Super garden tractors

[Sam Mac]

This is the 2072 https://bgky.craigslist.org/grd/6133104344.html

[CubDieselFan]

If you wait too long, there will be no decision to make. They will both be gone.

[ginsenger]

I made drive shafts for a living for 10 years, and I have a lathe and meg welder. If it could be done, lol but is it worth the troub;le

[ginsenger]

made milk haulers from the tires up for a few years too, don't judge too quick

[john hall]

I looked at the ad, didn't notice anything about it having an 18hp engine, he mentioned an 18hp Magnum he had that he will sell though. I'd never pay the $500 for the other engine unless he had proof it was a recent rebuild.

I think I paid around $150(maybe a bit more) for aftermarket pistons and gaskets for a M18 this winter. Another $50 to grind the valves and seats. Another $40 to replace the fuel pump. My bores were in spec so I only had to hone. Boring was going to cost me another $50. Didn't have to split the case, so I'm hoping the crank and rods are in good order. Just tossing out some ideas so you will get the feel for what the 2072 may cost you. Of course if you open it up and the crank needs turning, rods are shot, well you get the idea. My situation was I already had the mower I was working on and had already dumped a bunch of money into it. You'd be starting out $900 in the hole to begin with.

I'm thinking you could easily have more money in this by the time it is fixed than what it would sell for running and mowing grass. If you do go to look at it, check over other items like driveshaft--front to back (you can drop $200 on rebuilding one of them). Check the deck and mule drive over really well, easy to lose another $1-300 rebuilding those.

Not trying to talk you out of this one, just giving a heads up of things I have personally ran in to. My 1811 started out as a $3 or 400 CL buy, but it didn't leave the shop that way!

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by ginsenger

I made drive shafts for a living for 10 years, and I have a lathe and meg welder. If it could be done, lol but is it worth the troub;le

Originally Posted by ginsenger

made milk haulers from the tires up for a few years too, don't judge too quick

What do either of those two things have to do with rebuilding a 2 cylinder Kohler??
Can't bore the cylinder on a lathe, or grind the crank..... soooo.... nothing. I have a lathe, 2 MIG welders 3 stick welders and I've been a diesel tech for about 20 years, 15 of which were running my own shop and I still wouldn't rebuild one of those because it's not worth the cost.


You better buy one or the other soon.... good deals are fleeting!

[ginsenger]

I may have replied to the wrong man, Was referring to making a tiller from a bolins (brinly stuff) work on the cub. I have a line of buildable 18 hp kohlers and 2 that run, one needs rear seal. long of it I could make it go for now but not be perfect and have time to find a deal later. It has been a few years since I priced out the stuff to build one and everything has gone up. I bought a complete 1860 at a salvage yard for $150 that was locked up from mice pulling carpet strands up in the flywheel cover. I have been swapping parts around in circles keeping one or another mowing. I think you are probably right about rebuilding one though. Just buy a new one and set it on there. Or a good cheep used one. But then I can do my own valve job and a friend that would bore one for free. And surely one of my fuel pumps would still be good. I have a set of rods that have been modified to hold bearing shells too. I really got a mes of stuff for them. I would really rather go up a few hp for what I do with it. I work them hard. I made arrangements to buy them both. I guess I'm a cub nut. lol A question though, will the drive shaft on the 1860 or 1811's work on the suppers with their longer frame?

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by ginsenger

I may have replied to the wrong man, Was referring to making a tiller from a bolins (brinly stuff) work on the cub. I have a line of buildable 18 hp kohlers. It has been a few years since I priced out the stuff to build one and everything has gone up. I bought a complete 1860 at a salvage yard for $150 that was locked up from mice pulling carpet strands up in the flywheel cover. I have been swapping parts around in circles keeping one or another mowing. I think you are probably right about rebuilding one though. Just buy a new one and set it on there. Or a good cheep used one. I would really rather go up a few hp for what I do with it. I work them hard. I made arrangements to buy them both. I guess I'm a cub nut. lol A question though, will the drive shaft on the 1860 or 1811's work on the suppers.

The Bolens tiller is made for a different RPM. It's like putting a PTO on a truck transmission to drive a pump that puts out the wrong speed. Except, you can't just change the gears in it like you can a truck PTO. Plus, I'm pretty sure the Bolens PTO turned opposite of the Cadet. Not 100% on that though.

No, a GT and SGT driveshaft are different length.

[chief915ky]

I guess the bottom line from my view is this......

If you're confident that you have the skills, and access to parts like other engines, to make whatever repairs are necessary......and you're willing to do whatever repairs are necessary...... and you're able to fabricate anything else that you may need..... and any advice that is given is immediately met with "well, that's no problem for me"...... what difference does it make which model you buy?

Pick the one you like the looks of....or flip a coin....or flip for best 3 out of 5...... Again, what difference does it make? Choose whichever will make you happy, because obviously no one here has said anything yet that will sway you one way or the other at all.

As has been said already.... if you want one, pick and go get it. Your going to be back to square one (looking for another for sale) before you know it.

[john hall]

Originally Posted by ginsenger

I made arrangements to buy them both.

Sweet! Both of those models are considered very good machines. Sounds like you have one to mow with and another to build and customize. Post some pics when you have them--we LOVE pictures.