Living with a John Deere L110 purchased in 2004, my expectations were set high, anticipating the renowned “John Deere experience.” However, my journey with this lawn tractor has been far from impressive, revealing several shortcomings that potential buyers should be aware of.
Initially marketed as a mulching mower, the John Deere L110’s mulching capability proved to be rudimentary at best. The “mulching system” simply consisted of a discharge chute block-off plate. This crude setup caused significant bogging during operation, forcing me to remove the plate entirely to achieve acceptable performance. To improve the cut quality, an upgrade to Gator Blades was necessary, which did enhance the mowing, but even then, maintaining an even cut required deck leveling adjustments multiple times each mowing season. This constant need for re-leveling became a recurring maintenance task.
Beyond cutting issues, the most persistent problem has been with the transmission and axle. Starting in just the third year of ownership, the right axle began leaking transmission fluid. Frustratingly, refilling the transmission fluid is not a simple task. It necessitates a complete removal of the transmission from the tractor. This cumbersome process has become an annual spring ritual. Each year, I must drop the transmission, replenish the fluid, and replace the bushing and seal, only to wait and see how long before the leak necessitates another intervention. Despite numerous seal replacements, the recurring leak leads me to suspect a more fundamental issue, possibly a warped axle or a defect within the transmission case itself.
On a positive note, the Kohler engine has performed reliably without any issues throughout the years. This engine reliability is a definite plus point for the John Deere L110.
However, considering the overall experience, the John Deere L110 has fallen short of the expected standards associated with the brand. The issues with mulching, cut quality, and, most significantly, the recurring transmission problems, detract from the ownership experience. When the time comes to replace this tractor, brand loyalty will not be a deciding factor, and I will likely explore alternative brands to find a more reliable and better-performing machine.
Pros: Paint job appearance is satisfactory.
Cons: Problematic transmission, subpar cutting performance in its stock configuration.
