Push Mower: Front or Rear Wheel Drive and Why?

[2Fast4U]

For a self propelled push mower do you prefer a front or rear wheel drive and why?

Myself I prefer front wheel drive over rear wheel. I like being able to leave the drive mechanism engaged while turning and just pivot the mower on the rear wheels.

If you prefer rear wheel drive I honestly don't see any benefits, please post them.

 

[javacontour]

Neither. I prefer my push mower to be a push mower. Less costly and less stuff to break.

 

[boraticus]

With rear bagger mowers, the rear wheels will have more traction. With front drive, as the collection bag gets heavier, it puts weight bias more toward the rear thus compromising the front wheels traction.

 

[The motor guy]

I like rear wheel drive. there is a lever you hold with your thumbs and you can vary the speed. The front wheel drive is ok but in small areas it gets annoying having to engage and re-engage the lever to go forward again.

 

[tig1]

My self propelled Honda is 20 years old. It takes me 1 hr to mow so this mower gets a lot of use every year. It is rear wheel drive with a drive shaft that has never been touched.

 

[2Fast4U]

Originally Posted By: boraticus
With rear bagger mowers, the rear wheels will have more traction. With front drive, as the collection bag gets heavier, it puts weight bias more toward the rear thus compromising the front wheels traction.


This is a good 'pro' for RWD. I only use my mower in mulch mode. It is FWD Honda powered craftsman I got in 99 used. I have only ever changed the oil, sharpened the blade and 2 years ago I pumped some grease into the front drive assembly. Thing still has original spark plug and starts on first pull. It doesn't even have option for rear bagger.

 

[fdcg27]

Self propelled in a push mower is useless.
Push the darn thing, it isn't that hard.
We have a really large lawn, large enough that everyone around me uses a tractor.
Me, I just shove my little 21" $70.00 mower along.
Takes me about 3 hrs to do the whole lawn, and in this part of the state, we always have a mid to late summer drought, so I'm not doing it every week through the warm months.
Consider a basic push mower.
They cost less, work fine, don't have much to break, and give you a nice little workout every time you cut the grass.
To me, the self propelled mower is an answer to a question no one asked.

 

[Eddie]

I prefer a rear drive walk behind beause I can leave it in drive, push down on the handle to turn.

 

[MNgopher]

If its a push mower, it wouldn't have any drive would it?

For a self propelled lawnmower, I prefer rear drive for the better traction on hills. There is an enormous difference between front and rear in this regard.

You get over the difference in turning fast.

In regards to being self propelled or not, all I will say is that I used to do the lawn with a push mower and it took over twice as long as my present personal pace Toro. Am I really wasting more resources using a self propelled model?

 

[Hollow]

I'm currently working on grounds/maintance for my campus. We have both, same basic mover, just the FWD model is a few years older.

On flat surfaces I have no preference, and do not usually have the drive wheels engaged. However on the hills I much prefer the RWD mower to the FWD counterpart.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
Neither. I prefer my push mower to be a push mower. Less costly and less stuff to break.


Agree to java and fdcg27.

We have a steep section in our front yard that Ive wondered if some drive would help to make it safer for pushing the thing up... But for anything that is less than 45 degrees, just push it.

 

[boraticus]

"Takes me about 3 hrs to do the whole lawn"

Hmmmm, let's see.....

3 hours cutting grass or 1/2 cutting grass and 2.5 hours out on the lake catching walleyes????

Any takers?

 

[Nick R]

I prefer rear drive, but they tend to be much more expensive.

 

[Quattro Pete]

My RWD mower rips up my lawn.

 

[expat]

Big wheels and Push the darn thing.
If that's too much, get a tractor.

 

[FL_Rob]

Rear drive and there's no way to 'push' a mower through some 2" to 4"(Thick,not high) St.Augustine we have down here,its just too spongy,the machine will just sink.Bahia ..fine even some Zoysia and Bermuda.It's as though the residents try to 'out-thick' each other or something.Very hard on equipment.Plus some customers dont like us to use the large mowers,they hear those blades engage and it scares them I think.They say it's because of tracks but we can avoid that pretty well.

 

[dwendt44]

It may mean nothing, but RWD outsell the front drive models.
The leading names in mowers are FWD.
Dealer says RWD is preferred by by most.
Half of those that got a FWD end up trading them in for RWD.
Of course, he sells mostly RWD models.

 

[T-Bone]

Like Pete said, RWD has a bit more tendency to create ruts if your yard is slightly wet or muddy. But it pulls better, especially on hills. My current RWD really creates ruts when cornering in soft soil.

I've had both RWD and FWD and I appreciate both. If you have fairly soft soil the FWD might be better. If you have hills the RWD will definitely be better. Good luck.

 

[2Fast4U]

Originally Posted By: FL_Rob
there's no way to 'push' a mower through some 2" to 4"(Thick,not high) St.Augustine


I was thinking the same thing. Seems everyone saying to push is from up north. I lived in PA and in FL now. Totally different grass.

 

[meep]

only non-propelled unit I'd consider would be large wheel varieties. beyond that, i have liked the 2 RWD honda's I've known. The RWD CC broke a drive gear in the wheel early on, so quality counts.

FWD, i grew up with. great on flats, useless on hills, but the chain drive was dead-reliable. the belted drives need cleaning and seem to wear out on me every 5-7 years or so. this is not a big deal.

if you are bagging, or if there are hills, RWD, period.

M