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My 2011 Reviews. You can find larger and smaller mowers from this list.
The Side Rear Discharge Lawn Tractor (SRD) has changed from last years model. This model costs less than the 2009 and still gives you the same quality of cut and bagging capability. While I don’t personally like this mower, but it may be just right for you if you have a small yard, raise your own produce and have gone “green.” See the rest of my review after the Specs.
Listed On Sears As: Craftsman Briggs & Stratton Silver 17.5 hp 30” Side Rear Discharge Tractor
If this is not the right mower for you, go here to see all of my reviews:
My 2011 Reviews. You can find larger and smaller mowers from this list.
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Model 20835
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Specs:
Read My Review Below These Specs:
Brand: Craftsman
Series: SRD
Model: 28035
Ca Model: N/A
Engine HP: 17.5
Engine Brand: Briggs & Stratton Silver
Cylinders: 1
Transmission: 6 speed gear
Transmission Control: Lever on Fender
Mower Width: 30 inch
Blades: 1
Cutting Positions: 6
Gauge Wheels: No
Washout port: No
Blade Engagement: Manual
Turning Radius: 16 inch
Front Axle: Welded Steel Tube
Rear Tires: 16 x 6
Seat: Mid-Back
Slide Seat Adjust: Yes
Service Minder: No
Bagger: Included
My Review:
For 2010 Sears lowered the cost about $200 by changing from a hydrostatic transmission to a manual six speed. This change puts this mower into the price range of the other 28 to 32 inch mowers on the market. (This mower includes the bagger)
Specifically this mower is 32 inches wide (cutting width 30 inches) and is designed to bag your clippings and easily dump them on your compost pile. SRD means: the clippings discharge out the side of the deck, into a chute inside the mower. The chute goes to the rear of the mower and the clippings dump into the integral bagger.
Just back up to your drop pile, reach over to your left, pull out the bag lever and dump your clippings. No need to get off the mower to dump.
Sears improved the safety switch on the bagger. There were quite a few complaints about the bag not sitting on the switch properly and the mower kept cutting out. With the new switch this has been eliminated.
You can not use the mower without the bag. There is no side discharge option but there is a mulching kit available. It has a hitch inside the bag compartment so you can remove the bag and pull non-ground engaging attachments like carts and thatchers. The bag comes off very easily.
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Needed Accessories:
I will add accessories in a few weeks.
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I have a 1/3 acre yard, but have real thick St. Augistine and would like a rider to get it done, but i don’t want a huge rider that won’t go through the gate. I was looking at the Husqvarna 38″ LTH18538 or the Craftsman 30″ SRD. I really like the design of theCraftsman mower(30″) with the bagger in back would fit through the gate easily. But the only drawback is it is a manual shift, and the Husqvarna is a hydrostatic shift. My question is, how important is automatic shifting compared to manual? I wish i could find a 2009 model Craftsman SRD, but no searches turned up in my area.
@Marty, The price was too high for the 2009 and very few were sold. Good luck finding one.
Be aware that the SRD is only a bagger. I guess you can get a mulch cover for it, but you can't use it to side-discharge.
On this small of tractor the hydro is not that important unless you have a lot of landscaping and other things to go around. Then being able to back up, slow down, etc. is easier with a hydro.
Myself I have a 30 inch Dixon zero-turn. I have lots and lots of landscaping, dog yards and other obstructions to go around. The Husqvarna 30 inch zero-turn is the upgraded version of my old Dixon.
"The bag comes off very easily"…?…then why can't you simply dump collected material in toter or bins?…why must you back up and "dump"?…Everything sounds good for me except I need to send clippings to the curb for pickup. Also, how does the mulching kit work if the bag must be engaged?
-Fred
@Fred,
This a "european design" bagger and is designed so you just back up to your compost pile, stay on your tractor, and dump the clippings. It is quite different from what we are used to here in the U.S. For you to "curb" your clippings you will have to dump your clippings on the ground and them scoop them up into you paper bags.
Worldwide, this is one of the most popular designs, but here in the U.S. the last one we had like this was the old Mow King from the 60's.
The mulching kit has an extra piece that holds the safety switch for the bagger closed.
This mower is perfect for me…it will easily fit through the gates and dumping the clippings is not problem. But…I have about a degree slope from the sidewalk to the street…will this mower be powerful enough to pull the hill?
@Ken,
Yes, in fact this mower has plenty of power for any task you want to do with it. I have a 30 inch Dixon with a 10 hp motor and it actually does fine even with a "gator" mulching blade and mulching plug.
Thanks Paul…I am going to order it today. (meant to say 30 degree slope in the original question!!!)
If mower will not run without bag, how do you pull attachments after taking the bagger off? I have the 2009 model, and would like to do just that. Also, getting the dumped grass/leaves into bags to haul to compost site is a chore. I have been dumping onto a tarp, then folding up and lifting up into the bag. Sometimes it just dies, usually from switch on bagger. I’m ready to disable it.
@Randy,
It’s easy for me to say something wrong. The tractor will run and you can drive it around with the bagger off.
If you try to turn the mower deck on, (move the blade engagement lever in front of the steering wheel) the tractor will not run.
There are safety switches that that prevent you from operating the mower deck with the bagger off. You can’t mow the lawn with the bagger off the tractor.
Thanks for your input on the bagger operation. I personally don’t like this mower. While this style of mower may be popular in Europe I don’t feel it is a good match for the way we normally mow lawn in the United States. We have been progressing away from bagging and yard waste for some time now and going to mulching.
If I owned this mower I would create a compost bin that had a ramp on one side where I could back the tractor up the ramp and dump into the bin. I would do my mixing in that bin and then transfer it over to the next bin for maturing.