As a woman needing a helping hand around the yard this lawn sweeper worked great. I have a 1 acre pasture for my horses and this sweeper picked up leaves, sticks, and pine cones. In 30 minutes I had three large loads of leaves and trash picked up from my pasture. It would have taken me 3 hours by hand....review »
The sweeper works fine, if you can keep it working. I've owned the sweeper for a year or 2 now. Assembly wasn't too much of a problem for me, unlike some of the other reviewers. I think it could have been designed better and especially used better hardware for connecting the different pieces. My issue...review »
11Texas Sealy, TX
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Craftsman 46 in. High Speed Tow Sweeper Ratings and Reviews
This sweeper was a bear to assemble. If you have trouble near the completion it may pay to loosen already assembled parts to complete the final assembly. However, it works great! Acorns and oak leaves swept up (about 90% or more) even though our acreage is very rough in places.
Leaf sweeper works great. Putting it together was something else. Assembly directions need to be reviewed and rewritten by the manufacture. There was a section that identified parts with the wrong part number. It took awhile to sort that out. Directions referred back to incorrect step numbers. Puzzling but eventually put the sweeper together but with a few choice words and a kick to the box.
Singularly, one of the very best yard machines for the money. Got 200 cottonwoods on my one acre of yard. I purchased my first Craftsman lawn sweeper in May 1998, at the same time I purchased a lawn tractor for myself and my Dad. Dad's ride mower was purchased in Grand Junction, CO and delivered in New Hampshire for Father's Day from a local Sears store. I finally blew up my old sweeper after dragging it around the yard for 10 years. 'Blowing it up' means that I literally wore out the tire tread and bent the wheel axles--even though the mechanical drive, sweeper/s and collection bin are still intact....review »
This is my second lawn sweeper. Got this one because it is bigger and has a better speed ratio --- meaning that you don't have to drive your lawn tractor at full speed to get the rotation needed to pick up grass.
This definitely makes the job a bit easier -- with the larger capacity --- but you have to keep in mind that this is "work." It is not easy, but if you want a better looking lawn, this work is worth it.
The sweeper is a bit tedious to operate as all are. Picking up the grass / leaves / whatever is the easiest part of the equation. Next you will find yourself with (depending on the size...review »
I have a large yard and have used the sweeper numerous times with great satisfaction. I recently got the dethatcher attachment and it seems to work really well. The assembly instructions are not the greatest (for the sweeper) but if you take time during assembly it will go together correctly. I just wish there were more illustrations in the directions.
I've heard complaints about the operation of the machine but I have been really pleased with mine. Understanding that the wheels need traction to operate the sweeper should imply that the best operation will be when the grass is dry. I would not...review »
Assembly directions could be better. Assembly of the hopper clamps were omitted from the directions. We caught it before going too far and figured out easily how to assemble them to the sweeper. Step 10 was somewhat vague as to whether the cotter pin came before or after the height adjustment tube. We put it before but when we used the sweeper the pin continually jumped out out of the height adjustment plate and dug into the ground. We will try to move the cotter pin so it is after the height adjustment tube to see it that corrects the problem. Other than that irritating problem the sweeper picks...review »
A fast and easy way to gather up a lot of leaves in a short time. I have about 5 acres of mowable yard and many Oak trees. This sweeper saves me tons of time and much easier on my back than a rake. It took me about 2 hours to assemble and it was not too hard if you can read and follow directions.
The wheels do lock up sometimes in real thick leaves or if the hieght needs to be adjusted. It has left skid marks on my lawn in a few cases like that, but I can live with it.
Problem One: After nine months of ownership screws and nuts fell out that hold brushes to the rotating shaft. A service rep was sent to the home to repair. He wound up having screws/nuts sent to my home and advised that I install them.
Problem two: 4 days after one year warranty has expired. The height adjust rod that runs between the two wheels broke at it's weld points yielding the sweeper useless.
Very poor quality of materials and would not recommend to anyone.
This sweeper works great and is not difficult to assemble contrary to the other reviews you may have read. The problem is with the assembler, not the sweeper. The drawings are very accurate, and if you don't try to stick the square on the carriage bolts into a round hole, you will be fine. You do have to look CLOSELY at the drawing to get the washers in the correct position, but I assembled mine in about 30 min. with no problems at all, and it has worked great since.
I have used this sweeper for an entire season on a three acre yard and it works great. You have to make sure that the height is adjusted correct or it will drag the wheels otherwise it works very well. I imagine any lawn sweeper will drag if it's set too low. I like the high speed brushes. You don't have travel as fast to get good results which makes for an easier ride. It even picks up stones from blowing snow this past winter. Would definately recommend it.
Directions are next to useless. After using it the first time, screws fell out of the wheel assembly and brushes self destructed because they were never tightened. After you figure out how to put it together, go thru the entire unit and check all factory installed nuts and screws. Very disappointed with the quality control of the unit.
The sweeper itself works well.
This product made collecting leaves in the fall MUCH easier. I live in the woods and before I had this raking and bagging leaves was a constant job. After having tried everything even a shredder, this was a great product. I haven't had any problems with it slipping except going over rough terrain or heavy leaves. Overall, i recommend it.
The acorn nuts on the pivot rod should be replaced with pins and washers. These came off after only a few basket dumps. I will have to drill and pin now. You can't assume these sweepers are always used on level ground. Otherwise it seems to work good and even picks up all the sticks from my 49 trees in the yard, which is why I bought it.
The widest sweeper available in the Craftsman line cleans up leaves, grass clippings lawn debris in fewer passes. A universal fit attachment with a spring loaded adjustable height hitch pin connects quickly to any brands' tractor hitch plate. The cantilever hitch design (no caster wheels) give maximum traction and weight to the wheels for effective and efficient sweeping action.