Beware of Husqvarna Garden Tractors, Front Scoop "Capable"?
I got to thinking about what "capable" means, as it refers to a Garden Tractor, and this came to mind;
Though there are many implements being built for our Garden Tractors, I will look at the front scoop for today.
The front scoop, verses a bucket loader is a unique ground engagement Garden Tractor implement that is designed for light loads and limited capabilities that keep the load below or at the chassis height. This allows the use of a Garden Tractor to move fill verses a wheel barrow and not go too far above the GT's center of gravity and negatively effect the equipment's design strength and capability.
A quick look at the bucket loader for comparison;
Bucket loaders are designed to go above the tractor chassis, requiring much more chassis engineering to handle the raising of the center of gravity over the chassis and potentially the tractor.
Since this is about front scoops and Garden Tractors, to include Light Garden Tractors, lets take a look at whats available.
The Agri-Fab built for Craftsman front scoop, model #24847 
The Agri-Fab built for Husqvarna front scoop, model #588181401 (Agri-fab #05-04031 and succession)-(36") Bucket part #64962. I'm still including because there maybe some still out there for sale, but looks as if discontinued for Husqvarna now. Here it is;
The Husqvarna branded Agri-Fab scoop started as a 42" wide bucket, with the same limitations, near as I have been able to find, as early as 2006. 2006 is also the first time I can find the GT/TS pan style chassis being used by Husqvarna.
And it wasn't in a Garden Tractor, Husqvarna still used c-channel welded chassis in their Garden Tractor's then. Who knew husqvarna would keep adding holes and adding the lawn mower chassis in the top Garden Tractors within a couple years, it was a deluxe riding lawn mower (you won't find it on tractor data, but but you will on Husqvarna.com);
Number#96043000300 The Johnny Bucket JR, from Johnny Products has the same limitations but uses electric muscle to operate. The other two use operator muscle to operate. The JBJR;
This is how they compare;
Craftsman 36" front scoop: 1) 36" w x 14" L x 12" H - Volume= 1.7 cubic feet or 12.7 US Gallons.
A) If moving dirt at 80lbs per cubic foot= that's a total of 136lbs.....This scoop full is 64lbs under weight limit.
B) If moving sand or rock at 100lbs per cubic foot= that's a total of 170lbs.. and 30lbs under the 200lbs weight limit.
2) Maximum lift above ground- 7"
3) $599.99 MSRP- though frequently in the $400 range.
4) Requires or is recommended:
A) Wheel Weight
B) Tire Chains
5) Maximum allowable speed when attached- 3mph
6) Two mounting options, 1 for dual front mower drag links (the short support brackets), 1 for the single center mower suspension drag link (the long support brackets are to be used)
(Special note here, if you have a Husqvarna model TS with the chassis support plates, then the long support brackets will not fit without removing your chassis support plates. This will void the warranty for both the scoop and the tractor)
7) 1 year warranty on the scoop only, not use on your tractor.
8) 200lb maximum weight capacity.
Husqvarna 36" front scoop: 1) 36" w x 14" L x 12" H - Volume= 1.7 cubic feet or 12.7 US Gallons.
A) If moving dirt at 80lbs per cubic foot= that's a total of 136lbs.....This scoop full is 64lbs under weight limit.
B) If moving sand or rock at 100lbs per cubic foot= that's a total of 170lbs.. and 30lbs under the 200lbs weight limit.
2) Maximum lift above ground- 7"
3) $629.99 MSRP
4) Requires or is recommended:
A) Wheel Weight
B) Tire Chains
5) Maximum allowable speed when attached- unknown
6) Unknown mounting options- appears to be unavailable
7) 2 year warranty on the scoop only, not use on your tractor.
8) 200lb maximum weight capacity.
42" Husqvarna front scoop: Unavailable. sold 2006-2008? Johnny Bucket JR: 1) 42" W X 14" L X 10" H- Volume= 2.5 cubic feet or 18.7 US gallons.
A) If moving dirt at 80lbs per cubic foot= that's a total of 200lbs..This scoop full is at its 200lbs weight limit.
B) If moving sand or rock at 100lbs per cubic foot= that's a total of 250lbs.. and 50lbs over the 200lbs weight limit.
2) Maximum lift above ground- 10"
3) $1,489.95 MSRP (including fast dump upgrade)
4) Requires or is recommended:
A) Wheel Weight
B) Tire chains
5) Maximum allowable speed when attached- not given.
6) Two mounting options, 1" up or !" down, to effect the 10" total lift.
7) 1Year warranty
8) 200lb maximum weight capacity.
Meet the biggest, baddest, most powerful, and most expensive Husqvarna to date:
The Husqvarna TS354D at $3,749.95 MSRP 
This Husqvarna TS354D at $3,749.95 msrp is still being considered a Garden Tractor, and yet is not "capable" of operating a JBJR with 200lb weight limit. Johnny Products says this about the Husqvarna TS/GT models;
"(GT48XLSi, GT52XLSi, GT54LS, GT52XLS, GTH52XLS any 2018 and up TS3xx series such as TS348 etc. and a few others are still compatible but have a weak tractor frame design that is not strong enough for use with the Johnny Bucket)" The Chassis is too weak for a front garden tractor scoop with a 200lb weight capacity? WOW.
Let me show you what does not have a chassis too weak for the johnny bucket;
The cheapest, most affordable, riding lawn mower that Husqvarna currently builds, $1,599.95 MSRP
The YTH18542 (18.5hp, 42" mowing deck) has a strong enough chassis for a johnny bucket.
The Craftsman LT1000, again the cheapest riding lawn tractor in Craftsman has a strong enough chassis for a Johnny Bucket.
The Cub Cadet XT1 LT42, currently the cheapest Cub Cadet riding lawn mower built, $1,699.00 MSRP has a strong enough chassis for the johnny bucket.
John Deere 100 series Riding lawn mower is currently the cheapest JD with a strong enough chassis for the Johnny Bucket at $1,599.00 MSRP.
Husqvarna is misrepresenting their product when they make people believe their TS/ GT tractors are "capable" and yet there cheap grass cutters are the only one's in the brand that have strong enough chassis for a 200lb limit front garden tractor scoop.
The other grass cutters were to just drive the point home.
Beware of Husqvarna Garden Tractors (and TS354D, etc). :tango_face_smile: