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#Post#: 59307--------------------------------------------------
Just because a riding mower costs more doesn't mean it is better
By: 660magnum Date: July 5, 2015, 5:24 pm
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I had always owned the old style Bolens, and Cub Kadet 127
hydrostatic 42" tractors prior to MTD buying them.
I married a woman and she had a almost new Murray 40"/16hp
Tecumseh 6 speed . I initially thought of it as a piece of junk
but after using it, I sold my Bolens and Cub Kadet. The
maintenance of the Murray was less frequent and the parts were
cheaper. The Murray would cut higher grass than the two older
tractors. After 10 years, the deck rusted out. And though I
could have bought a new deck shell, I opted to buy a new Sears.
Murray had gone out of business and so had Tecumseh.
The Sears was 42"/ 19hp Briggs single 6 speed. The sears has
been very trouble free for 8 years but the other day the cable
that controls the power to the deck broke. I ordered one on the
Interweb and it is supposed to be here Wednesday.
So I got out my like new Sears (AYP, Husqvarna) 21" self
propelled big wheel bagger push mower, Briggs 190cc. Left the
bag in the barn. It was $20 at a garage sale but the jet in the
carb was plugged and a couple covers were missing. I spent
another $20 for the covers fixing it. It is a 2012 model. It
does nice for a push mower. I have a nice MTD 21" big wheel
bagger too but it is not self propelled. It was a yard sale
mower also.
The neighbor across the highway saw me using the push mower and
came over on his John Deere 130 consumer lawn tractor with a
Briggs 22hp V-twin, 42" deck, & hydrostatic drive and the same
size tires as my Craftsmasn. I didn't like it! Steered very hard
compared to my Sears (AYP,Husqvarna) and took a big area to turn
around. To reverse is awkward as you have to push a button on
the dash behind the steering wheel and step on a different
pedal. It is very slow in reverse. It clumped up the cuttings
into a awful mess in the yard where my Sears had blown the
cuttings out smooth.
I had to fix his Stihl FS-45 curved shaft whacker before I could
use his mower. Get it started and adjust the needles.
Just because a mower costs more does not mean it is more
convenient to use??? I like my cheap Sears much better though
they've changed it a little since I bought mine. So mow a little
with a strange mower before you buy it?
#Post#: 59315--------------------------------------------------
Re: Just because a riding mower costs more doesn't mean it is be
tter
By: Chainsawrepair Date: July 5, 2015, 7:01 pm
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Got 4 of them so know what you mean about things being different
from mower to mower. Have a mid 90's craftsman took on a trade,
late 70's IH Cub, and 2 05-06 yard man 23hp same as a newer 25hp
cub cadet my dad has and yard machine 17or19hp MTD's that were
insurance replacements of 2 that was in old barn when it went
down.
The troy-bilt I had was the worst I have owned and it was when
troy-bilt was still building them. Glad the barn got that POS.
#Post#: 59317--------------------------------------------------
Re: Just because a riding mower costs more doesn't mean it is be
tter
By: 660magnum Date: July 5, 2015, 7:14 pm
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I notice that some hydrostatic Husqvarna's and Craftsman's have
that same idiotic push button on the dash and the little heel
knob for snail slow reverse just like the John Deere 130 did?
#Post#: 59318--------------------------------------------------
Re: Just because a riding mower costs more doesn't mean it is be
tter
By: Chainsawrepair Date: July 5, 2015, 7:34 pm
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I only got 1 hydrostatic and no buttons.
The other newer one has a reverse override button once you turn
the key up and push button in one time, it is on for reverse the
rest of the mowing, but it isnt hdro.
#Post#: 59319--------------------------------------------------
Re: Just because a riding mower costs more doesn't mean it is be
tter
By: 660magnum Date: July 5, 2015, 7:43 pm
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My old hydros went just as fast and quick in reverse as they did
forward. No gimmicks.
I had a couple rear engine Gravely's in the 70's and their hand
clutch was half the speed to the rear as it was to forward. They
were very nice. Probably the nicest lawn tractors I ever owned.
My Craftsman I bypassed all that EPA crap. It goes reverse
without doing any back flips and you can raise up off the seat
without the engine quitting.
#Post#: 59833--------------------------------------------------
Re: Just because a riding mower costs more doesn't mean it is be
tter
By: 3000 FPS Date: July 23, 2015, 10:29 pm
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I was just out today using my Craftsman riding mower. I got it
for free and then it sat for about 6 years in my garage before I
got it out to repair it. That cable your talking about I had
to replace also. That cable on mine actually moves a pulley
that engages the blades. I had to run a guitar string through
the idle jets on the carb and spray some cleaner through them to
get it to idle right. It is a 6 speed also with a neutral and
reverse on the same lever and is quick and easy to hit reverse.
I think it is a great mower.
#Post#: 59835--------------------------------------------------
Re: Just because a riding mower costs more doesn't mean it is be
tter
By: 660magnum Date: July 24, 2015, 5:38 am
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That's what the cable does on mine also. The middle of the
spring on the end of the cable had rubbed on a pulley or belt
and was cut apart.
I had to drop the deck and pull it part way out to connect the
cable. Nothing to it except this 70 year old man was just about
done himself after getting down on the ground and back up
several times and skinning the backs of my hands up. That is all
heeled now.
I've mowed with that Craftsman 42" 6 spd manual mower four times
since the repair and enjoy the mower more since I know how it
compares with more expensive Craftsman, Husqvarna, Poulan, and
John Deere 42" mowers.
My $450 variable speed - self propelled 21" Craftsman push mower
that I paid $20 for was a joy to use also. Looks like a new one
since I replaced the missing cover.
The MTD riding mower assembly factory is just down the highway
from my house. At night I hear the fans on the roof and the air
compressors.
#Post#: 59836--------------------------------------------------
Re: Just because a riding mower costs more doesn't mean it is be
tter
By: 660magnum Date: July 24, 2015, 5:56 am
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In 2013 I bought a new 21" MTD bagger type push mower (not self
propelled). It was shipped directly to my house from the factory
in Mississippi. I got it out of the box, put oil and gas in to
it and mowed around the barn a little and put it away. I had
four mowers like this of different ages so it wasn't used again
until this summer. It wouldn't start. It had varnish in the carb
jet. Had to push the varnish out with a bristle from a wire
brush. I gave it to my older son.
It has the 6.75 B&S engine like all the others I've had in the
last 20 yrs. I say this about the B&S but there are more than a
hundred variations of the B&S 6.75 engine. No two of mine have
ever been exactly alike. The crankshaft diameters and lengths
vary as well as having prime bulb carbs and choke type carbs.
Some have variable speed carbs but most are full throttle "on"
to off types. The covers are all different designs also.
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