Getting a brand new R213c rider. Tips and tricks?

[simplicity1992]

Getting it delivered next week. This is a big investment for me and i want to get the most out of it. More expensive than my current car.
I'm thinking about put some wax on it in the first place to protect it from the worst scratches in the beginning.
Any other tips and things i should know about?

Most important of all is that my neighbor only has a R112C so mine is bigger

 

[bertsmobile1]

Well I will put my head in the noose and say
the articulated mowers are the only orange thing I would suggest my customers buy .
If the new ones are anything like the old ones it should out live your car and the two that follow it.
The only thing that will shorten it's life is dust accumulating on the tranny so remove the cover regularly and blow the dust out .
Read the manual carefully.
The old ones have some grease points for the main frame pivot and the tension arms.
Which motor & which deck did you spring for ? .
Do not let the grass get too tall, it is a fine finish mower not a paddock slasher
I have a 15c in the run that had 1700 hours on it at the last service .
I presume you have driven your neighbours mower before you decided to drop the big bucks on an excellent mower
So no teenagers driving it , turn the wheel slowly and be careful when doing tight turns as the mower will self steer into a full lock unless you hold the wheel to prevent it happening.
They do take a little getting used to but as you might imagine, I love them .
GEt a 3" key ring and hang the keys over the dipstick so you remember to check the oil.
Watch what you mow. the most common repair I do on the Rider range ( & the similar Stiga or Jonsored ) is replacing the shear pins and / or blades because the have run over a dog toy, branch sprinkler etc on the lawn.
And enjoy your mower .

 

[simplicity1992]

Thank you for a great answer. My parents have a small LT151 so i'm not unfamiliar with basic service and maintenance on Husqvarna machines.
The is no option for choosing engine or deck on this modell here in Norway. The more expensive models come without a moving deck so you can choose which one you like.
The specs on this is a 37 inch deck and a 6,6 kw engine. Which equal 9,5 horses if i'm not wrong. More than enough for me. I usually spend around 2,5-3 hours moving my lawn with a regular walk behind lawn mover so this will save me some time so i can do something else instead.

Yes this is not a toy and since i'm a single man there won't be any children joyriding this. I'm also thinking about putting insurance on this if i get a decent price.

 

[bertsmobile1]

When they first brought the model int the USA they were banned as being too dangerous so Husqvarna shipped them all down here till the "safe" USA model was made.
It is longer wider and does not turn as sharp as the EU version.
Very confusing for me with little to distinguish them 15 rider & rider 15 as we get both down here.
Down here dust & gum tree branches are the big problem, not something I would imaging you will have a problem with.
They don't like soggy damp soil either which is why Stiga did the 4WD variant
So I gater it came with the Combi deck ?
If you use the rear discharge then the mower will need regular cleaning underneath.
However , the mulching works so well I could not see any reason for discharging unless the grass has gotten too long.

 

[simplicity1992]

According to the specs it's a mulching/ rear discharge so i'll guess that i can remove a cover if i want rear discharge.
For the first few weeks i will probably move the lawn twice a week just for fun and to get to know it.
This also has a service/ cleaning position on the deck so it's easy to get all the grass away to prevent moist grass sticking to the deck and cause rust.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Do not wash the deck, use air to blow the clippings away
You will soon get bored of the novelty of the flip up deck
But just the same it is an excellent idea
I would have one myself except there are way too many dips & hollows ( on a farm ) and the deck gets caught on the hollows.
They ae also a PIA to get on a trailer for the same reason.
I do have a Stiga wit a similar et up but they have wheels on the front of the deck that can lift the front wheels of the mower off the ground when going up steep hills or down into hollows.

 

[simplicity1992]

Thanks for the tip. I will definitely not use the pressure washer on this.
I don't think it will be necessary to clean out the deck more than 2-3 times during the season so i'll manage that.
They are also heavy at 214 kilos (471 pounds) so i need some decent trailer ramps if i want to transport it.
Maybe it's possible to flip up the deck and then drive it onto the trailer?

 

[bertsmobile1]

Never tried that but might give it a shot next time .
And yes having a cast iron frame they are not light
Your great grand kids can worry about that when they inherit it.

 

[simplicity1992]

Finally got this today. First one delivered to me was a R214TC which is a more expensive model so had to call the dealer to come and switch it again.
Would have been fun to see how long before they discovered it. But honesty is important.
Used it for 1 hour today and really like it. Needs some adjustment to the fact that the rear turns first. Close to fences and cars this can go very wrong.
So sweet to have hydrostatic transmission without the need to stop and then switch gears. Maybe i have to replace my snowblower for a hydrostatic too
So nice to just turn the key and everything works. Specially when i'm in the middle of a big renovation project in my house.