Executive Summary: This is the 46 inch version Craftsman’s most popular riding mower. It continues to be the best value riding mower on the market today. Compared to all the other brands this yard tractor has more of the features you want. It has a better motor than other lawn tractor brands, a hydrostatic transmission, a great cutting deck, plenty of available attachments and the industry leading Craftsman Turn Tight 6 inch turning radius. It will handle all of the non-ground engaging attachments Sears sells. This is Craftsman’s best value Yard Tractor. With Craftsman continuing the Turf War this year it will be the best value single cylinder yard tractor.
This tractor has not changed for 2012.
Brand/Manufacture: Craftsman / Husqvarna
Model/Series: Yard Tractor YT 3000
Item Number: 28852 (49 State) 28853 (with 22hp Kohler Motor) 28862 (CA Version)
Buy Here: Craftsman 46 in Single Cylinder YT3000 at Sears.com
Store Pickup: Buy Online, Pickup At Your Local Sears Delivery: Buy Online, And Have It Delivered To Your Home Ship: NA
Street Price: $1549.99 to 1649.99
Basic Quality: (Cheap, Good, Best, Premium, Don’t Buy) This is Craftsman’s Best Quality. The 28885 is less quality. The Premium Craftsman’s are better.
Type: (Riding Mower, Lawn Tractor, Yard Tractor, Garden Tractor, Estate Tractor, Sub-Compact, Zero Turn, Stand-On) Yard Tractor. See attachments at the end of this article.
Compare it to: Ariens 46 in. 20 HP Riding Mower, John Deere 42 in, 21 hp, Cub Cadet LTX 1045
Craftsman 46 in 21 hp Hydro
Pros:
Fender Control Trans
Hydrostatic Trans
Step-through Platform
6 inch Turning Radius
Cons:
Single Cylinder Engine
Retail Price: $1549.99 to 1649.99 Check The Best Sale Price Here: Craftsman 46 in Single Cylinder YT3000 at Sears.com
My Review:
If you have a lot of landscape beds and yard stuff to trim around this is the best single cylinder lawn tractor. The 46 inch deck sticks out the side of the tractor a little bit farther than the 42 in version. This makes it easier to get closer to landscape beds, fences and buildings without the tires making a mess.
This tractor continues to be the best value tractor on the market for your average size suburban yard! This is a great lawn tractor with an excellent cutting deck. Independent review companies continue to rate this deck as one of the best for how well it cuts. It has an oil pump B&S motor, with yellow oil filter. It has four anti-scalp wheels so it will mow your lawn without gouging or scalping the turf. Sears says you can put a snow blower on it, but I don’t recommend it. Why? I prefer the 24 hp twin in the 28856: so you have plenty of power. This tractor continues to get the best reviews from the review organizations for value, cut, and dependability. Sears has the best service and they come right to your home if your ever have a problem with your tractor.
This tractor come sin three versions. The 28852 (49 State) and 28862 (CA Version) have Briggs & Stratton motors. The 28853 (with 22hp Kohler Motor) has a 22hp Kohler motor for those of you who like the Kohler brand over the B&S.
This lawn tractor will mow in reverse.
People who buy this yard tractor want a dependable mower with a dependable motor. They want the step-through design, a nice seat all at a good price. That is why you will find so many good reviews on Sears.com. This is a great tractor with a great cutting deck and may just be the best value for you and your suburban lawn.
This article was first published at TodaysMower.com
I’m not going to go into a lot of detail on this review. If you have specific questions leave a comment below and myself or the readers will be glad to answer them. This is a great tractor and if you want one to last this should be at the top of your list.
Comfort – Ease of Use: Deluxe high-back seat, easy to use operator controls, good field of view. This Yard Tractor is very comfortable to operate and drive. .
Power For Mowing: This tractor has plenty of power for side discharge mowing every week. It mulches and bags well.
Reliability – New to 3 yrs: This tractor is serviced by Sears. There have been very few issues with the build quality. Read The Reviews Here One thing to know – Sears takes the tractor out of the shipping crate but they do not “setup” the tractor. (John Deere dealers are the only retailer who does) You have to put gas in it, and run it for the first time. If there is an assembly problem you call 1-800-469-4663 and a service tech comes out to your home and fixes the issue. The store where you picked it up from or the delivery team does not repair the tractor. If you buy another brand make sure you understand their repair policy if you have a problem. Many of the other brands make you take the mower to an “authorized service center”
Handling – Traction/Steering: This tractor has average traction and handling and is similar to all the other lawn tractors from the other retailers. If you have slopes I suggest you look at the CTX9000 42 in Model 25004. It is a heavier lawn tractor and will handle slopes better than this mower. I recommend you never use a mower like this on wet or drought-dry slopes.
Mow – Mulch- Bag: This tractor gets high marks by owners for mowing, mulching and bagging. But, be aware this is not a “high-speed” deck like you will find on a commercial lawn mower. It mows perfectly at 3-5 MPH but don’t expect it to mow as fast as the tractor will go (5.5MPH) and give you the same results. With this tractor/deck you set the height of cut using a lever on the tractor fender.
Specifications, Features, Benefits
The rest of this article is taken from the retailers website. Specs subject to change.
Type: Yard Tractor
Maximum mowing area per hour (acres): 1.4 acres at 4 MPH
Recommended for moderate slopes? Yes, Moderate slopes
Excels in mowing around obstacles? Yes, Tightest turning radius in the U.S.
Will Mow In Reverse? Yes
Manufacturer: Husqvarana
Brand: Craftsman
Engine Power: 21 hp*
Displacement: 540 cc.
Manufacturer: Briggs & Stratton
Cylinders: Single, cast-iron liners
Type: OHV, oil filter, Pressurized with automotive style oil pump
Charging System: 15 amp regulated
Battery: DieHard
Choke/Speed Control: Integrated One Lever
Fuel Tank Capacity: 2.5 U.S. gal.
Transmission: hydrostatic
Transmission Control: Direction/speed – foot control with dash mounted cruise control
Cruise Control: Yes
Forward Speed: 0-5.5 mph
Reverse Speed: 0-2.5 mph
Chassis: 11 ga.
Front Tires: 15x6x6
Rear Tires: 20x8x8
Front Axle: Cast Iron, lifetime warranty on axle
Hood Material: Steel
Hourmeter: No
Tool Tray: NA
Cupholder: Yes
Headlights: Yes
Translucent fuel tank or Fuel gauge: Yes, Under hood
Deck washout port: Yes
12-volt outlet: No
Steering: Type 2-wheel steer
Turning Radius: 6 in.
Uncut Circle Radius: ? in.
Spindle Bushings: Metal, replaceable
Seat Back Height: Deluxe high back
Fore-aft Adjustment: 6 in. while seated
Seat Suspension: Two coil springs
Deck Lift System: Spring assist, Fender
Mower Cut Height: 1.5 in. to 4 in., 6 position
Cut Height Increments: ? in.
Preset Cut Height: No
PTO clutch: Manual
Mower Deck
Type: Side discharge
Mower Cutting Width: 46 in.
Blades: 2, 46 in.
Mower Deck Material: 13 ga.
Mower Wheel Adjustment: Yes
Mower Level Adjustment: Exact
Mower Drive System: In-line belt, Manual PTO
Mower Attachment: 3 point Not EZ-Off
Mower Drive: Belt Tension Spring
Mower Wheels Rotate For Deck Removal: No
Dimensions
Wheelbase: ?-in.
Overall Length: ?-in.
Width without mower: ?-in.
Width with mower: ?-in.
Width with mower: (deflector raised for storage) ?-in.
Height: ?-in.
Weight: 513 lb with mower, no fuel
U.S. Warranty: 2 year limited, 3 and 5 year optional protection plan
Click here to submit your review.
So i bought the tractor...It was worth the price I paid, $1350.00(new). Wish i had had more to spend.
Comments;
-Its EXTREMELY loud, VERY LOUD!! and i am used to a one lung 14 hp and an old Wisconsin Bolens.
-The motor vibrates more then my HD Sportster. Whole tractor shakes and pedals vibrate, etc at low to mid rpm's.
-The hand operated hydrostatic drive can be awkward to use while steering and trying to adjust the deck up or down. (You know, to slow down at a corner in the lawn where that little exposed rock is )
-Engine cowl is lose fitting and will bounce around if going to fast over rough area's
Those are really the only complaints i have with the unit, granted i've only owned it a week.
Love the power, Awesome cut, love the turning radius, good safety features. Again Good tractor for the money, but glad i did not pay the $1600 MSRP, much better units out there for that price.
Happy Mowing
Hi Paul,
Thanks so much for such an informative site. It makes me so much more confident making such an expensive purchase. I have a question: my old mower was a Husqvarna with a 42″ deck. The bagging attachment looks identical. Do you think I can use that attachment with this mower/46″ deck?
@Mac, Yes you can use your old bagger BUT the lower chute is different. The discharge hole in the 46 inch deck is larger. You can order the new chute through Searspartsdirect.com for around $45. Look over in the right hand column of this page and find the 10% off coupon for searspartsdirect.
Thanks for the quick response Paul. I’m ordering the entire bagger simply because I can’t find a part number for the lower chute anywhere. I’ve found “A” lower chute, but nothing that tells me that it would fit the 46″ deck. A talk with a Sears representative had him asking me the model # of the lawnmower, which is different than the one on the website and also not the model number I would need anyway, as it is a bagger part, not a mower part. Thanks again!
@Mac, You are welcome. Don’t forget you can get an extra $50 off your bagger when you order it with the tractor online.
Paul, I am looking to purchase this tractor NEW. you are only one of a few that give it such a rave review.
the comments submitted on the sears sites i have seen complain about vibration and noise, not being as good as the competition. Did you experience the same issues from your test?
Any thoughts?
Link to Craftsman.com that had the bad reviews.
(http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_12602_07128862000P?vName=Lawn+%26+Garden&cName=Lawn+Mowers+%26+Tractors&sName=Lawn+Tractors&prdNo=9&blockNo=9&blockType=L9)
@Tuttle, Yes, I read the reviews on Craftsman.com. I could not determine from the reviews if they were complaining about the engine or the deck vibrating too much.
Here is what I know:
There are at least 50,000 of these mowers out mowing lawns and I have run across about 20-30 owners with vibration problems. Most of these problems were from the initial assembly of the mower deck. If you are unlucky enough to get one that vibrates just call 1-800-4MY-HOME and a tech comes right out and fixes or replaces the deck. ALL of the vibration problems relating to assembly have been with the 46 inch deck. I have read no complaints about the 42 inch deck.
Some users complain about the vibration of the engine. This is a 540cc single cylinder engine and it does have more vibration than the 740 cc 24 hp v-twin. That piston is huge compared to a 12.5 hp motor and even with a counter-balancer in it the motor will have a “thump” If this is a concern buy the Model 28857 which has the 24 hp v-twin. (The one reviewer on Craftsman.com who ended up buying an Ariens bought the 22 hp V-twin)
Some users complain about the engine noise. I agree. If the new owner had a 12 or 14 hp briggs in their old mower this engine noise is different. That big piston slapping away seems to produce a different and more irritating noise than a V-Twin. It is louder? No, it’s just a different sound. Again I prefer the noise of a Model 28857 V-Twin myself.
Is it as good as the competition? This is an easy question to answer. IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE TRACTORS IN THIS PRICE RANGE THE CRAFTSMAN HAS MORE FEATURES THAN ANY OF IT’S COMPETITION! In other words, if you look at the tractors in the $1200 to $1600 price range the Craftsman has a better turning radius, a better motor, and a better and easier to adjust seat. ConsumerReports rates the 46 inch deck the same as the Cub Cadet and Ariens (Deere does not have a 46 inch deck)
Finally, remember the HD Ariens is essentially a 2008-2009 Craftsman and for the same money does not have the turn-tight steering and Platinum series Briggs Motors.
Paul,
I have the opportunity to buy a 2009 54 inch with the 26 HP Kohler for $1000. It has only one season of mowing on it on a flat yard, but is out of warranty. It is a neighbors. Do you have any thoughts on this mower versus getting a new 2012 42 inch tight turn 21 HP? Thanks again.
@Mike, if it is a YT4500 that’s half the price of a new one. If it is a GT5000 gear drive they go for $2500. The GT6000 goes for $2999.
Sounds like a great deal.
It is a YT4500. I got the chance to mow with it today. Runs great. I am fearful because it doesn’t have a warranty. But seems like a good deal.
@Mike, The only complaint I have heard on the YT4500 is it won’t mow at 4 inches (about 3.5 is the highest) Otherwise, the tractor has no issues that I can remember. Some of the engines develop a head gasket leak, but that always happens in the 1st 50 hours. After that they run forever.
Paul,
Great site, very informative. You rate the 46 inch Craftsman YT3000 a full star better than the 42 inch. Is this just because of the deck protruding out to the wheels? Or are there other reasons? Thanks!
@Mike, Yes, that’s the only reason I rate it better. I feel the 46 is easier to trim with than the 42. Everything else about the two tractors are identical.