Need a mower to grow on....

[daves87rs]

My 12 year craftsman (eager 1 5.5) Mower finally bit the bullet this week. It was a great mower, and I learned to do quite a bit to it!

Due to my wife' car needing work at the same time, I really have to watch my budget....but I'd like one I can still learn on....


Still considering another craftsman, but thiniking of these too..

http://www.lowes.com/pd_538023-270-11A-B2AQ711_4294612703__?productId=50119623&Ns=p_product_price|0&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_price%7C0%26page%3D1&facetInfo=

or

http://www.lowes.com/pd_421854-270-11A-A2BM711_4294612703__?productId=50119599&Ns=p_product_price|0&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_price%7C0%26page%3D1&facetInfo=


I have maybe a 1/3 of acre, mostly the back yard. I am still new to mowers...so I could use a little help here...

Have been researching a bit....hope these are decent budget choices....

 

[loyd]

Between those two I'd buy the one with the Honda engine. I have an older, but almost identical, one with a Honda engine and self-propelled. The Honda engine has never failed to start in five years of use.

 

[tomcat27]

If you can stretch the budget to 300 I would get a craftsman self propelled with Honda engine on sale right now. Otherwise the Honda engine over the smaller Briggs

 

[tomcat27]

Or if you are handy get a used mower. Especially a Honda, toro, or 2 cycle lawn boy. I've been using a self propelled lawn boy that I got off cl for $40

 

[BigCahuna]

Or you could buy a 6.5 hp HF motor for around $100, pop that on and be good for at least another 10 years.,,

 

[Barkleymut]

I always buy the cheapest new mower I can find with a B&S and a bagger. My current mower is going on 12 years with annual oil changes and annual air filter changes. Still starts first pull every time and it mows my 1/3 acre yard about 30 times a year and mulches leaves for about 5 hours every fall.

I wore out the front wheels 2 years ago and replaced them with cheap ones from wallymart. My wife told me to get another mower because this one looks all beat up and junky. But it runs like new.

 

[Donald]

If you go to Sears get one with a 917 model they are made by Husquvarna. Vs the 247 made by MTD.

I found get a front wheel drive one unless you have hills.

I am not sure about the rear wheel drive ones where you push a handle or squeeze a lever to make it go slower or faster.

 

[JTK]

I don't care for either one of those models. I don't have specific experience with this MTD model/style, but don't like the look and feel of the plastic wheel height adjusters, the wheels themselves and the hardware in general. That's what's important IMO.

 

[KD0AXS]

Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
Or you could buy a 6.5 hp HF motor for around $100, pop that on and be good for at least another 10 years.,,


This, or hit up Craigslist and find a good deal on a nice used mower.

Looks like both of those Troy-Bilt mowers have the plastic front end that will break off and leave you with no front wheels.

 

[bubbatime]

Use this search engine, searchtempest to search Craiglist classifieds for a Toro Super Recycler. I've owned ALL the big names and I can guarantee that this is the BEST homeowner mower on the market. They originally sold for $500 to $650 and can easily be found for around $100-150 in good condition used. They have an aluminum deck and heavy duty drive components. They are 25 year mowers with basic maintenance.

Here are some mowers within 250 miles of Detroit (I'm not sure what part of Michigan you hail from)...
http://www.searchtempest.com/search?loca...&maxAsk=max

By the way, those Lowe's mowers you linked to are junk. I've worked on a ton of them.

These were available as of this post:
http://toledo.craigslist.org/grd/4461118424.html
http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/grd/4521473811.html
http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/grd/4495100194.html
http://flint.craigslist.org/grd/4532253175.html
http://flint.craigslist.org/grd/4502105520.html
http://flint.craigslist.org/grd/4490143558.html
http://lansing.craigslist.org/grd/4495550843.html
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/zip/4502915931.html
http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/grd/4503900585.html

I have a 9 year old Super Recycler and it is like brand new. And I use it every 5 days down here from April to November and then about every 2 weeks in the fall/winter. Seriously, it is like brand new and you cant tell it from a new one. The self propel still works like new and the wheels are still in good shape as well as the wheel brackets. Very heavy duty stuff.

 

[Best F100]

I'll second the idea of a used Toro Super Recycler is a great idea. The quality of cut you get is as good as it gets. I had one and sold one after a few years.

However, an even BETTER idea is to hunt around Craigslist for a used Lawn Boy Duraforce, 2 cycle mower. They have the most power ever put in a 21" push mower (6 1/2 HP), you never have an oil change, and you will never have to worry about oil starvation while cutting hill inclines. In spite of all the power they have, the entire mower weighs less than 80 lbs. 6 1/2 HP gives you enough power and torque to cut grass over the wheel height - without bogging down. Aluminum deck that never rusts - what else can you ask for? I have two of the higher end ones - a commercial one with a full 1 gallon gas tank, and a "daily driver" model with battery start and Easy Stride, variable speed, self propel transmission. There are still a ton of them originally sold around the Great Lakes States - where I found mine, when I lived there.

 

[hemitom]

hey bubba have you ever had a john deere with the kawasaki engine ??. I had a super recycler, and picked up a john deere je75 , i sold the toro, the john deere mulched better and the kawasaki is a much smoother and more powerful engine. Just my opinion, what are your thoughts ?

On a other note there are lots of recyclers for sale around here, the john deere with the kawasaki engine are rarer than hens teeth.

 

[PhilsSmallEngine]

I too would look for a used Lawn Boy. A solid, self propelled Duraforce model can be found fairly easily for around $50 for one that needs some work up to about $150 for one ready to go with at least the side discharge and mulch plate and sometimes the bag kit too. And yes, the higher the grass, the stronger those engines run. This is especially true if you turn the governor up to about 3200rpm at full throttle from their ~2900-3000rpm baseline.

One thing I highly recommend and I've done it with mine and two I recently sold is to replace the main jet with the one from the R-Tek snow thrower engines. The extra size makes them run much cooler and smoother with a simple fix that doesn't even require you to remove the carburetor. It's a $6 part shipped on eBay for the OEM Briggs part. I usually take some filter foam and place it behind the primer bulb and that jet fix on the models I sell.

 

[123Saab]

Toro Personal Pace

They cut great and are very reliable.

 

[crazyoildude]

i like the briggs engines myself... But i always look for the ones with the primer button because i had others that would not start so easy without starter fluid.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: 123Saab
Toro Personal Pace

They cut great and are very reliable.


I agree with you, but the "Super" Recycler is the better Toro mower.

I think people have the tendency to buy the regular Toro recycler (like the pic you posted) and think it's the Super model.

 

[kkreit01]

I personally would buy new. Most of the used ones on CL are being sold for a reason. You may get lucky, but you have no idea of the history.

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted By: kkreit01
I personally would buy new. Most of the used ones on CL are being sold for a reason. You may get lucky, but you have no idea of the history.


I would absolutely dispute this. I buy and sell equipment, as well as fix equipment on the side for extra money. I've bought HUNDREDS of mowers off Craigslist in the past 3-4 years. Basically, if the engine isn't smoking and runs OK and the wheel brackets aren't worn completely out, usually the mowers have plenty of life left in them. Also, a huge majority of people let their mowers just sit over the winter without starting them which causes carburetor issues in the spring. Instead of fixing, they buy a new one. Carb issues are usually extremely easy to fix and are where I make my most money. People sell expensive equipment for bargain basement prices because they think it is broken, when in fact it only needs 5 minutes of very basic work to get going again. I bought a 2 year old, $600 Toro Super Recycler for $5 once. It only needed a new pull cord.

 

[KD0AXS]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Originally Posted By: kkreit01
I personally would buy new. Most of the used ones on CL are being sold for a reason. You may get lucky, but you have no idea of the history.


I would absolutely dispute this. I buy and sell equipment, as well as fix equipment on the side for extra money. I've bought HUNDREDS of mowers off Craigslist in the past 3-4 years. Basically, if the engine isn't smoking and runs OK and the wheel brackets aren't worn completely out, usually the mowers have plenty of life left in them. Also, a huge majority of people let their mowers just sit over the winter without starting them which causes carburetor issues in the spring. Instead of fixing, they buy a new one. Carb issues are usually extremely easy to fix and are where I make my most money. People sell expensive equipment for bargain basement prices because they think it is broken, when in fact it only needs 5 minutes of very basic work to get going again. I bought a 2 year old, $600 Toro Super Recycler for $5 once. It only needed a new pull cord.


I agree. Obviously there is a reason someone is selling, but that reason isn't necessarily because it's junk. I got this John Deere JS63 off Craigslist for $75. Absolutely nothing wrong with it at all, runs perfect and starts on the first pull every time. The guy's reason for selling it....he moved into a townhouse and no longer had a lawn to mow.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime

I would absolutely dispute this. I buy and sell equipment, as well as fix equipment on the side for extra money.


I agree with bubba. In fact, I would say that a majority of the time, used equipment is a better value. You wouldn't believe some of the deals that are out there on perfect condition used equipment. Its a lawn mower, and the first time you use it the thing will get dirty and full of grass anyway. Just last week I picked up a push mower for one of my dad's friends who moved into their first house. They needed a cheap mower for their small yard. I found one on craigslist for $35. The mower was 3 years old, was stored in a garage, and started on the first pull. I didn't have to do anything to it, the blade was sharp, air filter was clean, and oil was recently changed. The reason they were selling it was they were moving to Florida in 3 days and really wanted it gone.

If you are handy, the deals are even better. I find mowers all the time for sale that need very little, especially in the wealthier areas around here. People go out to mow the lawn, it won't start, and they just go buy a new one.