Lawnmower

[customboss]

That Mitsubishi 1.3 L 3 cylinder MPFI of Grumpys “Raven” is the best lawnmower engine I’ve seen in a while! 
couldnt help

it. 

[txab]

Wow, that might be a little over the top

[Black02Silverado]

I had an old cub cadet that was built back in 1974 that my mother-in-law gave me. It had a 60 inch cut on it. It was a beast. But it finally bit the dust and my mother-in-law said get rid of it and buy a new one. So I went out and did a lot of research and picked up a commercial grade XMark Laser Z HP with a 48 inch cut. I picked it up back in 2002. Brand new. It’s currently has 650 hours on it. The only thing I’ve had to replace on it other than the fluids and filters is the main drive belt and the blades. This was back when I was cutting 5 acres of my mother-in-law‘s yard and 2 acres of ours. Now that I only cut a quarter acre. It’s kind of a joke but it only takes me 20 minutes to mow trim and blow the driveway off. To me if you got any type of yard to cut. A commercial grade 0 turn is the way to go. It’s that old saying buy once cry once.

[64BAwagon]

I bought my one and only Cub cadet product some years back. A self propelled push mower. About 2 yrs in it started shredding expensive cables and drive wheels. The engineering was horrible and the parts were ridiculously expensive. I ended up stripping the drive system off of it and left it outside on some property we owned for trim mowing. 

[KARNUT]

I finally called this morning the service center after a month. Of course the computer was down. He finally remembered me. I told him it’s been a month, not to complain or anything. I just wanted an update. He said it should be done by now. I must be waiting on a belt. I’m thinking while my tongue is now bleeding. We knew going in it at the least it needed a belt. He reminded me they wouldn’t be warranty the belt. I said through my now gushing blood from my mouth. I wanted a guess at least how a belt would chuck on a new mower. I’m glad I didn’t go there. I don’t react well to stupid facial expressions. 

Edited June 9, 2025 by KARNUT

[KARNUT]

I got the thing back last night. Couldn’t find anything wrong. Something must’ve gotten to the belt. So the money I saved buying this went into the mysterious belt failure. I guess I could have missed the belt being attacked by a foreign object. Time will tell. With the rain we’ve been having, it’s going to get a workout.

[KARNUT]

It did well.

[BIGDOGx]

Sadly these type of products are no longer made to last and perform like they were 20+ years ago. You need to spend the x3 and go commercial to get something that is built to last at least a decade today. I have actually thought about buying a new Honda push mower as they are no longer making gas mowers. I have trouble though since my now 9 year old Honda mower still works fine.

 

I just fear that the next push mower will have to be a commercial one as everything at big box stores now stink, brands like Toro now are laughable plastic crap, some of these mowers now remind me of the fake ones you would buy your 5 year old from toy r us for him to pretend he is mowing, especially the electric ones.

[KARNUT]

13 minutes ago, BIGDOGx said:

Sadly these type of products are no longer made to last and perform like they were 20+ years ago. You need to spend the x3 and go commercial to get something that is built to last at least a decade today. I have actually thought about buying a new Honda push mower as they are no longer making gas mowers. I have trouble though since my now 9 year old Honda mower still works fine.

 

I just fear that the next push mower will have to be a commercial one as everything at big box stores now stink, brands like Toro now are laughable plastic crap, some of these mowers now remind me of the fake ones you would buy your 5 year old from toy r us for him to pretend he is mowing, especially the electric ones.

I’ve have mentioned I mow damp. The first riding mower was a snapper. That house was an acre. It did well. This house I bought 30 years ago is 3 acres. Snapper was too small. I bought a Husqvarna it was 2200$. No belts or blades 3 oil changes, Amsoil. Ten years in deck rotten. My brother took it he likes to work on stuff. Just so happens I bought a house for my daughter it had a blown up Sears mower same as Husqvarna. Deck fit. Brother’s happy. I gave the snapper to my son in law. He sold it bought a new mower from cons forget the name. They get a divorce I get the house and the mower. Sold the house kept the mower. I hated that mower. Eight years later I had enough. Brother gets the mower. I buy an Ariens identical to the first one. 1800$ same place as the first one. Exactly 10 years later and two mower belts with ripped seat. I decided to drop the deck down a notch hit a stick breaking the hub. Otherwise deck is good. My brother uses them all. He likes working on them. I buy the cub cadet on sale. I actually like it the best. It was 2200$. It did break a drive belt. It could have been an outside force my lawn isn’t pristine. I mow high over limbs especially in the backyard. I have a sweet gum tree. Little balls from it all over. I could pick up stuff all day every day. I rather mow high. 30 years in the mower’s never cost more than the first one. Some quality has to give. 10 years is all I ask. 

[Black02Silverado]

50 minutes ago, BIGDOGx said:

Sadly these type of products are no longer made to last and perform like they were 20+ years ago. You need to spend the x3 and go commercial to get something that is built to last at least a decade today. I have actually thought about buying a new Honda push mower as they are no longer making gas mowers. I have trouble though since my now 9 year old Honda mower still works fine.

 

I just fear that the next push mower will have to be a commercial one as everything at big box stores now stink, brands like Toro now are laughable plastic crap, some of these mowers now remind me of the fake ones you would buy your 5 year old from toy r us for him to pretend he is mowing, especially the electric ones.

Yeah, commercial is overkill but seems to be the only thing that will last.  I know four people that have purchase JD riding mowers some just recently some 8 years ago. They all seem to have the same problem, the deck mows tilted, as in one side is higher than the other. Some bought from big box stores some got from JD. They all have taken it back to get adjusted and it works fine for about three cuttings and then back to being off. I looked at them myself and can't see what the issue it. Looks fine on pavement, but put it on the lawn and one side is higher than the other.  Weird.

[BIGDOGx]

Yeah quality is just not there today with this stuff, I remember having to beg my father to replace our old craftsman push mower that I grew up using, that he had like 5 years before I was even born lol. Those mowers would need to be run over by a big rig before it no longer worked.

 

Another thing at least for myself, I cant find a reliable small engine repair shop in my area to save my life! I have tried like 4 different places the last few years ranging from mega large show room and repair shop, to mom and pop places to middle of the road and all do low quality work it seems, half the places I actually received back my equipment in worse shape then when I brought it to them.