What's a Good Push-Mower (please)

[lawnmowertech37]

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Snapper circa 1984

Find yourself a Snapper mower similar to the one pictured but as old as possible. I have one with a 3.5hp Briggs from the mid 70's that will out mow any supposed 6hp new mower sold. My folks have a newer 4hp that is also great. The handles eventually fatiuge and break but they are easy to fix. Other than that there is nothing to go wrong on them and they are by far the best non-riding mower as far as I am concerned. Plus finding an old mower means not having to deal with the new safety things that kill the engine unless you keep a lever depressed, etc. I think Snapper kept the same basic deck up until just recently and they may even be making it still.

nice little snapper there now that is what i remember seeing come in the shop to get serviced back in the early 90s

i actually have worked on a couple of them models

i still have parts for them old briggs engines

the carb takes a diaphragm either the 299637 or the 391681 which i still have them on the shelf

not to many repair shops carry them old parts anymore

but anyhow it is a nice looking snapper

does your engine say wisconsin on the top ?

 

[04ultra]

You big ol drinkalopatus. LOL

:agree2: :agree2: Hes a Kiwi drinkalotapis....





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[Rookie1]

[

Snapper circa 1984

Find yourself a Snapper mower similar to the one pictured but as old as possible. I have one with a 3.5hp Briggs from the mid 70's that will out mow any supposed 6hp new mower sold. My folks have a newer 4hp that is also great. The handles eventually fatiuge and break but they are easy to fix. Other than that there is nothing to go wrong on them and they are by far the best non-riding mower as far as I am concerned. Plus finding an old mower means not having to deal with the new safety things that kill the engine unless you keep a lever depressed, etc. I think Snapper kept the same basic deck up until just recently and they may even be making it still.

What is the duct tape? The mulcher attachment.:biggrinbounce2:

 

[lawnmowertech37]

The Toro on the right is a 1986 other is a mid 90's........Both still run strong and have been used every cutting since new........


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ultra if you did not know that engine on the gts 5 is actually a briggs engine how i know had to work on one before for a customer narrowed the parts down to briggs part #s

 

[04ultra]

ultra if you did not know that engine on the gts 5 is actually a briggs engine how i know had to work on one before for a customer narrowed the parts down to briggs part #s

The old one is a Suzuki .....The super is the briggs.....I have a friend that worked at Toro.......

 

[AngelofDarkness]

What is the duct tape? The mulcher attachment.:biggrinbounce2:

Actually, yeah. I didn't use this mower all season until a few weeks ago when my other mower (not pictured) died. I lost the garbage bag/hose clamp I had used last season so I kind of had to improvise. I generally hate bagging, I only do it in the fall with leaves and if I am mowing a really nice, putting-green type lawn. The Snapper bagging systems is awesome, leaps and bounds better than the Craftsman system and outperforms almost any other bagger I have ever used. It's great for leaves. I mulch them with the Toro with the mulch door closed so theyre easier to pick up and then bag them with the Snapper.

 

[stihl sawing]

I rebuilt an old snapper mower like this one years ago. It had been used a lot when i got it. Freshened up the engine and it lasted me a long time. The decks were really tough.

 

[teacherman]

OK. Before this thread gets moved, I'll chime in. I have a 8 year old 6.5 rear bag Lawn boy that I got because it was light enough to put in the truck without straining. It cuts great, even though it has a plastic carb body(!!!!!!!!!!!!)
It is light enogh that selfpropelled is not necessary for comfort. However, I had to cut the plastic bar that goes across the discharge chute cause it clogs up bad in tall/wet grass. Now it works great again!

I had an Ariens selfpropelled a while back, $750.00 (in 1995) of heavy, overpriced Tecumseh-powerd junk! The drive mechanism is extremely complex and strange.

I will use my Lawn Boy till the smog cops take it awayfrom me. DOes anyone know if the cylinder is coated like a good saw, for numerous rebuilds?

For self propelled, I'd agree with AOD, who seems to deal with mowers regularly, (and who is also secretly hoarding 009s, waiting for Sawmageddon..):hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Brian S]

Here is my yard, lots of stuff to steer around. I took this in early spring, the flower beds are all grown up now and the grass filled in back to the street.

Here is the mower. Love it.

 

[stihl sawing]

Bet i get my yard mowed faster than ya'll.

 

[stihl sawing]

Nice place ya got there Brian.

 

[Brian S]

Thanks!

We were lucky to get it.

 

[lawnmowertech37]

Bet i get my yard mowed faster than ya'll.

racing nascar lawnmowers now that is cute nice artwork on them mowers good job

 

[stihl sawing]

Their not mine, i just found the pic and thought they looked really sharp. I wish my rider looked that good.

 

[Brian S]

I don't think those still mow though... Although it would be a kick to see someone actually mowing with a tricked out race mower.

 

[stevethekiwi]

Bet i get my yard mowed faster than ya'll.

lol thats not a lawn, its a cricket pitch

 

[Mike mandry]

Here's my husqvarna mower, Sorry about the dirt but it just got through mowing and i'm to lazy to clean it up.

Thats not a husky mower. thats an MTD with a husky label & a honda engine.

 

[jlh26oo]

It makes it easier to manuver especially on rough terrain

Yeah I really like the larger rear wheels, especially on push mowers. Problem is, I can't find any that are actual push mowers (I.E. not self-propelled) that are of any higher quality than the disposable models in the big-box stores. I guess anyone who is going to pay more for a better mower doesn't want to push it. But I actually mow faster when I push myself on a big rear wheel mower. I can "instant reverse" with all four wheels on the ground, maneuver around obstacles faster, and all the power goes to the blades (though I.D.K. if what's lost to the drive in S.P. versions with equal H.P. is significant or not). I bought a 5.75 H.P. Murray from W.M. for $159, and it was great for the two years I used it. Never bogged down even in thick, wet grass, but was found D.O.A. in my dad's barn after not running it for a few years (and blades/deck rusted).

So I think I'm going to pick up this one, but if anyone is familiar with the craftsman line can clarify- is it side-discharge only, per item title (and no mulching plate shown in photo), or 2-in-1 mulcher/side-discharge (as described in detailed specs)? The build probably isn't much if any better quality than the $100 Wal Mart push mowers, but I'm hoping the engine is at least more powerful (though as stated 6.75 probably = 4 H.P. in todays adjusted ratings)!

 

[rb_in_va]

Yeah I really like the larger rear wheels, especially on push mowers. Problem is, I can't find any that are actual push mowers (I.E. not self-propelled) that are of any higher quality than the disposable models in the big-box stores. I guess anyone who is going to pay more for a better mower doesn't want to push it. But I actually mow faster when I push myself on a big rear wheel mower. I can "instant reverse" with all four wheels on the ground, maneuver around obstacles faster, and all the power goes to the blades (though I.D.K. if what's lost to the drive in S.P. versions with equal H.P. is significant or not). I bought a 5.75 H.P. Murray from W.M. for $159, and it was great for the two years I used it. Never bogged down even in thick, wet grass, but was found D.O.A. in my dad's barn after not running it for a few years (and blades/deck rusted).

So I think I'm going to pick up this one, but if anyone is familiar with the craftsman line can clarify- is it side-discharge only, per item title (and no mulching plate shown in photo), or 2-in-1 mulcher/side-discharge (as described in detailed specs)? The build probably isn't much if any better quality than the $100 Wal Mart push mowers, but I'm hoping the engine is at least more powerful (though as stated 6.75 probably = 4 H.P. in todays adjusted ratings)!

jlh,
I have had a Craftsman 6HP for prob 8 years, but it spent 4 of those in a shed. I thought it was done for but when I finally got all the old gas cleaned out of the carb it ran fine. It still runs well (its a B&S after all) but I would probably be happier with a Snapper or Toro. Mine is a mulcher, but I think the balde is the only mulching aspect of it. If I mow before the grass gets too high I don't see many clippings at all come out the chute, so I assume the mulching blade is doing its thing.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I had an Ariens selfpropelled a while back, $750.00 (in 1995) of heavy, overpriced Tecumseh-powerd junk! The drive mechanism is extremely complex and strange.

For self propelled, I'd agree with AOD, who seems to deal with mowers regularly, (and who is also secretly hoarding 009s, waiting for Sawmageddon..):hmm3grin2orange:

I also owned that Ariens, rear wheel drive. The BBC design was the best feature that it had. However, I spent more time repairing that mower than any I have ever owned. Finally I gave up and bought this one:

The HRX217HXA is not cheap, but it is a fine piece of equipment. Being able to adjust the percentage of mulch is a lot more useful than I imagined, and this one also has a BBC so I can let the mower idle while I dump the clippings.

You will pay over $700 for this mower, but I think it's the best walk-behind mower made today. I look at it this way. Every year I save about $1,000 by cutting the grass myself rather than hiring someone else. So, at the end of the year, the mower has already paid for itself.