DR® TRIMMER MOWER

[sgtmaconga]

does anyone have one of these? what's your thoughts on them or any of the DR stuff?

[John Bartley]

I've worked on a few of those DR brush mowers. When they're used as intended they do a really good job and last well. They're easy to work on and the parts are fairly generic (pulleys, belts, etc).  They are NOT a commercial unit, they're just built a bit better than the regular consumer stuff. (in my opinion)

cheers eh?

[flip]

If you're talking about the weedeater on roids we have had several over the years and they are the cat's meow for doing fence rows.  We also have one one of the earlier model walk behinds with 2 different decks and it does a good job on areas that not more than a foot and a half high. 

[tcsmpsi]

I have one of the DR trimmer mowers.  I should have gotten one years ago when I first started thinking on it.  I think it is a well built, well thought out piece of machinery.  I've looked at other company's 'similar' trimmer mowers, but they're nothing what my DR is.  It and a Husky trimmer is all I use around my place.

The 'strings' last a lot longer than I thought they would, and it works better for me than any of the push mowers I've had. 

[Bibbyman]

We have one of the larger Dr. Trimmers.  I don't remember the model but it has like a 9hp engine.  We got the larger one because it had spoke wheels instead of the plastic wheals and had electric start.  It was also available with a saw - a blade with a chain saw chain around the edge.  I thought I could actually cut sprouts and brush with it.

When it arrived, one wheel was bent and the battery busted off.  I guess it had been dropped.  They sent us new wheel and battery assembly.  

I got it all repaired and put the saw blade on.  I found it didn't work nearly as well as I had wanted so I took it off and it's not been back on.  

The electric start never did work and I never fooled with it as it also had a rope start and it started pretty well.

The wheels always bent.  It was hard to maneuver around any rough ground - where you'd want to use it.  So Mary only tried it and then never used it again.  It sat for a year or so and I decided I'd use it but I had to clean out the carb bowl and tank.  It started and I used it.

The blade drive belt has jumped off a number of times and is a pain to get to and put back on.

Big heavy cutting string cuts heavy stuff pretty good but tends to break off a lot.  Kind of a pain in the butt to restring.

No real happy with it.  :(

Mary went through a couple gas trimmers.  Worked fine until she leave them set for awhile.  Then they were junk.  I got a little electric trimmer and that's what she uses now.

Get goats.

[tcsmpsi]

DanG, bibby.  With that kind of experience, maybe you should have gotten the smaller model, afterall.   ;)

I am sorry to hear of your experience.

I got the smaller unit, no electric start.  It has always started right up, cold or hot.  I always end up getting a lot of first season growth yaupon and various other weed/brush/tree varieties.  In front of the fence to the road and about 10 to 15' behind the fence are open areas that have the thickest ground growth.  I also keep about a 10' swath cut across the road a bit past the length of my property each way, which is really brushy and viney  (talking to the commissioner in town the other day and he 'by the way' thanked for keeping that cut).

Only thing I've ever done to my unit, is change the oil and strings.  Never had a drive belt problem (it is completely encased and not open), but I do have a spare for when it wears out one day.  Takes me about 2 minutes to change the strings.  For my own use, I have found, that it does work better/longer for my purpose to keep one set of the heavy duty strings and one set of the light duty strings on mine, though the owner's manual advises to keep only one set.

I usually get about 1 1/2 cutting sessions before I have to change strings.  Long as I don't get them caught up too often in a batch of vines and/or larger brush stuff.

Kicks up a whole lot less dust than a blade mower. 

[Bibbyman]

I errored on one detail...  The engine is a 6.75 Kawasaki.

Probably the biggest problem is....   I bought it for Mary to run and she never took to it.  It was setting in the way in the sawshed.  People kept pulling it out and leaving it outside.  Last winter I took it and put it in the shed Mary keeps her mower in.  I wasn't paying attention and about a week ago I found it outside the storage shed.  I have no clue as to why but it set out all winter.

[Onthesauk]

I've got a Billy Goat mower with an 11 HP Honda motor on it, about 10-12 years old.  Can't live without it.  I also have a small tractor with a brush hog, but with lots of hillside, the Billy Goat will go places I don't dare take the tractor.  Have cut lots of trail through the brush with it, do the road sholders a couple of times each Summer and have even used it to mow lawns when they have gotten too long for the rider.

A few of them show up on Craigslist every Winter for about half the cost of a new one.  Or check with the rental outfits, think that's where my next one is coming from.

[Maineloggerkid]

I've got one. Its alright. I use it mostly to reclaim old lawns after I cut and chip the brush. IT does a good job, but it definetly isn't a daily use thing, In my opinion.