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GREETINGS to all Craftsman mower owners! :thumbsup:

If you're new to the forum, please reply to this thread and introduce yourself and your mower (that is, if your mower have a name :laughing. maybe attach a photo or two of your mower and show off your pride and joy.

Also, if you haven't done so already you can upload a user avatar (picture under your user name). You can do so by clicking on settings and "edit avatar" or just click here.

Please be helpful and friendly to all other Craftsman owners (how could you not, right?) and if you like this forum, tell your friends about it. :biggrin:

We want to make this the best resource for Craftsman mower owners, and to do that we need your help! Questions? Experiences? Stories? Data? Photos? Articles? Links? Cool Craftsman stuff? Post it here!

Last but not least, please let me know if you have any suggestions for the site. We'd love to hear them.

Have a few Craftsman DGS6500 GTand a Poulan GT. I put them through hell and they keep on ticking.

I do not think that this is stickied yet but it might be a good idea to go ahead and do it so it does not get lost in all of the posts.

Last year I bought this Craftsman 37436. It is my first self-propelled, first electric start, and my first Craftsman mower! Much better than the cheapo mowers I had been using for years. It does a fantastic job whether I'm mulching, bagging, or using the side discharge. In fact I always thought my St. Augustine grass was too thick and moist for mulching, but after I lost the side discharge chute I had to try it and the Craftsman did a fine job and the B&S 7.0 Platinum never bogs down. When I called Sears to order a replacement discharge chute, it came from the Husqvarna factory, which is where my mower was made. Here are a couple of pictures after I bagged the front yard and mulched the back:

Hello all!!
I've got a Craftsman DYT 4000 riding & Craftsman Eagle-1 Pull Start 5.0HP push mower.

:smile: What's up gang? Well, let me post my second noob post. I love Craftsman Tractors. It's funny that most people who don't like them also don't realize that most of the lawn tractor brands are like car batteries. They are pretty much made by a hand full of manufactures who essentially sell the same thing to everyone. Have you ever wondered why Husgvarna and Cub Cadets look amazingly the same and feel the same? Or that for most of the early 80's, Murray Tractors and Craftsman Tractors had a lot of similarities? Ever heard of AYP? (American Yard Products) or Roper MFD? Even some of the JD series LT tractors are *not* made by John Deere. And everyone is pretty much running Kohlers, Briggs &Stratton and a few Kawasakis for flavor in regard to powertrains. Don't read too much into branding.

But for a lot of reasons, I love Craftsman Lawn Products. They've been around in some form or fashion practically my whole life, and who didn't shop at Sears growing up? Sears was what Walmart is now for years. Buy parts for 'em, get 'em serviced through Sears, what's not to like? Here are pics of my current two (I've thinned the herd because I'm looking for older SS/ST model Sears Garden Tractors to restore this summer-got to keep the wife happy and the garage clean):laughing:

One of my first riding mowers-not Craftsman but Craftsman badged a whole lot of these "Murrays" as their own brand.

My favorite Craftsman, an 86 LT 11 with the original 11 HP L-Head in it. Everyone always displaced that motor as such a dog, but mine is still running after 24 years

My most recent LT-1996 LT repowered with a Briggs I/C AVS 18hp engine (it started life as a 15.5 but that motor wound up with gasoline in the crankcase. Neighbors son used it like that for a cutting season.....need I say more?)

The current engine

Mr M! you were born for this forum... you not only have it, you have it bad! The mower bug bit you and you are terminal my friend. I mean who else keeps photos of thier old mowers. I'm impressed as you can tell:biggrin:
Welcometo the lawn Mower forum:thumbsup:

Nice collection guys... and welcome Mr. M!

Hello!

Just joined here. Have a Craftsman 18HP 42" (model 917.272754) from a few years ago. We use it to mow about an acre of orchard, plus some of the meadow around the house. Got a few issues with it, maybe we can work them out on this forum!

Re: Hello!

Albionwood said:

Just joined here. Have a Craftsman 18HP 42" (model 917.272754) from a few years ago. We use it to mow about an acre of orchard, plus some of the meadow around the house. Got a few issues with it, maybe we can work them out on this forum!

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Welcome to LMF! Post away, and hopefully other members will be able to help with your issues. :thumbsup:

Hey there. I just bought a Craftsman LT2000 Lawn Tractor about three weeks ago when Sears had them on sale. It is my first lawn tractor, but I have used many of them in my teens and 20's mowing lawns in the 60's and early 70's. We had several Bolens, Wheel Horse, Simplicity and Cub Cadet tractors over those years and I put many hours on all of them. Mowers sure have changed since then. Too many safety features, but I guess they save a few fingers and toes.

My new mower is the 2011 LT2000, 19.5 HP Briggs, Gold series engine, 42" cut, foot pedal speed control. I think it's actually built by MTD for Sears. I've mowed with it four times since I got it and it makes quick work of the yard. The foot controlled speed feature is great for creeping around bushes and shrubs. I installed a digital hour meter that I bought on Amazon.com. It has a tachometer feature that shows RPM when the engine is running. It switches to the hour meter when the engine is off. I also found the wiring for the anti-reverse mow safety switch and disconnected that, so now it can mow in reverse. No kids or dogs to run over here, so I guess I'm pretty safe.

I installed a front bumper kit, mostly so there is a place to grab it to move the front end over to get it out of the way of the car when it's parked in the garage. Also, the front hood/engine cover is a little fragile, so that may help keep that in one piece. Looks good too.

I've read lots of reviews for mowers in this price range. Many different opinions about reliability. It is very similar to a Cub Cadet that Home Depot sells. Different engine, but it is also made by MTD. Lots more $$. I guess this machine will not be used that hard and will probably be pampered like my cars and other rolling stock so if it doesn't have any overt design flaws it should last for a few years. Seems like the one good thing you can do for most of the lawn and garden equipment is either use non-ethanol gas, or use a stabilizer like the blue Stabil. That may help keep the engine running longer without problems. It's worked for my snowblowers and push mowers. I also plan to change to Mobil 1 synthetic oil after the first change at the recommended 5 hours. That also has worked well for my other small engines. I just sold an old Ahrens snowblower that I bought new in 1978 and always ran Mobil 1 synthetic oil in it and used Stabil in the gas. It still started on the first pull and always ran good.

I joined this forum so if I do have any problems, maybe there will be someone here with an answer, before I haul this thing off to the shop. I also like to mess with my machines to see if there are things I can do to make them work better.

Greetings; I've been on another forum which I found too glitzy and more in tune with things other than nice people looking to fix their lawn mowing instruments. I'm hoping that I will get a direct anwer to my problem and I'm willing to go along with the rules and regulations. Thanks Zuko53

I have a ys4500 54" cut 24hp v-twin Briggs.. It does its job very well considering how rough i am on it.

Was Bored and added Multi Colored Leds to mower. Changes 7 different colors, flashes to sound or does sequences. Fun For Plowing Snow At Night
(6) Streetglow Multi Colored Leds (2 - 2' in wheelwell, 2 - 2' in Hood/Grill, 2 - 4' mounted on frame) Craftsman Plow, Wheel Weights, Tire Chains, Canopy, Chrome Hubcaps, Advanced Mulching Blades.

Paid $3.99 for the craftsman front bumper at Sears brand new lol. It didnt work with the craftsman plow quick mount so had to customize it some to make it fit.

This was my frist mower ever and just wanted to make it unique with the leds. Plus it makes my teenage son WANT to use it :laughing:

Hello all, just joined.

I bought a Craftsman mower that wasn't starting, with a little research online figured out some basic maintenance (plug, valve adjustment, replaced starter). The mower started several times on it's own, and today after about 45 minutes of mowing, the engine feels like it's seized up.

I can't manually turn the engine with my hand at all, even with the spark plug disconnected and taken out.

Hopefully the Craftsman owners (or those that know what they are doing) can help me diagnose it.

It's a Dyt 4000, model 917 274632, same as Albionwood.

Thanks all, looking forward to it.

It looks like you're having a good time with your tractor......the hubcaps really set it off.
Keep up with the fun additions, really !

I have 6 'old skool' craftsmans- 2 '85 LT 12's ( one is parts)- an 80's LT11 ( work in progress - rebuilding) - 99 weedeater, 86 GTII and a 90's GT6000 ( for parts) .

One of the 85 LT12's was going to be a 'cruiser' - i added blue headlights,painted it dark blue and black- was going to add blue LED's to it - still might tho - im going to mod a MTD deck to fit it ( original deck and replacement decks are too far gone) to mow again.

The 80's LT11 is being rebuilt - deck still needs alot of work, i plan on making it all work, then repaint it original silver ( its a faded, peeling red now).

99 weedeater- runs and mows perfect after a total rebuild- trans was full of water, deck was needing serious work, mandrels all seized- and most important - total repaint- was a nasty purple , now its a pretty close to stock green /black color.

86 GTII was a basket case when i got it with the GT6000 - both were in rough shape - the 6000 was actually in better shape, but motor didnt run , the GTII's motor was full of water to the top of the carb ( luckily only on the intake side - didnt leak thru into the oil) - cleaned it out and the motor fired right up.

I totally took apart the GTII and repainted it , im not happy with the silver i used- eventually itll get another better paint job - used the deck off the GT6000 ( was in way better shape) . I put another set of tires on the front- actually a set of rear tires off a LT tractor - sets it at a better stance.

I figured the GT's would be worth what i paid for them- eventually id like to get a sleeve hitch or 3 point for the GTII, along with a front plow blade - increasing the value if i ever sell it ( i doubt it).


I own alot more tractors then just those tho.....

I need to know how to replace the tires on the 42 inch craftsman sweeper-or can you -or do you need to buy the tire and the wheel??????/

papaernie said:

I need to know how to replace the tires on the 42 inch craftsman sweeper-or can you -or do you need to buy the tire and the wheel??????/

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You can replace the tire only... They are a bit of a job... you have to heat them up in boiling water to get them pliable enough to mount....

You will likely find complete wheels stocked rather than the semi-pneumatic (almost solid) tire... material handling suppliers cary them in stock, and some tire places will have them... :smile:KennyV

papaernie said:

I need to know how to replace the tires on the 42 inch craftsman sweeper-or can you -or do you need to buy the tire and the wheel??????/

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Do you have the manual? If not , click here Owner's manuals and product manuals search results - ManageMyLife.com
If you decide to order wheels, click here http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/index.action
and enter the full model number.....I used 486.24222 for the newest 42" Sweeper

I just joined. I had a high opinion of Craftsman at one time. I just spent the last year trying to fix my intermittent stalling engine. Got a lot of good advice about gas cap venting, coils, etc and did all that, only to find that by pulling open the carb and disabling the auto shut-off switch (remove the black cap, it closes on no power) it runs fine....until I took it out of gear, and now it won't re-engage. I'm looking at Cub Cadet and John Deere, but Deere have the B&S engine, so it looks like I'll be heading to the Cub Cadet forum. Sears support was worthless. Last Craftsman anything that I'll have.

swinginscott said:

Hello all, just joined.

I bought a Craftsman mower that wasn't starting, with a little research online figured out some basic maintenance (plug, valve adjustment, replaced starter). The mower started several times on it's own, and today after about 45 minutes of mowing, the engine feels like it's seized up.

I can't manually turn the engine with my hand at all, even with the spark plug disconnected and taken out.

Hopefully the Craftsman owners (or those that know what they are doing) can help me diagnose it.

It's a Dyt 4000, model 917 274632, same as Albionwood.

Thanks all, looking forward to it.

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I have run a DYT4000 since 2004. Pull up my threads if interested. Not so pretty. Will help you if requested

Hi all;

Just joined the forum and I was given a Craftsman with a 5.5hp Honda engine, model 917.388820. I've got problems so I'll be doing some research.

Keith

Hi All,

Just got myself a freebie on a 15.5 hp Craftsman 42 indeck tractor. Previous owner thought it was a complete loss when he couldn;t get it to start but low an behold those Kohler small engines seem to run a lot better if you make sure it has oil in it. His loss is my gain as my 6 horse Yard machine push mower can finally be semi retired. Dad had a 91 Craftsman 18 horse that he ran right up until this last year when the drive pulley for the PTO snapped off and he broke down and bought a Deere. I know, its an easy fix for someone with a welder but he wouldn't have. Looking forward to the good advice from the knowledgeable members as I intend to keep this mower running for years to come.

A pair of LT-1000's with issues

Hi all, Jayco Here. I have a Craftsman Model 502.255070 riding lawn mower. Recently upon shutdown the engine went into high speed mode. Think it's the throttle return spring so I ordered it. Got as far as removing the carb, but normal sockets, wrenches etc will not work because of lack of space. Wonder if anyone would know how to get the carb off. Nice site, glad i'm here. Jayco

Hi guys and gals,

Dave here. I am the proud new owner of a Craftsman II lawn tractor. Currently not running but getting it there is half the fun for me. I posted a thred looking for some help getting it started. I am thinking today I'm going to try to clean out the carb without removing it and see if that gets her going.

Jayco said:

Hi all, Jayco Here. I have a Craftsman Model 502.255070 riding lawn mower. Recently upon shutdown the engine went into high speed mode. Think it's the throttle return spring so I ordered it. Got as far as removing the carb, but normal sockets, wrenches etc will not work because of lack of space. Wonder if anyone would know how to get the carb off. Nice site, glad i'm here. Jayco

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I don't, but :welcome: to LMF! :smile:

dibsen said:

Hi guys and gals,

Dave here. I am the proud new owner of a Craftsman II lawn tractor. Currently not running but getting it there is half the fun for me. I posted a thred looking for some help getting it started. I am thinking today I'm going to try to clean out the carb without removing it and see if that gets her going.

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:welcome: to LMF! If you would like to post some pics of your mower we would love to see them! :smile:

Owned 1989 Craftsman walk-behind for the longest time, but moved. Still have the instruction manual, though, signed by Bob Vila himself.:smile: Currently own a 2009 Craftsman 6.75-torque 22-in. self-propelled high-wheel 3-in-1 mower.

I recently aquired a used 917.273320 Craftman garden tractor. It runs great and I have mounted a snow blower on it.
I noticed that a hose on the hydro was deteriorating and dripping oil. I removed the hose and cut off the soft end and reattached. My problem is that I lost some oil out of it while I was working. I took the plug out and tried to add oil but it doesn't seem to take. The plug has some type of pin on it and there is a spring down inside the hole. Have I taken the correct plug out? Also what type of oil should I use?

hello guys; I have a craftsman Lt 1000 with a 20 hp briggs&straton, I really like this tractor its a great work horse cut about 4 acres, never has let me down bought used in 2006, still going strong:thumbsup:

garnder said:

hello guys; I have a craftsman Lt 1000 with a 20 hp briggs&straton, I really like this tractor its a great work horse cut about 4 acres, never has let me down bought used in 2006, still going strong:thumbsup:

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:welcome: to LMF.....Nice mower! :thumbsup:

i have a 2000 gt. 20hp. its in my avatar. i dont have a mower deck because i use it more like a tractor. to plow and pull trees and trailers and stuff like that.

Hi, I'm a newbie. Responding to your request for posting pics. I have an LT 8/36 that I have been restoring and I bought an LT 10/36 for parts. Have some left overs if anyone needs. here are pics of the 8, no pics yet of the 10. Both bodies and chassis are in fine condition. One was professionally painted red, the other is original silver with very little surface rust. The pics are of the 8, as bought, pre-clean-up and restoration. I will post pics of the silver later.
Larry

EZRYDER said:

Hi, I'm a newbie. Responding to your request for posting pics. I have an LT 8/36 that I have been restoring and I bought an LT 10/36 for parts. Have some left overs if anyone needs. here are pics of the 8, no pics yet of the 10. Both bodies and chassis are in fine condition. One was professionally painted red, the other is original silver with very little surface rust. The pics are of the 8, as bought, pre-clean-up and restoration. I will post pics of the silver later.
Larry

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Welcome to LawnMowerForum, Larry! That is a nice mower! :smile::thumbsup:
:welcome:

Charging / starting questions

I have a 2005 (according to serial #), and occasionally have slight starting trouble and possible charging problem. The mower is a DYT 4000 with a 24 hp B&S Inteck.Occasionally when I go to start it, it will turn over a couple turns then stop, then in a couple or 3 seconds of holding the key in start position, it will crank over good and start. The battery and cable connections are good and clean, and battery is good, holding about 12.5 or 12.6 volts. Any suggestions on this? Question # 2: when it starts, the amp guage shows dicharging around 3 amps (give or take), then after a minute or two it may go back to 0, and when I enguage deck, it shows discharging again. And after a few minutes, (usually less than 3-5 minutes), it goes to charging at a good rate for 3 - 4 minutes then to 0 or maybe a half or one amp. Could the stator or regulator be going bad, or maybe the amp guage? Anyone ever have these problems or possibly know what may be going on? The battery seems to always be pretty much full charged, and I never have to jump-start it. The starter problem is pretty much non-exsitant if I put the charger on it for a few minutes before starting. Any suggestions will help me in knowing where to start at checking stuff. Thanks

marvc...
It sounds as if everything is working ... when it gets power.
So, I would check the key switch... You have either bad connections on the outside OR bad connections on the inside. If it's external to the key switch, clean them up and reattach, If it is internal, replace the key switch, easy to do either... :smile:KennyV

Thanks for the reply, I will check all you said to check. Then will repost to let you know what I found out. It may be a while before I get back to you, as I have a busy schedule for the next couple weeks. Thanks again, and thanks to all for a great forum and knolegable people,
Marv:thumbsup:

Hello,

New to the forum. Just wanted to say hi, and looking forward to hanging out. I just got a CraftsMan Model#917.358470 Serial 101696D with the Briggs & Stratton Diamond I/C Commercial Performance 15.5HP 28N707-1036-E1 Year 98. Prayed for a riding mower, and got this one free (Sweet). My Briggs & Stratton push mower is great, but for an almost 2 acre lot, it's not cool lol.

I am going to be painting it, and replacing the engine gaskets, piston rings etc... As you can see from my avatar, I made some custom decals that I am going to put on the sides. I will post images.

boodaddy said:

Hello,

New to the forum. Just wanted to say hi, and looking forward to hanging out. I just got a CraftsMan Model#917.358470 Serial 101696D with the Briggs & Stratton Diamond I/C Commercial Performance 15.5HP 28N707-1036-E1 Year 98. Prayed for a riding mower, and got this one free (Sweet). My Briggs & Stratton push mower is great, but for an almost 2 acre lot, it's not cool lol.

I am going to be painting it, and replacing the engine gaskets, piston rings etc... As you can see from my avatar, I made some custom decals that I am going to put on the sides. I will post images.

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:welcome: Welcome to LawnMowerForum! That sounds like a nice mower, and I like the custom decals.....can't wait for some pictures!

LT 2000 here. Had it since right after Katrina. Keep the oil changed and it just keeps on ticking. 20 hp b&s. Have a bunch of other mowers, this one works the most.

Here's my mower :biggrin:

Hi everyone, I'm happy to be a member of this forum! I've had Sears tractors ever since I inherited my dad's 1968 Suburban 12 many years ago (sold it long ago, didn't have time to restore it). Moved from upstate NY to High Point NC recently, left my 2006 24HP Craftsman YT up north. Just acquired a GT3000 with 6-speed manual (917.275010) from craigslist. Needs some TLC, but came with 48" deck, sleeve hitch, electric lift kit (deck & hitch), back blade, ag tires, wheel weights, and an extra set of mounted turf-saver back tires. I only have .6 acre, but alot of hill and rough terrain in back yard. Also, I plan on doing some serious landscaping, so I think once I get her dialed in, she'll be more than up to the task. I look forward to all the great people and fellow Craftsman owners and great advice on this BB. Thanks! I'll post pix of the work in progress when I can.

HP3000GT said:

Hi everyone, I'm happy to be a member of this forum! I've had Sears tractors ever since I inherited my dad's 1968 Suburban 12 many years ago (sold it long ago, didn't have time to restore it). Moved from upstate NY to High Point NC recently, left my 2006 24HP Craftsman YT up north. Just acquired a GT3000 with 6-speed manual (917.275010) from craigslist. Needs some TLC, but came with 48" deck, sleeve hitch, electric lift kit (deck & hitch), back blade, ag tires, wheel weights, and an extra set of mounted turf-saver back tires. I only have .6 acre, but alot of hill and rough terrain in back yard. Also, I plan on doing some serious landscaping, so I think once I get her dialed in, she'll be more than up to the task. I look forward to all the great people and fellow Craftsman owners and great advice on this BB. Thanks! I'll post pix of the work in progress when I can.

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Welcome to LawnWorld! Feel free to join the Craftsman Owners Group here on this great forum: http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/groups/craftsman-owners.html. :smile:

:welcome: Nice to have you along!

Hello everyone! I just acquired a CTX9500 for right at $3k! I looked around at Cubs and Deeres. I decided to look at a GT6000 at my local sears store and I seen the CTX9500 sitting in the back aisle with a clearance tag on it. I havent looked at riders in a few years and I had no clue about this mower. I did some research and found it had pretty impressive specs. I was able to talk them down from the clearanced price of $3799 to $3299. I then asked for the 5% off member of the day discount and got another 5% off by using my Sears card. I have around 5 hours on it so far and I really like it. My first goal is to figure out if I can attach the roller on the rear deck like the Simplicity and Massey Ferguson models have. It is a bit overkill for my yard but hey, its better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it!

BMET said:

Hello everyone! I just acquired a CTX9500 for right at $3k! I looked around at Cubs and Deeres. I decided to look at a GT6000 at my local sears store and I seen the CTX9500 sitting in the back aisle with a clearance tag on it. I havent looked at riders in a few years and I had no clue about this mower. I did some research and found it had pretty impressive specs. I was able to talk them down from the clearanced price of $3799 to $3299. I then asked for the 5% off member of the day discount and got another 5% off by using my Sears card. I have around 5 hours on it so far and I really like it. My first goal is to figure out if I can attach the roller on the rear deck like the Simplicity and Massey Ferguson models have. It is a bit overkill for my yard but hey, its better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it!

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That's a really nice mower; Welcome to LawnWorld! :welcome:

Muhammad said:

GREETINGS to all Craftsman mower owners! :thumbsup:

If you're new to the forum, please reply to this thread and introduce yourself and your mower (that is, if your mower have a name :laughing. maybe attach a photo or two of your mower and show off your pride and joy.

Also, if you haven't done so already you can upload a user avatar (picture under your user name). You can do so by clicking on settings and "edit avatar" or just click here.

Please be helpful and friendly to all other Craftsman owners (how could you not, right?) and if you like this forum, tell your friends about it. :biggrin:

We want to make this the best resource for Craftsman mower owners, and to do that we need your help! Questions? Experiences? Stories? Data? Photos? Articles? Links? Cool Craftsman stuff? Post it here!

Last but not least, please let me know if you have any suggestions for the site. We'd love to hear them.

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Thanks for the welcome. I have a few questions about a sears eager-1 mower

glmartin said:

Thanks for the welcome. I have a few questions about a sears eager-1 mower

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:welcome: Welcome to LawnWorld! Feel free to ask your questions here or start a new thread about them. :smile:

I have a couple of Craftsman tractor/mowers. One is an older 18hp model and the other is a larger big green 24hp garden tractor, 917.273220. My first beef is with the model numbers. . .why can't they be more simple like other brands.

"Big Green" has been a real workhorse for me. The first thing I did was get the sleevehitch lift system installed, bought the 8hp tiller, blade and scraper box for it, quickly followed by the big, heavy, snowblower attachment. BG spent a good part of the first year pulling logs out of the woods that I was clearing for our new house. After that task was done, she spent her days prepping the driveway, tilling gardens, moving snow and mowing woods into lawn. None of these were easy tasks. Everything held up well except for mower mandrels, and I can't blame them because they were doing some heavy-duty cutting.

Now, over the past 5 years, I have had problems with her not moving when the temps get down into the 0degree and below levels,Transmission would simply lock up after only a couple of minutes of running, ran great all summer. Craftsman, and many other sources list the transmission as being "non-serviceable", so I spent most of my time trying to decide whether to replace the hydrostatic transmission, or not. Finally got her lifted up and started looking around for any other possible solutions. (standing on my head in the snow, of course)

This inspection revealed something obvious. . .There's a filter on the transmission! Filter cancels out the "non-serviceable" label that Craftsman puts on it. It took a lot of on-line investigation to discover that I could indeed drain and replace oil in the transmission, with a lot of tedious work.

The the transmission oil during the first dump was elephant grey. Water in the transmission! Drained and flushed, drained and flushed, drained and flushed. Installed new filter, ran for a while, drained and flushed, drained and flushed, drained and flushed. Finally after 3 years of having to wrestle with my walk-behind snow blower, I got to use it last year.

This season, I spent time getting everything prepped well ahead of the snow season. First snow, temps up in the low 30's, took it out, ran it for 5 minutes up and down the driveway, and if froze up again. Has now sat in a snowbank all winter.

Now I'm headed over to the Cub Cadet side to see what my new machine will be.

After this long, long, story, I'm still looking forward to breaking out Big Green when the snow melts and I can get her back in the yard.

Newb

Craftsman YTS 3000, 42" & 21hp.

Bought About this time in 2010, just now has 210 hours. I'm a PM (preventative maintenance) nut so needless to say, it gives no problems but I am ready to trade for one with power steering and a few more bells and whistles.

harryset said:

I have a couple of Craftsman tractor/mowers. One is an older 18hp model and the other is a larger big green 24hp garden tractor, 917.273220.....

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Welcome to LawnWorld! It seems like you have had your share of problems with your equipment.

Re: Newb

TexasTon said:

Craftsman YTS 3000, 42" & 21hp.

Bought About this time in 2010, just now has 210 hours. I'm a PM (preventative maintenance) nut so needless to say, it gives no problems but I am ready to trade for one with power steering and a few more bells and whistles.

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Welcome to LawnWorld! Nice mower! :thumbsup:

lawn mower fanatic said:

Welcome to LawnWorld! It seems like you have had your share of problems with your equipment.

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Problems, only to some people, I enjoy mysteries. Many of the problems that I've had with my Craftsman machines is simply because I don't baby them, def don't follow the mfg's recommended levels of use.

harryset said:

Problems, only to some people, I enjoy mysteries. Many of the problems that I've had with my Craftsman machines is simply because I don't baby them, def don't follow the mfg's recommended levels of use.

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Haha yeah neither do I! :tongue:

Hello....I'm Mark...I have a '04 or '05 (approx) 42" Craftsman LTX 1000 18 HP Kohler.

Hello to all,
I own a craftsman mower model 917.252512 serial number 083095A -6598 this mower is my rock crusher/ utility mower in my vineyard and around my two ponds and is a work horse.
My name is Charlie Cornell
The Vineyard at Hominy creek
Carrollton Ga 30116

srcorndog said:

Hello to all,
I own a craftsman mower model 917.252512 serial number 083095A -6598 this mower is my rock crusher/ utility mower in my vineyard and around my two ponds and is a work horse.
My name is Charlie Cornell
The Vineyard at Hominy creek
Carrollton Ga 30116

Click to expand...

:welcome: to the forum. Just up the road from you in Kennesaw. Is your vineyard commercial and do you grow muscadines. If so what type and do you make wine?:drink:

srcorndog said:

Hello to all,
I own a craftsman mower model 917.252512 serial number 083095A -6598 this mower is my rock crusher/ utility mower in my vineyard and around my two ponds and is a work horse.
My name is Charlie Cornell
The Vineyard at Hominy creek
Carrollton Ga 30116

Click to expand...

Welcome Charlie
I use to live not far from you. On hwy 27 near the junk Deere dealer just moved to canton 2 months ago

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))

midnite rider said:

:welcome: to the forum. Just up the road from you in Kennesaw. Is your vineyard commercial and do you grow muscadines. If so what type and do you make wine?:drink:

Click to expand...

Check out my web site it tell you all about my grapes
thevineyardathominycreek.weebly.com

You sound like the man I need to talk to I have a 917.252512 craftsman rider It decided to fail to crank. I need a simple wire schematic for this beast. Battery, solenoid, switch 4 over 1 starter and fuel cut off. Are you the man that can help?
thanks
charlie

srcorndog said:

Check out my web site it tell you all about my grapes
thevineyardathominycreek.weebly.com

Click to expand...

Wow, beautiful vineyard and nice website. :thumbsup: I guess you use the old 8N too. Let us know when you have your first tasting. Did not know all those different varieties of grapes could be grown in Georgia and had been grown here years ago. Chateau Elan near Braselton was the only one I knew of.

srcorndog said:

You sound like the man I need to talk to I have a 917.252512 craftsman rider It decided to fail to crank. I need a simple wire schematic for this beast. Battery, solenoid, switch 4 over 1 starter and fuel cut off. Are you the man that can help?
thanks
charlie

Click to expand...

I could not find a wire schematic for your rider but maybe another member has one they can post for you.

midnite rider said:

Wow, beautiful vineyard and nice website. :thumbsup: I guess you use the old 8N too. Let us know when you have your first tasting. Did not know all those different varieties of grapes could be grown in Georgia and had been grown here years ago. Chateau Elan near Braselton was the only one I knew of.

Click to expand...

That a big 10-4
charlie

My name is Anna, and I have a Craftsman riding mower Y4000. I've had it about two years, and so far I like it. My yard is less than an acre (about 0.65), so I do all right with this model.

Anna_T said:

My name is Anna, and I have a Craftsman riding mower Y4000. I've had it about two years, and so far I like it. My yard is less than an acre (about 0.65), so I do all right with this model.

Click to expand...

Hi, Anna :smile: and welcome to Lawn World.

I have a 16 year old craftsman, I'm getting the steering box and hood replaced on it next week.

Hello all! I joined some time ago but never got around to posting. Thought I would remedy that now.
We live in beautiful rural southern Illinois on about 15 acres, about 5 of which we mow. Back in '98 we bought brand new a 917.258914 lawn tractor for the somewhat smaller yard we had at that time. 3 years ago we moved to this place and decided the old trouper needed a little help so bought a new YT4500 (917.288580) lawn tractor. Both mowers have given great service with very little trouble.
Recently though, the old garden tractor has suddenly decided not to start. I'll post about that in the appropriate section of the forum, once I figure out where that is.

Arthur Dent said:

Hello all! I joined some time ago but never got around to posting. Thought I would remedy that now.
We live in beautiful rural southern Illinois on about 15 acres, about 5 of which we mow. Back in '98 we bought brand new a 917.258914 lawn tractor for the somewhat smaller yard we had at that time. 3 years ago we moved to this place and decided the old trouper needed a little help so bought a new YT4500 (917.288580) lawn tractor. Both mowers have given great service with very little trouble.
Recently though, the old garden tractor has suddenly decided not to start. I'll post about that in the appropriate section of the forum, once I figure out where that is.

Click to expand...

:welcome: Welcome! We would love to see pictures of your mowers! :thumbsup: And you can post your problem in the Small Engine & Mower Repair Forum or Craftsman Forum if you would like. :smile:

Hello everyone I just purchased a used 15.5hp craftsman lt1000 with a 38" deck it has a 6spd transaxel for $400 . It is pictured on the avatar. My yard is about 1 1/2 acres and mostly level. I found this site three days ago and find it very helpful and motivating. If anyone has had any experiances with this mower I would love to hear about them good or bad. I love to work on things myself and I look forward to sharing this site and forum with all of you

srcorndog said:

You sound like the man I need to talk to I have a 917.252512 craftsman rider It decided to fail to crank. I need a simple wire schematic for this beast. Battery, solenoid, switch 4 over 1 starter and fuel cut off. Are you the man that can help?
thanks
charlie

Click to expand...

I found this last night while looking for my little problem.
A wiring diagram for a lot of B&S electrical diagrams for different configs.
http://www4.briggsandstratton.com/miscpdfs/RNT/Murray%20Electrical%20from%20MA-S-1612%202004%20Quick%20Reference.pdf
T:thumbsup:

( sorry, murray diagrams but still very helpful )

Hi new to the forum. Own a craftsman LT1000, Model 917.272084, that i bought from a friend that did not run. put in a new starter, cleaned the carb, put in a new spark plug and fired right up. Big problem is that transmission is engaged all the time and i cannot get the mower deck to engage.

Will post 2 threads concerning these issues.

thanks everyone,
Bill

Hi everyone,
I am new to this forum and wanted to say hi. I have a 1036 Craftsman it's about a 1972 it isn't running at the moment
and uses as much oil as gas. I just can't seem to find a re-ring kit for it. Well hi Everyone.

Jim

jim49631 said:

Hi everyone,
I am new to this forum and wanted to say hi. I have a 1036 Craftsman it's about a 1972 it isn't running at the monet
and uses as much oil as gas. I just can't seem to find a re-ring kit for it. Well hi Everyone.

Jim

Click to expand...

Welcome Jim to the forum. We call them mosquito foggers here in the south. :laughing:

I just picked up a used Craftsman DYT 4000, model 917.2736403. I have a "feul" problem. Did anyone else notice "fuel" is misspelled in the drop-down menu for new posts? :confused2:

So anyway, problem is described at link. Feedback welcome! I already bought a new fuel pump and it still isn't getting any gas!

http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/craftsman-forum/20678-craftsman-model-917-2736403-wont-pump-gas-carb.html

pastorbud said:

I just picked up a used Craftsman DYT 4000, model 917.2736403. I have a "feul" problem. Did anyone else notice "fuel" is misspelled in the drop-down menu for new posts? :confused2:

So anyway, problem is described at link. Feedback welcome! I already bought a new fuel pump and it still isn't getting any gas!

http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/craftsman-forum/20678-craftsman-model-917-2736403-wont-pump-gas-carb.html

Click to expand...

Wow....I have never noticed that misspelling....but now I will let the Admin. know. Good luck with your problem, I'm sure someone will be able to help you! :smile: :welcome:

Hello all. New Craftsman owner here. Bought a brand new LT2000 2 weeks ago. So far very happy its like a cadillac compared to my 10 year old Yard King from TSC

junglejoe39 said:

Hello all. New Craftsman owner here. Bought a brand new LT2000 2 weeks ago. So far very happy its like a cadillac compared to my 10 year old Yard King from TSC

Click to expand...

:welcome: Welcome to LawnWorld! :smile:

Muhammad said:

GREETINGS to all Craftsman mower owners! :thumbsup:

If you're new to the forum, please reply to this thread and introduce yourself and your mower (that is, if your mower have a name :laughing. maybe attach a photo or two of your mower and show off your pride and joy.

Also, if you haven't done so already you can upload a user avatar (picture under your user name). You can do so by clicking on settings and "edit avatar" or just click here.

Please be helpful and friendly to all other Craftsman owners (how could you not, right?) and if you like this forum, tell your friends about it. :biggrin:

We want to make this the best resource for Craftsman mower owners, and to do that we need your help! Questions? Experiences? Stories? Data? Photos? Articles? Links? Cool Craftsman stuff? Post it here!

Last but not least, please let me know if you have any suggestions for the site. We'd love to hear them.

Click to expand...

Yo, my name is Tonyand I have a '99 Craftsman garden tractor w/ Kohler Pro 20hp (CV20S) that has given me no trouble for 14 years. Saturday it was running on 1 cylinder. Spark plug looked OK but no spark. Whats the chance it is the ignition module. It's an expensive part if it'snot the problen. How do I check it?

I am new and trying to find info. I have a YS4500 craftsman rider-6sp w/ 17horse Briggs. I have problem w/deafened, pully turns in gear but no movement. The shaft turns but deafened doesn't engage. Any help for a beginner plz. I'm haveing probe with connection so my email is mwkebryan60@gmail.com. thanks.

Hi I have an LT2000, had it since new, main problems I see, is belts stretching.
I have a current problem,which I will talk of in main forum.
I am glad I found this forum, lots of help here by knowledgable people.

Dukesoz

dukesoz said:

Hi I have an LT2000, had it since new, main problems I see, is belts stretching. I have a current problem,which I will talk of in main forum. I am glad I found this forum, lots of help here by knowledgable people. Dukesoz

Click to expand...

Which belt is wearing out?

Belts do not stretch they wear out and give the illusion of stretching because they sit deeper in the grove of the pulleys making them loose.

If your belts are getting wore out fast you need to look at your pulleys. Make sure they are smooth and not bent. A pulley can also be wore out letting the belt sit to deep. Make sure all idler pulleys turn free.

Carscw said:

Which belt is wearing out?

Belts do not stretch they wear out and give the illusion of stretching because they sit deeper in the grove of the pulleys making them loose.

If your belts are getting wore out fast you need to look at your pulleys. Make sure they are smooth and not bent. A pulley can also be wore out letting the belt sit to deep. Make sure all idler pulleys turn free.

Click to expand...

Thanks Carscw, mainly the cutter adjustment belt, lucky if I get 1 and a 1/2 seasons out of it.
Thanks for the good info.

dukesoz.

Hi,

Just bought a Craftsman hi-wheel, self-propelled mower, brand new from the local Ace store. Briggs 190cc Gold up top. Big Mistake.

Fresh gas and the included oil added, the engine started once, and ran for a brief period and I shut it off to make wheel height adjustments. I was unable to restart it after multiple tries...yes the presence lever was engaged. Even after breaking for lunch, it would not start so I started to try to get hold of Sears. It can't be done as far as I can tell. I got bounced around to various operators who all spoke English as a second or third language and none of whom had help to offer. I finally got a number that I thought might work but then, the automated system told me I had to register the warranty and refered me to another number. When that automated system answered, I was told that they were closed due to inclement weather. I will have to wait to Monday to try again.

I took the mower back to the Ace store where I bought it and miracle of miracles, it started and ran fine...4 times...so I put it back in my truck and drove the 18 miles home. Do you think it would start? Not a chance. The Briggs promise of starting on one or two tries every time is a bold faced lie. Sears service is a bad joke.

Grrrr!

slu said:

Hi,

Just bought a Craftsman hi-wheel, self-propelled mower, brand new from the local Ace store. Briggs 190cc Gold up top. Big Mistake.

Fresh gas and the included oil added, the engine started once, and ran for a brief period and I shut it off to make wheel height adjustments. I was unable to restart it after multiple tries...yes the presence lever was engaged. Even after breaking for lunch, it would not start so I started to try to get hold of Sears. It can't be done as far as I can tell. I got bounced around to various operators who all spoke English as a second or third language and none of whom had help to offer. I finally got a number that I thought might work but then, the automated system told me I had to register the warranty and refered me to another number. When that automated system answered, I was told that they were closed due to inclement weather. I will have to wait to Monday to try again.

I took the mower back to the Ace store where I bought it and miracle of miracles, it started and ran fine...4 times...so I put it back in my truck and drove the 18 miles home. Do you think it would start? Not a chance. The Briggs promise of starting on one or two tries every time is a bold faced lie. Sears service is a bad joke.

Grrrr!

Click to expand...

My 10 yr old Craftsman 21" mulcher push mower with the 190cc still cranks in one or two pulls every time. I've been on a 38" Snapper ZTR for the past two years, but when I pulled out the old Craftsman to use it on a whim, I put in some fresh gas and it cranked right up on the first pull.

silvrbreez said:

My 10 yr old Craftsman 21" mulcher push mower with the 190cc still cranks in one or two pulls every time. I've been on a 38" Snapper ZTR for the past two years, but when I pulled out the old Craftsman to use it on a whim, I put in some fresh gas and it cranked right up on the first pull.

Click to expand...

In fairness, it seems that it must have had an airlock in the fuel system. I left it to set overnight and the next morning it started right up and has done so ever since. The curret B&S engines with automatic choke do not have a priming bulb for the carb. I would expect this to be a fairly common problem for new mowers but it was impossible for me to reach any intelligent life at sears on that afternoon. They did have an ice storm in the area of the service center so I suppose it is understandable...but very frustrating and Sears deserves some butt kicking for not enclosing decent troubleshooting advice with the mower.

It does run like a champ now,,,actually a bit faster than is comfortable for me. I find myself doing a lot of tipping back and forth on the rear wheel to regulate speed.

Slu

wjjones said:

I have a ys4500 54" cut 24hp v-twin Briggs.. It does its job very well considering how rough i am on it.

Click to expand...

Now I have another one its a 24 hp v-twin Briggs 48" cut.

Hello everyone. This Wednesday my new Craftsman T2200 will be delivered and for the first time in over 40 years I will riding instead of pushing a mower. Here's the link to the Sears site, hope this works.

Craftsman Hydrostatic Turn Tight Tractor: Own Your Lawn with Sears

I did a lot of research before I decided on this tractor, I looked at Cub Cadet, Airens, Troy-Built, Husqvarna and John Deere. When I finally went to my local Sears store to check one out in person it fell above the Ariens and Troy-Bilt but below the Husqvarna, Cub Cadet and the John Deere in price. When the salesperson (quite knowledgeable, and helpful) explained the Family and Friends Program and that with the point I would receive I could get a 3 year service contract and a rechargeable trimmer and blower combo ($440.00 value) free I couldn't pass it up. Today I used the trimmer and the blower with great results. Hopefully I get a lot of trouble free years from all of them. I welcome all comments and criticisms from fellow T2200 owners, your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hello. Another newb to the forum. I have a 1991 Craftsman II push mower. My Grandpa bought it new to mow my Aunt's yard. He passed away in '04, and it wasn't used since she gave it to me in 2010. All I had to do was rebuild the carb and put a new blade on it. It still fires up with one or two pulls. Massive Tecumseh 3.5hp engine on it. I also picked up the bagger setup that mounts along side the handlebars. Just got her all cleaned up earlier today after I mowed. Here's a short video I put on YouTube.


L8R,
Matt

newbie

Hey everyone, I've got a 735 rider I've had for four years, loved it till it messed up, an old cub cadet, and a troybuilt rider I don't care for.

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and recently picked up an older, (81 I think) Craftsman GTV 16 garden tractor to restore. It has a Briggs engine and has a few problems to deal with but hey, that's what keeps it interesting!

first post-- but i have to admit to lurking to help figure out an issue on one of my mowers....

since this is the crapsman thread-- my fave mower is my old 1960's era surburban 12. smokes like a detroit diesel, but mows everything, and i mean everything. just finished mowing an acre that had not been touched in two years (should have baled it). best 200 bucks spent in a while.....

Greetings!
James from Wyoming, MI
01 eager 1 push mower 6 hp

currently having a No Spark issue.
have looked up at sears site for model number without success.
Suspect I need a new electronic ignition (or magneto). Where can I find a replacement?

james, i just got my mtd running, it had a spark issue. all i had to do was take the top cover off, and buff the magnets up that are on the flywheel, and the edge of the coil that matches up.

that works on a 2000 ish mtd with a tecumseh in it....no idea about yours. the real experts are out enjoying the holiday!

tfrugal,
thanks for the idea. I just tried it to no avail.
I'm thinking ignition coil (or magneto) may need to be replaced.
Anyone have any other suggestions of what to check and or where to look for the parts other than sears (they want $50-$55 for part & shipping)?
jas

You can just about find them all day long on eBay for around $25. Sometimes with free shipping. All you need is the engine # from either the shroud or muffler depending on how old it is, then you'll be set...

L8R,
Matt

Have you checked the kill wire on the coil.
Un hook the wire and then check for spark.

carscw,
nope. Thanks I will try tomorrow. I'm done playing mechanic for the day.
jas

make sure you have it gapped right too. when i did mine, the first time it was too far out. ended up using a piece of paper as a shim, first time was a business card. i think its .0125 or something tiny.

just so you know, the mower i did this to-- the guy said it would not start, and had no spark. he played with it for a while, got mad and bought a new mower. i gave him 50 bucks for his old one......
he had lost the spark plug, a few bolts but the thing even had aired up tires and sharp blades on it. it was FUN mowing the yard on my new mower-- even had a half tank o'gas.

you have it apart, tomorrow try it again!! all the hard work is in, now its what 2 bolts and a plug removal?

also, see if you can borrow a coil before you buy one. might be tough (depends on the neighborhood-- i have a few neighbors with parts mowers) but money saved is money earned.

i have good luck with putting part numbers in google and comparing prices that way. currently looking at a filter for the above mower, and have at least one option cheaper than the best price i found on ebay-- shipping included.

ok, so the pinheads at sears have been unable to help. I recently bought a dark green craftsman GT 16hp kohler commander 6 spd tractor, and im in desperate need of a model number. no the sticker is not readable. the front is kind of rounded. not square. its a 5 lug rear wheel. it has a 46" deck, but that could be a recent addition. does someone know a model number? or at least another place on the unit to find a number? Maybe a location of another number that can be cross referenced to maybe 4-5 models? thanks in advance

matt

gunnersm87 said:

ok, so the pinheads at sears have been unable to help. I recently bought a dark green craftsman GT 16hp kohler commander 6 spd tractor, and im in desperate need of a model number. no the sticker is not readable. the front is kind of rounded. not square. its a 5 lug rear wheel. it has a 46" deck, but that could be a recent addition. does someone know a model number? or at least another place on the unit to find a number? Maybe a location of another number that can be cross referenced to maybe 4-5 models? thanks in advance matt

Click to expand...

Can you post a side front and back pic
And I can give you a model number that will work.

The 5 lug rear wheels means it is a garden tractor.

Carscw said:

Can you post a side front and back pic
And I can give you a model number that will work.

The 5 lug rear wheels means it is a garden tractor.

Click to expand...

Thanks for writing back. I dont have pics right now, maybe I can describe it until I do get some? Is there something particular youre looking for? I appreciate it a lot. Like to be able to get a manual. Youd think that a straight GT with a kohler 16 would be easy to find info on

Hi everybody. I've got a Craftsman lt1000 16.5 hp rider. This looks like the place that can help me with a couple problems.:newhere:

Hi. I bought a used LT1000, 2002 model and it seems to mow good! Thanks Jeff66

Hi everyone! I have had several Craftsman Riding mowers over the years. I have a Craftsman GT 3000 .It is a beast! 3 gears with HI/ low lever. 46" cut 20 hp Kohler. 23" rear wheels heafty transaxle. I use it to pull my Trailer around the yard to hook up to my truck. I don't mow with it very much anymore. I just picked up a Snapper Zeroturn.

Greetings folks. I just signed up in hopes of bringing more life for my Garden Tractor.
I have a 2002 Craftsman GT3000 (6 speed) 23hp Kohler Pro, w/48" deck & 3-bin bagger that I purchased new in that I've been very happy with. Never a problem aside from two replaced belts.

I'll be asking a few questions in the forums. See you there!

OleBoy said:

Greetings folks. I just signed up in hopes of bringing more life for my Garden Tractor.
I have a 2002 Craftsman GT3000 (6 speed) 23hp Kohler Pro, w/48" deck & 3-bin bagger that I purchased new in the early 90's that I've been very happy with. Never a problem aside from two replaced belts.

I'll be asking a few questions in the forums. See you there!

Click to expand...

Do you have 3 of them...?
One that is a 2002
One that you purchased new in the Early 90's
And one that complies to the 1998 safety standards, as shown on the picture?

Really doesn't matter what year, time flies when your mowing with a dependable machine... belts & blades are expendables, keep mowing....
Good to have you with us. :smile:KennyV

Haha! Just one (for now). I thought the label to be too much info.
The above "quoted" post, edited to reflect the correct year of my machine. :wink:

Thanks for the warm welcome.

This mower I got free of charge but I had to install a new deck spindle housing, costing me about $100.00. This is my main mower.

This mower I also got free but had to replace the transmission. I used one from another freebie. This is my standby mower.

This tractor I rescued from my sons junk pile. I had bought it back in the mid 70s and used it on an acreage but passed it on to my son when I moved in 85. I am thinking of restoring it although I think I will need a motor for it.

I also own this Kubota which comes in very handy for our 2 acre lawn and garden hideaway.

Here they are all lined up.
Elmer

Hello everyone in the craftsman world... I have a 22 in Craftsman Eager 1 5 Hp. that has power gear drive ..also mulches..
I live in MN. so use it often....Can anyone out there explain to me what the difference between power gear and self propelled walk behind is?
Thank You
Barbieg2006

Hello folks. Not much to say about me, really. I have 2 craftsman lt1000. One is a 21hp and the other is a 19.5. The 19.5 is apparently an older one. The heads are on opposite sides. It's an I/C Platinum. I got both of them for $80. Plus a few extra tires and wheels. Not bad I guess. I got the 21hp up and running in no time.

But the 19.5 is what made me start looking for help. Which is how I found this forum.

I hope to get some help with it. And maybe pass along a few things I've learned since I started working on and keeping these things going. So far, except for the 19.5, I've had very little trouble.

The 15.5hp, that's now sitting on the side of the shed (used too much oil and smoked until the oil level dropped) I might try my hand at a new ring kit for it. But, that's a later on project....

I'd attach a pic, but we all know what LT1000's look like.

Greetings my name is Rick and I have a couple mowers. im also a retired small engine service technician, worked for sears for 30 + years. I own my own shop now. Im a Briggs master service technician, Kohler certified repair technician, and Hydrogear service technician. so if I can help let me know.....

Ricksmowershop said:

Greetings my name is Rick and I have a couple mowers. im also a retired small engine service technician, worked for sears for 30 + years. I own my own shop now. Im a Briggs master service technician, Kohler certified repair technician, and Hydrogear service technician. so if I can help let me know.....

Click to expand...

Welcome to our world.

Will be nice to have you here to help with the hydrogear Questions.
I for one will be picking your brain.

Muhammad said:

GREETINGS to all Craftsman mower owners! :thumbsup:

If you're new to the forum, please reply to this thread and introduce yourself and your mower (that is, if your mower have a name :laughing. maybe attach a photo or two of your mower and show off your pride and joy.

Also, if you haven't done so already you can upload a user avatar (picture under your user name). You can do so by clicking on settings and "edit avatar" or just click here.

Please be helpful and friendly to all other Craftsman owners (how could you not, right?) and if you like this forum, tell your friends about it. :biggrin:

We want to make this the best resource for Craftsman mower owners, and to do that we need your help! Questions? Experiences? Stories? Data? Photos? Articles? Links? Cool Craftsman stuff? Post it here!

Last but not least, please let me know if you have any suggestions for the site. We'd love to hear them.

Click to expand...

Craftsman 16hp mower

Hey guys,

I bought a Craftsman Eager-1 6.5hp self propelled mower (917.377951) a few months ago from a nice old man on craigslist. He buys old mowers, cleans them up, and sells them as a hobby.

Just recently the mower started acting up, out of nowhere - and I didn't write that guys number down.

It used to start on the first-second pull, and run with no problems. It barely took any gas, which surprised me, but now with the way it's acting up, I'm starting to think maybe the carb wasn't getting enough gas.

It will start after being primed, rev up, down, up, down, up, down, almost like clockwork. Then it will just die, after 6 or 7 goes. If you hold in the red prime button, it will stay running, but starts going up and down once you let off, until it dies.

I found the rod connected to the butterfly valve in the carb, and tried playing with that when it was revving up/down, but pulling it open makes it die immediately. Yet again, I suspect bad fuel delivery.

I pinched off the fuel line, drained the bowl, unclipped the bowl off, and cleaned out as much as I could. The float seems to work just fine, I took out the yellow plastic jet...thing in the middle and cleaned it out. The rubber gasket at the bottom was in three pieces, so I went to Lowe's and found another as close to the same size as possible. I sprayed everything real good with B12 carb cleaner, used my little brushes on every hole and tube I could find, and put everything back together. Still does the same exact thing.

Any ideas or suggestions? Should I just bite the bullet and buy a repair kit on amazon?

Thanks for reading!

Good afternoon, I work for a mobilehome park and we have 2 lt1000's, a GT3000 & A GT5000. I personally had a GT 3000 and they all have been great. I fiquire with this many I'd better join to better educate myself.:thumbsup:

Hi all I'm Curt in the blue grass State. I just got a Craftsman 917 256522 EZ3. I look forward to you guys helping me get it back in good shape.

Hello,

I Have a YT3000 with a few accessories (snowblower, cart, leaf sweeper, yard raker). I've had it for 3 years and am always looking to improve it's performance.

Thanks,

Malcolm.

Swap the back pulley

I just got a craftsman dyt 4000 with a 4 inch pulley swap and it goes about 35 mph

New from St. Marys, Ga.

Got a new Craftsman Z6000 42 inch 22 HP Briggs Zero-Turn Mower 247.204110, aka MTD 17AKCACS099. Cuts GREAT. Definitely will take some getting used to........

I posted this in the wrong thread already...O well, I bought a brand new Craftsman G5500 with 54" deck last year to mow my 3 acres of lawn. I like it so far. Love the turn tight feature, B & S engine, beefy transmission, cuts in reverse. Dont like the keyless start and the way the mower is all bolted together. Also loved the price! You really gota dish out serious money to get a mower that was put together with welds. Mine cuts great though!

Hello all! I have a Craftsman model #917376161 self-propelled mower. I keep it in the best working condition I can but it does see use at least once a week. No pics yet but soon. Oh yeah, my name's Brian and I live in Apopka, FL.

Muhammad said:

GREETINGS to all Craftsman mower owners! :thumbsup:

If you're new to the forum, please reply to this thread and introduce yourself and your mower (that is, if your mower have a name :laughing. maybe attach a photo or two of your mower and show off your pride and joy.

Also, if you haven't done so already you can upload a user avatar (picture under your user name). You can do so by clicking on settings and "edit avatar" or just click here.

Please be helpful and friendly to all other Craftsman owners (how could you not, right?) and if you like this forum, tell your friends about it. :biggrin:

We want to make this the best resource for Craftsman mower owners, and to do that we need your help! Questions? Experiences? Stories? Data? Photos? Articles? Links? Cool Craftsman stuff? Post it here!

Last but not least, please let me know if you have any suggestions for the site. We'd love to hear them.

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Greetings from Oklahoma,
I am 72 but my brain keeps telling me that I am somewhere between 16 & 23. When I get up in the mornings my body sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies. Everyday is a blessing.
I have 2 Craftsman machines #1 is 917.256524, 42" cut 15.5 hp Briggs & Stratton. Model 28N707. It is barely on life support after 25 years, but plans for reincarnation are in the works. #2 is 917.273220, 50" cut 24 hp Kohler, just got this one yesterday. Paid $50.00 for it. The oil & filter always changed like clockwork. It Has 700 hours on it. Tires are not dry rotted, rear tires are 24X12x12 "Ye Ha". Buy one of those and kiss my fishing trip good-bye. A little rubbing compound and a waxing and it will shine like new money. The owner passed away and it had a flat tire, his son didn't want it...... But I did !!!! If it self-destructs after one trip around this yard I still come out ahead. ( I hope it don't do that) :smile:
Now you know more than you did 3 minutes ago. :biggrin:

Howdy from nearby-to-Reno, Nevada.
I was just given for free, this old Craftsman II Eager-1. I just did a total tear down, total clean, lapped the valves,
cleaned the piston ring grooves, sharpened the blade and re-assembled.
It should give many more years of use.
Be seeing y'all around the posts.