Snapper commercial owners - handle question

[JHZR2]

I think folks know I’m somewhat in the market for a new mower. I don’t think it’s worth it to repower my old flathead and I don’t see many rusted decks with hood engines.

There is a snapper commercial ninja around me for sale. Good condition AFAIK.

Thing is, my wife is now sold on the folding handle thing. And ideally the vertical storage.

Toro is out because even the super recycler is made in Mexico. The craftsman, troy bilt and cub cadets are US made it seems, and some have a vertical storage option.

But I really like my snapper.

So… I’m curious if the handles can be practically and repeatedly folded over for storage.

I probably specified our shed a foot or two too short. And we keep 5+ bikes in it. It all works, but the lawnmower folding buys a practical amount of space.

Do these allow folding over?

 

[skyactiv]

Looks like there's a solid rod on the left side of the mower for the self propelled speed. Too much of a hassle to deal with in my opinion.

Can you attach a rope and hook on a rafter to lift the mower out of the way at an angle when being stored, assuming the mower wouldn't leak oil?

 

[JHZR2]

Looks like there's a solid rod on the left side of the mower for the self propelled speed. Too much of a hassle to deal with in my opinion.

Can you attach a rope and hook on a rafter to lift the mower out of the way at an angle when being stored, assuming the mower wouldn't leak oil?

Talk about too much hassle - not interested in rigging something up.

Simple fold over is all I need. The vertical stow is even better if it works.

If I can set the solid rod to the right speed (my classic snapper had this setup), then I can just remove the rod potentially. That would be ok.

But my old snapper isn’t at my house and I don’t know if the new ones are the same.

 

[Soft Cars]

That mower has the best deck in the business for vacuuming up grass clippings. It would be a shame to use it as a mulching mower.

 

[JHZR2]

That mower has the best deck in the business for vacuuming up grass clippings. It would be a shame to use it as a mulching mower.

Nothing says I’d keep it mulching - I could install the chute and bag from my hi-vac if I wanted.

 

[97prizm]

Talk about too much hassle - not interested in rigging something up.

Simple fold over is all I need. The vertical stow is even better if it works.

If I can set the solid rod to the right speed (my classic snapper had this setup), then I can just remove the rod potentially. That would be ok.

But my old snapper isn’t at my house and I don’t know if the new ones are the same.

Can you contact a local snapper dealer/repair business?

 

[JHZR2]

Can you contact a local snapper dealer/repair business?

They’re out of stock everywhere. Supposedly discontinued…

My snapper may give me hints but it’s a much older model and not at my home. I know from searching on here a number of folks have these.

 

[Rand]

If its not designed for vertical storage will it leak all over?
Doesnt look very foldable with the steel rod.

 

[Soft Cars]

Nothing says I’d keep it mulching - I could install the chute and bag from my hi-vac if I wanted.

You already have a Hi-Vac Snapper?

 

[spackard]

I have a maybe 30 year old Hi-Vac commercial bagger. I can’t imagine folding the handles and hanging it. The deck, engine, etc. is heavy.
There was a mower I owned before, that was decent for folding and putting in a car trunk. That was smaller and a lot lighter.

 

[Cruisin'n5thgear]

If you remove the rod, you'd have to figure out a way to keep the drive disc from changing speed on its own. It relies on the friction of the operator lever to keep it in a set position.

 

[97prizm]

I think folks know I’m somewhat in the market for a new mower. I don’t think it’s worth it to repower my old flathead and I don’t see many rusted decks with hood engines.

There is a snapper commercial ninja around me for sale. Good condition AFAIK.

Thing is, my wife is now sold on the folding handle thing. And ideally the vertical storage.

Toro is out because even the super recycler is made in Mexico. The craftsman, troy bilt and cub cadets are US made it seems, and some have a vertical storage option.

But I really like my snapper.

So… I’m curious if the handles can be practically and repeatedly folded over for storage.

View attachment 177652

View attachment 177654

I probably specified our shed a foot or two too short. And we keep 5+ bikes in it. It all works, but the lawnmower folding buys a practical amount of space.

Do these allow folding over?

Snapper has a pdf manual on their website. I'm sure it lists this if it's an option.

 

[Cujet]

As I've mentioned, I have a Snapper Commercial mower W/Ninja blade. The handle does not really fold all that easily. Mine does not have all the plastic at the top. Just a simple metal handle and bolts fastening it together. While they do have plastic knobs, they are not easy to unscrew to fold the handle.

 

[Soft Cars]

What's nice about the Snapper Hi-Vac is that you don't have to blow afterwards. The mower doesn't leave a single grass clipping behind.

 

[Cruisin'n5thgear]

Gonna put my V21 HiVac to work on leaves this fall. Just have to decide if I want to use the bagging blade or mulching blade ...

 

[JHZR2]

Gonna put my V21 HiVac to work on leaves this fall. Just have to decide if I want to use the bagging blade or mulching blade ...

My hi vac is getting a new bagging blade as it has a ninja blade. I bought it for fall leaves as I get a lot of them. I usually mow with a reel mower.

As I've mentioned, I have a Snapper Commercial mower W/Ninja blade. The handle does not really fold all that easily. Mine does not have all the plastic at the top. Just a simple metal handle and bolts fastening it together. While they do have plastic knobs, they are not easy to unscrew to fold the handle.

I think my question is really becoming if the solid
Metal bar can be disconnected. If so the big turning handles can probably be loosened. If one isn’t worried about changing speeds, if it can be set once and forgotten then removal would be a viable option to facilitate folding. I don’t really want self propulsion to begin with, other than on maybe 25 ft of steep hill, and a snapper rolls so nicely in manual mode with the drive disengaged I’d doubt that I’d typically use it anyway. Changing speeds wouldn’t much matter to us.

 

[Soft Cars]

Gonna put my V21 HiVac to work on leaves this fall. Just have to decide if I want to use the bagging blade or mulching blade ...

You're gonna want the high lift blade with the airfoils and the hardware kit. eBay

 

[Cruisin'n5thgear]

True ... but the Ninja can make more fit in the bag. We'll see when fall comes around.

Those airfoils are nice. Probably takes a bit more power but the airflow is worth it.

 

[JTK]

They can be folded, but it's really not designed for regular use that way as mentioned above.

I've got a 12-13yr/old version of the snapper ninja commercial mower. Mine has additional cross bracing on the lower handlebar, has steel wheels and a Briggs 190cc engine with spin on oil filter. It's a heavy and long mower.

They mulch well with the special ninja blade they use.

 

[JHZR2]

Snapper has a pdf manual on their website. I'm sure it lists this if it's an option.

It doesn’t. Yet these big turn handles for tightening the two sections are there… could be a hex bolt and locknut if they weren’t meant to be loosened…