using a lawn mower for younger kids to drive around the farm....ideas?

[brownbr]

Thanks for the responses. Great ideas. I especially like the remote kill switch idea. I didn't know about those. I think that would be a great thing to have if I do this.

I've also been thinking about the wheelies and the freewheeling down a hill scenario. Maybe a rear engine mower would be a good candidate?

Good visibility with the rider up front, weaker motors with less power to do wheelies, if hydrostatic drive they would be less likely to pop a wheelie or coast.

And maybe if I can find a used one of these it could help with the $ also.

Any worries come to mind with a mower like this?

 

[aczlan]

It will pop a wheelie easier than a front engine mower. Go with a hydrostatic mower. I might look for one that has bolt on wheels (ie: where the wheels bolt on like car wheels vs sliding onto a shaft).

Aaron Z

 

[dave1949]

Hydrostatic? The kids will be ruined for life. :laughing:

You might want to make a roll bar. Of course ATV's are a lot faster than a mower but we have young kids getting hurt bad in ATV accidents around here. Tip overs, get launched into a tree, rock, etc. A helmet may be in order.

 

[DT86]

Have you considered a golf cart?

My grandfather had one on his farm when I was younger, it had a gas engine, 9hp iirc. At least 4 of us (cousins) learned to drive on that old thing. It allowed for a, usually short, period of supervised instruction and then we would roam free in pairs.

That thing got the chit beat out of it and no one ever got hurt. The worse thing that ever happened was when someone put a little diesel in it and it had to be ran with the choke all the way out for a while.

 

[Jstpssng]

I think that the best safety device is an attentive parent.. everything is just support. I also believe that your intent is a great idea... back in the dark Ages my driver's ed instructor told us that the best drivers were those who were allowed to ride their tricycles inside... it taught them how to avoid abstacles.

 

[Fluid]

The tractor the kid use has a Hi/Lo trans. I fixed it so in stays in lo and can't be put in hi -period-. I can walk right next to it, so there is not any way it can go fast enough to pop a wheelie and the transmission acts as a brake going down the only hill on the farm. I like the kill switch idea, i have an old snowmobile with one that has a cord and a wrist band. On the snowmobile, if you fell off the thing with the cord on your wrist the other end would pop off the switch and if would kill the motor. I can put that on the tractor for one more safety device. Thanks, thats a good idea.

 

[jaotguy]

any tractor ... geared low or the higher gears locked out ..

speed limiter ( on throttle )

wheelie bars and small roll bar

dead man switch and lanyard for each operator ...


then teach them slipping the clutch , proper starting and running techniques and safety procedures then set rules ....

break any of the the rules and no more tractor for the offender .... and enforce them ....

make it a privilege to drive , not a right.

( and no friends get to drive unless they have been taught by YOU ) ...

it is a great idea ... break them in slowly over a week or so ... then when they are proficient, they can tag along on their tractor and help out ....

 

[ruffdog]

Local woman died mowing.
GazetteXtra | Print

 

[Jstpssng]

Local woman died mowing.
GazetteXtra | Print

Timely post.
OTOH, if we try to isolate from every possible ocurrence; we'd live a pretty boring life. Just my opinion...

 

[dave1949]

Timely post.
OTOH, if we try to isolate from every possible ocurrence; we'd live a pretty boring life. Just my opinion...

I've heard the dead don't get bored. :stirthepot: