The biggest thing is the bearings and they are all over the machine, every pulley, the deck spindles etc. Easy spinning bearing mean everything works less to get the job done, and that makes thing last longer. A 2 dollar bearing is a good deal. Your transmission should be the TuffTorq K46 sealed design, so nothing to do there if its working. The belts get replaced every so often, they do stretch with use but generally no need to mess with what is not broken. If you have the resources, I would simply have it serviced, and those components you mentioned inspected and repaired. Those mowers often have parts that wear such as front axle bushings instead of bearings, and they are easy and inexpensive to replace. I would suggest cleaning and painting it here and there as necessary. As to how long they last, the tranny is a big deal as a new one costs around 700 and obviously the motor, but your care is keeping the motor in good shape. The tranny though has a Funny (squash plate) plate where it compresses oil for power, and when the tolerances wear and become larger hydro pressure is lost, assuming it is an automatic of course. If you want to sell it, it should be able to drive, and those hydro transmissions usually weaken well before failure, symptoms of which are things like not pulling a hill as well or not going as fast as it might have new.

Thanks! Hubby thinks it's lost a bit of steam, but I'm the one who uses it every week since its beginning, and I don't see it. I talked him into just taking care of our current issues with it and getting a few more years out of it. I like it that it's automatic and mows both forward and reverse; it's spoiled me. I tend to keep things a long time--took a lot of convincing to get rid of my 23 yr old Camry. Anyway, thank you. I'll pass on the info!

My wife has a 1998 Porsche Boxster. I more than understand. The transmission you have in the mower is most likely made by a company called TuffTorq and is also very likely the K46 frame frome which they have 5 or so little subdivisions, the alphanumeric serial tag physically stuck on the axle should be recorded before it falls of with age or gets removed.

Sounds like its been missing some maintenance (like lubricating the steering gear) but maybe it can be saved. I'd suggest that if its not rusted out and the engine/trans is good, and you like it, go ahead and spend some money on it. Just for grins, check the price of a comparable new Deere, and I think you will see your way clear to drop a grand or so on it to see another five years or so. 525 hours is a lot without a major tune-up on the engine. Hey, maybe it doesn't need anything but spark plugs, oil/filter change, etc., but I recommend yearly visits to the dealer for end of season maintenance so its ready to go in the spring.