Jacobsen Other models

The Chief is powered by a Lauson-brand engine rated at 4.5 kW (6 hp). Only two wheels are driven. With this modest output and simple drive layout, the Chief clearly belongs to the class of garden and lawn tractors, not to the farm field tractors of the same period.

Small lawn tractors such as the Chief are meant for mowing lawns, towing light trailers and simple upkeep work around homes and grounds, not for field work or heavy implements. The Lauson engine was a common supplied powerplant for small American garden and utility tractors of that era.

When buying a used Chief, the condition of the Lauson engine matters most, since parts for this engine brand from the early 1960s are scarce and largely dependent on what collectors have kept on hand. The clutch, belt drive and simple steering of such an old two-wheel-drive machine should be checked, along with the mower deck linkage if one is fitted. Rust in the sheet metal and frame is common on machines this old, which were often stored outdoors without cover for long stretches of their life.