This Tractor Has Been Replaced with the Craftsman Premium CTX Tractors! The new tractors are a lot heavier duty and have many more of the features you requested!
Craftsman Professional PYT 9000 Model 28970 24 HP 42 inch Yard Tractor Review
Sears item# 07128970000 Mfr. model# 28970
Craftsman Professional Model 28970 24 hp 42 inch
The PYT 9000 model 28970 comes with the Briggs & Stratton 24 hp ELS V twin engine. It features a heavy duty 42 inch precision cut deck, Electric clutch, deluxe analog gauges, and tricked out front bumper.
The 42 inch deck is a made of thicker steel than the decks on the red and gray Craftsman mowers. The deck is vented on the top to allow more air into the deck allowing the airflow of the cutting blades to stand the grass up better. This is the best cutting deck I know of in a consumer mower.
If you want a decent mower that will mow 2 acres lawns well and can handle a snow thrower well this is one of the best mowers in the Craftsman lineup.
Specs:
Premium hydrostatic/ automatic transmission with fender control
24 hp Briggs & Stratton ELS (Extended Life Series) V-Twin Engine
Heavy duty 42″ precision cut deck with 4 adj. gauge wheels. Spring loaded deck lift system. Washout port on deck.
Electric clutch for ease of engaging the blades
Cast iron front axle., Bumper included, Deluxe gauges
High-back seat with automotive style adjustable seat system
2 year full warranty (manufacture defects only), 5 year frame/front axle, optional 3 yr Protection Agreement (covers all of the lawn tractor including wear and tear, labor, and attachments bought with the mower)
Pros:
The BIG question is: Is this the PYT 9000 Model 28970 worth 300 dollars more than the YT 4000 Model 28927? Yes, the heavier deck, larger rear tires, electric deck clutch, free bumper and the Briggs ELS engine make it easily worth the extra cost. I think the 28970 represents a good value and a machine that if taken care of properly will last you a long time.
As you know I like Kohler engines, but Briggs & Stratton has really produced a great motor in the Extended Life Series. The Briggs engineers I know are proud of this motor and feel it is the best motor Briggs has ever produced and maybe the best motor for lawn tractors in production today. The ELS motor features advanced debris management, anti-vibration system, chrome plated exhaust valve, Dura-Bore Cast Iron Sleeve (cylinder liner), full pressure lubrication with spin-on oil filter, heavy-duty upper bearing, and automotive style oil fill tube and dipstick.
This yard tractor is capable of handling all the non-ground engaging attachments Sears offers including a snow blade and snow thrower.
Cons:
Do not confuse the PYT 9000 with a commercial mower. While this mower is built better than the normal consumer mower it does not have the features or the life expectancy of a true commercial machine. (No one makes a commercial “lawn tractor”) Commercial mowers have 7 gauge, 5 inch deep decks and 1/4 inch thick box tube frames.
There are very few negatives with this mower as long as you understand that it is a good quality mid-sized riding lawn mower designed to mow lawns well. It is heavier built than a normal consumer mower. I like this lawn mower for what it is designed for. It is capable of pulling a wide range of attachments.
After you use your new mower for a while, come back and tell us how well you like your Craftsman PYT 9000! (scroll down for the comment section)
Craftsman Professional PYT 9000 Model 28970 24 HP 42 inch Yard Tractor Review
Sears item# 07128970000 Mfr. model# 28970
Click here to submit your review.
PYT 9000
Every year thus far since 2009 when I bought it new, I have had to replace the drive belt because it stretches out. I've had Sears techs look at it the first 3 years while under warranty and extended warrranty and they are aware of it happeneing and have no explanation
Response: Other than you are using it to mow hills or pull 500 lb loads I also don\'t have an idea why it would eat a belt every year.
PYT9000 mower
I bought my PYT9000 mower in 2009. I started this season and the transmission started sliping. It has 167 hours on the hour meter. I went to mow and it would not move. I have bought mowers for years from Sears and never had any trouble with any of them. I am so disappointed that in just 3 years it has tore up.I understand that the warranty was for 1 year BUT I think that sears should repair my mower. If they choose not to I will NEVER buy from Sears again. I would like to have an answer for my problem. Thanks Larry Dilbeck
Response: Larry, be sure you check the drive belt and the tensioning pulleys/springs from the engine to the trans. Make sure the belt is tight. Also make sure the little rod that allows you to push the tractor around the garage is pushed in. I suggest you get under the machine and make sure that little rod has pushed the lever on the trans all the way forward.
The K47 trans in that mower is just about bullet-proof and used in many different models and brands of tractors. They usually don\'t just stop working. They will slowly begin to not go as fast or they will get a \"growling\" sound when they start to go bad.
It may be worth your while to spend $100 on a service call from a Sears Tech. He can verify if the trans is bad. Call 1-800-4MY-HOME to set up the tech. He may also have a service bulletin that can help you out.
It's Like Paul says it is
Paul is pretty much dead on with his initial write up on this mower. This in Not a commercial mower and will not hold up like one. I have written several other post about the tranny but it was loose bolts. Someone else posted about the tranny brackets coming loose. They installed the bracket to the top of the tranny. You cant "hardly" find it. But it is installed with course threaded bolts. I knew it was the transmission. It wasn't. Please check yours before tossing this... You will be able to rock it forward if their loose or gone like mine were. These attach into the aluminum housing on the tranny and will tear out the threads. I drilled mine out and placed long bolts from top to bottom. It's solid now. I have around 135 hours (yes I do all the maintenance) on it now. Its still hard to start (electronic chokes never have worked on these) but it's still a good mower for the money.
If you do not need a $4000.00 mower for big property, this one will last you a while for less than half that much. I mow around three acres every week with mine.
Response: Yes, I would like to see Craftsman come back with this model with traction control. I feel it would sell better than the current 42 inch Premium model.
PYT 9000 42"
Bad after 105 hours motor and blades work fine, however transmission went out. I mowed one day, parked it in garage, came back to mow following week. No forward or reverse replaced drive belt and still nothing. Of course it went out of warranty one month prior to the transmission going out and new one is $875 for the part only. Other than this issue had no other issues with the mower. I believe this is unacceptable with so few hours on the engine!! Sears will not do anything because warranty expired even with the low hours.
Hate to say it, "Worse tractor ever built."
Bad from day 1. Cold start problems secondary to improperly mounted throtle cable right from the factory. Plastic trim around deck leveler constantly popping out, needed sheet metal screws to correct. Replaced same mandrel twice. Deck always goes out of level. Needs 4 tires at 175-hours. Transmission to frame mount broken, so belt pops off . . . and now (drum roll please) I have hardly any reverse and half speed forward, so the Tuff Torq K46 transaxle, that is said to be maintenance free, needs an oil change . . . according to Tuff torq. In the last year, I have burned through 2-Craftsman back pack leaf blowers (poor design & function), 3-Craftsman weed wackers, and multiple parts for my 2-Craftsman push mowers. My Mom & Dad both retired from Sears. If it wasn't Kenmore or Craftsman, it wasn't in our house. I stayed on that same course . . . until now. It truly breaks my heart . . . can you say made in China?
Response: Dave, as far as I know nothing in this review is made in China. Just one question. How much do you mow? Are you mowing on hills steeper than 15 degrees?
@Greg, I am assuming you have the 42 inch deck. There are two positions for the anti-scalp wheels. Make sure they are in the upper position.
The wheels are only used to get your deck over obstructions like tree roots. If you have no obstructions that they need to ride over, take them off. Myself, I only have them on the front of the deck and have taken them off the rear.
One last item. How much air pressure do you have in your tires? If you are digging into the turf going around trees, try raising the rear tire pressure to 16-20 lbs. The tractor won’t lean as much on the turns.
Paul,
I’m having trouble with the wheels on the deck digging into the grass and dirt when I go in circles around my tree. It’s both apparent on flat ground and on slopes. What’s adjusted incorrectly? Front or rear wheels or something else?
Check that the brakes are not locked on or the little brake pucks are rusted to the disc from sitting all winter. don’t be so lazy, ck a few things on yer own first.
@mike, I would not expect any company to diagnose and troubleshoot a lawn tractor over the phone. If an operator is smart enough to diagnose your problem over the phone that person should be out in a truck fixing lawn tractors. The Tuff Torq K46 transmission in your tractor is not Sears specific and most of the other brands also use this trans. (Including John Deere)
Myself, I would inspect the parking brake. Here is the section from your manual. TO CHECK BRAKE
If tractor requires more than five (5) feet to stop at highest speed in highest gear on a
level, dry concrete or paved surface, then brake must be serviced. Call 1-800-4MY-HOME to schedule an appointment.
You may also check brake by:
1. Park tractor on a level, dry concrete or paved surface, depress brake pedal all the way down and engage parking brake.
2. Disengage transmission by placing freewheel control in “transmission disengaged” position. Pull freewheel control out and into the slot and release so it is held in the disengaged position. The rear wheels must lock and skid when you try to manually push the tractor forward. If the rear wheels rotate, then the brake needs to be serviced.
Now, check the brake lever. It is part 76 on the trans diagram. It must move. If it does not move that is your problem. Lubricate it and get it moving. The actual brake is internal to the trans so it does require a trans rebuild.
The next section of your manual covers checking the belt to see if it needs to be replaced. I would check all the idler pulleys and linkages to see if anything is loose or wore out.
I bought a Sears PYT9000 just a little over 2 years ago (the warranty is only 2 years). It had a number of small problems involving loose bolts but at the beginning of this season, it would not go forwards or backwards, even though everything else is normal. It’s as if the parking brake is engaged but it’s not. I called Sears for technical support or service but the lady said they cannot even render a guess on what the problem might be. This will be the last time I buy a Sears riding mower and I will think twice before buying any other major product from Sears.
@Walt, What is the model number of your tractor (it’s under the seat and starts with 247 or 917)
The current Model 24837 Craftsman Dual-Stage Snow Blower Tractor Attachment will fit both the 247 or 917 PTY 9000 tractors. It is an Agri-Fab snow blower and used by just about everyone. Most customers like the snow blower.
You will have to get weights or a rear weight box and chains to make it work well.
If you want a heavier duty snow blower go to a local dealer and inquire about a Berko snow blower. These are around $1800 installed and a lot heavier unit. Bring your model number along so he can order the correct mounting kit.
Paul I have a 2010 PTY 9000 Lawnmower and am very satisfied with it. But I wondered how it would work with a snowblower attachment on it? If it is Mickey Mouse please tell me so I don’t like Mickey Mouse stuff Walt
@harry, I have to assume your PGT9000 is a 247.28984. The model was effectively a Cub Cadet GTX1054 with Yellow and Black paint instead of Black and Yellow paint. The motor was about the only thing different. So if you want to replace it with a Cub Cadet be sure to look at the 2000 series tractors so you get a better tractor than the one you have.
For everyone else reading this: Craftsman realized in 2011 that many customers want a better quality mower than the Professional line. Because of that they discontinued the PGT and PYT Professional Models and replaced them with a higher quality Craftsman Premium Line. (The Premium line is made by Briggs & Stratton)
Did you get the tech back out to fix the belt, idler pulley issue?
I’ve been rebuilding 3 12 year old Craftsman tractors I had given to me last year and I’ve spent a lot of time comparing prices for parts and in just about all cases if I find an OEM part (not a cheaply made aftermarket part) the price on searspartsdirect.com is less than the price at a dealer store. It is even less than Amazon or eBay for the same part. Yes, you pay shipping but with the price of the OEM part at a dealer store in most cases it comes out about even. Now that said, if you don’t care about the quality of the part you can usually find cheaper parts at some dealer stores.
Belts. When you get over 20 hp the price of the belt goes up considerably. I call these belts “horsepower” belts and most of them have Kevlar inside so they can handle the stress of the high horsepower motors. They are expensive for any brand. (For example, Google “deck belt exmark” and look at the prices that come up) I have one 50 hp mower (not a Craftsman) where the deck belt is over $140.
By the way, I personally agree that for 80% of the customers who think they need a tractor mounted snow blower a walk-behind would be a better choice.
@Dave, I so agree with you on the quality of sears any more. I ahve always bought sears and in the past have find their products to be very well built. Whe I first bought my new home in 1986 i bought a new sears craftsman 18 hp Gareden tractor.I also bought a snowplower ,and a push plow with it. I found the snowblower was much to heavy for thr tractor and a pain to mount an dismount. Truely wasn’t worth the cost of 800.00 bucks. The plow was great and the tractor was strong enough to push dirt, as I used it to back fill a basement wall. Long story short I still have that tractor and it still runs and mowers very well. some rust on it but on avergage it,s ok. Now I figured it was time to buy a new tractor so I bought the sears craftsman PGT9000 back in 2010. I should have known when they droped it off something wasn,t right with it. Some mexicans delivered it and instead of droping it off at my house they went two house down and pushed it up to my house. I never saw how it can off the truck but found out after a few days in my garage just how carefulthey were with it. They actually broke the drive seal on the cranke shaft to the point where oil would run out all over the floor. Calle sears and they came back to replace the engine with a new one and one that was a 30 hp as apposed to the 28 I paid for. At that point I was very happy with what they did for me but that soon ended fast too. Now I have a mower belt that for soem reason refuses to stay on. I have checked everything and looked the diagrams just to make sure all was there and is.I am unable to mow my lawn now because the belt doesn’t stay one and the keeper rod and idler wheel seem to be the problem. The belt jumps all over and finally ends up getting pinched between the keeper rod and idler wheel to where it jumos off. It has done it so mnay times noiw that the belt it self is no good. For a new belt it cost over 50 bucks and then theres shipping because they don’t carry it in their stores. I a thinking the new motor they put in has a drice shaft that sits higher or lower then the olde mtor and the belt doesn’t run straight enough to ride the wheel right. I will never again buy a sears product again. thye aren,t what they use to be and the service and care you get sucks. For me to just get parst is costly and it seems their stores carry none of their parts so they have to be ordered on line with infalted shipping costs. I also found out that even if I had the part shipped to their store for pickup I would still have to pay a shipping fee. I going to check out a john deer this time or a cub cadet but not a sears.
@Dave, that’s what I get for writing too early in the morning when my dogs are driving me nuts. I forgot you were discussing the MTD built PTY 9000. I agree with everything you said about it.
I was refering to the Husqvarna built YT 3000, YT 4000, YT 4500 and GT 6000 tractors.
I should add that the B&G ELS Twin-V was the best thing about the tractor. Quiet, efficient, and always reliable. In fact, when I advertised the thing for sale, I listed the motor for sale, and the tractor was free.
Paul, I got an almost entry level Z445. I would expect it to last as long as my old Craftsman EZ rider . . . I want to say 1996-ish. It’s been 3-years, but I am pretty sure it had a 15hp Kohler. It cut the same grass as the PYT 9000 and lasted 3-times longer. The only difference is when I sold that one off craigslist it had a working transaxle. Perhaps I got one that was built on friday too, because it should have held up. I am quite familiar with the regular maintenance of the tractor as well. It was lubed regularly, oil changed, air & oil filter changed, blades sharpened or replaced, and belts too. And, although the belt on the tractor had only about 50-hours on it, I changed it right away. Contrary to what I read here, I have discovered the no maintenance “maintenance required” K46 transaxle does have problems in the 300-hour range. Otherwise Tuff Torq wouldn’t make instructions available for owners to service their units. When I mentioned the cheap plastic parts, I was describing craftsman gas operated lawn & garden equipment as a whole. However, comparing the 1996 to 2010 for use of plastic materials is not something I would think you would challenge. The use of plastics has increased ten fold on craftsman equipment. The quality of other parts has dwindled as well. I think it took all of 5-cuts for the trim piece surrounding the deck height adjustment would pop out causing the deck to drop to the ground anytime it hit a bump or low obstacle. Nothing 6-sheet metal screws couldn’t fix. Parking Brake handle? Plastic. Free wheel pin? What appears to be a coat hanger. Electrical switch assemble for trans under the fender? Plastic. Trim around Forward and reverse gears on right fender? Plastic. Shroud? Cheap cheap cheap fiberglass that is so light it needs to be bungied down so it doesn’t bounce out of track. I could go on and on with the plastic used in the pulley systems, etc. I understand that you really like this tractor, but I hope you can understand I got a bad one . . . and by all accounts according to my research on the internet, I am not the only one. Sometimes it is the tractor and the company selling them.
@Dave, What model zero-turn did you purchase?
@Dave, The L&G manager in Gurnee is wrong. I’ll go through the list in a moment. Was that the downtown store or the outlet mall?
Country of origin if other than the U.S. is clearly labeled on the box and/or owners manual. ALL tractors from all the brands currently sold in the U.S. are made in the U.S. except the Stanley, Recharge Mower, and the 38 inch MTD. (The new Husqvarna rider is made in Sweden) All of the front and rear wheel drive Craftsman walk-behind mowers are made in the U.S.
The PYT and the PGT were two different tractors. The PYT series is a lawn tractor and is designed to mow lawns, period. The PGT is designed to pull ground engaging equipment. (They were essentially MTD/Cub Cadet 1000 series tractors)
You are right, the Craftsman customer could not tell enough of a difference with the 2010-2011 Professional line to justify the additional cost. Yes, they had better motors than the Yard tractor line and the Cub Cadets but there was mot enough other differences to warrant the $300 extra cost. Besides, Craftsman owners wanted a HEAVY DUTY tractor. One of the most common requests was the ability to go up hills. (differential lock)
The new premium tractors are heavy-duty and are the best tractor Craftsman has sold to date. They go head to head with the X300/X500 series Deere’s and are better than anything Cub Cadet is selling now.
Yes, I did ask about how hard you use it. I wish I could spend 10 minutes with every tractor buyer to help them decide the right tractor for them. Too many customers look at the price and not the features in determining which tractor they buy. Craftsman makes a tractor for just about everyone, but not every tractor will work for you.
The K46 is used by many different brands including John Deere, Ariens, Craftsman, MTD, Cub Cadet and Briggs. It is the standard “medium duty” lawn tractor trans for everyone.
I have noticed that 80% of the “transmission Problems” are because the owner needs to change the transmission drive belt. Even if the belt looks good, always change the belt before you blame the trans.
Now, it’s my turn to ramble. I have aquired 4 old Craftsman Lawn Tractors and a Murray in the last six months. The Craftsman’s are all 5 to 12 years old. I have stripped two of these completely down to the frames for parts. The 2012 YT, GT, and Premium series tractors are built as well or better than these older units. The 2012 has better steering, more legroom, better engines, better seats and fewer moving parts on the deck. The new deck cuts better than the older decks. The 2008-2012 models have a little more plastic in the dash, otherwise please show me where there is more plastic in these new tractors than your 12 year old green or gray LT2000.
Please forgive my rambling response. My only excuse being that I must be going through the 5-stages of grief, and I am now in the anger stage. Coming to the decision that I will never buy another craftsman product is like someone in my family dying. When you come from a Sears family, it is hard to not imagine life without Kenmore & Craftsman. I just spent a whole lotta money on a John Deere Zero turn, because I could not trust Sears with my money any longer. I feel like I just stabbed my brother in the back . . . but then I think of all the money I have spent on repairs and new purchases for the last three years, on everything I own that is craftsman, and I compare Sears to a crack head relative that is always stealing from me. The time has come for tough love.
In response to the made in China comment. On my third try at trying to purchase a craftsman weed whacker earlier this year (3-weed whackers broke in a matter of 5-days), I was informed by the Lawn & Garden manager at Sears in Gurnee Il, that most craftsman lawn & garden equipment is assembled in China. Perhaps he was wrong, but the quality of craftsman lawn & garden products seems to have declined exponentially in the last few years and it would be surprising to me if he was wrong. I would not buy a craftsman worm drive saw this past fall because not only was it made in China, it had a “NEW,” “hypotonic” way of lubricating & cooling the saw . . . no oil needed. A closed system that is supposed to last . . . sort of like that K46BA transaxle in my tractor that doesn’t need maintenance . . . but does. I have now learned that these closed system’s only guarantee is that you are guaranteed you will buying a new one sooner rather than later. I do nothing with my tractor that isn’t called for in the operating instructions. Your question seems to indicate that if you are working the tractor hard, then these issues are explainable. However, I would address that by suggesting if the sales person at Sears had suggested that the tractor, even though advertised as a step above the usual residential tractor in quality and durability, might breakdown repeatedly over the course of 3-years if used “hard” while cutting less than an acre of grass, I might not have wanted to buy it. I’m just saying. Also, this was not my first rodeo, in that I have owned more than one craftsman tractor, my last one was 12-years old. Believe me, it pains me to see this kind of quality holding the craftsman name plate. I have a 27-year old Kenmore washing machine, but I fear I will never again be able to count on the craftsman & kenmore name like I used to. At this time, if someone is choosing to buy a craftsman lawn & garden gas operated implement, then they better set up a parts account right away. Based on poor design and cheap plastic parts, you will be breaking and losing parts before you know it. Lastly, it probably is not coincidental that Sears is no longer producing this version of the “higher quality than normal” residential tractor. The PYT (Professional Lawn Tractor) turned into the PGT (Professional Garden Tractor), and then it turned into the NAT (No-longer Available Tractor) . . . perhaps it did not live up to its billing.
@Erik, Sears went with a different vendor 2 years ago (why? no one knows)
This tractor has a great transmission and is still being sold as the 54 inch 28858 with a 26 hp Briggs and the 54 inch 28008 with a Kohler. With a 42 inch deck there was too much of an overlap in the product line and the YT 4000 won out on cost. (Because of the Briggs Professional motor and electric clutch the 28970 was priced about $400 more than the YT 4000 and $200 more than the 54 inch 28858.)
This tractor in it’s basic form has been sold by Sears for many years. So everything except the motor is very common parts for a Craftsman. Many of the parts are also interchangeable with the Husqvarana and Dixon tractors. You will be able to get parts for many years to come.
So someone is selling a used one of these things apparently in great shape. But, it seems Sears is no making them anymore. Should I worry about part availability? Or why they aren’t making them anymore?
My new craftsman tractor deck (42inch) is rubbing the rear wheel. What can be done?
@Frank, Call 1-800-4MY-HOME and schedule a tech to come out and fix it. They can accurately and quickly get your mower running again.
Hi!
I have about 20 hours on my 28980. I like the cut, but the readout on the top has never worked. More importantly, it now will not start or turn over at all. After backing up to avoid hitting a post and exiting the seat, it is not getting any power. The manual states there is a fuse, but I find none. Instead, I have a relay HFV6. The mower deck seems to still be engaged, and I have found no way to disengage it. After a trip to the local Sears store, I found no relief to this problem.
The 28970 a great tractor? The big motor and good deck were the reasons I purchased it,but its had a few petty problems.Now that I saw the frame cracks they are probably why the transmission belt keeps jumping and getting caught between the transmission and its pulley,an almost impossible place.You must either wedge the belt btween them and start the tractor and hope it tracks back on or cut the belt.This has happen 5 times ,since belts aren’t covered under warranty ,I’ve been making do.The frame is cracked around both front bolts ,that are actually still tight.Just bending ears over from the frame is a poor way to connect the rear end unless the metal were heavier. I’ve never had drive belt problems with any other tractor but this”pro” version.I just can’t imagine what users towing trailers are going to have,I have only mowed with mine.If they weld heavy angle iron to both sides of the channel frame I think the repair would hold,but to fix on site they probably a cheap fix in mind.
@davet, It depends on how bad the frame is tore up. The tech decides if the frame gets patched, the frame gets replaced, or if you get a new mower. I have seen all three.
If he decides to replace the frame it will take about a week to get the part, and then he will have to come back out and replace it. It’s about a 4 hour job.
Be aware that most of the time for a replacement mower, the tech has to come out for four separate times, for the same repair problem.
If the tech happens to give you the decision, opt to have the frame replaced. The 28970 is a great tractor.
I have a craftsman m#28970,same problem.Frame is cracked at front mounting bolts and transmission belt keeps jumping off.Used 1 season 44hr,sears will come out in 2 weeks to fix.I am wondering how they will fix the frame,mounting ears for transmission are cracked bad.
@jimmy, Great Job! This time of year there are some really great deals out there. Check out not only the Sears Mall Stores but the Outlets, the Hometown stores, and hardware stores
I have read that this mower is a deal at $1699.00. Well, I walked into Sears to kill some time while wife was doing shopping at mall. Salesman approached me and said they had a closeout on a few riding mowers and said it was a “must see”. The y4000 that I have used for the last 20 years is getting little weak,so I thought I would take a look. PYT9000 marked at $999.00 and three year warranty out the door for $1447.00. This thing has been setting in my garage for two months and just started it today. Used Stable in fresh fuel and it started just fine. Looking forward to actually using this mower but will have to wait till I get the mower belt that they forgot to install.
@Dan,
This is the first instance I have heard of where a 28970 had frame/trans mounting problems. The few issues I have heard were with the 28922 and 28924 which are made by a different manufacture.
I am curious if the problem was loose bolts, the bolts falling out and then the trans twisting and breaking the frame or…. did the frame crack and the bolts falling out from the cracked frame?
I am going to guess it was the bolts coming loose, falling out, and then the trans twisting in the frame causing the frame problems. Sears techs usually replace the frame if it actually was a frame problem.
I really like this mower and is one of the best in this price range. This tractor (in various colors including Craftsman Black and Yellow) has a very good reputation and really has not had any issues. I think you may have just got a "Friday" mower. The bolts to the trans were not tightened correctly at the factory. I feel this tractor will go on to give you years of service doing what you want it to do!
I purchased Craftsman pty 9000 model 28970 24hp. 42inch professional yard tractor. 80 hours of use transmission front mounting bolts fell out cracked the frame where the axle mounts and tranny lost reverse.Sears replaced transmission reenforced frame. Has good power belts are not flipping off.Do you think this tractor is capable of handleing mowing 1 acre,pulling a yard sweep,towing small dump cart of sand,dirt,logs,malch and pushing snow? I realy like the machine I am not confident in the durabilaty of this machine after what I just expireinced I need a 2nd opinion. Thanks
@Greg, If you are leaning towards the LTX1042 go with the Craftsman PTY 9000 model 28980. You get basically the same tractor and deck as the LTX1042 with a 24 hp commercial grade motor instead of the 19 hp Kohler. I am a little concerned about the 12 inch turning radius on both of these mowers. You may not be able to turn that short under actual conditions (tire scrub). Other than that the Craftsman has had NO issues this year. It is turning out to be a very good mower.
Rumor has it that the transmissions in the LA125's are weak and have a habit of dying at around 150-200 hours. The 28927 cuts better than the Deere and turns tighter.
The Craftsman 28927 is a good deal on Family and Friends. It is a much better mower than your old one and has a good engine. It has a manual blade engage, the 28980 has an electric clutch.
Click on this link and type in 28980 or 28927 for the tractor you selected. You can order it through this link as early as 8 pm Saturday night. You can buy online and pick it up at your local Sears.
Personally….if I had your budget I would go with the Craftsman 28980. I like the Briggs & Stratton "Professional" engine, electric clutch and it has the same deck as the Revolution. Consumer Reports rated the Revolution's deck as the second best cutting deck of all the mowers they tested this year. I talked to a district manager for Sears Repair (handles Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) and he just has had NO problems with the 28980 this year.