I've had my Craftsman B+S 6.5 hp mower for 12 seasons now, and its starting to need a few things, and decided to look into new options, and found quite a lot not to like:
1. Most have that plastic front axle, is there an advantage to this, other than them making money off of us buying a new part when it breaks?
2. I'm only interested in a mulching/push mower, and I would prefer to only have to mow once, and not have to mow the same area twice, not have clumps, is HP, torque or another factor I should consider?
I know that HP and torque are crucial, but even with decent numbers(7-8 lb.ft of torque) people are complaining about 2" not getting cut the first time.
3. Honda, B+S, or some other engine for longevity?
*I have been extremely happy with my B+S engine, and tune it up every year, always starts on the first/second pull
I'm really considering just tuning mine up with a new spark plug, oil, air filter and wheels(my main issue right now, they are broken) after seeing all that I have seen in terms of what's available, but I've come this far, so I'm willing to move forward with a new one, instead of dropping $100+ on my 12 y/o one.
1. Most have that plastic front axle, is there an advantage to this, other than them making money off of us buying a new part when it breaks?
2. I'm only interested in a mulching/push mower, and I would prefer to only have to mow once, and not have to mow the same area twice, not have clumps, is HP, torque or another factor I should consider?
I know that HP and torque are crucial, but even with decent numbers(7-8 lb.ft of torque) people are complaining about 2" not getting cut the first time.
3. Honda, B+S, or some other engine for longevity?
*I have been extremely happy with my B+S engine, and tune it up every year, always starts on the first/second pull
I'm really considering just tuning mine up with a new spark plug, oil, air filter and wheels(my main issue right now, they are broken) after seeing all that I have seen in terms of what's available, but I've come this far, so I'm willing to move forward with a new one, instead of dropping $100+ on my 12 y/o one.