Need a New Lawn Mower

[Slednut]

Personally I would buy this off Craigslist and fix it, it may just have dirt in the gas and it's plugging up the main jet in the carb. I bought one in 1988 ($488) and it still runs and mows really nice. It has an aluminum deck so it does not rust. I did finally have to install new rings and head gasket which was under $30.

This is the best walk behind mower ever built.

Honda HR 214SX - farm & garden - by owner - sale

Honda HR214SX lawnmower. Parts or for collector. Not selling by the piece. Purchased in 1988, and have had awesome service from this mower. I believe it just needs the carb fixed. Had one replaced,...

fredericksburg.craigslist.org

Or these.

Honda mowers - farm & garden - by owner - sale

I have 2 Honda mowers both run great both have blade clutch to stop blades moving to change bag without cutting mower off when mowing I will sell both for $150 just need a little thinking with

winchester.craigslist.org

 

[bluwolf]

The points not covered in your answer:

specialised mulching blade or not?
Clean out the whole fuel system....(ethanol gas problems? in high humidity environment)
check/clean carb bowl;
check/clean jets for partial blockages?
New sparkplug?
Air filter clean and flows air? (not oil contaminated by blowby or tipping mower during deck cleaning)

Can you trial a replacement mower to see if your grass is just too much for a similar/same mower?
That should also answer your query re stepping up the horsepower/brand you really need to be satisfied...

It said it was a mulching blade. Everything is clean. Carb, air filter, plug. And it's SW Florida so you're cutting the grass pretty much all year long. So, like a generator, it's not like it's sitting around getting gummed up. During the winter when the grass isn't growing like a jungle, the mower cuts okay. It's when it's hot and raining, and the grass is growing as I'm watching it, that the mower falls down.

I'm one of the few people on my street that still cuts his own grass So there really isn't a mower to borrow. But before this mower I had a Cub Cadet, that was given to me used no less, and it worked fine. It struggled a little at the worst time of the year, but nothing like this.

It hasn't worked well in the year and half I've had it, not even when it was new. It's just taken me this long to get mad enough to think about spending the money again.

 

[White Shadow]

This won’t bog down…

just got it Monday. Sorry….had to brag.

That thing looks pretty beefy for a residential mower. I like it. A couple of years ago I got a Toro Timecutter that is supposedly high end residential (Is there such a thing?) or maybe considered somewhere between residential and entry-level commercial. The engine is supposedly commercial. I don't really know, but the thing has a ton of power and I've never had it bog down at all. The engine is probably the best thing about the entire mower. Or maybe the suspension. That's a great feature too. The thing floats over everything since I like to keep the suspension on the mushy side.

 

[redmondjp]

I would suggest looking at a mower having a commercial or "prosumer" engine that has more power, the Kawasaki FC180V engine comes to mind. If that engine on a walk-behind mower with a sharp blade won't cut it, then you really have a jungle there.

 

[Willie Makeit]

Who mows their grass 3 times a week. I have st Augustine and mow once a week during peak season my Honda does just fine bagging or mulching. The the guy who said ego is the future must have never tried an ego on st Augustine In Florida.

I do. I have approx 12K of Tifway 419 and it gets cut 3 times per week with a reel mower to a height of cut of 1/2". I know of folks with St. Aug that mow 2 times per week religiously. I am planning on using PGR (plant grown regulator) this year in an effort to cut back to twice a week cuts and causing the 419 to get thicker and not taller.

 

[hardalada]

It said it was a mulching blade. Everything is clean. Carb, air filter, plug. And it's SW Florida so you're cutting the grass pretty much all year long. So, like a generator, it's not like it's sitting around getting gummed up. During the winter when the grass isn't growing like a jungle, the mower cuts okay. It's when it's hot and raining, and the grass is growing as I'm watching it, that the mower falls down.

I'm one of the few people on my street that still cuts his own grass So there really isn't a mower to borrow. But before this mower I had a Cub Cadet, that was given to me used no less, and it worked fine. It struggled a little at the worst time of the year, but nothing like this.

It hasn't worked well in the year and half I've had it, not even when it was new. It's just taken me this long to get mad enough to think about spending the money again.

I have a frankenstein mower.
The original B&S engine was an anemic 3 hp at best.
I repowered it with an ex-commercial FV160 Kawasaki (pressure oil fed and oil filter plus quick connect oil drain) of at least 5 to 6hp...which now swings only an 18 inch blade...with great gusto.
I walk through the valley of any grass with the meanest SOB mower there.....
Could this be "the Tim Taylor" solution you've been looking for?

 

[Mr.zippy]

I have a similar mower except it has cruise control rather than the palm/finger speed adjustment. I also never buy lawn equipment from the big box store. I dealer with a Honda lawn equipment dealer due to service after the purchase.

Honda HRX217HYA Mower | 21" Walk Behind Mower | Honda Lawn Mowers

The Honda HRX217HYA lawn mower is the ultimate lawn mower. Featuring Cruise Control self propel, Roto-Stop® blade stop system, & a 5 year warranty-the best in the industry.

powerequipment.honda.com

I am picking up this model tomorrow. It will be my 2nd Honda mower after 22 years on the first one. Buy once, cry once.

 

[brooktre]

I recommend that you inspect under the mower. I bought a Husqvarna self propelled a couple of years ago. It works well, but there are some flimsy plastic parts (shields) underneath and these tend to trap grass clippings. It may not be as bad with dry cutting, but I cut around a pond and I frequently cut damp grass. Next time I'll pay closer attention when I buy a push mower.

 

[johnny_boy02]

I bought a very lightly used commercial Honda mower On Facebook marketplace about 7 years ago. It was a pricy but it’s built like a tank and gives me no trouble cutting my weed farm.

on power equipment I always go with the “buy once, cry once” mentality. My mower, saws, trimmer, etc will probably still be running after I am.

 

[BigLeagueSmoes]

to everyone that has said Honda or something with a Honda engine. I've never been disappointed with a Honda small engine. I think they're one of the few companies that still makes something worth a damn in today's world. I don't know how much money you want to spend but Hondas do tend to run higher $$$ than other brands, for obvious reasons (like it might not fall apart in the first year) I think that you could also look for something used and have good success with it in the future if you check it out before purchasing. If you want something new you could look at a few options like these:

Honda 21 in. 3-in-1 Variable Speed Gas Walk Behind Self Propelled Lawn Mower with Auto Choke HRN216VKA - The Home Depot

The Honda Self-Propelled 3-in-1 Variable Speed Lawn Mower with New GCV 170 engine and auto choke offers a simple, adaptable and reliable design. It efficiently adapts the mowing speed to match your stride

www.homedepot.com

https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...=2ahUKEwjvhOWrsr72AhUhHjQIHf8cBL8Q4jV6BAgBEEs

Pardon Our Interruption

https://www.grainger.com/product/49...vaOx-q057i4idnxvXBhoCUS0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

If money isn't a particular concern or if you want something that is generally high quality and pretty bad *** I would highly recommend the eXmark Commercial 30 X-series mower. I used this mower when I did some work with a mowing company and it was probably my favorite non zero turn mower. Built strong, ran smoothly, impossible to bog down, wide deck, self propelled, not ridiculously heavy. If I had the budget or a good reason to buy one I would. Specs are in the link below.

30-Inch Self-Propelled Mowers - Commercial 30 Lawn Mower

Explore Exmark Commercial 30 self-propelled mowers. Get specs and learn about available models.

www.exmark.com

Not an answer to this question but a little side info on my dad's mower (which I use and maintain more than he does at this point) Sadly, like most good things, they are no longer in production and are becoming harder to find used if you still want to get your hands on one. It's an old John Deere 14SB. Originally purchased in 1995 (before I was born) from our local John Deere dealership in downstate Illinois. If you look up reviews on it or look on other forums with people who own them, there's nothing but good things to be said about this mower. It is an absolute tank. It starts first pull every time even in the spring after sitting all winter. It cuts well. The old adage "nothing runs like a Deere" is certainly true in this case. They just don't make mowers like this anymore. It has a 5.5HP Kawasaki FC150V engine. At 100 pounds the thing isn't light weight but being self propelled its not a problem. And the weight helps a lot in taller, thicker grass, the deck doesn't get pushed around as much. The mower has variable speed self propulsion which is a great option to have when you're doing a faster cute on shorter grass vs a slower cut on longer grass vs leaves etc. The triCycler option came from the factory with a mulching plug (black plastic mulch plug insert), a side chute, and bagging. We pretty much only use the mulcher on grass unless we want grass clippings for the garden. We use the bag mostly when the leaves are falling. I think the deck has 7 leveling settings which gives a huge range for cut length which is nice. We have maybe a half dozen blades for it that we swap out regularly although some are getting to the end of their life and should probably be scrapped. The only downside to owning this mower is that parts are becoming more and more scarce. Most John Deere dealerships don't stock parts for it anymore so we have to hunt through eBay to see what we can find. We really need to replace the drive wheels before this summer but have struggled to find replacement parts that aren't $$$. Regardless, this is a great example of a quality machine that if you take care of it then it'll take care of you!

 

[shawhite]

Dang 30in deck on a self propelled. I could buy 2 commercial Hondas for that price.

 

[BigLeagueSmoes]

Dang 30in deck on a self propelled. I could buy 2 commercial Hondas for that price.

And then zip tie them together and you've got 42" of push mowing glory

 

[sjvicker]

I'm in a similar situation and its time to replace my old mower. All I care about is powered drive and side discharge, second to those being engine HP.

What's everyone's thoughts on the Honda HRS216VKA? https://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers/models/hrs216vka

I think its what the OP is looking for and what would work for me although I wish they made a side discharge with the larger GCV200 engine.

 

[tclark]

Looking to buy a new walk behind, self propelled lawn mower. I've got a Toro 22" recycler that struggles with my grass. The mower starts and runs fine. But it gets bogged down even when I cut half wide strips. I've been leaning towards a Honda.

Have lots of experience with Toro but decided to try a Honda last summer; Toro cut better imo.

 

[hardalada]

to everyone that has said Honda or something with a Honda engine. I've never been disappointed with a Honda small engine. I think they're one of the few companies that still makes something worth a damn in today's world. I don't know how much money you want to spend but Hondas do tend to run higher $$$ than other brands, for obvious reasons (like it might not fall apart in the first year) I think that you could also look for something used and have good success with it in the future if you check it out before purchasing. If you want something new you could look at a few options like these:

Honda 21 in. 3-in-1 Variable Speed Gas Walk Behind Self Propelled Lawn Mower with Auto Choke HRN216VKA - The Home Depot

The Honda Self-Propelled 3-in-1 Variable Speed Lawn Mower with New GCV 170 engine and auto choke offers a simple, adaptable and reliable design. It efficiently adapts the mowing speed to match your stride

www.homedepot.com

https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...=2ahUKEwjvhOWrsr72AhUhHjQIHf8cBL8Q4jV6BAgBEEs

Pardon Our Interruption

https://www.grainger.com/product/49...vaOx-q057i4idnxvXBhoCUS0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

If money isn't a particular concern or if you want something that is generally high quality and pretty bad *** I would highly recommend the eXmark Commercial 30 X-series mower. I used this mower when I did some work with a mowing company and it was probably my favorite non zero turn mower. Built strong, ran smoothly, impossible to bog down, wide deck, self propelled, not ridiculously heavy. If I had the budget or a good reason to buy one I would. Specs are in the link below.

30-Inch Self-Propelled Mowers - Commercial 30 Lawn Mower

Explore Exmark Commercial 30 self-propelled mowers. Get specs and learn about available models.

www.exmark.com

Not an answer to this question but a little side info on my dad's mower (which I use and maintain more than he does at this point) Sadly, like most good things, they are no longer in production and are becoming harder to find used if you still want to get your hands on one. It's an old John Deere 14SB. Originally purchased in 1995 (before I was born) from our local John Deere dealership in downstate Illinois. If you look up reviews on it or look on other forums with people who own them, there's nothing but good things to be said about this mower. It is an absolute tank. It starts first pull every time even in the spring after sitting all winter. It cuts well. The old adage "nothing runs like a Deere" is certainly true in this case. They just don't make mowers like this anymore. It has a 5.5HP Kawasaki FC150V engine. At 100 pounds the thing isn't light weight but being self propelled its not a problem. And the weight helps a lot in taller, thicker grass, the deck doesn't get pushed around as much. The mower has variable speed self propulsion which is a great option to have when you're doing a faster cute on shorter grass vs a slower cut on longer grass vs leaves etc. The triCycler option came from the factory with a mulching plug (black plastic mulch plug insert), a side chute, and bagging. We pretty much only use the mulcher on grass unless we want grass clippings for the garden. We use the bag mostly when the leaves are falling. I think the deck has 7 leveling settings which gives a huge range for cut length which is nice. We have maybe a half dozen blades for it that we swap out regularly although some are getting to the end of their life and should probably be scrapped. The only downside to owning this mower is that parts are becoming more and more scarce. Most John Deere dealerships don't stock parts for it anymore so we have to hunt through eBay to see what we can find. We really need to replace the drive wheels before this summer but have struggled to find replacement parts that aren't $$$. Regardless, this is a great example of a quality machine that if you take care of it then it'll take care of you!

That's my frankenstein mower engine.....
It works well because it swings only an 18 inch blade.....with the "normal" usually being 21 inch cut with that horsepower....
and mine is on a pure push ali chassis and deck off another (local) brand....no safety anything.

"The 14SB Walk Behind Mower is a self-propelled mower that features 21" cutting width, 4 cycle 4.5-5.5 HP Kawasaki engine, 0.6 L oil capacity, and blade brake clutch (BBC)."

 

[bluwolf]

I ended up going with the HRX217VKA. https://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers/models/hrx217vka

I have not used it to cut the grass yet. There's not much to cut right now. We're going through a bit of a dry spell as far as rain in SW Florida. But I have put oil and gas in it. I ran it for about 45 minutes to an hour while I was doing other stuff just to work on the break-in. Then I changed the oil with more conventional 10W-30. I'll run it a couple more hours then switch to synthetic.

Gotta say, it looks really well made. So I guess we'll see... Also have to order some of that spray for the underside of the deck, the stuff that supposedly keeps the grass from sticking to the deck. Anybody ever use that stuff before?

 

[BigLeagueSmoes]

I ended up going with the HRX217VKA. https://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers/models/hrx217vka

I have not used it to cut the grass yet. There's not much to cut right now. We're going through a bit of a dry spell as far as rain in SW Florida. But I have put oil and gas in it. I ran it for about 45 minutes to an hour while I was doing other stuff just to work on the break-in. Then I changed the oil with more conventional 10W-30. I'll run it a couple more hours then switch to synthetic.

Gotta say, it looks really well made. So I guess we'll see... Also have to order some of that spray for the underside of the deck, the stuff that supposedly keeps the grass from sticking to the deck. Anybody ever use that stuff before?

I've tried using a dry teflon spray, it worked okay but wears away relatively quickly. I suppose you could try a graphite coating too. Typically I just don't mow wet grass and it's not a problem. And once or twice I year I'll flip the mower deck up and scrape it off with flexible putty knife but it's never bad. It's also a cast aluminum deck, I don't know if that affects it or not.

 

[bluwolf]

I've tried using a dry teflon spray, it worked okay but wears away relatively quickly. I suppose you could try a graphite coating too. Typically I just don't mow wet grass and it's not a problem. And once or twice I year I'll flip the mower deck up and scrape it off with flexible putty knife but it's never bad. It's also a cast aluminum deck, I don't know if that affects it or not.

In the process of trying to find somewhere, where I could walk in and buy a can, as opposed to having to order it online, I saw some were silicone based and some were graphite based. I don't know which one, if either is supposed to be better.

I don't mow wet grass either. But with the Toro, I had to stop and scrape the deck out 3,4, or 5 times while cutting the grass. It was ridiculous. I sharpened the blade like every other time I cut the grass. That's why I finally gave up and got this new mower. Of course, if this mower doesn't cut it either I guess I'm just going to have to shoot the mower then myself

 

[shawhite]

In the process of trying to find somewhere, where I could walk in and buy a can, as opposed to having to order it online, I saw some were silicone based and some were graphite based. I don't know which one, if either is supposed to be better.

I don't mow wet grass either. But with the Toro, I had to stop and scrape the deck out 3,4, or 5 times while cutting the grass. It was ridiculous. I sharpened the blade like every other time I cut the grass. That's why I finally gave up and got this new mower. Of course, if this mower doesn't cut it either I guess I'm just going to have to shoot the mower then myself

You will find that the clippings don’t stick to the plastic deck on the Hondas. Well unless you cut wet grass. I usually just blow down the top and bottom of my mower before it goes back in the garage. If I got caught in the rain for the last couple strips then I will rinse the underside to wash away the clipping before they stick to the deck.

 

[mdim]

Ego. Battery power is the future! And actually, the present too....

Going to second this. Had a really nice Toro mower but was thrilled the day it died and could replace with a battery unit. Their chainsaws are functionally useless but all the other Ego tools, including my self propelled mower, have been rock solid.

 

[bluwolf]

You will find that the clippings don’t stick to the plastic deck on the Hondas. Well unless you cut wet grass. I usually just blow down the top and bottom of my mower before it goes back in the garage. If I got caught in the rain for the last couple strips then I will rinse the underside to wash away the clipping before they stick to the deck.

I'm really hoping you're right. I cut it at 4 in the afternoon just so I knew it was as dry as it was going to get. Believe me, 4 pm in SW Florida on a sunny day is not the time you want to be cutting it. But that was the only time I could get through it and only have to clean out the deck 4 or 5 times and still have it stall out on me several times, even only cutting half strips.

I really hope this mower is the answer...

 

[ScottsGT]

That thing looks pretty beefy for a residential mower. I like it. A couple of years ago I got a Toro Timecutter that is supposedly high end residential (Is there such a thing?) or maybe considered somewhere between residential and entry-level commercial. The engine is supposedly commercial. I don't really know, but the thing has a ton of power and I've never had it bog down at all. The engine is probably the best thing about the entire mower. Or maybe the suspension. That's a great feature too. The thing floats over everything since I like to keep the suspension on the mushy side.

It's the highest end residential Hustler makes. The drive units are actually the same ones used on a lot of commercial mowers. Kawasaki engine on it is considered a residential as well, but I have seem some lower end commercials with the same engine.
My big push for this model vs. the XD below it was the upgraded hydrodrives. I've got some slope to my yard and I didn't want to stress smaller units, especially since I'm a little above average weight.

 

[vavet]

Like others here, I bought a self-propelled Honda form Home Depot about 15 years ago. It mowed our 1/3 acre lot for the first 8 years, mowed 3/4 acre for the next year, and then I finally bought a rider for the new house so its really only been used for trim work for the last 5 years. It beat the heck out of the Bolens $129 special from Lowes that it replaced.
I don't think you'll regret the Honda.

 

[Bubba Fett]

I'm planning to kill my grass, in the back yard at least, and seed clover. Clover basically doesn't need to be mowed (unless you want to), it chokes out weeds, and attracts pollinators. It's also cheaper than grass seed.

I feel like every summer I do nothing but yard work every weekend, and by the time I'm done, there isn't much time to do the things I want to do. With gas prices being what they are, I feel foolish using up gas just to make my grass look good for a couple of days. It's a never-ending task, and I have a lot of home improvement projects that need priority attention.

I'll do the back yard first, and if I like it, I may do the front yard as well.

 

[shawhite]

I'm planning to kill my grass, in the back yard at least, and seed clover. Clover basically doesn't need to be mowed (unless you want to), it chokes out weeds, and attracts pollinators. It's also cheaper than grass seed.

I feel like every summer I do nothing but yard work every weekend, and by the time I'm done, there isn't much time to do the things I want to do. With gas prices being what they are, I feel foolish using up gas just to make my grass look good for a couple of days. It's a never-ending task, and I have a lot of home improvement projects that need priority attention.

I'll do the back yard first, and if I like it, I may do the front yard as well.

Could always go like my neighbor and put down astroturf and he even put in a small putting green.

 

[bluwolf]

I'm planning to kill my grass, in the back yard at least, and seed clover. Clover basically doesn't need to be mowed (unless you want to), it chokes out weeds, and attracts pollinators. It's also cheaper than grass seed.

I feel like every summer I do nothing but yard work every weekend, and by the time I'm done, there isn't much time to do the things I want to do. With gas prices being what they are, I feel foolish using up gas just to make my grass look good for a couple of days. It's a never-ending task, and I have a lot of home improvement projects that need priority attention.

I'll do the back yard first, and if I like it, I may do the front yard as well.

Up until recently I tried something similar. But I just killed everything in the backyard, them mulched it. I wanted to do the ground cover thing like you. But I had two dogs, one of them being a small pony. He would have just trampled anything that resembled ground cover. He just recently passed away so I may re-visit your idea in the backyard.

 

[White Shadow]

I'm planning to kill my grass, in the back yard at least, and seed clover. Clover basically doesn't need to be mowed (unless you want to), it chokes out weeds, and attracts pollinators. It's also cheaper than grass seed.

I feel like every summer I do nothing but yard work every weekend, and by the time I'm done, there isn't much time to do the things I want to do. With gas prices being what they are, I feel foolish using up gas just to make my grass look good for a couple of days. It's a never-ending task, and I have a lot of home improvement projects that need priority attention.

I'll do the back yard first, and if I like it, I may do the front yard as well.

Just don't walk on it.

 

[ScottsGT]

I'm planning to kill my grass, in the back yard at least, and seed clover. Clover basically doesn't need to be mowed (unless you want to), it chokes out weeds, and attracts pollinators. It's also cheaper than grass seed.

I feel like every summer I do nothing but yard work every weekend, and by the time I'm done, there isn't much time to do the things I want to do. With gas prices being what they are, I feel foolish using up gas just to make my grass look good for a couple of days. It's a never-ending task, and I have a lot of home improvement projects that need priority attention.

I'll do the back yard first, and if I like it, I may do the front yard as well.

How’s the deer population in your area? You’re setting up a salad bar for them and if you or your wife has flowers, we’ll that’s the dessert bar they will enjoy.

 

[Bubba Fett]

How’s the deer population in your area? You’re setting up a salad bar for them and if you or your wife has flowers, we’ll that’s the dessert bar they will enjoy.

They are all over the place, but they don't appear to come into my yard. I already have large patches of clover, and I see no evidence of them - no munched spots, no deer ****, and no tracks. I know they hang out in the woods next door, even right on the other side of the fence, but they never venture over as far as I can tell. We do have a dog, so maybe they smell her.

 

[Aileron]

Look at a Toro 21 personal pace, they have aluminum frames instead of steel , they are called or were called Super recyclers. You can get them with a honda engine as well. My son bought the 22" from home depot, steel frame last year and hates it. likes my 21 better.

 

[ScottsGT]

They are all over the place, but they don't appear to come into my yard. I already have large patches of clover, and I see no evidence of them - no munched spots, no deer ****, and no tracks. I know they hang out in the woods next door, even right on the other side of the fence, but they never venture over as far as I can tell. We do have a dog, so maybe they smell her.

I bet that's it. We use to plant clover at my friends farm just to attract the deer and to give them a natural food source. This time last year we moved way out into the country. We are eat up with deer. I woke up at 4 am to use the bathroom one time during a full moon. As I was getting back in bed I looked out my window and 3 were walking the edge of my driveway in the back yard. My wife bought some pansies back in the fall and planted them around the house. Three were down low and did pretty good up to a month ago. Now they're just nubs poking up through the mulch. I told her she needed to come outside and pee on them once a week to keep the deer away, but she wouldn't hear of it.
A few weeks back I took a couple days off from work to hang around the house and work on some projects. I was out on our patio cutting some wood and I kept getting a whiff of dead animal. Started looking around the property and found a doe had died in her sleep hunkered down in my shrubs/woods line between properties. yea. That was a nasty one dragging her out and bagging her up to take to the county dump site. It was like the movies where all the beetles come running out of body openings when you move it. SO glad I keep heavy duty construction bags at the house.

 

[Ton ton]

If you are strong, you could use a human powered reel mower. Otherwise you may be back@ the goat/ sheep solution.

 

[CJM8515]

i wouldnt call my grass great, its grass lol nothing special. but the used toro my buddy gave me works just fine, i think its a 3.5hp claimed whatever home depot special. does just fine, doesnt bog down. BUT i keep the grass short and mow like every other week and if it doesnt cut it finely enough-well thats what the leaf blower is for lol

honda is awesome and i love them, but unless my mower dies it aint worth it for me, my lawn takes tops 30 mins to cut.

 

[shawhite]

If you are strong, you could use a human powered reel mower. Otherwise you may be back@ the goat/ sheep solution.

They make self propelled reel mowers. I actually considered getting on because I like how the grass looks after it is cut with a reel mower

 

[mike93lx]

They make self propelled reel mowers. I actually considered getting on because I like how the grass looks after it is cut with a reel mower

I have a fiskars reel mower that uses gearing to make it easier to run. Pushes fairly easily, I just found it impractical for me.

 

[IndyGarage]

People are recommending honda engines, but make no distinction that there are two different model lines and one is great and the other is just meh along with all the other cheap engines.

Better mowers are going to have the GXV series evens such as a GXV 160. It have low oil shut off, cast iron bore, and a conventional overhead valve with gear driven cam and push rods. It have a conventional head

The cheap GCV 160 engine is an all aluminum engine with belt drive overhead cam. It has an angle split block and the head is cast as part of the upper block and is not removable. The timing pulley and single cam lobe are a single piece, not a shaft and are made of plastic. Its pretty much a throw away engine.

I somewhat disagree with this. It is true there are two Honda lines of small engine (actually three). The GX are industrial/commercial and the GC are consumer engines - throw away, if you will. Most lawnmowers use the GC line. They actually make (or made ad one time) the GS line, which was an industrialized GC.

However to say the GX is better is not exactly accurate. The GC engines are made to a price point and they will not last as long as a GX, however they start easier, are quieter, are lighter and have more power for a given size than a GX engine. And they cost about half as much. They are way better than any other brand of cheap engine.

I'd rather have a GC engine on anything I use at home, just because they are quieter and much easier to start. I've never had a GS, but it seems like that would be the best of both worlds.

That said, I've had craftsman, Husqvarna, Toro, MTD and Honda pushmowers. The Honda is head and shouders above the Toro, which was significantly better than the others. I wouldn't buy any other brand.

 

[strantor]

This won’t bog down…

just got it Monday. Sorry….had to brag.

I've got the 60" version, bought it in 2016, 350hrs on it. It was a great machine for 4 years, no issues.

Year before last I went to pressure wash the deck and the paint (powdercoat?) started lifting off in great big sheets. So I removed the deck and continued power washing the rest of the loose paint off, needle gunned & sanded the rest, and painted it with industrial 2k epoxy paint.

One more season and then it started throwing the hydro drive belt. I replaced the belt twice, tried using a shorter belt, adding springs, etc, could not figure out why it was throwing belts. Then I saw it. The mower's frame was broken in & around the area where the hydro drives mount to it. The steel was split along welds, and right out in the middle of the plate steel, all cracked up. The belt would not hold tension because the mower itself was not holding its shape any more.

I haven't mowed my own grass in a year, been paying an old guy to mow it until I can make time to fix my mower. I'm going to have to take it completely apart and weld in reinforcements in several areas.

I haven't done it yet because the old man doesn't charge enough to motivate me. I don't see how he makes any money; he must just be bored. For mowing and edging 2.5 acres (it takes him 2 days) he only asks $75! I pay him $100 because I feel like anything less would be taking advantage of him, and any much more than that would make him feel like a charity case. Personally I wouldn't touch it for less than $150.

 

[Ton ton]

I would pay the old man to mow my grass for that price too if he was that reasonable.

 

[HalfTonTom]

Ever think about goats or sheep?

If so, how often do you think about them, huh?

 

[Ton ton]

If so, how often do you think about them, huh?

Every day, sir.