larry. I enjoy watching videos by people who actually know what they are talking about. I have the Husqvarna GTH52XLS, which is basically the same tractor from 2 years ago (unfortunately with a B&S engine). You'll love the beautiful mow it gives you. Anyone who thinks a true garden tractor (like this one) is just a fancy lawn tractor is sadly mistaken and has never owned one. I also have a Kubota BX23S, but I use this tractor for hauling things around, spraying, etc. whenever I can. It has a much lighter touch on the lawn versus the Kubota (850 lbs. vs. 2,500 lbs.). One note about the battery charging port. It's actually not proprietary. I bought a CTEK MUS 4.3 charger (one of the best little chargers out there), which plugs right in.

[@davidbarrera308]

I took a serious look at your tractor and for my needs I purchased one(TS354XD). I mow 6 acres of grass. I bought mine today and it came with the hydro trans you mention and a FR730 Kawasaki engine (24 HP). I made sure it was a kawasaki brand. I own a 1993 John Deere LX188 with a 17 HP Kawasaki engine and its wonderful. We had purchased a 54 inch cut zero turn mower from TSC and that was a mistake. Within 4 years it has needed two drive units on the right side and 4 spindles. Zero turns are nice but no more. Thank you for the video and for enlightening us about the difference between big box stores and dealers.

[@Cookie-Dough-Dynamo]

I just bought it. You were right. Kawi motor, fab deck, k66, and diff lock. Can't beat the price. I stacked a combination of coupon and credit card incentives to get out the door for 4142. In 2021!

[@LarryMusgrave]

That sounds like a fantastic deal in today's financial climate where prices are being moved up on most all products, discounts and promotions are all but completely gone and product availability is scarce across the board. I also was asked recently if this was still being made or if a new contender has come out and taken this high value positron. Sounds like this is still the value leader. When I bought mine in 2018? The kawasaki engine was limiting Husqvarna on how many they were making, my dealer said that he had heard rumor that they were possibly going to change to a Yamaha sourced V- twin. From what your saying, that never happened and the Kawasaki Heavy Industries sources engine is still under the hood.

[@Scootphoria]

Good mower. I've had older model and it handles hills good. I've been cutting on a 15 degree yard and it handles it well. Also tows my little trailer with wood or dirt when cleaning out my water drainage ditches. I have a JD X530 also. Only problem I have with the JD is the brake is above the pedals on right instead of on left like all other mowers. The oem blades suck. Bought some after market hi-lift blades that were better (imho). Congrats on your purchase.

[@ralphl5441]

I have the X590 and the brake is not any issue at all. Just hit the reverse peddle. Problem solved.

[@charlesstevenson5141]

I've learned a hard valuable lesson to never buy any power equipment from a big box store. $4k 60" cut Cub1056, didn't get a year and a half out of it. Had to replace the battery during the sale just to load it in the trailer. Less than a month in and the pendix on the starter exploded into pieces, about 3 months in, had to replace 2 deck spindles and the belt. Numerous problems with the seat safety switch and reverse mow switch. 8 months in started having issues with the rear axle trying to lock up which ultimately did. After a couple months down I started to proceed in the repair of the axle only to find that the block was cracked. Talked to some informative folks about it and was told that Kohler had released a bad engine that particular year and was prone to cracking. I take very good care of my equipment and even kept it parked inside. Frustration grew as home depot was of no help with the warranty, called MTD and got fed a line of shit from them about the warranty (more than once) finally on the last call I threatened to drag the mother fucker to their corporate office behind my pickup and sling shot that bitch through the front of their building. So now for the 4th season in a row minus one I hired a crew to cut for me I have been push mowing a little over an acre every week. Looking to finally buy a new mower from a dealer this time and nothing that is made by, stamped by, bought out or remotely in anyway tied to MTD nor will I touch anything with Yanmar name on it. Koehler will be the next name that gets tossed in that list. Exmark and Scag are two strong options on my list but I'll have to wait and finish put this season before I can afford something that expensive.

[@davida1610]

Charles, a Yanmar (USA market) or even a Grey market (Japan market) Diesel "real tractor" would have done what you asked without breaking. I have a Kubota B1600 20hp Diesel w loader, around a 2500# rig does it all w/o breaking sweat. Almost bought a Yanmar that day. Sorry about your Cub Cadet / MTD troubles. We run an MTD made 30" rider mower for the lawn areas & its been great going on 4 seasons.

[@charlesstevenson5141]

@@davida1610 Yea, mine was a Home Depot model. Talked with a guy in a goup a couple years back who worked at MTD on the Cub line and he asked me the serial number. Confused as to why I went out, wrote it down came back, replied and he told me it was a Home Depot model. I was floored. I knew you could tell what plant a vehicle came from but had no idea they did the same for small consumer equipment. Mine is still sitting in my back yard where I let it rest for about 3 year's or so now. Waiting to get my frame off restored truck finished so I can free up some cash and theen look for something else. I spent 6 year's in lawn care doing everything from working for a mom and pop business using throw away push mowers to commercially mowing with a tractor and 15' batwing at Barksdale Airforce Base and I have never seen a mower do what mine did to me and all I did was mow 1.10 of an acre. Fairly flat, never did anything with it other than mow the grass and kept it parked in a seperate shed from my shop. I'll get it hauled off one day. Then again, I've thought about repowering it and putting a new axle under it and racing it since my neighbor used to be into that kind of stuff.

[@Pontiac2001GT]

Charles Stevenson and despite that the difference between that mower and the exact same model at a dealer... is nothing.

[@dschmitt3373]

I bought a Simplicity Sovereign Hydro,18 HP about 22 years ago. I spent near 5000.00. It still runs as good as the day i bought it.. I mow 3 acres now per week. Before this, I mowed my Church property 26 to 29 weeks per year, 7 areas a week.. when I was done it looked like a Golf course. I ended up mowing 8 neighbor yards when I needed a little help with medical expenses and that amounted to 21 acres a week. Talk about a tough tractor... also a snow plow and a rotor tiller,, the only issue was my mowing deck is 48" not 60". I love this old mower,,, it costs me an oil change a few times a year, new plugs, and one set of blades to add to the older that I use for 5 years, sharpening them and switch them out. same mowing deck... same tires too.. I have a neighbor now that wants to buy it for 2000.00 and I can not replace it for that money. Enjoy the less costly tractor. they will not last. thank you

[@russking7671]

Excellent information as I’m trying to decide between this more and they’re 54 inch zero turn. Knowing all this information will definitely help in my purchase . Thank you very much keep up the good work!👍

[@LarryMusgrave]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mybritishcomputerguy]

I'm seeing a good mix of positive and negative comments on this video, I came across it as I was in the market for a sub $4k Garden tractor with a decent warranty, I wish those commenting with negative comments would actually put forth the effort into saying why this is actually a bad mower for the money instead of just crying about how they think JD is the best, i mean come on.. Okay so the title of the video doesn't exactly represent the content but I did appreciate the walk around, and the narrative from Larry. If your'e going to post a comment, do the world a favour and back up your argument. If you know of a decent Garden Tractor with a warranty in this price point or less, please shout about it! I want to hear. Cheers Larry for putting this out there.

[@robertpowers7856]

look around for an older john deer 840 ish or sumthing like that, these tractors are junk in a couple years, i am not a jd fan, you could also look at older kubotas, these tractors are thin metal, cheap steering components, in a cpl years i will find an older tractor and put good money into something that will last

[@mybritishcomputerguy]

@@robertpowers7856 As much as I appreciate the response, an old 840 (if you could even find one, which I could not) would run much more than what i'm looking to spend, also as I mentioned I want something with a warranty, and the ability to mow. I'm not looking for a full blown tractor. Thanks though.

[@gregolson5532]

That is just a fancy lawn tractor. Garden Tractors do ground contact turn plowing, box scraping, rototilling. I know a guy that bought one of those and the dealer said it could handle that. 3 months later he had to put a k92 in it. This lawn tractor you have should do the work you state. I can get 5 times the tractor for a lot less. John Deere, IH cub, Wheel horse, Case even a sears suburban anything with a cast iron cased transmission or Sundstrand hydro!

[@JoshAllen17Goated]

My cub cadet has a cast iron shaft driven hydro gear tranny that can blow the Husqvarna “garden tractors” transmissions up if they did a tractor pull.

[@gregolson5532]

@@JoshAllen17Goated LOL! Not even in the same class. what you have is a Garden tractor. I have. 2-1450's /2-123's/122/102/2-100's. Love those IH cubs.

[@martyvanord984]

nice review. As you say a dirty little secret--so many ways of hypnotizing with minute differences of how something is made and when it is all over they typically never even reveal that this marvelous magical machine has k46 transaxle

[@RobertJones-rc4dh]

Hello Larry , nice tractor, I had a John Deere 21 hp, hydrostatic transmission, used it to maintain a 1 acre property on water front, used it for 10 ten years plus in Florida mowed every week during the summer and twice a month during the winter, never had any problems with the tractor, but the deck rusted out in spots, new belt every two years, new pullings over the years , I paid 3,200 sold it almost 11 years later for 1,100. It was a good machine the Briggs & Stratton was a nice motor.

[@rogerbarnett9073]

This tractor is a beast. I have one with the Kawasaki engine. I love mine.

[@fergferguson7370]

I just bought a craftsman 24 hp...46 in cutting deck ..Koehler engine for 2600 out the door..after reviewing all models and keeping around 2500 bucs...

[@davidbehnke4417]

Good mower ....brought 10 years ago...still runs good

[@clarenceparker9860]

I bought 2015 craftsman 24 hp 54 inch, same mower as this except for motor. No locking rear differential. Point making, I guess lots of dealers have this same frame model. Good mower, weak transmission on small rises, level ground great. Model 5500. Electronic starting module, starting “code”, ugh.....Stay away from this.

[@t.d.mich.7064]

I have the TS348 and I had to reinforcce the hitch area with 4" angle iron and a flat plate on the inside for a hitch ball, because the hitch area bent too easily. Also made axle mount reinforcements to prevent frame cracking. Paid $2232 for mine, factory direct.

[@ted1792]

In 2004 I bought a TroyBilt Big Red. 26hp v-twin Briggs, same size tires and 54" deck. $1200. Mowed 2 acre low wet yard for 12 years. Replaced electric pto and belts. Replaced deck bearings. Briggs engine still runs great, but burning oil. Almost no wear in cylinder which surprised me. Seat has no cracks. I did put tubes in tires. The transaxle still works like new. Back to the Briggs engine, I can't imagine a better engine. Only problem with my engine was the valves needed adjusting which is not uncommon and means somebody didn't do their job when assembling at the factory.

[@bi4702]

I agree I can't believe I watched that whole video

[@mikesecondo2254]

Yeh....all I heard was some mouth diarrhea!!!!!

[@robertmiller7512]

Got one , Don't compare to my old stick shift craftsman 22 hp , 3 years old , never have liked the kawasaki as well as the koehler ..

[@hoss1003]

Sounds like BS to me. I've got a 2008, 48". I bought new for 1800 and have been cutting every type of yard, flat, steep and rolling hills, 5 days a week, 11 years. All I've ever done to it is change the oil, tires, belts, battery and the starter once on a 16.5 Briggs and Stratton. It don't use oil and still pulls the hills just fine. It runs circles around my new tractors, they break down every couple of months. So. Good Luck

[@davida1610]

Hoss, you sound like the kinda guy who does his regular maintenance & runs his equipment hard, but respects their limits. Other guys break down by ignoring those principles, then post their complaints here, cause their stuff is broken - lol, while we're finishing up the job !

[@Jay_Hall]

Just bought a new 2018 48 XD March 15th 2019 with the KAW. The 2019 has changed motor and no Charger and $100 more cost. 26HP 7000 Kohler in the 2019.

[@richkennedy6437]

Nice job. Not sure why anyone wants to compare this model to their 20 year old tractors that they are happy with; this video is clearly for people in the market for a new tractor. If you want to mow lawns, pull/tow some tools, and not worry about your transmission wilting, or your deck turning into a taco, this will do the job well. If you want to pull stumps and plow the back 40, it's on you if you feel like you wasted your time watching this. If you think these are disposable, then you clearly don't know how to maintain your stuff. Quality does not mean you can neglect your equipment. I also looked at ALL of the options out there, and I'm happy with my TS348XD (Kohler 7000- 26HP), also with the TT K66 transmission. If you follow the manufacturers recommendations for maintainance, the Kawi and Kohler options are both rock solid.

[@bill_4888]

Great video and thorough explanation. It's clear that you really like this garden tractor. On the surface, what I see is the trend toward cheap plastic trim parts that make a machine look macho and powerful. We all know what happens to those plastic fender panels and switches, eventually.

[@emanueliscoming7454]

Tell us Bill ... what happens to those plastic parts. My Husky built Craftsman is 10 years old, has 1000 hrs and guess what, the plastic is fine. Go away.

[@bill_4888]

@@emanueliscoming7454 Apologies for hurting your feelings about your lawnmower. It was meant to be an innocent observation about a marketing trend. Again, very sorry that you are so troubled and glad you enjoy your Craftsman.

[@BoudicaSlade]

The video title is absolutely correct. The video is about a very expensive riding lawnmower. I did not watch past the first couple minutes so maybe the guy pointed out that tractors have PTO and don't feature a pre-installed rotary mower underneath. Decent equipment costs so much to buy and maintain and replace that it is almost always cheaper these days to get with a professional yard service.

[@steveb2528]

Very good review. I have the same tractor but earlier model GT52XLSi and love the tractor and the quality features it has especially the rear locking differential. I would like to add that you can get chains for the rear tires which I use with my plow during the winter snows that I get. I have a 220’ driveway. Everything else you said with th3 features of the tractor are correct. I have the Briggs 24hp motor with automatic choke and have no problems. I have used only synthetic oil with it. Husqvarna owns a lot of other tractor companies including Cub Cadet. Steven B.

[@brownknight95]

Living out in the sticks, I had limited choice for a locally purchased mower. Ended up with a stout looking Craftsman Pro, made by Husqvarna. Six years later I am looking for something new due to a broken frame. Will not be making that mistake again. After reviewing my options, I was certainly not alone with this problem. Lots of stress fractures on the axel tabs off the frames and on main frame in front of the transmission. Many owners had these issues.

[@LarryMusgrave]

Couldn't you just drop the transmission and weld up some steel to reinforce it?

[@richardhowe2370]

This sounds like a tractor commercial.

[@leomenchey3726]

Some people have orange on the brain

[@originalname9999]

@@leomenchey3726 I do to, but it is kubota orange.

[@braddow3475]

He sold me on that model so I bought one and it is a beast. I can stop and start on steep hills while mowing with no trouble! Thanks Larry!

[@Mascotal]

The drink holder is the most useless thing the manufacturer could think of. Know what happens to beer when you put it in the holder? Let's just say it's a good waste of beer.

[@LarryMusgrave]

I use a 40 oz Rtic tumbler with the sealing/closing lid and it works fine for Corona.

[@northernidahooutdoors3748]

Usually they only ride in the cup holder for a couple seconds at a time anyways if you need 2 hands for something real quick...

[@almierz4604]

Who wants grass in their beer , I'm not Irish !

[@simmons6014]

Dring screw cap beer

[@grepbeer]

The title of the video needs to be reconsidered and i think that is the root of the negatives reviews below (although many of the negative reviews fail to communicate why they are negative which to me is worse), I spent a year reviewing mowers and narrowed it down to this mower (wanted the kawasaki) and the yellow and green equivalent for more $$$. Watching this video gave me all the answers I had for all the questions. If you want anything else from this video aside forma very practical and candid review of the mower you will be disappointed. So if you want to learn more about this mower, this will be a VERY VERY useful video. I bought the 2020 th354xd with the kawasaki and stayed under 4k. After two months I can not believe how little this mower costs and am beyond satisfied with my purchase. A few improvements to the 2020 mode including a regular cigarette lighter jack and other little things. Thank you thank you thank you to Larry for a great review that brought me to this awesome mower (and the locking differential has saved me several times in mud already).

[@pingdis]

Good vid; I have a LGT2654 is a beast and has taken everything I can throw at it on my 5 acres, including a 1.5 acre pasture. I've had almost no problems with it. I'd gladly buy another Husqvarna again.

[@jameschandler2776]

I bought a Husqvarna 26 horse power about 6 years ago. I had always bought used junk tractors and got years of use out of them. I though I would finally buy something new and nice. Less than 2 seasons I was mowing my yard and the rear axel broke. Husky would do nothing for me. I will neve own another one. It's original battery was still good. When I pay $3000 for a lawn mower, I expect it to outlast the battery. Husqvarna has become cheap junk and they have no pride in their products and do not take care of their customers.

[@mtj2085]

You must weigh a ton.

[@BlueSun2]

1:52 -- I'm done. What's the point of this video? Don't waste 17 minutes of your time on this!

[@rk22cc]

I suffered to 4.59

[@chetspencer3241]

He gives a good knowledgeable critique and overview of the Husqvarna garden tractor. He also talked about some look alike lawn tractors that will not perform like a garden tractor. If you are in the market for a garden tractor like I am, this was a very helpful video. I am actually buying last years model of this mower from Husqvarna. Overall GREAT VIDEO!!!!

[@ethics3]

@BlueSun2 I only wish I had seen this video BEFORE I purchased my piece of JUNK John Deer D170 with the garbage K46 transaxle. Everything he said is true. This transaxle should never have been put on a lawnmower

[@Josh-nc6nt]

At 6:45 and pissed I made it this far

[@chevymanngmail]

@@ethics3 buy a craftsman with the high and low range axle. I own 2 of them 1 is a 89 other approx 2011. The 89 I need to finish the motor swap as old has carb issue but the newer is a gt5000 with 27hp briggs vtwin and high and low range. ( it's my profile photo ) and other then going to an old school garden tractor like a international cub or wheel horse I have not found anything that will out pull it with the set up I've done. Just pulled out a 4ft piece of pipe that was buried in my yard I found while mowing I didn't know was there . Dug enough out from around the pipe to wrap a chain around it then started pulling with the craftsman and using the sleeve hitch to pull up as well and got it out after about hour and half of working it and standing the craftsman up on the rear sleeve hitch few times. My point , you dont need to spend $3000 or even $1000 to get a good garden tractor. I paid 200 for mine then added another bout 300 with new tires and the actuator for rear hitch and I can do everything he mentioned his will do and then some. I just dont have the locking differential but so far I have not needed it even in 6inch of mud!

[@ronmcwhirter3641]

Briggs and staten. Had a craftsman 20 horse Briggs. Mowed 4 acres for 12 years and it's still fantastic . Bought a husky, 22 horse Briggs now . It is also a fantastic mower. No complaint with eather . Still using the old one .

[@jaydee1532]

Got the same and you are right .... for the price it is hard to beat !

[@markrunyon5524]

A 20 or 30 year old Wheelhorse or Cub Cadet will out last anything new if you take care of it.No grease fittings or anything to maintain these new "disposable,"garden tractors",it"s an expensive joke.My 1967 12 hp wheelhorse will drag my 18hp toybilt backwards all day long.No "beer holder on the Wheelhorse tho-Guess everythings a trade off.

[@nicktrimpe6585]

Mark Runyon I agree I have a 310-8 and a 312-8. And I would bet money it drags any 20hp + tractor out there now. Hell I can’t even lift the back end up myself

[@jarrhead3538]

I got a 30 year old Sears Craftsman that only has a 18 horsepower motor, but can turn a 54 inch deck I have adapted for it no problem. It also can plow, do light wood skidding, and just about anything a small tractor would do. It is a GT6000

[@bustersmith5569]

Mark Runyon I have to agree with you,,, I have a 1967 workhorse with a plow used it for over 20yrs ,,,,

[@robertpowers7856]

yes these are junk, my steering is loose and making noises, plastic bushings everywhere, 33 hours, smooth yard, i couldnt find any used real steel in a reasonable driving distance, i always have an eye open though

[@kevintomb]

BUT with inflation factored in, your 20 or 30 year old tractors would be more like $5000-6000 in todays dollars. How is that fair to compare but without truly equal prices. Your old tractor might have been $1500 back then but with inflation it is SEVERAL thousand more today..do your math!

[@austinbarnes402]

I have a JD e180 and i tow trash cans on a small trailer and tow branches etc with it and so far its been alright.

[@ridemoto2915]

I bought this same tractor last fall AND also got the 50 inch snow thrower from the dealer. Love how it cuts, and I love how it throws snow. Even my neighbor who bought a nice Massey compact is envious of how much snow it throws. I have 150 foot driveway. Oh, and I do run tire chains that I bought off amazon and installed myself, no problem.

[@chillywilly3397]

Thanks for your review...2020 and I need a Good GT. I don't want to buy junk...wasted plenty of money in the past. I think this machine will be in my yard soon.

[@braydonroberts4887]

If you have the money get a x758 it is JD top of the line garden tractor full hydraulics 4 wheel drive and it has a diesel.

[@blueoval7077]

I just bought the ts354xd with Kawasaki engine for $2999 plus tax. Can't beat it for the price.

[@mikeschlup4164]

I did too.. mowed brush for 2 hours... a beast...you got a good price too!

[@jasonp3253]

I got mine scratched and dented for $2300

[@AlexTraxxas]

Briggs engines are damn good. Not sure what kind of crap you smoked before this video.

[@LarryMusgrave]

I smoked Briggs and Stratton engines before this.....

[@AlexTraxxas]

@@LarryMusgrave You also had some crack cocaine.

[@viper306m]

Larry, thanks to your video and not being like everyone else who didn't understand what you were talking about. I finally got to buy one of these today. The briggs finally let out on the old GT5000. First cut tomorrow.

[@brianmchenry3872]

Good luck with that K66 trans. I've been mowing my hill for about 5 years now, and the trans in my GT54LS is shot. Recommend changing trans oil yearly if you're mowing challenging yards. New K66 for my tractor was quoted today for $1800 (half the original price of the GT54LS. Now looking at sub compact's (1025R, BX260, etc...)

[@jima7925]

Never cut a blade of grass but I am the expert on this item.... that's all I need to know

[@LarryMusgrave]

You should try cutting Joe B, it's like therapy. We have 3.5 acres of our 15 acres that we maintain as manicured lawn. During the growing season my wife and I mow it 2 times a week using 2 garden tractors. Working together, we can push mow the steep banks, weed eat the edges, and bulk mow the yard in about 3 hours. But I do love it! You really should try some lawn therapy.

[@jima7925]

@@LarryMusgrave Geeeeee I guess I will have to sell 4.2 acres to get down to your size and enjoy therapy.

[@LarryMusgrave]

@@jima7925 I thought you said that you never cut grass. Then you know as I do that drifting away into your own head while cutting grass is a relief. No stress, nothing but the smell if the grass and the constant hum of the engine. It's a great life, isn't it 😉

[@jima7925]

@@LarryMusgrave ummmmm 6:28 YOU are the one that said you never cut a blade of grass with the new Husky....... that was your words yet you are the expert on that machine.

[@LarryMusgrave]

@@jima7925 Gotcha. Well, my buddy actually bought this same unit a couple months before me, as a matter of fact he bought the one that I had ordered since my tractor was still ticking along and his died. So I'd not used this exact one at the time of the video, but I'd used the exact same make, model and year at my buddies place. I actually asked him to allow me to mow his house/yard and his side pasture with it. So I'd spent a few hours in this exact make, model and year unit.... But not the one that is sitting beside me. But the one you see now has 70 hours on it from last year, and my 2011 Husqvarna/Craftsman has just under 800 hours on it.

[@michaelsellers2675]

My Mom got the exact same Husqvarna lawn tractor. I'm not calling it a piece of junk because their are other I know that had good service with them. But my Mom had to put it in the shop three time since she bought it in September last year. They had to replace the complete PTO system and two of the rear ends due to failure! And it going out again ! New technology is great. But all we need is something to do a great job cutting and dependable. And so far it's far from being dependable.

[@dabking9454]

That's why you go Deere. A decent D140 or X300 -700 series will definitely last alot longer. The X Series have great rear axles, and tough transmission that shouldnt go out. PTO's usually dont break on Deere Mowers. They are pricey..but well worth it for the ruggedness. I own an X585SE with a 48C Deck. Cuts and Works the yard like a dream. Used to own a Husky, junked it a year after i bought it.

[@gittyupalice96]

That is a nice tractor in my opinion! I currently have a antique Cub Cadet 1967 and it runs 23x8.5R12 AG (v-tread) tires, that plus 300lbs of ballast puts it about 1100lbs with me on it not counting the plow or mowing deck. So thats what I use for pulling and pushing heavy stuff. I want a rider like this for doing the lawn and light towing like a little garden trailer for leaves and such. I'm thinkin this is a great option If I could get the Kawasaki engine like you said! (I have a Kawasaki motorcycle so I like their engines) and for rear wheel drive the correct tow in is 1/16"-1/8" to get rid of wandering. unless you don't mind steering to go straight then a neutral toe will save the tires over time (I think its 6ft of scrub per 1/4 mile at 1/16" toe, if I remember correctly.. its been a while lol) But anywho, looks good I'm glad I saw this video I thought all the Husky ride on tractors ran briggs motors so I never bothered looking at them, I have a Husqvarna self propelled mower with a Honda engine and it does pretty good (other than the auto-choke is a little finicky) other than that good machine. (edit: I looked up the tractors they do still sell the 354XD and 348XD with the Kawasaki engine, the 348 same thing with a 48" cut deck runs about 3500 bucks, good deal i'm thinkin :)

[@sjfowieoweidjo]

making sure giving you all info thanks

[@96lapiscoupe1]

Ive never met a lawn tractor nerd, but now I know they exist. Dude is an encyclopedia 😂

[@LarryMusgrave]

Haha! Thanks... I think.

[@elevatorman427]

Good luck with that husqvarna looks like a pretty good machine though I know one thing I like the looks of that seat on it.

[@theburnhams2925]

Wow! Yeah..."seat looks" IS important....(but did you look, closely, at the REST of the machine)?

[@paradoxdea]

I get it; if you want more tractor for the money, buy a Husqvarna garden tractor. Good video. You spoke the truth sir.

[@KalifornistanRefugee]

We have this same husky at work. It’s a beast and does stuff it’s not made to do. You won’t be disappointed.

[@lcee6592]

No doubt that is good heavy built garden tractor but I would put my 30 year old Gravely 12G against any garden tractor made today. Yes it’s only a 12 hp Kohler single cylinder flat head. This tractor is All cast iron and steel. The tractor alone is 989 pounds. I run a 50” mower (another 200 lbs) and unlike most of today’s lawn equipment, I don’t need to run it wide open for a good cut. It pulls like tank and have never run out of power. I work 5 acres all the time. Like I said I’m sure the new ones are nice and tough but old school rules.

[@jeffsfleet]

Yep, agree totally. Got a 1976 John Deere 212 with the Kohler 12. Machine weighs 800 + pounds with the 46 inch deck Cast iron everything. Great machines.

[@anthonyhall2854]

Bought a craftsman 42 inch deck briggs and Stratton DLS 3500 7yrs ago. Still runs like new and still has all the factor stickers on it. I have only replaced the blades once.

[@bry8890]

Just got this model from Lowes. Someone had special ordered it then decided they didn't want it so i paid 1900 for it BRAND NEW. Cant wait for it to get here

[@zbm-2375]

As of 2023, they're offering a Kawasaki version. Not sure if there was ever a break, but the one I just bought is a Kawi. Price has gone up a lot, but that applies to most things.

[@LarryMusgrave]

They had some talk about changing over to a Yamaha V-twin around 2020.i suspect that the Biden Virus prevented that.

[@randylyons189]

Turn up the volumn.

[@1234abcd7799]

Better not hearing him

[@jackskellington899]

Nice machine for the money ....but I’ll stick with my 1971 bolens Husky 1886 with front end loader.....3 point hitch, front PTO.....and a k482s Kohler. All cast iron here.....will last my lifetime and it’s already almost 50 Years old. When garden tractors were really garden tractors. I’m not knocking your machine however, nice rig.

[@byrona4112]

we have a case 220 1973 vintage with a k241 cast iron engine that by the way still has the standard piston in it and does not smoke or burn any oil bought used for $500.00 and have had it for four years ....our thought is when they make garden tractors as good as they made case tractors then we might consider buying a new one. compared to what they used to make garden tractors now high priced junk.. most if not all can not pull a plow or disks with out burning up the rear end.. my case will pull plows and disks and any thing you can hook to it without tearing out the rear end

[@TommyLGarage]

I actually enjoyed the video. Good review. I’m looking into this model. How is the turning radius ?

[@brianlowe7608]

the dirty truth about any lawn equipment is MAINTENANCE and SERVICE! most are used -put away-used -over and over and then people wonder why they break!

[@lawnfascist4890]

Husqvarna screwed themselves when they stopped making the 3hi/3low trans. Then made it worse with the crap frames that break at the trans mount. Then went a step further using the GenTrans garbage in their lower end machines and all the while gave the finger to the consumer. I have a 2001 model with hi/low trans, Kohler Command, and 50 inch deck. It's drag any of the current crap they make around with ease. That was the last serious garden tractor they made.

[@cliffschadt5171]

John Deere 318 will pull 3 of those tin mowers

[@KevinSechrist]

Love my TS354D. Added a snow blade to keep the driveway clear last winter, I was able to attach chains to my 23X10 rear tires for better traction but I had to drop the deck to do so.

[@LarryMusgrave]

You can keep the deck up in the park position with chains if you remove your tires, air down completely and suck the chains very tight. Then you air up and the chains are super tight and silent.

[@KevinSechrist]

Wow, good to know, how do I attach a pull along product to the rear of the tractor? There’s no room for a tow hitch and the small hole in the metal shroud doesn’t seem strong enough to attach a ball hitch. Does Husqvarna make a strap-on product for towing?

[@jaxturner7288]

Kevin Sechrist bolting on a pintle hitch was my solution, so I could tow and still use the bagger. Ordered and planned on using the whole mojack hitch system.. too bad slanted drawbar, pintle hitch worked great tho.

[@timothyconnecticut1910]

Very good job with this video. Very in depth info! Thank you.

[@LarryMusgrave]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@theburnhams2925]

What I'd like to know is: "WHY is everyone calling these lawn-mowers "tractors?"" What I'm seein' (an' correct me if I'm wrong...) is a "pot metal" engine driving a (long!) rubber vee-belt turning a (stamped sheet-metal) pulley on a (again...) "pot metal" transmission (with "sleeve" bearings throughout!) all mounted on a "stamped" sheet-metal "frame" (no structural steel in sight, anywhere, much less cast iron....) so MY mind automatically goes right to "yeah, suburbanites...they'll buy ANYthing (as long as it has shiny paint and decals...) and pay damn-near anything for it (and think they're gettin' a "bargain" in the process...) No p.t.o. outputs, much less 3-point hitches! About all you can do with one is mow lawn-grass (if it's dry, not too tall, and providing it's obstruction-free) You can't run any powered attachments or pick up anything, or use any ground-engaging equipment. So you more properly should call them "lawnmowers" (rather than "tractors") for all the foregoing reasons. "Turf tires" belong on golf carts---not on tractors. The very term "tractor" denotes some degree of "TRACTION" and you won't get much of THAT out of those "kind-to-your-lawn "'turf tires.'" Now then, if it doesn't have to be "shiny" (and look good in your climate-controlled garage...) you can buy a LOT of "real" (diesel!) tractor for 4K (used) they're about $100 per "horse" most places. And they have "real" metal in 'em! And they'll DO THINGS other than keep a subdivision "lot" in shape. "Diff' strokes fer diff folks" to quote Sly Stone....and I couldn't agree more. Just like some folks who don't mind living cheek-to-jowl with others.

[@LarryMusgrave]

I've got a pair of lawnmowers as well. An old Craftsman/Tecumseh front drive and a Husqvarna/Honda all wheel drive. I've tried to pull my various yard equipment with them, but until I attach them to these tractors... I just couldn't get those lawnmowers to pull 500 lbs.

[@FD-E-St-Fire]

Wow your angry Again suburbanite's as you discribe them don't need a $15,000 tractor to cut their grass. Sorry the industry gave them a name that offended the pansy in the peanut gallery so go get on your Massey Ferguson or what ever and box blade your two mile driveway to let off some steam

[@LarryMusgrave]

I love that comment. Funny as all get out! The problem as I see it is education. Many of the angry comments are from the uneducated and down trodden who don't understand the subject matter being discussed. They confuse their opinions, dreams and desires for that of every other man, while missing the point of the video.... What it's the best value currently available in a GT available at a similar price point to $3500, and why do some machines that appear as a GT have $1800 prices on them out in front of the big box stores.... There are literally years tractors dressed in GT wheels out there now, and in the $3500-ish value segment I show you the king of the market in my opinion. That's it. Nothing more.

[@CuriousKL]

I know someone personally that works for a place that sells Husqvarna and he claims they're junk.

[@Thetruthhurtstrump2024]

Keith Dunbar John Deere and cub cadet our shit I would rather cut my grass with a sickle then use one of those

[@emanueliscoming7454]

Oh really, and I know people who work at dealers who highly recommend them. I was there today and another customer told me his is 10 years old and loves it. My Craftsman was built by Husqvarn and has been a great for 10 years and 1000 hours. Go away ...

[@hughdahand5711]

@@emanueliscoming7454 When I was looking as similar models in 2016 they had plastic pulley's on the drive belt. A little searching on the net will show many a person complaining of the short life of those idler pulley's. They also have well known frame cracking issues and steering issues, he is going to be adjusting those front tires constantly.

[@dannymarrel3776]

I work for a husqvarna dealer and that mower would be pretty fair if the frame was able to handle the work load. Really the problem is the consumer buys a " garden tractor" and expects it to do garden tractor work. Long gone are the days of the older cub cadet, sears suburban, or wheel horse.

[@curve5746]

They are Junk.

[@ICUNA22]

Why are people determined to label a riding mower as a garden tractor? Where are the attachments for tillers, snow blowers, scraping blades, etc.? All this machine does is cut grass and pull wagons. It seems to be an industry trend. Also, I agree with others that this is nothing more than a commercial.

[@sladeoriginal]

Thanks for telling me how to use my foot.

[@davelongmore4384]

I just bought a 18 year old MTD with 18HP motor, 46" deck & dual bagger on back-- with a trailer, for $500 & after flushing out the carburetor, it mowed my 1/3 acre yard pretty well. They just don't make them like they used to. I know, I'd love a new high end riding mower, but can't afford one right now.

[@rogerthat.9105]

You lost me at MTD. 😂

[@jameschandler2776]

I have a $3200 John Deere that is 5 times the tractor than the Husky I had. I wouldn't take one if it was $37.

[@KliqDon1983]

I have a problem with scalping with mine. The anti scalping wheels at the lowest setting are just not low enough. Have you experienced this and if so do you have a solution??

[@dirtydeedsworks10]

I live in a VERY wet area, and my ZT's keep getting stuck on my clients properties. They are heavy and near impossible to get out of the mud. THIS THING on the other hand looks like a beast, has wide tires, positive traction rear end and less likely to get stuck. I'm thinking of buying this, and mounting a hand winch on the front JIC it ever DOES get stuck I can get it out pretty easily.

[@dumper87]

A true garden tractor must be shaft drive. The only one being made today that I'm aware of is the Cub Cadet XT3. I don't count Kubota's and John Deere's models, since they're so expensive that you might as well buy a real tractor.

[@LarryMusgrave]

Are you aware that I bought the XT3 GSX last year and that thing was horrible and weak compared to this machine. Yes I had the $6200 XT3 GSX with AG bar tires on it and the hydrostatic transmission couldn't get close to what this one it my 2011 belt drive Craftsman/Husqvarna is. On my steep inclined, the CC could go as long as you keep it moving. But come to a stop and it couldn't get moving again, the HST would scream and the pedal would shudder. I had the HST serviced at 40 hours for new fluid and filter using the CC box kit, thinking that a fresh filter and fluid would help. No good. Still couldn't start out again if you stopped, and don't even think about pulling a load in these hold that that Craftsman/Husqvarna has been doing for 700 hours now on the original drive belt. So I'm not sure what fantasy land you live in, but CC can take that that driven jump and shove it right up their.... Well, let's just say I was thrilled to sell that XT3 GSX for $3800 this spring, lose $2500 and go but a belt drive Husqvarna that doesn't register the fact that my hills exist.... And can actually pull The equipment that the CC physically could not.... And all for nearly half the price. You can keep your shaft drive. I'll gladly toss a drive belt on these every 500-1,000 hours as needed. It's a half hour job at the worst. On that 700 hour machine I've replaced 2 deck belts, 1 deck spindle, a Kohler starter, a deck belt tensioner (coil spring) and done Amsoil oil and Ea filters each spring for 8 years now. I call that... Pretty damn hard core reliable working on my 3.5 acre hills while pulling spreaders, sprayers, 300 lb plug aerator, 450 lb roller and mowing. Note that the Cub Cadet couldn't dream of pulling those things. That really upset me last year when I had to pull the Husqvarna built Craftsman out to do the heavy work when I had just bought this stupid yellow junk.

[@NilsKall]

Larry M Musgrave sounds like there was something wrong with that hydro, did it put a heavy load on the engine when it stalled? On my Simplicity, when I have good traction, the hydro can stall the 24.5 HP diesel engine. Of course the cub is nowhere near a Simplicity Legacy but still sounds like faulty hydro. Best regards Nils from Sweden.

[@donaldgreen7471]

My old 42 in Murray 17.5 Briggs still runs good after 14yrs mowing 7 acres of Florida grass(level ground) so I would think this heavy duty lawnmower should last at least 3 times as long as my 900.00 Murray. But at 67 I don't think I will live 42 more yrs. I will think about it over a Natty Light.

[@Blakehenry11]

I spent about 2 months looking for a new mower for my 3/4 of an acre yard. I agree with you for the price point you cannot find a better tractor for the money. The one I almost bought was the 48in version of this machine. Oddly enough the machine it was replacing was a craftsman T100 with a briggs and stratton that absolutely refused to die. I ended up selling it to a friend of mine. Now I said I almost bought this machine, I was also looking at Zero turns mowers. Most Zero turn mowers I found at this price point were junk in my opinion. The one zero turn I found that I fell in love with was a Kubota Z121 but brand new that was a 5K dollar mower. I'm not towing anything so a tractor isn't a necessity its more of a want. One of the things that I didn't care for with this particular mower was the grass catcher setup. The grass catcher for this machine was gonna be an additional $1000. It required that you bolt an impeller style blower to the deck that runs off the other pullies on the deck. That was gonna make this set up pretty big and bulky. Lucky for me I found an awesome deal on a slightly used Kubota Z121 with a 48" deck and the grass catcher system is a lot easier to install and remove. Had I not found that I would have ended up gong with the Husky. I'm going into my 2nd year with my Kubota and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I get the need for a tractor and if you need it you need it. However for the guy who is just cutting grass IMO the zero turn is the only way to go.

[@richardsawdon3401]

In the spring of 2007, I purchased a Craftsman YS4500. The powertrain was a 26 hp Kohler Courage with a Hydro-Gear 356-0510. I ran it for eight years at my 1.5 acre home. It has uneven terrain throughout, although perhaps not quite as steep as what I saw of your 16 degree slope in another one of your videos. I drove it fairly aggressively until I had problems with the Hydro-Gear. Sears used A&E service, and they come out to the home to fix things. The repairman fixed the Hydro-Gear but he warned me if it happened again that it might not be repairable. From that day on, I changed how I drove the mower. I was much more conservative in how I started and stopped the tractor. Because I had a large investment in accessories, including a 42" Craftsman snow thrower, I decided to get a Husqvarna LGT2654 when it came time to replace the tractor in 2015. Most everything still worked, although I had to repurchase the 3 bin bagger because the rear end had changed to a TuffTorq K46, and this affected the mounting of the bagger. This time I had a 26 hp Kohler 7000 series engine. I found myself replacing the ground drive belt more than expected. After 4 years of use, I became unsatisfied with how it was climbing my hills. I decided to change the oil in the K46, although it's not supposed to really need service. At that time, I found that the frame was cracked on both the right and left hand side in the area of the K46. The frame was slightly bent on the left at the area of the crack that was almost all the way through at the point it was discovered. Very little metal was left. I can't imagine what would have happened if the deck had cracked all the way through while on it. Furthermore, I also found that there was a crack in the area of the two holes for the deck's anti-sway bracket. In other words, not only was the frame too weak for the K46, but it also couldn't even handle the mowing deck! I opened up the K46 and the magnet was free of particles, so there was no internal part failure with it. I do not believe that the K46 was the reason for the performance problem with the hills. I babied the LGT2654 from the start, and the frame still couldn't hold up. I ended up letting the LGT2654 go to my handyman, as one of his in-laws is a welding expert. My feeling was that even if the deck could be welded that it would simply break again in one of the spots that are not reinforced. I no longer felt safe on it. I hope that your purchase works out for you, but your video really does not address the frame on your garden tractor and whether it will be up to the job. If you search on the internet, I think you will easily find that other people have experienced problems with the frames on Husqvarna products not being adequate to the job.

[@LarryMusgrave]

Thank you very much for your response. Actually the lgt2654 tractor is one of the ones I'm referring to when I say it is a yard tractor dressed up to look like a garden tractor. It is what I consider a very deceptive practice for the manufacturers and I think it should be illegal to manufacture something to look like a product that is not, and even were presented as such, and charge your customers thousands of dollars for knowing that it will fail. I do hope that the ts354xd that I have is a heavier built frame than what you had? And I am very familiar with the failures that are talked about regarding your tractor.

[@tommymann69]

I love Kawasaki engines

[@jarrhead3538]

I despise them. Have a John Deere 160 that has one, it has a part that keeps shocking out via static shock, forcing me to replace it for 100 bucks. Just get a Briggs. Even the new junk ones will last 10 years without a rebuild.

[@ruffowalker3388]

I've never had any issues with Brigs and Stratton

[@davida1610]

Nor have I - several over the years & 2 on lawn & garden tractors...never used or leaked oil & didn't skip a beat. I always do "above & beyond" using quality Synthetic oil, new filters at shorter intervals than mfr suggests. Plus run a lot of hard use hours during first 30-90 days so if there is a key internal defect it can be returned during retailers "return period", instead of repaired under warranty !

[@ruffowalker3388]

@@davida1610 I've had 3 lawn tractors all with brigs and Stratton the first one was a barn find... Think it was a wizard, that sat for 10 years the previous owner said, so I drained the old gas and oil out cleaned the carb, filled everything back up and put in a battery, fired right up, used it for 2 years then gave it to my neighbor and he still uses it.

[@davida1610]

I think most B&S are trouble free. Prob most small engines are. I've had 3 Champion Power Equipment products, 2 Generators + 1 gas 5hp water pump - all ran perfectly & were durable. Also just got 2 Harbor Freight Tools 212 gas engines - one to repower my log splitter & other is a 2" water pump - they run smooth & strong. So, I've never seen a small engine failure.

[@YARDofSTUF]

I have a 2010 Husqvarna, that extra compartment is good for a garage remote. Also I dont think the Ctek charger is proprietary, just a partnership deal. I plan to retrofit that charging connector in under the hood, looks really convenient. Mine has a Briggs engine, no hills and gets light use, so maybe I'll be lucky and wont see smoke, at least for a long time.

[@TheZiggZaggShow]

I just bought a 2019 Husqvarna Z254F zero turn (54' Fabricated commercial deck) with the Kawasaki F series 24HP motor from the dealer for $3200...3 year Factory Warranty..I couldn't do another tractor mower....Your mower is pretty though..

[@DickWheels]

Yea I don't see anything garden tractor with that thing. I'll keep using my C-160/C-161/GT14 wheel horses for the next 30 years thanks.

[@timothykeith1367]

Yep. Buy good used equipment that is simple to maintain - and have a spare or two gt. I have a C-160, 520-H, and C-120 and some others - Cub Cadet 782, Power King 1614, Kubota 6100 DT, a Ford LGT 125 and three Sears Suburbans - some are projects, all are cheap and easy to work on.

[@GCraigmile]

That is not a tractor that is a lawnmower.

[@Thetruthhurtstrump2024]

Truck Mechanic This is a very very good tractor obviously this is not a new holland or a kubota If you watch the video you would hear him say those are $10-$15,000 machines this machine is around $4000 which is a damn good price I own this machine and I pull 1000 pound roller like it is nothing

[@GCraigmile]

Alex ,,, coming from a farm it is without a doubt not a tractor.. A horse is a horse of course and NOT a cow.

[@Thetruthhurtstrump2024]

Truck Mechanic this is a garden tractor . Then there’s a tractor ie kubota new holland case and so on and so forth.

[@Thetruthhurtstrump2024]

TheJanka51 actually no you’re incorrect dude, this is quality

[@chrisswartzwelder8494]

Excellent review. I’m in the market to buy a garden tractor and you are right Husqvarna for the price point you just can’t beat them.

[@denapetersen4733]

anyone know where i can find a cover to fit the ts 354d and a seat cover for the seat. the regular husq. seat covers are too small?