Let's look at this logically. You have ten acres. Five acres are forest. You don't need a tractor for the forest. But even if you have to drop the odd tree for firewood, a garden tractor will tug the log out for you and not need near as much room as one of the tractors in the photos. Three acres are in pasture. A garden tractor can "high mow" those 3 acres once or twice each year with no problem. Your main need is for the 2 acres of manicured lawn plus blowing snow from the 400 foot driveway. Once again, a garden tractor will do both tasks because that's what they were made for. I have nothing against the tractors shown in larso1's post but ask yourself this. How easy will it be for you to navigate one of those tractors around trees and other obstacles on your lawn as well as trimming alongside garden beds? How about near the house or outbuildings? Tractors like those are pretty unwieldy. Do you want to buy a lawn tractor too so that you can do the areas the big tractor can't do? And how large a garden are you planning? One of those tractors in a small veggie garden would be massive overkill whether you put a tiller on the back or you went with a two furrow plow, a set of double discs and a drag harrow.. You would have to invest in all that equipment and would only use them for an hour or so each year. And then where do store all that iron? Outside in the elements or do they take up big space in an outbuilding? Now if you said you were planning a one acre garden, then that would be different. But I'm guessing that your garden won't be larger than 2000 square feet.. The most common snow blowers for those large AG tractors are the three point hitch type and those require you to back the tractor into the new snow all the way down that 400 feet of driveway. Driving a tractor in reverse for long distances is not a fun job in nice weather. Imagine doing it in really cold weather. A 4 foot blower on the front of a GT makes a lot more sense. You can even put a fully enclosed cab on a GT for the winter and take it off for the summer. If there are no steep grades involved, then you can get by with 2 wheel drive providing you use chains, wheel weights and even tire loading during the winter months. Snow blowers allow you to drive on cleaned driveway areas almost all of the time once you become proficient in the art of snow clearing. gator made a suggestion to you regarding an appropriate site that specializes in Case and Ingersoll tractors. I will tell you right now that $2400.00 for a 1987 Ingersoll is way too much money unless it comes with a quite a few options and attachments. If you click on the link below, you will be transported to that site. Here is a link that might be useful: CCI

reply by theodocus struck me as coming from the desk of the ad agency of MTD. No mention of the actual operation that involves rolling over uneven terrain and jarring action from bumps and uneven spots and the fragile fabricated axles that bend and crack easily. Oh, there is also the bushings used in place of ball bearings: bushing use requires higher horsepower to move the newer units. The Deere has points and condenser; cost $5.00 and 9.00 respectively and the sears is a solid state igntion. Newer technology is wonderful as long as it is coupled with quality assemblage in a product. I have a 1968 Sears GARDEN tractor with a 12HP Tecumseh Heavy duty cast iron engine with ball bearings and cut with a 42 inch deck and also have a 1976 John Deere GARDEN tractor with a cast iron 10 HP engine with ball bearings and cut with a 42" deck and use both alternately for mowing two acres and for tilling and moving earth, etc.. Each has cast iron axles and mutli-speed hi-lo transmissions and EACH is used for plowing, snowblowing, tilling earth, hauling 1100 lb loads in attached large carts. EACH will run circles around the new 20 plus HP light LAWN tractors made today. Spend 5,000.00 and you will have a comparable heavy duty GARDEN tractor. By the way, good luck on getting even 10 years of use with the new wonders.

"Did these switched have some sort of built-in resistor to still let some current pass? Are these switched quite common?" The plug has a shorting connector. When it is unplugged, a metal tab slides into place and completes the circuit. It's quite common, but not all systems are set up that way. I can probably refer you to a Craftsman schematic, if you provide a bit of info- Engine Model & Type. Transaxle Brand & model Does it have an electric or a manual PTO? I do have a schematic for a HD145H42A I can email you if you provide your address. The manual at the link should be correct in regards to the seat switch wiring. ONLY USE the parts of the circuit related to the M & G terminals of the ignition switch. OTHER parts are probably incorrect! It has an attachment switch, instead of electric PTO switch. Schematic is page 27/45. Here is a link that might be useful: Link

jmntnc Here is a simple sketch of the girder assembly I suggested. By all means use screws (3" or 3-1/2" deck screws are great) and glue or construction adhesive per john wa, ditto on the drilled pilot holes. The single large eye bolt photio posted by broke not is exactly the type of eye bolt I had in mind. The one he posted is a one piece "forged" unit. You can also get one piece "welded" units where the eye loop is welded back to itself. DO NOT USE any of the "unwelded eyebolts shown in broke not's first photo, they are strictly for light duty and could "uncurl" under a heavy load. The "welded" or the "forged" type are both OK and 1/2" size will hold anything the girder can bear.