Executive Summary: This is my choice for a 42 inch riding mower! It is one of Craftsman’s most popular riding mowers. For the features it offers compared to all the other brands it continues to be one of the best value riding mowers on the market today. If you want to put a snow blower on your tractor this is a great choice. It has a better motor than other lawn tractors, a hydrostatic transmission, a great cutting deck, plenty of available attachments and the industry leading Craftsman Turn Tight 6 inch turning radius.
Is this the right mower for you?: This tractor will mow up to 1.5 acres an hour. The hydrostatic transmission and 6 inch turning radius makes this the most agile 42 inch mower on the market. The turning radius is so good you won’t need to spend the extra money for a zero-turn. The 24 hp B&S Platinum V-Twin is smooth and better than the motor in other competitor’s tractors. This is a great yard tractor and is designed to primarily mow lawns. If you want to put a snow blower on a tractor this is a good choice, but if you need a heavy duty tractor with a heavy-duty transmission for blowing snow look at the Craftsman Professional Garden tractors instead. This is one of Craftsman’s most popular riding mowers! For the features it offers compared to all the other brands it continues to be one of the best value riding mowers on the market today.
Brand/Manufacture: CRAFTSMAN®/MD / Husqvarna
Model/Series: Yard Tractor / Turn Tight
Item Number: 717 860 266 10
Where To Buy: Sears.ca Buy Here: CRAFTSMAN®/MD 42″, 24HP Briggs & Stratton Turn Tight™ Tractor
Store Pickup: Buy Online, Pickup At Your Local Sears
Delivery: Buy Online, And Have It Delivered To Your Home
Ship: ?
Street Price: $2299.88
Basic Quality: (Cheap, Good, Best, Premium/Pro, Don’t Buy) This is Craftsman’s Best Quality. The 717 860 133 10 is less quality. The Professional 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 list of attachments at the end of this article.
Compare it to: Leave a comment below and I’ll compare that mower to this one.
2012 CRAFTSMAN®/MD 42 in 24 HP Briggs & Stratton Turn Tight™ Tractor
Pros:
Foot Control Hydro Trans
Twin Cylinder Motor
Step-through Platform
6 inch Turning Radius
Cons:
Deck is a wide as front wheels!
Retail Price: $2299.88 Check The Best Sale Price Here: Sears.ca
My Review:
I have a 12 year old 42 inch twin cylinder Craftsman and this is the exact replacement for it. This new tractor is easier to get on and off. The deck is a lot easier to raise and lower. The V-Twin Platinum Motor is a lot smoother than my old opposed twin. The blade engage lever works better. The hydro trans is much easier to use than my old gear drive. And the steering! I have over 55 trees on my 1 acre yard and this new Turn-Tight steering is going to save me a lot of time. No more taking 4 passes around a tree! Oh, and the seat is nicer!
This tractor continues to be one of the best value tractors on the market for your average size suburban yard! This is a great lawn tractor with an excellent cutting deck. It has a B&S Platinum twin cylinder motor with oil pump. This is a better motor than you can get on the competitor’s tractors. It has four anti-scalp wheels so it will mow your lawn without gouging or scalping the turf. You have plenty of power for mowing and blowing snow. This tractor continues to get the best reviews for value, cut, and dependability. The only drawback of this mower is 42 inch deck is the same width as the front wheels so if you have a lot of trimming you may want to look at the 46 inch deck models. (see the Item #: 717 860 267 10 review in the right hand column on this page)
This lawn tractor will mow in reverse.
People who buy this yard tractor know what they are buying and this is just what they want. This is a great tractor with a great cutting deck and may just be the best value for you and your suburban lawn.
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, mulching and bagging. It will handle a snow blower well.
Reliability – New to 3 yrs: This tractor is serviced by Sears. There are currently no reviews on Sears.ca but I know this tractor well and there have been no issues with the build quality. The tractor runs well right out of the box. Read The Reviews Here
Handling – Traction/Steering: This tractor has average traction and handling and is similar to all the other lawn tractors from the other retailers. But it is much more agile than the other brands because of the 6 inch radius Turn-Tight steering. If you have slopes I suggest you look at a heavier, garden tractor or professional series. 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 3-4 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.
Craftsman’s Turn Tight™ Technology gives Craftsman tractors the best turning maneuverability in their class a 30% tighter turning radius than competitors. It provides the tightest turning radius on Yard and Garden tractors.
This tractor’s Platinum engine is exclusive to Sears and is qualified to have a 25% longer engine life when compared to the expected life standards of a Briggs & Stratton Intek™ with XRD engine. Designed to reduce vibration levels, increase operator comfort and add power to equipment life. Overhead valve design allows engine to run cooler and cleaner delivering more power, longer engine life and improved fuel economy.
Genuine Tuff Torque EZ Drive Hydrostatic transmission is a maintenance free, self-contained drive system with no internal belts to break or pulleys to adjust. Unlike gear drive systems, no shifting or clutching is required and there is no need to stop to change gears or direction. You can spend less time shifting and more time mowing.
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, but you may want a 46 inch deck
Will Mow In Reverse? Yes
Manufacturer: Husqvarana
Brand: CRAFTSMAN®/MD
Engine Power: 24 hp*
Displacement: 724 cc.
Manufacturer: Briggs & Stratton
Cylinders: V-Twin, cast-iron liners
Type: Full Pressure Lubrication w Oil Filter
Charging System: 15 amp regulated
Battery: 28 amp
Choke/Speed Control: Separate Choke
Fuel Tank Capacity: (9.5 Litre) 3.0 U.S. gal.
Transmission: Tuff Torque hydrostatic
Transmission Control: Direction/speed – Foot Control
Cruise Control: Yes
Forward Speed: Infinite variable speed 0-8.4 KPH / 0-5.5 mph
Reverse Speed: 4.7 KPH / 0-2.5 mph
Chassis: 12 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, Under Seat
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., 10 position
Cut Height Increments: ? in.
Preset Cut Height: No
PTO clutch: Manual
Mower Deck
Type: Side discharge
Mower Cutting Width: 42 in.
Blades: 42 in.
Mower Deck Material: 13 ga.
Mower Wheel Adjustment: Yes 4 gauge wheels
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: 73-in.
Width without mower: ?-in.
Width with mower: ?-in.
Width with mower: (deflector raised for storage) 45-in.
Height: 46-in.
Weight: 450 lb with mower, no fuel
Warranty: 2 year
Optional Attachments
Mower Model Number: Go Here and Type in “Tractors” Then click on accessories.
CRAFTSMAN®/MD 42″, 24HP Briggs & Stratton Turn Tight™ Tractor
Mulch Kit:
Baggers:
Carts:
Lawn Rollers:
Sweepers:
Dethatchers:
Aerators:
Spreaders:
Sprayers:
Snow Equipment:
Lawn Vacs:
Comfort & convenience:
Ground Engagement Equipment: