Can you help with Lawn Mower Maintenance?

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scotty_doe

I am a lawncare newbie (I've lived in an apartment the majority of my life). Now that spring is here, I need to get my lawn mower ready. How do I change the oil?? Sharpen the blades? What to use for an oil catch pan? I feel stupid for asking these questions, but I was never taught this growing up. Any help/suggestions are appreciated.

Answer
Quick and dirty for lawn mower tune ups:

1. Pull the spark plug. If it's fouled, replace it. Better yet, replace it anyway, as they only cost a few bucks.

2. Unscrew the air filter cover (or unsnap it, if it snaps into place) and check to see how dirty it is. If it has a foam element over it, clean the element with water, dry it, then squeeze some motor oil onto it and wring it out (it should seem mostly oil free, but still tacky). If the air filter itself is dirty, replace it. IMPORTANT: If the air filter looks even slightly dirty, replace it. The particles caught by the main filter are too small to see by the naked eye, so if you see particles, it is over-dirty.

3. Drain and replace oil:
- The drain plug will be square, so you can't miss it. It is normally located on the lower side of the engine (riders) or the underside (push). Simply unscrew with a sizable pan under it. Riders have 2-4 quarts of oil, Pushes have just over 1 quart normally.
- Once the oil is drained, replace the plug and fill it with the recommended oil (riders normally take 10W30, pushes normally take SAE30). Every brand has different specs, so look in your manual! Do not listen to people who say "every mower takes ..."
- Do not over fill the oil! The oil dipstick will tell you if it should be crewed in or not while checking oil level. On screw-in types, if you do not screw it in while checking the level, you will drastically overfill the crankcase and cause the engine to seize up in short order. (made a LOT of money from that one)

4: Sharpening the blades: Don't do this yourself! If not properly balanced after sharpening, you will destroy your spindle bearing (riders) or destroy your engine crankshaft (pushes). Not to mention sharpening a blade is not as easy as it looks. The angle must be right and mulching blades require steady hands to avoid damaging the blade beyond repair.

5: General lube/cleaning:
- Spray your mower down with degreaser and let it sit for a few minutes. Spray off with a jet water nozzle.
- Drip oil anywhere a hinge or cable opening resides.
- Grease anywhere a grease nipple resides (you need a grease gun for this). Many riders have them, almost no pushes have them. If you do grease, grease until grease comes out of an opening. Greasing a few shots does not cut it.

6: Check belts for damage. Replace if any damage is seen, especially dry rot! Belts take a lot of torture, but a damaged belt will fail in short order and sometimes a bit of damage to the mower or you upon failure.

7: Check tire pressure. Fill tires to nominal PSI stated on the side of the tire. e.g.: Different tire pressures in the rear end of a rider can (and will) kill your tranny. Sometimes the little things make a big difference.

8: Prior to storage, always put fuel stabilizer in the your mower and run it for a few minutes. Many people will say "run it out of gas to prevent fuel clogs", they are ignorant! No fuel = no lubrication of the rubber gaskets in the carb, which = dry, cracked gaskets in the spring and a complete carb rebuild in your future. PS: Carb rebuild kits cost very little, but let your mechanic do the job if you are not knowledgable in the area, as a properly tuned mower will add years, if not decades to its lifespan.

Doing your own mechanic's projects are fun and instantly rewarding when done properly. Why let your mechanic get all of the gratification? Do it yourself and save a few bucks at the same time, when appropriate.

Have fun!

Can you buy separately, the casing that goes on a lawn mower engine?

Drell256

The plastic covering that goes on top of lawn mower engine. Mine has a crack in it and i want to replace it.

Answer
Yes, you certainly should be able to buy the shroud that covers the whole engine part. You'll need to find the model of the mower and possibly a number from the motor itself, or maybe just the horsepower rating. Find a good reputable repair shop and they should be able to order it for you.

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lawn mower blade not low enough to the ground?

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Kay/19

its an older push mower with a newer engine but the blade isn't cutting low enough the adjustable wheels are set to low the blade is sharpened just wondering if i bend the blade on each side so it be low enough in the grass will that cause vibration or even damage
JILL S i don't have money to blow like you
thanks Moon Man

Answer
Bending the blade yourself will make the blade out of balance and the vibration will be very hard on your newer engine. A static balance would be very difficult, a dynamic balance would be impossible by hand. (The reason for the mower not cutting low enough is that the newer engine has a shorter shaft than the original engine had. Someone just put an engine on without any thought to the length of the shaft. Wrong engine, at least wrong shaft length.) Back to bending the blade. If you bent the blade and could be lucky enough to keep it in balance, the end of the blade would be lower than a point say 2" in from the end. This depending on your grass length, how fast your mower runs, how fast you walk etc, etc would result in a very uneven cut. The cutting portion of a mower blade is to rotate parallel to the ground and not at even a slight angle.
Other than replacing the shaft in the engine, there are very few if any ways to lower your blade. For example, additional washers under your blade will not lower it. Additional washers between the blade and the shaft on mowers where the blade makes contact with the shear plate on the shaft, will defeat the shear, safety mechanism, because no resistance would be provided to cause the blade to rotate when it was under load. If a key way is used to transfer power to the blade from the shaft the additional washers may lower the the key-way so that it does not make contact with the key. Again the additional washers will not help. Although it is possible, but not probable, that some scenario exists where washers could help, they are few and far between.
Solutions: Take the mower to an small engine shop and have the crank shaft replaced with a longer shaft like the original engine had. (Not good, this would be a lot of money to put into an old mower.) Better solution: Take your mower to a mower shop and see if they have a blade with more drop, from the factory, that will fit your mower. (If they have one this would be the cheapest solution.) Or possibly see if they have a crank shaft extender that will lengthen the shaft and lower your blade mounting position. (The extenders are used by some manufacturers of mowers as standard mower parts.) Last and probably least would be to find an old mower with smaller wheels and replace your wheels. It would push harder but it would cut shorter.
Notice, not mentioned as a possible solution was bending your blade because it not only will not work it will ruin your motor.

riding mower/tractor stability?

julie_ivyp

I bought a used Crafstsman riding lawn tractor with a 42 inch cut. It is only four years old and is in good shpe. However, the person who sold it to me didn't have the manual. I have no experience with riding mowers and just wondered how steep or uneven the terrain has to be before there is the concern of it tipping over. My backyard has some grade to it and is uneven in spots. It also has mole mounds that make it uneven. As I was mowing, the tractor kind of moves and tilts with the terrain. Is that okay? If the wheels don't come off the ground is it fine? I may be being overly cautious...I just don't know when the possibility of it tipping over might occur. Thanks in advancefor any advice or suggestions!

Answer
Don't push anything.... if you don't feel comfortable doing it... don't do it. Garden tractors generally have a pretty low center of gravity and hold thier ground pretty well. If you have areas you have to mow and the possibility of rolling over is concerning you... you should add weight to the tractor. Wheel weights or filling the tires are a few easy ways to do so. The more weight and the lower it is... the harder it would be to turn over. Be careful.

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Homemade garden tractor attachments ideas?

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Joe

I converted an old lawn mower into a garden tractor, i have a snow plow on it for the winter but i want to use it for something now!! It doesn't have a 3 point hitch or anything special on it cause it was a lawn mower but any ideas will work! I need some ideas that i can build in my garage, thanks!

Answer
You could make a homemade york rake. You could make a weighted drum for rolling/flattening your lawn...

How early can landscapers start?

tigerlilly

We have landscapers that start mowing the lawn in the business park across the street at 6:45 am twice a week. I want to shove his lawn mower up his ass! I am not a morning person!

Answer
In the summer time we have crews that start work at 6 am so they can get their work done and beat the afternoon heat. In the winter when we plow snow we're out by 1 am to get streets, parking lots, and sidewalks cleared for when most people come to work in the morning. This is all on a college campus so there's less chance of disturbing sleeping neighbors. You might check with your local government to see if they have a specific ordinance that covers this. Or you could actually talk to the landscapers. They may be understanding.

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how to rebuild hydrostatic transmission on a lawn mower?

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natureguyu

I am looking for parts and information on rebuilding a hydrostatic transmission on a Murray 46-inch lawn mower. Problem is that when the unit warms up, it slows down, and barely goes in reverse. New belt didn't help. I never changed the fluid.

Answer
You're going to need some help there, I wouldn't know where to start myself.

How to build a Go Kart from a lawn mower engine or chain saw?

Ben

So i am trying to build a go cart but am not sure what to use for the engine. i have a lawn mower and a chain saw, and i might have some other machinery that have engines. any ideas? i have maybe 200 bucks to throw around for this project
ps. i dont know much about engines and all

Answer
First things first. You cannot use a vertical drive shaft engine in a horizontal application unless you use a transmission. In your case, that would kill the budget. Basically, the lawn mower engine is out of the question.
Next, the chain saw engine will not have enough power to push a go kart. It would suffice on a scooter, however.
Here is what you will need to round up to make this work.
1) Find an old tiller with a fairly good size, horizontal shaft engine. Most of them come with this already so it wont be too hard. Five horsepower will be plenty to get you going.
2) Buy a clutch, sprocket and chain for your drive assembly. The clutch mounts to the engine drive shaft and works off of centripetal force. The sprocket mounts to one of your rear tires and the chain connects the clutch and sprocket together.
You now have the possibility of a running go kart for less than two hundred.

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How to make $500 into $600 or more in months?

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iciegirl

I have around $500 with me and would like to increase it more to maybe $100 in 1 or 2 months time. What should I do? I'm currently unemployed to take care of family.

Answer
Mowing lawns is a good option, you could buy an old lawn mower for under 100 dollars. Mow about 4 lawns per day at around 25 dollars. You make 100 dollars per day, and if you work three days a week. You are making 300 dollars per week, part time. Therefore you make 1,200 in a months time.

You could wash cars, you could charge 20 dollars to wash a car. You should be able to do about 4 cars in two hours. Charge around 20 dollars and you make around 80 dollars per day. If you want to make more money you could detail cars, you make around 125 dollars on average for detailing cars. But it require more work to do, if you choose this route. The best product to get is optimum no rinse and go on the forum called autopia and autogeek.

Next start an office cleaning or window cleaning business, you can get all of the equipment for under 100 dollars.

how much torque or horespower does an alternator use?

James A Th

how much torque or horespower does an alternator use? ballpark figures. and yes under heavy load. I would like to know on big alternators like 100, 150, 200, and higer. I need to pull atleast 400 amps continuosly maybe more. How many alternators would I need and batteries? How much horsepower would I need to keep all the alternators spinning and be able to drive normal?

Answer
About 1hp for every 12 amps. A 600cc motorcycle engine with 45hp could easily deliver the 400 amps you're looking for. GE makes a 185 amp marine alternator that is very fluid. I'd recommend three of those.

A lot of it has to do with the way you have the cams and belts laid out. A 5hp lawn mower engine could potentially turn a normal 100 amp at approximately 65-70% at probably a rate of about 1 gallon of gasoline per hour, but that 600cc engine with 45 hp could probably only use 1.25-1.5 gallons per hour.

Therefore, if you're using electrolysis (1929 water car) or straight electrical power to build a hybrid for fuel economy, you might actually get better gas mileage with a higher horse power gas engine because it will idle lower. If the 400 amps will move your vehicle 70mph, at 1.5 gallons per hour, that's about 45-50mpg, better than with the 5hp lawn mower engine for sure.

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What's a cheap way to store a riding lawn mower?

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Graciela,

My aunt offered me a good deal on her old riding lawn mower and I really want to buy it. Unfortunately, I have no place for it. My garage is too small, and our cars barely fit already. I have no shed and can't afford to build one. Are there any other options?

Answer
Sheds really aren't that expensive. you can pick up a cheap DIY plastic shed for very little money.

if that still isn't an option, go with a tarp. just park the thing next to your house and lay the tarp over it. if it's windy, make sure to stake it down.

why does my lawn mower sputter and back fire when the mower is down?

ChicagoGir

Our riding lawn mower runs fine when it is in normal gears however if you put the mower deck down to cut it starts sputtering and backfiring. It may work itself out every now and then but most of the time it sputters the whole time you are cutting the grass...What's the deal?

Answer
When you put a load on the engine it starts acting up, this is probably caused by a dirty carburetor. The governor is trying to keep the rpms up and the fuel/air mixture is wrong. It is probably running rich, too much fuel, and that is causing the backfire. A good carburetor cleaning should fix the problem. Try some fuel system cleaner first but don't count too much on it.

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I am looking for a really good Lawn Tractor.?

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DANNYBOY

I am looking to spend about 2000. I have researched a lot of em, but I wanna hear what u good ol boys hafta say. At least 46" cut w/ a 20HP engine. Let me know guys/gals, I am at a crossroad.

Answer
M T D MAKE MOST LAWN TRACTORS IN THIS PRICE RANGE, THEY MAY BE SOLD UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME BUT ARE MADE BY M. T. D. . JOHN DEERE IS A GOOD ONE OR CUB CADET . BE SURE TO GET EXTENDED WARRANTY. IT WILL MORE THAN PAY FOR ITS SELF.

How much tractor?

Dea

I'm going to purchase a lawn tractor with my tax refund. I do not need much, my lawn is only 0.5 acres. I would also like to use a snow blade to clear my drive, which is small and flat. I know they aren't the real deal, but would I really need more than the tractors found at Home Depot or Lowes? I see that the Cub Cadets have Kohler engines compared to the Briggs found in the John Deeres. Any suggestions?

Answer
I have been looking at Sears tractors. It's like a 4500 series,21 hp Kohler or Briggs.(46" deck). I've always had good luck with Briggs engines. I have a Murray tractor with a 11 hp. Briggs that is 28 years old. This was the last of the old cast iron engines. I don't know how much snow you are going to push, the main problem is traction. I had to make a set of chains to fit my tires, and got along. I know the old time Kohler engines were good. I've had a couple of welders with Kohler engines. Parts are pricey. I think all these new engines are throw away anyway. It cost so much for parts, you can buy a new engine cheaper.

I personally don't like the looks of the cadet. Must be the color combination.

Good Luck

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How many amps is needed for a good electric lawn mower?

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Nicole B

We've got a very small yard of bermuda grass. We're currently shopping for electric lawn mowers, but don't know what an acceptable amount of amps would be? We saw one in our price range with 6.5 amps, but for $40 more, we can get a 9 amp mower. Is there a big difference between the two? Would I need more amps? And is it worth the $40 price difference? Thanks so much!

Answer
With your very small yard you will not need the higher amp model. You need to keep the grass at a reasonable height each time you mow. In other words do not let it get too long before you mow. That is what will cause a strain on the smaller motor. The difference between the two motors you are looking at is very small. The 6.5 amp is approximately 1/2 horsepower and the 9 amp is approximately 3/4 horsepower. So that is very little difference. I think you should save the 40 bucks for something else. This link may help.
http://products.howstuffworks.com/electric-lawn-mower-reviews.htm

is there a riding lawn mower that has a 24 to 25 cut?

lfelipe@sb

I have a small yard & have a hard time to cut my yard with a regular lawn mower, I have hired lawn care services to cut my grass and they won't returned back, my grass is pretty green an it is real thick. I have trouble walking so I am looking for the smalles riding lawn mower.

Answer
Snapper has a 28" riding mower. Its about $1450 with a 12 HP electric start engine. Check out http://www.snapper.com/products/riding/rear-engine/ for more info, and to find a Snapper dealer near you.

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What happens if my Zoysia grass lawn is cut/ mowed too short?

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magast91

My father-in-law was in town last week. He took it upon himself to mow our lawn, but failed to realize our mower has a flat tire. My poor lawn received the punishment. I know Zoysia grass is not supposed to be shorter than 1- 1.5 inches. But none of the information I find actually says what happens if it gets cut too short! Will my lawn die? What's going happen exactly? How long will it take for the grass to grow back and look healthy again? Please, your help is needed.
The current height of the grass is about 1/2 an inch.

Answer
The grass will probably grow back it is pretty persistent. I would say just give it a dose of fertilizer if yo haven't done so this spring and don't worry about it . As long as it is not cut that short on a regular basis it will survive.

Lawn Mower question, if you have experience mowing lawns?

You may be

For just a small lawn, do you think a reel mower is ok, or will they get rusted up and hard to push after a while.

What do you think, reel, electric, gas.

I need to buy one, but it's just a small lawn about 20 feet by 15 feet.

Answer
It depends on how big your lawn is, and what type of grass you have.

My old lawn was about the same size as yours and I used a reel mower very effectively on it. But with some "cool season" grasses (bluegrass, rye, fescue), you really have to keep up with it. Taller grass can be dificult to cut w/ a reel mower.

If you have a Southern grass, like Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine - they are great mowers. You'd definitely be better off using a reel mower on one of these.

You can pick up a new reel mower for about $60, so it's not a big investment. A gas or electric will run you considerably more.

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How do I seal the seam on a riding lawn mower's plastic gas tank?

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Ernie

This is a 2001 Murray Riding Mower w/ a Briggs & Stratton engine. Since it is between the first and last recalls for the exact same problem, Murray and B&S says it's my problem. I can't afford to buy another mower. I have submitted this to Consumer Reports but they say there is nothing they can do. SO....can anyone help me seal this gasoline leak so I don't go up in flames?

Answer
Seal the leak with SealAll (hardware store) while you wait for your new tank to show up.
Nice thing is you can use just about any generic fuel tank and it would not ruin the resale value of a Murray.

http://www.lawnmowerpros.com/Murray/Murray-Fuel-Tanks.asp
Looks like the tank will run you around $40.

P.s. Consumer Reports will not doing anything but the Better Business Bureau would be your better bet.

What was the average price of a riding lawn mower in 1975?

kreamy1182

I am doing a report for my job and have googled myself to death. I am looking for the average price of a Craftsman Riding Mower -1975- current, Craftsman Walk-Behind Mower 1975-current, and a Craftsman Weed Eater 1975- current, does anyone have any suggestions as to where I could find this information? I have exhausted all options and would greatly appreciate it!

Answer
I used the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to calculate the cost of these products in 1975 dollars. To test the CPI click below:

http://www.minneapolisfed.org/research/data/us/calc/index.cfm

According to Sears.com, a Craftsman Riding Mower currently retails (on sale) for $1,299.99.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?vertical=LAWN&pid=07128721000&adCell=P3&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

By useing the CPI calculator, I have determined the cost of the mower in 1975 would be estimated at $340.34

A Craftsman Walk-Behind Mower currently retails for, $249.99.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?vertical=LAWN&pid=07137665000&adCell=P3&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

In 1975, the Craftsman Walk-Behind Mower would retail for $65.45.

A Craftsman Weed Eater currently retails for, $99.99.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Power+Lawn+Equipment&pid=07179103000&vertical=LAWN&subcat=Line+Trimmers&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

In 1975, the Craftsman Weed Eater would retail for $26.18.

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What company makes the best lawn mowers engines?

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Timpala

I am looking for a new lawn mower and would like to narrow my choices down by the the company that puts the best and most reliable engines on their mowers. With that said, any suggestions for a rear self propelled walk behind mower would be great.

Answer
We've had several over the years and hubby likes his Husqvarna with the Honda engine the best of any he's had. We've tried them all and none of them lasted more than a few years. This one is standing the test of time; I bet we're going on a good 6 years now.

The Honda engines are quieter and have more power than most. We've had Sears, Yard Man, MTD and several others and this is the only one he's consistently been happy with.

Are non gas lawn mowers effective?

Arliss

I'm debating on whether or not to go with the old school non gas lawn mower...you know all metal ones you see on Leave It To Beaver and My Three Sons? LOL. Anyway, I've been told by a friend of mine that they are effective in that, they don't leave long grass clippings and that they cut every bit as well as a regular lawn mower. Any thoughts on the pros and cons of this?

Answer
I actually used one for several years, and they work really well. You can buy them at Sears which is where I got mine. They are so much cheaper than a gas powered mower, and so much quieter., and there is no stinky gas or gas fumes to deal with. They are also quite easy to push, and actually kindof fun to use. The clippings left on the ground are good for the soil. The only cons that I can see, is that if you have a really large yard, it might take a little longer to mow it, also you can't let your grass grow too long, because it will be more difficult to cut, and the clippings will be long-and you may have to rake them up. I don't believe the old school mowers have any sort of mulching abilities to take care of long clippings (but you can get a little container that sits behind it to collect clippings, I believe)

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What affordable lawn mower do you recommend?

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C.M.

I am a 20-something girl moving into a house for the first time after college. I need to buy a lawn mower and would like to get some recommendations. It needs to be affordable (<$400). I don't know much about lawn mowers, so I need all the help I can get. Thanks!

Answer
find a used one in good shape

What are the best headphones to use while mowing?

Mike

I do a lot of lawn mowing on a riding lawn mower, and would really like to be able to listen to music while mowing. What are some good inexpensive ($50 or less) over ear headphones that would block out the sound from the mower so that I don't have to crank up the volume too loud?

Thanks in advance!

Answer
You need a closed-back design like the Sennheiser HD205...around £35 in UK. $45 in USA
http://www.unbeatable.co.uk/product/sennheiser-hd205-closed-back-headphone-professional-headphones/81532201.html . . .
The HD200 series headphones are of good quality apart from the cheapest 201 which isn't a great success by Sennheiser standards, and includes models like the 215 and 218 used in many professional studios..
215 on here 7 lines down and I now have some 570s....whooopeeeeeee!
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091020042309AAXRaHT . . . . .
There are also the 300, 400 etc series headphones with the some of the 600 series phones costing over $300, and the extra special limited edition electrostatic headphone and matching amplifier individually hand built and matched to be perfect partners ...as near as possible with current technology.
....the Sennhieser Orpheus at $20 000+ new....if you can find some.
http://www.avland.co.uk/sennheiser/orpheus/ . . . . . .
Only 300 were made making the resale price very high. This one, with two headphones, went for more than $26 000 second-hand.
http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/t/135580.aspx . . . . .
It's only rival for sound quality is the Stax Omega 11 for the price of a couple of decent ride-on lawnmowers but the Sennheiser HD800 comes close enough to the Stax for a third of the price.
http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=STXSRS007 . . . . .
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD800-Over-Ear-Circum-Aural-Headphone/dp/B001OTZ8DA . . . .

My favourite ( back to affordable kit) is the HD570 Symphony headphones but they are now discontinued and hard to find ( took me months to track some down) , and I also use the HD 580 and HD595 for serious listening, and the HD500 as everyday big phones, which all completely cover the ears and keep external noise at bay reasonably well, and the smaller HD25 for traveling....the same model as was used on all Concorde flights...which are also good at suppressing external noise but don't cover the ears completely like the 205 and the others mentioned.
http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/professional_headphones-headsets_headphones_502188 . . . . .
You can also get noise canceling headphones but those that work well tend to be very expensive.
Ordinary terms (high street terms) expensive that is, not ultra-crazy expensive like the Orpheus.
http://www.sennheiserusa.com/home
Have fun.

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Why my lawn mower wont work?

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Sherman

I have a lawn mower Honda and it wont start i have tried everything, Every time i put carburetor cleaner on the carburetor it starts for 5 seconds then it shuts off. Please respond thanks.

Answer
it's starving for fuel.The carb will have to be taken apart and cleaned and possibly new gaskets.If they are hard and brittle you will have to purchase new rebuild kit..First of all make sure your air cleaner and fuel filter are unclogged,clean and your fuel is not old. Fuels with Ethanol are not recommended for mowers.Use fuels without Ethanol or a fuel stabilizer additive.Just remember it can only be one of three things.that your motor needs to run fuel,compression and spark.Also if all else fails make sure the flywheel key has not been sheared.If the blade hits something hard enough since its made of aluminum that can happen.

What should you do if a lawn mower is stolen?

alejandro

My father had 2 lawn mowers stolen( honda commercial) worth 1000 each retail. He did not report it and has no serial number of the 2 lawn mowers.

Answer
How far could someone take the lawn mowers? I'd look in the neighborhood for them. Police is definitely a good way to go. Even if they don't find anything, at least you're covering all bases and, who knows, they may find it or help your dad look for it.

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How good is the Toro E-cycler cordless mower?

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Garry_Mitc

I am thinking of getting the Toro cordless mower and worried about how it cuts thick grass. My yard has thick grass and it has a lot of moisture. I am curious how dose this mower do by it being cordless? Also if not this mower how about the Toro gas mowers like the ones with the pace self propelled systems with either electric start or blade brakes? thank you

Answer
If you are looking for a Toro mower, I would go with recommendations by Consumer Reports. They just came out with their latest reviews of the top lawn mowers for this year and several Toro mowers are on the list. But they are all gas-powered. If you have a large yard and thick grass, I'd go with the gas mowers as it's more powerful than electric mowers.

2011 Best Lawn Mower Recommendations by Consumer Reports:
http://www.tigerfdn.com/consumer-reports-recommended-lawn-mowers

Some of the Toro mowers mentioned are:

Toro Super Recycler Self-Propelled Mower 20092
Toro Super Bagger 20192
Toro Recycler 20333 (this was on last year's list as a "best buy" also)
Toro Recycler 2033

What's the better mower: electric or gas?

baymast13

I have my eye on a rechargeable electric mower (no cord to mess with!). My old gas mower is getting too difficult to get started. I just don't have the "oomph" to make it catch. So, from people who actually know, which is the better mower, gas or electric? I have a medium-sized yard. Serious answers, please. Thanks!

Answer
Electric mowers have come a long way and can perform just as well as gas mowers under normal conditions.

Gas mower pros & cons:

Pros: With a more powerful motor, it can easily cut over-grown lawn. Good for large lawns.
Cons: More maintenance required such as oil and filter change, spark plugs, etc. Loud and exhaust emissions that are bad for your health and the environment. High gas prices add to operating cost.

Electric mower pros & cons:

Pros: Low maintenance. Can get bogged down if cutting overgrown lawn. No harmful emissions, less noisy, no gas costs.
Cons: If mowing large lawn, you might not be able to mow on one charge. In which case, you either need to wait and recharge or buy a back-up battery to switch it out. However, the current top-rated electric mower can mow up to 1/3 acre on one charge (a bit more than 14,000 sq.ft.). Since you have a medium-sized yard, an electric mower will do just fine.

Personally, I'd go with an electric one. Not having to buy gas each time I mow and low maintenance makes it much more cost-effective.

If you want to know which electric mower to buy, check out this year's recommendations by Consumer Reports here: http://www.tigerfdn.com/consumer-reports-recommended-lawn-mowers.

Here's a review of their top recommendation for a cordless electric mower, the Black & Decker SPCM1936: http://www.tigerfdn.com/black-decker-spcm1936-19-inch-cordless-electric-self-propelled-lawn-mower-reviews

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How do you use your electric lawn mower?

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carolina n

We received a electric lawn mower as a gift (it's a second hand mower) my husband has been using it for several months. The only way he can use it without cutting the electrical cord is pushing and pulling the mower with one hand while pulling, pushing, picking the cord with the other. I think it takes double the time cutting the lawn with this machine....is there a tip that you can give us? maybe something we don't know, like a retractable electrical cord...I don't know....something that you can use to be able to push the machine with both hands

Answer
BTW "The Man": 'Electric' would mean..... electricity. 'Battery-powered' would mean.... battery. DUH.

I have an electric; takes a few uses to get the hang of it. Most have a handle that 'flips' from one side to the other, so that the cord stays on the same side of the mower, and you don't have to walk backward, or drag the mower - both of which can be dangerous. Check your mower to see if it has a hinge at the bottom, where the handle attaches to the mower. If so, then you should also have a lever that will unlock the handle and allow you to flip it over to the other side.

Once you figure that out: start mowing closest to where you've plugged in, and walk away from it; make sure that where the cord plugs into the handle stays closest to the 'plug in' point at your house. Then, as you mow further away, the cord stays on the grass that's already been mowed.

How many amps is needed for a good electric lawn mower?

Nicole B

We've got a very small yard of bermuda grass. We're currently shopping for electric lawn mowers, but don't know what an acceptable amount of amps would be? We saw one in our price range with 6.5 amps, but for $40 more, we can get a 9 amp mower. Is there a big difference between the two? Would I need more amps? And is it worth the $40 price difference? Thanks so much!

Answer
With your very small yard you will not need the higher amp model. You need to keep the grass at a reasonable height each time you mow. In other words do not let it get too long before you mow. That is what will cause a strain on the smaller motor. The difference between the two motors you are looking at is very small. The 6.5 amp is approximately 1/2 horsepower and the 9 amp is approximately 3/4 horsepower. So that is very little difference. I think you should save the 40 bucks for something else. This link may help.
http://products.howstuffworks.com/electric-lawn-mower-reviews.htm

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Why doesn't anyone make an electric lawn tractor or heavy duty mower?

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winterrule

I know there are some light duty battery and plug in electric mowers but nothing suitable for large lawns. I would like to see a battery powered 48" walk behind mower deck or a zero turn mower. It seems like a good way to promote electric vehicles. Equipment like this could give people enough confidence in batteries to consider electric cars.
So there are some choices for light duty mowers. None of those mentioned work very fast or have much battery life. The best is rated for one acre and needs 12 hours of charging time.That's fine for an urban lawn on a 3/4acre lot but not fo ra more rural estate. Most homeowners want to mow their whole lawn in one session, not spread over 2-3 days.

Answer
I have had the chance to use an electric mower with a cord on a lawn that takes about 2 hours to mow. Tall or short grass the performance seemed similar to a similar petrol powered model. The cutting pattern had to take the cord into consideration. However it was quieter, needed virtually no maintenance, would always "start" never seemed to get old and did I say it was quieter?

In that situation the corded model was preferred to a battery version because it was cheaper, requiring less investment, it would require less maintenance, the particular situation did not require batteries. The lawn was set up with reachable outdoor plugs and the investment in a proper cord would pay dividends as it could be used for other electric yard equipment. Someday roadways may be set up to provide power to electric cars: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road-powered_electric_vehicle

Other situations would require battery models. Europeans have had to live with their environment longer than most Americans. They have a different approach and appreciation. It is not surprising that battery mowers would be popular in Europe before becoming popular in the US. However from the links below you can see that such mowers are available in the US.

is a 36" walk behind mower big enough for my yard?

EpicRacer

i am looking into getting a Scag walk behind mower with the platform to stand on the back. my yard is .75 acres and i maintain 3 other yards about the same size. is a 36" big enough? i was originally planning to get a 48" or 50", but those things are monsters and i am not completely used to them (i only used one a few times when mowing my church lawn, i fell in love with it instantly!). im not in any rush to get the lawns done quickly, but i think i can shave off some time by not having to turn around all the time. the zero-turn feature will help out a lot.

right now im using a 17.5hp scotts tractor with a 42" deck. it takes me about 50min to do my entire yard.
i think the walk behind would be faster b/c even though it has a small deck, it can mow much faster than my tractor, plus i dont waste time turning around.

Answer
It really comes down to how comfortable you are with a bigger mower and how much time you have.

You said 50 min with a 42" deck. Figure 60 to 70 minutes with a 36".

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How long does it take to fix a 4 wheelers 2 gas leaks?

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Misty

Our 4 wheeler has been in the shop since before New years eve and here it is January 14 and still nothing. The guy said they ordered a part and when it comes in, they will fix it and call us. That was over a week ago and still no call. This is ridiculous and I think he's giving us the run around. What is really going on here? Its suppose to be a reputable shop in town that sales lawn mowers too. We bought the 4 wheeler from them.

Answer
Parts are serious issues. I used to sell and service consumer electronics. I know it seems strange but dealers are held at bay by manufacturers supply chain. Some companies only provide parts thru 3rd party companies, or the parts dept would be a separate division. Add to this the holiday shipping schedules, weather, and the fact that the part may be on back order from a foreign country and is being brought over by ship.
I am sure your dealer wants the thing out of his way too,,its taking up room! He wants his customers to be happy and this is his livelyhood . I am sure he did not single you out to piss off.
In my case if someone brought in a brand that I didnt sell or hve an unusual problem I would give them the part# and phone numbers I had and let them get on the phone for hours searching,,when you get the part let me know,,,
Cut the guys some slack, its only been a few weeks,,,not bad in my opinion. Regards.

If you really want to get ahead of the line stop by with a smile and a box of donuts,,best thing you could do to hurry things up. Trust me !

What does the "new orders for durable goods" indicator measure?

Cesar

I am confused. I don't seem to understand this indicator. I tried searching it up, but I am still lost. Does this indicator measure the amount of durable goods produced in a month? Or does it mean the amount of durable goods that consumers purchase in a month? Or the amount of products a manufacturer makes in accordance to the orders placed to create that product? I would really appreciate it if anyone answers my question.

Answer
difference between a 5 lb can of coffee,vs a coffee maker,,,,,a dishwasher vs a box of soap
a lawn mower
a car,new vinyl windows for the house

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