Newest toy in the shed

Elfiero

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I need to get a battery for it, but it starts fine with the cord.
 

Elfiero

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I guess the pics didn't come thru- let's try again:
I guess it isn't going to work today. Anyways, I found a 10545 that I got from the original owners son-in-law for $10, and it came with the rear bagger kit. It does need a battery, but other than that- it's in pretty decent shape. The P.O. was running it without a gas cap(!!!) and said he couldn't figure out why it quit running. There was a huge amount of water in the carb- surprise, surprise. One of the first things I noticed is it seems much smoother than the two Duraforce models I have. It makes me wonder about how much raw torque this one has. Any input from you guys with "F"s?
 

jp1961

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Hello,

I have one F engine Lawn-boy. It does run well. The F engine is 128cc versus the 141cc on the Duraforce.

I think the F engine is the last engine actually engineered by Lawn-Boy, the Duraforce came along after Toro bought out the brand.

Torque wise, nothing beats cubic inches, except for cubic feet, I think the Duraforce has an edge on power verses the F engine.

Regards

Jeff
 

Elfiero

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I think I finally figured out what I was doing wrong.
 

Elfiero

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OK, So I did a side-by-side mow/leaf collection between the "F" and the Duraforce, both are gold pro models. The jet has been drilled out on the Duraforce, so no surging noted. The Duraforce definitely has more power, and even "snarls" a bit. The "F" doesn't seem as powerful, but d_mn, it sure runs smooth. Both are running on Stihl full synthetic mixed at 40 to 1. Which would you keep, and which would you sell to the son of a very close friend? Lastly, they are both in near perfect condition, so how much would you ask for each? BTW, the "F" is a '95 sold new in '97. the duraforce is a 2001, sold in 2002, and has a new coil and plug. I removed, disassembled and cleaned the carbs on both, and installed sharpened&balanced blades on both. A little help?
 

2smoked

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I can’t claim to be much of an authority on the Duraforce. I worked on my first one this summer for a friend. I found it to be powerful and worked just like you described. I have owned and worked on F models for years and have found them to be extremely long lasting-I have an old 40 year old F model that still runs fine even if it is a bit low on compression. The only major item that I have replaced on it after all these years is the coil and the wheels. I know that I may sound opinionated but I am a big believer in the F engine. I own two of them from 1979 and they have been as reliable as a hammer. They may not be as powerful as the Duraforce, but over the long haul, they have lasted a long time with proper care, of course. I personally like the below deck muffler on the F too. Any problems that I may have on either of them were easily diagnosed and repaired. 40 years ago when I bought that first one, Lawn Boy use to run a TV commercial where the last line was “As time goes by— you’ll know why.” Take this FWIW.
 

2smoked

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I just noticed that I sort of failed to answer your question on dollar value. That’s a tough one. I guess if I was trying to sell them around where I live, I would put somewhere north of $100 on each one and see what happens. In my area there are buyers who like them for ditch cutters because they will operate well without risk of oil starvation that can affect 4 strokes. I have had some luck moving Lawn Boys by emphasizing that they never need an oil change and therefore make excellent mowers for cabin and lake property owners. I have also found that when selling them on Craigslist, good photos are worth a thousand words. Maybe this will help you.
 

jp1961

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Hello,

For fall leaf pickup, nothing beats a Snapper for vacuum action, and they can be found with the Tecumseh 4.5 2cycle and Wisconsin/Robin 2 cycle.

My Honda HR215 Masters mower has better vacuum action than any of my Lawn-Boys, but not as good as a Snapper.

It seems like the Duraforce Lawn-Boys are getting scarcer to come by on Craigslist. The last year or two, I've seen very few Duraforces.

Regards

Jeff
 

viperv10

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Hello there,
A new battery for your lawn boy seems to run from 60 some to 80 some dollars. Myself,I would not spend the money for a new one as long as I could pull start it ok. I have taken the starter off an F mower and a Duraforce to make them lighter. I love the F engines but I also have 3 duraforces. I have used some newer 4 cycle mowers in the past few years but they seem to run at a lower rpm than they used to and seem to be under powered. The F engines are long lasting.
The duraforces might be as long lasting, but only time will tell since they came out about 20 years after the first F engines. I think I would ask at least $125
for your mower here in Ohio. From the pictures its looks in very good shape. I have seen some like yours on Facebook marketplace with asking price of $250
with a good battery and working good.
Regards
Jerry
 
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