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Post by scrub-buster on May 22, 2023 19:01:24 GMT -5
I've been getting by for way too long with two old Craftsman riding mowers, cobbled together with interchanged parts, welded multiple times, and missing pieces here and there. I'm the only person who knows their quirks enough to get them started and safely use them. One of those mowers threw a rod through the block Saturday. Was still running smooth, I just looked down and there was oil spraying out everywhere. I cleaned it up and found where the engine internals had become the externals, started it and rode it to the barn. It drove right in there no problem. So now I am down to just one sketchy mower. I bit the bullet and ordered a Husqvarna 354XD while ago. Not a real compact tractor, but a bit more heavy duty than most of the big box store mowers and has a Kawasaki engine. Tractor Supply had 0% financing, so I went that route. I intend to use my remaining old Craftsman to mow the trails and keep the new mower in the yard as long as possible. I upgraded to an Ariens 52" zero turn last year after my wife talked me into it. I had been using an old Craftsman mower that sounds like yours. I have to spin the top of the motor by hand while turning the key to get it to start. And that's with a new battery. I have been mowing the trails with it for years. I have bent and broken lots of blades. I mowed the trails last week and threw 2 different belts. I'm amazed it still runs. It was given to me years ago and I have never done any maintenance on it. It probably has the original oil in it.
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Post by huntsemall on May 22, 2023 19:26:28 GMT -5
I've been getting by for way too long with two old Craftsman riding mowers, cobbled together with interchanged parts, welded multiple times, and missing pieces here and there. I'm the only person who knows their quirks enough to get them started and safely use them. One of those mowers threw a rod through the block Saturday. Was still running smooth, I just looked down and there was oil spraying out everywhere. I cleaned it up and found where the engine internals had become the externals, started it and rode it to the barn. It drove right in there no problem. So now I am down to just one sketchy mower. I bit the bullet and ordered a Husqvarna 354XD while ago. Not a real compact tractor, but a bit more heavy duty than most of the big box store mowers and has a Kawasaki engine. Tractor Supply had 0% financing, so I went that route. I intend to use my remaining old Craftsman to mow the trails and keep the new mower in the yard as long as possible. I "gifted" my daughter and son in law my Dixie Chopper when they bought their place. It was/is a durn good mower, bought in 2007 and never did a thing except change the oil. After considerable looking I settled on a Gravely 60" with a Kawasaki engine. Awfully happy with it.
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Post by whitetaildave24 on May 22, 2023 20:43:26 GMT -5
Those gravely’s seem to be pretty good mowers. My brother in Florida bought one a few years ago and he loves it. I tested it out not long after he got it and they seem real nice and built well. I had four different mowers at one time and down now to a cub cadet rider and a toro zero turn. Luckily I’ve been gifted all my riding mowers, but if/when these go I’ll probably buy a belly mower for the tractor and be done with it. You shouldn’t be disappointed in your new mower purchase.
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on May 22, 2023 21:04:28 GMT -5
For a pure mowing machine, no doubt a zero-turn would be faster. I also use mine to pull small food plot implements though, and a tractor-style just seems preferable to me for that.
I considered stepping up to a sub-compact Kubota or Deere, but prices on those scared me off.
Best part is I can put my girls on this one and teach them to mow. I was afraid they'd get hurt on my ramshackle old mowers.
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Post by whitetaildave24 on May 22, 2023 21:14:54 GMT -5
If you do look to upgrade to a compact tractor check out other brands as well. I bought my rural king tractor in November of 2021 and absolutely love it. Same engine and many of the same specs as a John Deere, but a lot better price. Actually better built on some aspects as well. Kioti is another brand I looked at, but RK is much closer if I needed warranty work or maintenance. I’ve done all the maintenance myself so far and just keep the receipts for everything to make sure the warranty stays good.
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Post by scrub-buster on Nov 7, 2023 19:05:27 GMT -5
I've never had to mow in November before. Our yard is still thick and green. My wife mowed this evening while I trimmed up a trail to a stand and blew the leaves off of it. I wouldn't be surprised if we have to mow one more time. Our weiner dogs aren't a fan of tall grass.
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Post by scrub-buster on Nov 7, 2023 19:07:24 GMT -5
Looks like spring time
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Post by esshup on Nov 7, 2023 23:34:55 GMT -5
I mowed a week or so ago and had to have the mower on it's highest setting and I still left some windrows. Now I have to mow again and I will have to mow at least once more before I throw the snowthrower on it.
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Post by stevein on Nov 8, 2023 2:42:14 GMT -5
I bought a John Deere Sabre from Mutton's years ago. It is a green version of the generic mowers sold under the Murry and other names. It ran great for several years then little by little it became a pain. Put a couple of hundred in it one summer and had it running great. My wife asked it how it was running and I said great I think I will sell it. If it was running great and I had dumped money into it why sell it? Because it was running great. I have a Troy-Bilt now and it is OK. I choose it because it had greaseable spindles. They lasted 3 years, you can grease them all you want but they are sealed on both sides. I bought a tow behind Lawn Vac for leaf pick up. Runs great and after a season learning curve I am happy with it. It does not handle tall green grass though. I waited to pickup leaves but they came down late this year. The grass was taller and thicker and I had problems with the tall grass and leaves plugging up the hose. The next project is to move the exhaust pipe to redirect the sound.
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Post by parrothead on Nov 8, 2023 4:56:08 GMT -5
My last time on mower is usually first of December but it is just leaf mulching. I mulch one day come home and it looks like i didnt do anything day before
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Post by beermaker on Nov 8, 2023 5:30:38 GMT -5
I frantically drained as much water from my sprinkler system last Monday ahead of sub-freezing temperatures. Yesterday I wore shorts and t-shirt, had the AC on in the truck and house, and ran the sprinkler system. I put some grass seed down that I am still try to get to germinate.
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Post by MuzzleLoader on Nov 8, 2023 7:01:34 GMT -5
Still mowing. Probably need it again today or tomorrow
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Post by jjas on Nov 8, 2023 8:16:17 GMT -5
I usually do my last mowing/leaf mulching the second or third week of November. I have mulched as late as the first week of December.
It all depends upon the leaf drop.
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Post by scrub-buster on Nov 8, 2023 9:41:17 GMT -5
We don't have to deal with leaves. We get a few in the back yard but nothing worth picking up.
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Post by Mack Apiary Bees on Nov 8, 2023 10:05:53 GMT -5
I let mother nature winds take care of my leaves. My front yard with all the oaks is in the west and the yard slopes down to the east. By spring, those westerly winds blow them down the hill into the woods. Most times I'm done cutting grass around November 1st. With this warm temps, I might need to cut one more time, but hope not.
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Post by parrothead on Nov 8, 2023 10:08:23 GMT -5
With these warm temps the winter wheat in my garden and pumpkin patch has really shot up. I had to mow it yesterday
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Post by omegahunter on Nov 8, 2023 12:16:41 GMT -5
I mowed a couple days ago and may have to do it 2 more times before shutting down for the year. I have a Scag Liberty Z with the mulch baffles and it will eat a carpet of leaves and you have nothing left to rake. That $400 seemed expensive, but was a great investment!!
I remember mowing grass into December a few years.
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