Executive Summary: This is the 46 inch version Craftsman’s most popular twin-cylinder riding mower. It has a better motor than other lawn tractor brands in this price range, a hydrostatic transmission, a great cutting deck, plenty of available attachments and Craftsman’s Turn Tight 6 inch turning radius. It will handle all of the non-ground engaging attachments Sears sells. This is Craftsman’s best value twin-cylinder Yard Tractor. Compared to all the other brands this yard tractor has more of the features you want. With Craftsman continuing the Turf War this year it will be the best value twin cylinder yard tractor.
This tractor has not changed for 2012.
Brand/Manufacture: Craftsman / Husqvarna
Model/Series: Yard Tractor YT 4000
Item Number: Model 28857
Buy Here: Craftsman 46 in Twin Cylinder YT4000 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: $1799.99
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 the 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 24 hp Turn Tight Hydro
Pros:
Foot Control Trans
Hydrostatic Trans
Step-through Platform
6 inch Turning Radius
Cons:
Could Use Larger Tires
Retail Price: $1799.99 Check The Best Sale Price Here: Craftsman 46 in Twin Cylinder YT4000 at Sears.com
My Review:
If you have a lot of landscape beds and yard stuff to trim around this is the best twin 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. The 6 inch turning radius is so good you will forget about wanting a zero-turn mower.
This tractor continues to be the best value tractor on the market for your average size suburban yard! This tractor has plenty of power to attach a snow blower. 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. This tractor continues to get the best reviews from the independent 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 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 Craftsman 46 in CTX9000 Model 25005. 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: 24 hp*
Displacement: 724 cc.
Manufacturer: Briggs & Stratton
Cylinders: Twin, cast-iron liners
Type: OHV, oil filter, Pressurized with automotive style oil pump
Charging System: 15 amp regulated
Battery: DieHard
Choke/Speed Control: Separate Choke/Throttle
Fuel Tank Capacity: 3 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: Yes
Tool Tray: NA
Cupholder: Yes
Headlights: Yes
Translucent fuel tank or Fuel gauge: Yes
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: 42-in.
Width with mower: 57-in.
Width with mower: (deflector raised for storage) 47-in.
Height: ?-in.
Weight: 526 lb with mower, no fuel
U.S. Warranty: 2 year limited, 3 and 5 year optional protection plan
Paul’just to confirm the trans in the yt4000 is a tuff torq k 46? thanks Nick
@Nick, Yes, According to searspartsdirect it is a k46bt. Here is the link to Tuff Torq.
http://www.tufftorq.com/level4.asp?ID=1Since I can’t get a 28857 (being in California) I was looking at the 13AR91PT299, which is sold by Sears, but is apparently made by MTD (see http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_07128880000P?sLevel=0&redirectType=SKIP_LEVEL&prop17=13AR91PT299). It seems like more tractor for not too much more money. Am I missing something? What is your opinion of these? I’m looking for a 46″, twin cylinder, with a decent engine and transmission (i.e. not Kohler Courage or B&S Intek), to mow about 2 acres of rough, but not rocky, mostly flattish ground.
Jim
@Jim, Yes, this tractor was made for Sears by MTD and is very similar to a 1046 Cub Cadet with a really good motor. The 26 hp Briggs was their best in 2010. It has a good trans and a 12 inch turning radius.
Is it better than the 28857? They are two completely different tractors made by two different manufactures (MTD and Husqvarana) so they are really hard to compare.
The bottom line. You can’t go wrong with the price. The tractor is worth it and the great engine makes it a really good value.
Paul:
I have an acre yard that includes a moderate slope. I’m looking at the Craftsman YT4000 and the JD D140. How do you compare a 2-blade deck vs. a 3-blade deck?
thanks.
@George,
The two decks are meant for two different types of owners. If you normally side discharge and mow a “normal” lawn, the 48 inch will do a fine job. If you also want to bag and you are very meticulous about your lawn buy the 46 inch. The 2 blade 46 inch deck lifts the grass better and it also throws it into a bagger better than the 3 blade 48 inch. If you have a lot of trees and other landscaping to go around buy the Craftsman 46 inch with the 6 inch turning radius.
The D140 tends to be $300 more than the YT 4000.
Decks, As far as I know both the 46 and 48 decks have the same thickness of steel.
The YT 4000 has a mechanical blade engage, the D140 has an electric clutch.
How about 3 blades vs 2 blades when it comes to mulching?
@Jim, Depends on the deck.
John Deere has an insert that goes into the 48 inch deck. It takes up to 2 hours to install it but once it’s in there their 48 inch deck is one of the best mulchers around.
The Husqvarna 48 inch decks just use a cover over the discharge. This arrangement (like the 54 inch deck) tends to give you a lot of blow-by when mowing dry grass. You end up with grass all over you.
The Craftsman 46 inch deck also just has a cover but doesn’t have the blow-by problems the 3 bladed decks have. You can also get the premium mulching blades (gator blades) that really work well.
I would pick the 46 inch Craftsman Deck over the Husqvarna 48 inch deck if I am going to mulch most of the time.
Paul:
A follow-up question….
At present, I tend to side discharge mostly; are you saying that the 2 blade deck does a better job of blowing the grass out?
thanks.
@George, Yes, The 2 blade 46 inch Craftsman deck has a “straight” discharge path. Conventional 3 blade decks have a triangular path. (the middle blade sits farther forward than the two outside blades) The straight path allows the grass to leave the deck faster.
The best way to see which decks throw the grass best is to run them for a few months without cleaning them. Take them off and look at where the grass builds up under the deck. Most 3 blade decks have a major build-up between the 2nd and 3rd blades (1st blade is the one farthest from the discharge)
When you look at a Craftsman 2 blade deck it is clean all along the discharge path.
Paul,
I really appreciate your reviews – I’ve learned a lot from you, your readers and the various links to other sites. We are moving to a 2 acre property (light slopes, lots of trees) north of Omaha this Summer, so of course I’ve declared that I must purchase my first yard tractor for mowing and hauling.
This Craftsman tractor seems like a solid unit at a fair price, but I followed the link to the reviews on Sears.com and there seems to be a lot of people who have bad experiences with set up.
As a first time buyer I can tell you there is something reassuring about the idea of a guy rolling up with your “green” tractor, unloading it and walking you through the functions and knowing it was set up properly. I also realize that’s part of their marketing plan.
Anything you can share on “best mulching tractor for new guy who is mildly mechanical” would be appreciated.
@Dave, I know your area well and the Model 28857 is a good choice for you. The tractor has the 6 inch turning radius so it will go around your trees as good as a zero-turn. The 46 inch deck sticks out of the tractor just enough to make trimming with it easy. The 24 hp v-twin gives you a smooth motor with enough power for your good, thick, blue grass lawn.
I understand the personal touch of having someone deliver your tractor and go through the operation with you. Sears and Deere are the only two companies that go through the mower’s operation with you.
You can buy your tractor here (online) and have it delivered or pick it up at your nearest Full line Sears. Either way, go to the store and go into the lawn & garden department. Ask anyone in a blue shirt to give you the “five minute drill” on your new mower. If you have a small, hometown store ask the counter associate who has gone to the lawn mower training and ask that person to give you the 5 minute drill.
The associate will go through all the features and the operation of your tractor.
I talked to the manufacture rep yesterday and got him to tell me about any assembly issues they were having this year. (last year the assembly plant was new, was rushed and didn’t get many of the pre-assembly processes done. This caused a few issues with the build quality on the Husqvarna, Ariens and Craftsman mowers.) The rep told me they are having no issues this year. The early reports from buyers say the same. I have only seen 2 instances of the engage lever on the deck not getting hooked up right. (out of about 5000 mower sold) When you get it home and there is any problem, just call 1-800-4MY-HOME and a tech comes right out and fixes it for you.
I don’t make commission on the Protection Plans but being a new user it does make sense for you to purchase the 3 year. Why? Because any issues you have with your new mower are covered including “operator error” In other words if you don’t think the mower is running right, you can call Sears and a tech will come out and look at your mower free of charge. (without the Protection Plan if the issue is not a factory defect you would get charged a trip charge and labor…) With a Deere you have to bring the mower to the dealer (or have them get it) to have any issue looked at.
I am not mechanically inclined. Basic set up is included in the owner’s manual and is very simple. While it would certainly be nice to have the delivery guys do it, the fact they didn’t in my case (although they claimed they did) was not a deal-breaker for me after doing extensive research on comparably priced and equipped tractors. But that’s a call only you can make. Some people enjoy the convenience of paying more and getting less. For me, having the guys show up in the nice green shirt and set that baby up was not as important as having a tractor with a better engine, shorter turning radius, one that bags better and includes a national network of repair people who will come to your home (at some expense perhaps, depending on your issue and warranty coverage) was more important. On the other hand, if you are concerned about factory defects and reliability (when compared to the comparable Deere model), my research suggests there is no significant difference. It’s your money. No one on this site or any other site(even Paul for whom I have the highest admiration and respect) should presume to tell you how to spend it.
@Miles, I agree. My goal on this site is not to sell you the “best mower” but to help you find the best mower for you!
Absolutely. And on that matter, you really excel. Thank you.
Paul’ It seems that my tractor leaves a small strip of grass in the middle (in between the blades)?Have you heard of this problem before @ do you know of a fix ?The deck is level @ tire pressures are good.thanks nick
Yes, I am assuming it leaves it when you are mowing in a straight line. A 2 blade deck this size can sometimes leave a strip when you turn too sharp to the right, but I don’t of hear this happening on the Craftsman decks.
Call Service. Most of the time the tech changes the blades and the problem goes away.
Paul,
I continue to be baffled by Consumers’ Reports rating of this tractor below the Deere D 110 series. The Craftsman has a better engine, bags better and costs less. Reliability is 2 points below the Deere but CR indicates point differences of less than 6 are not “meaningful”. CR mentions that Deere has extensive dealer service network in place. What they fail to mention is that in most cases, the owner has to take the tractor in while Sears repair will come to your home. So please tell me how the Deere comes away with a higher overall rating.
@Miles, I haven’t been to the magazine aisle in a while. Did they get a new report out for 2012?
For some reason CR doesn’t recognize that Sears has 11,000 qualified techs riding around in vans and that you never have to take your tractor anywhere to get it serviced.
The way I understand it, CR’s service record is based on owners that are also subscribers to CR. They periodically poll their readers to find out many things including service needed to a mower.
I do wonder what kind of priority you get at a Deere dealer when you bring your mower in for warranty service and there are also half a dozen $350,000 tractors and combines also sitting there waiting for service.
Yep. 2012 report raises the same questions regarding CR’s rating of this tractor as I had last year. I just don’t see how any objective analysis could result in a higher Deere rating.
Paul’ i have a question about the trans in this tractor. tuff torq 46bt part # 426120 at sears online its $755.99 at sears parts direct its $330.65 ??? also i guess it is k46 trans ? as always thanks nick
@nick, The Mowforce TRANSAXLE(K46BT).PDL.TX.TG For Sears Craftsman Lawn Mower # 426120 is from an outside source. Be aware sears.com is like amazon, there are many other retailers that sears allows to sell on sears.com. These are called Sears Marketplace vendors. When you find an item, look under the price and if it is not from Sears it will say: Marketplace Item | learn more | Sold and shipped by Mowtownusa.
Paul,
There doesn’t appear to be a California version of the 28857. Is that correct? And, if so, what would the nearest thing to a 28857 that would be California legal? Thanks.
@Jim, The 28862 is the single cylinder CA model with a 46 inch deck. The 28866 is the 42 inch twin cylinder CA model. The 28863 is the 54 inch CA model. Unfortunately there is no 46 inch twin for CA.
You will find the 28862 has enough power for your grass. It has the good oil-pump Briggs as the twins. It will use about 20% less fuel than a twin. Here is the link to it on Sears.com:
Craftsman 46 21hp Hydrostatic Yard Tractor CA Only Model 28862You’re probably right. However, the reviews are much less enthusiastic for the 28862 than the 28857.
@Paul, with the mulch plug installed, I’d like to remove the discharge chute that came installed. What’s the best and simplest way of removing this chute?
I made my first cut today on 1.5 acres. It took me approximately 1-1/2 hours. Last year, when I pushed the 1.5 acres, it took me 4 hours. This was so worth the investment.
@Byran, The best way is to remove deflector bracket. That will take the whole chute off. Here is a diagram showing the bolts from searspartsdirect.
http://c.searspartsdirect.com/lis_png/PLDM/1101562P-00007.pngI presume that is #23 in the diagram? If that is the case, isn’t the mulch plug using a part of the bracket to hold itself in place? (Along with the pins on both ends)
I thought removing the pin (#29) would do the trick.
@Bryan, Yes you can remove the pin but it is harder to reassemble if you ever want to go back to side discharge.
Back to my 2nd post, if you remove the bracket, where will the mulch plug rest on?
@Byran, I was wrong. I forgot that the plug sets on that bracket. I would remove the bracket with the chute, then remove the pin. That will take the load off the spring and make the rod easier to remove. Then reinstall the bracket.
Paul: Just cut the yard with the mower. I have a Crafstman self propelled that I used before this rider, and I have it set midway on the six stops on the wheels, one to six, I am a four in back and a two up front. Well, using the 5th setting on the riding mower deck, it cut it even lower than what the push mower did, so that means all the way on the last (6th) setting, I will never get it very high like I used to with my push mower.
Thinking it was the deck wheels, i lowered them from the topmost setting (up to the top of the mower deck) to the next to last setting. Still did not help much. Any suggestions
The only other sears mower I had was like 10 years ago and you used a dial to set the grass height.
Oh, I did not switch out the mulch blades yet, but I dont think that would make a difference. I am loving the hydrostatic and mowing in reverse and would hate to return this because right now, it looks like the grass heighth won’t approach even 2.5 inches at the highest setting.
@sam, Put the mower on a flat surface like your driveway. With the mower/motor turned off raise the discharge chute and measure from the sharp edge of the blade to the ground.
If the deck is in position 6 it should measure about 3 3/4 inch to 4 inches. If it is only around 2.5 inches call 1-800-4MY-HOME and schedule a tech. The tech will come out and diagnose the problem.
I have heard of a few tractors that had the wrong rear lift links installed. (this is a factory assembly problem) Only the techs know about this, the stores don’t.
Measured, it was 3.5″. Any other ideas
@Sam, So it is mowing at 3.5 inches. The tractor is designed to mow from 1 to 4 inches. So with deck in the topmost setting it should mow around there. That’s the best you can get with these mowers. You can try inflating the tire to 20lbs. that may give you another 1/4 inch.
The only tractors that will mow higher than 4 is the 28861 GT6000 and the new Craftsman Premiums. Those will mow about 4.5 to 5 inches.
This is a general problem with lawn, yard, and garden tractors made today. Many of us want to mow above 4 inches, but none of them are designed to mow that high. It doesn’t matter which brand, they are all that way.
A few customers have ordered a “Rear lift link assembly PART NUMBER: 195181″ from Searspartsdirect.com. This is the right hand adjustable lift link for the deck. They put the new on on the left side and screw both up as high as they can go. This gives the a little over 4 inches.
Sam,
Sam, around 3.5 inches is all it will do. The optional lift kit may give you another half inch or so. I always mow at the highest setting unless I am preparing for fall maintenance such as plugging or dethatching. It’s such a great cutting deck that I am prepared to live with the height limitation and cut more often, if necessary. That’s a call only you can make. I don’t believe you can make any adjustments that will result in a significantly higher cut.
It’s very hard to get any of the current tractors to mow higher than 4 inches. Most will only go up to 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 inches. Even the commercial rotary mowers won’t mow any higher.
Most of the lawn mowers on the market worldwide only raise up to 4 inches (101mm) Only the ride on brush cutters like the Canycom CM and razorback will mow in the 5 to 7 inch range.
Just ordered mine at Sears yesterday, delivery thursday. Ad was $1695 but that was 17% off so in store they took it town to $1645. also got free delivery, the basic.
question: shows hi lift blades, so ordered the mulch kit. Should just be able to unbolt the stock blades and put the new ones on and then the rubber enclosure to the deck. Any suggestions on how to get the mower up so I can access the deck to do this change out?
Decided to go with the mower expensive mower, vs. a 21hp, single cylinder (this model is 24hp and 2 cylinders) and the 46 inch cut, since I read that it gets closer to the fence and stuff since the deck justs out past the tires.
@sam, Personally I have an 18 inch high work table I built out of 2X4′s and 1X10′s that I use to work on tractors. I use two eight foot 2X12′s for ramps to get the tractor up on the table. I push the tractor up on the table and it get’s it up high enough to easily change the blades. I built the table so I can set it up on it’s end when I am not using it.
I have put the tractor across the bottom of a ditch to get under the deck, the ramp on a trailer, lifted the front-end with a come-a-long tied to the rafters in the garage. Sears sells a tractor lift if you want to spend $150.
You only to need to get the front wheels lifted up about 6 inches to get both your hands under the deck.
You can remove the deck and once you remove the deck a few times, it only takes 5 minutes to take it off or put it back on. Read the manual and take pictures with your cell phone if you need to. I have three 8 inch 2X4′s I put under the deck to hold it off the ground while I remove the clips and pins.
I pushed my 1.5 acres all of last year, so now it’s time to relax and ride the 1.5 this year. My wife and I went to Sears last night to check out the YT3000 and YT4000. After comparing the two, we were sold on the YT4000 #28857 with 46″ deck. It was listed at $1799, but the sales rep checked the computer and said to come back on Sunday (3/25/12) as the price will drop to $1699. Needless to say, we’ll be going back on Sunday.
In the meantime, however, I purchased the Advanced Mulching (‘Gator’) Blades and Mulch Plug. Chances are I will receive those before receiving the 28857.
Should be a fun lawn cutting season.
@Byran, Good for You! Check this link Sunday morning to see if Sears.com has a better deal than the store
Model 28857. For example, today and tomorrow there is free delivery and an extra $20 off using code SPRING20 during the checkout. That gives you the same $100 savings ($79 plus $20) if you wanted it delivered. As far as I know the stores are not allowed to give the free delivery on L&G (their deal is in appliances)Just so you know always check the online price before you go to the store and buy you item. Many of the online specials are better than the in-store price and the store is not allowed to price-match.
Sears is treating the mall stores, the hometown stores, and Sears.com as separate companies and each type gets a different deal (or the same deal on a different day).
@Paul, Thanks for the advice. I asked about free shipping yesterday and while they said they didn’t offer it in store, if I brought in the ‘Free Shipping’ information from Sears.com, they would honor it…or so the sales rep’s manager said. We’ll see what happens, but in either scenario, this tractor will be purchased
@Byran, Don’t let them play games with you. They can look up the free delivery info on sears.com right there, using their in-store computer and get the same info as you can at home. It’s always in the “special offers” tab on the page your item is located at.
Any extra savings codes I will keep current in the right hand column of this page.
You don’t have to waste your time printing it out.
@Paul, Your site has been nothing less than fantastic in our hunt for a new yard tractor! Thanks.
Paul is absolutely right. In my experience, some Sears L & G managers and associates are notorious for providing incomplete or misleading information to consumers. Sadly, I believe this has become part of retail culture especially when sales are commission driven. When I purchased my tractor last May, I received conflicting information from two sales associates and finally ended up with the purchase for under $1500. Best to have full knowledge of specials before you arrive at the store.
@Miles and all my other readers. Sears has the best tractors this year and the best prices, but they also have the most confusing sales. Most of the time the sales are changing so fast that the store associates can’t keep up. Most of the sales staff is part-time (most retail staff is part-time) and their shifts change every day so they don’t always get the info they need to give you the best deal, let alone what is going to happen next week.
From what I see 20% off retail is a “normal” sale, 23% off is a great sale, and anything more than that is a “buy now” sale. Also look at the sale plus any special incentives like bonus Shop Your Way Rewards points, free delivery and coupon codes. I’ll do my best to keep these “extras” posted in the right hand column of this site.
Well, the tractor went on a deeper sale and we ordered up the tractor on Sunday. The associate couldn’t honor the online free delivery, but he did have another 10% off coupon he could ring to compensate for the delivery and a little more off the top. Before tax and $74.99 delivery, we got the 28857 for $1525.50. It should be delivered tomorrow
To all my readers: Don’t be afraid to order through the links on this site instead of going into the store, especially if the deal is better online. Sears.com is safe. The same information (name, address, etc.) asked for online is also asked for at the store. The information all goes into the same database. The commission I get from your sale pays for this website.
Buying from Sears can be very complicated so be sure to read this article before you buy here, online or at the store.
HowThe store associates don’t always set this up for you and it does give you the best deals.To Get The Best Deal At Sears
By the way. Don’t ask in the store if they have extra coupons like the one Byran got. If you ask and the associate says no, “I don’t have any”, don’t push the issue. Those coupons are printed at the register when a customer checks out (or on your electronic receipt in your email) and are for you, the customer. The coupons are based on your spending and geared just for you. If the associate keeps them and uses them for other customers he/she can get fired from Sears.
Not bad. Not bad at all. I feel confident you will enjoy your new tractor. The cut is outstanding. Routine maintenance is easy, even for a non-mechanically inclined person like me.
Paul just picked up my tractor today and was going over some things and could not find the tire pressure in the manual. The front say 14psi max @the rear 10psi max on the tires.What psi do you think should go in the front and rear. thanks again nick
@nick, Congrats!
Interesting….they usually come with 20-25 lbs in them.
10 to 14 in the front. 10-12 in the rear. If you get one that won’t hold aair at that pressure put a little Dawn dish detergent around the rim to tire seal and then inflate to 20 lbs. Drive it around for a few minutes and then set the pressure to normal. The leak should stop.
Paul’ just bought the yt4000 46″ 24hp using your link.was going to get the 21/46 husq. at lowes but this seemed like the better deal. i think you get more for your money with the yt 4000 ? if i have any problems i will post them. thanks again nick
@nick, yes it is hard not to buy a Craftsman again this year. They are continuing the “Turf Wars” so they are keeping the price less than comparable models from the other brands. Plus they have a few innovations on the YT 3000, YT 4000, YT 4500, and GT 6000 like the Turn Tight steering that are better than anyone else.
Lots of buyers would prefer to purchase “green” and pay more to get less. It’s insane. One would never go broke betting on the ignorance and biases of the American consumer.
Paul,
As best I can tell from your review, the only difference between the 2012 and 2011 version of the 28857 is the former has a turning radius of 6 inches and the latter 8 inches. Would that be correct?
@Miles, Actually the turning radius is the same. Sears re-measured it this year and the turning radius is actually 6 inches for both the 2011 and 2012 models. Imagine that!
Thanks for that tidbit. Like I said last year, dollar for dollar, it may be the best lawn tractor out there for under 2 grand. I can think of minor improvements such as an easily accessible and readable gas gauge, tires with better grip, greater deck height and lifting the gas line off the muffler (by the way, thank you for the fix on this latter issue; I only modified it by inserting a rubber sleeve with hooks around the line and then using a zip tie attached to the hooks to lift and secure away from muffler). As you said in your review last year, the turn tight technology is a game changer.