Well, this is pretty interesting. On Sears.com, they list the tractor with a Sears Item # of 07128984000 and a Model # of 28984. That would make the manufacturer number 071? The product description says it has an 18" turning radius. Their "online brochure" says the 28984 has a 12" turning radius. That brochure does mention a 9 gauge steel frame which I can only assume applies to all of their Professional models. The Craftsman owner's manual I downloaded for the 28984 bears the model number 247.28984 on the cover. The warranty page mentions MTD Consumer Group, Inc. all over the place. I'd bet that one model number/turning radius is from last year and the other is this year's MTD model. Who knows which one you'd get if you ordered online. This is not making me feel real comfortable. They both have B&S engines. Sears says theirs is a "B&S Professional", Husky says theirs is an Endurance. The Craftsman manual refers to the engine as a Briggs & Stratton 728 Pro Twin.

I would stay away from the one-lungers. The JD LA 135 is one I have ridden and like. I like the two blade deck on it and the V-Twin engine. If you don't mind the single cylinder noise, I do like the Cub. If only it had a better engine than the Courage single cylinder.

Juice581, I too am about to make the same purchase. This will be my second lawn tractor, first a JD LT series. I looked at the Simplicity line. As you can see I chose the JD. Simplicity, I feel is a nice line. My opinion, and its just an opinion, the JD has some advantages over the Simplicity line. I have read the Simplicity line cuts excellently, so do the JD's. My 42 deck did an awesome job. I have read the JD mower is a more durable, rugged mower. So depending upon your property/terrain, one may consider one over the other. The Simplicity just looks delicate with the hand crank hanging out there on the edge of the mower. JD Kawasaki engine definately has its advantages as you will read about. The X520 has the Liquid Cooled Engine and that engine too has its advantages of longevity and durability, does not run as hot, has a more consistent temp range. My problem is I can not choose between which to buy; X520 or X534. But will definately be one of these two! Oh, I will definately upgrade the 48 deck with the rotating wheels so you can slide the deck out with the wheels working with you vs. against you, and the multching kit so you can mow with both sides of the mower and it is also healthy for your lawn! Have fun, hope you can make your mind up more easily than me!

Old thread, let us fast forward to update it: Briggs now intentionally makes plastic carb throwaway small engines called Briggs EXi or "Just check and add oil" engines... No small Briggs for push/self propelled mowers have an iron sleeve now, not even Pro model engines have it anymore.. According to Briggs site there is none being built today, what iron sleeved engines left on the shelves is all there is left!! Pro 850 was the last to have it. All Kohler engines are made China. Briggs Vanguards are made in China. Kohler's head gaskets still fail (fixing my sons 3 yr old cub now) & also suffer oil seal leaks from poor machining today, all are made from cheap grade materials in China and won't last long anymore! Very soft aluminum & plastic abounds them. Regardless where anything is built it's made by people who never even knew nor do they care about our American pride or our history of quality or about the products longevity! Anyone 30yrs old and under today simply grew up replacing products not repairing them unless they were dirt poor like I was and always tried repairing first but hey it was the 60's and everything had nuts/bolts/screws then and was steel. So why would today's engines have so many problems only after a few yrs running when they once ran for many decades without majors? Well' it's called "Planned Obsolescence" and its a fact most corps have now adopted this. Google it to really understand it well if you never heard of it, you'll be so thrilled. So everytime I read about engines online I'm really glad I'm a pack rat and keep everything. Well' I keep stuff until problems show up so I still have my 76 B-100 8 speed Wheel Horse tractor with the cast iron Kohler K series engine. It's engine/trans has never been apart once and not reached its first ring job yet & if it ever does I'll never worry about it again in another 30+ yrs or in my lifetime at least. It still burns no oil and cuts just as good as anything today without any of the mechanical problems. Why people keep buying these junk newer mowers again & again instead of buying the old brutes for a fraction of the cost that have outlasted them all by several decades idk? Restoring these if needed, is a lot cheaper than new mowers now days and it's an all new cast iron brute again ready for decades of service! I see some very nice cast iron garden tractors on craigslist all the time. Real garden tractors because GT used to actually stand for Garden Tractor but now it's just a sticker slapped on them and they can't even run anything, example: My Wheel Horse runs 23 different implements including Generator, side sickle, snowblower, tiller etc... Visiting websites about old Wheel Horses, old JD's & old Cubs (non MTD) tractors etc..and everyone is bragging & very proud of their mowers longevity and still use them regularly, sold or scrapped their newer ones they bought just after a few yrs usage. Been there done that with a Husqvarna myself! Visit any site like this one about newer mowers and what you'll always find is its junk, its in the shop, motors bad after 3 yrs, hydro rear ends out second time around. I'll sue them all! Lemon Laws anyone??..ect.....lol Even the expensive Zero turns have very costly engine/hydro repairs I read about them and have friends who own them too. In fact I'm good friends with people who care for football fields and cemeteries here so I hear first hand but they are very fast cutters while they are problem free, rarely make a complete season without a shop visit though. Expensive upkeep no doubt. Sorry but its just ignorant to me to pizz away money for landfill delight. Simply amazing and very sad for the old crying indian too. Now that really shows my age huh? *Peace