bottjernat1 2,190 #1 Posted June 17, 2019 Ok folks i am going today to trade my 8000 watt running and working generator for a running mowing gt275. Can anybody tell me the pros and cons to this series? I have never owned this series! I love my old stuff 60's 70's early 80's. I am pretty stoked about getting it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,657 #2 Posted June 17, 2019 Bought a GT235 new in 2001. it was the follow on model and is similar to the 275. Cost over $5000 back then. Only problems were a deck drive belt failed and an idler pulley on the deck. Mine has a V twin Briggs. Very smooth and quick starting. One thing you have to keep the air cleaner Clean. Ate to many dandelion puffs one year and wouldn't run right. Cleaned it and no more problems. I wash out the prefilter a couple times during dandelion season. One other note the original battery is on its last legs but it has lasted 18 years 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bottjernat1 2,190 #3 Posted June 17, 2019 15 minutes ago, pfrederi said: Bought a GT235 new in 2001. it was the follow on model and is similar to the 275. Cost over $5000 back then. Only problems were a deck drive belt failed and an idler pulley on the deck. Mine has a V twin Briggs. Very smooth and quick starting. One thing you have to keep the air cleaner Clean. Ate to many dandelion puffs one year and wouldn't run right. Cleaned it and no more problems. I wash out the prefilter a couple times during dandelion season. One other note the original battery is on its last legs but it has lasted 18 years Awsome he tells me it sputters when you idle it down i figure a good carb cleaning. and he said it smokes only when u idle down. i figure a good oil change and filter change. i may add a touch of lucas to the oil as well. i have have added lucas oil to a couple engines and it has done wonders. my wifes 2002 dodge durango has 212000 miles on it and i waited to long to change the oil and she was smoking just a pinch and i just changed the oil and added a little lucas and she stopped smoking. I punch myself for not changing the oil sooner. i was like 4000 miles over an oil change. OUCH! Thanks for the advise! I hope im not waisting my gas driving to see this thing. I am trusting the guy my wife use to work with him he is a really nice guy. fingers crossed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,496 #4 Posted June 17, 2019 The GT275 was made from 1995 to 1998. Price was $4999, less deck, in 1998. They have a 17 hp Kawasaki engine on them. They were light duty garden tractors, but could handle a tiller, snow blade, snow blower and you could get a integral (sleeve) hitch for them. I pm'd you a service manual if you need one. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bottjernat1 2,190 #5 Posted June 17, 2019 24 minutes ago, T-Mo said: The GT275 was made from 1995 to 1998. Price was $4999, less deck, in 1998. They have a 17 hp Kawasaki engine on them. They were light duty garden tractors, but could handle a tiller, snow blade, snow blower and you could get a integral (sleeve) hitch for them. I pm'd you a service manual if you need one. Awsome i cant wait to get out of work today! LOL. You know what else is funny you fine folks on the wheelhorse forum are more help then the folks on my tractor forum. I asked the same question 22 looks at my post and not 1 responce yet! kinda odd i thought. one more reason i need to get a membership here. i have tons of stuff i want to post picture wise but i ran out of space on here. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZXT 2,401 #6 Posted June 21, 2019 On 6/17/2019 at 9:02 AM, pfrederi said: Bought a GT235 new in 2001. it was the follow on model and is similar to the 275. Cost over $5000 back then. Only problems were a deck drive belt failed and an idler pulley on the deck. Mine has a V twin Briggs. Very smooth and quick starting. One thing you have to keep the air cleaner Clean. Ate to many dandelion puffs one year and wouldn't run right. Cleaned it and no more problems. I wash out the prefilter a couple times during dandelion season. One other note the original battery is on its last legs but it has lasted 18 years 18 years out of a mower battery? You sir might own something that belongs in the Guinness book of world records. Done anything special with it? With the carb issue and it smoking, I don't see it being worth over $500 (could be way off here). What do you value your generator at? If it's less than that it's probably a good deal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bds1984 1,429 #7 Posted June 27, 2019 On 6/17/2019 at 10:02 AM, pfrederi said: Bought a GT235 new in 2001. it was the follow on model and is similar to the 275. Cost over $5000 back then. Only problems were a deck drive belt failed and an idler pulley on the deck. Mine has a V twin Briggs. Very smooth and quick starting. One thing you have to keep the air cleaner Clean. Ate to many dandelion puffs one year and wouldn't run right. Cleaned it and no more problems. I wash out the prefilter a couple times during dandelion season. One other note the original battery is on its last legs but it has lasted 18 years My parents bought a GT235 in 1999 with a 54" deck to mow their four-acre yard. It has over 2,000 hours on it now and still runs great. The worst maintenance item on these machines is the drive belt for the transmission; biggest pain the the butt. We also got 18 years out of the original battery, those JD batteries are worth the extra cost! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites