What is the best commercial walk-behind available?

[SOHCman]

I was eyeing a $600 toro with a beefy Honda and cast deck last time I was at the local dealer. They just look so stout and full of quality compared to big box offerings. Ya it has a steep price, but you are paying almost $400 for the "top of the line" consumer models now...

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: SOHCman
I was eyeing a $600 toro with a beefy Honda and cast deck last time I was at the local dealer. They just look so stout and full of quality compared to big box offerings. Ya it has a steep price, but you are paying almost $400 for the "top of the line" consumer models now...

Maybe your neighbors used 2 stroke lawn boy? I still see lots of green mowers with orange tanks (old lawn boy comercial mowers)used by mowing guys here still.
For me I just want to cut the dam grass fast and relatively cleanly, not mulch it, or bag it, or vaporize it, or whatever mower makers claim today.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

Wouldn't a commercial walk-behind be a Scag or something of that ilk? Do they make suburban-style mowers but in commercial grade? Never heard of that.

 

[Bgallagher]

for around $400 you can buy a Husqvarna with the same engine. Honda makes a great engine but a true commercial mower has a kawasaki of B&S I/C series. Honda can't touch either one of those engines in terms of commercial quality.

A true commercial walk-behind would be a scag or lesco with the floating decks and hydro drive systems. Those can run you 2-7k for a good model. Most of the time you can buy a good used machine for around $800 on craigslist. Anything else is a push mower

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: Chris Meutsch
Wouldn't a commercial walk-behind be a Scag or something of that ilk? Do they make suburban-style mowers but in commercial grade? Never heard of that.


A lot of people call any non-riding mower a walk behind. Others reserve that term for larger wide area walk behinds like Scags, which are usually 33" and larger in deck size.

There are commercial 21" mowers. Usually they have features such as wheel bearings, heavier duty engines that may have an oil filter, and lots of metal parts.

There are lots of Snapper fans on here. I also really like the Toro 21" Heavy Duty and Ariens Classic LM 21.
http://www.toro.com/en-us/professional-c...eavy-Duty-Mower
http://www.ariens.com/products/walk-behind-mowers/classic-lm/Pages/default.aspx

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Bgallagher
. Honda makes a great engine but a true commercial mower has a kawasaki of B&S I/C series. Honda can't touch either one of those engines in terms of commercial quality.



Maybe they aren't used in mowers, but what about robin Subaru?

 

[propuckstopper]

I have been using a Toro Super Recycler. It is self-propelled with electric start, and powered by a Briggs. Best mulch quality I have ever seen in a mower.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Bgallagher
. Honda makes a great engine but a true commercial mower has a kawasaki of B&S I/C series. Honda can't touch either one of those engines in terms of commercial quality.



Maybe they aren't used in mowers, but what about robin Subaru?


I have only seen them on pressure washers, but Robin did introduce the EA vertical engine series a little over a year ago. I am not sure how reliable they are being so new, but they would work on a push mower.

 

[JR]

i have a toro super recycler with b&s gts 5.5hp. i am looking for a bag setup for it. i like the electric start and blade clutch helps with frequent starts. and pretty good on fuel to.

kc

 

[JR]

propuckstopper i wonder if your tor lopes at lower speeds without load(blade not spinning).

kc

also what oil do you used and oci's

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: SOHCman
I was eyeing a $600 toro...


Talking 21" walk-behinds/push-mowers, that's about right for a commercial one. Is it worth it? That's hard to say. It is nice to have all heavy-duty components, but one whack against a rock or a stump and that ~$600 mower will grenade just as fast as a $150 one.

I know I still kick myself for not going for a new, left over Toro Super Recycler, basic non-self propelled unit a local store was trying to sell me last year. Nice aluminum deck on it, decent wheels, etc, for well under $300 out the door. Toro doesn't make the non-self propelled ones anymore I guess.

Instead I mail-ordered a Snapper "Ninja Mulcher" Commercial for around $600. It's not an aluminum deck, but it's heavier than all get out. Way overkill. I still kick myself for not going for that last, left over Toro for less than half the cost.

Joel

 

[Best F100]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Bgallagher
. Honda makes a great engine but a true commercial mower has a kawasaki of B&S I/C series. Honda can't touch either one of those engines in terms of commercial quality.



Maybe they aren't used in mowers, but what about robin Subaru?


I have only seen them on pressure washers, but Robin did introduce the EA vertical engine series a little over a year ago. I am not sure how reliable they are being so new, but they would work on a push mower.









The answer is yes on both counts.

1) Yes. A one time, Robin made engines on Snapper mowers. I sold my 21" Snapper mower with a 2 cycle Robin engine on it (two years ago). Had less than 50 hours on it. The engine had the most industrial and commercial feel to it, than any mower I had ever seen. Almost unbreakable. Why did I sell it? A)The pull start required the arms of Popeye if it did not start by the 3rd pull. B) Weighed over 115 lbs and C) At the same time, I owned a 2 cycle commercial Lawn Boy (with the orange tank), and a 2 cycle Toro mower with a Suzuki engine. So one of them had to go.

By there used to be Snapper 4 cycle mowers with Robin engines as well. Go over to Youtube to see what I'm talking about. Also, if you hunt around craigslist, you can sometimes find both Robin engines on Snapper mowers.

2) Best overall commercial mowers are a used Toro with a Sukuzi 2 stroke engine. Again, craigslist and ebay are your friends. If commercial landscapers used them, you can't go wrong.

 

[SOHCman]

Yes, it looked similar to JTKs mower, notice how its not a piece of excrement deck that will trap grass in little pockets because it's all one stamped piece instead of external wheel braces. I actually have a lawnboy but without the red tank, and it has a decent deck, but the lawyers got to it and put plastic bars through the discharge chute to make sure you couldn't stick your foot in there. :facepalm
I have never heard anyone diss hondas ohv commercial engines before, I am not talking about the overhead cam consumer engine. Should a cast aluminum deck fetch a premium over a nice steel deck or not really? Less weight would be nice I guess, that's really where the 2 strokes shine!

 

[Best F100]

Almost forgot. Here is a little secret:

To all of you who are looking for the construction of some of the older commercial mowers you use to have (but can't buy anymore). There is a Toro dealer in Omaha, NE, called Ted's mowers, who does a great job of reconditioning older commercial mowers and landscaping mowers. I mean reconditioning the entire engine (to spec condition), repainting and even down to the last bolt.

If you google his web site now, there is a 21" Toro Proline, 4 cycle mower for $795. I bought my 2 stroke Suzuki powered, Toro 21" reconditioned from him a couple of years ago for under $600. It is landscaper grade and near unbreakable. Where are you going to find something in "new" condition like this today. Check with him to see what else he has.

 

[gman2304]

If you are willing to go used, consider the JD jx75 or the sb, se line. I bought a 1998 JD jx75 recently from the original owner. It wouldn't start this spring so he bought a high wheel Husqvarna, and put the JD up for sale. I got it for $70, brought it home, cleaned the carb and fuel system and it started on the first pull. This mower sold for almost $800 in 1998! It has the Kawasaki 150v 5.5 hp engine, a tuff torque 5 speed transmission, ball bearing wheels, blade brake clutch, bagger and mulch plug. An oil filter setup is available from JD for about $60 if you want, and the engine is fully pressurized with or without the filter setup. I also have a JD sb14 whch is basically the same mower, but the jx is green and the sb is natural aluminum. Both have aluminum decks yet weigh 100 lbs! For the price of a basic push mower at wal-mart you can have one of the best mowers ever made if you are willing to buy used....just my 02 of course. Thanks, G-man

 

[doitmyself]

I have the commercial Toro with Suzuki engine at my workplace. It must be 18 years old.

It replaced the venerable Jacobson 20 Commercial mower that went out of production. One thing I was "told" about these mowers is that they were designed with a shorter crankshaft out the bottom to be more resistant to bending when hitting hard objects.

These simple, non-self propelled mowers sold for $800 +/- in the early '90's. The Snap On of mowers.

 

[MI_Roger]

ExMark??

ExMark 21-inch Walk behind mower

Aluminum deck, self-propelled or push only, Kawasaki or Honda engine