What's this Lawnboy model? Operation at steep angles?

[Jim27]

I am looking to pick up a 2 cycle lawnboy for mowing some steep hills since 2 cycle won't have any issues with lack of oil that a 4 cycle would...

Have been looking around and seen a few Duraforce models but also saw some issues that made me think that might not be the best choice. Don't have any experience with lawnboy mowers. Seems the Gold commercial engines are well thought of. Considering a 4.75 Hp silver commercial engine one I located that is not running available pretty cheap. Primer bulb is bad. That's all the description I have so far and haven't looked at it yet. Picture is attached. I am guessing this might be a 10314 but that's just a guess. Does this model have good reliability? I don't mind changing a few parts, cleaning the carb, etc as long as the parts aren't too steep. What should I be looking at? Obviously free turning and reasonable compression and some of the things obvious for any small engine but what are some of the common issues for Lawnboy I should be aware of? Thanks!

Was just thinking that the carb would be the next thing sensitive to steep angles - not likely to damage the engine since it would probably just quit but it might not work well. I take it most of these have carbs with floats rather than without floats like chainsaws and string trimmers? Any without floats? How steep can they be run?

 

[jakewells]

10201 maybe you could use it upside down if you had a diaphragm carburetor works good for hills
I think that is a V engine lots of compression your arm might become limp after 6 pulls.

 

[jakewells]

rebuild the carb change the sparkplug and clean the exhaust ports and muffler and it should be a running those take 32:1 4 ounces of oil per gallon of gas.
don't use TCW3 oil use regular aircooled 2 stroke oil of good quality.

 

[jp1961]

I'd look for a 10323 with the Duraforce engine. Don't believe all the posts regarding surging problems with the Duraforce, mine doesn't surge at all. A 10323 will climb steep slopes like a billy goat (probably due to it's light weight). My 8481AE will not. I can't speak for the models with the V block engine, never owned one. Be very carefull mowing steep slopes, wear adequate shoes, kinda dangerous.

Jeff

 

[Phototone]

Ha ha. I only have hills to mow. I have used all Lawnboy 2-cycle mowers of almost all vintages. The one you are asking about will be just fine. There are no issues with any LawnBoy 2-cycle engine running on hills.

 

[beg]

quite a few people dont like the v force but aside from eating a coil or two and being a little louder mine works fine for now.but I got it for free so I just run it

 

[Phototone]

If you are going to do hills, I highly recommend one of the Lawnboy 2-cycle self-propelled models. Any vintage. They all work great on hills. There is a world of difference in operator fatigue between letting the mower pull itself, or you pushing it up and down a slope.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Unless you have a diaphram carb just be wary about long slopes.
Have a good look at how the float is orientated.
On some set ups you can cause the float to close off way to early thus running lean and of course the opposite occurs going the other way.
I mow a 60 deg inclined embankment with a 24" blue smoke.
It is about 1/2 mile long, across the face but being that steep, no way to mow across.
One mower has the piston out back and that runs like poo.
Another later model has exactly the same engine and carb but it is mounted across the chassis and it handles the extreme slope without a hitch

 

[lewb]

Well I have a self propel dura force, I did put on the commercial wheels, my slope is 35 to 25 degrees, I have slipped a few times going down hill. I do not think I could push up on the steepest portion with out a self propel. Here is a video of what I am talking about. This dura-force will climb the steepest portion straight up as long as grass is not wet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9atukHDdOCY