8.5 DR MOWER worth looking into?

   / 8.5 DR MOWER worth looking into? #1  

442john

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Feb 27, 2010
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I have found an older DR mower, 8.5HP and has the thin bicycle tires on it, are these good machines? What are they worth? The guy says it has "surface rust" and it will start but not keep running. i like the newer models, but they are real high, this one seems right price at around $300, going to try to talk him down if she looks decent and you guys say they are good machines. Any opinions would be great.
 
   / 8.5 DR MOWER worth looking into? #2  
You don't say how old. Is it a Briggs & Stratton engine or the Tecumseh? Will start, but not keep running? Why? The earlier ones had Tecumseh engines, but when their top of the line electric start, etc. came out with a Briggs & Stratton engine, I bought one in April, 1998, for just over $800. It was great, but when we had to move back to town in the Fall of 2002, I sold it to a friend for $350.
 
   / 8.5 DR MOWER worth looking into?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
I think it is at least 20 years old. He said he bought it used about 15 years ago and it hasn't been used for the last 5 years and he didn't use it much before then. It is a briggs engine, pull-start no electric start. Said he'd like to get $200 for it now and he thinks the carborator needs rebuilt.
 
   / 8.5 DR MOWER worth looking into? #4  
I once had a Briggs carburetor rebuilt; cost about $40 parts and labor. The next time, I just bought a new carburetor for about $40 and put it on myself.:laughing: Of course it would have been a bit cheaper to rebuild it myself, but I didn't want to do that. But I don't know about a DR mower/trimmer that old. You might call the company and ask them about it. The times I've called them, they were usually pretty helpful. That machine may be worth $200, but I wouldn't pay that unless it was in good running condition myself.
 
   / 8.5 DR MOWER worth looking into? #5  
I have that model and It will cut anything it can knock over.The Briggs carb is a simple rebuild ,or by new .200.00 is a Great deal.The new dr mowers do no more and cost ALOT more.
 
   / 8.5 DR MOWER worth looking into?
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Are parts easy to get and how hard is it to start with no starter? Does yours have eletric start?
 
   / 8.5 DR MOWER worth looking into? #7  
If you can find one of the Harbor Freight 6.5 HP greyhound engines on clearance for $79, you can probably put it on there and forget rebuilding the old carb.

Briggs parts should be easy to find.

I had a 8 hp Briggs on a Troy Bilt walk behind and it consistently started on the 2nd pull. Much depends on maintenance.
 
   / 8.5 DR MOWER worth looking into? #8  
Dr has a website ,easy to get parts ,really gonna need to only change belts.The unit was made by Bachtold Brothers and then changed to DR.Great unit ,bullet proof design.Nice self propelled workhorse.It will impress you.Ron
 
   / 8.5 DR MOWER worth looking into? #9  
If it won't keep running unless you spray in the carb, could be the fuel pump diaphragm needs to be replaced which is just a rubber gasket. You can look up the part on the Briggs engine website with the engine model #. If you are going to take it off and try to clean it, might as well buy any other gaskets that are going to come apart when you remove the carb.
 
   / 8.5 DR MOWER worth looking into? #10  
Our 17 HP version will insure you get a butt kicking every time you use it but thankfully it has reverse.:D
 
 
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