rear wheel drive or awd

jw6114

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My front drive craftsman just died so I'm in the market. I've never owned a rear wheel drive so should I get a rear wheel drive or awd? I mow about 3/4 acre on a very steep hill. The front wheel drive was useless and I'm happy it is dead but after replacing wheels every year it lasted about 10 years so it did ok. I've read some reviews that the husqvarna awd has some belt problems and I've not been able to find anything on craftsman awd yet but I'm betting it is probably the exact same thing. But none of the awd have high rear wheels. Will a high rear wheel rear drive mower work just as well as awd and what brand is the most comfortable to use?
 

combatcarl

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Rear wheel drive wins over front, in mowers. Never used an awd, I'd think it doesn't do much but add parts and complexity, maybe sell mowers. "Hey look, neighbor, I just got this sick awd mower" kinda thing. I've used the rear drive snappers for a while now, rear drive, especially if you bag, gets better n better traction.
 

Duffys OPE

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Go and get the Husqvarna AWD and you won't be sorry. Better traction and the belt issue was a small segment. I've been aelling them and haven't had ANY issues.
 

jw6114

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OK thanks for the advise. I ended up getting the craftsman awd with the 190cc Briggs and Stratton and I think I love it. It is identical to the husqvarna but a few bucks cheaper (379.99) so thats the only reason i got it instead of the husqvarna. Mowed the yard after getting it unboxed today and I was very impressed. Just hope it stays together as long or longer than my last mower did. My yard is so steep I have to wear cleats to keep from slipping. It rained yesterday and the ground is soaked and all it took to mow it today was a little push from one hand and that was just on the steepest parts. Everywhere else it literally pulled me.
 

tybilly

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Go and get the Husqvarna AWD and you won't be sorry. Better traction and the belt issue was a small segment. I've been aelling them and haven't had ANY issues.

my buddy's husq RWD, right wheel locks up when he pulls backward when it didn't before,only thing I knew to tell him was to clean everything and lubricate
 

LoCo86

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my buddy's husq RWD, right wheel locks up when he pulls backward when it didn't before,only thing I knew to tell him was to clean everything and lubricate

I'm not 100% sure but I believe when you come to the end of a pass to make a turn or want to go in reverse from being in self propel mode you have to release the self propel lever before making the turn or going in reverse and move forward in a manual manner to release the self propel action.
 
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