How long should a mower last?

[HouTex 1887]

1 hour ago, woohorn said:

Noone mentions blades yet?

A couple of seasons ago I replaced oem honda blade with one of the radical profile mulching blades. Really didn't notice much difference, except it is terrible when trying to bag fall leaves (too many trees to mulch into lawn).

I now see "high lift" blades on Amazon and wanted to know if anyone swaps out blades for bagging leaves vs mulching grass blades.

I also have a thatching blade, but that is a whole different discussion.

Several mentions of blades (including mine) up thread.  I used a plain steel file and sharpened the blade every spring.

[tokamak 6432]

6 hours ago, Nueces River Rat said:

What kind of grass are you cutting?   I can't envision an electric mower cutting thick St Augustine or Flortam grass like many of us have in these parts.  Especially after it takes off after some good rains.  My gas mower has issues with the stuff if I wait too long to mow it.  But maybe I'm wrong the electric mowers are more powerful than the earlier versions.  

I've been eyeing the eGo mowers for a couple years now, but this is my hang up. I have the eGo trimmer and leaf blower and they are awesome - will never go back to gas on those. But I live in Houston and my St. Augustine gets thicker than your mom's bush in the peak growing season. Worried about taking the plunge on a $400 mower and then it can't get the job done.

12 minutes ago, Dendox said:

i second the ethanol free gas from Murphy.  Well worth the extra money and haven't had any issues starting power equipment after a long period of non-use since switching.  I too had to rebuild a power washer and learned my lesson.  

Where do you live? The only ethanol-free that I am aware of in the entire Houston area is the Buc-ee's in Katy. Either that or paying $20/gal for it in cans from Home Depot (fuck that).

[Dendox 102]

4 minutes ago, tokamak said:

 

Where do you live? The only ethanol-free that I am aware of in the entire Houston area is the Buc-ee's in Katy. Either that or paying $20/gal for it in cans from Home Depot (fuck that).

I live in Boerne.  Wal-Mart has it.  like $3 a gallon. When compared to tru-fuel, its a steal.  

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4976]

There's a Zippy J's near me that sells ethanol free premium. It's not much more than regular premium. I fill up all my portable cans there.

Also, lawn guys still have problems from cheap fuel and stuff. My father in law has a lawn service and he frequently just buys new carbs off Amazon for his two cycle equipment. Not sure about his four cycle stuff, but a chinese carb for your weedeater costs about $15 off Amazon and comes with new filters and hoses, a spark plug, and primer bubble. Takes about ten or fifteen minutes to swap and will crank on the second pull.

[Horn_Spanker 524]

My dad gave me his used mower when I bought my house 30 years ago.  It still starts on the first pull!!!

 

[NeverMarryAStripper 21912]

it usually takes me several pulls to get mine really going

[Paper_jam 831]

Coming up on 17 years from a 2002 model Toro personal pace, with a 6.5 HP Tecumseh motor. Still runs strong but it's starting to put out some smoke. I've completely been shitty with maintenance on it.  Changed the oil maybe 4-5 times in its life, air filter once.

[Gil Bang 25984]

On shooter’s recommendation I pulled the trigger on this Kohler-powered machine today. I added the oil and gas and it started on a very gentle first pull.

 

So far so good.

 

[Guest]

No ruts or divots in the lawn for that brewski to ride like that.

Impressive.

[Gil Bang 25984]

I’ve got so many gophers. There’s an area near me called “Gopher Canyon” for reals.

In my nice lawn areas, I excavated about 6”, put down a full-coverage layer of chicken wire, and brought back in soil, then sod. It worked very well. I’ve got 2 nice patches of grass.

[Nueces River Rat 5539]

3 hours ago, tokamak said:

I've been eyeing the eGo mowers for a couple years now, but this is my hang up. I have the eGo trimmer and leaf blower and they are awesome - will never go back to gas on those. But I live in Houston and my St. Augustine gets thicker than your mom's bush in the peak growing season. Worried about taking the plunge on a $400 mower and then it can't get the job done.

Where do you live? The only ethanol-free that I am aware of in the entire Houston area is the Buc-ee's in Katy. Either that or paying $20/gal for it in cans from Home Depot (fuck that).

My neighbor has a Milwaukee  brand 18 Volt leaf blower and it's bad ass and it's just as powerful as my gas blower.   I'm waiting for my Echo  to go out and I'm going to get me one of those.   Hopefully he will get the trimmer which uses the same battery packs  so I can give it a try before I jump at one.  I'm with you on the reluctancy about an electric/ batter operated lawnmower because of how thick the grass can get in a very short time.  Because of other obligations I can't keep a regular schedule so the grass won't get as thick as YOUR Mom's bush.  LOL!    BTW Bush is back in style....  So I've been told.

I would think somewhere at one your Wal-Mart's  in the Houston area you can find ethanol free gas unless the EPA forbids in the Harris County because of clean air rules.  Rudy's BBQ also has ethanol free gas down here.   Most of the Wal-Mart/ Murphy USA stations who carry ethanol free have the price on their sign fronting the roadway from what I've observed including the one about three mile from my house here in Corpus. 

[Nueces River Rat 5539]

12 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

I’ve got so many gophers. There’s an area near me called “Gopher Canyon” for reals.

In my nice lawn areas, I excavated about 6”, put down a full-coverage layer of chicken wire, and brought back in soil, then sod. It worked very well. I’ve got 2 nice patches of grass.

 

Edited April 9, 2019 by Nueces River Rat

[Jkwellborn 6713]

Keeping sharp blades really helps the mower not over work.

[Buffsoldier 1895]

17 hours ago, 4th and 5 said:

I like snapper.

Really? No one else has run with this?  Really? Fine, I'll do it.

 

I like the snapper I use at your mom's house. 

[Buffsoldier 1895]

Double

Edited April 9, 2019 by Buffsoldier

[Armybrat 40856]

15 years on my  Home Depot B&S so far. Son mows my yard every two weeks with it. Never has changed the oil - just add some each spring. He cleans the filter & plug every other year. We have a small suburban yard with only about 4,000 sq/ft to mow. Shell gas.

[Okie State 3821]

I bought a Snapper Commercial with the biggest Briggs engine they had available. Hoping it lasts 20+ years.

[4th and 5 4915]

20 hours ago, Gil Bang said:

 

 

So I keep seeing folks post this.  "Hey everybody, just use $20 /gal gas, and you'll be good".

Meanwhile, every mexican that cuts lawns for a living fills their cans at the cheapest station in town, no matter what town you are in.  ( And they gather at the coffee pots and take forever to get the cream/sugar blend just right)

Seriously, let's say gas is $3 bucks a gallon.  Trufuel is about 20.  So, 17 bucks extra per gallon.  

How many gallons do you expect to burn over the life of a mower?   10  gallons is $ 170.00 extra for trufuel,  give or take.  If you burn 20 gallons, you've spent more than the price of the average new mower.   I fill a 5 gal can every month or two, I suppose.  Maybe I'll start keeping track of that.  I'll bet I've burned over 50 gals in my weed machine.  I would have spent an extra $850 on trufuel.  I could have replaced the mower with a comparable new one a half-dozen times for the price differential.

Look motherfucker, we don't come to Surly for a dose of common sense. Or maths. 😉

[deft 6859]

Helped my sister (no pics) move from a starter home back into a trendy apt a few years back and she gave me her propelled honda dual blade whizbang mower.  Best mower I've ever used. I've never changed the oil, plug, filter, wheels, blades, etc.  I guess I should go ahead and give it the basic tune up and sharpen the blades but it just works so well and I don't have a good history working on small engines.

 

I've got a 3100 psi power washer that broke one of the carb springs.  Still need to get around to fixing that because my little electric sun joe sucks in comparison.  I just upgraded my ryobi 18v basic trimmer to the next up model (still in 18v) and its been amazing.  I don't think I'd go back to gas at this point for that (just suburban lawn so nothing too hairy).  I also got her Stihl blower in that deal and I haven't done a PM on it either.  I've probably cursed myself now for both.   

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4976]

If the stihl blower gives you trouble just order a carb for it off Amazon. Did the trick on my stihl weed trimmer. Like $15. About fifteen minutes to replace.

[Gil Bang 25984]

I put a few hours on the new Toro today.  I like it. Engine is a 1 or 2 pull deal.  No prime bulb on the carb.  It just starts.

I've got a few slopes, so I can see that a rear wheel drive would maybe be better, but I'm not nearly as tired as I would be with the old mower

[Nolacycling 893]

She should be able to do the front and back yards, until it's time to cook dinner.

[Jkwellborn 6713]

I put a few hours on the new Toro today.  I like it. Engine is a 1 or 2 pull deal.  No prime bulb on the carb.  It just starts.
I've got a few slopes, so I can see that a rear wheel drive would maybe be better, but I'm not nearly as tired as I would be with the old mower

I hate the ones with the automatic choke. My Troybilt has it. Runs like ass once it’s warmed. I don’t wanna fool with the carb because I’m lazy.

[horn4life 3775]

we has a Lawnboy from the early 1970'ss my Dad bought when I was growing up.  I cut our yard with it as a teenager,as well at the yards of others for summer cash. It was given to me when when I moved to Travis Heights '95 and lasted until like 2009 before crapping out.  I think I could have rebuilt the carb again but bought a new mower with a higher range of height adjustability.  I kept the thing behind the shed for maybe another 5 years, as I always wanted to take that magnesium deck, light it with a torch and toss it into the surf at night.  Figured it would look cool.

I guess that's 35 years plus.  The one thing we always did was cut off the fuel and run the gas out completely each time we used it.  If you don't have a cut off valve on your fuel you are should do so and run the gas out completely.  It's the best thing you can do to save your carbs from gunking up, especially now with the ethanol.

My Father and I marveled at that green Lawnboy!

[Gil Bang 25984]

that lawnboy was made by OMC, the Evinrude outboard folks. 

[tokamak 6432]

how bizarre

[fattyflattie 4639]

Hit a dog toy last week and blew out my dischage slot.  Welded it up today so I can put the mulching cover back in and all back to new.  I’ve had it 9 years now and got it second hand from BIL, though it was relatively new when he gave it to me (he had broke the handle where it joins at deck, I also welded that up).  Briggs motor starts mostly on second pull, sometimes on first.  It’s a cheapo Huskee but it’ll make it another few years, and 15 years on a $129 mower isn’t that bad.  

[Nueces River Rat 5539]

On 4/12/2019 at 3:41 PM, horn4life said:

we has a Lawnboy from the early 1970'ss my Dad bought when I was growing up.  I cut our yard with it as a teenager,as well at the yards of others for summer cash. It was given to me when when I moved to Travis Heights '95 and lasted until like 2009 before crapping out.  I think I could have rebuilt the carb again but bought a new mower with a higher range of height adjustability.  I kept the thing behind the shed for maybe another 5 years, as I always wanted to take that magnesium deck, light it with a torch and toss it into the surf at night.  Figured it would look cool.

I guess that's 35 years plus.  The one thing we always did was cut off the fuel and run the gas out completely each time we used it.  If you don't have a cut off valve on your fuel you are should do so and run the gas out completely.  It's the best thing you can do to save your carbs from gunking up, especially now with the ethanol.

My Father and I marveled at that green Lawnboy!

Did it look like this?   I recall when I was kid ( late 70's -80's) one of my neighbors had one that looked something like this and it had a distinctive engine sound vs the others.   Most of us in our neighborhood had lawnmowers from the local lawnmower shop that were custom built by the shop owner with Briggs and Stratton motors,   so you couldn't tell who was up early on Saturday or holiday morning doing their lawns.  But you could tell when the Mr Jordan was because that Lawnboy let us know.  Ah, the memories.    I bet some of the younger guys and gals have never seen a side discharge push  mower much less one with a front side discharge.  Damn I miss those days of lawnmowers chocking with wet grass and having to stick my hand in the discharge to unclog  it.   

[Pescado_Rojo 19427]

Bought my Toro mulching mower 20 years ago. Change the oil every other year or so, blow out the original air filter a couple times a season and it keeps on keeping on. I've changed the cables a couple times each, replaced the plastic fuel tank once, the starter cord once, and the plastic shield in the back. 

[Gil Bang 25984]

9 hours ago, Nueces River Rat said:

Did it look like this?   I recall when I was kid ( late 70's -80's) one of my neighbors had one that looked something like this and it had a distinctive engine sound vs the others.   Most of us in our neighborhood had lawnmowers from the local lawnmower shop that were custom built by the shop owner with Briggs and Stratton motors,   so you couldn't tell who was up early on Saturday or holiday morning doing their lawns.  But you could tell when the Mr Jordan was because that Lawnboy let us know.  Ah, the memories.    I bet some of the younger guys and gals have never seen a side discharge push  mower much less one with a front side discharge.  Damn I miss those days of lawnmowers chocking with wet grass and having to stick my hand in the discharge to unclog  it.   

Pretty sure the "distinctive sound" was due to it being a 2 stroke engine. 

[William_Cannon 86]

I was getting frustrated with how many pulls my mower needed to start. So I replaced the filter and spark plug and changed the oil. ...it’s like new again where it starts in one or two pulls.

 

Maintenance- go figure

 

[Jkwellborn 6713]

I changed the fuel filter and air filter on mine last yeah because it wouldn’t start. Problem solved. Fuel filter was about 7 years old.

[horn4life 3775]

On 4/15/2019 at 8:43 AM, Nueces River Rat said:

Did it look like this?   I recall when I was kid ( late 70's -80's) one of my neighbors had one that looked something like this and it had a distinctive engine sound vs the others.   Most of us in our neighborhood had lawnmowers from the local lawnmower shop that were custom built by the shop owner with Briggs and Stratton motors,   so you couldn't tell who was up early on Saturday or holiday morning doing their lawns.  But you could tell when the Mr Jordan was because that Lawnboy let us know.  Ah, the memories.    I bet some of the younger guys and gals have never seen a side discharge push  mower much less one with a front side discharge.  Damn I miss those days of lawnmowers chocking with wet grass and having to stick my hand in the discharge to unclog  it.   

Yep thats the one.  complete with the long bald wheels!