The Great Big Lawnmower Thread

deezell · 17-04-2019 9:26am

Krombopulos Michael wrote: »

So, bought myself a STIHL RT 5112Z. Decided after lots of research (mostly the legend that is deezell) that I needed a twin cylinder mower for mowing on slopes that can bag and mulch.

Got 300euro off with my local dealer including oil and safety gear thrown in to the deal, so im happy out. Thanks to all on the thread for the info, looking forward to taking delivery now.

Thanks for that. The Stihl, formerly Viking, is a well crafted mower, I noticed how well pedals, levers, console, deck was engineered. The deck is a cinch to drop off for winter servicing, very simple, no need to remove bolts and pulleys, just unclip a belt tensioner, untension, two springclips on the rear deck levers and it slides back and out. Paint the underside with two coats red oxide rust paint after the season, (paint it while new if you wish).
My 3-4 season used Viking had never been done despite annual dealer service, so I done it this winter gone. Once the grass wears off the underside factory paint rust really takes hold, so it was many hours work with power and manual wire brushes. I once prepainted a new Castelgarden replacement deck before use, ten years later, paint was still intact, not a single rust spot.
I kind of like the Viking Green, they're now Stihl Orange. Maybe they'll sell even better in the North now.....

Krombopulos Michael · 17-04-2019 9:37am

deezell wrote: »

Thanks for that. The Stihl, formerly Viking, is a well crafted mower, I noticed how well pedals, levers, console, deck was engineered. The deck is a cinch to drop off for winter servicing, very simple, no need to remove bolts and pulleys, just unclip a belt tensioner, untension, two springclips on the rear deck levers and it slides back and out. Paint the underside with two coats red oxide rust paint after the season, (paint it while new if you wish).
My 3-4 season used Viking had never been done despite annual dealer service, so I done it this winter gone. Once the grass wears off the underside factory paint rust really takes hold, so it was many hours work with power and manual wire brushes. I once prepainted a new Castelgarden replacement deck before use, ten years later, paint was still intact, not a single rust spot.
I kind of like the Viking Green, they're now Stink Orange. Maybe they'll sell even better in the North now.....

One of the big selling points for me was the single front mount pedal to make the mower move, and the forwards/backs direction is set by a leaver on the steering wheel. Plus the foot button by left foot to allow mow in reverse was well placed.

The Viking colours were nicer, but happy enough with fake tan orange.

fryup · 17-04-2019 11:28am

what would be considered high hours on a second hand ride on??

400 + ?

is it looked upon the same as mileage on a car?

deezell · 17-04-2019 12:18pm

fryup wrote: »

what would be considered high hours on a second hand ride on??

400 + ?

is it looked upon the same as mileage on a car?

Pretty much. A lot of commercial horticultural and farm machinery would have hour meters as an aid to servicing. Bigger ride on mowers also. If a mower is used weekly on average over the season, say 6-7 months, and spends about an hour cutting, you'd be looking at 25-30 hours per year, so 400 hours is like a machine with 13-16 years of work on it. Still small hours on a good engine which has had the oil changed even every second year. Steering play, levers, mechanical parts may start to show their age, any non lubricated joint will eventually get looser with time and use if not already replaced. If not cleaned or painted, the deck will have rusted away.Engine exhaust, Wheel bearings, gearbox, differential and drive chain and sprocket on manual drives should be checked for wear and slack. Hydro static drive are often maintenance free, designed for the life of the mower. Some have a maintenance requirement, often at dealer level. Download the user manual for the machine, check if there is a maintenance requirement on the transmission. What you're looking for in any used machine is 'tightness', that indefinable quality you feel in a new example, and you'll notice the lack of in a worn one. You also need to check blades and belts, cables and battery age. If you have to replace all these soon after purchase, you could be looking at €200 depending on your ability to source parts and whether you can do it yourself. Some old mowers are mint, and some relatively new ones are wrecked, so buyer beware. A really cheapy tinny generic ride on might have a useful life of less than 300 hours, some quality manufacturers will advise of maybe 400-800 depending on the model build, and of course the manner it was used. It's hard to find hours data written down for any machine, plenty of searching required on d'internet.

tipping · 17-04-2019 1:20pm

Looking for a new machine as the old one gave up the ghost after a miserable 4 years.
Want to buy something that might last this time.
Got recommended the Stiga-Turbo-Power-53-SB by 2 different local suppliers.
1/2 acre site, about 1/3 acre of grass.
Most of the lawn is flat but theres a small section at about 15 degress slope.

http://www.thelawnmowerman.ie/shop-product/Domestic-Machinery/Stiga-Turbo-Power-53-SB/56

Any advice appreciated

garv123 · 17-04-2019 1:25pm

tipping wrote: »

Looking for a new machine as the old one gave up the ghost after a miserable 4 years.
Want to buy something that might last this time.
Got recommended the Stiga-Turbo-Power-53-SB by 2 different local suppliers.
1/2 acre site, about 1/3 acre of grass.
Most of the lawn is flat but theres a small section at about 15 degress slope.

http://www.thelawnmowerman.ie/shop-product/Domestic-Machinery/Stiga-Turbo-Power-53-SB/56

Any advice appreciated

I got the one below last year after reading many posts on this thread and getting advice off here. Very happy so far, slightly bigger cutting deck.

https://www.agrieuro.co.uk/castelgarden-xs-55-bvwe4-self-propelled-lawn-mower-with-electric-start-and-bs-engine-p-8424.html

for similar money to the model you mentioned below

https://www.agrieuro.co.uk/stiga-turbo-power-53-heavy-duty-self-propelled-aluminium-lawn-mower-bs-750-ex-series-p-15761.html

tipping · 17-04-2019 1:32pm

garv123 wrote: »

I got the one below last year after reading many posts on this thread and getting advice off here. Very happy so far, slightly bigger cutting deck.

https://www.agrieuro.co.uk/castelgarden-xs-55-bvwe4-self-propelled-lawn-mower-with-electric-start-and-bs-engine-p-8424.html

for similar money to the model you mentioned below

https://www.agrieuro.co.uk/stiga-turbo-power-53-heavy-duty-self-propelled-aluminium-lawn-mower-bs-750-ex-series-p-15761.html

Cheers for that. Is the electric start thingy a gimmick or worthwhile. I kinda thought it just might be something else to go wrong

garv123 · 17-04-2019 1:40pm

tipping wrote: »

Cheers for that. Is the electric start thingy a gimmick or worthwhile. I kinda thought it just might be something else to go wrong

So far I found it good, the battery is just like a drill battery. Only charged it once last year. Lawnmower started after a couple of seconds for the first cut this year too.

Similar model with pull start

https://www.agrieuro.co.uk/stiga-turbo-power-53-heavy-duty-self-propelled-aluminium-lawn-mower-bs-750-ex-series-p-15761.html

deezell · 17-04-2019 2:56pm

garv123 wrote: »

So far I found it good, the battery is just like a drill battery. Only charged it once last year. Lawnmower started after a couple of seconds for the first cut this year too.

Similar model with pull start

https://www.agrieuro.co.uk/stiga-turbo-power-53-heavy-duty-self-propelled-aluminium-lawn-mower-bs-750-ex-series-p-15761.html

There is a bit of confusion in regard to the cutting width of these mowers, but as a definite rule, Stiga, Castelgarden and Alpina derivatives label 53 cm cut mowers as ' 55' and 51 cm cut as '53'. You will find plenty of examples of dealers, Agrieuro included, erroneously listing the cutting width of a 53 series as 53cm. It's 51 cm. There are eight 53 series derivatived on the Agrieuro site alone, and another eight 55 series. Prices vary from 729 to 360 for substantially the same 53 series. More for 55s. The difference is in the decks, alum, galvanised or steel, the engines, and extras like variable speed and electric start.

celtic_oz · 18-04-2019 7:19am

this pro-lawn looks to be a rebadged hyundai (not just the engine ) seems good value €350 for the 53cm size

https://www.woodies.ie/pro-lawn-53cm-173cc-hyundai-self-propelled-petrol-lawnmower-1153280https://www.woodies.ie/pro-lawn-53cm-173cc-hyundai-self-propelled-petrol-lawnmower-1153280

my3cents · 18-04-2019 8:56am

celtic_oz wrote: »

this pro-lawn looks to be a rebadged hyundai (not just the engine ) seems good value €350 for the 53cm size

https://www.woodies.ie/pro-lawn-53cm-173cc-hyundai-self-propelled-petrol-lawnmower-1153280https://www.woodies.ie/pro-lawn-53cm-173cc-hyundai-self-propelled-petrol-lawnmower-1153280

Hyundai and all their lawn and outdoor stuff is rebadged chinese stuff.

Krombopulos Michael · 18-04-2019 9:09am

Just a little warning. I bought a cheap Hyundai push mower a few years ago, and two local lawnmower shops wouldn't service it as they advised wouldn't have the parts in stock to do so.

deezell · 18-04-2019 9:12am

my3cents wrote: »

Hyundai and all their lawn and outdoor stuff is rebadged chinese stuff.

As is a lot of big store stuff, but if it has a bring and Stratton engine, you have some comfort. I studied the pro lawn stuff closely in Woodies last week. It's decently made, a lot of the ancillary parts seen solid, and are common to a lot of generics and indeed the lower priced offerings of some more respectable brands. The key parts that determine it's life are engine, transmission if self propelled, and wheels. The first two will be the most costly to replace, wheels may wear or break if they are plastic or have no ball bearings, but then they will be cheap to replace in that case. A genuine Stiga ball bearing wheel can cost €50 each!,
The 51 and 53 cm cut pro lawns actually looks a good buy for such a big cut, but then you can buy stiga/castelgarden 53 series is Agrieuro for less than 400 if you take their cheaper engine options
Tip. If I recall, there are a couple of shop floor pro lawns in Woodies Naas with Honda engines being sold off as seen with a big discount, a bit pulled around but all there.

deezell · 18-04-2019 9:31am

Krombopulos Michael wrote: »

Just a little warning. I bought a cheap Hyundai push mower a few years ago, and two local lawnmower shops wouldn't service it as they advised wouldn't have the parts in stock to do so.

That seems petty, when all you want in a service is an oil change, clean deck, blade sharpen and balance, clean air filter and maybe drain carb bowl. Maybe pissed you didn't buy it from them. If somethings broken on it that's different, but Chadwicks among others are dealers for these, they would point you to an agent. I've never failed to get parts even for some old and obscure Lidl tools. Takes time though.

Krombopulos Michael · 18-04-2019 10:28am

deezell wrote: »

That seems petty, when all you want in a service is an oil change, clean deck, blade sharpen and balance, clean air filter and maybe drain carb bowl. Maybe pissed you didn't buy it from them. If somethings broken on it that's different, but Chadwicks among others are dealers for these, they would point you to an agent. I've never failed to get parts even for some old and obscure Lidl tools. Takes time though.

I was having carb issues with it and once it wasnt a B&S engine or type they supplied, they said they wouldnt have the parts.

tipping · 18-04-2019 11:34am

I found similar with the last mower I bought from one of the big stores.
It was a McCullough (can't remember the model), B&S engine but about €450 in the local Co-Op superstores.

The local service guys didn't want to look at it and said it was a pain to get parts etc. Couldn't get replacement blade etc. In addition it was just generally flimsy and cables, wheels etc all started giving trouble and I generally hated it.

Hence willing to spend a bit more now and be able to get it fixed locally if and when it does give trouble.

deezell · 18-04-2019 11:35am

Krombopulos Michael wrote: »

I was having carb issues with it and once it wasnt a B&S engine or type they supplied, they said they wouldnt have the parts.

I get that. You could spend a lot of time sourcing a carb kit for a spurious carburettor, only to find it doesn't solve the problem, maybe the carb is varnished, maybe compression is low, rings stuck, valves burnt or something else. A service guy knows its difficult to extract payment in that case, so won't take the risk. I've a Woodie's petrol power washer with Chinese engine. In a single year it burst two pressure hoses, replaced under warranty, the second time with a meshed steel covered proper hose. I got two years out of the engine, simply won't start now and compression is right down. I'll gut it it someday, but it's a piece of sh1t. Roc brand I think, sale special. Lesson learned.

Thekeencyclist · 18-04-2019 1:35pm

My choice would be to buy locally at a dealers where you know parts will be available and that the dealer can fix if anything ever happened, the big stores are ok for certain items but I wouldnt risk buying a lawnmower from them as they simply dont have the parts and is extra hassle to have to try and source them if a local mechanic cannot get them etc.

Have a Toro lawnmower here that I use for a small section of the garden which has shrubs etc and the ride on would be to awkward for + its an excuse to give the Toro a run to keep it running....the auld lad bought the Toro about 25 years ago, I pulled it out of the garage last week for the first time this year since last October and it started with the first pull, never once did it give any bother!!

kaiserrussel · 18-04-2019 4:05pm

Hi all

this a phenomenal thread with a huge volume of information. almost feel a thread specifically on makes/models vs price range is needed!

I posted a message a couple of weeks ago regarding a replacement belt for a Husq CTH 151, the reason being was I had gotten a non-Genuine husq belt online and my mechanic found it to be a little long when fitting. so I want to replace that.

I had gotten my mechanic to service the mower and wanted to sell it but I wasn't sure to trade in vs sell myself. My reason for selling is purely to get a newer model

So this brings me to my question - If I had a budget within 2K-2300K what would I be best to look out for. Assuming I sell my own privately or trade in ill have extra to add

Seems like folks I talk with are all advocating Stiga at the moment and the love for the Husq is fading

My Needs - entire site is just under an acre inclusive of house.

Husq - Is it true they are no longer selling rear discharge mowere?
Honda - Super mower but out of my budget new
Stiga - Are these castelgarden/mountfield rebadged and is there a model within my price range that someone would recommend?
Viking/Stihl – Is this just a rebrand and all components etc are the same?
Cub Cadet – Ive only heard of this brand
JD – I don’t think my budget is in this bracket

Outside of the above is there anything that you would suggest

I was recently in Boston visiting family and I was ill when I looked at the prices of some of the ride on mowers there ~1000 in the stores, I had thought of importing at one point but with the steps involved and the fact that these are only side discharge I felt Irish lawns would be too “damp”

Thanks for any thoughts provided

deezell · 19-04-2019 8:10am

Husq - plenty of rear baggers for sale, maybe dealers are dealing in rumours? Husky make cheaper built as well as higher quality mowers. Problem for consumer is knowing which grade you're getting, with the confusion of models.

Honda. Yes.

Stiga. Owned by GGP, parent of Castelgarden, Stiga, Alpins, Atco and Mountfield. Obviously huge commonality of parts, subtle differences in mowers and brand placement ( Stiga still has a professional range)

Stihl bought Viking. Mowers are identical, but in Oompah-Loompa colours.

Cub Cadet is an affordable American brand, only if you're buying in the US as you've seen. Owned by MTD, who also own Toro, high end push and zero turn mowers. Some nice MTD on agrieuro. MTD brand used in states for big store mowers but have quality also.

JD pricey, even their economy lines, made back in the past by Castelgarden among others

Snapper another well regarded brand, part of Briggs & Stratton behemoth, whose brands Simplicity, Murray and snapper are best known here.

This is a good read though US focused so incomplete.
https://todaysmower.com/riding-mower-brands/
If you get a trade in offer off list pricr anywhere north of €900 for the cth151 I'd take it. You'll struggle to get 800 on Adverts/Donedeal unless it's only a few years old ( how old? It's been out for eons). Do the usual. Seek a cash price, then work out real trade in value. Posters here getting €300+ off for cash. Good hunting

DeborahLQ · 21-04-2019 1:27pm

Great thread, but a bit overwhelming. Anybody know anything about these ones? I'm thinking of getting one.

Recycler 22 in. SmartStow High Wheel Variable Speed Walk Behind Gas Self Propelled Mower
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Toro-Recycler-22-in-SmartStow-High-Wheel-Variable-Speed-Walk-Behind-Gas-Self-Propelled-Mower-20339/205026227

my3cents · 21-04-2019 1:45pm

DeborahLQ wrote: »

Great thread, but a bit overwhelming. Anybody know anything about these ones? I'm thinking of getting one.

Recycler 22 in. SmartStow High Wheel Variable Speed Walk Behind Gas Self Propelled Mower
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Toro-Recycler-22-in-SmartStow-High-Wheel-Variable-Speed-Walk-Behind-Gas-Self-Propelled-Mower-20339/205026227

Looks fine to me but it depends how much you have to pay for it. I suspect it will be a lot more here than the $320 in the US.

Thats probably front wheel drive btw which is a handy feature as you can control traction or stop and turn by pushing your weight onto the handlebars.

deezell · 21-04-2019 8:59pm

I doubt if anyone is importing that particular model, 20339, it's possibly an all wheel drive. Expect to pay €800 - €900 here for similar.
http://www.gerrycroffey.ie/lawnmowers-2.html

MascotDec85 · 21-04-2019 9:27pm

Anyone have a robot mower? Seriously considering getting one. Looking for one that would do about half an acre/2000 sq m

deezell · 21-04-2019 10:33pm

MascotDec85 wrote: »

Anyone have a robot mower? Seriously considering getting one. Looking for one that would do about half an acre/2000 sq m

I have, she makes a decent curry as well. Very expensive to run though.
Seriously though, have a look here,
https://dermotcasey.com/c/lawn-garden/robotic-lawnmowers
Expect to pay very roughly €150 to €250 per 100sqM of area to be mown, if you want a machine that can do the job.
Check out this 20 grand machine for football pitches/ sports parks etc.!
https://dermotcasey.com/product/wiper-yard-301-robotic-mower-30000-sm

Krombopulos Michael · 24-04-2019 8:24am

Krombopulos Michael wrote: »

So, bought myself a STIHL RT 5112Z. Decided after lots of research (mostly the legend that is deezell) that I needed a twin cylinder mower for mowing on slopes that can bag and mulch.

Got 300euro off with my local dealer including oil and safety gear thrown in to the deal, so im happy out. Thanks to all on the thread for the info, looking forward to taking delivery now.

So just an update on the new STIHL RT 5112Z.

Glad I went for a twin cylinder model as the slope on my lawn was a little steeper than I thought in places, and I can hear a little strain on the motor going up while cutting (Not steep enough to tip over)

Very easy to drive and operate and seat is comfy, and the controls layout are good.

My only negatives are

1) The box sliding handle to tip out the grass came out in my hand away from the box. It uses a plastic retaining clip to keep in place and it popped off and was lost in a sea of grass clippings, however a simple bolt and nut has that sorted out immediately.

2) At your left foot there is a button to press to keep the blades engaged when going in reverse. I found this a bit hit and miss and it seems like every time you cut in reverse you must press it, not just hold it down all the time.

Apart from this, the engine is strong and it was great to use. After the first cut, I have inserted the mulch plug and been out for the second cut a few days later which was a breeze.

Thanks again for all the advice from this thread.

FannyBadger · 24-04-2019 9:42am

Does anyone in here have some hints and tips on the maintenance/servicing of a ride-on mower?

I bought a Castelgarden XDC170hd last year, for cutting about an acre of grass. It didn't get a massive amount of use due to a new baby and most of the grass being burnt by the sun!
So far, I haven't done anything much in the line of servicing, meaning it still has the same oil which came when it was delivered. I have also noticed a few rust spots developing on the underside of the deck.

From reading a few other posts, I think I will heed Deezell's advice about painting the underside with a couple of coats of red oxide paint to stop the rust anyway.
Does anyone know if it is tricky to get the deck off a Castelgarden, or should I just get something like a mower jack to prop the deck up so I can get at it without having to drop it off? I had a go at taking it off, but it wasn't co-operating so I left it in case I did more damage than good.

Is it OK to powerwash the deck to get the stubborn grass off, or could this damage the blades/deck?

Should you use the hose connectors to wash the deck after each use? Does this really work, or does this just contribute to the rusting?

Should I change the oil, or would it be OK for one more season?

Is it advisable to get the mower serviced once a year by a dealer/manufacturer, or can you do most of it yourself and bring to a service centre every 2/3 years instead?

Any other hints/tips would be greatly appreciated! I'm hoping to keep this mower going for 10 years at least!

ArrBee · 24-04-2019 9:52am

I'm no expert and part of the reason for this is post is to follow the thread

One tip I have found is using an air compressor for cleaning if you have one. Especially the fabric of the grass collector.

Daz_ · 24-04-2019 10:11am

FannyBadger wrote: »

Does anyone in here have some hints and tips on the maintenance/servicing of a ride-on mower?

I bought a Castelgarden XDC170hd last year, for cutting about an acre of grass. It didn't get a massive amount of use due to a new baby and most of the grass being burnt by the sun!
So far, I haven't done anything much in the line of servicing, meaning it still has the same oil which came when it was delivered. I have also noticed a few rust spots developing on the underside of the deck.

From reading a few other posts, I think I will heed Deezell's advice about painting the underside with a couple of coats of red oxide paint to stop the rust anyway.
Does anyone know if it is tricky to get the deck off a Castelgarden, or should I just get something like a mower jack to prop the deck up so I can get at it without having to drop it off? I had a go at taking it off, but it wasn't co-operating so I left it in case I did more damage than good.

Is it OK to powerwash the deck to get the stubborn grass off, or could this damage the blades/deck?

Should you use the hose connectors to wash the deck after each use? Does this really work, or does this just contribute to the rusting?

Should I change the oil, or would it be OK for one more season?

Is it advisable to get the mower serviced once a year by a dealer/manufacturer, or can you do most of it yourself and bring to a service centre every 2/3 years instead?

Any other hints/tips would be greatly appreciated! I'm hoping to keep this mower going for 10 years at least!

Great questions and look forward to the replies as is a similar position with mine

deezell · 24-04-2019 10:38am

Krombopulos Michael wrote: »

So just an update on the new STIHL RT 5112Z.
....At your left foot there is a button to press to keep the blades engaged when going in reverse. I found this a bit hit and miss and it seems like every time you cut in reverse you must press it, not just hold it down all the time.....

You don't hold it down. When you stop, press it once, release, you have 5 second to select reverse without blade disengagement, or, you can stop, select revese and within a second press and release the button to enable reverse mowing . It works on stop by stop basis, there's no programming mechanism to disable it afaik, though here is a procedure on ignition to disable automatic full bag disengagement, by pressing for five seconds, the reverse mowing button and drive pedal, while the engine is off and ignition is on (page 35). On the bigger 6127ZL there is an indicator on the display that shows when the reverse mowing button mode is selected, and you have the 5s window to engage reverse.

The Great Big Lawnmower Thread

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