Are a lot of folks really hard on their equipment?

[RetiredGuns]

Seems like there is so much equipment failure. Of course I realize that any forum of a specific nature will attract a ton of posts with problems. I also realize that mowers and other landscaping equipment are often used hard and involve a lot of working parts. I read about relatively new equipment breaking here and wonder if the stuff is faulty, if it's abused and I guess it is a combo a lot of times. I have been extremely lucky (knock on wood). My first rider was a PX bought Murray with a 17hp Tecumsah and the thing never failed once. Years of service with nothing but oil & air filter changes. Got tired of looking at it and bought a Cub Cadet LT1042 with the (crappy) 19hp Kohler Courage. Again, 9 years with nothing but oil & air filter changes. I have had a Tanaka string trimmer for longer than I can remember and it starts on the first or 2nd pull even after sitting all winter. Crappy Poulan blower for 8 years now and haven't even changed the plug. Now I have a Hustler Raptor and am hoping for the same. Sometimes I wonder if I've just dodged a bullet!

 

[djdicetn]

Seems like there is so much equipment failure. Of course I realize that any forum of a specific nature will attract a ton of posts with problems. I also realize that mowers and other landscaping equipment are often used hard and involve a lot of working parts. I read about relatively new equipment breaking here and wonder if the stuff is faulty, if it's abused and I guess it is a combo a lot of times. I have been extremely lucky (knock on wood). My first rider was a PX bought Murray with a 17hp Tecumsah and the thing never failed once. Years of service with nothing but oil & air filter changes. Got tired of looking at it and bought a Cub Cadet LT1042 with the (crappy) 19hp Kohler Courage. Again, 9 years with nothing but oil & air filter changes. I have had a Tanaka string trimmer for longer than I can remember and it starts on the first or 2nd pull even after sitting all winter. Crappy Poulan blower for 8 years now and haven't even changed the plug. Now I have a Hustler Raptor and am hoping for the same. Sometimes I wonder if I've just dodged a bullet!

You're spot on...these forums attract mainly those seeking to buy or those seeking repair/troubleshooting advice! My history of lawn mowers is kinda like yours(they don't make 'em like they did when you bought that Murray with the Tecumsah:0) My first was a 1993 48" Lawn chief(an Ace Hardware brand), that had a 16hp Briggs & Stratton Vangard. WOW what an engine..I replaced a spindle in 2009 and gave it to my son(13 year of oil/oil filter/air filter changes) and my son retired it in 2012. That engines was still running like new but the deck simply rusted out. My second(similar to your experience) was a 2009 60" Craftsman Lawn Tractor(made by Husqvarna) with a 24hp B & S Intek(crappy, just like your Kohler Courage:0( I gave that to my son in 2012 when I got my Gravely.

Even though, as a Marine Corp vet(thanks for your service!!!!), you probably got accustomed to dodging bullets....I firmly believe that your good fortune is simply a well-deserved blessing!! If you take care of that Raptor with religious maintenance and try to keep it clean it'll most likely outlast you!! Any dirt/oil/grime buildup on stuff tends to cause it to break down sooner.....I've go a 1995 Chevy Silverado with 240,000 miles and the original 350 V8 is regularly power washed and looks like a new engine. So, this advice is from a guy with an OCD about keeping equipment clean:0)

 

[Fish]

I have found that most equipment brought in for some warranty work, it turns out to not be warrantable, due to something that the owner has done. Many of the ones that come here have been denied and want an audience to hear their grievances, so one
can consider their story subjective to their point of view only, which is why I ask a lot of pointed questions.

You have had good luck with your equipment, because it is obvious in your first post that you take care of your stuff.

 

[Wildcat]

The term of 'hard use' varies from person to person. But if you take care of equipment and do your PMCS, it should last you for the longest time no matter the hardship the equipment endures.

 

[sjessen]

One other point to at least consider is that a commercial user may well use a mower, etc. more in a week than a residential in an entire year. For example, a contractor I know was called by his son who said he needed a new commercial grade trimmer. His father asked him how much he had used it. He said he had used one spool of string this entire year to which his father replied that during spring growth he used a spool of trimmer line per day.

 

[Ric]

One other point to at least consider is that a commercial user may well use a mower, etc. more in a week than a residential in an entire year. For example, a contractor I know was called by his son who said he needed a new commercial grade trimmer. His father asked him how much he had used it. He said he had used one spool of string this entire year to which his father replied that during spring growth he used a spool of trimmer line per day.

I think a couple of you hit it right. 'Hard use' does vary from person to person. The average residential owner will average about 16 to 20 hours a year on his mower depending on the mowing season and location or about 2 hours a month. The commercial operator can do or put 20 hours on a mower in a two or three days, same with his trimmers, edgers and blowers.

 

[jekjr]

I personally think that many if not most problems come about from equipment sitting around not being used.

 

[gfp55]

Those are all good points you all brought up. I have learned over the years that lots of people don't read the manual to their machines, over fill the oil, don't check the oil, things like that. And then theres the "common sense factor".

 

[exotion]

I personally think that many if not most problems come about from equipment sitting around not being used.

This is what I agree with mostly. Amazing what an engine sitting for a few months will do. Stale fuel (will burn but not burn good and will be dirty on the mower and plug) parts that need to be constantly lubed are not getting oil flow and is drying up after they dry and you start the mower those dry parts are going to be moved (albeit very short amount of time) dry and will cause wear. Corossion from water/condensation. Sun damage (mostly cosmetic)

These things happen faster than people realize. A commercial user is constantly using equipment and usually taking care of maintenance. There equipment rarely sits for a day or two in the season. And most commercial users know how to take care of there machine in the winter (run it every couple weeks) where residential users just park it somewhere ( usually outdoors, or somewhere where hot/cold can be extreme

 

[sjessen]

This is what I agree with mostly. Amazing what an engine sitting for a few months will do. Stale fuel (will burn but not burn good and will be dirty on the mower and plug) parts that need to be constantly lubed are not getting oil flow and is drying up after they dry and you start the mower those dry parts are going to be moved (albeit very short amount of time) dry and will cause wear. Corossion from water/condensation. Sun damage (mostly cosmetic)

These things happen faster than people realize. A commercial user is constantly using equipment and usually taking care of maintenance. There equipment rarely sits for a day or two in the season. And most commercial users know how to take care of there machine in the winter (run it every couple weeks) where residential users just park it somewhere ( usually outdoors, or somewhere where hot/cold can be extreme

An illustration of the above post is all of the threads about carburetors that need cleaning/repair from sitting.