Rating By Owners for the John Deere 42″ Lawn Sweeper
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Who Is The John Deere 42″ Lawn Sweeper For?
The John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper has a high owner satisfaction rating. It is capable of handling various types of lawn debris, from leaves and grass to heavier material such as sticks and pine cones.
The John Deere is most suitable for people with level lawns and without much trees to drive around.
Overview
Review Background
- Author: Sid
- Published: May 16th, 2015
- Updated: July 2, 2016
- Research Sources: Homedepot.com
- Verified Purchases (?) Used For This Review: 156
- Average Home Depot Rating*: 4.3 out of 5.0
- Average Total Owner Rating (Home Depot)*: 4.3 out of 5.0
* On Publishing Date.
Product Facts
- Official Homepage.
- Model Number: STS-42JD.
- Lawn Type Compatibility: works with all common residential lawns.
- Lawn Tractor/Riding Mower Compatibility: works with machines that have a universal hitch (check with the manufacturer about your specific towing machine).
- Assembled Product Size (L x W x H): 53″ x 50″ x 28″ (134.62 x 127 x 71.12 cm).
Riding Lawn Mower Required
Residential riding lawn mower
(this one is hybrid gas-electric)
The John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper needs to be towed by a riding lawn mower or lawn tractor. They come in compact residential versions (see image on your right).
Are you looking for a good one?
Then check out the best selling riding lawn mowers/tractors on Amazon. Most will be shipped to your door for free.
The John Deere 42″ has a universal hitch attachment that works on standard hitches. Therefore any best selling riding lawn mower should work with it.
What Owners Say About The John Deere 42″ Lawn Sweeper
Video Review By Owner
What Owners Like
Owners report enjoying how clean and organized their lawns look after sweeping with the John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper. There are several mentions of enjoying a more beautiful lawn with the use of this product.
It is a huge time saver. Several owners express strong satisfaction about how much time this product is saving them compared to a rake, especially with lawns that are covered by pine needles.
One person reports having considered cutting down old pine trees on his lawn due to the hassle of raking them. After getting the John Deere lawn sweeper, he changed his mind and kept the trees.
The height adjustment handle is easy to operate.
People report satisfaction with how well the John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper works after proper assembly, and that it saves them money compared to lawn mower bagging systems.
The wheels are large and pneumatically operated, which provides better grip that prevents constant stopping and starting. The resulting slippage reduction makes for a more pleasant and efficient operation.
What Owners Dislike
The brushes on the John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper are turned by the wheels (which turn the shaft that drives the brushes). The wheels are made of plastic, while the brush gears are made of metal. The friction between metal and plastic can cause the plastic to wear out.
Several people report that the wheels broke down after only minimal use. Setting the height of the lawn sweeper properly could help prevent the wheels from wearing out.
Contact John Deere’s customer support for further advice on preserving the wheels.
The lack of a feature to turn the sweeping action off can cause problems, especially when they are about to dump the filled-up hopper into a designated area and have to traverse through further debris to get there. The solution is to avoid filling up the hopper fully before dumping.
The John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper is cumbersome to manually maneuver when not attached to a lawn tractor/riding mower.
The grip of the dump handle rope is not satisfactory and makes it hard to empty out the hopper. The solution people have been using is replacing the manufacturer’s flimsy rope with a thick and sturdy personal replacement.
What The Lawn Sweeper Picks Up Well
People report that the John Deere 42″ is good at picking up the following debris:
- Leaves
- Grass clippings (after mowing)
- Sticks
- Branches
- Stones
- Acorns
- Burr balls
- Pine needles
- Pine cones
- Magnolia tree pods
What The Lawn Sweeper Does Not Pick Up Well
- Water oak leaves
- Wet leaves and grass (best to sweep a dry lawn)
Reported Lawn Sweeping Time Savings
One owner reports that he turned 3 hours of manual raking into 15 minutes of sweeping with the John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper. The same person reports having one acre of land and clearing it fully in 25 minutes.
The time savings with the John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper are substantial.
Fun Factor
The lawn sweeper works really well when the height is adjusted properly. Because it helps keep a clean lawn without much hassle, it is fun to use.
Ease Of Assembly (With Approximate Assembly Time)
Some people seem to experience problems with the instruction manual and there are many complaints about the product being difficult to assemble due to poor instructions, including incorrect directions.
People who experience more ease with assembly are those who go through the instructions slowly and deliberately.
It is recommended to have an extra pair of hands when assembling the John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper.
One person suggests using the photo on the box rather than the diagram in the instruction manual for easier assembly.
Duration reported for assembly is approximately 4 hours, which is quite a lot compared to other lawn sweepers. An alternative to doing it yourself is to contact your local Home Depot where you may be able to get a lawn sweeper assembled for a fee.
Ease Of Use
The height is adjusted with a handle. However, the handle cannot be reached from the seat of the lawn tractor/mower. So you would need to step off to adjust it. This is not too big of a deal.
The only potential snag comes from the rope for dumping the hopper contents. The rope is too weak and cannot be gripped easily. Many people replace it with their own thicker and sturdier rope, which solves the problem.
Ease Of Storage
The John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper is large. It does fold down for storage. However, you will still require ample space to store it.
The bag detaches from the rest of the unit, which makes it even easier to store.
Fatigue Reduction
The John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper operates smoothly and efficiently, leading to reduced fatigue when cleaning up the lawn compared to using a rake.
Packaging Quality
There are reports of parts missing in the shipped package.
Also, there are reports of the packaging material being of weak quality with the product breaking through and getting dented during shipping.
There seems to be a lack of protective foam, wrapping or sealing in the package. Several people have experienced dents in the product upon delivery to their homes.
The packaging quality of the John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper may vary depending on what retailer you purchase from, as one person reported the package being double-boxed and arriving without any problems.
We recommend you put in a special request at the time of ordering asking for your package to be double boxed.
Emptying Mechanism
The hopper is emptied with a nylon rope. It does not have a handle for holding and several people complain that this makes it difficult to grip.
One person reports that the included rope makes the hands hurt due to its small size.
Safety Issues
None reported.
Customer Service Experiences
The John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper is manufactured and serviced by Brinly-Hardy on behalf of John Deere. You can reach John Deere’s customer support here.
There are several cases of people not receiving all the parts required for assembly in the original package. However, replacement parts are quickly delivered when contacting the manufacturer.
There are complaints about the John Deere web site not catering to lawn sweeper products. The best option for customer service is to contact John Deere by phone rather than trying to go through their web site.
Performance Tips From Owners
- In order to avoid the bottom of the lawn sweeper from catching to the ground, make sure to set the clearance to at least 5 inches.
- Pay attention to the instructions for adjusting the height of the lawn sweeper, as the mechanism is a bit complicated and requires proper learning.
- Replace the included nylon rope with a thicker and heavier one. The nylon rope provides poor grip and can make your hands hurt.
- The faster you drive, the more debris the John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper will pick up. Avoid going too fast as that can damage the sweeping brushes.
- Allow your lawn to dry before sweeping, as it reduces the number of passes you have to make and saves time.
Additional Details
About The Manufacturer
The John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper is manufactured by Brinly Hardy and branded for John Deere.
Manufacturing Country
United States of America.
Warranty Coverage
The manufacturer’s warranty lasts 2 years from the date of purchase.
Return Policy
Depends on the retailer you purchase from. However, most online retailers offer at least a 30 day return period (depending on the condition of the returned package).
Replacement Part Availability And Cost
Replacement parts for the John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper are available on the John Deere parts replacement site.
Use the “Equipment Search” and type in “lawn sweeper”, then go into the “Sectional Index” to find the part you need.
The Verdict
The John Deere 42″ lawn sweeper folds for easier storage, which makes it attractive for those who require space efficiency. The product is made by Brinly-Hardy and sold by John Deere. Both are reputable and established companies, so replacement parts are readily available.
The assembly seems to be difficult and if you are not the handy type, you should consider going for a lawn sweeper that is easier to assemble or get it assembled in store.
With Home Depot, you can use their “BOSS” program: “Buy Online Ship to Store”. You can ship the lawn sweeper to your local Home Depot store free of charge,and then they will contact you once it arrives. You can then ask the staff to assemble the product for you.
