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Thought I'd share a new find. Not sure of the year, I think maybe a 91 model, but it's a 38 inch 12hp craftsman. Picked it up off an elderly neighbor. Hadn't ran in a year, but I jumped it and came to life. I changed the oil and plug which made a huge difference. Cuts decent but I think it could use a new drive belt and maybe a deck leveling. Really neat little machine and surprisingly fast in fifth gear. Was it common for these old mowers to not have anti scalping wheels?

Very common for the entry level mowers to not have anti scalp wheels. Even new ones today come without anti scalp wheels in some cases.

Fairly old mower, Looks like a good find

Mine(86) has the same deck and a 12hp briggs also.
Keep it!! It is the last years before sears started going downhill using cheap plastic parts like screwing together pieces instead of the single solid frame that doesn't flex-again like current mowers.

upupandaway said:

Mine(86) has the same deck and a 12hp briggs also.
Keep it!! It is the last years before sears started going downhill using cheap plastic parts like screwing together pieces instead of the single solid frame that doesn't flex-again like current mowers.

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I think the only big plastic piece on it is the hood. Everything else is metal for the most part. I plan on keeping it. It's handy for getting through gates and it really does run like a champ. The neighbor that gave it to me overhauled the motor 5-10 years ago, so it's solid. Even if I wanted to sell it, it probably wouldn't bring much. As you cam tell by the snapper hivac in the background, I'm a sucker for this old stuff. Lol

Scrubcadet10 said:

Fairly old mower, Looks like a good find

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Yeah, especially to have been free. Lol

upupandaway said:

Mine(86) has the same deck and a 12hp briggs also.
Keep it!! It is the last years before sears started going downhill using cheap plastic parts like screwing together pieces instead of the single solid frame that doesn't flex-again like current mowers.

Click to expand...

I forgot to ask. But the brake pedal doesn't go all the way down on mine. The brakes work, but it might be an inch of travel. Is yours like that?

look under the right rear wheel. That is where the brake is. There is a stopper on the shaft that moves fwd and back as you press the pedal. Have someone press and release to find what is stopping. Maybe the stopper is way back so there is very little travel to press the brake. On mine, the brake pad\block wore out so maybe someone fiddled with yours to compensate a worn block. Just guessing.

"sucker for old stuff" I hear you. I started big with 90's mowers when i started fiddling but sold them as i found 80's (i also have 70's/80's Snappers as u can see). Now pushing 70's mower and trimmer wise, most everything i own was made by my 6th birthday.

upupandaway said:

look under the right rear wheel. That is where the brake is. There is a stopper on the shaft that moves fwd and back as you press the pedal. Have someone press and release to find what is stopping. Maybe the stopper is way back so there is very little travel to press the brake. On mine, the brake pad\block wore out so maybe someone fiddled with yours to compensate a worn block. Just guessing.

"sucker for old stuff" I hear you. I started big with 90's mowers when i started fiddling but sold them as i found 80's (i also have 70's/80's Snappers as u can see). Now pushing 70's mower and trimmer wise, most everything i own was made by my 6th birthday.

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Thanks for the detailed reply. I'll give it a look and probably order new parts for the brakes since I'm replacing all of the belts. Steering wheel is slightly off center when driving straight, so I'll fix that too. You get your parts from parts tree and replacementparts? I love those old snappers in your profile. I have a 5hp commercial hivac that I am doing a full blown resto on and 4hp hivac. A 78 and 84 respectively. It's amazing the craftsmanship that went in to the old machines. I will put there self propelled drives up against anything today. In the highest speed, you're jogging behind the damn things. The 4hp is in survivor condition and runs good. I'll probably sell that one just for the fact that I don't need it and it takes up space. The wife complains! I have a new Honda an a 91 murray 22inch, so she says I have to downsize. Lol.

The only parts I recall I replaced on my Sears rider were the spindles-from hitting rocks in my new Tx. yard, and the brake parts. There was a vocational school in Missouri that had a small engine class and they sold parts also. That's where i got them but looking lately,i think they are out of business. Too bad, the prices were pretty good.
For the Snappers, the only parts i replaced were belts,1 spring, and Wisconsin carb which i got off ebay.

"The wife complains! "
HA!! It surprises me my wife hasn't gone postal. I think it is because I find/fix/sell other mowers so maybe handing her $150 every few weeks keeps her at bay.