Big wheel mowers

[csx7006]

Originally Posted By: JTK
Yep, I've got a ~2yr/old Snapper Ninja commercial 21" with the 9" rear wheels. Steel wheels all around. Nice mower, but heavy and LOUD.

Like a poster mentioned above, we had a cheaper 21" pusher with the high, spoked rear wheels on the back many years ago. Whadda clumsy tuuurd that was. Had to cobble together the rear axle with threaded rod after one season.

I see they still sell Sarlo big wheeled self-propelled mowers. NorhternTool sells this one for ~$850

Joel



do want

 

[clarklawnscape]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: clarklawnscape
im un aware of finding a large wheel self propelled these days, nor rear/large wheel drive self propelled, nor why thats what you want for that matter.

What I would personally like is a mower with wider wheels, not necessarily taller. My Toro mower leaves long-lasting tracks in the lawn that last until the next mowing. I believe it is due to the fact that it's heavy, RWD, and the wheels are narrow. The drive wheels therefore put a lot of strain on the grass as they pass, and they dig themselves into the soil which is partly clay (that in itself is a problem, too). Having wider wheels should help spread the pressure a little.
oh i see, i thought you meant taller. i have in the past caused soil compaction (as youre describing) even using riding mowers with wider tires, the reason was i like to "stripe the grass" and there for i was always driving in the same tracks, i even had one yard that you could see the "dips" when it snowed. so now, i still stripe, but i change my pattern monthly.

 

[Quattro Pete]

I change my pattern every time I mow. Still there are tracks/dips.

 

[clarklawnscape]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I change my pattern every time I mow. Still there are tracks/dips.

the tracks i can understand, but not the dips, are you meaning dips in the soil thats what im meaning? thats what i was doing, leaving dips in the soil that coulb be seen/felt.

 

[Quattro Pete]

I'm not sure what it is. You can visually see where the wheels passed, and it stays that way for weeks.

Kind of hard to see in the photo, but here it is anyway:

What do you think is causing it?

 

[clarklawnscape]

definately the wheels, can you feel a dip in the ground? good looking grass btw

 

[doitmyself]

For homeowner use, I have always wondered if this mower might hold up o.k.? It is available as a Cub Cadet, Sears, or Troybilt version. I assume it is made by MTD, usually an indicator of junk. But, who knows? It has zerks! At this price point it is all belt driven.

Does anyone have experience with this as a homeowner mower? It goes on sale every fall for under $1,000 at TSC.

PS, I'm not seeking any lessons on Cub Cadet/Troy Bilt = evil MTD. Just asking if anyone has positive or negative actual experience with this model.
http://www.cubcadet.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category2_10051_14101_1210164_33830_33830_-1_image

 

[JTK]

My brother has the Troy-Bilt version of that residential walk-behind. He bought it new in the late 1990's and it's been his only mower since. His has a 9-10hp Briggs flat-head on it. He has replaced blade spindles and the likes, but that's it.

Simple gear drive, mechanical PTO engage and easy to maintain. Try to avoid ones with an electric clutch PTO in this price range if you can.

Joel

 

[csx7006]

Originally Posted By: JTK
My brother has the Troy-Bilt version of that residential walk-behind. He bought it new in the late 1990's and it's been his only mower since. His has a 9-10hp Briggs flat-head on it. He has replaced blade spindles and the likes, but that's it.

Simple gear drive, mechanical PTO engage and easy to maintain. Try to avoid ones with an electric clutch PTO in this price range if you can.

Joel


His was the last gardenway mower. the newer ones are the same as the MTD junk

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: csx7006

His was the last gardenway mower. the newer ones are the same as the MTD junk


It's possible it was built by Gardenway for Troy-Bilt, but I recall it looking just like MTDs of the time. He got it around 1997. There's nothing overly heavy-duty about this mower.

Joel

 

[clarklawnscape]

Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: csx7006

His was the last gardenway mower. the newer ones are the same as the MTD junk


It's possible it was built by Gardenway for Troy-Bilt, but I recall it looking just like MTDs of the time. He got it around 1997. There's nothing overly heavy-duty about this mower.

Joel

im thinking a 97 would be a gardenway (non MTD) but im not 100% sure. MTD wrecks nearly every name they buy, but it seem the higher end troybilt tiller is still a good machiene. this walk behind in the price range would be decent for a small yard homeowner regardless of whom made it (price/use/life expectancy). i would personally look for a 33" Billy Goat made machiene, if they still make them, if not id look used if this was the type machiene i were seeking. it was simple, had a transaxel (cheap) and a handle to squeeze to make it go, and a handle to engage the blade. it had a i cant remember 5 or 6 speed transaxel and you had to manually make it turn, but the overall build seemed superior to the troybilt/cub/MTD machiene of late.

 

[csx7006]

Next month im thinking about buying the Sarlo. Pics will follow soon.

 

[Toros]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
For homeowner use, I have always wondered if this mower might hold up o.k.? It is available as a Cub Cadet, Sears, or Troybilt version. I assume it is made by MTD, usually an indicator of junk. But, who knows? It has zerks! At this price point it is all belt driven.

Does anyone have experience with this as a homeowner mower? It goes on sale every fall for under $1,000 at TSC.

PS, I'm not seeking any lessons on Cub Cadet/Troy Bilt = evil MTD. Just asking if anyone has positive or negative actual experience with this model.
http://www.cubcadet.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category2_10051_14101_1210164_33830_33830_-1_image


I had one of these Cubs. It sucked. I carried 2 wrenches and a pair of plyers in my pocket very time I cut the grass. Certainly enough power no problem there but the belts and pulleys were problematic. I sold it after two seasons.

I just bought a 24" Sarlo for $350 off Craig's List. Finally found a truly heavy duty mower for my needs. I wish it were 26" or 30" one, but this Sarlo is so much more heavy duty then the Cub, Craftsman or Troy-Bilt wide cuts.

It he Sarlo is solid beast which gives a great cut.

 

[morris]

heckendorn mower. made in Kansas. a three wheel machine. it is ugly as sin. very heavy duty. commercial grade. lots of belts, out in the open. course the ones my friend has are not stock, covers missing my friend has two. i called and they sent parts before i sent the money. NOT for every one.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
For homeowner use, I have always wondered if this mower might hold up o.k.? It is available as a Cub Cadet, Sears, or Troybilt version. I assume it is made by MTD, usually an indicator of junk. But, who knows? It has zerks! At this price point it is all belt driven.

Does anyone have experience with this as a homeowner mower? It goes on sale every fall for under $1,000 at TSC.

PS, I'm not seeking any lessons on Cub Cadet/Troy Bilt = evil MTD. Just asking if anyone has positive or negative actual experience with this model.
http://www.cubcadet.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category2_10051_14101_1210164_33830_33830_-1_image


I worked for a power equipment repair company and we serviced these models sometimes.

We had a couple of them come in with transaxle engagement issues. IIRC, we just threw new transmissions in them as they were under warranty.

Other problems tend to be related to the electrical system and deck spindles (for blades). We replaced a lot of various safety switches on these and other MTD products all the time. The deck spindles are sealed and can wear out under hard use, common with all MTD products. Also, we put lots and lots of new carbs on the Briggs engines. We always kept those carbs in stock.

These aren't really indications of widespread problems, as all we saw was broken equipment. These did come in for repairs much less often than other MTD products, but that could be due to lower sales.

Personally, I'd look at used commercial mowers at that price point before settling on the Cub Cadet. You give up having a warranty, but you can gain a lot of nice heavy duty features like Kawasaki engines, Hydro Gear dual hydro transmissions, fabricated decks, greaseable deck spindles, etc. A lot of the commercial stuff is designed for quick in-field servicing too. Even though it's overkill, you get a mower that will last forever under homeowner use assuming it hasn't already been beaten to death commercially.

I think for home use though, these hold up fine, just be prepared for the usual MTD headaches. $1000 is the absolute bottom rung for this type of walk behind, so they cut costs wherever they can.

 

[Mr_Incredible]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I'm not sure what it is. You can visually see where the wheels passed, and it stays that way for weeks.

Kind of hard to see in the photo, but here it is anyway:

What do you think is causing it?



Going over the same ruts over and over causes that. Vary your paths by half a mower width, and go diagaonally on alternating weeks. Mix it up some.

 

[dareo]

Just curious, but why large wheels? I'd suggest a toro timemaster unless you have areas that 30" will not fit through. The blades are belt driven so if you hit a root or something it won't bend the crankshaft. Wheels are normal size, but that has never been a problem in my use. You can trim 30" of grass and buy one for $999 at most home depots. The twin 15" blades stick out between the wheels making it easier to trim mow with than a 21" unless of course the area is not wide enough to fit a 30.