I the past when i got a new self propelled mower, i always got a rear wheel drive model. It seems like a lot of the newer mowers are front wheel drive. Anyone have a preference?
I always liked the RWD ones because i would have the drive working even if i lifted the front wheels off the ground turning a corner. Sometime not possible with FWD. I always that ought they got better traction also. Any thoughts?
Bob
My old mowers were always rear drive - my legs!
I assume with rear WHEEL drive there must be some sort of clutch that allows you easily to stop the wheels when you need to stop mowing without having to stop the engine? My current mower (a FWD I inherited from my dad), is a Sears and while it's possible to disengage the drive, it's not convenient to have to do that each time I need to stop forward motion. It's much easier to lift the wheels off the ground, reposition, then drop the wheels and go.
Like I say, it's my first eperience with self-propeled, and needless to say, I dug a few ruts getting the hang if it!
Mark
Well as you inferred, "preference" is the word. They both work okay.
Rear-drive ones probably get a bit better traction since there's more weight on the rear wheels. However personally I do NOT want the drive working as I turn around - too easy to dig up the grass! I have a preference for FWD models since I find it especially easy to stop the drive by "popping a wheelie" as I turn a corner.
For me, it might come down to the terrain - FWD for relatively flat lawns, RWD if it's hilly.
Eric Law
they seem to push better than pull. If I need to I can feather the power to the rear wheels with the control bar. I also prefer mowers that have a blade clutch that allows the motor to stay running when you let go of the handlebars. That puts the starter pull down on the motor where it belongs. I can't stand mowers that have the starter rope up on the handlebars and require you to hold the engine kill bar. Thanks to some nitwits who didn't understand that mowers were dangerous, we have all those safeguards to deal with.
I like FWD, cause if I want to move the mower, I just push down on the handle, and the drive wheels come up. Easier also if I want to stand and talk with someone.
The other choice is the Toro Personal Pace mowers. They are rear wheel drive but the speed adjust from 0 to 4 mph based on how fast you walk. It works great as you cango slow or fast and the mower adjust speed to match. I have had one for three years now and would never get a mower that did not work like this. I never stop to think about it being self propelled at all I just walk.
Do you self a favor and go look at one. My local Toro dealer let the mower sell itself. He just lead me outside to try one in the grass beside the store. Just a few feet and I was sold.
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