Suggestion for new Riding Lawmower, please.

[skfullgun]

Ok. Who has a good, used mower for sale in the Houston/Lufkin/Matagorda corridor?

I have cash and trade fodder.

 

[skfullgun]

Yes. I've had my share of issues with those idiot switches!

 

[baboon]

I bought a Cub Cadet with the Kawaski engine. Salesman warned of the Koehler engine being Chicom. 42 inch cutting deck is big enough for for my 1/2 acre. It's a year old and I need to do the 100 hour maintaince soon. The model I bought can only be had at dealers, suposedly the big box stores sell the cheaper mowers.

I wish the seat would swivel & had more suspension in it are my only bitches about it.

 

[Axxe55]

If I was in your shoes, I‘d be on the lookout for an older IH cub cadet from the ‘70s. Cast iron Kholer motors will run a long time and are rebuildable. Std gear box or hydrostatic if that’s your thing. Can double as a tow motor to ferry trailers around and you can even get a few implements. Dad had one when I was a kid. He had a belly mower that was on it almost all the time because that’s what I cut the grass with, but he also had a disc that would attach to the back and a blade on the front. Actually it was probably a snow plow attachment now that I think about it, but he used it to push around dirt. For anything new, be prepared for the safety nannies, and look forward to trouble shooting no start situations. Could be something with the brake switch, seat switch, clutch switch, or it could possibly be a legit engine or starter issue. Ask me how I know this.

Those were the pre-MTD Cub Cadets.

 

[Darqhelmet]

Briggs motor and you should be fine with everything else. MTD makes most of the ones you will see for sale. Stay away from Kholer motors. They suck.

 

[Axxe55]

Yes. I've had my share of issues with those idiot switches!

The one I hate is the one wired to a switch on the reverse gear. If the mower blades are engaged, it will disrupt the ignition if you go into reverse.

 

[Axxe55]

Briggs motor and you should be fine with everything else. MTD makes most of the ones you will see for sale. Stay away from Kholer motors. They suck.

A lot of the newer Craftsman mowers are coming with B&S Chinese knock-off engines, and they are pure junk.

 

[skfullgun]

The best engine I ever owned was Tecumseh. It was on a push mower I bought at the BX on Lackland AFB back in 1989. My dad was a Briggs & Stratton man, and I bought it not knowing a thing about Tecumseh. It lasted through two marriages and 20 years + of abuse!

 

[glenbo]

We went through 4 new riding mowers, a couple of them only running a few hours before having problems. Then we got a John Deere. 4 years later it's as good as new. I baby it, I'm as careful and gentle as can be, but I'm that way with all tools. When we sell this house, hopefully this year if wife's health doesn't get worse, the rider and other lawn stuff will convey because I don't intend to do yard work again. If I had to get another, it would be another JD.

 

[Axxe55]

If possible, look for a lawn or garden tractor. They look similar to a riding mower, but are usually much heavier duty machines. A lot of the older Cub Cadets are actually lawn or garden tractors and not a riding mower. John Deere, Ford, Kubota and Simplicity are other good garden tractors to look for. Some even came with small water cooled diesel engines, and manual transaxles.

ETA: link for information.

TractorData.com - Poulan lawn tractors sorted by model

www.tractordata.com

 

[toddnjoyce]

All I got on this subject.

 

[baboon]

We went through 4 new riding mowers, a couple of them only running a few hours before having problems. Then we got a John Deere. 4 years later it's as good as new. I baby it, I'm as careful and gentle as can be, but I'm that way with all tools. When we sell this house, hopefully this year if wife's health doesn't get worse, the rider and other lawn stuff will convey because I don't intend to do yard work again. If I had to get another, it would be another JD.

I really was planning on yard work once we moved either. Then I figured out I needed something to do with my time. Then I did the math & bought the mower. I gave awaythings I should have kept like my chain saw, but I really use to watch my oldest friend with fear when he used his, besides its out of my weight limitations.

 

[Tblack89]

My fil and friend have Cub. I gambled with a husqvarna and I gotta say dude it’s turned into a honey badger. It has taken a beating. I killed the engine twice due to steel wire. Both times it started right back up and the spindly still has no play. My property is has few flat spots...I can feel the dang thing flex and it’s been holding together for a while. I ever get a crack in the frame I’ll just weld it.

I’m not nice to my husqvarna. My vote is husqvarna.

Deck height could be higher and sometimes I’ll pile drive my deck and spindle into hard gumbo and ant mounts; she likes it.

View attachment 320509

I agree, I got 1 for free that someone used once and parked. Flushed gas, new battery, sharpened blade and cleaned it up. Run like a champ, zero issues.

 

[Sam7sf]

Got a kholer in my mower and it’s fine. I wouldn’t think one would be without an oil pump and be gravity fed but it’s possible they still use em. I did an oil change at 10 hours for brake in and just keep up on the engine. Maybe I got a lucky one. Lol.

 

[skfullgun]

All I got on this subject.

What does this photo have to do with our discussion of mowers? Oh...wait... now I see it.

 

[skfullgun]

What does this photo have to do with our discussion of mowers? Oh...wait... now I see it.

The "click to expand" really helped on this photo.

 

[Sam7sf]

Sk, maybe see if you can order a bride online and request she come with a mower.

 

[Grumps21]

Those were the pre-MTD Cub Cadets.

Correct. There were no bog box stores. You had to buy from a dealer, no different than the JD & New Holland farm tractors of today

 

[Grumps21]

Sk, maybe see if you can order a bride online and request she come with a mower.

Maybe a Ukrainian bride who has a dowry?.. Win-win.

 

[Sam7sf]

My uncle did the Chinese bride thing. He lives in Seattle. Man...she spoon feeds him, puts his nasty ass boots on, he’s got it good. Hopefully he treats her good.