Beware of Husqvarna Garden Tractors!
I have a GT48DXLS, with 63 hrs on it, purchased 11 months ago for the specific purpose I'm using it for. I had been very happy with my GT. I now deeply regret this purchase.
On 17 JULY 2017 I purchased my GT from our local Dealer. Our Dealer claimed it was an actual "Garden Tractor" capable of all the accessories ("Ground Engagement Work") that were represented by Husqvarna in their ads. These officially include things like a front scoop (bucket), snow blower attachment, etc. This tractor came with a ground engagement transaxle (Tuff Torq K66), 23" rear wheels, upgraded engine (Kawasaki FR730V), and allegedly a “heavy duty” chassis.
On 07 JUNE 2018, less than a year after purchase, while moving sand in my yard, and using it well within the design parameters, the frame BUCKLED in the area between the scoop support bracket and the steering support plate. I had used it multiple times before, in the exact same way, with no problems at all.
Since I was using it within it’s advertised design specs, AND still had 4 years and 1 month left on the “5 year FRAME warranty” that came with the tractor, I presumed they would stand by their product, and HONOR their warranty. Silly me.
According to the service writer at our local Husqvarna Dealer (who was very hostile to my wife) Husqvarna will “NEVER pay to replace that frame”. “Never” was the word they spat at my wife. The Dealer justified it, by saying that any and ALL “frame” defects in it would have been evident on the VERY FIRST day we bought it, otherwise it is not a “frame defect” and will NOT be covered under warranty. WHAT?? (So then, WHAT would the point of a “5 year FRAME warranty” be?)
So, according to the HUSQVARNA dealer here, the 5 year chassis/frame warranty has been reduced to a ONE DAY warranty. To add insult to injury, my wife was told that they would fix it for $518, and included in that was a special “freight charge” for the FRAME, from Husqvarna, of $95. Upon checking on the ordering of the frame myself, I found out that this expensive “freight charge” was a lie, no surprise at this point. I picked up the tractor the very next business day from that Dealer. I will no longer use that Dealer, and will go out of my way to not recommend this dealer, and/or the Husqvarna products, any chance I can, NOW THAT I KNOW THAT THEIR “WARRANTY”, AND THEIR ADVERTISING, ARE MOSTLY LIES.
I have since learned, that current manufacturers of ACTUAL Garden Tractors that claim their product capable of ground engagement work have at minimum, a channel steel or “c” channel steel frame.
My frustration with this product is mainly that their STATED warranty (at least for the frame) is worthless, and their published advertisements for this tractor’s capabilities for accessories are FALSE. It didn’t help that their licensed Dealer knew less than a box store employee about his Husqvarna product, OR, that he did know, but he had no difficulty directly deceiving me.
If you plan on using it to cut grass, odds are you’ll probably be OK. I’m thankful at least that Husqvarna did NOT build the transaxle or the engine.
I’ve also since found out that the style of frame on this Husqvarna “Garden Tractor” is actually identical to my older Ariens basic riding mower (HD $900.00 special, 2011) that I originally bought to mow grass a few years ago. I pulled that out of storage and am relying on it again to at least keep my grass cut and to pull my small yard trailer. It’s nothing to look at, but it runs as was represented in advertising, no false claims, so no regrets with that one.
If my Husqvarna GT had not been falsely represented to me, as a True Garden Tractor fully capable of residential level “ground engagement” work, I would have moved right on past it, and paid more money to buy what I needed, since I was already aware of just what I needed it for. I fell for the deception, but hopefully I can share enough to help steer someone else away so they won’t make the same expensive mistake.
Comments (16)
yt125
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Husqvarna Lawn Tractor
Comments (17)I have owned a husqvarna for 4 years, model YTH2454. It has the 2 cyl b&s engine (pressurized oil delivery) and a hydrostatic transmission. 54" cutting deck setup to mulch. The tractor has about 280 hours of use, nearly all mowing but I do have a cart that I use to move grass clippings or small loads of mulch. Since I bought the tractor I have had to replace the transmission three times, 2 spindles, 2 pulleys, too many belts to count and the electronic PTO clutch. I bought the tractor from a dealer, not a big box. I did this so I would not have to deal with a different kid if I had problems. I am glad I did this because I have had nothing but problems since day 1. The first season I replaced the transmission after 4 cuts. Now please take into consideration that I have 2 acres of grass that is almost all hillside. However the husqvarna website and the dealer both said this was the tractor for my yard. The dealer also was familiar with my property because he drove past it everyday to and from his shop. Later that season the transmission was replaced again. From that point on I pressed the dealer to replace the lemon that I bought. I still have the lemon in the shed. The dealer has been great in the customer service realm but not in the replacement category with husqvarna. In the 4 years the dealer has gone through 3 reps at husqvarna! Not one of which has any knowledge of my tractors issues. Not until a few weeks ago when I suggested to the dealer I should retain legal representation against them or husqvarna, (childish I know, but my frustration was boiling over) however a husqvarna rep called me back within the hour. Now all of a sudden my tractor was 4 years old and 2 years out of warranty and he had a detailed history of everything replaced by date and every conversation held with the dealer. Even thought they told me they would keep taking care of the transmission they decided this was it, no more. The worst part about it was the last rep told me "I had probably gotten a Friday tractor" and that husqvarna should replace it, no record of these comments. I did all of the research up front. I read all of the tractor reviews I could find and husqvarna was the comer and was highly recommended. I did not visit any other dealers, big mistake. Very big mistake. After the reviews I went on what the husqvarna site said was the right tractor and what the dealer reinforced. I have visited several other manufacturers dealers in the few years since my purchase and have found that this was the absolutely wrong product for my cutting needs. I found that this tractor is not made for the hills of western Pennsylvania. Nor is it made to handle more than 1 acre of grass per week! Not even close to my conditions. There are a lot of horror stories out there about the wrong purchase when it comes to tractors and lawn equipment in general. Mine is no different than many of these and it is not specific to one manufacturer. They all have them. My next purchase will be a commercial unit with the correct transmission for the hills that I cut. I figure that I just don't have a choice to go with something non commercial. Unless I am fine with dealing with an inferior product from a company that will not support the product correctly from the start nor support the dealer, which I am not willing to do any more then my path is clear. To anyone who reads this post: this is not sour grapes but a warning to make sure you know what you are buying. Caveat Emptor means more today than ever and I wish you the best of luck with your tractor purchase!...See MoreIn for first garden tractor, Have no clue.
Comments (20)If you have been running a simple mower then get ready to see a significant increase in the cost of maintenance. I have had my JD for about four years. I figure it is costing about 60/yr in parts if I put them in and about 300/yr if I have the JD dealer service the tractor. It takes about 3 to 4 times the gas, plus oil, compared to my 3.5hp Murray rotary mower. The strong positive side of the JD is the additional things that it gets used for. My main accessory is the lawn cart. It gets used a lot. Moving patio paver, mulch, dirt etc. I am thinking about ways to use it for leaves, with out buying an expensive blower pickup trailer. The additional uses are worth more than the additional cost. I almost forgot. IT IS FUN TO DRIVE THE TRACTOR....See MoreHusqvarna Story
Comments (11)Some posts don't age, they just get more validated with time, and Charlie2's is that kind of post. My Wife and I got a great laugh at your writing style, very well written. I've wrote several articles about the quality issues and lack of warranty now days, it didn't get better, it got worse. Buying the upper end of Husqvarna might have just been bigger bills. This old post should get some new life, I wish the best. My latest on Husqvarna is here, I show the problems through the years with pictures and other peoples trouble, https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6144293/ceo-of-husqvarna-calls-it-quits-on-lawn-and-garden-tractors-petrol My story with Husqvarna, https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5361478/beware-of-husqvarna-garden-tractors My attempt to fix a sloppy steering system, (I have the upper end and same steering issues all these years later) https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6074618/husqvarna-craftsman-and-related-models-steering-sloppy-at-the-top GT...See MoreBest garden tractor--long!
Comments (13)I think that most of your problems stem from a lack of understanding of machinery. Whether you own a LT (lawn tractor), YT (yard tractor) or GT (garden tractor), they ALL come with a deck that is designed to cut manicured lawns. Part of your property is suitable to the design of this Husqvarna tractor but a large part is not. The area that is alfalfa, weeds and so forth should be cut with a Bush Hog style of mower or a flail style mower or even a sickle bar mower because those mowers are designed to cut fields that are overgrown with tall and very juicy vegetation. The first two mower types have blades that swing freely and will retract when they run into an obstruction. And they are built much stronger than a finishing mower, like the one on your tractor. Bottom line... You've been asking this Husky to do a job it was never designed to do and now you are blaming it for failing you. Either your dealer is unaware of what you have been asking this tractor do to or is woefully ignorant about the product he sells. This is a four-year old machine that has gone through four seasons of abuse. As such, parts do break and parts do wear out. That includes clutches. You must have snagged something that yanked on the wire leading to the clutch because those wires don't normally break off. As for the prices you quoted, I think that you were treated fairly by both the dealer and the local repair shop. Electric clutches are not inexpensive and the repair shop did a fair bit of work for the sixty odd bucks charged. Everybody has retirement dreams. The question is whether they can afford them or not. If you want to lessen the problems you are having with this tractor, then you need to do something about the wild area. Either get that farmer to take over that area too or have him plow, disc, harrow and plant grass seed in it for you so that you can have a true lawn that your Husky can handle. The alternative is to have someone else cut that area or to buy a small tractor with a Bush Hog mower on it. Continuing to subject your Husky to that type of mowing duty will hasten its demise and cause you big headaches and repair costs from now on. While Husky does refer to this tractor as a GT, it really doesn't come close to the quality that goes into an Ingersoll 4200 or a Deere X700 series but I know that you are not in the 10 to 15 thou bracket. I simply point that out so that you understand that the phrase "Garden Tractor" is a highly subjective term. Not all GT's are created equal and you get exactly what you pay for. A solution must be found because your Husky simply isn't going to cut it....See More
ssewalk1
5 years agoUser
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoyt125
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoI'd try to find an old 60s or 70s Cub Cadet, Bolens, Allis. These have heavy channel frames and most Bolens have a tube frame and all have heavy cast iron or steel front ends which would hold up better with the type of work you do with your GT. Even though I wouldn't push these too hard with the scoop you have, they still would hold up better than the husky did. Some examples below.
Fred Chester
5 years agoOuch! Get their attention. Send a certified letter to:
President and CEO
Kai Wärn
Husqvarna Group
Mr Kai WärnCEO Emailkai.warn@husqvarnagroup.com Telephone+46 8 738 90 00Websitehttp://www.husqvarnagroup.com https://www.ceoemail.com/s.php?id=ceo-78638Postal AddressHusqvarna AB (publ)
Mailing address
Box 7454
SE-103 92 Stockholmhttp://www.husqvarnagroup.com/en/contact
Yeah, the first rule of lion taming is to get the lions' attention.
User thanked Fred ChesterUser
5 years agomtvhike
5 years agoUser
5 years agoI have learned so much in this. When searching bent or cracked chassis/ or frame on these Husqvarna, I don't think it's a coincidence that the majority are 2006 and above either, and many are with snowblowers up north. Husqvarna is quietly denying warranty claims on this. In 2006 Husqvarna did away with using Channel frame and replaced it with the common grass cutter frame (pan style). there has been 3 chassis revisions over the past 2 years, (as represented by the different part numbers each time they change something) to include on the new TS model a reinforcement bracket on that very side you commented on, (called a reinforcement bracket).
The company is doing a good job of hiding behind a past reputation that it is slowly being heard. but it is getting heard, thank you.
I did drain the trans oil at 63hrs just in case, I'm questioning everything on this. That's what the picture of oil is about. Keep in mind that Husqvarna says no oil changes are needed and it is a maintenance free transaxle, Tuff Torq disagrees.
Just in case I have been sending pictures and emails to Husqvarna's competition, while saving the old chassis and video coverage of when this happened. Maybe nothing or maybe a sales aid who knows?
ssewalk1
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoHU-134097043
3 years agotoxcrusadr
3 years agoUser
3 years ago
exmar zone 7, SE Ohio