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01/03/08, 03:13 PM
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Living the dream.
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Morganton, NC
Posts: 1,982
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The best crappy stamped sheet metal riding mower.
A while back I started a thread about lawn tractors and most of the replies I got referenced solid 1960's-1970's good old fashioned lawn tractors.
Not including these, what do you think the best crappy stamped sheet metal riding mower is?
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01/03/08, 03:21 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 407
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John Deere, Kubota, MF, etc - whoever will supply you your best service if you are not mechanically inclined - take a look around at your local tractor dealers and find out their reputation for service. Big box stores will be your worst bet as you will be hard pressed to get service or warranty.
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01/03/08, 03:21 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 2,963
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LOL...yer subject line says it all! NONE!
For $500-$2,000, you can buy a nice older IH Cub Cadet or John Deere that will be way stouter than anything on the market today. Otherwise, just go to any big box and take your chances.
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Jim Steele
Sweetpea Farms
"To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing." -- Robert Gates
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01/03/08, 03:32 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,143
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We have 2 that we have had a good experience with:
1) 48" MTD Yard Machine. We have been using this heavily for 3 years now and it is still going strong. DW primarily uses this one. We have used (abused) it cutting the edges of hay pasture. Knocking down and driving (cutting) over multiflora and hauling heavily laden trailers behind it. If you are looking at this one try to get one with the high back seat - it seems like the newer ones only have the seats that are almost backless.
2) 50" Toro which we have been heavily using for 2 years. I use this one primarily but our experience with this one is about the same as the MTD. The Toro is not quite as stable cutting across slopes. I just kind of scootch to the high end of the seat and it does just fine.
Both units were purchased at Home Depot.
Change the oil regularly. We have had some punctures in the tires from the multiflora. A can of that tire gunk has worked fine.
Mike
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01/03/08, 03:39 PM
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Zone 7
Posts: 10,559
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A little weird appearing but very enduring and the prices are rather cheap, get a snapper rear engine mower.
http://charlotte.craigslist.org/grd/506067650.html
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Agmantoo
If they can do it,
you know you can!
Last edited by agmantoo; 01/03/08 at 03:42 PM.
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01/03/08, 04:45 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: upstate ny on the mass border
Posts: 248
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best crappy. pretty funny. I personally think you'd be better off with an old garden tractor that someone lovingly restored. With that said, avoid the box stores. They don't do warranty work, just send you to some distant dealer, who really doesn't care to work on the machine because they didn't sell it.
While none of the about to be meantioned are anywhere near the quality they used to be (back to the restored old machine), they are probably the best bet as far as dealer support, and lots of dealer locations.
John Deere, cub cadet (avoid the box stores) and Ingersol/case/whatever they call themselves now. All decent machines. WAY overpriced , but probably the best bet, other than purchasing a restored old machine, or better yet, restoring one yourself
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01/03/08, 06:27 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Duplin Co. NC
Posts: 458
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by agmantoo
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If you can find an older model in that style that is still in decent shape, it will run well for a long time. My grandfather had one and now my uncle is still using it. My dad has one of the newer versions (1980's-1990's I think), it isn't near as good as the old one. The old one was more solidly built.
Kendall
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01/03/08, 06:50 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: S.E. Ks.
Posts: 5,942
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One thats free
for rough mowing and simple as can be an old snapper with a single blade is hard to beat.
they can be had at auctions for around $100 or less with a blown motor .
I got 2 8 hp at an auction for $10 both with bad motors . put a new 13 HP on one with the best deck . I took the deck off the other and cut it so it would not clog and when we need to cut Tall grass or small brush I put that deck on .
It will cut anything it can straddle .
On a snapper if the motor runs theres really only two things that can go wrong
the belt to the mower or the friction wheel either one is a $15 fix
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01/03/08, 07:02 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Idaho
Posts: 4,332
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We pulled an old Roper with an 18 horse cast iron B&S out of the dump. I replaced the inline fuel filter and changed the oil, made a simple new hanger bracket for the deck, and it is going on it's 5th year mowing 1.5 acres.
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01/03/08, 07:09 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Dysfunction Junction, SW PA
Posts: 4,808
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they all have the same make engines on them, so it doesnt matter.
buy used and buy cheap.... your not winning by going new and brand name.
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01/03/08, 07:28 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: East TN
Posts: 6,977
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I've had good luck with Murrays and so have some friends. I have an el cheapo belt drive Murray that we've used and abused for 13 years and it's still going. Bought a 2 cyl. hydrostatic drive Murray about 3 years ago for $350 and it's great. Aside from killing blades on rocks and some normal maintenance they just keep going.
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"Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self confidence"
Robert Frost
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01/04/08, 07:01 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,693
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Snapper. They are crude and rough as a cob. They start out that way new, and stay that way through decades of use.
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01/04/08, 07:23 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Virginia
Posts: 3,917
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I've got a Murray that my wife bought for me about four years ago and I'm pretty happy with it. I take good care of it, and aside from my wife trying to mow a large rock and busting up some linkage - then not telling me about it until I found out the hard way, it's taken good care of me.
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01/04/08, 07:38 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Southern Maine
Posts: 135
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I have a 46" Husqvarna rider. It cost $1500.00 new. I purchased this due to great customer service from my local guy (small independent) right up the street from me. He sells both the Husqvarnas and Toro's, and he convinced me to go with the Husqv. I mow approx 2 acres with it, and I love it. For a cheapie, I think it's a good deal.
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P.E.T.A. ,.... People Eating Tasty Animals
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