Who knows about Snapper mowers

[sharpshooter]

A friend of mine aquired a snapper riding mower for next to nothing, he cant tell me anything about it because he hasnt gone to pick it up just yet. Im going today to take a look at it this afternoon with him, is there anything I need to be looking at when im giving it the once over. He said he could let me have it for 200 bucks. I do know the rope on the pull start is broke off, but it does have electric start. (doubt the battery is good though). Lets say worst case scenario and the motor is blown, what kind of price is it for ( I think) a 12 hp B&S, Any help would be great.

 

[l_bilyk]

Not sure what the motor would run, but snapper mowers have a real good reputation

 

[PAToyota]

My parents have had two Snapper mowers over the course of the past thirty years. About the only thing they've had to replace (me, the first time it happened)
has been the "drive wheel" that transfers power from the engine to the rear axle. It is two aluminum wheels perpendicular to each other and the one has a rubber perimeter. Over time, the rubber either gets chewed up or glazes from age. Result is that it cannot get traction - first sign is usually that it is losing power going up hills. Other than that they've been great little machines although I have to admit that the new one they have is a bit of a pain due to all the safety features...

 

[eschoendorff]

Check this out:

http://www.mytractorforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=15

 

[jay50]

Snapper mowers; buy one new and it will last you a life time..or two...IMHO

 

['69 Super Sport]

Snapper = Quality . Great mowers

 

[Merkava_4]

PAToyota, are you talking about the walk behind Snappers? You're suppose to give the mower a little nudge before you engage the drive; it saves the drive wheels that way.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

The Snapper home office is not too far from me. There are alot of Snappers around here, and they seem to last a long time, but I think its because you can get parts for them, for what seems like forever.

I had one of the older Comet riding mowers for a while. I wasn't impressed and have concluded that they are simply stamped metal junk like all the rest, the difference being, you actually can get parts and keep them repaired and running.

Charles

 

[PAToyota]

PAToyota, are you talking about the walk behind Snappers?

Nope, this kind:

 

[1320stang]

The rubber drive wheel is about $8. They're great mowers, you'll wear engines out before you wear the mower out.

 

[Merkava_4]

It sounds to me like the drive system between their walk-behinds and their ride-ons are similar; it's an ingeniously simple system.

 

[sharpshooter]

Well fellas I bought it. It needs a little tlc but not much. The tires are flat and its gonna need a clutch and a battery but other than thats its real solid. The seats not even slpit from sitting outside I ended up getting it for 100 bucks so either way it goes I dont think I got hurt to much.

 

[TxDoc]

Check and change your oil and filter and your air filter. Maybe sharpen your blades and check your belt(s). Kinda surprising how many people never change oil in an ATV or lawn mower.

I went with a friend to look at an ATV once and took a white paper towel along. Pulled the dipstick and....no oil on the stick. When asked the owner said he guess it was never checked or changed. He was the original owner and it was 4 years old. Probably had water in the differential fluid, too.

 

[Uncle Buck]

The rubber drive wheel is about $8. They're great mowers, you'll wear engines out before you wear the mower out.

Agreed, the rubber drive wheel used in Snappers is also used on older, and perhaps current models of Ariens snow throwers such as the one I own as well, it is a fantastic and easily serviced drive system.

 

[1320stang]

And Ariens RER (rear engine riders). I have one Ariens RER and two Snapper RER's.

 

[Herb]

My father bought his new in 1966, and still uses it to cut his lawn. I used to cut the grass with it when I lived at home and as a kid, well I tried to make an unwanted job fun whenever possible. The property that we cut is relatively flat and app. 3 acres. We cut everything- briars, light brush, bittersweet, heavily overgrown field grass- everything that grows. He did rebuild the rear end once maybe 25 years ago, new tie rod bushings a couple of times, and finally replaced the 6 hp engine ( it was REALLY tired and smoked badly) with an 8hp, 12 years ago. The rear tires and seat are the originals, the fronts were replaced a few years ago. This mower was definately a good investment! I think the biggest factor in the life of this unit is that it has never been left outside in the weather- no a tarp or a piece of plywood over it doesn't count!

 

[eschoendorff]

Agreed, the rubber drive wheel used in Snappers is also used on older, and perhaps current models of Ariens snow throwers such as the one I own as well, it is a fantastic and easily serviced drive system.

This sounds like a drive system that Dixon used in the early years... before even the residential mowers went hydrostatic....

 

[Coach James]

Two of my neighbors came over when I was changing the oil in my push mower last summer. One asked what I was doing and after I told him he said he had never done that before. He wondered if that could be why his mowers went bad every couple years. I suspect he never changed the air filter or spark plug either.

Coach

 

[6skott]

<o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com<img src=" images="" smilies="" redface.gif="" border="0" alt="" title="Embarrassment" smilieid="2" class="inlineimg"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <wunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <wontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Verdana; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:536871559 0 0 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.4in; mso-footer-margin:.4in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> I invite anyone in southern <st1>New England</st1> with a truck/trailer who is interested in a free Snapper riding lawn mower fix up project to check out the classified ad I posted. Yes, I said f-r-e-e...

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16846

 

[wilbilt]

When I see those Snappers, It brings up memories of Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump.

 

[davestlouis]

When I was a kid my dad bought a Toro, when they still made a nice product, front wheel drive 21 inch mower. It paled in comparison to the rear bagging Snappers my neighbor had...the tall deck must have created really good suction, because the Snapper did a great job of bagging grass. I have a Honda now that is nicely engineered but just doesn't cut all that well, it has the Ninja double blade and leaves stray blades of grass standing up for some reason.

 

[eschoendorff]

When I was a kid my dad bought a Toro, when they still made a nice product, front wheel drive 21 inch mower. It paled in comparison to the rear bagging Snappers my neighbor had...the tall deck must have created really good suction, because the Snapper did a great job of bagging grass. I have a Honda now that is nicely engineered but just doesn't cut all that well, it has the Ninja double blade and leaves stray blades of grass standing up for some reason.

I bet it mows rice really well though.

 

[wilbilt]

I've been trying to find a <I>hybrid</I> mower. That's the kind where my wife mows half the yard, and my kids mow the other half.

So far, no luck...

 

[davestlouis]

I had a cheap MTD walk behind before I sprung for the stupid Honda...that MTD cut a hell of a lot better than the Honda, but somebody stole the MTD. The only good thing is, I bought the Honda at a pawnshop 8 years ago, for $175, have never so much as changed the oil...I finally checked it last year, still full. I have sharpened the blades, still cuts like ****. The mower didn't even have green stains on it when I bought it, don't care to know where it came from.

 

[eschoendorff]

I've been trying to find a <I>hybrid</I> mower. That's the kind where my wife mows half the yard, and my kids mow the other half.

So far, no luck...

 

[eschoendorff]

I had a cheap MTD walk behind before I sprung for the stupid Honda...that MTD cut a hell of a lot better than the Honda, but somebody stole the MTD. The only good thing is, I bought the Honda at a pawnshop 8 years ago, for $175, have never so much as changed the oil...I finally checked it last year, still full. I have sharpened the blades, still cuts like ****. The mower didn't even have green stains on it when I bought it, don't care to know where it came from.

For a 21" push mower... NOTHING beats the old magnesium deck 2 cycle Lawn Boys. If you can find one....