Any LoBoy owners here?
 

Just curious, I know of two not very far from here, cant seem to talk the one guy out of his(yet) even tho he never uses it, was running when he parked it in his yard a few yrs back, drove by another one just a couple weeks ago but nobody was home, it looks a bit rough from a distance, didnt want to go wandering around the yard without invite, its about an hour away so I plan on going back soon. Was an IH red one advertised for $3500 about a year ago I would have went after if I hadnt just blown my tractor funds on an IH Hydro 86 w/fel

I want something a little bigger than a GT, but smaller than the 86, and these LoBoys caught my attention awhile back, especially the old round hood models are very cool looking tractors IMO, but I'd settle for a square hood any day..... anyone here with one, what do you guys think of them??

I have a couple. Just bought them. One is almost up and going, so haven't used it yet, but I used to work for IH, and have worked on a few of them. :biggrin2: Unless you get one with 3pt hitch, they are really just an overgrown lawn mower. If you get one with 3pt, then it can be used as a tractor. No rear PTO. Not a usable one anyway. Unless you get get an OLD one, that has the PTO in the center of the rear housing, and you spend 5 years looking for a reverser, which you will probably pay $750 at least for, and install it. Then it will turn the right way. If all this sounds ok, then go for it. If you looking for a compact tractor, then the Lo-Boy is going to disappoint. Congrats on the Hydro 86 BTW. I'd take one!

I've been told the lo boys were too big for an average yard but too small for a farm. Your results may vary. I sorta like the look of the 154 cuz it looks like the 125 but the steering being so far off center on the dash always drove me nuts.

Grew up using them for most of my pre-teen and teen years. They are basically what J-Mech said; an overgrown garden tractor. The biggest advantage they have over a Cub Cadet or Super is weight. Otherwise, they are great at mowing open areas, hills, tall grass, etc and they'll pull a full cart, hay rake, flare box, whatever the case may be. Not sure about ground engaging equipment as the only use in that category I had was a front blade but I will say it handled it well. But, and take this with a grain of salt, it was 54", the same size the one I have on my Cub Cadet is. I'm sure the Lo Boy would out push it but in snow, I've never really had a problem with a Cadet and the blade. But again, to echo what J-Mech said, if you're getting it for a sub compact, you may not be happy.

Thx guys, good info, I dont really need one, but they look like they could push/pull a blade nicely, I have about 250+yds of gravel drive around the yard, and a 6ft front blade from a buddys Blazer that needs a little repair but no tractor about the right size for it, I could put that on a Bronco II but I would need to buy proper dozer lights, the police dont like seeing blades on a truck without the them, they dont think much off my off road lights on the highway either... but I talked him out of that ticket. Lack of a rear pto wouldnt really be a concern to me, or can they be fitted with a small fel? that would make a nice little acreage tractor I think.

The Hydro 86 is almost too big for my purposes, its an 8000lb tractor, although with the snow we got last winter I was lucky to have it here, at one point I had 8ft of snow between me and the 9ft door on the shop... that was fun seat time. I needed something for some landscape work last year and got it cheap enough but now its not getting much use, but I could make use of something in between it and the GTs

Since the mods moved this thread to 'off topic' can I sneak in a pic without a Cub without gettin in trouble? I'll try, have a pic with my most stout garden tractor, a Columbia 960, with the IH hydro 86, I think a LoBoy would look pretty good parked in the middle;)

For the purposes listed, a Lo Boy would be a good fit, at least IMHO. Like I had said, that was the primary use of one of the Lo Boy's we had. My dad kept a blade on the front of it for pushing snow (turfs + chains make a mean combo). The other had a 60" deck and mowed weekly. If you find a niche for them to work in, they will do wonders.

As far as a FEL, yes they do make them. They make/made single are and twin arm, based on needs. There is actually a guy local to me here that has a Lo Boy with a FEL, cab, AG's, and a rear backhoe he uses to maintain his property. That thing looks FUN! :beerchug:

Edit: Nice pic, btw! I'd love to take a spin on that 86 Hydro!

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/3176/4167g3a20.jpg

IMO I'd feel better about using a FEL on a lo Boy than I'd feel on a cub cadet.

I like the LoBoy with the fel, thx4pic, dont think Ive seen 1 w/fel before... would look better in my yard tho;)

I wonder if IH marketed the lo boy towards the school/cemetery/city park crowd.

I know mine was a municipal mower that lived many hard years before coming to me. I really enjoy it, I use it for hauling firewood and trail work in the woods. I would really like a front blade and I would LOVE a fel. I know it has some shortcomings but I do love it.