The History of John Deere Lawn Mowers

John Deere Lawn Mowers
John Deere has been producing lawn mowers for homeowners and landscapers for over 50 years. Hundreds of new models have been introduced throughout this period and that has played a huge role in the evolution of John Deere equipment today. Read more to understand the history behind John Deere lawn mowers.

John Deere Lawn Mowers – 1960s
John Deere broke into the lawn tractor market in 1963, introducing the model 110, with a 4-stroke petrol-fueled engine with 7 horsepower. Due to its ergonomic design and futuristic features, like Variable Speed Drive, the 110 became a big seller.

During the 1960s, lawn mowing was becoming a more popular leisure activity so John Deere was prompted to dive into the marketplace by offering similar features and implements that the bigger farming tractors incorporated.

After the 100 lawn mower proved successful, the John Deere 60 model was introduced shortly after. This mower was designed for operators in urban areas who had less land and didn’t need the larger 110 model. The 60 was designed for lawn work and not heavy workloads like the 110. The 60 model offered a variety of attachments, making it a versatile machine for its time. The attachments included pull a behind sprayer, model 80 dump cart, snow blade, and snow thrower.

Continuing on the success of the 110, John Deere introduced the 112 model, a larger model that carried a similar style as the 110 but with a bigger motor and wider deck. The 112 was designed for those who needed a machine for larger jobs than the 110 and 60 were capable of.

John Deere also introduced the John Deere 140 shortly after. This model was known for having a lot of power for such a small machine. With a 14 hp Kohler engine and hydrostatic transmission, the 140 was ahead of its time, and capable of accomplishing all kinds of yard work.

John Deere Lawn Mowers – 1970s
While a few existing models that were introduced in the 1960s were upgraded in the early 1970s, John Deere took on major advancements in 1975 when the 200, 300 and 400 Series riding lawn mowers were produced. These machines provided customers with new and exciting features including engine options between 8-16 horsepower, new style hood and grill, integral headlights, engine side panels, and power steering.

John Deere Lawn Mowers – 1980s
In 1984, John Deere introduced the 430, the first tractor to combine a diesel engine with hydrostatic drive and power steering. This model made quite the impression in the tractor industry, featuring a powerful Yanmar 3-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine instead. The 430 weighed 1,170 lbs, making it the heaviest and strongest John Deere machine of its time.

During the 1980s, the 300 Series was redesigned and many new features were added from the rear-frame redesign from “closed” to “open” configuration and square-shaped fender deck to the reserve fuel tank for increased productivity.

During this time, John Deere manufactured its millionth lawn and garden tractor and introduced the R Series and S Series, designed for customers working both small and large pieces of land.

The R Series was a good fit for those handling smaller areas and included features like a 5-speed gear-drive transmission and tight turning radius of 27 inches. The S Series, for those with bigger areas to cover, incorporated an electric start, 30-inch cutting width and 8 horsepower engines.

John Deere Lawn Mowers – 1990s
In the 1990s John Deere manufactured its 2 millionth lawn tractor with the LX188 model and its 3 millionth tractor with the LT133. The LT Series, LX Series, and GT and GX Series were crucial to the history of John Deere lawn mowers.

The LT Series became one of the most popular John Deere mowers ever. Operators were given wider cuts and a greater amount of fuel. John Deere placed more emphasis on comfort with the adjustable operator seat for those who spent long hours on their equipment.

The LX Series was known for its versatility, allowing owners to use a variety of attachments to handle a variety of projects around the yard. The GT and GX Series were the perfect fit for those who needed more power and size to complete yard tasks. These machines could hook up to other implements like snow blowers and baggers, and a variety of rear attachments like aerators and utility carts.

John Deere Lawn Mowers – 2000s
Some of the biggest product announcements made in the 2000s were the LA Series and the X Series. The LA Series models catered to medium and large lawns. Key features included the full-length steel welded frame, headlights, comfortable operator station, and Edge Cutting system. This series also incorporates John Deere’s trademarked CargO Mount system, which allows users to easily attach large baggers or other heavy rear-mounted equipment.

The technology is what sets the X Series models apart. These machines transfer power to the wheels through the hydrostatic transmission to save time during operation and eliminate unnecessary gear-changing to speed up or slow down.

Take a look at all the John Deere lawn mowers that were introduced throughout the years.