Author Topic: Manly mower (Read 8210 times)

steamer · « **on:** September 16, 2012, 01:00:10 AM »

My existing lawn mower is dieing a slow death with structural problems....and it's real heavy ....and not powered...so lots of pushing.

Anyways I've been looking for a replacement...but a rugged one with enough .....uhh hm....power...to pickup my neighbors leaves which always seem to end up in my yard....

Anyway...I found a classified hanging up at work for a Ariens....LM21 walk behind....in really nice shape...and a good price....so I sprung for it

I ran it today...with out a side chute on it....It was throwing 8" tall wet grass 30 feet! had grass in every pocket of my jean!.....

I just thought it was pretty cool....6.5 HP at work....didn't even flinch!....and its powered....so all I need to do is set the speed right....Ordered the bagger for it today....yes I know...Im easily amused...

Dave

Don1966 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 16, 2012, 01:18:08 AM »

Dave if you are like me a lot of leaves in the yard. My wife had me buy a Hi Vac Mower, so I bought a snapper. It is a pleasure to mow the lawn. When you are done it is spotless. It sucks every thing on the ground. My mower is now seven years old and I just replaced the engine on it. Had a lot of push rod, rocket arm problems, and carbrator problem, but what finished it was the governor failed. My engine is a 12.5 HP not cheap by any means. I will try to rebuild it as a backup. I do cut two lots every year thought.

Don

steamer · « **Reply #2 on:** September 16, 2012, 01:36:54 AM »

Hey Don,

What brand of engine was it?

I have a OHV ITEC Briggs...

steamer · « **Reply #3 on:** September 16, 2012, 01:38:31 AM »

this has the high lift kit on it for bagging.....and it works!....I can't imagine 12.5HP!

Dave

Maryak · « **Reply #4 on:** September 16, 2012, 02:40:40 AM »

I hate mowing lawns and here's why.

When we emigrated to Oz, my parents built their 1st house in the suburbs of Brisbane. Small house big block. Soon after we moved in Dad had this grandiose idea of half the back yard for veggies and half for lawn as well as the obligatory front lawn and grass verge. Just after planting the grass and the 1st dig over of the veggie patch, Dad was called away to Mount Isa as there was some major hassle with the airport electricals. He rushed down to the shops and bought this 2nd hand, hand push cylindrical mower, (the type you clean billiard tables with), "There ya go son once a week should be good!!!!!"

The week went by, I trotted out the dreaded beast and endeavoured to push it through the grass, which by this time was 4" tall. I mowed a small strip in the never ending sward of green and stopped because I was completely knackered.

In the intervening 6 weeks I slogged away at this small strip and kept it down. The rest of the lawn??? looked more like a field of almost ripe wheat. The veggie patch was now masquerading as a weed patch and nothing edible was growing therein.

Dad came home and was less than impressed with my efforts; before he started swinging, I managed to convince him, "Go on muscles have a go." He struggled up my already mowed strip with the hand mower. Gasping for breath and leaning heavily on the handles he mumbled "Bloody Hell," followed by, "Come with Me."

He threw the mower in the boot of the car, drove down the shop and bought a brand spanking new Ogden rotary mower. Needless to say my job was raking up the cut grass, (there was no grass catcher), whilst my lord and master mowed to his hearts content.

Oh yes, now we had a proper mower and Dad had tried digging over and weeding the veggie patch, that too became lawn and our veggies were bought from the shop.

Best Regards
Bob

steamer · « **Reply #5 on:** September 16, 2012, 02:46:22 AM »

Quote from: Maryak on September 16, 2012, 02:40:40 AM

I hate mowing lawns and here's why.

When we emigrated to Oz, my parents built their 1st house in the suburbs of Brisbane. Small house big block. Soon after we moved in Dad had this grandiose idea of half the back yard for veggies and half for lawn as well as the obligatory front lawn and grass verge. Just after planting the grass and the 1st dig over of the veggie patch, Dad was called away to Mount Isa as there was some major hassle with the airport electricals. He rushed down to the shops and bought this 2nd hand, hand push cylindrical mower, (the type you clean billiard tables with), "There ya go son once a week should be good!!!!!"

The week went by, I trotted out the dreaded beast and endeavoured to push it through the grass, which by this time was 4" tall. I mowed a small strip in the never ending sward of green and stopped because I was completely knackered.

In the intervening 6 weeks I slogged away at this small strip and kept it down. The rest of the lawn??? looked more like a field of almost ripe wheat. The veggie patch was now masquerading as a weed patch and nothing edible was growing therein.

Dad came home and was less than impressed with my efforts; before he started swinging, I managed to convince him, "Go on muscles have a go." He struggled up my already mowed strip with the hand mower. Gasping for breath and leaning heavily on the handles he mumbled "Bloody Hell," followed by, "Come with Me."

He threw the mower in the boot of the car, drove down the shop and bought a brand spanking new Ogden rotary mower. Needless to say my job was raking up the cut grass, (there was no grass catcher), whilst my lord and master mowed to his hearts content.

Oh yes, now we had a proper mower and Dad had tried digging over and weeding the veggie patch, that too became lawn and our veggies were bought from the shop.

Best Regards
Bob

The old mower is this 6 HP non engine propelled beast...heavy. Seems iron gets heavier with age.....I like the powered one better..

Dave

Don1966 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 16, 2012, 02:52:00 AM »

Dave it is a Briggs & Stratton, this one has the vacuum fuel system. Starts right up and purrs like a cat. It also has side valves just like the old engine. The problem I had with the old engine was not checking the rockers every year. They would loosen up and the push rod would fall rubbing against the side and cutting in two. I made it a point to keep spares rockers and push rods during cutting season. My mower is a 28 inch cut riding Snapper Hi Vac, the bagger is on the back.

Don

steamer · « **Reply #7 on:** September 16, 2012, 02:58:12 AM »

OK Im confused....Over Head Valve or side valve?

OLD school Briggs had side valves with flat heads....but this is a OHV engine and has a rocker cover...

Dave

Don1966 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 16, 2012, 03:00:20 AM »

Bob I can relate to that, my Dad had us cutting the grass with swing blades and cane knives. We did have a push mower, but there wasn't a gas engine on it. We were the gas engine. Our yard was a pasture and would work the hell out of you. After cutting the grass we had to rest for a week to recoupe. I grew up on a farm and we had plenty of grass.

Don

Don1966 · « **Reply #9 on:** September 16, 2012, 03:04:50 AM »

Now I am confused, the engines head is on the side and so is the valves. The valves have a cover on them. So it must be OHV.

Don

steamer · « **Reply #10 on:** September 16, 2012, 03:06:44 AM »

....well if they have rockers...I'd say it must be OHV.....

As far as paying attention to the rockers....what am I looking for?

Dave

Don1966 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 16, 2012, 03:17:32 AM »

Check the valves with a feeler gauge my mower has .004 clearance. What happen is the pushrods ends up not having enough pressure on it to hold it in the rocker and the rocker is still pushing on it but it rotates while it is rubbing and cuts it in half. It is only the bottom push rod that I had problem with. The rocker fractures and breaks when this happen.

Don

steamer · « **Reply #12 on:** September 16, 2012, 03:28:04 AM »

Hmmmmm I'll need to check on that... the previous owner was not a "engine guy".....I think he changed the oil and kept it clean....but I doubt he pulled the rocker cover to check valve lash....

Dave

AussieJimG · « **Reply #13 on:** September 16, 2012, 03:41:42 AM »

Here's the lawnmowing team at work

Jim

steamer · « **Reply #14 on:** September 16, 2012, 03:42:57 AM »

Can they Swim?

AussieJimG · « **Reply #15 on:** September 16, 2012, 10:14:19 AM »

Yes, but not while they are eating

Jim

tel · « **Reply #16 on:** September 16, 2012, 10:54:15 AM »

Well, the aquatic (Macropus bunyipii) ones can.

Arbalest · « **Reply #17 on:** September 16, 2012, 02:22:21 PM »

I've got one of these, keeps me amused for a while every couple of weeks in summer!

http://www.worldofmowers.ltd.uk/Hayter_Heritage_1330_Garden_Tractor(5118).aspx

chuck foster · « **Reply #18 on:** September 16, 2012, 02:24:52 PM »

when i was a small lad i had to cut the grass at home and we had a very old and stubborn gas mower. most of the time i could not start it so my dad would have to. seeing this problem my mom went out and bought an electric mower and thought that would solve all the problems

well the first time i used it i cut the extention cord and got electrocuted

and when mom seen that she went out and bought a brand new gas powered mower.

the gas powered one was real nice, it started first pull and ran all day......................god i hated that mower

were i live now it takes about 15 minutes to cut the grass and i was given a 6.5 hp mower by my next door neighbour. it cuts grass like crazy and it will through stones like mad................but that's another story .

chuck

AussieJimG · « **Reply #19 on:** September 17, 2012, 03:12:26 AM »

Electric mowers are great. I bought one for my wife when she said that she would mow the lawn but could not start the mower.

And it wasn't even her birthday!!!

Jim

Jo · « **Reply #20 on:** September 17, 2012, 09:32:44 AM »

I used to have a 10HP rotary petrol jobby with power drive but clearly it was designed for someone who liked walking faster than me, so cutting the lawn was a bit of a drag

. In the meantime I am going to stick to my lawn tractor

.

What would be nice would be a lithum battery powered lawn tractor mower, but I am sure that the price of the replacement batteries would exceed the cost of the petrol over the same time

Hey AussieJimG is your lawnmower gang any good against Moles? Nasty little

they have been breeding like rabbits again

.

Jo

AussieJimG · « **Reply #21 on:** September 17, 2012, 12:25:07 PM »

Dunno Jo, we don't have moles, but they just ignore the rabbits and hares.

Perhaps you could train some to stamp on the molehills with their big feet. With a bit of music it would be rather entertaining.

Jim

steamer · « **Reply #22 on:** September 17, 2012, 12:30:15 PM »

I can assure you Jo.....the gas mower works very effectively on rabbits.......though it was not my intention to KNOWINGLY perform this experiment...( no hate mail please ....I was horrified when it happened and spent better part of an hour cleaning it up before my daughter saw the carnage...My wife laughed at me until she realized I was using her rake to clean it up...

)

3 for 6! I don't know where the other 3 ran off too..... but I suspect they have a healthy respect for gas mowers!

Dave

rhitee93 · « **Reply #23 on:** September 17, 2012, 10:50:03 PM »

I had the opposite experience Dave. I darn near killed myself jumping off a moving mower to catch a baby bunny that was running for its life. It was a cute little rascal, and the kids and I played with it for about an hour before we let it go. It was quite happy to be held after a few minutes.

It was probably one of the biters that ate my green beans down to the ground this year

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Author Topic: Manly mower (Read 8210 times)

Arbalest

chuck foster