FWD vs RWD mowers

I always had better luck with FWD going long ways on steep hills. My brother prefers RWD mowing the same hill the same way with the exact same RWD mower I had issues with using.

FWD is also nice for just keeping the drive wheels engaged while making turns and such. Other than that, I can’t see either or making a difference.

*I will add the RWD was a 4 stroke LB with offset wheels. The rears were slightly oversized compared to the front. The FWD was a Lowe’s “yard machine” and had the massive wheels in rear.
 
MParr said:
The Snapper Ninja commercial mower is the absolute best of the best. However, it might be hard finding one.
Click to expand...
They are nice. I have a 12yr/old one. The friction disk rear wheel drive system is a beast.

They are a heavy and long mower, but easily maneuverable given the differential gearing in the rear drive system. The right hand only drive engagement lever is a bit cumbersome and may not be for everyone.

Mine has a 190cc Briggs engine with a spin on oil filter.
 
Lubener said:
RWD is awkward. You are constantly having to disengage the drive system everytime you change row directions where FWD you just tip the mower back getting the front wheels off the ground.
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Thanks!
 
Lubener said:
RWD is awkward. You are constantly having to disengage the drive system everytime you change row directions where FWD you just tip the mower back getting the front wheels off the ground.
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I would agree in principal. However, "just tipping the mower on to it's rear wheels" is a whole bunch more effort than releasing my thumb to disengage the drive lever on my Snapper, LawnBoy or Toro mowers.

I will admit that the Toro takes more effort to pull backwards. Due to the drag created by the gear on the wheel driving the capstan backwards. The Snapper is easier in 100% of the conditions I've encountered and it's differential leads to zero turning drag in any conditions.
 
RWD is better for larger areas and hills, FWD is superior for going around lots of obstacles since you can keep the drive engaged and just lift up the front of the mower.
 
Okay, maybe I'm out of touch on current self propel mechanisms since most of my experience is with the Lawn Boy single speed and 3 speed belt driven models.

The engagement on those is dead simple. The transmission has a pully on top and has some freedom to "tilt" forward and back. Pulling the engagement handle just tilts the transmission back so the pulley is held against the belt.

Provided you have the engagement cable set correctly, you can disengage and then immediately pull back. It's seamless and works 100% again provided you don't have the cable too tight(adjusting it is a 5 minute job).

I do have one Lawn Boy Capstan drive mower, which uses a solid drive shaft(no belts) and has knurled rollers connected to it and always spinning that are brought down to roll against the wheels. Again, provided it's adjusted correctly, disengaging self propel turns it 100% into a push mower with absolutely no connection between the mechanism and the wheels.

dlundblad said:
I always had better luck with FWD going long ways on steep hills. My brother prefers RWD mowing the same hill the same way with the exact same RWD mower I had issues with using.

FWD is also nice for just keeping the drive wheels engaged while making turns and such. Other than that, I can’t see either or making a difference.

*I will add the RWD was a 4 stroke LB with offset wheels. The rears were slightly oversized compared to the front. The FWD was a Lowe’s “yard machine” and had the massive wheels in rear.
Click to expand...
I'm sure LBs aren't unique in this regard, but the self propel wheels are made of softer rubber than non-self-propel ones to aid in grip. It's super important with capstan drive as the drive rollers need to grip the wheel also, but even on the internal gear driven models it helps them grip the ground. The rubber does harden over time...
 
Ok so I am familiar with the Toro Recycler model, FWD.

This is dead simple to engage, or to totally NOT engage which quite possibly may be more often my tact. Super simple:

IMG_7076.jpeg

I can go forward and back super easy, inclusion of FWD, or not, is totally optional. The push bar is a standard metal item that’s simple. They make a stow away model that I’d like since my shed is taken over by bicycles…

Compare to the ginormous handle on the personal pace, which seems to give no room but to use it.

IMG_6992.jpeg


I don’t think with personal pace I could disable the drive if I wanted to for maneuvering.

I was able to get a photo of the drive system on the FWD unit. I can’t tell how it would be any different or less robust than a RWD unit.

IMG_7092.jpeg


So weight and balance aside, I can’t see how the fwd system is less robust or more complex. Is just a belt and a little gearbox.

I would understand that the fwd setup is only one speed, but the fwd mower is 10lb lighter than the RWD for some reason, and it’s easy to push with no propulsion if I want to go fast. I’ve mowed with no propulsion for the last 16 years…. It’s not something I need.

That said, if the fwd won’t claw its way up the hills, and is an impediment, that’s a consideration. Might as well stay with a simple push only mower, or get the red super recycler.

The made in Mexico side of it bothers me too.

If the snapper setup is better, maybe I should go pick this up:

IMG_7093.jpeg
 
bunnspecial said:
Okay, maybe I'm out of touch on current self propel mechanisms since most of my experience is with the Lawn Boy single speed and 3 speed belt driven models.

The engagement on those is dead simple. The transmission has a pully on top and has some freedom to "tilt" forward and back. Pulling the engagement handle just tilts the transmission back so the pulley is held against the belt.

Provided you have the engagement cable set correctly, you can disengage and then immediately pull back. It's seamless and works 100% again provided you don't have the cable too tight(adjusting it is a 5 minute job).

I do have one Lawn Boy Capstan drive mower, which uses a solid drive shaft(no belts) and has knurled rollers connected to it and always spinning that are brought down to roll against the wheels. Again, provided it's adjusted correctly, disengaging self propel turns it 100% into a push mower with absolutely no connection between the mechanism and the wheels.


I'm sure LBs aren't unique in this regard, but the self propel wheels are made of softer rubber than non-self-propel ones to aid in grip. It's super important with capstan drive as the drive rollers need to grip the wheel also, but even on the internal gear driven models it helps them grip the ground. The rubber does harden over time...
Click to expand...


This was a later model with just a traditional RWD setup. Just google any early 2000’s self propelled LB.
 
My younger sister lives in my first house which is on a 1/3 acre lot. I bought her a Cub Cadet SC100H. It's a non self propelled model with the 160 cc Honda engine. That was discontinued. They make the same mower with a bigger, more powerful Kohler commercial engine.

I have used the mower twice and really like it. It has a thick rubber stop bar and a natural position handle. The mower is ergonomically perfect.

This is my pick for a non self propelled mower.

Cub Cadet SCP100 Push Mower | Cub Cadet US

Find parts and product manuals for your SCP100 Push Lawn Mower. Free shipping on parts orders over $45.
www.cubcadet.com www.cubcadet.com
 
skyactiv said:
My younger sister lives in my first house which is on a 1/3 acre lot. I bought her a Cub Cadet SC100H. It's a non self propelled model with the 160 cc Honda engine. That was discontinued. They make the same mower with a bigger, more powerful Kohler commercial engine.

I have used the mower twice and really like it. It has a thick rubber stop bar and a natural position handle. The mower is ergonomically perfect.

This is my pick for a non self propelled mower.

Cub Cadet SCP100 Push Mower | Cub Cadet US

Find parts and product manuals for your SCP100 Push Lawn Mower. Free shipping on parts orders over $45.
www.cubcadet.com www.cubcadet.com
Click to expand...
That is on my short list from a prior post of yours.

I was bummed to see that the Kohler model doesn’t have a spin on oil filter.

It’s hard to determine if any drive would really help me. Otherwise I’d rather do without the weight
 
JHZR2 said:
That is on my short list from a prior post of yours.

I was bummed to see that the Kohler model doesn’t have a spin on oil filter.

It’s hard to determine if any drive would really help me. Otherwise I’d rather do without the weight
Click to expand...

I would like it to have an oil filter, too for the coolness factor. But when you think about it, all it does is add expense when maintaining it.

The engine has a cast iron bore which is a step up from most 21" mowers. Few people would benefit from it having an oil filter.
 
Cujet said:
I would agree in principal. However, "just tipping the mower on to it's rear wheels" is a whole bunch more effort than releasing my thumb to disengage the drive lever on my Snapper, LawnBoy or Toro mowers.

I will admit that the Toro takes more effort to pull backwards. Due to the drag created by the gear on the wheel driving the capstan backwards. The Snapper is easier in 100% of the conditions I've encountered and it's differential leads to zero turning drag in any conditions.
Click to expand...
How do you release your thumb to disengage going forward with this?

IMG_6992.jpeg


I have found an old school snapper that is worth consideration
 
skyactiv said:
I would like it to have an oil filter, too for the coolness factor. But when you think about it, all it does is add expense when maintaining it.

The engine has a cast iron bore which is a step up from most 21" mowers. Few people would benefit from it having an oil filter.
Click to expand...
This is BITOG ;)
 
Cub Cadet has a rear drive WB with front swivels like a zero turn …
Our TSC sells them …
 
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