What features on a propelled mower?

[Ric]

Personally out of the mowers mentioned I'd go with a Honda like your link from Home Depot and I'd stay with the rear wheel drive. If you need good EASY 180 degree turn ability you mite want to look at something like this ( Walk-Behind Mowers by Cub Cadet ) it has the same Honda 160 cc engine as the mower from HD and you never have to pick up the front end to turn around. With the front wheels unlocked they turn in the direction you want to go and it's a variable speed.

 

[Yardguy]

Personally out of the mowers mentioned I'd go with a Honda like your link from Home Depot and I'd stay with the rear wheel drive. If you need good EASY 180 degree turn ability you mite want to look at something like this ( Walk-Behind Mowers by Cub Cadet ) it has the same Honda 160 cc engine as the mower from HD and you never have to pick up the front end to turn around. With the front wheels unlocked they turn in the direction you want to go and it's a variable speed.

Hi Ric,

Thanks for your suggestion. I'm thinking that I need front wheel drive (FWD) to be able to lift, push forward, drop down slowly, move back and forth, on the "really tough" zoysia grass we have when it gets a bit tall in wet spots. Also to mow back and forth under my wife's potted plant stands. I'm guessing that FWD will be more compatible with doing those chores than RWD.

Our lawn is flat and relatively level so there's no concern for front wheel slippage on slopes. The RWD Club Cadet you linked to looks like it would be great for turns though.

Thanks,
YardGuy

 

[pugaltitude]

Try the Toro. The personel pace feature is best on the market imo.

When you push harder on the handles it go's faster.

Go for one with a Briggs engine aswell. Best engine!!!

 

[Ric]

Hi Ric,

Thanks for your suggestion. I'm thinking that I need front wheel drive (FWD) to be able to lift, push forward, drop down slowly, move back and forth, on the "really tough" zoysia grass we have when it gets a bit tall in wet spots. Also to mow back and forth under my wife's potted plant stands. I'm guessing that FWD will be more compatible with doing those chores than RWD.

Our lawn is flat and relatively level so there's no concern for front wheel slippage on slopes. The RWD Club Cadet you linked to looks like it would be great for turns though.

Thanks,
YardGuy

I've used both (FWD and RWD ) and the FWD is heavier in the front than a RWD and for me was harder too use. As far as your concern for front wheel slippage on slopes goes I think that comes down to the operator presents. Self propelled mowers are designed to run basically by themselves whether the terrain is flat, hilly or if you're on slopes same as a RWD.

If you're thought is that you need front wheel drive (FWD) to be able to lift, push forward and it would be easier than a rear wheel I would have to say it wouldn't be. It seems to me that a (FWD) would heavier in the front than a RWD and with a variable speed if released either becomes a push mower so the back and forth thing wouldn't be a problem with either.

I've run the Honda from HD and it's a good mower no doubt one of the best. I switched to the Cub Cadet 98H ( Honda Engine ) and have run it for two seasons, six days a week and have never had a problem. The nice thing about the 98H is you can do things like corners, following the couture of flower beds and such and do it easier than fighting a regular mower. I wouldn't go back to the Home Depot Honda.. If by chance you go to check out the 98H ask the cc dealer to check for the 190cc Honda engine and see if it's still available.

 

[Yardguy]

Try the Toro. The personel pace feature is best on the market imo.

When you push harder on the handles it go's faster.

Go for one with a Briggs engine aswell. Best engine!!!

Hi pugaltitude,

I've only found Toro Personal Pace mowers with rear wheel drive. Do they make Personal Pace mowers with front wheel drive?

Thanks,
YardGuy

 

[exotion]

Try the Toro. The personel pace feature is best on the market imo.

When you push harder on the handles it go's faster.

Go for one with a Briggs engine aswell. Best engine!!!

I would not recommend the personal pace. It seems like he needs to be very maneuverable and the personal pace mower is definately not. I use it every day all day and its a fantastic mower but maneuverable is not a discriptive you need a mower you can beat up and get cheap parts for go get a cheap craftsman FWD the gears in the front wont strip unless you have the drive engaged and you stop the wheels from turning. and if you do break it craftsman parts are cheap because no one takes craftsman seriously

 

[Rivets]

The Toro personal pace would be great for his use. Very easy to use going in and out of tight spaces. Won't even notice that it is rear wheel drive until he needs to go uphill. Then he will see how well it works. I've sold them to everyone from 20-81 and never had anyone return one. Most have brought me other customers. If you don't think it is maneuverable you aren't using it right or the traction cable is not adjusted right.

 

[exotion]

when you get close to a wall or turning around in a tight corner i find myself pushing and pulling a couple times to get my lines straight and yes i agree its my favorite so far but it is kinda hard to get around in tight spaces. the handle seems really long or maybe not adjusted right? and because of the propel handle being on top when i have to turn around near a bush i will scrape it with my hand some times they are thorny :/

 

[Yardguy]

I've used both (FWD and RWD ) and the FWD is heavier in the front than a RWD and for me was harder too use. As far as your concern for front wheel slippage on slopes goes I think that comes down to the operator presents. Self propelled mowers are designed to run basically by themselves whether the terrain is flat, hilly or if you're on slopes same as a RWD.

If you're thought is that you need front wheel drive (FWD) to be able to lift, push forward and it would be easier than a rear wheel I would have to say it wouldn't be. It seems to me that a (FWD) would heavier in the front than a RWD and with a variable speed if released either becomes a push mower so the back and forth thing wouldn't be a problem with either.

I've run the Honda from HD and it's a good mower no doubt one of the best. I switched to the Cub Cadet 98H ( Honda Engine ) and have run it for two seasons, six days a week and have never had a problem. The nice thing about the 98H is you can do things like corners, following the couture of flower beds and such and do it easier than fighting a regular mower. I wouldn't go back to the Home Depot Honda.. If by chance you go to check out the 98H ask the cc dealer to check for the 190cc Honda engine and see if it's still available.

Hi Ric,

>> It seems to me that a (FWD) would heavier in the front than a RWD and with a variable speed if released either becomes a push mower so the back and forth thing wouldn't be a problem with either. <<

I watched a repair video for a "rear wheel drive" mower on youtube. It showed how, (when it's working normally), the rear wheel can be spun in one direction (with clicks) but not in the opposite direction. Apparently, the rear wheel has a ratchet arrangement which allows free wheeling in one direction only. It seems that this would not be conducive to manually mowing back & forth, even with the variable speed released. I have no idea whether that's how all rear wheel drive mowers work.

Thank you very much for all of your input,
YardGuy

 

[txzrider]

I would like to go back to a point I was trying to make and others have said as well. A high quality powerful modern mower should cut anything you can get it to drive through. If I was even remotely concerned the 6hp mower I was buying would need to be lifted and slowly moved forward like the OP is stating ... I would get a bigger friggin' mower! My 60-70's 3.5 / 4.0hp mowers all suffered from the need to push through too high of grass that required back and forth and lifting and such! That all ended by the late 90's when I bought my Snapper 21inch 6hp. At the time it was the most I had ever paid for a mower... but it cut and mulched darn near anything! Wet/dry it does not matter. It goes as slow as I need or as fast as my son wants it to go... to turn corners I let off the drive lever and it turns easy. They offered a front dolly wheel option like the cub cadet that others have mentioned but I never needed it. I have to believe anything toro or honda or cub cadet with 6.something engine and a sharp blade will cut what you need. If it does not, you need more motor anyway which puts you in the 8.75 toro timecutter 30 inch type mower for twice the price. I dont know anything about the current snapper equiv of what I have ... but if it is as good as mine, I would recommend it as well. I also believe rear wheel drive will push through tall grass better than front wheel drive as well... just my personal experience for what its worth.