Please recommend a mower!

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Originally Posted by krismoriah72
Since yours isnt dead..just sick.. drop it off at a small engine shop and get an estimate to get it fixed.. Run it another 30 years.
Making it rain with someone else's money, classic BITOG.

Taking a small engine (the simplest engine in existence) to a shop, come on. Not all of us are 70+ years old.
 
Originally Posted by Hombre909
I had a 21" Honda self propelled mower for 8 years before I retired it and purchased a 20" EGO, battery operated non-self propelled mower about 3 years ago. The battery (4 amp-hr) lasts about 45 minutes before recharge. Best mower I have ever owned. Light weight, maintenance free, easy to handle and cuts the grass great. Best of all, no gasoline engine fumes, etc. You can find them at Home Depot or online at Amazon. Battery technology has advanced tremendously in the last few years so take a look, this may be exactly what you need.


Seems selectively biased. Of all the things I dislike about mowing, muddy green shoes in spring comes near the top of the list. Gasoline engine fumes aren't even on the list, because I mow outdoors and move around as I mow. I suppose noise might make the list, but my mower has a throttle to reign that in to an acceptable level.

A mere 8 years from a Honda mower then going cordless seems like a quite high cost:year ratio to get a fairly simple/small job done, to avoid merely using gas and oil, something this forum kinda revolves around? Blasphemy.
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I've owned lots of small engines since the 70s. Mostly tecumsehs (up to 357 cc). Maybe a b&s in there. Never had a problem with the engines. Carburetors yes. Won't pay for a Honda. The rest of the mower/snow blower/power sprayer/generator would fall apart and by then parts wouldn't be available. Haven't had to replace any equipment in maybe 10 yrs so focus on the engine.
 
The newer/later model Toro's aren't bad compared to some of the other consumer-grade brands, but as others have said, getting a repair estimate from a shop wouldn't be a bad idea. You're not going to find anything for sale today that's built anywhere near as good as yours.
 
I have had nothing but Lawn Boy 2 strokes since I discovered them.. More powerful, easy to start so my wife can even start it and light weight with magnesium decks andsimple to repair. I have a Husqvarna with a Honda engine that has the personal pace on it. She used it once after I started it. It has been in the garage since then. I'll use the Lawn Boy.
 
Originally Posted by meep
I...and the other had this paddle-grip sort of control that varied the self-prop speed. Ergonomically, the single speed start-stop bar won hands-down. ...


I remember looking at those, it is only on the lower models now (not HRX AFAIK), that is called "smart drive" I believe, next one up is "select drive" and the top of the line HRX is hydrostatic "Cruise Control".
 
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Originally Posted by Dave9
Am I missing something or wasn't a clutch blade brake required by law about... 20 years ago and still stands?

Personally, give me a light weight non-self-propelled. It need not have a big engine because I don't mow down forests with it nor want self propulsion that just slows me down, especially around obstacles, and is a know point of failure multiple times over the life of an otherwise good mower unless you give that propulsion system more attention and preventative maintenance than anything else besides oil changes.

All mowers stop the blade, but most stop the blade by killing the engine. I've been spoiled by the clutch blade brake, where the blade stops but the engine keeps running. I would totally buy any brand that combined no self propulsion with a clutch blade brake, but I don't think that machine exists...

I kind of forgot about Honda in my initial post. It looks like there is a Honda with a blade brake in the $500ish range, it still has some kind of propulsion system though. It has most of the features of the one with the hydrostatic Drive, clearly the propulsion is less good though but it's 250 bucks less.

There is a Toro super recycler that has a blade brake, it's got a "Toro" engine though. The otherwise similar model with the Honda engine does not have a blade brake
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Are there any brands that are MUSA, assembled in Mexico of US parts, or at least not Chinese?

Thanks again,
Doug

P.S. As far as looking at getting engine work done by somebody else, I think 30+ years is long enough. It has a hole in the deck and the clutch cable has a spring on the end of it that's broken and wired together and probably not replaceable…
 
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I am going with a toro super with the B&S engine. $500 at HomeDepot. Hope to get it by middle of March. Yes I know I should not tie a rope on the handle to keep the engine running while I move something out the way but what happen to common sense? I have been cutting grass for 55 years with a push mower and still have all ten of my toes.
 
I'm in way south Fl and very heavy floratam it a green weed. I.m also on a canal with slopes. Had a few mowers id the past 39 yrs. The best for the money is the Toro all wheel drive the only one that cuts inthe summer twice a week. No room for a rider so it does a great job for me just turned 78 last week and keeps me going when I"m not cleaning carpets in the business I own and operate no helper just jack on the carpet.
 
you can forget about bbc with out going to a top of the line or comm model. the 2 best cheap mowers sold today besides a honda-are the rear wheel drive snapper sold at wally world and the lawn boy sold at home depot. forget toro. all personal pace and junk now. if it was me I would go to a snapper dealer and buy the ninja mulching model. around 500$
 
Look at the Honda HRN216VYA. It has the new GCV170 engine, blade clutch and pretty easy to use self propel. It is about $500, and has a two way ratchet design in the drive wheels. It will free wheel in reverse or forward when the self propel is not being used.
 
Also, Roto-Stop® is Honda parlance for stopping the blade with the engine still running. It looks like the HRN216VYA has this. In the HRN line it looks like the two top mowers exchange Roto-Stop® and Electric start, the top 3 models in the HRX line have Roto-Stop® the differences being the drive system and electric start... Note also the HRX has a longer warranty and the nexlite deck.
 
Originally Posted by walterjay
If you don't repair what you have, get a Honda. I think they are awesome machines.

nOthing personal walter but : Honda schmonda! Overpriced.

A Vintage Lawn boy 2 stroker is the pro's choice.'

Fancy yard and garden is a fools errand and highly toxic is you do it with chemicals.

Now me I just let clover grow now.
Lots of bees, no mowing

The GREEN solution
 
I love my vintage lawnboy and I have always said that they are NOT for everybody. You have to use good ol mixed correctly. The carburetors, fuel tanks, primers and float does not like alcohol, so you MUST run it dry evey time you use it. The will start in one pull, but you have to learn and remember how to prime it, which varies with the temp, the engine temp and freshness of the fuel. You will need to clean the plug, and the exhaust ports occasionally.

Rod
 
Originally Posted by maxdustington
Originally Posted by krismoriah72
Since yours isnt dead..just sick.. drop it off at a small engine shop and get an estimate to get it fixed.. Run it another 30 years.
Making it rain with someone else's money, classic BITOG.

Taking a small engine (the simplest engine in existence) to a shop, come on. Not all of us are 70+ years old.


Not sure how getting an estimate is making it rain.

The OP has no idea what is wrong with it.. and i doubt we are going to fix it for him in this thread.
 
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