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Well, I went to my local John Deere dealer and took delivery of my brand new D125. Funny thing is as I mowed with it for the first time, I could not stop smiling. Here are a few observations and pro's and con's:

Pros:
- Looks great and very comfortable
- Motor sounds awesome and has lots of power
- Deck sounds like a large fan and cuts great in a straight line
- Steering felt like it had power steering and was so easy to turn
- Turning radius was much tighter than my old Ariens, but at a price

Cons:
- RIO reverse switch is a pain. I am going to bypass the switch which is really easy
- The deck will not stay level when turning the wheels all the way so it gives
you an uneven cut / scalp if not careful
- Reverse pedal could be better and takes some effort

I will send more updates as I put more hours on the mower

Congrats. Good looking lawn tractor. My father in law is a big john deere fan.

Vanousb said:

Congrats. Good looking lawn tractor. My father in law is a big john deere fan.

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Thanks! I wish I had more grass to mow!

You sound like me 7 years ago....

Two tips:
1) Get a suicide knob for the steering wheel.
1) Drill a small hole in the end of the rubber discharge shoot. Put a long bungee cord through one end and hook the other end to your dash. (I use the canopy mount hole) The bungee should be just long enough not to pull up the discharge shoot, but not too long that it sags too much. Now every time you need to go through a tight spot or close to a tree on that side, just pull up on the cord and it's out of the way. Let go and it's back in place. And when your mounting a bagger or checking the blades, just hook the bungee to something further away and the discharge shoot is out of your way while you working.

Good luck

John Deere Deluxe Steering Wheel Spinner Knob - 2000 Logo - TY26583

Jhon said:

You sound like me 7 years ago....

Two tips:
1) Get a suicide knob for the steering wheel.
1) Drill a small hole in the end of the rubber discharge shoot. Put a long bungee cord through one end and hook the other end to your dash. (I use the canopy mount hole) The bungee should be just long enough not to pull up the discharge shoot, but not too long that it sags too much. Now every time you need to go through a tight spot or close to a tree on that side, just pull up on the cord and it's out of the way. Let go and it's back in place. And when your mounting a bagger or checking the blades, just hook the bungee to something further away and the discharge shoot is out of your way while you working.

Good luck

John Deere Deluxe Steering Wheel Spinner Knob - 2000 Logo - TY26583

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Jhon - I actually installed a mulch cover and took off the entire discharge chute and the metal "sub-chute" as well. Kind of pain the do the bungee cord thing, but if I was mowing something other than a residential yard I would have left it on. I actually used to have one of those knobs on my old mower and I did not like it much and returned it. It turns so easy I really do not feel like I need one. I do wish there was a way to add a could of scalp wheels to the deck to keep from cutting uneven on turns and I usually drive it around very slow. Like to savor the mowing while I can since it only takes me an hour one a week! I am pretty sure I could install a set of aftermarket wheels, but I am not sure if the design of the deck will allow it or not. I am pretty sure the opposite from the chute would be diable since I have done it before, just not sure about the discharge side. Have you ever seen this done?

Jhon said:

You sound like me 7 years ago....

Two tips:
1) Get a suicide knob for the steering wheel.
1) Drill a small hole in the end of the rubber discharge shoot. Put a long bungee cord through one end and hook the other end to your dash. (I use the canopy mount hole) The bungee should be just long enough not to pull up the discharge shoot, but not too long that it sags too much. Now every time you need to go through a tight spot or close to a tree on that side, just pull up on the cord and it's out of the way. Let go and it's back in place. And when your mounting a bagger or checking the blades, just hook the bungee to something further away and the discharge shoot is out of your way while you working.

Good luck

John Deere Deluxe Steering Wheel Spinner Knob - 2000 Logo - TY26583

Click to expand...

I forgot to ask you, are you still liking your John Deere after 7 years?

Best thing I did to my D130 was install larger steering wheel, almost like PS.

pleeson said:

Best thing I did to my D130 was install larger steering wheel, almost like PS.

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Sounds like a good idea, but mine is good for now. Just wish I could find a way to add 2 more wheels to the deck.

Howdy Doody said:

Sounds like a good idea, but mine is good for now. Just wish I could find a way to add 2 more wheels to the deck.

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Had a set like this I put on my old Craftsman, worked great - Amazon.com : Poulan Pro Gauge Wheel Kit for 42-Inch Decks GWN42 : Lawn Mower Wheels : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Howdy Doody said:

I forgot to ask you, are you still liking your John Deere after 7 years?

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I love it. It's a LA120 which is the older brother of your D125, Twin V, hydro and 42 inch deck. And yes, I still love it. The only thing it has needed is gas, oil, plugs and filters. I have purchased different blades to experiment with over the years and some add on's just because I wanted them.
When I found this and other tractor forums, I thought I had made a mistake as most people bad mouth the entry level Deere's and told me the thing would be a pile of rust and dust after two years. They were very wrong. I only need to get two more years out of it as I am retiring and moving south. But now, I am considering bringing it with me.
I hope you get the same service and pleasure out of yours that I got out of mine. As far as the suicide knob, it's the first thing I would buy if I got a new tractor. It's the only way I turn my wheel. The other hand is freed up for a beer.......

Jhon said:

I love it. It's a LA120 which is the older brother of your D125, Twin V, hydro and 42 inch deck. And yes, I still love it. The only thing it has needed is gas, oil, plugs and filters. I have purchased different blades to experiment with over the years and some add on's just because I wanted them.
When I found this and other tractor forums, I thought I had made a mistake as most people bad mouth the entry level Deere's and told me the thing would be a pile of rust and dust after two years. They were very wrong. I only need to get two more years out of it as I am retiring and moving south. But now, I am considering bringing it with me.
I hope you get the same service and pleasure out of yours that I got out of mine. As far as the suicide knob, it's the first thing I would buy if I got a new tractor. It's the only way I turn my wheel. The other hand is freed up for a beer.......

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Haha, if I drank, I would for sure have the knob in order to make drinking me a "cold foamy" that much easier. I know there are lemons out there and crappy people working at dealers and stores, but I think it all boils down to taking care of your things, not running over things that you should not be and getting the right tool for the job. I used to live in Lake Hurst (sp?) New Joisey when I was very young, so do not remember much about it expect freezing waiting for the school bus. Glad you are going to retire south, it has it's good things and bad things just like other places I guess.