why do so many people have broken mowers?

[The motor guy]

I have tons of people call me telling me their mower broke and they need their yard mowed. I think to myself I run my machines all day long every day and I hardly have problems. (Knock on wood). What gives? I know they don't use commercial stuff, but even a residential mower will run 20 years mowing one yard a week. Are newer residential mowers really made that cheaply these days?

 

[tomcat27]

I'm guessing that it's related to ethanol fuel and/or the really cheap carburetors on today's mowers...

 

[daves87rs]

Yes and no.


Most are junk. Watched a neighbor who knows a bit just lose his craftsman mower with a kohler engine right in the middle of a mow.

Also helps that most people out there do not even know how to take care of one....

 

[gathermewool]

My observations:

1. Never check, let alone change the oil. Result: worn out engine.

2. Mow EVERYTHING in the lawn, including stones and roots. Result: bent shaft leading to instant or eventual failure.

 

[HangFire]

All of the above.

Consumer stuff is made REALLY cheaply nowadays. Mowing over "stuff". Mower makes funny noise... keep on mowing. Hard to start... get out the starting spray. Finally dies... wait for neighbor to offer to fix it, "might just need some little part." Ethanol gas and long storage intervals. You name it.

 

[69GTX]

I've used the $120-$160 cheapo mowers for the past 20 years....and only one engine lasted past the 3-4 yr point. That one was still kicking at 5 yrs but the deck wheel mounts rusted out. I was driving on 3 wheels for those last 2 years...lol. I change oil every year, use fuel stabilizer over the winter, and put only about 50 hrs per season on my mower...and still they [censored] out. These days I'm adding Techron to try and keep the carb clean. Some people might use the same fuel they bought in April all they way to October. Might be ok if you stabilize it.

If I get 3-5 yrs on a mower I figure that's "good." If this one lasts me over 10 yrs on all 4 wheels I'll let you know. At least now I'm cleaning under the deck after every mow to prevent another rusting out of the wheel mounts. I suspect fuel and carb issues are the biggest reasons these cheapo mowers fail. Most people probably change the oil every year.

I've never once sharpened a blade. Never had a blade or drive failure. It's just the engine running properly + carb tuning/performance. I think I changed a spark plug one time on that one mower than gave me fits. You have to go out of your way to make one of these fail in 1-2 years.

 

[Rolla07]

Id say neglect, abuse or cheap build or any combo of those..

 

[OneEyeJack]

Difficulty finding a service/repair shop that does honest work for a reasonable price?

 

[Merkava_4]

Because they're normal people. Normal people don't know mowers.

 

[cb_13]

I usually buy or acquire my mowers 10+ years old and broke down. A little TLC is all the older/better built ones usually require.

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Because they're normal people. Normal people don't know mowers.


Yeah they're smart enough to know their isn't any money in fixing them.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Yeah they're smart enough to know their isn't any money in fixing them.


I'm not so sure about that. Small engine mechanics seem to do pretty well around here. They're always driving new pickup trucks I know that much.

 

[exranger06]

It could be that they're not really broken at all. A clogged air filter or fouled spark plug can make a mower run very poorly or not start at all. A clueless owner might assume it's broken and will cost a lot of money to fix.

 

[crazyoildude]

My Allis Charmers Snow Blower my father used for years when i was a baby Was Made in 1966 still runs good although smokes a little the only thing i did was convert it to electronic ignition because the contact points turned into dust. Always ran strait 30 Pennzoil

My old lawn mower is 30 years old and still runs good although i only use it to cut the back of my house where my dogs go out because my landscaper is afraid of my dogs. also strait 30 both Briggs and stratton.

My generator always starts up when the power goes out almost effort free. that i am using QSUD 5w30 switching to Mobil 1 this month.

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: 69GTX
Some people might use the same fuel they bought in April all they way to October. Might be ok if you stabilize it.


I think that's the key right there. When I buy fuel I put Sta-Bil and MMO in it and date it, same swill I put in the cars. It's stored inside the shed. I'm using gas from the end of December 2015 in my stuff now. The riding mower starts up and runs like a top. The pressure washer, same thing. Even the weedwhacker and blower just finished their dose of last year's 2 stroke mix. They seemed to stumble a bit but made full power and now is on a diet of 1 week old gas.

I guess if you store outside in the elements the gas will degrade but in a regular old shed with StaBIl and all is well.

 

[mrgrim]

Neglecting oil changes and other abuse. My dad's Briggs and Stratton mower died after four or five years, but I think he pushed it too far recently by repeatedly cutting tall and damp/wet grass.

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
I have tons of people call me telling me their mower broke and they need their yard mowed. I think to myself I run my machines all day long every day and I hardly have problems. (Knock on wood). What gives? I know they don't use commercial stuff, but even a residential mower will run 20 years mowing one yard a week. Are newer residential mowers really made that cheaply these days?


They either don't have the skills to fix,maintain it or the ambition to put their phones down and roll up their sleeves and do something about it..

 

[demarpaint]

I think a lot of people view them as some kind of appliance that runs on gas and needs no maintenance. Then when they break the wonder why. I also think most owners don't have the skill to fix them, so they look to a friend, replace the machine, or pay up to get it fixed.

 

[Hounds]

Gentlemen: I have the answer to all your lawn mower problems: Electricity. Or, more specifically, an electric lawnmower.

Short story: Eighteen years ago, my next-door neighbor, who was moving, gave my wife and I his used Black & Decker electric lawn mover, a series 1530 (whatever that means -- cheapo, expensive; dunno). I'd never used an electric lawn mover, and had never considered buying one, but I certainly had no reason not to accept the gift. My plan was simply to use it until it failed and then push it to the curb. It's never failed.

I repaired the hand-grip control that starts & controls the electric motor once three years ago ($7 in parts via the 'net), but that's it. Yes, moving the cord around while mowing is a hassle (my wife tells me -- LOL), but the (d . . .) thing has never failed to start and it runs perfectly (here again, according to the Little Lady).

I have no idea how old the mover actually is. Never seen an owners manual, either, so if there's a maintenance schedule of some sort, I can tell you with absolute confidence that it's been ignored. And need I add that there have been no oil or air-filter changes?

I have no idea what the potential life of an electric lawn mower is, but I can say with absolute certainty that if this one ever gives up the ghost, I know what I won't be buying: another gasoline-powered lawn mower.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: Hounds
Gentlemen: I have the answer to all your lawn mower problems: Electricity. Or, more specifically, an electric lawnmower.


That may be fine for those postage stamp size inner city excuses for a yard. Not so much when you actually measure your yard in acres.