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The Great Big Lawnmower Thread

aoifski

I'd appreciate some advice about lawns and lawn mowers. We have about 1/4 -1/3 an acre of lawn. Top soil was put down when we moved in about 4 years ago, not the best stuff - quite stoney. We raked but did not rotovate it at the time, and then rolled and then sowed a lawn.

It's ok - the surface is a bit rough still and not flat. We have a petrol rotary at the moment and it takes quite a while to cut all this grass. And it grows like wildfire in the spring/summer.

We want to buy new rideon mower and I am all for buying a tractor mower to spin around the lawn in as little time as possible.

My husband has gotten it in his head somehow that he wants this manicured lawn, and wants to buy a petrol powered cylinder mower - the ones used for cricket and golf greens! Believe me our lawn and surface is far from this!

Questions:

To get even surface with manicured lawn would we have to rotovate and completely redo the surface/soil and resow?
Presumably a cylinder mower (self propelled) is totally unsuitable for what we have right now?
Any tractor mower recommendations for a nice cut which will appease my husband?!

Thanks in advance!

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um7y1h83ge06nx

Need to do some troubleshooting.

Got a Stiga Estate 5092H delivered from AgriEuro yesterday.

Popped in oil and petrol yesterday evening and connected the battery charger for 24 hours. Tried starting it this evening and it started but cut out after a few seconds. I had the throttle pushed as far forward as possible until it went into a groove near the hare symbol.

After it cut out I couldn't start it again.

Should I be charging it for more than 24 hours on the first use? I couldn't push the throttle further forward although it looks like it can go further past the hare and towards the choke/throttle symbol.

[Deleted User]

deezell wrote: »

On the other hand the dealer will only see you for uts first service required to avail of the extended warranty, assuming it works fine for its first year. He's quids in for the next one also, so he should be alright to do the warranty stuff if required.

I have sent them a message asking where I would have to get it serviced. I am really interested in this machine yet the dealer where I buy all my stihl equipment is €500 dearer and not budging

deezell

Deleted User wrote: »

That's what they say about warranty. The problem I would have is if I had to bring it to my local dealer for service or repair what are they going to say when they have one there in stock.

It's probably a few hundred cheaper online and there are plenty of videos online for all sorts of repairs. I would be asking where I need to get it serviced for warranty and then talking to that dealer about how it will work.

On the other hand the dealer will only see you for uts first service required to avail of the extended warranty, assuming it works fine for its first year. He's quids in for the next one also, so he should be alright to do the warranty stuff if required.

[Deleted User]

deezell wrote: »

On the maintenance side of things, theres a bit more going on in the Toro as its a twin blade, a full ride on deck mechanism in fact, so down the road there's belts and pulleys and bearings to wear that are not present in a single blade walk behind. As you're buying new though, much less risk than €1000 on a used rideon. If you buy online, its not clear who covers the warranty, unless they have agents here appointed. There's one online dealer who delivers to your local real shop, I can't remember the name, but it's in the thread somewhere.

6.4. If goods that you purchase from us develop a fault within the warranty period, we will refer you to your local dealership where the product will be examined by their qualified technicians and repaired as per the warranty details. From 30 days to 6 months of delivery, we will have one chance to repair or replace and rectify any problems. If we are unable to repair or replace, and the fault is a genuine manufacturing issue rather than something caused through operator error, you have the right to a full refund or a price reduction if you would like to keep the product. This will need to be assessed on a case by case basis.
6.5. If it is not possible to take products to a local dealership, we will collect the boxed product from you, carry out required works in our own workshop, and return the goods to you.
6.6. As Lawnmaster is our own brand, no dealership network is available. Any Lawnmaster machinery found to have a genuine manufacturing fault within the warranty period will be collected from its original delivery address for repair and returned at no cost to you.
6.7. Lawnmowers Direct will not be liable for any additional costs incurred whilst goods are away for warranty repairs .

That's what they say about warranty. The problem I would have is if I had to bring it to my local dealer for service or repair what are they going to say when they have one there in stock.

It's probably a few hundred cheaper online and there are plenty of videos online for all sorts of repairs. I would be asking where I need to get it serviced for warranty and then talking to that dealer about how it will work.

deezell

Deleted User wrote: »

I would be tempted too at the price......
.......You will also need a person to maintain your mower if you can't do it yourself. They have a three year warranty on that machine as long as it's serviced so ask them what dealer you should use.

On the maintenance side of things, theres a bit more going on in the Toro as its a twin blade, a full ride on deck mechanism in fact, so down the road there's belts and pulleys and bearings to wear that are not present in a single blade walk behind. As you're buying new though, much less risk than €1000 on a used rideon. If you buy online, its not clear who covers the warranty, unless they have agents here appointed. There's one online dealer who delivers to your local real shop, I can't remember the name, but it's in the thread somewhere.

[Deleted User]

Kencollins wrote: »

Thanks for the replies!

You are right, there is about .75 of an acre when you take out the house and driveway.

I could get the timemaster without electric start delivered for 1050 from lawnmowersdirect.co.uk and I am very tempted!

A ride on is still an option but I would probably need to get a trailer to transport it, and I guess maintenance costs will be more over the years. I also kind of like the walk behind aspect, a bit of physical activity cant be a bad thing.

The Honda hrx 537 VYE looks like a lovely mower too. It is almost the same price as the timemaster, would it be worth getting the wider deck for speed?

I would be tempted too at the price. Whatever you do keep the place Mowed regularly. I used to maintain an acre at my house. If you can mow every week do it. That way you can mulch and it will save a lot of time. Or maybe divide it into sections and cut one every few days.

You will also need a person to maintain your mower if you can't do it yourself. They have a three year warranty on that machine as long as it's serviced so ask them what dealer you should use.

deezell

Kencollins wrote: »

Thanks for the replies!

You are right, there is about .75 of an acre when you take out the house and driveway.

I could get the timemaster without electric start delivered for 1050 from lawnmowersdirect.co.uk and I am very tempted!

A ride on is still an option but I would probably need to get a trailer to transport it, and I guess maintenance costs will be more over the years. I also kind of like the walk behind aspect, a bit of physical activity cant be a bad thing.

The Honda hrx 537 VYE looks like a lovely mower too. It is almost the same price as the timemaster, would it be worth getting the wider deck for speed?

.75 acre is 3000 sg metres. To cut this with the .75m wide cut of the toro you will have to walk 3000/.75. Which is 4Km. Allowing 20% for overlap, turning and bag emptying, and moving briskly at 5Km/h , it should take 1 hour exactly. The Toro can go at 8Km/h max, but thats almost running.

Kencollins

Thanks for the replies!

You are right, there is about .75 of an acre when you take out the house and driveway.

I could get the timemaster without electric start delivered for 1050 from lawnmowersdirect.co.uk and I am very tempted!

A ride on is still an option but I would probably need to get a trailer to transport it, and I guess maintenance costs will be more over the years. I also kind of like the walk behind aspect, a bit of physical activity cant be a bad thing.

The Honda hrx 537 VYE looks like a lovely mower too. It is almost the same price as the timemaster, would it be worth getting the wider deck for speed?

[Deleted User]

Kencollins wrote: »

Hi all,

Great thread so far!

I have a house with about an acre of garden. It is mostly flat with a slight incline. The land can be soft when its wet. Money is tight so I don't think I can afford a ride on at the moment.

At the moment the grass is taking me two hours with an old woodies pro lawn with a B+S engine, but it needs to be replaced.

Is the Toro Timemaster regarded as a good machine? I like the extra width and twin blades but have never tried something like that.

If the budget was 1000 what would anyone recommend?

The time master has had its engine improved and got to use one last week. Pretty good now That's about 1500 new though. 2hours for an acre is a good time for that lawn mower you are using so my guess is it's an acre but the house and drive is taken out of that. I use a Honda hrx 537 vye. You will get one during the winter for €1000.An hour mulching half an acre easy if you cut it regularly.

If its flat and open then a rise on will be quicker but you will be lucky to get a good one on that budget and you will also need a trailer or big van to bring it anywhere such as for a service etc.

MascotDec85

Kencollins wrote: »

Hi all,

Great thread so far!

I have a house with about an acre of garden. It is mostly flat with a slight incline. The land can be soft when its wet. Money is tight so I don't think I can afford a ride on at the moment.

At the moment the grass is taking me two hours with an old woodies pro lawn with a B+S engine, but it needs to be replaced.

Is the Toro Timemaster regarded as a good machine? I like the extra width and twin blades but have never tried something like that.

If the budget was 1000 what would anyone recommend?

I bought a really good 2nd hand Castelgarden ride on from DoneDeal for about €1100. The only thing I’ve had to replace was the deck belt. The first mower I bought was a €300 Snapper ride on from a hire shop. I got 2 seasons out of it, serviced it, replaced all the belts and got my money back. If you shop wisely you’ll get a decent ride on for that money.

Kencollins

Hi all,

Great thread so far!

I have a house with about an acre of garden. It is mostly flat with a slight incline. The land can be soft when its wet. Money is tight so I don't think I can afford a ride on at the moment.

At the moment the grass is taking me two hours with an old woodies pro lawn with a B+S engine, but it needs to be replaced.

Is the Toro Timemaster regarded as a good machine? I like the extra width and twin blades but have never tried something like that.

If the budget was 1000 what would anyone recommend?

fungijay

SCOL wrote: »

I bought a Sigma lawnmower this year when it is lying up for a week or so when I go and start it there is a big puff of smoke out
of it.

Is this normal ?

Check the oil level, often times there is too much oil, just drain it to correct level, also if your mower has an air filter it may be clogged with excess oil, this can be cleaned with a little petrol.

SCOL

I bought a Sigma lawnmower this year when it is lying up for a week or so when I go and start it there is a big puff of smoke out
of it.

Is this normal ?

blackbox

fissureseal wrote: »

Hi i have 2 acres to cut , bit hilly in parts and v mossy ( as i live in the Wesht!! ), was thinking of buying this Honda HF417 https://www.donedeal.ie/gardenequipment-for-sale/honda-hf2417-ride-on-tractor-mower/19742614
What do people think ? Or else i was thinking of new Castelgarden PTX 200 ?

Any opinions/ advise would be greatly appreciated .thanks

I have a hilly garden and I found that with a heavy grass box there is not enough weight on the front wheels to steer it properly. Also, if it's any way wet it can be a struggle to reverse uphill. I went for a Husqvarna 4WD Rider - mulching only. (I think they make a collecting model now)

enricoh

blackbox wrote: »

Yes - it could be something else in the safety circuit, possibly the seat switch or a bad connection.

I've a John Deere ride on n it had the same problem, the wire rope had frayed a bit n lost some tension. The spring on the deck can stretch a bit too.

blackbox

Audioslaven wrote: »

Hi,

My lawnmower John Deere LR135 seems to not engage sometimes when I pull the lever to engage the blades. I can hear it trying to engage but it doesn't kick in. I then try it a few times and eventually it kicks in. I know it could be the switch or the clutch but is there anything else?

Yes - it could be something else in the safety circuit, possibly the seat switch or a bad connection.

enricoh

fissureseal wrote: »

Hi i have 2 acres to cut , bit hilly in parts and v mossy ( as i live in the Wesht!! ), was thinking of buying this Honda HF417 https://www.donedeal.ie/gardenequipment-for-sale/honda-hf2417-ride-on-tractor-mower/19742614
What do people think ? Or else i was thinking of new Castelgarden PTX 200 ?

Any opinions/ advise would be greatly appreciated .thanks

Massey 35, turf tyres, 6' rollermower - half an hour to mow and last a lifetime!

my3cents

MascotDec85 wrote: »

17hp would be very light for that size of garden. You’d want 22+ I’d imagine

The mower would cut it and more power would be great but boxing off 2 acres is bad enough but add in a few hilly bits where you have to drive a bit slower and its will be a real chore.

With that size of site (and I've looked after bigger) I would suggest cutting a neat bagged off area around the house and perhaps a football/play area for the kids (so they don't drag grass in the house) leaving the rest to a higher cut with the grass left on.

There is a discharge chute that goes on those Castlegarden Honda's but you don't see it very often, any dealer would be able to get one.

MascotDec85

fissureseal wrote: »

Hi i have 2 acres to cut , bit hilly in parts and v mossy ( as i live in the Wesht!! ), was thinking of buying this Honda HF417 https://www.donedeal.ie/gardenequipment-for-sale/honda-hf2417-ride-on-tractor-mower/19742614
What do people think ? Or else i was thinking of new Castelgarden PTX 200 ?

Any opinions/ advise would be greatly appreciated .thanks

17hp would be very light for that size of garden. You’d want 22+ I’d imagine

my3cents

fissureseal wrote: »

Hi i have 2 acres to cut , bit hilly in parts and v mossy ( as i live in the Wesht!! ), was thinking of buying this Honda HF417 https://www.donedeal.ie/gardenequipment-for-sale/honda-hf2417-ride-on-tractor-mower/19742614
What do people think ? Or else i was thinking of new Castelgarden PTX 200 ?

Any opinions/ advise would be greatly appreciated .thanks

Don't really think that mower (Honda) is suitable for 2 acres unless you remove the grass box and get a rear discharge guard for it.

fissureseal

Hi i have 2 acres to cut , bit hilly in parts and v mossy ( as i live in the Wesht!! ), was thinking of buying this Honda HF417 https://www.donedeal.ie/gardenequipment-for-sale/honda-hf2417-ride-on-tractor-mower/19742614
What do people think ? Or else i was thinking of new Castelgarden PTX 200 ?

Any opinions/ advise would be greatly appreciated .thanks

Audioslaven

Hi,

My lawnmower John Deere LR135 seems to not engage sometimes when I pull the lever to engage the blades. I can hear it trying to engage but it doesn't kick in. I then try it a few times and eventually it kicks in. I know it could be the switch or the clutch but is there anything else?

MidMan25

harr wrote: »

Hi
Looking for recommendations or suggestions, our back garden has gotten considerable smaller the last year. New shed and patio was seen lawn size half.
So currently it’s only 30f by 20f and our old lawnmower is banjaxed have it over 20 years.
I am considering buying a cheap flymo or similar Electric mower, good idea or should I stick to petrol. Any huge disadvantages to Electric over petrol ?
We have outside power so that’s not an issue.

My garden isn't much smaller than that. I've had Fiskars StaySharp Plus Reel Mower since Spring and my grass has never looked better

only takes me 5-10 mins and that's doing two passes in opposite directions to make sure it gets as even a cut as possible. No noise either and the grass cuttings are scattered evenly across the lawn.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fiskars-StaySharp-Cylinder-Lawnmower-Blade-Free/dp/B00PAU7RCO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1536089172&sr=8-2&keywords=fiskars+staysharp

Picture from half an hour ago after cutting it.

Discodog

harr wrote: »

Hi
Looking for recommendations or suggestions, our back garden has gotten considerable smaller the last year. New shed and patio was seen lawn size half.
So currently it’s only 30f by 20f and our old lawnmower is banjaxed have it over 20 years.
I am considering buying a cheap flymo or similar Electric mower, good idea or should I stick to petrol. Any huge disadvantages to Electric over petrol ?
We have outside power so that’s not an issue.

I got an Aldi rechargeable mower & I am very impressed.

deezell

harr wrote: »

Hi
Looking for recommendations or suggestions, our back garden has gotten considerable smaller the last year. New shed and patio was seen lawn size half.
So currently it’s only 30f by 20f and our old lawnmower is banjaxed have it over 20 years.
I am considering buying a cheap flymo or similar Electric mower, good idea or should I stick to petrol. Any huge disadvantages to Electric over petrol ?
We have outside power so that’s not an issue.

Treat yourself to a rechargeable. With that small a space it will be ideal. Online prices here from €176 upward.
https://www.agrieuro.co.uk/swift-eb132c-electric-lawn-mower-32-cm-cutting-width-3-in-1-self-propelled-lawn-mower-40v-2ah-p-13141.html

harr

Hi
Looking for recommendations or suggestions, our back garden has gotten considerable smaller the last year. New shed and patio was seen lawn size half.
So currently it’s only 30f by 20f and our old lawnmower is banjaxed have it over 20 years.
I am considering buying a cheap flymo or similar Electric mower, good idea or should I stick to petrol. Any huge disadvantages to Electric over petrol ?
We have outside power so that’s not an issue.

deezell

Deleted User wrote: »

I see they have beefed up the engine in the time masters. I was put off them before because I owned 21 inch mowers with 800 series engines and didnt think they were good enough for a 30 inch. Now they have a B & S 1000 series engine. Anyone use the new model?

https://www.briggsandstratton.com/na/en_us/product-catalog/engines/riding-lawn-mower-engines/1000-series.html

Back in July, https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=107728408&postcount=2461
Mahatmageansai tried one out and was impressed. Go back a page or two for the discussion starring at #2444.
The 233cc 20978 electric start has what it takes, but it is a whopping 65kg weight, so you won't be flinging it around corners, shrubs and inclines the way you might a 21". You won't be throwing it in the boot of your car by yourself either.

[Deleted User]

I see they have beefed up the engine in the time masters. I was put off them before because I owned 21 inch mowers with 800 series engines and didnt think they were good enough for a 30 inch. Now they have a B & S 1000 series engine. Anyone use the new model?

https://www.briggsandstratton.com/na/en_us/product-catalog/engines/riding-lawn-mower-engines/1000-series.html

um7y1h83ge06nx

deezell wrote: »

Handy will do. Bring a friend, 2 heads better than one.

Great, thanks for the advice on my last few posts, much appreciated.

deezell

Lorelei Breezy Table wrote: »

Been researching and shopping around the last few days and keep coming back to that Stiga on Agrieuro.

Is there much to assembling a ride on if I bought online? I'm no mechanic but I'm handy enough.

Handy will do. Bring a friend, 2 heads better than one.