Craftsman tractor year built

[jf]

Does anyone know how to tell what year Craftsman garden tractors are by the model number? Or is there another number I need to find. And what does the prefix 917 on the model # mean. Thanks for you help. Jim

 

[rustyj14]

Some of the labels under the seat, or hood, give the DOM number, some don't. You might have to access the Craftsman pages and poke around in there, to get info.
Craftsman seems to go a lot by main color of the machine, usually in 10 year increments.

 

[Kentb of SWMO]

If the engine on the mower is a Briggs, You can make a somewhat educated guess by looking at the engine CODE number for the date the engine was made. This is all base on the engine being the original.

Kent

 

[G L Grumpy]

917 is the manufacturer's code. In this case it is Roper. Made them for years. Color is useful. Orange for early light models, then probly that Blue/Green color for 10 or 12 horse Suburbans. Later they became yellow/white and may have Onan engines in bigger units. Most of smaller ones have Tecumseh cast iron engines. Great guys on forums on My Tractor Forum for Sears rigs. I have a couple now in parts and working on them. Most have the tag with model riveted to the center console, but guess you have that then? Post that number on forums noted above, you'll get much info. Lots of pictures there also.

 

[joe csuti]

Try going to link below,enter tractor mod# in search,if any assembly drawings come up,look at electrical drawing if listed,some mod yrs they put a month/yr on same,but not always,may help you date tractor.Depending on yr of tractor as grumpy said the 917 in mod# would be roper,but could also be ayp/frigidare home products,when electrolux bought out wci in mid 80's roper was one of many brands in wci product line,later electrolux dropped the roper line & changed name to ayp & redesigned tractors,later still was an offshoot of ayp that markets poulan,weedeater & several house brand tractors under the frigidare home products line,some of these wind up rebranded at sears with 917 prefix,several yrs ago there was talk that electrolux was going to spin off the ayp line & tractors would be combined with husquavarna & built under same roof,I don't know if this ever happened.
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