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"lawn" vs "garden tractors


Simpleton7016

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I understand that there is a difference in these definitions. A machine describes as a "garden" tractor is assumed to be more durable than a "lawn" tractor. But did Simplicity or Allis/Chalms ever officially name their models one or the other? Where is the line typically drawn? The Serfs and Yeomens are clearly "lawn" tractors and the powermax's are clearly "garden" tractors. What about everything in between?
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Hi, Simplicity mfg has used the use of inground attachments as the determining factor. For example 4200 5200 etc were advertised as lawn tractors and the 6100, 6200 and up were advertised as garden tractors because they had tillers available. The 7000, 7100s and up were referred to as Heavy Frame Garden tractors. Back in the time of the early Broadmores, I think all were referred to as garden tractors. The 700 family of Broadmores were available with tillers. Al Eden
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The LFGT (Large Frame Garden Tractor) manual covers the "everything in between". Starting with the 700 Wonder Boy it also covers the 725, Landlord, 2000 series, 3000 series, and 7000 series tractors. The Broadmoor, Yeoman and Serf tractors are considered small frame garden tractors. As stated above, the ability to use ground engaging implements such as moldboard plows, tillers, cultivators and the like are what makes the difference between lawn tractors and garden tractors...
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It's true the 3000's were as big and tough as the 7000's. But the 4000's and the like w/ vertical shaft engines never were as tough or as big as the LFGT's. I don't think they were intended to be. Like the B-207's copared to the B-110/112 series. The market needed a smaller user friendly vertion of mower that wasn't equiped to do as much or priced as high as the more equiped tractors. Just plain marketing stuff.
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In the off-brand, or box-store tractors the words used to distinguish between lawn and garden tractors was "ground-engaging". If it was designed to pull a plow or drive a tiller, then it was ground engaging. Most of these had cast iron transaxles while the lawn tractors had aluminum transaxles. The aluminum units were built much lighter and cheaper, since they only had to carry the tractor and rider around while mowing the lawn. The cast iron units were designed to take the loading and jerking of a plow or tiller and were also designed to pull heavier loads. These tractors also had larger tires, and optional wheel weights and chains. A friend bought a tractor from Lowes several years back. He specifically told the salesman that he was going to use it to dig up and re-seed his lawn. Brochures and sales literature said "ground-engaging". He broke the aluminum transaxle the first day he had it. Took it back. Mechanic said it wasn't designed for that abuse, it was lawn mower. He got the mechanic, salesman, and manager together and they had a talk. In the end, they fixed the tractor by installing a cast iron transaxle from the next larger size tractor to replace the factory aluminum unit. He was lucky that the manager was an honest reputable person and took care of the problem.
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Thanks for the explanations! Perfect! I had seen an e-bay ad that indicated the difference but I was not sure where the line was drawn. Thanks, Erik
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It was explained to me a fast way to generally distigwish between a larn tractor and a garden tractor is look at the rear axle. If its 3/4" in size its a lawn tractor, if it 1" or larger its a garden tractor.
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Definitions of Typical Lawn and Garden and Turf Maintenance Vehicles http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=39977
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quote:
Originally posted by lb59
OUR FIRST CAR http://www.hubcapcafe.com/ocs/pages01/chev6003.htm Simplicity only builds up to garden tractors. They haven't gotten into CUTS and S-Cuts yet
The Legacy is a sub-CUT by all specifications listed. It is JUST as capable as your Kubota BX, and both its loader and available backhoe are more capable... From their website:
quote:
The Legacy XL, compact tractor toughness with the comfort and control of Simplicity's best garden tractor
BTW, since you don't own a Simplicity, only Bolens and Kubota, you might want to watch how much you criticize them here.... ;);)
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