DR Field Mower Scout - using on hills?

[ChrisD]

I am considering purchasing a DR Field and Brush mower, the smallest model, the Scout. It's big enough for what I need to do, but it's a splash lubrication system (non-pressurized), and I need to use it on hills up to about 20% grade. Does anyone have any experience with this mower and how it deals with hills?

I have used some splash-lubricated equipment on hills that worked fine, and other equipment that would flood the cylinder with oil and stop.

I realize that the higher end DR Field mowers are pressure lubricated, but the cost goes up significantly, and the equipment is much heavier and difficult to maneuver.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Bentworker]

I have a BCS 852 that has a 13hp Honda engine on it that is splash lubricated. I used it with a 31" brush mower on 4 acres of rolling hills, some slopes were up to 40% (with 100% being 1 foot rise for 1 foot run). I never had any problems. I think the biggest thing with running a walk behind brush mower is the need to put a large screen on the air intake for the cooling system. I'd have to wipe my hand with a glove over the grass screen every 40 minutes or so to keep the one clean on my BCS. That is much better than sucking it in and packing the cooling fins with debris, leading to engine failure.

Joel at earthtoolsbcs.com sells a nice grass screen. It is spendy, but will save your engine.

I think the machine you picked is a good size, I would not get anything bigger to work on a slope that does not have turning brakes. I used the turning brakes on my much larger BCS all the time while side-hill mowing to keep me going straight. I could not imagine using a large machine for hours without brakes, you would need an entire 6 pack after a few hours of mowing on a slope.

 

[otus_branch]

Hi Chris,

My BCS 850 gas is similar to Bentworker's 852, except that it has a 12 hp Kohler engine on it. With this one (also splash lub'd I believe), I have to be careful as to how I traverse hills. When the valve cover is pointing down hill, I can experience oil fouling the plug.

However, if I traverse a hill in the other direction (i.e.- valve cover on the up-hill side) everything works OK. Going straight up and down hills also works OK.

I got tired of this, and eventually bought another (used) BCS 850, and had Earthtools add a (new) Lombardini diesel engine. Now I slope-mow with the diesel exclusively. It's great, but cost some serious coin to get there (and that was after scoring the used 850 in a really good deal).

-otus

 

[js5020]

Here's some slope mowing!

 

[2manyrocks]

How large of an area do you need to cut and how often? Is it more than you could cut with a 2 stroke brushcutter?

There comes a point when it makes sense to plant trees on hills and stop mowing them.

 

[EastTexFrank]

Here's some slope mowing!

You're a better man than I am .... and much younger I might add.

 

[AchingBack]

I am considering purchasing a DR Field and Brush mower, the smallest model, the Scout. It's big enough for what I need to do, but it's a splash lubrication system (non-pressurized), and I need to use it on hills up to about 20% grade. Does anyone have any experience with this mower and how it deals with hills?

I have used some splash-lubricated equipment on hills that worked fine, and other equipment that would flood the cylinder with oil and stop.

I realize that the higher end DR Field mowers are pressure lubricated, but the cost goes up significantly, and the equipment is much heavier and difficult to maneuver.

Thanks for your help.

The machine comes with a 6 month free trial. What do you have to lose?

 

[Tony H]

I know this is a very old post. Just helping someone in the future with the same question.
you asked specifically about a SCOUT, not sure why folks are talking about the behavior of their Italian machines.
The Scout does fine up and down the hills it does fine across the hills as well. It loses traction across the hills because the upper wheel lifts a bit. Narrow machine. For your 20 degree grade the machine will be fine. No flooding, no oil issues. The issue I have with this machine is that it will not run through a tank of gas without the Carb bowl getting hot enough to evaporate gas and stall. I do not run the machine hard. Slow speeds through thick weeds. never bog the engine yet it still will not go 40 minutes without it stalling out. DR is no help in coming up with an answer. The Cooling fan at the Recoil starter is clean. The engine is very clean so a dirty dusty engine is not the issue.