ok, the sabre tractors are the same as the scotts tractors which are BOTH built by John Deere. Parts should be interchangeable, i think. anyway, what year is this tractor? and welcome to the fourm.

The tractor is a 2002. I don't have all that big a yard. I had been mowing with a self propelled mower until I started having problems with one of my knees & can't walk as much as before. This tractor should last a long time as little use as it will get.

I think the 100 series is a cheap imitation of a John Deere.

Sabres are as much John Deere as the Scotts are. They are not cheap John Deere imitations but are inexpensive tractors manufactured by John Deere employees meant to compete with other manufacturers in the same price range and market. I had a 2002 Scotts L2548 and it was a good machine. Compared today to the 155C I think. Calling them cheap John Deere imitations is like calling Yanmar manufactured John Deere tractors expensive imitations. At least the Sabres and Scotts and 100 series as well as my X744 are made in the US at a Deere plant by Union workers.

I've had my Sabre now for about five years and with the exception of a starter problem that was quickly fixed the first year under the warranty it runs great.I have a little over a 1/2 acre and both the mulcher and bagger do a great job.

kubotabx2200, That's like saying a Kubota T-series is a cheap imitation of a Kubota. It means nothing. These tractors serve a need and have many satisfied users. In most cases, those not satisfied with them, really should have bought larger machines.

Cheers

JDFANATIC

"are made in the US at a Deere plant by Union workers."

I was with you until you added in the "union workers" part.

Sabre ans Scotts and the L series are made at one of the only non union Deere plants in Tenn. The X300 series to the X700series are made in Horricon Wisconsin at a union Plant. The last model year of the Sabre's and Scotts lawn tractors were made on the current L/LA series frames The older Sabre and Scotts lawn tractors (Deere made Scotts)were built on the STX frame the Sabre/Scotts Garden tractors (Deere made Scotts) are built on the GT275 frame. The parts are not completely interchangable for instance the Front spindle's and Axles are diffrent between the Sabre&Scotts the G100 was also made on the GT275 frame the G110 was made on the same frame as the rest of the L series lawn tractor frames but it had a GT transsmission.

"It seems to cut very well & is in excellent shape"
Fatbob, it seems you already know all you need. Welcome to the forum.

Look for the union label
when you are buying that coat, dress or blouse.

Remember somewhere our union's sewing,
our wages going to feed the kids, and run the house.

We work hard, but who's complaining?
Thanks to the I.L.G. we're paying our way!

So always look for the union label,
it says we're able to make it in the U.S.A.!

The famous theme song of the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union, tho I never did determine if this was a ladies-only union of women who sewed, sort of an industrial version of a church sewing circle, or if the union consisted of both men and women who sewed only ladies' garments such as union-made panties but definitely no boxer shorts produced by those union workers. I'm begining to think they didn't know themselves and eventually changed the name of the union to the even more cumbersome Union of Needltrades, Industrial and Textile Employees

Never mind, the song and it's catchy tune remains glued to my head.

Oh well, none of that stuff is sewn in the US any more, and we import both women's panties and men's underwear from places like Bangladesh now, or whatever other third-world country happens to sew it the cheapest.

I wasn't making a pro/con union statement, I was just pointing out that unit40 stated that the Sabre/Scotts/100 Series JD's were made at a union plant, which they aren't/weren't.

I am new to the forum, I have a question? I am thinking of buying a used John Deere Sabre Riding Mower it is a 2000. How much should I pay. They are asking $900.00 with the twin rear bagger. I was thinking $600.00. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

I've had my Sabre 1338 for 14 years. I use it, on an average, every three days for about 3hrs. The only things I've replaced is oil, blades, and two batteries. It's a great little lawn tractor, and it's every bit a John Deere.

The Sabre & Scotts are not the same machine. I have had both. Park them side by side and look them over. I have only had to replace the tie rod in over ten years on the Sabre, can't say that about the Scotts. I still have the Sabre. Dumped the Scotts a long time ago. I will take the Sabre any time. I have the 2148.

I have a Sabre by John Deere tractor that has been error free until now. Model # GXSABAR010335 15.5 38 Hydro2197a. It has a Briggs and Stratton engine 28N707-1135-E1 15.5 hp engine. The fuel solenoid became faulty metering valve was intermittent. I ordered a new one from Briggs and Stratton. Know when the ignition switch is turned to run the valve engages and works fine. But, now I have gas but no spark. Replaced the spark plug with a new one. Checked for spark by pulling the plug and holding it to engine frame no spark and the plug does get wet with gas. The engine turns with the key and the starter turns the flywheel but no turn over. Could there be a bad safety somewhere or is the magneto coil bad. Magnets on flywheel are there. Could the coil not be sensing the the magnetic rotation or is there something I could try.

i have been trying to find a replacement deck for my sabre 1540 hr but i cannot find one. is the a direct replacement of anykind that i can put on there im not to fussed on the size, i was hoping that a deck from another sabre would fit weather it be bigger or smaller

from http://www.tractor-review.com/john-deere-sabre.html:

"But there are far more sit on lawnmower models in the John Deere Sabre
range. They are the 1338GS, 15.538GS, 15.538HS, 1538GS, 1538HS, 1546G,
1638HS, 1642HS, 1646GS, 1646HS, 17.542HS, 1742GS, 1842GV,
1842HV,1846HMS, 1846HV, 1846GV, 1848GV, 1848HV, 1948HV, 1948GV, 2046HV,
2048HV, 2148HV, 2254HV, 2354HV and the 2554HV. Like the walk behind
mowers, these too have all ceased production."

Which one you got?

2254HV, sabre 54 inch deck 22 hp brigs 1998 model 500 hrs 18 years old been outside in Pennsylvania the whole time and running strong, Worth every penny, It is not a cheap lawn tractor at all in fact it is extremely durable, I have abused it heavily and frequently mowing entire golf courses several times and plowing thousands of tons of snow and towing an 800 pound trailer. It has also been used to cut overgrown 80 acre crop fields, gas and power line runs and has been used to push over and cut down and chop up hundreds of small trees up to 3 inch diameter in addition to hauling 10 cords of cut logs in an off road trailer over miles of super steep rocky terrain that 2wd atvs get stuck on . With a set of wheel weights and chains front and rear it climbs and descends almost vertical and plows snow and gravel well. The deck is as strong as most commercial mowers. So far the damage total has been a set of deck wheels a tie rod tie a new choke and throttle cable and a new deck electric switch, new plastic cooling fan for hydro, 2 sets of belts and 6 oil and filter changes and straightening of bent front deck wheel brackets, about 490 dollars in parts total. The weak links are the weak hood and no front bumper and leak in hydro unit so have to add 30 wt motor oil 1 quart every 6 mos, No drain hole to change hydro fluid so having to tip entire tractor up side down to change hydro oil Also the hydro unit need to be cleaned a lot, gets covered with grass and will overheat and could possibly self destruct if not kept clean. Neglecting to keep the hydro oil topped off will result in the lawn tractor version of a 35+ mph backwards Nantucket sleigh ride when climbing grades of 35% or more basically if you hear hydro noise its low so top off the hydro with oil before disaster strikes.

I'd love to hear the sound it makes when you grind up a 3" diameter tree!

I did not make it an extensive research project, but parts for some models of the Sabre tractor area avaible on the JD Parts website

http://jdpc.deere.com/jdpc/servlet/com.deere.u90490.partscatalog.view.servlets.HomePageServlet_Alt

This is a great site for any DIY who owns a JD or variant tractor.

Can anyone tell me for sure if a 54" Sabre deck will fit on a 2148 Sabre model # M02148H030686? I'm in need of a deck. I cannot find a 48" deck anywhere near Illinois, but have found a 54" and they claim it will fit my 2148. Thanks for any help!

I have a 2002 Sabre 14.5 42" that came with my house a few years ago. I replaced all the fuel lines, belts, blades, spark plug and oil last year and this thing runs like a champ. I would never call these mowers a cheap imitation of anything, they are excellent and better built than most mowers out there today!

Atta Boy Markie !

I've have had a 19 year sabre 19 hp it runs looks and runs new....had one pully which didn't have a grease fitting..its so good I can't make sense looking at a new one

Hi, I just moved (from a rental) and I’m in need of a mower. I’m looking at an older Sabre 2554HV and a model 212. I found this thread/site while researching these models. Lots of great info. I’ve had a few other brands of used but newer models that IMO seemed cheaply made and needed lots of work over the short period I had them. I’m not against getting a bran new JD but I want something that is well built (USA). I like these older models because I feel like ’they don’t build em like that anymore’. Maybe that’s not true with JD, but if I can get one for 1/2 the price or less that works just as good as new, I’ll go used.