Compo 10,328 Posted April 6, 2017 Report Share Posted April 6, 2017 This winter I stripped and repaired my sit-on mower. It had been out of action for four years due to engine shaft seals and drive cable faults. The repairers quoted more than the machine is worth for a repair. In the end it cost me just under £100 to fix but it took me several day's worth of labour to strip and fix the engine and cutting deck. Photo attached. Now the self-propelled, ,pedestrian mower has finally broken its drive shaft gearing and bearings. I have ordered parts for it but will have to wait a week for delivery. Photos attached. It seems like I have a constant stream of repairs to do to mowing machinery - last year it was a blocked jet in a small workhorse mower; had to fit a new shearpin to the big walk-behind one and new tines to the electric lawn rake...... I wonder what next?! The broken transmission shaft: The Mountfield self-propelled pedestrian mower: Standing on trestles for underside acccess: The rebuilt Yardman sit-on "Bug"; complete with seagull pooh: 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sue B 48 1,226 Posted April 6, 2017 Report Share Posted April 6, 2017 All very nice Compo but who hung Teddy? 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,580 Posted April 6, 2017 Report Share Posted April 6, 2017 My stable of self propelled pedestrian mowers,left to right Honda,awaiting new spark plug,Flymo 420 good little workhorse and Qualcast Trojan I have fitted with a scarifier blade to clear the moss Rog 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,580 Posted April 6, 2017 Report Share Posted April 6, 2017 Sue,that reminds me of Turpin the teddy we hanged as kids,(see post about Clifton) Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted April 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 Teddy: I have started a new thread in Owt about nowt - he's a bit off topic in here Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 Mrs C had her new mower delivered yesterday & she is ready & raring to go ! It's bigger than her previous one, hopefully she will be fine ! Testing begins later today ! 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,427 Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 Is it electric or gas powered? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 Electric Dave. She wouldn't let me get her a push mower, even after I explained the benefits of keeping fit with a push mower ! Push mowers are much cheaper as well, but that wasn't my reasoning you understand, don't you ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,427 Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 I do understand,yes. Actually a gas powered mower can be quite good exercise for the arm muscles when you need to pull the string for twenty minutes to get it going. Come to think of it I don't think I've ever seen a push mower over here. Bunch a lazy Yanks. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
katyjay 5,090 Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 You can still buy them, but I've not seen one, come to that, nor a motorized one. Nobody I know has a lawn! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,427 Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 Well! You would go and live in a desert, wunt yer? . I suppose that's one way to gerraht a mowin'. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,580 Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 5 hours ago, catfan said: even after I explained the benefits of keeping fit with a push mower Not to mention the environmental benefits,saving the planet and all that Mick Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 Plus the saving on the lectric anall ! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeverilPeril 3,279 Posted April 9, 2017 Report Share Posted April 9, 2017 For anyone with a large lawn I recommend a Wolf 'Frisky Fox' self propelled mower. Ebay trader £284 delivered. 5.5hp, 4 cutters and big back wheels. Very smooth, Easy to start and use. Other equiv mowers cost over £600. It's first job was to cut next doors large neglected lawn. Wet and 6 month neglect - the Frisky cut through it like butter. After two more weekly mows the lawn is now fairly good. The mower is not built to professional standards but should be good for many years for the weekly mow. I have worn out or wrecked a lot.of mowers and got to say that the Frisky performs better than any previous walk behind mower. My stable of mowers consists of the Mountfield and Frisky in the UK. In France I use an 18hp Husqvarna 4x4 ride on and various push mowers including a lovely little Webb cylinder mower for the golf greens (only 2 greens left). A wheeled DR strimmer deals with the brambles and rough stuff. Luckily I enjoy mowing... 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,115 Posted April 9, 2017 Report Share Posted April 9, 2017 Well if you want mower recommendations I'd go for a Toro mulching mower. It cuts the grass up into very tiny pieces and mulches it back into the lawn thus there is no grass box to empty and no unsightly clods of grass on the lawn. This is my third year of usage and my grass has never looked better. The walk behind also adjusts its speed to the speed you walk. I've got a basic one for the fiddly bits and a large ride on Toro for the big stuff. This will turn on a sixpence and is perfect for cutting around trees. They're used by some of the major golf courses and at Wimbledon. I cut about an acre and a half and since I have used these mowers the time spent has been reduced by 50%. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeverilPeril 3,279 Posted April 9, 2017 Report Share Posted April 9, 2017 Yes - the Toro is good. I have used a 6.5hp one for years but is is now relegated to rough stuff. To replace it would cost about £1000 but they are built to professional standards. The Frisky is multi function and mulches very well. The cutting blade is a bit like the Hayter, having 4 swinging blades. Turns grass into tea leaves. Sounds like we have a similar area to mow Phil. My zero turn Husqvarna is ideal for the orchard areas and 4wd copes with the slopes. As you say - having the right kit saves a lot of time. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted April 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2017 So, the new bearings arrived for teh pedestrian mower and it is now all back together and waiting for a break in teh weather for a full ltest run. That may be some way ahead though - the local forecast is for wind and rain for the foreseeable future :/ I'm going to look k up the suggested mowers in posts #15 and #15..................................... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJ360 6,721 Posted April 14, 2017 Report Share Posted April 14, 2017 My back garden isn't big. About 36' x 30' with a lawn of about 24' x 20'. I grew the lawn from general purpose seed 40 years ago and it's gone through various stages of care/neglect over the years. Currently it is looking as green, weed free and happy as it ever has, due to lot of raking, feeding, top dressing etc., last year. However, I've only ever used cheap and cheerful rotary mowers. The current one is a Flymo 'Lawnrazor' with grass pick up and a cut of about 12". My son in law bought it for me after I tried to cut their overlong bit of grass with my old one and it fell apart in the process. This machine picks up the clippings quite well, but doesn't like long or even slightly damp grass, which clogs it up easly.. and like most of these things, it smashes, rather than cuts the grass. I've long hankered after a nice push along 'proper' cylinder mower of the Webb, or similar persuasion, but I don't know if they are still made. What does the team think? Col 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,580 Posted April 14, 2017 Report Share Posted April 14, 2017 Cylinder mowers are ok at cutting the grass because that's what they are designed to do but, because it has a cylinder of some weight it tends to compress the soil and as such could encourage moss,a lawn needs to breath,if you are going to use a cylinder mower dont forget to occasionally airate the soil with a garden fork or similar,cyclider mowers are good though for giving that well presented lawn look Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
the_big_fact_hunt 9 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 you can still buy cylinder push mowers, but they are not built like they used to be, quite lightweight and cheap and nasty now. Qualcast used to do one, i think wolf make one too, as well as webb handy and cobra Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJ360 6,721 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 Thanks for the replies. I had a look around online and there are a surprising number of second hand ones for sale on various websites. I just need to drop on one nearby, as transport seems to be the big issue. We have a lawnmower specialist nearby and there's also quite a big old place near Macclesfield which has a good reputation. And of course in Southport, about 30 minutes away.. we have: http://www.lawnmowerworld.co.uk/ Col Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radfordred 6,284 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 Just cut my grass look at the state of my feet? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MargieH 7,599 Posted April 16, 2017 Report Share Posted April 16, 2017 RR, Lamb and rosemary? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,580 Posted December 27, 2022 Report Share Posted December 27, 2022 Tomorrow I will be servicing the garden machinery, oil changes in the four stroke engines and fuel and air filters in all of them, new strimmer lines in the strimmers, sharpen mower blade and sharpen and balance the rotary mower blade, check the tines on the scarifier blade and give all the machines a good clean and oiling starting with my Atco Ensign B14E electric start Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,580 Posted December 28, 2022 Report Share Posted December 28, 2022 Well today didn't exactly go to plan with it raining most of the time but I did manage to change the oils in the Atco mower and the little Suffolk engine although it was in the greenhouse, put a drop of fuel in the tanks and fired them up, both running a treat so left them running for a time to get nice and hot before I covered them up again, after suffering the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning I spent a bit of time outside in the fresh (and wet)air before going in the shed to carry on with cleaning the little compressor that was given to me last week, it's come up a treat, just need to get a new pressure gauge and regulator for it and it's ready to do some work, might even get some reducers for it so I can run my air brushes off it, no time to sit down plenty to do Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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