$50 Craftsman DLT3000 with 18.5hp Briggs

[jonp]

We have had good luck with our $100 Cub Cadet 2166. Put $500 into it over the last 12yrs or so most for a very poor welding job on the deck at a dealer i wont go back to.
Been running rough so pulled the carb to soak and got thinking it was time to look around.

This week not far from home saw a small "Estate Sale Saturday 0700" on the side of the road and looking over saw a red riding mower under an overhang. This morning at 0655 we were there. Wife wanted yarn and pots, me lead and that mower. Turns out it was a DLT3000 Craftsman 18.5 hp with a 42in deck in decent shape. Man there gave it to his moms boyfriend who used it until to sick to mow then parked it. Not moved in a couple of years.
"How much"?
"How about $50"?
"Load her up"!
Got it home, changed the oil, fuel filter, put in fresh gas and water in the battery. Jumper cables and it fired right up! New tires and belts to get mowing the lawn. Wife got a whole set of Kenmore pots, stainless with copper bands for $5. No lead, though lol

[slim1836]

Y'all did good, congrats.

Slim

[Winger Ed.]

Cool.

We haunt estate sales and such too.

Some of my prizes have been a Stainless 4 burner Charbroil outdoor propane grill with its original tank about 80% full.
I'm into it for $75.oo. I priced checked it and they run about $350, plus $50 for the tank

I still do a little fabrication and upholstery work. I got three rolls of some really good heavy duty cloth on
rolls almost too heavy to carry for $10.oo each.

I won a bid for $21.oo for 'everything in the shed', It was a full sheet of really nice plywood, a new heavy duty garden hose,
8-9 of the big bags of fertilizer, 3 red heavy duty gas cans, and 3 propane tanks-- one was almost full,
5 bags of landscaping rocks that match ours in a flower bed, and a new in the box Colman lantern gas tank.

Also for $8.oo I got a double size goat skin tanned with the hair on.
I made a soft case for my Marlin CB with the fur on the inside as the liner.
I think there is enough left to also made a pistol case.

Some of the sales think everything they have is solid Gold, but there are some real bargains if ya look.

[imashooter2]

No lead?!?! A complete bust!

Congrats on the new rolling stock.

[firefly1957]

Sounds good that mower will probably last years for you .

I had one I bought new in 2004 42" cut 21 H.P. engine Some how I kept getting moisture in the transmission as it heated up I would lose drive I changed the oil twice sealed it up same issue . I bought a John Deere 54" cut . In the mean time My son finds me a old manual trans Craftsman tracker I swapped out the rear axle and it worked great so now he is still using it yet .

[bedbugbilly]

Sometimes you just can't help but have a really good day!

[jonp]

Needed a few parts. Tires, right front rim, belts and new deck spindle. All told i have $160 in it. Still a good deal. I might replace the other deck spindle as with the pully its $28 on amazon

[Winger Ed.]

I might replace the other deck spindle as with the pully its $28 on amazon

If they're the same design as my John Deere, Troybuilt, and Chraftsman--
you can change just the bearings in it for a couple bucks.
Also, the grease fitting on them doesn't work because the factory puts on sealed bearings.
When you replace them, or even the whole spindle--
remove the bearings, and pop out the plastic seal so the grease from the fitting can reach into it.

There is several youtube videos showing how to do it.

[prisondoc]

Nice score.

Sent from my SM-A536U1 using Tapatalk

[farmbif]

on the other side of the coin. I went to the mower shop this morning to, umm, well, look at the mowers. yeah they had a used cub cadet zero turn with welded deck for $4000
a new scag turf tiger for $14,000.
yeah, I need to find some yard sales

[Winger Ed.]

they had a used cub cadet zero turn with welded deck for $4000 a new scag turf tiger for $14,000.
yeah, I need to find some yard sales

Estate sales are usually the best place to shop.

I've learned that the used ones in the mower shops are in there for some very good reasons.
And it ain't so you can beat the system.

[10x]

I have a craftsman 3000. Check the wiring harness for abrasion and wear. My tenants son burned up the wiring from a short in the wiring harness, a new harness is almost unobtainium but is the same as one from an older Husqvarna.
I had to replace front wheel bushings, and the spindles and bearings in the mower spindle towers. Bearings are about $5 each. Be careful of the fine threads, drop that spindle on any hard surface and you will have to make sure the threads are intact and clear. I spent about 20 minutes refreshing the threads on a spindle. Never hit the threaded end of your spindle with anything hard.
These machines are excellent if you service them every fall before storage, then drain the fuel, and run the engine till the carb is empty of fuel.
I have a smart trickle charger that will not boil the battery. Without a charger the battery usually dies completely during -30C winters and then refuses to take a charge. with a charger, the battery can last up to 5 years or more

[William Yanda]

I found a pressure canner for $5, the seal was not brittle, so ready to go as found.

[jsizemore]

Got a 2002 LT1000 with a 20 HP B&S V-twin with a 42" deck. Fella was going to haul it to the dump after he got it back from the mower shop and it wouldn't start. It had been his grandfather's. I offered to take a look at it and charge for my time and parts. He already had a new rider so just wanted it gone. I had to clean the backfire solenoid on the bottom of the carb, change filters, oil and most of the fuel lines. Figured the battery was toast but jumped it with truck and it's worked fine for the past 2 seasons. Sold my Snapper rider for $100, which covered what I spent on the LT1000 plus new blades. The new Snapper owner has painted flames on it and enjoys the heck out of it. I keep the farm paths and range cut with the LT1000. Takes about 2 hours. First season I used non ethanol gas and have switched to the bad stuff for the start of this season. I'll switch back to the good stuff as I get into the fall. Great mower for the price.