John Deere LA145 Lawn Tractor

Start with the tractor’s product identification number (PIN), rather than a horsepower label, when checking an LA145. Deere’s OMGX23404 I9 operator manual covers LA145 tractors with PIN 300001 and later and locates the PIN on the left side of the frame. Its LA135/LA145 specifications list a Briggs & Stratton model 40 twin-cylinder engine, 656 cc displacement and Tuff Torq T40 hydrostatic transaxle. The manual does not give an LA145 horsepower rating.

Check the installed 48-inch mower

Deere publishes an LA145 maintenance sheet for a 48-inch deck. The I9 manual’s 48-inch mower specification lists three rotary blades. The sheet lists blade kit GY20852 and mower belt GX21833 for that setup. These documents do not make every mower size in the multi-model manual an LA145 option. Read the installed mower’s identification and compare its parts listing before ordering.

What does “22 HP” mean here?

For example, Deere Shop labels MIA11398 a 22 HP replacement engine assembly and lists LA145 under generally compatible equipment. The listing describes general part fit; it does not establish the original output of every LA145 or a separate factory PIN version. Match the tractor PIN and the installed engine’s identification to the applicable Deere parts record before using that rating for service or a sale listing.

Correction to earlier slope and blade advice

A previous version of this site’s LA145 22 HP article advised mowing across slopes and tipping the tractor onto its nose for blade work. For LA145 tractors with PIN 300001 or later, those directions do not match Deere’s OMGX23404 I9 manual. Deere’s Avoid Tipping instructions say to mow up and down slopes, not across. Do not mow on wet grass or on a slope you cannot back up.

For blade work, Deere’s mower blade service procedure calls for parking safely and raising the mower deck for blade access, removing it if needed. Disconnect the spark plug wire(s) or negative battery cable to prevent accidental starting, and wear gloves. Read the full instructions in the manual edition matched to the tractor PIN.

Before buying or servicing an LA145

• Record the tractor PIN, engine identification and mower identification; use the manual edition that covers the PIN.
• Check the installed deck and its parts record instead of assuming blade count or belt fit from the tractor model alone.
• Inspect service records and visible engine, drive and mower condition. Use Deere’s operator instructions for slope operation and maintenance procedures.