Never had anything more than a Honda push mower. Going to do a little sprucing up of this John Deere zero turn.
Looking to do spindles, pulleys, belts, and shock absorbers.
Plan on using the John Deere maintenance kit as well.
OEM spindles run like $75 and aftermarket run like $35 a couple brands out there then some no name stuff.
Don’t mind using all Deere stuff but all in all could save around $300 if any of these aftermarket folks are decent.

Have a site folks like to purchase from that are legit.
Closest John Deere place is now like 45 minutes away so looking to buy online.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Black92LX,

Deere contracts for a lot of their parts. You might be able to find out who they use as their manufacturer as they may not build things like spindles in house.

For example, my 3032e compact tractor has a Yanmar engine on a Deere frame and transmission.

I buy JD maintenance stuff like filters, belts etc from Lowes, it's closer than the Deere store and that's about it...

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
Going to do a little sprucing up of this John Deere zero turn.
Looking to do spindles, pulleys, belts, and shock absorbers.
Plan on using the John Deere maintenance kit as well.
OEM spindles run like $75 and aftermarket run like $35 a couple brands out there then some no name stuff.....

OEM from Deere will be convenient but I wouldn't hesitate to use good quality aftermarket stuff for the components you list. Gates belts that fit should be readily available.


From never having anything more than a push mower to a Deere zero turn is quite a leap!

JD is an acronym for “Just Damn” when you buy parts or have work done on a John Deere anything.

For what is worth I have been told that the John Deere equipment that you purchase from the big box stores such as Home Depot(etc) are not built to the same standards as those sold at the John Deere Dealerships. .. Have heard of people that went to the dearlerships to buy replacement parts and the parts clerk informed the customer of the difference in parts quality ................. drill sgt.

I disagree. It comes down to economics of scale, the larger quantity purchased the greater discounts received. No way JD or any big company like GM, Ford, or Chrysler/Stellantis is going to have two different grades of parts sharing the same part number in their system. A logistical and warranty nightmare, that would cost them more in manpower, associated costs with storage, mixed inventory and if a part under a certain number fails in use the time to determine which one it was if it was under the same number and physical appearance.

It was always an old wives tale that the mass merchandisers like O’Reilly’s, PepBoys, etc., bought “seconds” filters, spark plugs and such to sell those at a lower price. They were selling those at a price lower than we bought them from GM’s own in house system to its dealers. We in dealerships would complain to our factory contacts and they would say “Buy a boxcar load of R45 spark plugs and we’ll give you a big discount too.”

GM to an extent remedied this in the 70’s through the 90’s with some new programs intended for the dealers but those mass merchandisers still had an advantage.

Now the equipment sold to mass merchandisers vs. franchised JD dealers, that part I’ll agree with. You won’t see a D series lawn tractor in a JD franchise store nor will you see an X series in a Home Depot/Lowe’s.

Be thankful you aren't restoring a Skag mower . $$$$

quote:

Originally posted by drill sgt:
For what is worth I have been told that the John Deere equipment that you purchase from the big box stores such as Home Depot(etc) are not built to the same standards as those sold at the John Deere Dealerships. .. Have heard of people that went to the dearlerships to buy replacement parts and the parts clerk informed the customer of the difference in parts quality ................. drill sgt.

Complete BS from dealers wanting to get the sale of both mowers and parts, like Shovel said, JD isn't selling difference quality machines or parts.

The dealers get paid a spiff on each JD that HD sells for setup, and they get the recommendation for servicing these units, the one I bought at HD had a local dealers sticker on the back.

Lowes sells JD filters, belts, plugs, etc, it's the same stuff you get at a Dealer.


Bought my next JD from the dealer direct, since HD didn't carry that model, HD is just selling lawn tractors, they also have IH and others out front.

*********** New Questions*****************

I started working on the John Deere today. I bought the John Deere Maintenance Kit LG253 which includes oil, oil filter, fuel filter, spark plug, and air filter.

This is the kit number that was given to me by the John Deere dealer that did the inspection it’s also the kit that all the parts places (online) suggest for my model.

Everything was fine except for the air filter. The air filter that came in the kit and that was changed in the YouTube video I watched using my model is a flat rectangular finned panel filter with a 2nd foam pre filter.

The air filter on mine is a cylinder and nothing close to the filter in the kit.

Engine is a Briggs & Stratton 18.5hp
Googling the engine code I was able to locate the proper filter.

Makes me curious what other parts have been changed on this model over the years. I have all the part numbers I need for the replacement parts from the John Deere dealers inspection.
I’d really like to have all the new parts to pit on when I take the thing apart.
I don’t really want to get in there and have a bunch of the wrong parts. But I guess I don’t have a choice so I am not sending a bunch of parts back.

Hopefully the last question is has anyone changed control dampeners? They appear to look like
hood struts. I assume they are attached to the control handles.
My left handle is super loose with almost zero resistance so I presume one of those is shot.
Or is it something else that would be causing this?

I have found that lawnmower parts are dependent on the model AND serial number.

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:
I have found that lawnmower parts are dependent on the model AND serial number.

That’s what concerns me a bit. All the part numbers I have came straight from the John Deere dealer that did their premium inspection. My inspection sheet lists both model and serial number.
Including the Maintenance kit that had the wrong filter.

Which kind of worries me that other part numbers are not correct and I am going to be stuck taking it apart to check part numbers, hoping they are on the parts. Then ordering and putting it back together.
Which is not what I am looking to do as I have a lot of other projects and I really would like to have this thing mowing soon.
Pushed it again Tuesday and knew it was only a matter of time before I stepped on a big ol snake. Thankfully he was just a black snake pretty fat and happy munching on cicadas to be worried about me.

Been a bad day if it were a copperhead

Green 7 Iron deck or yellow stamped one?

Yellow