If you've been mowing more than an acre for many years, you probably remember the "yard tractor", and certainly by today's standards it really was. Beefy frames, bigger tires, strong thick deck metal, maybe provisions for hydraulic attachments. Back in the day if you bought a Cub Cadet you were probably going to pass it on to the next property owner or one of your kids when you down sized. Alas, progress....
Cub Cadet, Yard Machine, TroyBilt are all now owned and manufactured by MTD. Husqvarna, Ariens, AYP, all owned by Electrolux. A couple of years ago we were sent to Lowes to repair some John Deere mowers. Seemed odd until we found out they were actually manufactured by Murray who is now owned by Briggs & Stratton. Confused yet?
More than ever a knowledgeable sales person is worth getting to know. After reading the above, do you really think a few hours on the internet is going to be enough to make a good decision on a mower purchase? Is the salesperson at the box store going to know the inner workings of the mower or just the highlights they're taught? Remember the plastic transmission I mentioned earlier? It is in the box store version of the same model mower we sell with a metal transmission. Our mechanic even pointed out that technically we could install the good transmission in the box store machine if a customer wanted to pay the price.
Like the walk behind mowers, you can either do the maintenance over time or plan on some large repair bills to bring several deferred maintenance problems back up to par. Aside from the same issues noted in the previous blog, the riding mower will have a battery, starting system, safety switches, blade engagement mechanisms, a charging system, fuel pump, and lights, all needing attention. Leveling the deck and keeping good blades sharp make for a nice cut and you'd be surprised how much more fuel dull blades take, they also put a great deal more wear and tear on the deck belts. At $4.50+/gallon (you're buying non-ethanol unleaded right?) you can pay for new blades or blade sharpening pretty quick. I probably don't need to mention the cost (and stress) savings associated with better belt life
Change your oil at least once every 100 hours, keep your air filter clean or replaced, use only known clean containers for fuel, keep a trickle charger on the battery when the mower will be sitting for more than a few weeks, don't mow over rough surfaces too quickly, keep tire pressure correct (makes a big difference on how level the mower cuts), and grease the grease zerks regularly. Completely remove debris from under and on top of the deck at least a couple of times a year (Fall season so it doesn't sit there all Winter) and you'd likely not need our services, if you bought a good mower.
Got some other tips to share? We'd love to hear them as well as share them with our readers!
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