The new mower

[IMERC]

cool filter....

[IMERC]

They even put a 1-800 number on there in case you need help mowin the lawn. 8) That was nice of them. People will do about anything to make a sale! :D

does that mean they are encouraging to drive and be on the cell at the same time...

[chevytaHOE5674]

does that mean they are encouraging to drive and be on the cell at the same time...

Only if you have the hands free device activated.

[Radar67]

And the beverage is properly stored in the provided holder.  ;)

[DanG]

I really prishate all you folks' concern for my safety, but them fine folks at Sears and Rearbacks has already got me covered.  They put a little switch under the seat so's I can't accidentally hike a leg up and let a fart without the engine shutting down.  I'm sure glad they did that!  They even put this little foot pedal down there that I can push if I need to stop and take a swig of bottled spring water.  While this is a fine and well tuned machine, it does make a bit of noise, and there is some vibration, so I ain't all that confident that I will be taking a lot of phone calls while mowing.  If, however, I should feel my pocket shaking, or hear a bar or two of Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever", I'll be sure to poke that pedal and grab my phone.  It will probably just be that odd twitch in my leg, or one of the crickets in my head just getting lucky, though. :-\ :

IMERC, I'm really glad you liked the filter.  I was worried about that. ;)

wi woodcutter, you didn't really buy a Kohler, did you?   Oh Lordy, I ain't ever had nothing but trouble with those!  I'm sorry I wasn't there to keep you out of trouble!  Hell, you would have been just about as well off with a DanG ol' John Deere!  If ya get in a tight and need somebody to cut yer grass, just give me a holler. ;D

[Jodi]

And the beverage is properly stored in the provided holder.  ;)

:D

[wi woodcutter]

"If ya get in a tight and need somebody to cut yer grass, just give me a holler."

DanG you would be more than welcome to come up here and cut my grass. You could cut it in forward or reverse which ever works best for you.  Maybe you could also bring that Judge pistol along and take care of that Kohler for me. :D

[Left Coast Chris]

Funny thing about brands.  I remember how I had so much trouble with AOL in the early years of the internet and switched to a local provider.  I had to use the AOL support person so much I finally demanded that he discontinue my service (since they had no way to do it on line that I could figure out) and he kept trying to get me to change my mind.  What a hastle.  AOL became my bad brand.

Funny thing about mowers though, our neighbor has 3 irrigated acres that needs alot of mowing so decided they would pay a little more and get a Cub Cadet.   She had to take it back for fixes under warranty several times then when it went out of warrenty she asked if I could fix it.  It kept throwing belts.  The idler pully on the deck just had poor bearings and kept repeating the problem.  She was mad because the guy accross the street had a smaller Craftsman that had no problems for years and did a great job.   I know alot of people that have had very good luck with the Craftsmans.  My wife wants one but needs the bagger basket.  Not many models have one and you don't see many people use them.   The design, with the basket in the rear looks like it would clog.  Any experiences?

[sawguy21]

Clogging would likely not be a problem in your climate but certainly is an issue here on the wet coast. The grass needs to be dry and short for it to work effectively.

[Tom]

I like clogging.   We don't have any groups around here, but I see one now and again on TV.  What is the Lawnmower clog?

[IMERC]

I like clogging.   We don't have any groups around here, but I see one now and again on TV.  What is the Lawnmower clog?

by product of dirty fuel and no fuel filter...

[Left Coast Chris]

Remember the plunger Jeff keeps on hand when Burlcraft comes over?  Thats the type of clogging that can be very undesirable.    >:(

Tom,  maybe you could post a pic and we could check out your situation there.  It sounds pretty destructive to have people assemble in groups to cause clogging.  Although, if you like it.......hey who are we to judge.... :

[Tom]

Yeah Man.  It's real rhythm.  Rattlin' valves and dieselin' pistons should make a real knee slapper. ;D

Hot sun beating down
burning my feet just walking around.

Hot sun making me sweat
'Gators getting close, hasn't got me yet

I can't dance, I can't talk.
The only thing about me is the way I walk.
I can't dance, I can't sing
I'm just standing here selling everything. smiley_singsongnote02

[Polly]

i just rembered , wife has got front tine rototiller with a briggs engine i bought it used probly 10 yrs ago at times i think she thinks more of it , then me  ;)

[DanG]

My ol' tlller has finally bit the dust, and it was the Briggs engine that gave it up.  I bought it in '94 for $250 and worked it hard for 14 years on spring and fall gardens.  It didn't owe me a thing!  The tines were worn down so bad it would hardly dig anymore.  It was one of those engines that would start on the second pull after sitting for 3 months.

[SwampDonkey]

Well looks like you got a nice mower there. Personally, I have never had a B/S die, not that I've owned any for any longer than going on 12 years. Dad had a couple for potato trucks when unloading seed in the fields, they musta been 30 years old when he sold them. My push mower is a B/S, be 12 years old this summer. I know some people that can't keep a mower going for more than 3 or 4 years. They leave it out so it's constantly rained on and 6 feet of snow in the winter, never clean the deck or sharpen a blade. Last year I put a new blade and a new lower handle (comes in 2 sections) on the old girl, just like brand new. ;D The old diesel Kabota mower has been run'n now for 25 years, getting hard to keep belts on the old girl because the pulleys have gotten bad and you can't buy a new deck now for that model. Stuff wears out eh? The motor however runs like the energizer bunny. I'll tell ya though, the steel in the mower deck is a lot more rugged than mowers you'll buy these days.  That thing has mowed rough hay fields and pasture, well that's all lawns are up here in the back country. Sure ain't much manicuring to them. 8)

[fishpharmer]

Nice mower Mr. Dan G

my mill has briggs.
8) 8)

[Left Coast Chris]

Keeping up with DanG:

Dan, I have to apologize........ the grass was getting a little over the ankles and my kids usually mow.....the kids are in college so now they don't mow....... I work in the orchard on bigger projects so I usually don't mow...... my wife took a look at the push mower and said she was not going to push that thing all over the yard....

We went to Sears today and the best value for a good solid mower was the LT2000, 17.5 HP I/C engine, 42" deck, silver, reverse mowing switch, automatic shutoff when you get up off of the seat.    Looks identical to yours.   Good looking machine.

The harry part was unloading if from the pickup (4WD).  I borrowed some ramps and had to back down the ramps from the bead of the pickup.  It was pretty steep.  I could not get it into true neutral so that it would roll without the engine on.  The gear shifter was in neutral and without starting it it would not roll backwards.  Probably another safety feature.   Had to start it and drive it in reverse down the ramps.    It made it after blocking up the ends of the ramps so the deck would not hang up at the angle point at the edge of the tail gate.    On a positive note, anythine I have to navigate from now on will be duck soup.  :D

Thanks for leading the way on FF mower selection.  Next time you are in Sears you should be able to claim a commision.  8)

[DanG]

Good for you Chris! 8) 8)  You do need to check on that neutral problem though.  It should roll easily when the shifter is in neutral.  I unloaded mine by just pulling it back with one hand while the other was on the steering wheel.  You sure the brake wasn't locked?

Go ahead and pick up a set of Gator blades for it when you get a chance.  The original blades ain't worth a fart in a hurricane.  The Gators will last ten times longer.  I went through 3 sets of Sears blades in the first year with my old one.  Bought Gator blades midway through the second year and only replaced them once in the remaining 9 years of service.

Another problem I had was the discharge was clogging when cutting heavy grass.  I solved that by drilling a small hole in the edge of the rubber discharge guard, and attaching a bungee cord to it.  I clipped the other end around the steering column so it held the guard up a few inches, and it solved the problem.

[Left Coast Chris]

Dan,  good info on the Gator blades.  As soon as these dull I will pick some up.  The wife also wants to add the roller ball wheels on each side of the deck for even mowing.  I also bought the front bumper.  Learned the body damage lesson on my Massey Fergeson 135 around all these orchard trees with teenage drivers (ouch).

The neutral question is interesting.  No matter what we do it will not freely roll in neutral.   It has to be started and put in gear to move.  It does not move in neutral while running.  It does not move in neutral while the engine is off either.  Here is the mystery:  The guys at the Sears warehouse freely wheeled it onto the loading dock and into the pickup so........ we just have not fugured it out I guess. :

[jerry-m]

Sticking out of the sheet metal at the very back of the mower close to the trailer hitch... There is a rod
sticking out of the sheet meal that you pull out and move into a slot  in the sheet metal to disingage what ever keeps it in  gear ... At least that is how mine works... Should be something similar ...

Jerry

[Don K]

Chris, if it is a hydrostatic drive it should have a little doglegged lever on the back  above the little trailer hitch. Pull it out and down until it catches on a little flange. This will allow you to move it freely. Just be sure to disengage it when you are ready to stomp the gas.

Don

[thecfarm]

I use to have a teacher that would say,"If all else fails,read the directions".

[trapper]

are these the gator blades in Baileys new catalog?

[DanG]

Gator is a brand name.  I would think that would be them.  They are about half-again as thick as the Sears blades, and made of much better steel.