What are the pro's and con's of self-propelled vs regular lawn mower?

peace

Answer
It depends on
1) whether you have a flat or hilly yard
if you have a yard with any hills - self propelled is the one to use.

2) whether the cost is an issue
self propelled is +or- $100.

3) How strong you are.
if your yard has hills, you may use a regular mower but you will have to also use fortitude.

Push mowing the yard during pregnancy - opinons?

Mama <3

Would you say it's acceptable for a pregnant woman to push mow her own yard? Why or why not?


We have a big yard. Well, we own 4.5 acres of land 2.5 of which is our actual yard the rest is mountainous hollow. So... We have an old John Deere lawn tractor but the dang thing has been broken for awhile now so we bought a really good self propelled push mower. 2 of them to be exact. I do half of the yard while my husband does the other half. Since I have been pregnant, I do the least hilly parts of our yard and my husband does the more strenous parts. Anytime someone calls and says what are ya'll up to and I say, "oh we did some mowing, yardwork today", everyone comments about how I shouldn't be mowing. I am 6 months pregnant. I make sure to stay hydrated. I dont go out when it's hot. On one rare occasion (today) I pushmowed the entire yard myself but that is only because my husband has to work all week and wont have time to help do it before my daughters 2nd bday party this Saturday! It had to get done. I wouldn't dare tell my family that I push mowed the entire yard or they would have a fit about it like Im a cripple or something. I dont know. I am a very productive person and I am very indpendant. My husband works full time and goes to school full time many a days I am on my own all day so I do what I have to do to make things work.
I started mowing around noon and was finished by 3:30 so it took me 3.5 hours. If I was using our riding john deere it would've only taken an hour.

Answer
I mowed my lawn while pregnant. I also walked to to all my doctors appointments and did all the other things I did before becoming pregnant. I don't think being pregnant turns you into a delicate flower. You know your body the best. I say if you feel fine there is no reason you can't mow the lawn. My friends/family were all over me when I was pregnant. It was so incredibly frustrating that I just stopped telling them what I was doing. If they had it their way I would of never left my bed.

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What is in a good lawn mower?

Jacky

Lawn mowers aren't the lightest toll to a wallet so I would like to get your preference on what is a good lawn mower. What do people usually look for in a lawn mower? What is a good and durable brand? I do not want to go in as an idiot and later regret my purchase. Please help me on my situation.

Answer
Consider how long you want it to last. Some of the pricier mowers will last much longer.
Do you want gas, electric with a cord, electric cordless, or manual?
What features do you want? Mulching, self propelled (many mowers have both of these features), electric start (start it with a key), options to mulch or bag and how do you switch between the two, what type of self propelled, front or rear wheel drive (front is not good if you have a hilly yard)?
What will it cost to maintain it (spark plugs, oil, filters, replacement blades or blade sharpening)?
What mowing width do you want? A 21" is going to require fewer back and forth passes than an 19" but it may not matter in your yard.
For gas I would say Honda is one of the best brands and Toro is good also.
For electric either corded or cordless Black and Decker is good.
For manual you could get either a Scotts or a Brill. They are reel mowers which cut better, the blades need to be sharpened less frequently, but need to be professionally sharpened.
Whatever brand you choose I would make sure that it will cut as high as 3" minimum because for most grasses that is a good height. I would only get a manual if I had a small yard to mow.
After looking over these questions I would suggest you go to a few retailers just to ask questions and see the differences in person, make your decision at home, and then go back and purchase.
I have used gas, electric corded, electric cordless, and manual. I currently have a Black and Decker cordless and have been happy with it for 3 years so far.

Self-propelled vs. traditional push type mowers?

Anthony G

Which of these is the best and most preffered? Give me the pros and cons of these two, thanks!

Answer
A self-propelled mower, properly shopped for is far superior to a push mower in all but the smallest yards.

A hilly uneven terrain calls for a rear whell driven mower to provide the traction. A good one with a 6.5 briggs and stratton or a 5.5 Honda will cost you between $250 and $350 dollars

If you have a flatter lawn, especially one with many obstacles, a more maunverable front wheel driven one is in order. They run from $200-$300.

The advantages of a powered mower is extremely less cutting time, less energy used, and more importantly a more well-groomed and even yard.

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My brand new lawn mower quit and it won't start. Any idea why?

Lisa S

A few days ago I bought a brand new Craftsman lawnmower from Sears. I followed the directions, put gas in it, the oil, and started it up. I mowed one length of the grass and then the mower kind of slowed down and then quit. I haven't been able to start it since. It's brand new. What the heck is wrong? It is not a self-propelled mower. And no, I did not hit anything while mowing and it has gas.

Answer
Check the spark plug and make sure it is still conected (very unlikely to happen but simple to fix). If you mixed the gas and oil that would mess up the machine. Was it new gas? (I am not saying you did any of these but you may be asked these questions at the store or service center)

Clean it up to get the grass clippings off,look to see if it has any sign of wear, if it doesn't go back to Sears with it and say it never started and they have to take it back (if you have your receipt), once you have actually ran the mower they will make you go to a service center for it for waranty work and probably a 2 month wait for the mower. Lawn mowers are what are considered manufacuturer waranty products, which means the stores won't take them back unless they are getting credit from the manufacturer

I would suggest asking for a refund and go to a smaller hardware store or a lawn mower dealer. They usually do the following,
1) know the real answers to your questions, and not tell you what you want to hear, so that you will buy the most expensive products they sell. and will ask questions of you to find what you need (not what they want to sell to you)
2) assemble the mower for you.
3) gas and oil it for you and "test fire" it to make sure it works.
4) show you how features work such as a mulcher, grass catcher, how to adjust the height of the wheels
Describe your yard, how big it is, how flat or "hilly" it is, who will be using it, how often you will be mowing the yard, ask about the waranty, do they service it there? if not, where is the nearest service center.

What are the pro's and con's of self-propelled vs regular lawn mower?

peace

Answer
It depends on
1) whether you have a flat or hilly yard
if you have a yard with any hills - self propelled is the one to use.

2) whether the cost is an issue
self propelled is +or- $100.

3) How strong you are.
if your yard has hills, you may use a regular mower but you will have to also use fortitude.

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My brand new lawn mower quit and it won't start. Any idea why?

Lisa S

A few days ago I bought a brand new Craftsman lawnmower from Sears. I followed the directions, put gas in it, the oil, and started it up. I mowed one length of the grass and then the mower kind of slowed down and then quit. I haven't been able to start it since. It's brand new. What the heck is wrong? It is not a self-propelled mower. And no, I did not hit anything while mowing and it has gas.

Answer
Check the spark plug and make sure it is still conected (very unlikely to happen but simple to fix). If you mixed the gas and oil that would mess up the machine. Was it new gas? (I am not saying you did any of these but you may be asked these questions at the store or service center)

Clean it up to get the grass clippings off,look to see if it has any sign of wear, if it doesn't go back to Sears with it and say it never started and they have to take it back (if you have your receipt), once you have actually ran the mower they will make you go to a service center for it for waranty work and probably a 2 month wait for the mower. Lawn mowers are what are considered manufacuturer waranty products, which means the stores won't take them back unless they are getting credit from the manufacturer

I would suggest asking for a refund and go to a smaller hardware store or a lawn mower dealer. They usually do the following,
1) know the real answers to your questions, and not tell you what you want to hear, so that you will buy the most expensive products they sell. and will ask questions of you to find what you need (not what they want to sell to you)
2) assemble the mower for you.
3) gas and oil it for you and "test fire" it to make sure it works.
4) show you how features work such as a mulcher, grass catcher, how to adjust the height of the wheels
Describe your yard, how big it is, how flat or "hilly" it is, who will be using it, how often you will be mowing the yard, ask about the waranty, do they service it there? if not, where is the nearest service center.

What are the pro's and con's of self-propelled vs regular lawn mower?

peace

Answer
It depends on
1) whether you have a flat or hilly yard
if you have a yard with any hills - self propelled is the one to use.

2) whether the cost is an issue
self propelled is +or- $100.

3) How strong you are.
if your yard has hills, you may use a regular mower but you will have to also use fortitude.

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Help with buying a used lawn mower?

Can anyone provide some advice when looking for a used lawn mower ?

My current issues is both my mowers, are REALLY hard to start. Last year I could only get one to work, the year before the other one. But in every instance, it was a whole lot of pulling, like 10 minutes worth to get them started.

I have a small yard. Looking for a mulcher.

If I find a self propelled, is that something that's easy to deactivate ? Ive never used one and pushing my mower isn't as bad as the small spaces & turning & such.

Will big back wheels help or hurt ?

Found one on craigslist.

Troy-bilt push mower w/ Honda motor. Used for one summer.well maintained.

He wants $100.

Fair ?

Thanks for any & all help.

Answer
I know you said you are looking to buy a used one, and while $100 seems like a great deal, be cautious when you buy used machinery. While they are a bit more expensive, new mulching lawnmowers cost around $300-$500, which is pretty reasonable, they will come with a a warranty and will probably last you much longer.

And this way you can get it with the exact specifications YOU want instead of browsing through tons of different ones on craigslist.

You also mentioned that one of the problems you had was that it was hard to start. You might want to look into an electric starter as opposed to a manual one. They are roughly the same price and the ease to start them can make all the difference.

The benefits to having a self propelled lawnmower are that you don't have to push nearly as hard. You still have to push it though. It adds a lot of benefit on hilly areas and makes it a lot easier.

Lots of peopleI know have said that the Snapper mulcher works great, very reliable and is very reasonably priced.

I will put a couple links below for you to look at with all sorts of information on how to choose the right mower for your needs and a couple of different sites with reasonably priced mowers.

Good luck!

most durable lawn tractor?

revo2814

I have 2.5 acres....both gentle hills and a huge sloped area. Yard is rough in some areas. What is the best mower. I really like the John Deere zero turns, but I am afraid they will not handle the rough areas and slopes well.
riding lawn mower, lawn tractor, garden tractor....same thing.

Answer
i have a 1977 wheelhorse 10 hp riding mower. i bought it a couple of years ago because i owned one before. as far as i can tell you cannot hurt this mower. my suggestion would be to buy an older mower that still runs well. they are built much stronger than todays mowers and they are inexpensive. also if you are mechanically inclined you can repair most breakdowns yourself. no electronics, no computer. just basic mowers. and by the way, i also have 2 acres, some hilly, some rough. no problem for my wheelhorse.

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How much should i charge per lawn cutting job?

best lawn mower for hilly yard image

pro-model

I need some money for paintball. I am starting to get big into it and joining a team. I live in an area with yards with or under 1 acre. I will cut there grass and weedwack. Most of the time i will be alone, but i might be working with a friend some days. I can use a push mower or ride on mower. How much to charge?

Answer
I charge any wheres from 30 dollars to 40 dollars. It depends on the terrain. If it is flat or hilly ground. And if they got a lot of bushes to trim around. Now if if its two to three acres. Of just grass. I charge 65 dollars. Under and acre. I charge 30 to 40 dollars.

My brand new lawn mower quit and it won't start. Any idea why?

Lisa S

A few days ago I bought a brand new Craftsman lawnmower from Sears. I followed the directions, put gas in it, the oil, and started it up. I mowed one length of the grass and then the mower kind of slowed down and then quit. I haven't been able to start it since. It's brand new. What the heck is wrong? It is not a self-propelled mower. And no, I did not hit anything while mowing and it has gas.

Answer
Check the spark plug and make sure it is still conected (very unlikely to happen but simple to fix). If you mixed the gas and oil that would mess up the machine. Was it new gas? (I am not saying you did any of these but you may be asked these questions at the store or service center)

Clean it up to get the grass clippings off,look to see if it has any sign of wear, if it doesn't go back to Sears with it and say it never started and they have to take it back (if you have your receipt), once you have actually ran the mower they will make you go to a service center for it for waranty work and probably a 2 month wait for the mower. Lawn mowers are what are considered manufacuturer waranty products, which means the stores won't take them back unless they are getting credit from the manufacturer

I would suggest asking for a refund and go to a smaller hardware store or a lawn mower dealer. They usually do the following,
1) know the real answers to your questions, and not tell you what you want to hear, so that you will buy the most expensive products they sell. and will ask questions of you to find what you need (not what they want to sell to you)
2) assemble the mower for you.
3) gas and oil it for you and "test fire" it to make sure it works.
4) show you how features work such as a mulcher, grass catcher, how to adjust the height of the wheels
Describe your yard, how big it is, how flat or "hilly" it is, who will be using it, how often you will be mowing the yard, ask about the waranty, do they service it there? if not, where is the nearest service center.

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What brand of a zero turn mower doe's the best job at cutting grass?

best lawn mower for hilly yard image

Steve H

I now have a zero turn mower but if I go full speed it doe's not cut the grass perfect, there are some blades of grass that don't get cut.

Answer
I have a Hustler Z turn mower. They were the inventor of the zero turn lawn mower and I love it. Mine is a Fastrak model, which is the consumer model made for people cutting once or twice a week with lawns around 1 to 5 acres. The cost is fairly hefty ($5,300) but not much more than the much less quality Zturn mowers you will see a Lowe's or Home Depot. It gets much more expensive if you are to look into the professional lawn mowers. ($6-8k) Since mine mows with a 54 inch cut at 8 mph it works great.

If your yard is flat you can go with a larger cut, but if you have a hilly landscape you will want a smaller deck.
Something else to consider is what brand of Motor. You will usually find a choice of motor in a higher end mower. I have looked around and if you check out many of the professional landscapers around here you will find what ever brand lawn mower - the engines are usually made by Kawasaki. I guess that they have the most torque.

To keep the cost down I actually went in partners with a neighbor friend. I wouldn't recommend that to just anyone, but we wrote up a contract and it works for us.

Best of luck in your research.

Which is better for a hilly yard: front wheel drive self propelled or rear wheel drive?

brinkie69

My rear wheel driver mower has burned through a clutch twice in 3 years and I have to purchase a new lawn mower. Should I get a rear wheel drive again or a front wheel drive?

Answer
I definitely recommend a front propelled mower.
We used to live on a cliff with pretty much a large cliff behind and a smaller cliff down below that. I mowed it myself and couldn't have done it without my trusty Craftsman front propelled mower.One thing that is really good about having the drive in front is that you can just tilt the handle back a tad and raise the front just slightly off the ground instead of letting completely off the throttle and if your ground is really hilly it makes it so much easier. You can't do that with a rear wheel drive mower.Oh and if it's really hilly like mine was I also recommend wearing golf cleats when you mow to keep from slipping.

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My brand new lawn mower quit and it won't start. Any idea why?

best lawn mower for hilly yard image

Lisa S

A few days ago I bought a brand new Craftsman lawnmower from Sears. I followed the directions, put gas in it, the oil, and started it up. I mowed one length of the grass and then the mower kind of slowed down and then quit. I haven't been able to start it since. It's brand new. What the heck is wrong? It is not a self-propelled mower. And no, I did not hit anything while mowing and it has gas.

Answer
Check the spark plug and make sure it is still conected (very unlikely to happen but simple to fix). If you mixed the gas and oil that would mess up the machine. Was it new gas? (I am not saying you did any of these but you may be asked these questions at the store or service center)

Clean it up to get the grass clippings off,look to see if it has any sign of wear, if it doesn't go back to Sears with it and say it never started and they have to take it back (if you have your receipt), once you have actually ran the mower they will make you go to a service center for it for waranty work and probably a 2 month wait for the mower. Lawn mowers are what are considered manufacuturer waranty products, which means the stores won't take them back unless they are getting credit from the manufacturer

I would suggest asking for a refund and go to a smaller hardware store or a lawn mower dealer. They usually do the following,
1) know the real answers to your questions, and not tell you what you want to hear, so that you will buy the most expensive products they sell. and will ask questions of you to find what you need (not what they want to sell to you)
2) assemble the mower for you.
3) gas and oil it for you and "test fire" it to make sure it works.
4) show you how features work such as a mulcher, grass catcher, how to adjust the height of the wheels
Describe your yard, how big it is, how flat or "hilly" it is, who will be using it, how often you will be mowing the yard, ask about the waranty, do they service it there? if not, where is the nearest service center.

What are the pro's and con's of self-propelled vs regular lawn mower?

peace

Answer
It depends on
1) whether you have a flat or hilly yard
if you have a yard with any hills - self propelled is the one to use.

2) whether the cost is an issue
self propelled is +or- $100.

3) How strong you are.
if your yard has hills, you may use a regular mower but you will have to also use fortitude.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

most durable lawn tractor?

best lawn mower for hilly yard image

revo2814

I have 2.5 acres....both gentle hills and a huge sloped area. Yard is rough in some areas. What is the best mower. I really like the John Deere zero turns, but I am afraid they will not handle the rough areas and slopes well.
riding lawn mower, lawn tractor, garden tractor....same thing.

Answer
i have a 1977 wheelhorse 10 hp riding mower. i bought it a couple of years ago because i owned one before. as far as i can tell you cannot hurt this mower. my suggestion would be to buy an older mower that still runs well. they are built much stronger than todays mowers and they are inexpensive. also if you are mechanically inclined you can repair most breakdowns yourself. no electronics, no computer. just basic mowers. and by the way, i also have 2 acres, some hilly, some rough. no problem for my wheelhorse.

What is this sand/soil roller or compactor machine? Whats its name, usage, and value?

M F

What is this heavy duty roller, its use and value? A compactor for soil or sand or grass or ??
Its about 3 feet wide, concrete filled in the middle.

construction?

see 5 of my Photos here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67515285@N03/6148659829/in/set-72157627673672316

Answer
I can't remember where I read it, but someone once wrote: "The British had discovered the recipe for a perfect lawn: seed and roll for 500 years."

What you have there is a lawn roller. That really is all it does: it's heavy, and it rolls. Its purpose is to flatten out imperfections in a lawn's surface. It can't do anything really big but if you use it often enough, it will eventually, slowly, inexorably beat and mash down every bump in a lawn where it's used.

Where I'm from, flat is kind of uncommon. East Tennessee is mountainous, hilly. A perfectly flat lawn is an abstraction. If you're not into unnaturally flat perfection in your greenery, disregard this tool as the work of the Devil.

Construction, what? What about it. The one you're showing us is homemade. It appears to be a bulk grease barrel that has been filled with concrete. At a guess, I'd peg its weight at somewhere between 250-350lbs, but I don't have an estimate on exactly how big it is so that's subject to real world testing.

To use it, just tow it behind your riding mower when you mow the grass. That's all you have to do.

Value is up in the air. If you want it for its intended purpose, then it's pretty valuable. If you want it as yard art, it's a hunk of homebrew junk - find something more evocative. If you want to sell it, pin the price pretty low. A brand new one that is larger and heavier is only $155 and unlike this one doesn't look like it was hacked together by a frustrated land owner.

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most durable lawn tractor?

best lawn mower for hilly yard image

revo2814

I have 2.5 acres....both gentle hills and a huge sloped area. Yard is rough in some areas. What is the best mower. I really like the John Deere zero turns, but I am afraid they will not handle the rough areas and slopes well.
riding lawn mower, lawn tractor, garden tractor....same thing.

Answer
i have a 1977 wheelhorse 10 hp riding mower. i bought it a couple of years ago because i owned one before. as far as i can tell you cannot hurt this mower. my suggestion would be to buy an older mower that still runs well. they are built much stronger than todays mowers and they are inexpensive. also if you are mechanically inclined you can repair most breakdowns yourself. no electronics, no computer. just basic mowers. and by the way, i also have 2 acres, some hilly, some rough. no problem for my wheelhorse.

What is this sand/soil roller or compactor machine? Whats its name, usage, and value?

M F

What is this heavy duty roller, its use and value? A compactor for soil or sand or grass or ??
Its about 3 feet wide, concrete filled in the middle.

construction?

see 5 of my Photos here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67515285@N03/6148659829/in/set-72157627673672316

Answer
I can't remember where I read it, but someone once wrote: "The British had discovered the recipe for a perfect lawn: seed and roll for 500 years."

What you have there is a lawn roller. That really is all it does: it's heavy, and it rolls. Its purpose is to flatten out imperfections in a lawn's surface. It can't do anything really big but if you use it often enough, it will eventually, slowly, inexorably beat and mash down every bump in a lawn where it's used.

Where I'm from, flat is kind of uncommon. East Tennessee is mountainous, hilly. A perfectly flat lawn is an abstraction. If you're not into unnaturally flat perfection in your greenery, disregard this tool as the work of the Devil.

Construction, what? What about it. The one you're showing us is homemade. It appears to be a bulk grease barrel that has been filled with concrete. At a guess, I'd peg its weight at somewhere between 250-350lbs, but I don't have an estimate on exactly how big it is so that's subject to real world testing.

To use it, just tow it behind your riding mower when you mow the grass. That's all you have to do.

Value is up in the air. If you want it for its intended purpose, then it's pretty valuable. If you want it as yard art, it's a hunk of homebrew junk - find something more evocative. If you want to sell it, pin the price pretty low. A brand new one that is larger and heavier is only $155 and unlike this one doesn't look like it was hacked together by a frustrated land owner.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

most durable lawn tractor?

best lawn mower for hilly yard image

revo2814

I have 2.5 acres....both gentle hills and a huge sloped area. Yard is rough in some areas. What is the best mower. I really like the John Deere zero turns, but I am afraid they will not handle the rough areas and slopes well.
riding lawn mower, lawn tractor, garden tractor....same thing.

Answer
i have a 1977 wheelhorse 10 hp riding mower. i bought it a couple of years ago because i owned one before. as far as i can tell you cannot hurt this mower. my suggestion would be to buy an older mower that still runs well. they are built much stronger than todays mowers and they are inexpensive. also if you are mechanically inclined you can repair most breakdowns yourself. no electronics, no computer. just basic mowers. and by the way, i also have 2 acres, some hilly, some rough. no problem for my wheelhorse.

What is this sand/soil roller or compactor machine? Whats its name, usage, and value?

M F

What is this heavy duty roller, its use and value? A compactor for soil or sand or grass or ??
Its about 3 feet wide, concrete filled in the middle.

construction?

see 5 of my Photos here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67515285@N03/6148659829/in/set-72157627673672316

Answer
I can't remember where I read it, but someone once wrote: "The British had discovered the recipe for a perfect lawn: seed and roll for 500 years."

What you have there is a lawn roller. That really is all it does: it's heavy, and it rolls. Its purpose is to flatten out imperfections in a lawn's surface. It can't do anything really big but if you use it often enough, it will eventually, slowly, inexorably beat and mash down every bump in a lawn where it's used.

Where I'm from, flat is kind of uncommon. East Tennessee is mountainous, hilly. A perfectly flat lawn is an abstraction. If you're not into unnaturally flat perfection in your greenery, disregard this tool as the work of the Devil.

Construction, what? What about it. The one you're showing us is homemade. It appears to be a bulk grease barrel that has been filled with concrete. At a guess, I'd peg its weight at somewhere between 250-350lbs, but I don't have an estimate on exactly how big it is so that's subject to real world testing.

To use it, just tow it behind your riding mower when you mow the grass. That's all you have to do.

Value is up in the air. If you want it for its intended purpose, then it's pretty valuable. If you want it as yard art, it's a hunk of homebrew junk - find something more evocative. If you want to sell it, pin the price pretty low. A brand new one that is larger and heavier is only $155 and unlike this one doesn't look like it was hacked together by a frustrated land owner.

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