The Great Big Lawnmower Thread

cena

https://www.woodies.ie/pro-lawn-46cm-139cc-hyundai-self-propelled-petrol-lawnmower-1153279

IS this lawnmower any good. It is for the brother who is not that into cutting grass. It would also save me from having to bring my up from Galway to dublin

deezell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120680786#Comment_120680786

It is until it fails, and Woodies will only support it during warranty, after that, good luck. If you're driving your own mower from Galway to Dublin to mow your brothers grass, then I reckon you'll be the one who will have to do the running around to keep any mower you buy serviceable. I'd recommend you buy something a tad better made and with a better support network. Maybe get one from a Galway dealer near you. The Mountfield 46cm sold by Screwfix might be a better option in terms of quality, the push version is only €289, no self drive to give trouble and necessitate you having to drive the width of the country to sort it out. The woddies one might run trouble free for years, but its the kind of mower that needs the owner to 'own' it, if you know what I mean. Tirlan are selling a decent Stiga for a bit more, the Proplus brand you'll find in Topline stores are worth looking at, again you'd need to know what the backup is like, but Proplus have a big distributor in Dublin next the M50.

https://www.tirlanfarmlife.com/shop/product/Lawnmower-Stiga-46cm-Steel-Deck-S-Drive/9118541

Bawnmore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120681096#Comment_120681096

After chasing down another part just now (blade boss), I'll 2nd this. Our one seems to be Hyundai parts for the most part, but they're tricky to find and mostly available in the UK.

tombrown

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120679672#Comment_120679672

Out of interest, how hard would it be to fit a pump? I assume connecting the fuel in & fuel out would be simple, but would the third connection (to the vacuum) be tricky to locate? (it doesn't seem obvious to me when I look at my engine)

The Continental Op

You could fit a 12V fuel pump with no need for vacuum pipe but wonder if the easily available ones would be too powerful?

I wouldn't be surprised of your machine was missing the take off point for the vacuum line? The vacuum line sometimes goes to the overhead valve cover or the dipstick tube. Search youtube videos for Briggs and Stratton fuel pump and you see how a few of them are mounted.

deezell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120682945#Comment_120682945

Couple if screws, three lines.

The small porous metal bit over the vacuum line is the breather for the pump diaphragm afaik, it lets it flex in and out, as the crankcase vacuum pulses. If this gets blocked with oil/dust/crap it won't pump correctly. Reminds me of a problem I had with a Peugeot 406 tdi, long time ago. The turbo actuator was a solenoid vacuum valve, it had a breather port with a foam filter. If this got wet by splashing through a deep muddy puddle, the turbo wouldn't kick in, no power, lots of overfueling and white smoke until it dried out days later. Main dealers couldn't sort it for years, I figured it out myself eventually.

On that note of thinking outside the box, as I was buying a Jerry can of petrol today, I noticed all the pumps were now E10, 10% ethanol. Could E10 have turned your cheap fuel filter to mush? It's definitely a no no on very old cars as it can dissolve seals, pipes etc, gaskets etc.

Zverklez

I'm trying to chase down a spare fuel pipe for a Webb WER510SP lawnmower since no spares are sold in Ireland.

The fuel line split at the point where its connected to the tank (image attached).

The line is 300mm long.

The end connecting to carburetor is 8mm OD and 5mm ID from my best measurement, and held with a smaller hose clip.

The end that split appears to be tapered in the final 30mm of length to about 12mm OD and 8mm ID to fit around the barbed connector, having a similar appearance to the dual diameter RS100 fuel line for a Stiga/Mountfield linked below. However, it could just be a straight line stretched over the barb, as I was able to do this with the slimmer end. The hose clip was larger for this end.

Am I overthinking it - should I just get a 8mm OD 5mm ID fuel line, cut down to length and stretch it over the barb? Or is that taper important to prevent it splitting in the future? Any help is appreciated!

Fuel Line.jpg

Split.jpg

https://www.gardenhirespares.co.uk/6253-genuine-mountfield-rs100-rsc100-fuel-pipe.html

The Continental Op

You could get two short lengths of fuel pipe one 8mm and the other 5mm then join them with one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fittings-Reducing-Reducer-Straight-Connector/dp/B094N4Y121/ref=sr_1_38 . Short term I'd force whatever pipe I had over the larger barb. Might even heat the pipe up first or push it onto a heated 8mm piece of pipe to preform it (obviously don't use a flame anywhere near petrol). The mountfield part looks a good fit provided its long enough.

deezell

Doyles in Castlecomer have it, less than €3, but a tenner to post, or pick up from Doyles Topline in Carlow. I don't think they've reopened the trade counter in Castlecomer, all online. https://www.doyles.ie/products/id-23791.html

You'll probably find it off the shelf in any decent sized garden equipment shop, depends on where you live. Should be a very common part, but I'd just buy a foot of 8/5mm myself from any tool hire/lawnmower/motorbike shop, heat one end like #the C O says, in hot water would do.

Zverklez

Thanks lads! I will give that a go.

One other thing I noticed, a few pages back somebody posted a picture of their blade and it was missing boss pins. Mine is the exact same - it looks like it never came with anything to stop the blade rotating relative to the adapter. You can even see it in this picture from the website and parts diagrams that there's nothing there other than the one (extremely tight) bolt through the centre. Overall I would recommend everybody steers clear of Webb products!

The Continental Op

You might find the blade boss looks something like this

Cushtie

Hi All, wondering If any of you have changed the deck on your ride on yourselves. My deck finally gave up the ghost and the part where the tensioner pully is mounted broke off completely with rust.

So I have it off and mostly stripped, my issues is how I go about removing the spindles for the blade shatfs. On the top they have 3 bolts going through the deck and underneath there is a blade boss mounted on the shaft.

I have taken off the 3 bolts on one of them but there is not a budge from it.

I take it I have to remove the bade boss and tap it out from underneath.

Would this be a pullers job?

Or do I need to remove the pulley on the top of the spindle and tap the shaft down out of the spindle?

It's a stiga president estate 16/92 but uses a common deck you would find on castlegarden, etc mowers.

Any video I can find they simply undo the bolt and the spindle, shaft and boss all come out as a unit and transfer to the new deck. But I cant find a thing for this deck type.

Maybe might just bring the whole lot to the local lawnmower man, but would like to give it a try myself.

The Continental Op

Firstly thats a fix a decent welder could do, I had a similar deck repaired when the mounts tore off.

The blade boss normally comes off with a bit of tapping on the side as you pull it by hand but I have had to use pullers. iirc mine came off fairly easily a couple of times (when I took it to be welded) and the final time when I replaced the deck (far worse than yours) I had to use pullers but can't for the life of me remember what I used to push on with the centre screw of the pullers. I might have resorted to putting the bolt back in with a bit of slack and lifting the deck by the boss while giving the bolt a good bashing. At the time I was replacing the bearings so wasn't bothered about abusing the old ones, also had replacement blade bolts.

Cushtie

^^ Thanks for the advice. I was thinking of trying to get it fixed, however the bit at the back where to grass gets transferred up the chute is also rusted away and totally gone. I reckon if I brought it somewhere to be welded I would be ran out of the place 😂😂

deezell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120697502#Comment_120697502

I can just imagine the comments of a big hungry mechanic looking at you out of one squinty eye as your profer your deceased deck for welding. The metal is very thin in some spots due to normal manufacturing pressing, if you have to weld reinforcing plates to reach good metal, its a dead duck in my opinion. A new deck will see out the mowers life, and will really help to sell it 3-4 years down the road. A patched and welded deck gives a mower scrap value.

Squirt some penetrating oil up in side the blade bosses, the hook end of a nail bar is good for levering the boss out while you tap the loosened bolt with reasonable force. You can also do as you said, remove the top belt pulleys and try and drive the shafts through. The lower bearing will pop out of the spindle as the shaft should be wider between the bearings. Doing this gives you the option to replace all 4 spindle bearings. I recently done this on a Viking deck, two of the bearings were noisy, they're so cheap to buy from a trade bearing place. Deck is silent again.

Cushtie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120697670#Comment_120697670

Cheers, will give it a go and report back.

Johnnyjohn

Hello,

First time aspiring mower.. I'm in way over my head,

any recommendations for a self propelled petrol unit to do about .6 of an acre on hilly ground? €600 budget

Thanks in advance

deezell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120719547#Comment_120719547

Take these three;

This Honda engined 21" legacy

https://www.clarkesofcavan.ie/product/legacy-l53shl-gcv170-21-self-drive-lawnmower2

Or this quality 21" Stiga,

https://mower.ie/product/stiga-combi-753-s-st170-self-drive-petrol-lawnmower

Or for faster cutting, this basic but bang-for-your-buck large 23" Proplus with B&S engine and aluminium deck will eat .6 acres.

https://homevalue.ie/products/proplus-56cm-self-propelled-petrol-lawnmower-6hp-b-s-with-mulch

Johnnyjohn

Thanks so much for the quick reply and information, it's truly appreciated

Cushtie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120697670#Comment_120697670

In the end I dropped the deck to the local mechanic today. He had them them off in about 5 mins flat 😁, I'd have been still at it.

So everything back together now on the new deck and deck back on. ready to give it a test tomorrow. surprisingly enough for me, no bits left over in the bucket when I put it all back together😂😂😂😂

deezell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725053#Comment_120725053

.... until you sit on the mower seat, and feel something in the arse pocket of your overalls, like a circlip, woodruff key, thrust washer....😨

MrMcAdoo

Hi

I'm looking for recommendations for a ride-on mower. I have about 1 acre on a slope, budget would be about 3-4k. I have a local dealer selling a stiga 2398H for 3800 that I'm considering but I have question marks over the longevity of the stiga engines, ideally id like to have something powered by a briggs and stratton or honda but i dont know if my budget allows. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

deezell

Most of their engines made in Italy afaik, mowers are banged together in Slovakia. I know its a bit away from Stiga's original Scandinavian origins, but I don't think the Stiga tractor engines are made in/of Chinesium. I'd stake GGP, now Stiga Group, would not risk the rep damage. B&S still mostly all American, but that doesn't mean they haven't lost rep by going bust and being flogged off in recent years.

With frequent oil and oil/air filter change, virtually any quality controlled built small engine will outlast the chassis it's on. This is not a Woodies mower you're buying.

MrMcAdoo

Great info, thanks! I was also considering to increase the budget to 4500 to get a husqvarna TC 242T. The big draw for me is the B&S engine but I don't know is it worth the extra money. Also unsure if parts will become harder to source in the future due to them being discontinued.

deezell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120729627#Comment_120729627

I wouldn't read too much into the make of engine in the higher end brand leader category. The engine has a generic Husqvarna trim, but if they say its a B&S, pity they don't leave the makers cowling on it, unless its a specific contract version for Husqvarna.

That Husky is OK, decent enough build, though I'd check that the height adjust rachet has a metal base, they look like plastic teeth. It has non synchronous serpentine belt drive to the deck, and a manual blade engage, so nothing fancy. I read somewhere that the auto differential lock on these works when not needed, skidding one wheel on turns on occasion. Ask about that.

For that budget, €4500, consider snd compare the Stihl 5112Z also, syncro deck, electric blade clutch, very robust build.

https://www.eastbrothersmachinery.ie/product-page/stihl-rt-5112-z

Also have a look at the Al-KO solo, https://www.cgeltd.ie/product/solo-by-al-ko-t16-105-6-hd-v2-ride-on-lawnmower/

I wouldn't worry so much about getting parts for a new mower than needing to get them. Oil and filters is all you should need for a long time, drive belts and maybe blades after years, depending on your terrain. Serpentine belts take a lot more stick than synchro belts, lot of idle pulleys also, but make for a cheaper though offset deck design.

joujoujou

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120728651#Comment_120728651

If you consider new ride-on, ring these guys:

https://macplantsales.com/ride-on-lawnmowers/

Bought from them before, would definately recommend. And yes, they deliver south of the border, no problem. :)

Poulgorm

I have 2 fairly large lawns (front & rear of the house - about 1/4 acre each - both are level). Currently, I use a Toro Timemaster to cut them - but I am fed up of repairing it frequently and it is very poor at collecting the grass cuttings - it clogs up so easily. Also very underpowered.

I am not getting any younger, so I am planning on buying a ride on. 30 inch to 33 inch cutting width - to suit the door to my shed. It needs to have grass collection.

I have come across the Alpina brand - in particular the AT84. It has an 84 cm (33 inch) cutting width and seems to be reasonably priced.

Anybody know anything about them?

Thanks, in advance.

deezell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120734269#Comment_120734269

Alpine are a sub brand of Castelgarden, almost identical to many machines in the Stiga group stable. For any model size, 84, 97cm etc, the Alpina variant tends to have less expensive engines, simpler decks, no frills, manufactured in lower cost areas. Most of the parts would be common the the other badges from Stiga group.

MrMcAdoo

After some sound advice from deezell, I gave many hours researching the two recommendations, Stihl RT5112Z and Solo by Al-ko T16 105. Both machines appear to be top quality and I'm having a hard time deciding between them. Would love to hear opinions on which one would you pick? Or if there's any owners of either it'd be great to hear your thoughts.

bronkobilly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120693369#Comment_120693369

there is two pins in the picture the boss on this mower is metal a lot of other mowers have alloy boss so the pins break wen the blade hits something hard so the engine does not get damaged so to replace the boss only