Triplex Hydro Reel Mower Parts Availability

[GearHead36]

There is a 70” Gravely Triplex Hydro Reel Mower for sale locally. Are parts still available for this thing?

I've experimented with a push reel mower on a small area of my lawn, and I like it. But my lawn is too big to mow with a push mower. This would fix that.

 

[Auto Doc's]

What is the model plate information? How many hours are on it?

These are normally specialized machines for large grounds like gold courses?

Do you have any idea how to sharpen reel blade sets?

A used conventional brand name zero turn would likely be much easier to deal with and get parts for.

 

[GearHead36]

The ad is on Craigslist, and the model plate info was not provided. I have had manual reel mowers, and I have sharpened them, so I DO have an idea on how to sharpen them. I already have two conventional ZTR's. One is over 20 yrs old, and is getting hard to get parts for. The other is 8 yrs old, and parts availability is no problem with it.

 

[Auto Doc's]

If you are planning on longevity and parts availability commercial grade specialty mowers are not the way to go. They don't last long enough for there to be an extended availability for the parts.

It will make a good "yard ornament" though.

Modern manufacturing uses what is known as a "just in time" inventory (JIT) process where they keep warehouse storage to a minimum. And only then that storage is for fast selling parts. After about 5 years, the demand goes down for certain parts and so does production.

Parts are no longer left sitting on warehouse shelves for years like they used to be.

Since COVID the entire parts production industry has cleared out and shut down much of warehousing. Small batch/ minimum production has become a more common practice.

Many examples of this are in the automotive industry, small engine equipment is no exception.

 

[GearHead36]

Thank, @Auto Doc's. Not the answer I wanted, but I'd rather have the right answer than to have a useless lawn ornament.