In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Self Propelled mower, worth?

Discussion in 'Chainsaws and Power Equipment' started by HDRock, May 27, 2016.

  1. HDRock

    HDRock

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    Well this is what I got, no more research I'm sick of that. Lowe's, $250
    Got what I wanted, Bagger, side discharge, mulch, bigger motor than some others, front wheels are hooked onto metal not plastic, large wheels in back , not heavy, basic mower.

    Started on the first pull, Rolls real nice and cuts grass. :)

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    I had to do a mod on it though:D
    Slide it up, Pick Up Sticks

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    Slide it down, to shut it down
    They even put a little bracket on there for me, to keep it from sliding down the handle :thumbs:

    20160529_161831.jpg
     
  2. HDRock

    HDRock

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    What do you think about this, just check & add, idea here MasterMech ? o_O
    To change the oil you have to tip it up and pour it out the fill tube
     
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  3. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

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    1st change at around 5 hours, every 25 from there on out. For a trim mower, annually would likely be more than enough.

    Edit: 1st change is important, gets rid of all the metal flake from engine break-in.
     
  4. HDRock

    HDRock

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    You misunderstood me I was talking about this. First I've heard of it.
    I will be changing my oil
    NEVER CHANGE LAWN MOWER OIL AGAIN

    Just Check and Add Never Change The Mower Oil | Briggs & Stratton

     
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  5. papadave

    papadave

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    Saw a few of those at the HD. Weird.
     
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  6. HDRock

    HDRock

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    Well, I figure if they say I don't need to change the oil at all, if I do it should probably last me forever:smoke:
     
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  7. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

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    Interesting. They appear to be claiming that they have improved piston ring sealing to the point at which it will not contaminate the oil for the life of the engine. Either the life of that engine will be relatively short :rofl: :lol::doh: or those rings seal a LOT better than even an automotive engines. :sherlock:
     
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  8. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    buddies kid I saw has the same one.

    My little boy has one with a working pull cord and has a gas can with it. And does the ball popping thing.
     
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  9. ironpony

    ironpony

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    i see you already bought one but, drive around a neighborhood, pick out of trash, bring home, clean carb, use for next ten years. I have never bought a push mower, right now i have a toro and a jd i pulled from the trash, as MM says the jd is the best mower i have ever had.. As i upgrade the free ones i give the old ones away. most recent find was a Cub Cadet self propelled with swivel front wheels, got it running gave it away.
     
  10. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    Dang you must live in the yuppie neighborhood!
     
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  11. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

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    You wouldn't believe what gets thrown out in such areas. $1000 dollar push mower needs a $150 carb and an hour of tinkering? Trash can.....
     
  12. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    My buddy knows I tinker. That I get stuff to fix and use or trade/sell. Told me his dad got a new mower and did I want their old rider? Parents were going to push it to the street. I said what's wrong with it? I said sure I'll take it something on it would be worth it, at a minimum I'll haul it for scrap after I pull the tires. Said something about the transmission, but it still drove? Also it wouldn't start.

    So I got there to get it. His dad said he couldn't start it by jumping at the battery but could jump off the starter. So I knew starter wasent bad. Thought switch or solonoid? He said The gears on the transmission seemed stiff.

    Got it home confirmed the key switch was bad. $12 off amazon. And then once it was in all it would do was click (before new switch nothing) , so tested the solonoid and it was bad. $9 off ebay. And it would start again. The transmission seems normal to me? No trouble. We have cut the grass a few times. It even came with a bagger set up. Also the deck was worn away and bent under on that non chute side where the blade hit the under side as it was worn thin. A few hours of welding and beating I got it back togeather. I put a new lip on the front side where it was worn off. And I did my normal weld a piece of rebar on beat and bend it back to the contour of the deck, to help support the weak metal. And then welded some patch metal back to the deck. I didn't do it for looks but to be stronger than new and functional, which is what I got.

    Anyway it's mY new free mower that works fine. The thing may be 20 years old but it cut a like 1/3 acre lot and was blown off or hosed off and garage kept all those years. Thing looked immaculate to me!
     
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  13. HDRock

    HDRock

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    My MTD lawn tractor 20 years old still cuts grass good and hauls things around real nice.
    Just change the oil lube things up now and then, put a head gasket on it a couple of years ago, cleaned the carb once, tubes in the tires, new rubber on the foot pedal, new choke cable, new throttle cable, new blades, new air filter, new fuel filter, oh yeah had to replace the coil cause the mice chewed it up.
    With some maintenance and repairs they will last you a long time
     
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  14. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    Yea I have an MTD that is 20 years old. We use it at the house now and the farm. It will go back to the farm. We cut grass there about 4x a year and it's about 3 acres and is always overgrown when there. I put a good bit of parts in it last year. And the thing eats spindles cutting that taller grass. This last one I put on was a stens brand instead of no name Chinese , we will see if it last a bit longer. I got it for free as well. It has no hood on it.
    Last year I put on new blades, new spindles, new belts, drive and blade belt, new wheel bushings, new tie rod, painted deck welded the holes up and put patch metal in in wear spots and where the wife hit a root and sent the blade through the deck, oil change but that's annual anyway, king pin bushings too.
    The latest free mower is an AYP mower.
     
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  15. ironpony

    ironpony

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    No not really, I drive a lot. I go to 8-10 houses a day for estimates, so I get to go thru a lot of different neighborhood's. So far this year, Cub Cadet mower, power washer, Ryobi gas hedge trimmer, and Craftsman chain saw. Also have passed several things up being we are in the process of moving.
     
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  16. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    I drive a lot too. But I am always in the countey. Folks don't usually throw away good stuff out here
     
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  17. HDRock

    HDRock

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    No wonder this new mower rolls so nice and easy it has ball bearing Wheels:)
     
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  18. HDRock

    HDRock

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    Put the mower through its Paces a little more today mowed some the grass I usually mow with the tractor.
    It mulches good and I tried out the bagger, that works good.
    Had to do another mod on it though the flapper deal on the back had to come off, just like all the other Mowers I've had, it folds up under when you back up and makes it hard to pull back, didn't affect the mulching any and it rolls real nice backwards now.
     
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  19. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    I am not sure why they out those on there. I guess to protect your ankles in case a rock or something can make it through the grass between the dirt and The deck? *
     
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  20. HDRock

    HDRock

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    Just more government safety bologna, just like the bar with the brake , I never abruptly let go of that bar on a push mower and shut the motor down, I release the bar gradually until the engine stops then release the rest of the way once the engine has stopped, I don't think it's good for an engine to stop abruptly with that brake like that.
    That's probably why the engine on my old mower still runs good.
    Don't get me wrong I think that brake is a good safety future but not good for an engine to stop abruptly like that
     
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