Grandma needs a new riding mower

[jyoutz]

Get her one with electric start. In fact get her a cheap zero turn with airless tires. That way she can start it and not have flats. Stay away from B&S engines. Problem with blowing bottom seal out. Oil instantly gone. Slings a rod right then. Seen several times. Kawasaki engines are very good.

I have never had any problems with B&S motors unless it was self imposed (carburetor clogged by using gas with ethanol).

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Your earlier statement is more like, I had a bad Toyota Yaris, so Toyotas are bad. Pretty sweeping generalization about one of the most common and reliable small engines out there. I know they are not the top engine, but hyperbole doesn't help.

When I see three in a row come in, tractor dealership had a bad boy mower dealership too. Boys club even had a Briggs blow. Tecumseh engines are for tillers and go carts. I use two concrete finish machines so old they have big magnetos on the side. But they still run. I have two melroe bobcats with Wisconsin's and belt drive machines. Only problem I ever had with Kawasaki is they eventually wear out. If I ever replace finishing machine engines they will get Hondas. My David Bradley has a cast iron Tecumseh but the rod is making a little noise. I have too much junk around here.

I have never had any problems with B&S motors unless it was self imposed (carburetor clogged by using gas with ethanol).

I use ethanol never had a problem. I even have a carb truck. Seven years took it apart, all was well

 

[jyoutz]

When I see three in a row come in, tractor dealership had a bad boy mower dealership too. Boys club even had a Briggs blow. Tecumseh engines are for tillers and go carts. I use two concrete finish machines so old they have big magnetos on the side. But they still run. I have two melroe bobcats with Wisconsin's and belt drive machines. Only problem I ever had with Kawasaki is they eventually wear out. If I ever replace finishing machine engines they will get Hondas. My David Bradley has a cast iron Tecumseh but the rod is making a little noise. I have too much junk around here.

I use ethanol never had a problem. I even have a carb truck. Seven years took it apart, all was well

I have taken many lawn mower, weed wackers, etc to the repair shop. They always show me the clogged carburetor and recommend using ethanol free fuel. Since I started buying that fuel, I’ve had no more issues.

 

[RoyJackson]

Depending on the size of her lawn, this might be a good option:

RYOBI 42 in. 75 Ah Battery Electric Riding Zero Turn Mower RY48ZTR75

It's time to turn away from gas and towards the RYOBI 48-Volt Zero Turn Electric Riding Mower. Powered by 75 Ah Batteries and 4 High-Powered Brushless Motors, this mower can cut up to 2.5 acres on a single

www.homedepot.com

 

[mikester]

Hire someone to cut the grass for her. Grandma deserves a break.

 

[RandyT]

Which B&S motor?? They make different models, and I haven't seen that seal failure even once in any of them...

But, I have seen several Kawasaki's fail from plastic valve gear timing...

SR

I have worked on those engines for close to 24 years and have never seen the bottom seal blow out of a Briggs. Had a few leak on the Intek twin due to a strange wear between the crankshaft and bottom oil pan that required replacement of the crankshaft and oil sump. But never complete failure causing engine destruction.

Have seen more engines destroyed by that stupid twist and pull oil drain that they like to use on a lot of mowers. They break, they unscrew from the blow, they just leak sometimes.

 

[kf4uda]

Hire someone to cut the grass for her. Grandma deserves a break.

My Mom loved to mow and use her little battery weed eater. There were plenty of us that could/would have mowed and trimmed for her but she wanted to do it. If you would have drove by her house 2 weeks before she died at 93 you would have seen her out mowing. I am proud of that because few people get to do what they want right up to the end.

 

[jyoutz]

When I see three in a row come in, tractor dealership had a bad boy mower dealership too. Boys club even had a Briggs blow. Tecumseh engines are for tillers and go carts. I use two concrete finish machines so old they have big magnetos on the side. But they still run. I have two melroe bobcats with Wisconsin's and belt drive machines. Only problem I ever had with Kawasaki is they eventually wear out. If I ever replace finishing machine engines they will get Hondas. My David Bradley has a cast iron Tecumseh but the rod is making a little noise. I have too much junk around here.

I use ethanol never had a problem. I even have a carb truck. Seven years took it apart, all was well

Small engines seem to have the problem with ethanol fuel, not automobiles.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Small engines seem to have the problem with ethanol fuel, not automobiles.

I think it's from leaving them sitting with it in them. I sent several landscape crews out each day. Never had Carb trouble ever. I ran the shop so I'd know. Sent 14 zero turns out each day. I have a mower 22 years old and never had trouble. I clear land with that mower. But, I use it year round. Near time to pull deck out for winter activities.

 

[jaxs]

I would suggest that regardless what brand engine you buy,do some pre-emptive work on it before taking it to her. Flooding crankcase with fuel cause's more engines to fail than wear and tear. If fuel is gravity flow,install 12 volt shut off that open's while key is on and close's when key is off. Safty switches cause 90% of no start situations so deal with them up front. If you believe the mower would be unsafe without one or more,replace them with more robust and reliable versions.
On a different but related subject. Be sensitive to her needs,respect and work with them. Older people want to feel self reliant but that doesn't mean they have to do every thing for themselves if you help in ways that doesn't make them feel inadiquate. For instance yardwork. First understand what they get injoyment from doing(flowers,fruit) and notice areas where they aren't as vigilant (grass in fence,weeds in alley,holes,mounds and rough spots,insect & pest invasion). Make it a visit while doing things for them. Based on my personal likes and dislikes,here's help that would upset more so than be appreciated. Two of you roll up unannounced and go at it with a commercial size Z-turn and string trimmer at a break neck pace. Mower set low scalping any place that isn't perfectly level.( I would interpet that as doing it so it will be longer until needed again) String trimmer with it's .130 line peeling bark from trees and scrubs. ( string trimmers do more damage than insects) Load up,rush in and say "we would like to hang around and visit but I need to go home and finish my own yard"and out the door and on the road you go. I would be so uptight I would be much better off with an overgrown yard. I don't have the gift of being able to explain it but all isn't as it appears with elderly people so try and put yourself in their shoes. I leave you with this to ponder. Your parents tolerated a bunch of crap from you as a child,try and be as understanding and loving of them.