I have been waiting to write a review this tractor because this is a new tractor from a manufacture who has not made this type of mower for Sears before. I was finally able to test it and get answers to a few questions I had on April 15.
Read my review below the Specs.
Listed on Sears.com as: Craftsman Professional 24 hp 42 inch Yard Tractor Sears Item 07128980000
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- Model 28980
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Specs:
Brand: Craftsman Professional
Series: Professional
Model: 28980
Ca Model: 28672
Engine HP: 24
Engine Brand: Briggs & Stratton Professional
Cylinders: 2
Transmission: Hydrostatic
Transmission Control: Foot Control
Mower Width: 42 inches
Blades: 2
Cutting Positions: 11
Gauge Wheels: 4
Washout port: Yes
Blade Engagement: Electric
Turning Radius: 12 inches
Front Axle: Cast Iron
Rear Tires: 20 x 8
Seat: High Back
Slide Seat Adjust: Yes
Service Minder: Hour meter
My Review:
This mower is considerably different than the 2009 Model 28970 from last year. While it has the same yellow and black paint scheme, the frame, deck, transmission, tires, controls and overall appearance are different. It still has the high-end Briggs & Stratton motor, electric blade engagement and rugged front bumper.
Pros:
This tractor has some of the basic components found in other mowers from this manufacture but Sears has dramatically improved this tractor over it’s cousins the Cub Cadet LTX 1042 , the Troy Bilt Range Rider, and the Toro LX427 . The Craftsman Professional has a commercial grade Briggs & Stratton ELS motor, a free brush guard and offers their legendary Protection Plan.
The deck is very similar to the deck on the Revolution Model 28933. Consumer Reports rated the Revolution’s cut very high last year and again this year so I expect this deck to cut as well.
The frame is an “L” design instead of the channel frame found on the 28970. It is a heavier 9 gauge steel. The 28970 had an 11 gauge frame. It appears to be strong and stiff. I don’t expect you to have any problems with this design.
The hydrostatic transmission is a medium duty transmission and designed for the application. It can pull all of the non-ground engaging attachments Sears sells. It is does not weigh as much as the retired K 46 found in the 28970 but I don’t feel this will be a problem. The tranny manufactures are very careful to size their transmissions to the application.
Last years tires were 20 x 10. The new tires are 20 x 8 and not as flat across the tread. These new tires are a very common size and won’t give you any problems unless you are trying to mow in sandy or muddy conditions.
The drive control is now a foot control. (last years 28970 had a fender control). It uses a simplified button for cruise control and the parking brake.
I had a chance to “mow” with one on April 10. One of my customers purchased one with a three-bin bagger and used it to pick up thatch that he had pulled from a lawn with a power rake. It was a good lawn so there was 3 to 4 inches of loose grass on the surface and the PTY9000 did a very good job of picking up this grass and throwing it into the bagger. It filled the bagger well and evenly.
One of the key points for me on a bagger is how much suction the unit has. A good way to check this is to run the mower down a sidewalk and have one edge of the mower hanging over the lawn about six inches. This is an easy way to see how well it picks up the grass clippings along the edge. Many poorly designed decks will take the grass and blow it to the other side but the 42 inch deck on the PTY 9000 did a very good job of picking up the grass along the edge and throwing it in the bagger. I’m confident it will work well for you on normal grass bagging.
Cons:
I am not a big fan of the 12 inch turning radius. I personally feel this is too tight for this length of machine and if you have a poor lawn or sandy soil the tractor will “scuff” your lawn if you try to turn that tight. If you buy one of these tractors and it does leave marks in your yard when turning sharply the only way to “fix” this problem is to not turn as sharp. The tractor is engineered to turn sharply, but it will not work well in ALL lawn types and it will leave marks in your lawn under certain circumstances. This is not a “don’t buy” situation, I am just telling you that while this is a good, solid, machine, there will be times where you can’t turn as sharp as the machine can without leaving marks in your lawn.
Summary:
In summary, this mower is a step up from the YT 4000 series and is worth the extra money over the YT series. The free brush guard and Extended Life Briggs alone are worth the extra cost. This Professional Series Craftsman will give you many years of good service.
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- Craftsman Professional Lawn Tractor Model 28980 Parts, Accessories & Attachments
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Tags: 2010 Craftsman Professional Yard Tractor 42 inch 24 hp Model 28980 Review, Craftsman Professional 24 hp 42 inch Yard Tractor
Paul,
Sorry to bother you yet again, but I’m still not satisfied I have the right mower. I bought a 28922 but it doesn’t seem to be cutting very evenly. I’ve adjusted the deck but it still doesn’t cut too well. It’s also pretty noisy as I’ve mentioned before. Now I’m considering the 28980 professional. Would you expect this machine to cut more evenly than the 28922? How about noise…would it be the same, better or worse?
Thanks for your help,
Dennis
@ Dennis, Everyone I have talked to who has purchased the 28980 likes their mower. The district service manager has told me there has been NO problems or complaints on the service side.
I have heard no complaints about cut quality. It does have basically the same deck Consumer’s Reports rated as one of the best on the Cub Cadet.
It will have a lot more power than the 28922 and the engine is a lot smoother. (It’s a v-twin) It is a commercial motor and is the top-of-the-line Briggs. The only disadvantage is it will use more fuel than the 28922.
It seems to be a very good mower and I recommend it highly.
Just a question? Who makes these new professional mowers for Sears?
@Bob,
MTD makes the Professional (Black/Yellow) and LT series (Gray), AYP (Husqvarna) makes the YT (Red) and Garden (Black) series. Briggs makes the 28 inch rider, Simplicity the 42 and 52 inch zero-turn. Bob-Cat makes the professional zero-turn.
Thanks Paul.
Just bought the 29890 with bagger and protection agreement for May 15th delivery. I hope it runs, cuts and bags, as well as it appears to be built. I always thought MTD was a low end manufacturer? I guess things change. I will find out very soon.
Thanks again.
Bob
@Bob,
You are welcome. MTD makes a wide range of products from the ‘Yard Machines” junk to the Cub Cadet “Tank” They get their bad reputation from the “throw away” mowers they sell but in fact they also make some very good quality items like the Cub Cadet compact tractor line. I can tell that Sears and MTD worked closely together to develop mowers for the “Craftsman Professional” name that will live up to the quality and reputation you expect.
In my opinion the 29890 is basically a Cub Cadet with a Commercial Motor. I had a chance to use one and it cut and bagged very well.
The deck got two good ratings from Consumer Reports this year. The Revolution and the Cub Cadet both use the same deck as the Craftsman Pro. They rated it as one of the best cutting decks.
Thank you Paul,
That makes me feel more confident about my choice, cause it was not cheap. By the way, your website is very well done and most informative. Keep up the good work, your experience and insight are very helpful.
Bob