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Somehow I missed this. Cheapo lawn tractors tend to mow better than cheapo push mowers. I used to have a riding mower with a 36" or 38" deck (it's been a long time) and 12HP engine. It mowed better than my Toro Recycler. It was almost useless on the hills in my yard, so I got rid of it, but it...

On the small subdivision yards I've had, I've always used push mowers. But... I can't say I wasn't tempted to get a rider. They are faster and often have headlights, which would allow me to get the mowing done starting at 6:00 in Sept, where I wouldn't have time to get done before dark with a...

You mentioned the bag chute, which, I assumed, you wouldn't be using or even mentioning if you were side discharging. Sucks to always have wet grass. Years ago, I had a 20" Murray mower with a Briggs engine rated at 3.5HP. This may be what's on your Craftsman. It was side discharge only, and...

So you want to be able to mow super-tall wet grass, and bag it? With a Craftsman 21" push mower? Now I'm thinking this is a troll. This job is in the territory of $10000 stand-on mowers. How long would it take to fill a bag while mowing super-tall wet grass? I'm thinking about a minute. So you'd...

I have an automotive dual-post lift that I'd like to use, but so far, I haven't figured out how to, other than hooking a chain to it, and lifting with the chain. I use a floor jack and jack stands, or car ramps, depending on the job. I use car ramps unless they would be in the way for the job I...

For OPE, it really doesn't matter. Both are measures of the ability to cut grass. More HP = better ability to cut. More torque = better ability to cut. The problem comes when you try to compare engines rated in HP vs those rated in torque. Torque is probably a better measure, as it's easier to...

Simple. Don't let your grass get that tall. Mow often with a properly working mower. The rule-of-thumb is to cut no more than 1/3 the length of the grass. So if you want your grass at 2", mow when it gets to 3". In the growing season, that's usually around once a week. Make sure the deck is not...

I'll just leave this here. Don’t trust the “Experts” Grease your mower deck sealed spindle bearings Common sense maintenance.

Sounds like he's run through the easier options.

Unfortunately, that's probably exactly what it needs now.

Get a HF hand pump. They're $7.49.

Mower: Cub Cadet Pro Z 100S Engine: Kohler EZT750. ~385 hrs. I noticed on my last mow, that when I shut off the engine, it stops more quickly than it did last season. Or even two weeks ago (when I previously mowed). Should I be concerned? Oil is fresh, and level is good. One change from last...

The octane rating for your engine is a minimum. You can go higher with no problem, except for expense. The high octane (especially ethanol-free) will be more expensive.

This. It DEFINITELY sounds like you have a fuel flow problem.

Nice hijack. So the OP can use an electric mower as a pressure washer?

I DID say, "most", didn't I?

This recommendation just cost me $129.99 plus tax. 😅 I have several gas jugs taking up lots of floor space. Some of them are missing the cap. I can get rid of them all now. Except the 2 gal one, which I'll use to carry fuel out to the machine that just ran out. Now I just need to rig up...

My problem with 2-blade mowers is that most of them have single cylinder engines. The twins from Briggs, Kaw, and Kohler are all better than their singles, and run smoother with less vibration.

Maintenance records? If someone showed me maintenance records of a mower, I'd be in shock.

Unless you took it apart, the vent could still be plugged. Next time it does it, remove the fuel cap, and see if that fixes it.

I 2nd this. Any time I have starting problems, new fuel is my first go-to.

True, but.... I'm fairly mechanical, and I've had no-start problems with gas equipment in the past, too, until I learned not to ignore the maintenance schedule. One problem, if you want to call it that, is that many OPE engines will tolerate being neglected. To a point. If someone buys a new gas...

I guess what I should really be impressed with is the ATV. It tows and drags stuff around with no problem, except for it wanting to overheat. Thanks for the info.

Yes.

Does it run with the air filter removed? When you tilted it over, did you tilt it away from the air filter? If you tilted it toward the air filter, oil could make its way to the filter, and will ruin it. It will also prevent the engine from running. You should be able to check this by just...

If $300 bumps you up to a fabricated deck, I'd go that route. Upgrading the deck would be cost prohibitive. Like others have said, you still have to maintain either one. If you ever have some brush that, even though you know you shouldn't, you decide to mow it anyway, you'll be glad for the...

300 lbs is probably good enough for what I need to do. I'm not planning on moving a 5th wheel around. Just drag small trees, and tow a small utility trailer, which probably weighs around 100 lbs. Do the ZT-3400's do anything for me? They are supposedly commercial, and are serviceable. I would...

Then stop giving the wrong advice when it's clearly wrong for the application. I acknowledge that battery equipment CAN be the right answer sometimes. You suggest that battery equipment is always the answer. That sounds like agenda, not opinion.

Hmmm. Sounds like my best bet would be to find a beat up lawn tractor with a gear transmission and a rusted out deck for cheap. If I burned up something like that, it wouldn't bother me. Does this apply to tractors? I'm looking for a compact or subcompact tractor, too. I'm finding that the...

Way to, once again, evangelize for battery equipment ("the future is here"), while ignoring almost everything TobyU said. The OP provided a wishlist for his mower. A few of the key ones were: - Powerful and strong torque engine that doesn’t stall in knee high grass on a damp Saturday morning...

I have an older 3-wheel Honda ATV ("Big Red") that I've been using for light towing around my property. Dragging small felled trees, towing a small utility trailer, etc. It doesn't seem to struggle with the loads I've put on it. But... it DOES seem to struggle with staying cool. The last time I...

Quickly Unflood A Weedeater Using NO Tools

Isn't it odd that the only people who have a problem with my comments are the battery evangelists? None of the regulars have disputed any of my comments. Yes, the flipper will likely have "just what the customer needs". But... if he has a mower there for sale, then he just fixed it. Which means...

Because people are stating facts that just aren't true. The OP wanted a "forever" mower. The battery evangelists came in here with their recommendations. Battery equipment is not at the point where they have earned the "forever" label. Repairability is much better with gas equipment. Parts...

Did you really just suggest to an electrical engineer to join the 21st Century? I'd venture that I know more about the technology surrounding battery equipment than most here. I've had gas equipment, battery equipment (admittedly older equipment), riders, pushers, and even a reel mower. I've...

The objective of businesses is to make money. Full stop. If they need to have a customer focus to do that, they will. But if they don't, then they won't. The cable tv industry was (and probably still is) famous for the worst customer service of any industry. The US auto makers famously spurned...

It's foolish to think that carmakers are making EVs because they're better. They're in the business of making money. Not serving the needs of the public. With all the government subsidies, there's a lot of money to be made in EV's. Without government subsidies, there would be no EVs. Battery...

True, but... these engines are typically rated at 3600 RPMs. I used to race go-karts. We ran horizontal shaft 5HP Briggs flatheads. The governors were removed, and the stock class engines ran considerably more than 3600 RPMs. If I had to guess, I'd say around 4500RPM. But I WILL admit, running...

Um, where did you prove anyone or anything wrong? Ferrari makes an EV. Ok. Does that prove anything? I tried a battery powered trimmer years ago. I'm an electrical engineer, and I wanted to be able to "go electric". The technology was nowhere close to good enough. Now the tech IS much better...

There are Kohlers that are better than some Kawasakis. There are Kawasakis that are better than some Kohlers. There is overlap, but Kawasakis are, in general, a bit better than Kohlers, and the prices generally reflect that. A mower with a Kawasaki will cost a bit more than the same model with a...

Obviously, some people have drunk the green kool-aid. The OP asked for recommendations for a "forever mower". Which I take to be, one that will never need to be replaced. Battery mowers are currently the exact opposite of this. There are pretty much zero 5 yrs old battery powered mowers in use...

I love it. It's like just taking a walk around the yard. Almost effortless. Turning the mower around, though, takes a bit of effort.

This one. I don't know about the v8 tach.

^ This. I think this is why my riders give a better cut than my walk behinds.

I like my Toro Personal Pace, too. I like it better than anything I see in the big box stores these days. I don't know of anything that meet all the items on your checklist. If you want a long lasting mower, I'd find a local "flipper". I.e. someone who fixes junk mowers, and resells them. They...

I still have my original paper mower and engine manuals, and they don't mention RPMs at all.

I'm not worried about the grass police. But I WOULD like my mower to work as designed. It's been a reliable workhorse over the years, but I've never been particularly satisfied with the cut quality.

Same here. I almost always prefer and recommend gas equipment. But for a lawn this size, they could even use a reel mower. No gas AND no battery.

That COULD be, potentially, never. If the engine is properly maintained, primarily the air filter, the engine won't carbon up. It will probably wear out before it gets carboned up. If the air filter is allowed to get really dirty, the problems snowball. Once the air filter gets so dirty, it will...

3600 RPM on a 22" blade results in a blade speed of 20735.