Let's Talk About Our Bad Old Lawnmowers

I expect I'm not the only one. It seems that most 'normal people' buy new, or nice used lawn mowing equipment, then use it until it needs a repair and then buy new again. I'm the guy that can't walk past a pile of broken junk without saying to myself, "I can take parts from all those and make a good one." Last year I bought a couple beaters for under $100 each and both could be coaxed into mowing part of the yard. This year the two are becoming one.

The Montgomery Ward Signature 2000 mower is probably a 1993 model. I bought it from a Facebook ad. When I got to the seller's place it was an old mobile home that had been enlarged with 2x4s and plastic sheeting to double the living space. It had the kind of yard sale that looks like it is always in business. I approached the two middle aged women that were watching over the stuff and mentioned that I was there for the mower. They spoke to each other in Spanish then called Maria over. Maria looked to be about 10 years old, but had the demeanor of a sharp used car salesman. The mower was rough looking with two flat tires and no battery, but started right up when I jumped it. I haggled with Maria for a moment and got the mower for $75. She took the money and pocketed it. Her 6 year old brother helped me load it on the trailer.

The Craftsman mower was also a Facebook purchase. It had been abandoned by a tenant who had suddenly departed, owing a couple months rent. The seller was just asking $50 with two flat tires and no idea if it ran.

Both mowers wintered outside with no attempt to prepare them for storage. My plan was to just buy another used one this season, but I walked past the pile of junk and said to myself, "I can take parts from those and make a good one." The Signature 2000 is in better shape, but needed parts. Both have B&S 18 HP twins, so I traded the starter between them. It ran poorly, but good enough that I bought some newer tires off eBay and ordered new spindles for the deck from Amazon. I have the seat from the Craftsman rigged to fit, but just finished re-upholstering the original seat.

Over the weekend I installed the new spindles and thought I'd mow. The Signature 2000 looked ready, but died out after running for a moment. Air, Fuel, Spark.... It seemed to be a carburetor problem - the cylinders were filling with gas, making it hard to crank. I swapped carbs from the Craftsman. Somewhere along the process I noticed that the gas tank had gone from 3/4 full to about 1/3. Wow, I didn't think I had it running that long? Finally back together, still not running right. It seems rich and dies after a minute. Will not start with any choke applied. Eventually it was beer:30 and time for the mower to rest.

Today, I felt really stupid. All that gas in the cylinders? It had ran past the rings and filled the crankcase, mixing with the oil. When I was trying to run it yesterday, it had been blowing a gas-oil mix out the crankcase vent into the air filter. The oil level was pretty much at the top of the dipstick. Lets just call that a good flush of the engine.... I have done an oil change, drain and another fill. It looks like it's going to run okay. Worst case? I still have the Craftsman engine and I think that just needs a voltage regulator....

15 years of firing up my welder before cutting the grass caused me to buy a BRAND NEW husqvarna rider.

Some of the best money I've ever spent. 

I bought my neighbor's Husqvarna tractor when he moved.  I've got an old J-D L100 that knocks really hard and is getting ready to throw a rod through the block.  The Husq is a hydramatic and has a bigger deck.  I need to put the J-D on Craigslist and see if I can get $150 for it while it's still running.

Edit:  No complaints on the little J-D.  Bought it new in 2003 and I've  used it every Spring, Summer, and Fall since then.  It's been good, but the engine is used up.

I'm the guy who buys the nice new stuff and then absolutely runs it into the ground. By the time I'm done with it, even most GRM'ers wouldn't want it. 

My neighbor put his old rider out by the curb with a sign that said free.  I dragged it home and re wired it to get it to start and it runs fine.  I had to put tires on the front last year and this year I'll need a new blade.

My mom bought a brand new Husqvarna rider in like 2009 or 2010. It's still in service after being abused and neglected the whole time. It was semi retired when dad bought a used gravely residential grade zero turn that is the 2nd biggest pile of E36 M3 I've ever seen. And I now remember that I used it to haul a 5.3 LS into the shop once and I killed both front tires in the process. I should probably replace those soon. Oops.

Kinda related.  A older friend from church was listing 5 "broken" yard implements for $150 on FB marketplace, 2 tillers, wood chipper, 5hp wheeled string trimmer, and an 18 hp Craftsman mower.  I fought them all and get the mower and string trimmer going.  Everything else needed more work than I had time to give.

Over time I got sick of looking at the broken machines and the mower didn't want to start.  So I listed all the stuff except the trimmer back on FB as trade for 1 working mower.  I got a lot of snide comments but about a week after posting a kid traded me a great John Deere LA110 hydrostatic mower for all the broken machines.

Got a JD mower and a Troy Bilt "fenceline" trimmer for $150. 

Sup.

Worst case? I still have the Craftsman engine and I think that just needs a voltage regulator....

"Worst case, we still got that meat-lover's pizza in the trunk." <3

poopshovel again said:

Sup.

Needs atleast 2 more rows.

Daylan C said:

poopshovel again said:

Sup.

Needs atleast 2 more rows.

 

You get a line & I'll get a pole.

At first I thought you were talking about push mowers and I thought "who the heck pays $75 for a broken push mower!?"

poopshovel again said:

 

Sup.

I remembered reading that thread, but couldn't find it to reference. EPIC.

For mowing and house work I use a Sears suburban.... That thing is a hoss. 

For hotrodding got a yard horse with a predator motor. 

Got a old Sears push mower I never use. 

Any old push mower with a rusty deck gets turned into a battery charger. 

I'm going to order a new electric zero turn cub cadet sometime this week.  That's how tired I am of futzing with small gas engines every time I need to mow.

oldopelguy said:

I'm going to order a new electric zero turn cub cadet sometime this week.  That's how tired I am of futzing with small gas engines every time I need to mow.

I bought an electric push mower for trim work last year, and I will NEVER go back. Still have the big gas rider for the bulk of the yard, though.

9 years ago when we purchased our house I bought a brand new cheap 99 dollar push mower. It's still chugging along but last year I got a new neighbor who went out and got a fancy new tractor, he mows my yard for 5 bucks a week and saves me 1-2 hours. My weed whacker is pieced together from 3 different yard sale models and my chainsaw is older then I am though 

I have an old Toro Proline commercial with the 2 stroke Suzuki engine which I will never part with. 

I've been using a 1978 JD 316 with Kohler 16 horse motor to mow three acres for the last 25 years. I almost gave up on it a few months ago when the accumulated lack of attention and 'band aid' fixes had me looking at spending some time and money to get it back to being a reliable mower...or buying a new/newer machine. After new head gasket, spark plug thread repair, sparkplug, carb, points, starter & solenoid, repainting, air filter, blades, etc. it is now in the best shape it has been in since I've had it. I would guess a modern equivalent would cost $5K or more, so I guess I'll keep it...

AAZCD said:

poopshovel again said:

 

Sup.

I remembered reading that thread, but couldn't find it to reference. EPIC.

Well, 3/5ths of them need repairs after the maiden voyage. One just "quit" and wouldn't re-start. One leaks fuel REALLY badly. And one fell off (I think I forgot to double nut it.)

Fun little afternoon project if it would EVER STOP RAINING!!!!!!!

Dusterbd13-michael said:

15 years of firing up my welder before cutting the grass caused me to buy a BRAND NEW husqvarna rider.

Some of the best money I've ever spent. 

Is that the one you lit on fire in your driveway?

In reply to maschinenbau :

Yup. And it was even functional at that point! 

Stupid mouthbreathing Facebook marketplace people.....

I have a craftsman lawn tractor from 1997 that I keep running.  That said, its started smoking for the first lap of the yard or so.

I have over an acre, I am REALLY thinking about getting a faster zero turn (would take mowing from over an hour to a LOT less) and making a go kart out of the lawn tractor.

I bought a new one.  The free one I got didn't run well with a new carb.  

Dusterbd13-michael said:

15 years of firing up my welder before cutting the grass caused me to buy a BRAND NEW husqvarna rider.

Some of the best money I've ever spent. 

In 2003 I got completely fed up with every MTD-built/Briggs-powered rider I'd ever thrown time & money at, and bought a small(relatively) Dixie Chopper Silver Eagle. I think it only has < 200 hours on it(because I'm allergic to cut grass & berkeleying hate yardwork), so I expect it will outlive me. 
 

It's only a 48" deck(with 24hp), and is completely overkill for our current "yard" - which is mostly sand - but the maneuverability is sure nice.