Lawn mower?
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,914
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I bought my Honda HR 214 new in 1986. It has cut the same 1/2 acre since. I usually have to cut from March 1 to Nov 30 and it gets run every week. Uses no oil, starts first time, runs great, sips gas. Doesn't handle tall grass very good though, leaves lots of skips. Otherwise, worth every buck I paid for it. They don't make this model anymore but would be similair to the Master series. Expensive but you aren't replacing it every other year either.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,498
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From: Raleigh, NC
I've never had a Briggs and Stratton that wasn't up to the job at hand. Like I said earlier, you can't kill a Briggs & Stratton Industrial/Commercial engine with the cast iron sleeve. I'm willing to bet they outlast their foreign counterparts, at least that's my experience. Mine have always cranked everytime, and only 2 of my 8 Briggs powered machines is less than 10 years old.
I've never had a Briggs starter go bad, you can read about my Honda experiences above.
On the other hand, our Kawasaki generator is very cold natured, and hard to maintain, and hard to keep running. It has spent more time in the shop than everything else combined.
Now, Tecumsehs are just plain boat anchors. I have nothing good to say about them at all. Except for the old HH-100's.
I've never had a Briggs starter go bad, you can read about my Honda experiences above.
On the other hand, our Kawasaki generator is very cold natured, and hard to maintain, and hard to keep running. It has spent more time in the shop than everything else combined.
Now, Tecumsehs are just plain boat anchors. I have nothing good to say about them at all. Except for the old HH-100's.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: New Hampshire
I just bought a 2004 JD L110 with a Kohler 17.5HP engine....I am putting together the bagging setup tomorrow, it's a Beauty! First ride on, been using an MTD Self Propelled for about 8 years now, Hope to use the JD for 30! My grandfather has always run Cub Cadets, nothing else, but I am a JD kind of guy...
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,174
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From: Near Wamego KS
I wouldn't say Tecumsehs are boat anchors. I have 3 machines powered by them the oldest is a 1968 front tine tiller with a 5 hp engine that gets run hard every year but only for about 30 hours. I have a mid seventies(?) Wheel Horse Ranger with only a 9 hp Tecumseh that if I clean the carb out in the spring before I try to start will run great. My newest one is a 1995 4hp MTD push mower. Started on the third pull after sitting all winter this year and now starts on the first pull. They all get Stabil added to the gas in the fall and they get an oil change and maybe a new spark plug in the spring. Seems I spent half my childhood on the end a Briggs rip cord trying to get one peice of equipment or another to start.
Postmaster
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,603
Likes: 0
From: Claremore
I have seemed to have the best luck with Toro. I've got two Toro Recyclers (one's a two stroke, the other a 4), both with Kawasaki motors from the mid 80's, and both of them still start on the first pull. Only one thing, although they last forever, if something goes bad on you, parts are VERY expensive. However, like anything, if you keep it maintained, it will run forever. Also have had decent luck with Honda's. But nothing near the Toro's.
Oh, and Cub Cadet, I have had VERY POOR luck with them. Had one for two months, and it just fell FLAT on it's face
. Also, to my dismay, I found that they are a byproduct of Murry (you know, the cheap walmart mowers), and cannot justify spending all the extra cash on a glorified Murry.
Oh, and Cub Cadet, I have had VERY POOR luck with them. Had one for two months, and it just fell FLAT on it's face
. Also, to my dismay, I found that they are a byproduct of Murry (you know, the cheap walmart mowers), and cannot justify spending all the extra cash on a glorified Murry.
Last edited by Traxxis; Mar 31, 2004 at 10:16 AM.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 720
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From: South Dakota
Originally Posted by Ghostgunn
Worring about saving american jobs is a waste of time. Buy the best no matter where it comes from and maybe the manufactueres will notice as did the big three - I remeber when they couldn't compete in reliability. Truth be known alot of so called american products are built elsewhere- crawl under your ford truck -- where is that axle made- not american. We live in a global society-- buying american won't save jobs. Again not unamerican-- but sometimes truth hurts.
We have several small motors of different kinds around the place. The Honda, which sits outside all of the time on a grain auger, is the single most reliable small motor that we have. It hasn't had a problem yet, and it starts up with no trouble.
My parents bought a Craftsman lawn mower last summer. Time will tell how good it is. Our old JD 110 mower held up well for about 16 years. It still runs, but the tires do not hold air and the pto is a little temperamental.
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Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,043
Likes: 4
If you want the best in a rider, and it IS American made, try Ingersoll:
http://www.ingersoll-inc.com/garden.html
My '79 model is still clicking away every day. The best thing about them is the implements that are available all run off the tractor engine. Therefore you only have to maintain 1 engine that is used year-round.
Those of you preaching about saving American jobs should have one of these in your shed.
http://www.ingersoll-inc.com/presenter/WhoWeR-pg2.html
Course the entry level price starts around $6000. It ain't cheap, but hey, you'll be supporting the American worker. And you'll NEVER wear it out. Prices and accessories can be seen at:
http://www.ingersoll-inc.com/garden.html
http://www.ingersoll-inc.com/garden.html
My '79 model is still clicking away every day. The best thing about them is the implements that are available all run off the tractor engine. Therefore you only have to maintain 1 engine that is used year-round.
Those of you preaching about saving American jobs should have one of these in your shed.
http://www.ingersoll-inc.com/presenter/WhoWeR-pg2.html
Course the entry level price starts around $6000. It ain't cheap, but hey, you'll be supporting the American worker. And you'll NEVER wear it out. Prices and accessories can be seen at:
http://www.ingersoll-inc.com/garden.html
New User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Birdsboro,PA
Mowers
i am a small engine mechanic and believe me you do not want a craftsman. they are built like junk. and are you JUST mowing grass or using it for other things? but if it is just for grass i would get a ferris... also i think that cub cadet is the BEST all round tractor that there is and they are built VERY VERY well.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 788
Likes: 0
From: CHEESELAND, USA
[i think that cub cadet is the BEST all round tractor that there is and they are built VERY VERY well.[/QUOTE]
The old ones might have been........The new ones are made by MTD. They are just not the same since IH and Case merged. At least the smaller lawn mower series. Perhaps the larger framed Garden tractor ones are better.
The old ones might have been........The new ones are made by MTD. They are just not the same since IH and Case merged. At least the smaller lawn mower series. Perhaps the larger framed Garden tractor ones are better.
New User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 3
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Originally Posted by 88F-150
i am a small engine mechanic and believe me you do not want a craftsman. they are built like junk. and are you JUST mowing grass or using it for other things? but if it is just for grass i would get a ferris... also i think that cub cadet is the BEST all round tractor that there is and they are built VERY VERY well.
Highly agree. Them and their weedeaters made by poulan.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,498
Likes: 1
From: Raleigh, NC
The new Cubs are crap. I helped a guy get into a John Deere after his 1 year old Cub died last summer. Anything with the Cub Cadet name on it made after 1982 is junk. Before then, better quality.
New User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Birdsboro,PA
Originally Posted by mick460
[i think that cub cadet is the BEST all round tractor that there is and they are built VERY VERY well.
hey thanks for doing that you are completly right the new ones are made by mtd and they pretty much suck...they were really good when they were made by international...
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