Lifespan of Mower
- Thread starter Eugbug
- Start date
A mower running at the nominal RPM of about 3,500, is pretty much like going down the road in your car at about 80 mph for x hours. 500 hrs is 80mph x 500hrs = 40,000 miles, and that's nothing.
Keep the oil changed yearly, clean the air filter regularly, and a mower will last WAY longer than one suspects. A well-maintained motor is RARELY the cause of the demise of a mower. Corrosion is the enemy in most cases.
I have a 12 year old Craftsman 42" rider, my yard is 3 acres, takes 2+ hours to cut, and that comes in at around 500 hours.......... I keep the entire unit in good shape........ and plan on keeping it for many more years.
Keep the oil changed yearly, clean the air filter regularly, and a mower will last WAY longer than one suspects. A well-maintained motor is RARELY the cause of the demise of a mower. Corrosion is the enemy in most cases.
I have a 12 year old Craftsman 42" rider, my yard is 3 acres, takes 2+ hours to cut, and that comes in at around 500 hours.......... I keep the entire unit in good shape........ and plan on keeping it for many more years.
I personally think as long as you properly maintain the engine(oil changes, etc) it will last a very long time. In hours or years I really don't know. It may outlast us both!
As far as storing the new engine , I have no idea. I'm sorry but this is the best answer I can give you since I have no experience with storing a new engine over a long period of time. I would think as long as it gets no oxygen or sunlite that this too would last a few years in storage. Hope this helps!
Corrod
Ken Riddle
As far as storing the new engine , I have no idea. I'm sorry but this is the best answer I can give you since I have no experience with storing a new engine over a long period of time. I would think as long as it gets no oxygen or sunlite that this too would last a few years in storage. Hope this helps!
Corrod
Ken Riddle
Like others have suggested either :-
Sell your old mower & pocket the cash
or run both alternately
I have some experience with new Honda GX 4 strokes in new long term storage & wouldn't recommend storing a new mower for more than max maybe 1-2yrs in dry storage due to degradation of seals/gaskets & potential corrosion on internal/external surfaces through moisture (though extended storage is possible with correct preparation (i.e. dedicated storage/preserving oils, external coating of lanolin, grease proof paper..etc ) & from my military experience in excess of 30yrs).
As for lifespan of a mower the base plate, handles, frame & "plastics" etc.. will probably give way through age/corrision/harmonic vibration well before the motor (provided it is well maintained with synthetic oils) - for push mowers I have a MTD 5HP 4 stroke B & S c.15yrs that's only now starting to have a few carby concerns, a Victa 2 stroke that's much abused c.25yrs old ( & cut commercially for 3yrs), a Rover Suzuki 2 stroke c.10yrs all still basically good sound mowers & with a little maintenance/minor tinkering none even close to being pensioned off.
Sell your old mower & pocket the cash
or run both alternately
I have some experience with new Honda GX 4 strokes in new long term storage & wouldn't recommend storing a new mower for more than max maybe 1-2yrs in dry storage due to degradation of seals/gaskets & potential corrosion on internal/external surfaces through moisture (though extended storage is possible with correct preparation (i.e. dedicated storage/preserving oils, external coating of lanolin, grease proof paper..etc ) & from my military experience in excess of 30yrs).
As for lifespan of a mower the base plate, handles, frame & "plastics" etc.. will probably give way through age/corrision/harmonic vibration well before the motor (provided it is well maintained with synthetic oils) - for push mowers I have a MTD 5HP 4 stroke B & S c.15yrs that's only now starting to have a few carby concerns, a Victa 2 stroke that's much abused c.25yrs old ( & cut commercially for 3yrs), a Rover Suzuki 2 stroke c.10yrs all still basically good sound mowers & with a little maintenance/minor tinkering none even close to being pensioned off.
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grimreaper1
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I have a Toro that is in its 15th season
I have looked recently at new Toros which now offer features (blade brake clutch, electric start)
that used to run upwards of 7-800 dollars.
I will wait until the fall to see how prices drop, right now two 22" models are 399,
but the option is either elec start OR blade stop, not both.
Opinions om these?
My neighbor purchased a Sears w key start - he told me now his wife can't say the mower is "too hard to start" so she can get out of cutting duty!!
I have looked recently at new Toros which now offer features (blade brake clutch, electric start)
that used to run upwards of 7-800 dollars.
I will wait until the fall to see how prices drop, right now two 22" models are 399,
but the option is either elec start OR blade stop, not both.
Opinions om these?
My neighbor purchased a Sears w key start - he told me now his wife can't say the mower is "too hard to start" so she can get out of cutting duty!!
Gentlemen,
My walking mower is a Honda (easy-start) electric start, self-propelled, 2-speed, 24-inch with brake. I got it in about 1984.
In the spring, it starts after 2 pulls (the battery died after 4 years or so). After the first start in spring, it starts on one pull. I used it for about 1/3 acre until 1995. We moved to an acre in '95 and have used it for trim since. It smokes a bit, but is good otherwise. Alvarado Texas (Dallas-Ft Worth) has a long mowing season
When we moved to an acre in '95, I bought a 1975 John Deere 214 'Lawn Tractor' with 47-inch mower.
I replaced the engine (short block) in 2002.
Had lots of fuel-pump trouble, and finally installed an after-market 'Mr Gasket' fuel pump. I left the old mechanical pump installed.
I replaced one blade bearing, don't remember just when. I've replaced belts two or three times.
The transmission quit staying in 2nd gear, so I overhauled the transmission this year, 2012, using parts mostlly from 3-bay.
I have a 1949 John Deere 'MT' (20 HP) tractor. I have a 1957 John Deere '620' (40 HP), bought new by my Uncle and willed to me.
My walking mower is a Honda (easy-start) electric start, self-propelled, 2-speed, 24-inch with brake. I got it in about 1984.
In the spring, it starts after 2 pulls (the battery died after 4 years or so). After the first start in spring, it starts on one pull. I used it for about 1/3 acre until 1995. We moved to an acre in '95 and have used it for trim since. It smokes a bit, but is good otherwise. Alvarado Texas (Dallas-Ft Worth) has a long mowing season
When we moved to an acre in '95, I bought a 1975 John Deere 214 'Lawn Tractor' with 47-inch mower.
I replaced the engine (short block) in 2002.
Had lots of fuel-pump trouble, and finally installed an after-market 'Mr Gasket' fuel pump. I left the old mechanical pump installed.
I replaced one blade bearing, don't remember just when. I've replaced belts two or three times.
The transmission quit staying in 2nd gear, so I overhauled the transmission this year, 2012, using parts mostlly from 3-bay.
I have a 1949 John Deere 'MT' (20 HP) tractor. I have a 1957 John Deere '620' (40 HP), bought new by my Uncle and willed to me.
Mad-Mike
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Bought My 87' MTD 22" mower used in 2005 to moiw my room mate's yard when I moved to WA. Last year I did a complete rebuild of the self-propelled drive and cables, it looks and runs like a 4 year old mower now. When I bought it everything was original, including the blade. I've used it about 4 times this season to keep up a friend's yard, it still runs great.
I think a lot of it is the environment. Most people I know their yard is not horrible, but the back yard I grew up in ATE lawn mowers for breakfast! The thing was a giant erosion field/sink hole built on top of an indian spring! We had hidden dangers everywhere - snakes, stumps, tree roots, rocks....mud pits would randomy form in the yard and the grass would STILL grow over them. It was beautiful looking (especially considering I was "mudding" Self-Propelled walk-behinds to get it done), but heaven forbid you run a lawn mower over it. I've broken crankshafts, torn up blades, gummed up SP drive mechanisms in the mud.
In that yard...
First we had an 84' Lawn-Boy that was probably the best thing for that yard! THe only problem is it had drive cables and a stop switch that would constantly fail and prevent the machine from starting. However, it still stood as the only mower that could eat a well hidden stump with just a drop of throttle and some shrapnel. We only ever replaced the blade twice, it even ate a piece Rebar in another yard once (yes, REBAR) and still chugged away happily. It's still out there now in someone elese yard, probably eating their dead bush stumps, green with glee.
On the other hand, we had a Southland that shook it's flimsy-self apart, another Southland 20" that lasted 15 years with less service than the Lawn-Boy, and a Snapper that always got something else wrong with it after finishing the yard. Funny, the bad Southland once tried to bury itself in the muddy portion of the yard, whereas the Lawn-Boy would just coast across, throwing mud everywhere from underneath. Good thing I enjioyed fixing those beasts, I spent a lot of time "toughening" those mosnters up, but there was always something else to go wrong next.
So I'd put about 15-20 years on the average lifespan of a piece of equiptment presuming the owner fixes it rather than tosses it just because the pull cord broke or a wheel busted off.
I think a lot of it is the environment. Most people I know their yard is not horrible, but the back yard I grew up in ATE lawn mowers for breakfast! The thing was a giant erosion field/sink hole built on top of an indian spring! We had hidden dangers everywhere - snakes, stumps, tree roots, rocks....mud pits would randomy form in the yard and the grass would STILL grow over them. It was beautiful looking (especially considering I was "mudding" Self-Propelled walk-behinds to get it done), but heaven forbid you run a lawn mower over it. I've broken crankshafts, torn up blades, gummed up SP drive mechanisms in the mud.
In that yard...
First we had an 84' Lawn-Boy that was probably the best thing for that yard! THe only problem is it had drive cables and a stop switch that would constantly fail and prevent the machine from starting. However, it still stood as the only mower that could eat a well hidden stump with just a drop of throttle and some shrapnel. We only ever replaced the blade twice, it even ate a piece Rebar in another yard once (yes, REBAR) and still chugged away happily. It's still out there now in someone elese yard, probably eating their dead bush stumps, green with glee.
On the other hand, we had a Southland that shook it's flimsy-self apart, another Southland 20" that lasted 15 years with less service than the Lawn-Boy, and a Snapper that always got something else wrong with it after finishing the yard. Funny, the bad Southland once tried to bury itself in the muddy portion of the yard, whereas the Lawn-Boy would just coast across, throwing mud everywhere from underneath. Good thing I enjioyed fixing those beasts, I spent a lot of time "toughening" those mosnters up, but there was always something else to go wrong next.
So I'd put about 15-20 years on the average lifespan of a piece of equiptment presuming the owner fixes it rather than tosses it just because the pull cord broke or a wheel busted off.
clarkekv
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I got my first mower in 9/1999 and just replaced it in 6/2012.
9/1999 $325 Honda self propelled side discharge Lawn Mower
6/2012 $428 Honda self propelled rear discharge Lawn Mower
12 years 9 months so essentially 12 seasons in Long Island NY on a small 1/4 acre (yes I could've just done a push mower ;-). Changed the oil probably 4 times over that time frame, once after the first month of use which was probably the most crucial.
The old one wouldn't start at the beginning of last year's season and then after a $40 visit to a small engine repair shop ran as always first pull. This season it started becomming harder and harder to start where it required many pulls and finally wouldn't start flat out. I visited this site, talked to some friends and neighbors, decided that it wasn't worth another trip to the shop, especially with HomeDepot's new low price of $399 for the Honda Model # HRR216VKA.
What should I do with the old one?
9/1999 $325 Honda self propelled side discharge Lawn Mower
6/2012 $428 Honda self propelled rear discharge Lawn Mower
12 years 9 months so essentially 12 seasons in Long Island NY on a small 1/4 acre (yes I could've just done a push mower ;-). Changed the oil probably 4 times over that time frame, once after the first month of use which was probably the most crucial.
The old one wouldn't start at the beginning of last year's season and then after a $40 visit to a small engine repair shop ran as always first pull. This season it started becomming harder and harder to start where it required many pulls and finally wouldn't start flat out. I visited this site, talked to some friends and neighbors, decided that it wasn't worth another trip to the shop, especially with HomeDepot's new low price of $399 for the Honda Model # HRR216VKA.
What should I do with the old one?
