Home and yard maintenance

[kd]

Did a major service on JD lawn tractor today.  It turns 20 this year registering 429 hours.  Changed all fluids and filters, including the lifetime transmission fluid as it's never been changed, and both spark plugs.  Sharpened the blades as well.  Surprisingly, the tranny fluid looked good and only a tiny bit of metal filing on the flow magnets. All belts looked good as well.  Had to get a piece welded on the mower deck and it's working fine now.  Here's hoping for another 10 years! New ones are over $5k and likely not built as well. 

Also, had to put a new tube in the grease gun today.  That's a job i've been dreading.  Last time was about 15 years ago and it was just as hard this time.

[Firm]

Lol, those grease guns can be super frustrating. I do a couple tubes a year and I've learned a little trick...Clamp a vice-grip on the plunger shaft once you have it fully retracted to hold it in that position, then you can swap the new tube in and screw everything back together before releasing the vise-grip.

Good work on the JD too. Those older ones are pretty tough. I have an L110 (low end model) from the early 2000's. I don't use it to cut the lawn much anymore as I have a Husqvarna zero-turn I use now, but I use it plenty for pulling a landscape trailer around the yard, hauling brush, pulling dead cars, etc...basically, lots of abuse. Takes it like a champ. 

[Bridgecity]

My Dad has 1989 JD 332 that still gets regular use. 16hp yanmar diesel. Its doesn't get near as much use since he purchased a zero turn 5 or six years ago, but still uses it around the yard for pushing snow (has the loader attachment) and moving stuff around.

Minimal problems with it over the years. Both rear axles broke at some point, and I believe the front steering spindles wore out. JD parts are stupid expensive so we ordered used parts from eBay a couple times.