Best Bang for the Buck Riding Mower for 1.4 acres?

[Carscw]

Thanks for the advice! I will probably go check out quite a few this weekend and see how I feel then. Are all motors in this range about the same as far as quality? The only one I saw with a "better" motor in my opinion is the Ariens (husqvarna) with the Briggs V-Twin. The rest are all single cylinder Briggs or Kohler (usually courage)

I like briggs but have a few single cylinder kohlers and like them they hold their rpms good and recover fast when they do bog down. For me a oil filter is a must.
A V twin is a plus.

Bet you did not think it would be this hard to pick a mower. They just don't make one that has everything you want in a riding mower.

I am building a mower out of many mowers. Taking what I think are the best from each mower and making one. More for fun than anything else

 

[My_guy99]

RIC ur a dumb@22, ur one of the guys that thinks he always right regardless if it's staring u n the face! I'm done wit u Jr!

 

[Ric]

RIC ur a dumb@22, ur one of the guys that thinks he always right regardless if it's staring u n the face! I'm done wit u Jr!

No I don't always think I'm right but I do follow and do what the manufacturer say to do or not to do, I've always figured they no more about the equipment than anyone else seeing how they only make the stuff ya know :smile:

 

[Carscw]

The manufacturer has done study's and really do know what they are doing.

 

[Rivets]

I just read through this thread and find the postings very interesting and you know what is staring me in the face? 99% of the time I don't agree with Ric or Carscw, but MyGuy99 this time they are right and you have to look at the big picture, not at just one part. I don't know what you're background is, but I do know that what you are trying to pass on as fact, is misinformation to the DYI members on this forum. Sealed means Sealed. I have torn apart and rebuilt more transmissions, transaxles, Hydrostats and rear ends than 95% of the members on this forum, so I feel I do know a little more than most members. Sealed units mean that these units are not designed to be serviced. Can someone service them? Yes, but not all parts may be available. Have I serviced sealed units? Yes, but have had to either scavenged parts from other units or had to match parts from serviceable units. This takes a lot of time and knowledge to do it this way. Have I been 100% successful, NO. Do I recommend repairing a sealed unit, almost never. Most of the time it is cheaper to replace the sealed unit than it is to repair it, but at times the replacement is no longer available and the customer wants to keep this machine. At my labor rate, this can get very pricey. I just recommend that before you pass on info on this forum, please make sure that, the info is directly related to an exact problem or is broad enough to apply to many different units. Vague or misinformation can be both expensive and dangerous to many who read it. Most members do not have the skills to understand or repair drive trains, and should not be pointed in that direction. My signature says what you can do with this post and I recommend to all others who look to this thread for answers to read each post very carefully.

 

[Carscw]

I just read through this thread and find the postings very interesting and you know what is staring me in the face? 99% of the time I don't agree with Ric or Carscw, but MyGuy99 this time they are right and you have to look at the big picture, not at just one part. I don't know what you're background is, but I do know that what you are trying to pass on as fact, is misinformation to the DYI members on this forum. Sealed means Sealed. I have torn apart and rebuilt more transmissions, transaxles, Hydrostats and rear ends than 95% of the members on this forum, so I feel I do know a little more than most members. Sealed units mean that these units are not designed to be serviced. Can someone service them? Yes, but not all parts may not be available. Have I serviced sealed units? Yes, but have had to either scavenged parts from other units or had to match parts from serviceable units. This takes a lot of time and knowledge to do it this way. Have I been 100% successful, NO. Do I recommend repairing a sealed unit, almost never. Most of the time it is cheaper to replace the sealed unit than it is to repair it, but at times the replacement is no longer available and the customer wants to keep this machine. At my labor rate, this can get very pricey. I just recommend that before you pass on info on this forum, please make sure that, the info is directly related to an exact problem or is broad enough to apply to many different units. Vague or misinformation can be both expensive and dangerous to many who read it. Most members are do not have the skills to understand or repair to drive trains, and should not be pointed in that direction. My signature says what you can do with this post and I recommend to all others who look to this thread for answers to read each post very carefully.

You don't agree with me 99% of the time?
That almost hurt my feelings.

Very good wrote post thank you for your input.

 

[My_guy99]

Lmao! U guys are so right! I know nothing and for some reason the manufacture told me what I should do to there product to prolong the life of the unit! I made it all up, don't worry I'll take my ball an go home and all my service experience of 55yrs as well! That's maybe the reason why I don't post on this particular form good day! -

 

[Carscw]

Don't really care if you leave but can you leave the ball.

Man you can not get mad and leave when things don't go your way.

Not everyone is going to agree with you or do things your way all the time.

 

[briggs]

A sealed trany should not have to be serviced unless one u drive the crap out of it and don't use the clutch proper if u use it right it will last for a long time ...I have had some come in to the shop that were wore out and 9 times out of 10 its because of in proper use of the transaxle IE not using clutch pulling stuff that's to darn heavy etc ...I have a cheap MTD that I beat the guts out of I use to push and pull stuff around at the shop heck I even move my car float with it ...Its all in how u use it but then again I have old tractors kicking around for parts...Its cheaper to put a used trans in it then it is to repair the one that messed up ...Have I taken them apart and serviced them yes on my own

 

[itguy08]

2. Ariens A22A46 - 46", CVT Auto, 22HP V-Twin Dual Cylinder B&S ($1449)
Biggest Concern: Foot throttle controls. I have not driven either of these mowers, but I feel in my large, flat yard that having to hold the gas pedal down for hours would make the leg sore. Sure, there is a cruise control feature, but I read that it's hard to engage and use. I sat on this model at the store and the throttle pedal seemed very hard to push like the clutch. Is that right, or was that one messed up? I feel just being able to reach over with a fender control would be much easier and less fatiguing. What do you guys prefer or think about foot controls vs fender controls?
Advantages: Smoother and more powerful V-Twin B&S motor, Quality built Husqvarna mower, CVT Transmission which should in theory be more reliable than hydrostatic right?

The main thing I am interested in is reliability. I don't want to waste $1500 on a mower that I have to trash in a few years.

Do you guys think CVT has more longevity than Hydrostatic? I read the hydrostatic transmissions are not serviceable, and thus they tend to prematurely wear out. I gather the CVT transmissions don't have anything that needs to be serviced except a new belt from time to time, thus making it probable that it would last longer. What do you guys think about this idea? Am I correct? Wrong?

I've got a fair amount of turns and such on our lawn that I would HATE a fender mounted control. What I like about the foot control is it drives just like a car, one or 2 hands on the wheel, push the pedal to go faster, release it (slowly) to slow down and stop. Simple, and works like a car. It's really not that heavy to keep holding down - I'd say about like an accelerator in a car. Granted, I've got size 13 feet, so I may have some additional leverage but it's no big deal at all. Reaching around and messing with a fender control I think would get old real quick, especially since I have a fair amount of obstacles and don't do 1 speed all the time. If your land is flat and obstacle free, a fender may work better.

For the cruise control - mine was a little hard to engage in the beginning as well. What I did was simply get at the linkage with a spray can of white lithium grease and it works like butter. I think mine was a little corrosion from being the "display model" at Home Depot which was stored outside.

I really think the CVT will last longer than a hydro. It is a much simpler unit ( head over to Element V Automatic - By General Transmissions to see about it) - it's pretty much a couple pulleys, some belts, and gears all drenched in grease or gear lube. The same stuff car bearings are packed with or the oil that's in a car differential. The Ariens has the RS-800 unit. The only complaint I have on mine is that the revers - forward transition can be a little jerky and it's slow in reverse But I think the slow in reverse is true of all new mowers now.

I take good care of my stuff and don't see a reason this unit won't last 10-15 years as long as you follow the service and replace parts as needed. Heck, my cheap Craftsman 22" is 5 years old and runs strong, no deck rust, and about the only thing I have replied is the drive wheels due to the plastic gears.