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Author Topic: Lawnmowers Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-31-2014 11:04 AM                        So, does everything Sears touches these days turn to crap, or do all consumer products suck? I bought a Craftsman 21" push mower with a Briggs & Stratton engine in April of 2012. I mow my lawn about every other week from May to November, so I may have mowed the as many a 70 times. Started to mow it today. Was in a sparsely weedy area and I hear what sounds like hitting a rock and the engine spews smoke and stops. There is a hole about 2x2 inches in the side of the engine. Some of the chunks fell in the engine, some on the ground. Needless to say, nothing repairable. And the warranty ran out in April. There was plenty of oil, and as I say, didn't get heavy use. Two years old and the engine explodes? Is it just me? So, is there a decent light duty lawn mower manufactured, or should I just buy one from the pawn shop every year?  |  IP: Logged Steve Matz Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 672 From: Billings, Montana, USA Registered: Sep 2003 posted 08-31-2014 11:54 AM                     That's not typical of a B&S Engine. They are generally reliable and long lasting, even when they went to Aluminum Crankcase years ago. I personally have never had one of their Motors blow-up but I have seen a couple like you describe. One of them Broke a con rod right below the wrist pin, which proceeded to wipe out the front of the case. That blowup was attributed to a Governor malfunction which caused the RPM to go way past redline RPM... Nothing is 100% in parts MFGering anymore. I doubt as many of those Motors cranked out in a year's time that they even magnaflux or zyglo(aluminum)parts like they use too... If you go back to one of these,it's a 2 Fold Plus. No motor to blow-up and the Exercise is a Health Gain  |  IP: Logged Pete Naples Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1565 From: Dunfermline, Scotland Registered: Feb 2001 posted 08-31-2014 11:55 AM                     I don't know if these ever reached the states, or you had a US equivalent.. Suffolk Colt Mine was originally my grandfather's. My mum can remember him buying it in the 1960s, it's in regular use with me now.  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-31-2014 02:00 PM                        Looking at getting one of these: German Push Mower A friend had one and liked it. At least it won't explode. German Engineering: Today Your Lawn. Tomorrow, The World!  |  IP: Logged Steve Matz Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 672 From: Billings, Montana, USA Registered: Sep 2003 posted 08-31-2014 04:52 PM                     $209.00 is still a lot for a Reel Style Push Mower,even if it is German Built. Sears has a number of Good Mowers under 200 Bucks. I think you just happen to be one of the very few that maybe got an engine with a questionable part defect. Those B&S Engines overall probably have one of the highest reliability ratings of any small size commercial engine. Obviously you need another Mower before your mowing season is over. The Best time to buy a Mower from SEARS is Late Fall/Winter because they even discount them more than the sale price. If you buy the one's that are already assembled on the Floor;just before they take off all the Spring/Summer Yard Equipment;you can usually get a Super Deal... When they were still selling Lawn Edgers back in the 90's. I bought one in late November that had been $295.00. I got it for $190.00 because it was considered a demo being on the Floor even though it hadn't ever been run... http://www.sears.com/craftsman-21inch-rear-bag-push-mower/p-07137430000P?redirectType=SRDT  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-31-2014 04:55 PM                        Toro makes a good mower. My father has had them for years, and they generally last over a decade. Not sure about their current product line, however.  |  IP: Logged James Westbrook Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1133 From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa Registered: Mar 2006 posted 08-31-2014 05:07 PM                     One trick to keep them running well is to get the 4 cycle fuel in the quart sized cans that is sold at Sears and the big box hardware stores. The fuel has no corn alcohol in it, and has a stabilizer which allows one to store it in the winter without worry.  |  IP: Logged Steve Matz Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 672 From: Billings, Montana, USA Registered: Sep 2003 posted 08-31-2014 06:10 PM                     YEP! That's one thing that plagues anything that has to sit months without running.When we still had leaded Gasoline you could let an engine sit for a Long time w/o fear of your Carburator getting all gummed up. Unleaded Fuel does not do well staying stationary for Months and can really play havoc with Carbs and especially the tiny orifices of Fuel Injector Nozzles... Actually you can buy Fuel Stablizer as small as 4 and 8 ounce sizes for something like a Mower or Motorcycle. Very good ideal to add a Stablizer if you don't plan on starting that engine for several Months...Save you a lot of trouble when you go to fire it up in the Spring...  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 08-31-2014 08:02 PM                     Ya, still have my mower from 1995 with a B&S 5hp sitting on top of it. Do oil changes and air filter changes, did a carb overhaul, and the similar. Motor still starts on the first pull after a good push on the primer bulb. Dang, sure do miss those B&H powered reel mowers though. Things cut grass so much cleaner than any rotary, but have to protect the stupid and the ignorant along with the underage...  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 08-31-2014 08:58 PM                     I don't know how it is in other parts of the country, but we have a few service stations here in Lawton and other parts of the region that sell real unleaded gasoline as well as the "E-10" ethanol corn-based variety. I have a mid 2000's Sears Craftsman lawn mower equipped with a Honda engine. A few years ago I got its carburetor gummed up good with the ethanol gasoline sold at the nearest fuel station. I learned my lesson about it. Now I get my lawnmower and weed eater fuel at another gas station a few blocks farther from home.  |  IP: Logged Steve Matz Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 672 From: Billings, Montana, USA Registered: Sep 2003 posted 08-31-2014 09:06 PM                     Since you have to invest in another Mower May I suggest this JOHN DEERE Model. With the Optional Headlight you can now even mow your Lawn at Night without fear of running over obstacles in the yard that might hurt the Blade  |  IP: Logged Jeff Taylor Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 601 From: Chatham, NJ/East Hampton, NY Registered: Apr 2000 posted 09-01-2014 03:38 PM                     I have a big Honda snowblower with a cab and headlight, but I still don't do the driveway at night. Seriously, though, I have a lawnmower named Ricardo--he charges $45 a week and never breaks down.  |  IP: Logged Barry Floyd Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1079 From: Lebanon, Tennessee, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 09-02-2014 02:46 PM                        I spent $3k on a 50" cut zero turn Cub Cadet with a 23hp Kawasaki engine to mow the drive-in back in 2006. Learned real hard that a $3k mower is NOT made to cut a drive-in on a weekly or semi weekly basis. I've since found a guy who will cut and weed-eat the theatre for $175 every two weeks. Best money I spend all year. My Cub Cadet is not a commercial mower, and if I had used that mower to mow the grass in my own residential neighborhood yard (1.75 acres) it would have probably lasted until my 7 year old was out of college. We still use it at home, but it's starting to get a little rough. Engine and transmissions have never given me the first bit of trouble in 8 years, but it burns through deck spindles and tires like crazy.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-02-2014 03:10 PM                     I have a craftsman 22hp briggs straton twin tractor knock on wood the tractor has never given a ounce of trouble but the cutting decks are constantly needing bearings or shafts or blades the bearing block also cracks often have been thinking of making a open frame bearing block with some pillow block bearings and see if that helps  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-02-2014 06:01 PM                     Actually, reel type mowers are best for the grass... push type or gas if you can find one. John Deere still makes brand new golf course type reel mowers @ 3500 a pop. Or you cold grab a used Jacobson or similar and restore it. Would likely last you the rest of your life.  |  IP: Logged

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