I Need a new Lawnmower!?

[motoman]

clutch/belt slipping

Figured since this has been a mower thread, my self-propelled Honda just today has an issue with self propelling. Belt doesn't look to slick on V section where they grab, but must be slipping. Doesn't appear to be any adjustment, just flipping bar up on back of handle works cable that pulls whatever tight in that little box on the axle tube. Things slip and barely drive the rear wheels when weight of mower is on the ground. Off the ground, things spin fine. Anyone got any ideas and suggestions?

[STEPPENWOLF]

Don't know about Hondas but try adjusting the cable that pulls the drive on,usually a simple adjusment like a throttle cable, or if no adjustment try pulling on the cable to make it a little tighter and if that works reroute the cable so it is tighter.Just a thought.

[rpgoerlich]

Plastic drive wheels could have teeth worn down with the drive gears slipping on them.

[STEPPENWOLF]

Plastic drive wheels could have teeth worn down with the drive gears slipping on them.

Didn't even give that a thought,good point.

[motoman]

Well appreciate the input so far! Drive all works fine and doesn't skip.............cable attached to bar pivot doesn't pull any farther. Belt to crankshaft is above blade and runs to a small high-impact plastic box bout in the middle of back axle tube that cables dissapears into. Just noticed the crank pulley is shiney in bottom of V......may be a sign that belt V is worn enough to allow belt to seat in base not gripping sides of pulley.......possible?

[STEPPENWOLF]

I guess possible..just had a thought that if you sand papered the belt to git rid of the shine does that help? Grasping at straws here..

[ExcessiveBiker]

Lawn mower

TC,
You are only 2 years late. I sold mine to a lady for $55, because I didn't need it any longer. After storing for 4 years, it started right up. Too small for my acre lot.
sorry man,
ExcessiveBiker

Hey folks,

My ~20 y/o Sears 22" front wheel self propelled rear bagger lawnmower finally has died, blowing tons of oil thru the exhaust, probably broke/dropped a ring!? I had welded a few patch plates to the deck the past couple of years to fight the rust thru, but it's given up the fight!

I have to admit that it was the best/easiest pull starting mower I've ever had and used. I didn't like their design of the front wheel drive system, because they used these cheap plastic hub drive wheels, and plastic dust/dirt guards around the hubs, and with the tough mowing environment, the plastic guards got cracked/damaged, and then the dirt just got into the hub and ground the knobs down and destroyed the drive wheels!

SO...anyways, I'm gonna be looking at some new machines, but I don't want to spend $500.00. I still want front wheel self propelled, 22" deck/cut width, rear bag, pull start.

Any recommendations on brand that you've had good experience and reliability with??? Steppenwolf, you reading this???

T.C.

[motoman]

I guess possible..just had a thought that if you sand papered the belt to git rid of the shine does that help? Grasping at straws here..

Good thought!...........Took my knife and scraped side of belt removing stuck grass and the shiney. Figured if that helped, then a new belt was in store, but no joy, unless that belt just isn't gonna hang in there any more........maybe ten yrs. of slippin and spinnin have exhausted its use.

[DGXSER]

Belt could just be stretched past the length that pulley can tighten. The belt slipping will cause the pulley to look shiney.

If the belt and pulley rub, and the metal of the pulley wore away instead of the belt, that is one tough frickin belt. Typically, even on a 100 HP motor system, after the belt slipps for a while you see a pile of rubber under the pulley.

[WMarshy]

Just got a new mower.

Finally had enough of my POS Craftsman 42" rider and decided to upgrade. Found a nice Toro Proline walk-behind and decided to buy it. It's a 1998 Toro Proline 62" full float deck and hydrostatic drive. Im buying it from the second owner and the machine only has ~225 hours on it. It was never used for commercial business and comes with the sulky to stand on if I want to ride. If your not familiar with this line mowers see this link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEkklYFAre0

Example of how the hydrostatic drive and T-bar work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOT0Xp0YXtA

[donebysunday]

Figured since this has been a mower thread, my self-propelled Honda just today has an issue with self propelling. Belt doesn't look to slick on V section where they grab, but must be slipping. Doesn't appear to be any adjustment, just flipping bar up on back of handle works cable that pulls whatever tight in that little box on the axle tube. Things slip and barely drive the rear wheels when weight of mower is on the ground. Off the ground, things spin fine. Anyone got any ideas and suggestions?

Nothing to lose, spray the belt down with WD-40, it makes the rubber sticky again, one thing it's good for.
It's fun to watch the faces of people when I WD-40 my tires.

[WMarshy]

Nothing to lose, spray the belt down with WD-40, it makes the rubber sticky again, one thing it's good for.
It's fun to watch the faces of people when I WD-40 my tires.

Little late, see the date. Thanks for the tip though.

[motoman]

Nothing to lose, spray the belt down with WD-40, it makes the rubber sticky again, one thing it's good for.
It's fun to watch the faces of people when I WD-40 my tires.

Between the plastic drive gears and being rear drive, too much load on the drive when bag loads with grass. Actually, a place called Western Implement here took that mower and another I had that ran in trade for a new TroyBuilt/Honda front drive mower last summer. Paid $195 difference for the $480 list.......one pull start, works awesome!

[Bellerophon]

I know this is a little late but here is a review of the Honda HRR216VKA. http://youtu.be/koUfrACQaKc So far so good, I like the mower and it was a good value at $400 at Home Depot.

[Yard Dogg]

You can do like I did. If found a guy advertising lawn mower repair on craigslist. Since I was starting a small mowing and landscaping business recently I needed cheap equipment fast. He wanted to get rid of all his sears Tecumseh mowers because he couldn't seem to fix them. I gave him $60 for 4 sears mowers, 2 extra engines, 2 bags, and 2 weed whackers. Took them home, cleaned the carbs and they ran perfect. You just need to find a lawn mower mechanic that can't fix lawn mowers, and take his "junk" off his hands.