Need a new mower.. Suggestions on my picks..

[jeepman3071]

I fix lawn mowers as a side job. Personally, I would pick the Snapper with the Briggs engine. The Briggs flatheads may be a little outdated, vibrate a little more, etc, but they are simple and reliable. Parts are extremely cheap and easy to find and they are very easy to maintain. You can find the filters, spark plugs, and other maintenance items pretty much everywhere for a Briggs engine. Including WalMart. Keep oil in it, keep the fuel clean, and it will pretty much run forever.

The Honda engines are nicer engines, but parts are much more expensive and difficult to find. I've also seen some odd things on Honda engines that steer me away from them. One guy brought in a Honda powered mower and it had no oil drain plug. You literally had to tip the engine sideways to drain the oil out through the dipstick.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
One guy brought in a Honda powered mower and it had no oil drain plug. You literally had to tip the engine sideways to drain the oil out through the dipstick.


That's by far the easiest way to do it. Why use a tool on a drain plug (and create a potential leak point) when you don't have to?

Many small engines today do not have drain plugs. It's easier to tip the mower.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
One guy brought in a Honda powered mower and it had no oil drain plug. You literally had to tip the engine sideways to drain the oil out through the dipstick.


That's by far the easiest way to do it. Why use a tool on a drain plug (and create a potential leak point) when you don't have to?

Many small engines today do not have drain plugs. It's easier to tip the mower.


I agree its easier for me yes, but tell that to the person who rarely maintains their mower and doesn't know to do that. I think it is more because they expect people to throw away machines when they break and buy another one. Had a guy bring in a walkbehind mower the other day. The engine had seized from lack of oil. He didn't even know it had a dipstick.

Maybe we are all just crazy maintaining our machines though. My dad had a push mower for 15 years and never changed the oil once. It ran perfectly fine when he sold it.

 

[gofast182]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
One guy brought in a Honda powered mower and it had no oil drain plug. You literally had to tip the engine sideways to drain the oil out through the dipstick.


That's by far the easiest way to do it. Why use a tool on a drain plug (and create a potential leak point) when you don't have to?

Many small engines today do not have drain plugs. It's easier to tip the mower.

Mine is this way, too. As long as you're careful not to make a mess it's actually kind of smart, fewer machining operations on the engine and no plug to get gunked up or knocked loose by debris flying around under the deck.

I like my Honda HRR, it's built like a tank and always starts on the first pull, the only problem I have is the rear wheels lock when rolling backwards sometimes.

 

[DuckRyder]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
One guy brought in a Honda powered mower and it had no oil drain plug. You literally had to tip the engine sideways to drain the oil out through the dipstick.


That's by far the easiest way to do it. Why use a tool on a drain plug (and create a potential leak point) when you don't have to?

Many small engines today do not have drain plugs. It's easier to tip the mower.

 

[Corvette Owner]

I like Snapper, and own one (28 inch riding lawn mower).

 

[123Saab]

Originally Posted By: Johnny248


Husqvarna 22" Honda GVC 160 $339

http://www.truevalue.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=49653


I have the Kohler Powered version of this and its been great.

Cant see how you can go wrong with a Husq/Honda Combo.

 

[dareo]

Toro Time master. If spending 1,000 is an option, look at this mower. I just got one this year and it saves a ton of time and fuel on my 5 weekly lawns. I also really like the older snappers. i just found a homeowner owned commercial snapper with 2 cycle robin engine for $300 bucks in amazing shape. Its my dedicated lawn vacuum cleaner. Sometimes a really good older mower is a lot better than today's entry level china junk. My snapper is probably 10 years old and still totally solid in every way.

The sears outlet snapper might be quite good, but the quality level is not where it used to be. My Toro 22" had that same engine and it lived a long life of 6 years doing 5 lawns a week. Briggs engines can be hit and miss these days.

 

[spk2000]

I have one of those commercial snapper with the robin engine. Starts first pull nearly every time. Used it for the first time after it sat all winter. Added gas and first pull started right up. The engine power is great. I also have a residential snapper with a briggs quantum that totally lacks power and is harder to start. I like its drive system better though especially in tight areas. The commercial one wants to take off when backing up for some reason making tight areas a bit tough.

 

[2Fast4U]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
One guy brought in a Honda powered mower and it had no oil drain plug. You literally had to tip the engine sideways to drain the oil out through the dipstick.


That's by far the easiest way to do it. Why use a tool on a drain plug (and create a potential leak point) when you don't have to?

Many small engines today do not have drain plugs. It's easier to tip the mower.



I like this idea also. Since I vaccum my oil out through dipstick the drain plug isn't used.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: dareo
Sometimes a really good older mower is a lot better than today's entry level china junk. My snapper is probably 10 years old and still totally solid in every way.


If one is handy, I think older mowers are far better values. I would say that you have to have some level of "handiness" because stuff on older engines will invariably age (like ignition coils, fuel lines, etc). But overall, I find the older decks to be far superior to newer stuff.

I have a 1986 Lawn-Boy 2-stroke (F engine), a 1999 Lawn-Boy with a 2003 Honda GCV160 on it, and a 2001 Honda HR215SXA with a GXV140. The decks on each of these mowers (and associated controls) are of much better quality than that you buy today, unless you spend big for a Toro Commercial or top-line Honda, etc. I bought a 2003 Craftsman mower (where my Honda GCV160 came from) and after a few years, the deck was in poor shape, rattling handles that couldn't be tightened, etc. I tossed the deck and kept the engine...and it's now on my '99 Lawn-Boy that had a bum 4-stroker Tecumseh when I got it.

 

[dareo]

Originally Posted By: spk2000
I have one of those commercial snapper with the robin engine. Starts first pull nearly every time. Used it for the first time after it sat all winter. Added gas and first pull started right up. The engine power is great. I also have a residential snapper with a briggs quantum that totally lacks power and is harder to start. I like its drive system better though especially in tight areas. The commercial one wants to take off when backing up for some reason making tight areas a bit tough.


The snapper drive isn't as easy to use as toro personal pace. For one, my snapper seems to have a fully open differential so on hills or uneven ground it will spin one rear wheel. My toros spin both wheels. Snapper's drive is more on/off but i can't even use the fastest gear without running behind it. Any repairs are easy with the simple disc drive setup. I can't wait till i get home from work today so i can use the Time Master. That is what makes it worth 1,000 bucks. You simply can't wait to use it. The sound of the twin blades is much better than a single blade mower. Getting your lawn done in record time makes it even sweeter. Blade brake clutch makes it super easy to start and it stays running if you need to move stuff out of the way. Total lawn mowing luxury!

 

[spk2000]

The snapper commercial does not use the disc drive system and both wheels dig hard. Will tear up the yard when turning sometimes. My other snapper has the disc drive and turns much easier but does spin easy when climbing a hill.

 

[dareo]

Originally Posted By: spk2000
The snapper commercial does not use the disc drive system and both wheels dig hard. Will tear up the yard when turning sometimes. My other snapper has the disc drive and turns much easier but does spin easy when climbing a hill.




Took that when i first brought it home. It has a 6 speed lever and the disc drive, but also has the commercial features like steel ball bearing wheels, handle reinforcement, Robin engine, heavy, ect. I don't know a ton of about these yet but others have told me the black ones are all commercial? This was home owner owned till his estate sold it to me, no idea how old it is. The guy's son had it tuned up at a local shop prior to sale.

 

[afoulk]

That's awesome, I've never seen them in black.

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: afoulk
That's awesome, I've never seen them in black.


Yeah I like that as well...

Now I know what model the scatter chute the local hardware store had on the shelf was for...