Ok, I am new to Craftsman section of forum, usually over in Deere CUT area. Anyway, in addition to my Deere 2210 tractor, I also need a riding mower.
I found a Craftsman LT2000 on craigslist for $589. I have no idea about these mowers, except what I have read online says they are pretty good, except for the cast aluminum thingmabob that runs the blades (I think it was). Seems it is likely to break if you hit a hard object such as tree stump, etc., which I am always doing on my place. My old (about 30 years!) Ariens mower has bit the dust, and I am needing a replacement. The Ariens was an incredible workhorse! No problem with it hitting stumps, or whatever, the thing just kept going, and parts were bolt on easy. But, motor kicked off finally.
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Daid I tell ye, daid. Therefore, this question - been looking, and can't afford to buy new. Thanks for advice. Is there any way you can link to the listing? If you are just looking for a good used dependable lawn tractor I would suggest also considering a Murray. You can find Murrays with a decade of life left in them for around $300.
Just as an example, pictured below is a 'back up' machine I recently purchased. Purchase price and parts came in just under $300.00. Murray parts are inexpensive and available just about everywhere on line. Probably about the easiest machines to work on also.
In the used Craftsman market $600 should be able to get something close to my YS4500, also pictured below. Ummm not alot of good info here. What year is it? What HP rating (18, 18.5, 19.5 or 20)?
Manuel, automatic or hydro trans? 38' deck or 42' deck? They have no hour meter, so dont bother asking the owner what it says, there isnt one. If its a 2008-2010, hydro trans, 20hp, 42' deck and its mint yes its worth what they are asking. They sell for $900-$1200 new (depending on the model of lt2000). I have the LT2000 hydro trans, 20hp, 42' deck bought new and so far its been worth every penny.
Much more durable and tough than what alot of people seem to think. Call the seller, get the info, report back. Don't buy anything with a new style single cylinder Briggs 18 or 18.5. They all blow rods through the side. Deere used them too in their HD model.
I believe the lt2000 had the 18hp version.I am pretty sure the LT2000 were 20 HP briggs. I had a 1997 that i traded to Bullashe for a 1977 Sears 18/6 that I restored and sold recently. Bekleidung. The LT2000 is a nice cutting machine, but Again, i wouldn't pay more than a few hundred in mint condition.
Some sellers really don't know what stuff is worth either. $2500 for an 'all original machine' that is visually different form a factory machine- the paint color is wrong, the front tires have been changed, it doesn't run, and the mower deck is all rusty Has all the info I would look for in a sale like model number, serial number, and lots of good pictures- I would be much more inclined to buy the $500 over the $2500 machine because it looks much better maintained, and even though it was repainted doesn't look bad, comes with a 3 point hitch and plow.
Thats a fair machine for the asking price.
I have a 2011 Craftsman LT2000 Model #247.288851. I'm having an issue engaging the blades. I replaced the deck belt at the end of last summer.
I actually mowed twice with the tractor after replacing and it worked fine. It's been stored in my garage this winter and I just recently started doing maintenance to start mowing again. However when I pulled it out in the yard for the first time to mow the blades failed to engage. The deck has 5 height levels and I normally mow on 3. The weird thing is the blades WILL engage on level 5. But if you lower the deck any further they will not. Can someone help me resolve his?
Welcome to the forum! Your lawn tractor has a manual clutch doesn't it? If it's got an electric PTO, there will be a knob on the dashboard that you pull/push or flip with easy fingertip movement to engage the blades with an electric clutch. If it's a manual clutch, it will have a small rod under the steering wheel that looks like a huge turn signal switch on your car, and you've got to move it several inches to fully engage the deck.
While you're moving it, you'll be able to hear springs taking on tension like a rickety softy chair with shot springs. I would double check for proper belt length, correct belt mounting, the manual clutch cable is moving freely with the belt off, and there should be one or two idler pulleys attached to angled flat stock that looks something like an elbow that pivots. One or both of the idler pulleys should have both free movement and a pretty fair radius of swing without the belt in place.
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Manual For Craftsman Lt2000
Because the blades will engage by moving the deck up and down, I suspect improper belt tension, so the belt draws tension as you lower it, and loses tension as you raise the deck. Moreover, the neighbor woman sometimes comes over when she's got mower trouble, and she has an LT with a manual clutch. Thus far, the one problem has been, rusted idler pulleys that wouldn't swing to take up the tension, and on another occasion, the cable rusted fast after sitting all winter. She also had a broken spring on one of the idler pulleys, so it would not take up the tension. That's the limit of my experience with LTs. First and foremost, can you confirm what type of PTO clutch you have? Good luck and perhaps somebody else can come along and shed more light, bolillo.
Thank you for confirming that it has a manual PTO. Now that I've more time to thoroughly read your first post, maybe we can find what's wrong. Since your lawn tractor's a 2011, I find it rather difficult to believe that PTO cable/linkage seized up from corrosion and/or the idler pulley's brackets are rusted fast to the deck, but anything's possible. If you have the old belt, I'd compare the two in order to make sure you've got the right belt. Anything's possible. Perhaps you/store clerk picked the wrong one.
Maybe it was returned by somebody who bought several belts not knowing the correct size, and they accidentally placed the belt in the wrong packaging and returned it, to all manner of errors that are both very common and easy to make. Your belt looks to be a 754-04219, which should translate to 1/2 x 103' belt. Through google, I cross referenced the MTD number and found these matches. Cub Cadet 954-04219 Cub Cadet 754-04219 Cub Cadet OCC-754-04219 MTD 954-04219 Home Depot 129895 NHC 230-0216 Oregon 15-027 Rotary 12790 Along with proper belt length and routing, I would check for broken springs on the deck, make sure the PTO cable/linkage has full range of motion, and rusty idler brackets.
In my opinion, those will be the most likely suspects. In desperation, I'd grab the blade and mandrel pulley and twist in opposite directions. I doubt that's an issue, but it doesn't hurt to check, obviously it helps if the belt doesn't have tension and the engine is not running. The idler pulleys that move will be attached to brackets that look like the following. They should have a pretty fair range of motion.
The above idler pulley brackets are located at #59 and #62 in the following diagram I googled all the aforementioned information and used Sears. Good luck, and keep us posted, bolillo. I went to tractor supply today to pick up a different size belt. I looked for a while and could never find one between a 100 and 103. So as I trying to figure out what to do because my grass isn't getting any shorter, I look up to see a Cub Cadet belt with the same part number as the last several I tried including a Craftsman, MTD and Huskee. Its 50 bucks but I said to hell with it, lets experiment.
I get home and put the belt on. It seemed a little big like the others at first but I go with it.
I get out in the yard and it engages perfectly!!! Maybe you can make sense of this because I sure the hell can't! I have a 2011 Craftsman LT2000 Model #247.288851. I'm having an issue engaging the blades.
I replaced the deck belt at the end of last summer. I actually mowed twice with the tractor after replacing and it worked fine. It's been stored in my garage this winter and I just recently started doing maintenance to start mowing again. However when I pulled it out in the yard for the first time to mow the blades failed to engage.
Craftsman Lawn Tractor Manual
The deck has 5 height levels and I normally mow on 3. The weird thing is the blades WILL engage on level 5.
Case Lawn Tractor Manuals Craftsman Lt2000
But if you lower the deck any further they will not. Can someone help me resolve his?