Need help w/upcoming lawnmower purchase- what to buy??
- Thread starter Evans Ward
- Start date
I picked up a Scott's mower 3 years ago for ~$300 at Home Depot. I like it beacuse it does all: bag, mulch, and side discharge, front drive. BUT, I also bought it when they still had Briggs motors.
Here's my experience with others:
Always buy front drive. If you buy rear drive, then there are extra parts so the wheels can turn independently. My father went thru 2 gearboxes on his last mower like this.
Always buy chain drive where it is driven by a gear that sticks out of the SIDE of the crankcase. These drive units have always lasted the longest for me AND when things fail, parts are cheap and repair is easy. I cut MANY yards as a teenager with one of these with no gearbox. It had an arm with 2 bug cogs that engaged the top of the front tires. I beat that thing to death and retired it because the frame started to rust apart.
My dad's "new mower" has a belt drive to the front wheels and AGAIN, I have replaced 2 more gear boxes, several cogs and wheels! He bought a Sears mower against my recommendation the same month I bought my Scott's and I have had 0 failures.
Don't buy Murray or Sears, PERIOD!
Always buy a Briggs if available, I have never had one fail. They have always outlasted the frames for me. For excessive use, like a lawn business, you may want something else, but then you'd be buying a different class of mower anyway.
Here's my experience with others:
Always buy front drive. If you buy rear drive, then there are extra parts so the wheels can turn independently. My father went thru 2 gearboxes on his last mower like this.
Always buy chain drive where it is driven by a gear that sticks out of the SIDE of the crankcase. These drive units have always lasted the longest for me AND when things fail, parts are cheap and repair is easy. I cut MANY yards as a teenager with one of these with no gearbox. It had an arm with 2 bug cogs that engaged the top of the front tires. I beat that thing to death and retired it because the frame started to rust apart.
My dad's "new mower" has a belt drive to the front wheels and AGAIN, I have replaced 2 more gear boxes, several cogs and wheels! He bought a Sears mower against my recommendation the same month I bought my Scott's and I have had 0 failures.
Don't buy Murray or Sears, PERIOD!
Always buy a Briggs if available, I have never had one fail. They have always outlasted the frames for me. For excessive use, like a lawn business, you may want something else, but then you'd be buying a different class of mower anyway.
choppers4life
New Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2002
THE LAWN GUY HAS COMETH!!!
ok, first do not buy anything from home depot or sears...
why you ask, warranty... they send it all out..
lawn boy, cub cadet, mtd etc.. they are all crap.
buy smart and you'll buy once.
go to your local COMMERCIAL mower outfit.
look at the following brands:
exmark ( metro )
honda harmony
snapper
toro ( they own exmark )
the self propelled feature that you speak of, if your looking for a good quality cut and your lawn is not that big... avoid it.
what happens is: the speed will not match the blade speed and cause the turf blade to shred, not fully slice. if you get a mower that is not self propelled the weight goes down and it's easier to push.
unless you live in the south with allot of bend or bermuda grass avoid bagging. snapper, toro and exmark have by far the best mulching mowers around. the decks are designed for it, not just a plug you insert.
motor choice.. BRIGG'S SUCK!!!!
stick with, kawasaki, honda or kholer..
i do this for a living, my payroll depends on the performance of these machines. i have bought and used all the brands mentioned and i speak from personnel experience.
ok, first do not buy anything from home depot or sears...
why you ask, warranty... they send it all out..
lawn boy, cub cadet, mtd etc.. they are all crap.
buy smart and you'll buy once.
go to your local COMMERCIAL mower outfit.
look at the following brands:
exmark ( metro )
honda harmony
snapper
toro ( they own exmark )
the self propelled feature that you speak of, if your looking for a good quality cut and your lawn is not that big... avoid it.
what happens is: the speed will not match the blade speed and cause the turf blade to shred, not fully slice. if you get a mower that is not self propelled the weight goes down and it's easier to push.
unless you live in the south with allot of bend or bermuda grass avoid bagging. snapper, toro and exmark have by far the best mulching mowers around. the decks are designed for it, not just a plug you insert.
motor choice.. BRIGG'S SUCK!!!!
stick with, kawasaki, honda or kholer..
i do this for a living, my payroll depends on the performance of these machines. i have bought and used all the brands mentioned and i speak from personnel experience.
Men in Black
New Member
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
I bought a Troy Built mulching mower a few years ago and love it. Starts on first pull and never leaves any sign of grass.
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2002
like i Said...............................
Give me your email address and Ill have our CP specialist give you a good price. We also have 20 or so used JX75 that are 1-2 years old for about 400.00 We are an authorized John Deere Agriculture and Consumer Products dealer.
Give me your email address and Ill have our CP specialist give you a good price. We also have 20 or so used JX75 that are 1-2 years old for about 400.00 We are an authorized John Deere Agriculture and Consumer Products dealer.
lyonsd
Active Member
- Joined
- May 24, 2001
I've got a Toro "Super Recycler" mulching mower with the 6.5HP engine, blade Brake clutch and self-propelled rwd. The transmission went out on it. Any of you professional mower fellows know how much it'll cost to have it fixed (approximately)? It's a 20487 SR-210SB '99 or '00 don't remember which year.
Alan Faircloth
New Member
- Joined
- May 23, 2002
John Deere JS63C according to Consumer Reports
Evans,
According to Consumer Reports, the John Deere JS63C is highly recommended. Price was said to be $410. My dad has a John Deere riding lawn mower (a BIG one) and it is absolutely the most impressive mower he's ever had. We've had snappers, toros, and many, many craftsmans (which I don't recommend regardless of the good Con. Report rating). I love the swiveling wheels on the JS63C, easy to make tight turns.
Alan
Evans,
According to Consumer Reports, the John Deere JS63C is highly recommended. Price was said to be $410. My dad has a John Deere riding lawn mower (a BIG one) and it is absolutely the most impressive mower he's ever had. We've had snappers, toros, and many, many craftsmans (which I don't recommend regardless of the good Con. Report rating). I love the swiveling wheels on the JS63C, easy to make tight turns.
Alan
Evans Ward
Love those LC2/ Y56 cars!
- Joined
- May 24, 2001
made the purchase!
Bought a Honda w/Harmony II 5.5 HP engine. Mower is a self-propelled walk behind, 21" cut aluminum deck, with both bagger and mulching features. Also has the caster swivel front ball bearing wheels for zero turning radius. I used the mower Monday with the mulcher and it rocks! Has lots of torque and 3rd speed cuts a nice quick pace. Those Honda mower engines sure seem quieter than the others too. I paid $499.00 at Home Depot for it. Very well satisfied with this purchase and I would highly recommend this mower to anyone. I did the homework and compared all the models in my price range. Features and reliability are the two that sold me on the Honda. Now, this is the only Japanese product in my household with a combustion engine!
Bought a Honda w/Harmony II 5.5 HP engine. Mower is a self-propelled walk behind, 21" cut aluminum deck, with both bagger and mulching features. Also has the caster swivel front ball bearing wheels for zero turning radius. I used the mower Monday with the mulcher and it rocks! Has lots of torque and 3rd speed cuts a nice quick pace. Those Honda mower engines sure seem quieter than the others too. I paid $499.00 at Home Depot for it. Very well satisfied with this purchase and I would highly recommend this mower to anyone. I did the homework and compared all the models in my price range. Features and reliability are the two that sold me on the Honda. Now, this is the only Japanese product in my household with a combustion engine!
Captain Mark
New Member
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2002
This man knows what he is talking about. I used to have a lawn maint. company and I agree with everything Choppers just said. I have had good luck with Kawasaki, and Kubota powered equipment as well. Japs know their small engines.