My 1979 gas/oil-mix, 2-cycle Lawn-Boy has finally died, so I need to get a new mower. My old mower was not self-propelled, and that has not been a problem. In fact, I have some areas where I definitely need to maneuver the mower, and self-propelled there would just be in the way. So I'm thinking a push mower would be ok, and of course it would have fewer things to break. :-)
I would appreciate suggestions on brands and specific models that you like or dislike. Some parts of the yard I definitely need to bag, so good bagging would be a required feature. The total yard is about 5000 sq ft, so not exactly huge.
Well I see Lawn-Boy is still there. plus Honda, Toyo, Troy-Built, Snapper, and even Craftsmen, but I know nothing about what's good or not.
Check Consumer's Reports, especially repair record. 2-cycle mowers are good on a slope, 4-cycle is a better choice for mostly level ground. Not having self-propelled is just fine if your lawn is small (or you are young).
In your case, the make of the mower does not matter. You just want an engine to spin a blade. I like Briggs and Stratton motors, but other users may differ.
Consumer Reports: CU Recommended Cub Cadet 11A-18MC is a little better for bagging. Lawn-Boy 10640 is a little better for mulching. Both are listed at $260. I don't think Tecumseh is making engines anymore if that figures into your thinking.
OMC doesn't make LawnBoy any more. I think Toro owns the brand now, and they are really Toros with a different paint scheme.
I know others speak fondly of the old LawnBoy 2 cycles, and their durability and rebuildability. My experiences as a kid say, not so much. Perhaps their old 'commercial' series, that eschewed plastic in favor of
1950s style steel. The vintage of LBs I used, say 1968-78, the one big shining feature they had was the lightweight cast deck and staggered wheel design. I found the engines to be fussy and buzzy, buzzy enough that the plastic or fiberglass top shrouds kept self-destructing, and letting all the little parts and buttons go sproing. After a 20-year gap in my regular use of mowers, this el-cheapo honda-engined sam's club special Yardman mulcher weighed a ton by comparision, and the wheels on the corners make it hard to steer, even with the oversize rear wheels. I like the engine, and it has held up well to 4 years of abuse. But the rest of the mower, not so much. It was half the price of real Honda push mower, though. I would not buy a mulcher that didn't also have a side-discharge again, though. I have missed that a few times. The rear-discharge between the rear wheels bag on this thing is useless. Tried it once, it filled up in seconds, and is a major pain to empty. I just mulch all the time now- even if I have to make multiple passes, it is still quicker than fussing with the bag. A few industrial zip ties and magnets took care of the nanny safety features, so I don't have to restart it every 5 minutes, and can actually pull it backwards. Who can mow a yard only going forward?
I have two lawn mower bags, never used. However, there may be a time you may need a bag. If there is a flowering weed, and you have to mow, it might be better to bag the seed heads or cut pieces to avoid spreading the weeds. A well-established thick lawn won't have too many weed issues though, and then, no bagging needed nor recommended.
I like Honda. If you are a DIY type, though, you can get them really cheap at yard sales. Trouble is, some of the tiny plastic parts for them are so expensive, you will soon have a lot invested. Last time, I was tired of that, and sprang for a Honda with bagger. Around $400 IIRC, but it starts nearly first pull, and does the size yard I have. It pulls itself, a big feature for me. Be sure to keep fresh gas in it, or use Stabil, and I try not to let it sit without treated gas in it for winter. Depends on what winter is to you. Change the oil, and do the maintenance on it so it will last longer.
Popular Mechanics jes rated Honda as number 1, but at almost twice the cost of the avg mower price. I thought LawnBoy was long gone. If you can get one, it might be a good alternative if they are made by the same ppl and not a Chinese shadow of its former self. I worked for a year at a rental place and of the 3 brands of mowers we had, Lawnboys were, without a doubt, the very best. Stone axe reliable. This long before Honda, though. I admit to being a Honda fan. I had a Honda car. Best car I ever owned. Lawnboy used to be what Honda is today.
Consider how old you are. If you are 60-70 years old, you don't need one to last 20-30 years.
Are you going to be living in the same place for the next 20-30 years? If not, you may want a different mower at your next place.
Do you bag now? If not, you probably don't need a bagger. Baggers to me are a pain in the ass. The need emptied too often and they are difficult to store when not in use. If you've never had one, then get one and see for yourself.
Push mowers are nothing more than a engine sitting on a metal base with a blade attached to the shaft. It isn't brain science or rocket surgery. :-)
Honda or Briggs? Either will last 20-30 years if you take care of it. Usually the deck will fall apart first. Just get a heavy duty deck.
Change oil often and clean the air filter. Don't let it sit for months without starting it to run gas thru it. Don't worry about the oil drain plug. Stick a tube down the oil filler cap and suck it out with a syringe or something equivilant. This way is faster and cleaner.
My Honda ($590) mower lasted 3 years with numerous repairs. The deck simply fell apart. The Toro I have now ($275) is going strong the last 10 years. I doubt any mower made today will last 30 years, they dont make em like they used to.
I had a Honda Harmony, bought about 10 years ago. I have a lawn that isn't that large, about 10,000 sq ft. It lasted about 7 years. Got it at HD in the Fall when it was deeply discounted. They use a dual mulching blade design, with one blade about 1/2" above the other and different shapes. As far as the cut, it left the smoothest, nicest looking finish and also did the best job of turning the grass into fine mulch of any mower I've had. The downside is the tranny went bust at about 7 years, which considering the cost of the thing, seems early. Essentially the pully bearing that the belt connects to wore out and failed. The replacement part would cost $135. The other factor was to remove/replace it required taking apart a zillion little pieces and widgets. I'm good at fixing things, but even with the service manual getting all that stuff back together seemed to entail some risk of it not working.
So, I bought a new Craftsman on Ebay from a local guy for $170. It definitely doesn't do as nice a job cutting as the Honda. On the other hand, the engine has more power and it can handle longer grass or slightly wet grass notieceably better than the Honda. The Honda is still in the garage. I look on Ebay occasionally hoping to find a tranny at a good price. Maybe I should just part it out instead.
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