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I’m looking at buying an older self propelled commercial Snapper mower with a Briggs & Stratton 5Hp engine with a sticker saying “Cast Iron Sleeve”. I don’t know the date it was manufactured but I think they are better machines but concerned if it breaks I will not be able get parts. Considering the new disposable machines corporations sell us today I think the machines manufactured prior to the 90’s were better built. Any thoughts or concerns I should be aware of when purchasing an older model Snapper or, what problems to look for when I inspect this machine?

anejohn said:

I’m looking at buying an older self propelled commercial Snapper mower with a Briggs & Stratton 5Hp engine with a sticker saying “Cast Iron Sleeve”. I don’t know the date it was manufactured but I think they are better machines but concerned if it breaks I will not be able get parts. Considering the new disposable machines corporations sell us today I think the machines manufactured prior to the 90’s were better built. Any thoughts or concerns I should be aware of when purchasing an older model Snapper or, what problems to look for when I inspect this machine?

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Followup on the Snapper mower, I bought it. Starts, idles and runs at both fast and slow settings fine. A little white smoke from the exhaust but it’s been sitting in a garage (one owner) most of its life. The model number is 21500PC and he said he bought in the 80’s.
The drive belt and cutch belt which are probably original. I can attach photos if needed. Would someone have a part number and maybe a maintenance manual download link I could reference. Or any pointers on the correct tension these belts operate with?

thx

That is a Commercial Snapper mower with a stout as heck Briggs engine. Keeper for sure.

Just read on the tag. That is a 206cc engine. Never knew Briggs made anything larger than 190cc's on a push mower. I'm drooling now....... What a machine.

Snapper always topped their mowers off with the most heavy duty engines one could find.

anejohn said:

Would someone have a part number and maybe a maintenance manual download link I could reference

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What are you looking to fix on it?

anejohn said:

Or any pointers on the correct tension these belts operate with?

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Should be an idler pulley that auto tensions the belt. If you take pics of the top side of the deck all around I can help further.

Your kids great great grandchildren will be mowing with that.

So far that is a Commercial Snapper series 0 mower. Built like no other. Wonder if some valve seals would stop that smoke you mentioned at startup?

Same bullet proof transmission. I would top off the fluid with 00 grade grease. Every Snapper push mower I buy is about a full quart low.

And let's not forget that Commercial grade 206cc engine. I never knew Briggs had any larger than 190cc's for push mowers. That thing must be a monster.

I would look at the valves and clean the cooling fins for sure. What a treasure.

slomo said:

That is a Commercial Snapper mower with a stout as heck Briggs engine. Keeper for sure.

Just read on the tag. That is a 206cc engine. Never knew Briggs made anything larger than 190cc's on a push mower. I'm drooling now....... What a machine.

Snapper always topped their mowers off with the most heavy duty engines one could find.

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That mower is on the way to Samoa now to maintain a property I have there. It rains a lot so grass can certainly get away from you in a hurry. After seeing this Snapper I thought it perfect for the job. It’s now out fitted with new bearings, drive belts, engine & 00 transmission oil etc.
I do have an additional question regarding the assembly drive #7600109YP. I attached photos of the one that came with the machine. The local Snapper rep. here said they had never seen this version. It does not have a “snap ring” which allows you to get to the bearing to replace it for on going maintenance. At least it’s not visible that we could see. I purchased a new assembly as a spare since the bearing was serviceable on this one shown and only changed the rubber disc. Once the bearing runs out I’ll install the replacement assembly unless some can explain to me how to get to this bearing (7026693) for maintenance.
Any thoughts?

anejohn said:

but concerned if it breaks I will not be able get parts.

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Of the ones I have come across, the only parts that break on your mower is wheel bearings(rust)- if your wheels have them(they are at Home Depot for $10). There is also the few rubber parts like belt and drive wheel. That is normal after many years.
The other spinning parts I have come across here and there that needed a new bearing but thing is- they were all neglected mowers so take care of yours and you may be giving it to your kids before needing to replace parts.
If, God help us, you ever do need\want other parts like handle or gear box, Snapper(Briggs) still does make these mowers so 90% of the parts are still available. Things like the speed shift at the top of the handle is no longer made(it's been moved\removed) but people toss these mowers since they were made 60's to present, so u could get NLA parts that way. For example, currently, someone local is selling their 80's Snapper for $25.

Like slomo said- they are built like tanks.

The transmission rubber drive disks I think, are now NLA. Some one else might confirm this. I had to get a couple of Stens just for back up recently.

Your Series 0 drive is different than the newer one's I familiar with. Yours has that black plastic cover piece over the drive disk.

I think you are talking about part 23 and 22.





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anejohn said:

unless some can explain to me how to get to this bearing (7026693) for maintenance.

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Look at the parts list. It will help you figure it out.

BTW that bearing (7026693) part number has changed. Now it's 707608.

There's a idler pulley on the "trans/diff" that gets lose or there's a bearing that goes bad & the belt lose's all tension. Problem is no one seems to have a "fix" (diagram, part #, etc) for this pulley.

jagg2236 said:

There's a idler pulley on the "trans/diff" that gets lose or there's a bearing that goes bad & the belt lose's all tension. Problem is no one seems to have a "fix" (diagram, part #, etc) for this pulley.

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Just replace the pulley. Not a big deal.

Hi again
The mower made the trip to Samoa, re-assembled and runs great. Thanks for the comments. I did put the old idler pulley back on since it was still serviceable and brought a new spar along as well. I do wish I took the machine to a small engine or Snapper repair facility to check the throttle linkage and return spring. My return spring looks really worn but works. My question now is about the 00 grease and how much to fill the transmission. I was told not to over fill and to stop when the level is up to the gears, not flush with the fill hole. Sounds easy enough but it’s like putting pudding in a small hole. Rocking the mower back and fourth helps draw in the grease down but it’s difficult to determine the level. Attached are a couple of photos.
thx!

Just fill it till you see the gears slinging it around as you pull up back and forth. Yup 00 grease is like pudding. Flows but not too thin enough to leak out. Now having said that in these older machines it will leak out some.

It's best if you take the transmission apart and slather her down with a brush and some Diesel. Get all the grit and trash out of the bottom of the case. Then refill with some 00.

You know what, since these parts are no longer made, I would NOT open it up and clean her out. Just fill her up as you did. She will go another 50 years easy.

Check that 00 once a year. Only takes a few seconds.

Liquid grease ( 0 -00 - 000 ) is generally filled to just below the joint line in the cases so it won't ( yea right ) leak out when not in use.
Being thin the gear will pick it up and throw it all over the place.
Axel grease ( bentonite ) is filled to the top because being thick it does not flow inside the box
It also gets picked up and tossed to the roof where it sits in great gooey globs till vibrations & gravity cause it to fall into the gear when it get distributed between them and the excess gets toss back up to the roof and this process continues till enough of the suspension medium ( usually oil ) evaporated and the grease goes hard .

The bulk of common home greases are particles of compounds that have a flat structure held in suspension by a liquid of some sort.
So you can get graphite grease as a dry powder that you puff into key slots , graphite suspended in water , graphite suspended in oil , graphite suspended in fat .

I’ve been working on a “short cut” app to reduce the sizes of these photos to post here which has been giving me grief. I think I have a better handle on it now and below is the photo of the spring, governor & carburetor assembly I mentioned earlier. I had no clue the Briggs & Stratton incorporated a governor. Any comments or recommendations?
Thx

Yup, your springs are messed up. Should be able to fine small springs and make the linkage work. Clever person like yourself should be ok.

anejohn said:

I’ve been working on a “short cut” app to reduce the sizes of these photos to post here which has been giving me grief. I think I have a better handle on it now and below is the photo of the spring, governor & carburetor assembly I mentioned earlier. I had no clue the Briggs & Stratton incorporated a governor. Any comments or recommendations?
Thx

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That white spring on the left is allllll stretched out. You can see white paint flakes on it at the bottom side of the picture. Can tell someone stretched the crap out of it.

And the governor spring. The smaller shock absorber like spring doesn't look like it goes where it is on the throttle. I can't tell. That gov spring has been played with as well.