Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Lawnmowers

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Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 08-31-2014, 11:04 AM:

So, does everything Sears touches these days turn to crap, or do all consumer products suck?

I bought a Craftsman 21" push mower with a Briggs & Stratton engine in April of 2012. I mow my lawn about every other week from May to November, so I may have mowed the as many a 70 times. Started to mow it today. Was in a sparsely weedy area and I hear what sounds like hitting a rock and the engine spews smoke and stops. There is a hole about 2x2 inches in the side of the engine. Some of the chunks fell in the engine, some on the ground.

Needless to say, nothing repairable. And the warranty ran out in April.

There was plenty of oil, and as I say, didn't get heavy use. Two years old and the engine explodes? Is it just me?

So, is there a decent light duty lawn mower manufactured, or should I just buy one from the pawn shop every year?

Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-31-2014, 11:54 AM:

That's not typical of a B&S Engine. They are generally reliable and long lasting, even when they went to Aluminum Crankcase years ago. I personally have never had one of their Motors blow-up but I have seen a couple like you describe. One of them Broke a con rod right below the wrist pin, which proceeded to wipe out the front of the case. That blowup was attributed to a Governor malfunction which caused the RPM to go way past redline RPM...

Nothing is 100% in parts MFGering anymore. I doubt as many of those Motors cranked out in a year's time that they even magnaflux or zyglo(aluminum)parts like they use too...

If you go back to one of these,it's a 2 Fold Plus. No motor to blow-up and the Exercise is a Health Gain [Wink]

Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 08-31-2014, 11:55 AM:

I don't know if these ever reached the states, or you had a US equivalent..

Suffolk Colt

Mine was originally my grandfather's. My mum can remember him buying it in the 1960s, it's in regular use with me now.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 08-31-2014, 02:00 PM:

Looking at getting one of these:
German Push Mower

A friend had one and liked it. At least it won't explode.

German Engineering: Today Your Lawn. Tomorrow, The World!

Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-31-2014, 04:52 PM:

$209.00 is still a lot for a Reel Style Push Mower,even if it is German Built. Sears has a number of Good Mowers under 200 Bucks. I think you just happen to be one of the very few that maybe got an engine with a questionable part defect. Those B&S Engines overall probably have one of the highest reliability ratings of any small size commercial engine.

Obviously you need another Mower before your mowing season is over. The Best time to buy a Mower from SEARS is Late Fall/Winter because they even discount them more than the sale price. If you buy the one's that are already assembled on the Floor;just before they take off all the Spring/Summer Yard Equipment;you can usually get a Super Deal...

When they were still selling Lawn Edgers back in the 90's. I bought one in late November that had been $295.00. I got it for $190.00 because it was considered a demo being on the Floor even though it hadn't ever been run...

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-21inch-rear-bag-push-mower/p-07137430000P?redirectType=SRDT

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 08-31-2014, 04:55 PM:

Toro makes a good mower. My father has had them for years, and they generally last over a decade. Not sure about their current product line, however.

Posted by James Westbrook (Member # 3690) on 08-31-2014, 05:07 PM:

One trick to keep them running well is to get the 4 cycle fuel in the quart sized cans that is sold at Sears and the big box hardware stores. The fuel has no corn alcohol in it, and has a stabilizer which allows one to store it in the winter without worry.

Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-31-2014, 06:10 PM:

YEP! That's one thing that plagues anything that has to sit months without running.When we still had leaded Gasoline you could let an engine sit for a Long time w/o fear of your Carburator getting all gummed up. Unleaded Fuel does not do well staying stationary for Months and can really play havoc with Carbs and especially the tiny orifices of Fuel Injector Nozzles...
Actually you can buy Fuel Stablizer as small as 4 and 8 ounce sizes for something like a Mower or Motorcycle. Very good ideal to add a Stablizer if you don't plan on starting that engine for several Months...Save you a lot of trouble when you go to fire it up in the Spring...

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-31-2014, 08:02 PM:

Ya, still have my mower from 1995 with a B&S 5hp sitting on top of it. Do oil changes and air filter changes, did a carb overhaul, and the similar.

Motor still starts on the first pull after a good push on the primer bulb.

Dang, sure do miss those B&H powered reel mowers though.

Things cut grass so much cleaner than any rotary, but have to protect the stupid and the ignorant along with the underage...

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 08-31-2014, 08:58 PM:

I don't know how it is in other parts of the country, but we have a few service stations here in Lawton and other parts of the region that sell real unleaded gasoline as well as the "E-10" ethanol corn-based variety.

I have a mid 2000's Sears Craftsman lawn mower equipped with a Honda engine. A few years ago I got its carburetor gummed up good with the ethanol gasoline sold at the nearest fuel station. I learned my lesson about it. Now I get my lawnmower and weed eater fuel at another gas station a few blocks farther from home.

Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-31-2014, 09:06 PM:

Since you have to invest in another Mower [uhoh]

May I suggest this JOHN DEERE Model. [Eek!]

With the Optional Headlight you can now even mow your Lawn at Night without fear of running over obstacles in the yard that might hurt the Blade [thumbsup]

Posted by Jeff Taylor (Member # 443) on 09-01-2014, 03:38 PM:

I have a big Honda snowblower with a cab and headlight, but I still don't do the driveway at night. Seriously, though, I have a lawnmower named Ricardo--he charges $45 a week and never breaks down.

Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 09-02-2014, 02:46 PM:

I spent $3k on a 50" cut zero turn Cub Cadet with a 23hp Kawasaki engine to mow the drive-in back in 2006. Learned real hard that a $3k mower is NOT made to cut a drive-in on a weekly or semi weekly basis. I've since found a guy who will cut and weed-eat the theatre for $175 every two weeks. Best money I spend all year.

My Cub Cadet is not a commercial mower, and if I had used that mower to mow the grass in my own residential neighborhood yard (1.75 acres) it would have probably lasted until my 7 year old was out of college. We still use it at home, but it's starting to get a little rough. Engine and transmissions have never given me the first bit of trouble in 8 years, but it burns through deck spindles and tires like crazy.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 09-02-2014, 03:10 PM:

I have a craftsman 22hp briggs straton twin tractor knock on wood the tractor has never given a ounce of trouble but the cutting decks are constantly needing bearings or shafts or blades
the bearing block also cracks often have been thinking of making a open frame bearing block with some pillow block bearings and see if that helps

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 09-02-2014, 06:01 PM:

Actually, reel type mowers are best for the grass... push type or gas if you can find one. John Deere still makes brand new golf course type reel mowers @ 3500 a pop. Or you cold grab a used Jacobson or similar and restore it. Would likely last you the rest of your life.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 09-02-2014, 07:05 PM:

My grandpa had an old Sears reel-type self-propelled mower that I used to use on his yard. Man that thing was a heavy old beast. I have no idea how old it was, probably from the 1950s or so. He eventually replaced it with a new model that was way easier to use just because it was lightweight and didn't seem as likely to attack me when I wasn't looking.

Those mowers definitely left the lawn looking a lot nicer than flat-blade mowers do.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 09-02-2014, 08:29 PM:

Inasmuch as I don't care about the lawn, and only mow so the weed police don't get me, not too worried about what the lawn looks like.
The German push mower is out because it apparently doesn't do well on bumpy terrain, or with lots of debris, both on which I have in abundance.
Probably end up going to Lowe's and grabbing whatever is on sale. Research is just filling my head with horror stories about everything.

Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-02-2014, 09:00 PM:

Lowes sells TROY-BILT which is an excellent brand Mower. The thickness of the blade housing was almost double what a Craftsman was. The one I had was Bright Orange;had a 5hp Briggs and gave no problems for years...I think lowes had a nice rear bagger for under 2 Bills...