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blueballs
04-01-2007, 10:07 PM
more trouble than they're worth?
no advantage?
this thread pushes another BB thread off the front page

Bugeater
04-01-2007, 10:08 PM
Worth their weight in gold.

Simplex3
04-01-2007, 10:09 PM
I assume the guy I pay has one. That's about all I know about them.

CoMoChief
04-01-2007, 10:11 PM
I always had t his really light lawnmower
had a nice little Honda engine, lasted for years.

Groves
04-01-2007, 10:14 PM
Worth their weight in copper or platinum, too. I suppose it all depends on the size of yard and the condition of your back.

stlchiefs
04-01-2007, 10:16 PM
When I was young I always mowed with an old Lawn Boy my dad had, not self propelled, but light as hell and ran for 15+ years like a charm.
About the time I was leaving for college, my dad decided to upgrade to a nice self-propelled Honda, not because the Lawn Boy broke, but just to get lazy and upgrade. Since then he has spent over $1000 just to keep the Honda running. The gears/flywheel that control the self propulsion have gone out numerous times. He now curses the day he sold that Lawn Boy.
Summary: get a little exercise, save some $$$ get a light mower.

stumppy
04-01-2007, 10:16 PM
I call my self propelled mower a riding mower.

blueballs
04-01-2007, 10:18 PM
cool I can add a poll after posting a thread
but I only get to use two options

stlchiefs
04-01-2007, 10:21 PM
My dad called his self propelled mower stlchiefs.

Simplex3
04-01-2007, 10:21 PM
cool I can add a poll after posting a thread
but I only get to use two options
Both is appropriate here.

Simplex3
04-01-2007, 10:23 PM
My dad called his self propelled mower stlchiefs.
ROFL

blueballs
04-01-2007, 10:27 PM
1/2 acre-will not get a rider
exercise/walking is good for me
but my yard is far from level

milkman
04-01-2007, 10:30 PM
My dad called his self propelled mower stlchiefs.

So that's how you came up with your username?

stlchiefs
04-01-2007, 10:31 PM
1/2 acre-will not get a rider
exercise/walking is good for me
but my yard is far from level

I found sometimes with hills, depending on the grade, the self propelled would just peel out in the yard and the damn things are so heavy with the extra weight it made it next to impossible to get them up a hill. If you are just talking about uneven land, it should be fine.
It also depends on your age and health. I don't want to be responsible for your death do to a mowing induced heart attack. :p

stlchiefs
04-01-2007, 10:31 PM
So that's how you came up with your username?


ROFL Well played.

blueballs
04-01-2007, 10:33 PM
I will not get lazy and get a rider
the self-propelled as a compromise

Fat Elvis
04-01-2007, 10:41 PM
Get a Toro personal pace mower.

pr_capone
04-01-2007, 10:44 PM
I have a self proppeled and it is terrific. Takes the strain off the lower back and makes it easier (for me) to mow uneven ground.

stumppy
04-01-2007, 10:48 PM
I will not get lazy and get a rider
the self-propelled as a compromise


A riding mower has nothing to do with lazy, it's a man thing.

stlchiefs
04-01-2007, 10:48 PM
You're wrong Mr. Blueballs. My mama says Foosball is the devil.

blueballs
04-01-2007, 10:58 PM
A riding mower has nothing to do with lazy, it's a man thing.

not always in my best interest
but prefer to think for myself

DJ's left nut
04-01-2007, 11:10 PM
makes it easier (for me) to mow uneven ground.

I think this is the key.

You get a better cut from a self propelled. It pulls at a steady speed and gives you a more consistent swath. With a pure push mower, you'll find yourself speeding up, slowing down, weaving more, bumping over stuff, etc...

It saves a little bit of effort and toil, but more critically, I think it leads to a far better cut.

tmax63
04-02-2007, 07:07 AM
You gotta make the call. If the yard is big enough for a self-propelled then go all out and get a rider. If you have to much crap in the yard (like my war department insists on having) get a light-weight push mower. Self-propelled mowers are too heavy to be good trimmers and don't cut a big enough swath to replace a rider. IMO it doesn't do a good job replacing either.

Brock
04-02-2007, 07:15 AM
If it has an engine, you shouldn't have to push it.

rageeumr
04-02-2007, 07:29 AM
I have a Lawn Boy that I swiped from my parents. 1986 production year. Light as hell and runs great after 20 years. I had to put a new magneto in it last year, but that's the only repairs I have done in 4 years since I got it. I don't think my neighbors like it because it's loud as hell, but I'm going to run it into the ground. It's just so easy to work on, and I like the exercise.

penguinz
04-02-2007, 07:35 AM
Only pussies need help pushing a lawn mower.

Fairplay
04-02-2007, 07:42 AM
Buy a Toro.

HemiEd
04-02-2007, 07:56 AM
When I was young I always mowed with an old Lawn Boy my dad had, not self propelled, but light as hell and ran for 15+ years like a charm.
About the time I was leaving for college, my dad decided to upgrade to a nice self-propelled Honda, not because the Lawn Boy broke, but just to get lazy and upgrade. Since then he has spent over $1000 just to keep the Honda running. The gears/flywheel that control the self propulsion have gone out numerous times. He now curses the day he sold that Lawn Boy.
Summary: get a little exercise, save some $$$ get a light mower.

Lawn Boy is the answer, but they no longer make that light "cast deck." Just get a self propelled Lawn Boy, they run forever. I used one 10 years, daughter took it. I now have a new one that is close to ten years old. Throw a little sta-bil in the tank over the winter and it starts first pull in the spring.
I can and do drink beer while mowing my lawn with one hand.

Extra Point
04-02-2007, 08:01 AM
My Toro is old enough to buy hard alcohol in Kansas. Gas-cleaned the air filter and drained the carb bowl last week.

Runs like a top. I've thrown $200 in it over its life, so $32 per year doesn't sound too bad.

We don't have 1/3 the yard we did when we bought it, so when the self-propel drive failed, I just took it out, making it light enough to walk. The SP drove both wheels, and it did a good job of lunching grass on tight turns. If you own less than 1/2 acre, SP isn't really worth it.

stumppy
04-02-2007, 08:11 AM
I can and do drink beer while mowing my lawn with one hand.


So do I. The only difference is I'm sitting down the whole time. The six pack sized cooler right behind the seat is an option I highly recommend for all riding mowers.

stlchiefs
04-02-2007, 08:18 AM
So do I. The only difference is I'm sitting down the whole time. The six pack sized cooler right behind the seat is an option I highly recommend for all riding mowers.

Whatever you say Hank.

stumppy
04-02-2007, 08:20 AM
Whatever you say Hank.


My mower would cut circles around that little tonka toy he's got.

HemiEd
04-02-2007, 08:25 AM
So do I. The only difference is I'm sitting down the whole time. The six pack sized cooler right behind the seat is an option I highly recommend for all riding mowers.

The use of riding mowers is cheating! :)

svuba
04-02-2007, 11:10 AM
Lawn Boy is the answer, but they no longer make that light "cast deck." Just get a self propelled Lawn Boy, they run forever. I used one 10 years, daughter took it. I now have a new one that is close to ten years old. Throw a little sta-bil in the tank over the winter and it starts first pull in the spring.
I can and do drink beer while mowing my lawn with one hand.


The Old 2 stroke lawnboys were possibly the best pushmowers ever made. Light, powerful, ran forever. The new ones they are selling at Home Depot are TANKS!

Logical
04-02-2007, 11:14 AM
I don't think Gaspar has a self propelled mower, but he does a fine job of pushing the mower around my yard. :D

StcChief
04-02-2007, 11:24 AM
It's both Great/Evil.

in Check box poll. :p

El Jefe
04-02-2007, 11:51 AM
Self Propelled are very nice I like to use ours in our backyard. We have 10 acres so we use a Ford tractor with a finishing deck to cut our big grass.