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Most people consider John Deere the most storied lawn & garden tractor manufacturer. From the classic 1963 model 110 to today's modern and powerful X700 series tractors, John Deere has manufactured and sold more than 5 million mowers! Quite an impressive track record if you ask me. :thumbsup:

What do YOU think the BEST John Deere riding mowers of all time are? Would you vote for the "modern marvels" like the X700 series, or do you think they "don't make 'em like they used to" back in the 1960s and 1970s?

For "all-around use"--420, For mowing, I'm partial to my F525! :smile:

455 All Wheel Steer, the best all around diesel mower, hands down.

I have a 445, best by far of any other.:biggrin:

Iv'e only had three, my GT262 was and is my favorite.............

The older ones were fantastic and really introduced a lot of people to rider mowers, actually garden tractors with great mower decks attached...

The only thing lacking on the early ones was ... steering boy they were definitely 'arm-strong' steering ... great tractors thou... :smile:KennyV

grnspot110 said:

For "all-around use"--420, For mowing, I'm partial to my F525! :smile:

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Second that on the F525.:thumbsup:
Just hope you never need a new engine, $2800:confused2:

I have JD tractors from 35-250hp, right tool for the job is easy.

I have owned several. My favorite is the 430 Diesel with 60 inch deck and 3 point hitch.

JackIL

TO ME THE BEST JD WAS THE 318 AND ALSO THE JD455 DIESEL. THEY WERE TOUGH AND VERY RELIABLE
FRANK

Never owned a JD. My Dad had a 165 and an LT166. I got to do the repair work on both and was never impressed plus the good JD dealers in the area went out of business thanks to Home Cheapo and the remaining dealer sucks. I'll stick to my old Cub and my Kubota

John Deere 318 with Onan engine-very tough machines!

Well as for "Mowing" machines , I bought an Older JD F915 diesel a year or so ago with realatively low hours. I really like the machine because it cuts grass at a pretty good speed (not as fast as my Z-turn, but more comfortable) due to the suspension seat, also it has a very good cut.
However with the 60" deck and the small diesel you don't want the grass to get too over-grown or the little diesel will groan while cutting. The only other limitation is damp/wet grass and up hill turns, thanks for the "differential lock" because you will need it... But overall for mowing grass it is quick, comfortable, good on fuel, and cuts well....I'm sure there are others out that are just as satisfied with their equipment. Yea I guess I like it just fine:wink:

Hi


Put me in for the 60-70 line

i like the 60s to the 90s myself

Hi, My vote would be for the JD 321 to be one tough machine! My Son-in law has owned this tractor for 11 years. Never changed oil, still has the oil filter and air filter the dealer gave him as a bonus at the time of purchase. The drive belt replaced at the same time as the engine overhaul. Blades ground down from re-sharpening. Has 5 acres to mow but he says the time takes away quality time from other persuits. Standard quote, "If its green its a tractor"
My little Woman, Cub Cadet(2007) ; I an Old Murray(2001)

billcarolh said:

for 11 years. Never changed oil ... The drive belt replaced at the same time as the engine overhaul.

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I think if he would have taken the time to change the oil once a year... he could have avoided the engine overhaul... :smile:KennyV

The best mowers of all time?
Imo is the one that cost the least per acre in the long run.

I presently own a 110, 112, 212, 140,314, 318, and 445. In the past I also owned a 214. I do like them all. Each one has their place for what they can do. Right now, if I had to sell them all, The 445 is the last one that I would want to sell. It is comfortable to sit on, the ease of it to handle is great, and the power. It is one swell lawnmower!

The best mower was the 318. In the same era the 430 was a beast and a good mower as well.

In the more recent years the 445/455 ranks up there as well.

F687 z-track. I can out mow two grasshoppers with my 60" deck. Operator friendly, long life kohler engine.

love all john deere, green and yellow as well. can i check all choices?

I have heard so many good responses over the years on TBN about the higher end Deeres' that I bought the x749 a couple of years ago. So far I am well pleased with its abilities but not having a full range of the older Deeres' it is hard to compare the new to the old.

One thing is obvious to me, the people who bought the better models have been very satisfied. The people who bought the entry level cheap L 100, LA 100 and D 100 series are less than happy in most cases. The pople I am humored by the most are the ones reporting how good their mower is and have less than 100 hrs on it.

I currently have a John Deere 70,110,112,140 and a 2012 X320. The 140 is a 1969 H3 and is my favorite. It is extremely heavy duty and with a 3 bank hydrulic it can do a lot. I will say my new X320 is a real joy to use however.

Anderson Classic Tractors said:

I currently have a John Deere 70,110,112,140 and a 2012 X320. The 140 is a 1969 H3 and is my favorite. It is extremely heavy duty and with a 3 bank hydrulic it can do a lot. I will say my new X320 is a real joy to use however.

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Ditto on the X series as I have one. Rides nice a mows great. Have to hold final judgement until it gets a few seasons on it.

I hope it is the one that I just purchased, I paid 1900.00 for a 2008 X300 with 42in cut with 6.2 hrs. It has a canopy,bumper and seat cover. Of all places, I purchased it a the local chevrolet dealership. Someone traded it in, It was there for close to 8 months.

I purchased s/h a LT155 38" cut with c.150hours on the clock 4 years ago & it now has just over 1050hrs so it gets used quite a bit !!! (predominately on cutting 3cres of lawn & occasionally hauling a lightly loaded JD trailer with filled with mulch, or plants & garden tools) - after these hours no rust anywhere, engine has never been touched (apart from prescribed valve adjustment) & runs as new, the tuff torque tranny runs as new belts & spindles are original, in fact no component has needed to be replaced through wear - all in what can best be described as a harsh hot dusty & highly mineralised salty bush environment in undulating terrain.

Some people seem to hate the LT155, but I have nothing but praise for mine as it gets pushed well beyond its original design intent on the 3+ acred lawn on our farm & is used as can be seen by the hours frequently.

Only ever experienced 3 issues :-
1. Slight cracking on the bonnet (these composite/plastic bonnets seem too light to withstand the constant harmonic vibration
2. The wiring insulation started to break down from heat fatigue/age as it was routed too close to the engine & caused shorting on the block (easily fixed with spiral wrap & heat shrink insulation)
3. Installed a fuel line shut off tap to eliminate fuel build up when stationary & smoke at start up

As for maintenance, I wash/wax the LT155 once only max. once/year, blow the mower completely clean of debris with compressed air after every use, & do the following:-
1. Every 50hrs max. Change engine oil filter & replace oil with premium synthetic product
2. Every 10hrs max. Clean & reoil Air Filter, replace every 100hrs
3. Every 10hrs max lubricate spindles with high temperature bearing grease(rubbish in my humble opinion these spindles are fitted with grease fittings & supposedly only to be greased once at the factory for life) /lubricate steering with graphite moly farm grease
4. Every 100hrs flush transmission & replace oil with premium synthetic product (the tranny supposedly is sealed for life but the way I see it : oil breaks down, & hydrostatics hate heat & degraded oil so it's cheap insurance & relatively easy to do on this so called sealed unit)/adjust drive belt
5. Every 6 months drop the deck & paint with 2 coats of penetrol & then 2 coats of industrial gloss black paint to prevent rust/adjust deck belt

MBTRAC you have it right... take care of what you have & it will last.
You will never regret using a good synthetic, the effort is the same weather you choose a superior lube or not...
:smile:KennyV

The best Jd ride on is the one you have in your garage,store,yard remember horses for coarces

My first and current John deere mower was a 430 with the Yanmar diesel. It has a 60 inch deck, tiller, snow blade, 3 point hitch and rear PTO with a 3 point chipper shredder. It was recent rolled over by a tornado. I righted it, waited 20 minutes and it started right up. The hood was damaged as were the fenders and the seat, but it pulled 56 30 foot trees to the burn pile. I lost those in the tornado also. With Bar tires, the 430 is a beast!

I'm not too familiar with the Deere stuff, but I have run a little SX75 and an STX 38, and worked a bit on both. The STX was much easier due to its conventional layout, but both machines seemed nicely built, before the advent of the big box consumer marketing ponzi scheme machines we're witnessing now by a lot of manufacturers, not just JD.

As a child my dad purchased an old 1959 Wheel Horse. Had a pull start Briggs & Stratton. POS!
He traded it in for a 1965 Wheel Horse "Lawn Ranger" with a Kohler. Tractor lasted until 1983 after replacing 2 blown engines.
After my experiences with Wheel Horse, John Deere was the only way I was going to go. Purchased a JD 240 with a 14hp Kawasaki FC420V engine.
Still runs to this day. Wouldn't trade it in for the world. Having some carb issues but I'm sure they will get resolved. Tractor owes me nothing.