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‘morning, all. I’m closing on my new house in about a month and will need a mower. I’ve been researching maniacally after talking to the local hardware store that insisted I need a Cub Cadet 42” XT2 for .39 acres. I used a mapping program and it appears that a 21” push mower at a speed of 3mph will only take me 40 minutes or so. I’m not concerned with being done quickly as I enjoy doing yard work. So I found a used Deere SB14 for sale locally. The guy is asking for $300. What’s your take on this mower? I’ll attach photos of the actual unit. Any red flags?
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New Wave Goodbye said:

‘morning, all. I’m closing on my new house in about a month and will need a mower. I’ve been researching maniacally after talking to the local hardware store that insisted I need a Cub Cadet 42” XT2 for .39 acres. I used a mapping program and it appears that a 21” push mower at a speed of 3mph will only take me 40 minutes or so. I’m not concerned with being done quickly as I enjoy doing yard work. So I found a used Deere SB14 for sale locally. The guy is asking for $300. What’s your take on this mower? I’ll attach photos of the actual unit. Any red flags?
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Mower2
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That mower seems to have been made in the 1980's to 1990's, so 30 to 35 years ago. doubt you'll find many replacement parts for it. You might want to look at a Honda mower, for example, in that size, 21" ,Good luck

Where are you ? I have a Troy-Bilt 21" self-propelled walk-behind with a Honda engine and bagger attachment for 1/3rd of that !!

Born2Mow said:

Where are you ? I have a Troy-Bilt 21" self-propelled walk-behind with a Honda engine and bagger attachment for 1/3rd of that !!

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I’m in NJ.

Not far at all. Straight down I-85. Take a left when you get to Atlanta.

Buy it!

I bought a 14SB at auction in 1994 for $100 (retail was close to $900 at the time), and I still have it today. It starts on the 1st to 2nd pull EVERY time, it runs as well today as it did then, and I wouldn't sell it for $1000 - it's that good of a mower! I use it each week for about 7 months of the season (roughly 28 mows per year).

Parts are still available through John Deere, but I find what I need from NOS (new old stock) from sellers online for a lot less $$. The only things I have really had to replace are the following:
- oil each season (buy 30W JD oil at Lowes or HD)
- spark plug about every three to four years (a few bucks at most)
- rear wheels every 1-2 years; they can be found online new aftermarket and used from folks parting out old mowers (rotate the worn out rears to the front during this maintenance item)
- oil/grease for axles, bearings, cables, etc.
- blade about every season since I live in a sandy soil area and the sand chews up blades
- check the valve adjustment at the start of each season too...

What big items have I had to replace over the years?
- carburetor 2 years ago - went with the OEM Kawasaki carb off eBay for $90
- I put a blade brake clutch in as a maintenance item 2 year ago as well - had not failed, but had started slipping after about 30 years of service (my mower is a 1991 model)

The mower runs is rock solid with an aluminum deck that doesn't rot to hell like steel, it's easy to work on, and it cuts beautifully. I wouldn't sell it for $900 today. BUY IT!

The last year the 14SB was produced was 1997, which makes that mower at least 24 years old, could be even older. There were two different units made, one with a splash lube system and the other with a pressurized lube system. With a unit that old you might get 2 cuttings or 10 years out of it. I wouldn’t take that gamble on any mower at that price, but it is your dollar and maybe you are a gambler.

Rivets said:

The last year the 14SB was produced was 1997, which makes that mower at least 24 years old, could be even older. There were two different units made, one with a splash lube system and the other with a pressurized lube system. With a unit that old you might get 2 cuttings or 10 years out of it. I wouldn’t take that gamble on any mower at that price, but it is your dollar and maybe you are a gambler.

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The Kawasaki engines are well-known for their essentially bulletproof status. Every shop that I've ever mentioned having a 14SB to says the same thing: "probably the best walk-behind mower John Deere ever sold and will run forever if properly maintained". They don't see my mower because I do ALL my own service, pretty much just routine maintenance,save a new carb a few years ago when I couldn't find a suitable rebuild kit.

My unit has given me over-the-top dependable service since 1994 when I bought it used at auction, even using the same grass catching bag from the 90s! Like I said above, I wouldn't sell it for $1000 today because I'd spend more than that in the next 10 years on the disposable junk that's being cranked out today by any manufacturer. The mower is just that good.