by "mkbruin, Atlas VP" (mkbruin)
Published 04/12/2017 at 11:47
by "mkbruin, Atlas VP" (mkbruin)
Published 04/12/2017 at 11:47
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STARS: 0
I want one. Ive never had one. Im not spending $1k plus on one. I want to buy one CHEAP and put a little wrenching into it. I see a Poulan 50" for $100 with a hole in the block. How hard are these things to engine swap? How much power is reasonable?
"Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now)" (bman76-4)
04/12/2017 at 11:55, STARS: 3
Dat Binford Tools sticker. Home Improvement nostalgia.
"LongbowMkII" (longbowmkii)
04/12/2017 at 11:55, STARS: 0
i had a troy built i unbolted the motor on to change the drive belt, it was like 4 bolts. since its a fairly self contained unit it should just be the fuel lines and starter cable.
"Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero" (sampsonite24)
04/12/2017 at 11:57, STARS: 0
id love to do that to a john deere lol
"Pickup_man" (zekeh)
04/12/2017 at 12:04, STARS: 4
After working 5 years at a store with a small engine repair shop, and another 3 years at a place that sells riding mowers, they’re pretty much all junk. The only ones that aren’t junk are Toro, Honda, and Ariens, or the really expensive, high end mowers from Cub Cadet, JD etc. Not to say they won’t work, but riding mowers are all built so cheaply its almost funny. Nearly everything is owned, or manufactured by a couple of main companies, Husqvarna (Husqvarna, Poulan, Crafstman) and MTD (Cub Cadet, JD, Troy Built, Yard Machines, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.). IMO, everything manufactured by MTD is garbage, and anything but top range Husqvarna products are as well.
Getting to your actual question. Riding mowers are really easy to engine swap, replacement engines are very readily available, in horizontal shaft, and vertical shaft (nearly all riding mowers use these). You should be able to find engines at any farm/fleet type store in your area, and they usually run a couple hundred bucks for the B&S, Tecumseh motors, a bit more for Kawasaki’s, and substantially more for Hondas. I wouldn’t go much bigger in HP that what came out of it as the transmissions are weak as is, you don’t want to over stress it. That being said, a Poulan with a hole in the block is worth nothing more than scrap IMO. By the time you buy it, the replacement engine, and figure in a good afternoon of work you’re well into running/functioning used mower money.
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
04/12/2017 at 12:06, STARS: 0
Engine swaps are pretty easy, as long as you’ve got a shaft diameter and length match. (giggety). Most use the same bolt pattern on the flange.
However - it’s very easy to have other issues with the mower. Bent quills on the deck, deck rot, bad tensioners, rot in the rear support box, bearing unit failures in the front wheels...It can all be redone/replaced a piece at a time, but it’s a good idea to have a solid unit to start with. (giggety).
"PartyPooper2012" (PartyPooper2012)
04/12/2017 at 12:09, STARS: 1
No horsepower is enough horsepower.
LS swap that bitch. Throw some dubs on all 4 corners. Bag it
"PartyPooper2012" (PartyPooper2012)
04/12/2017 at 12:14, STARS: 1
I have an MTD snowblower and I fucking hate it. It’s damn near impossible to read the replacement parts manual cuz half of it is in chinese and other is broken engrish. Stay away from MTD. Get a nice honda something
"That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms" (thatbastardkurtis5)
04/12/2017 at 12:18, STARS: 0
I’m a John Deere guy for resale value, because people that don’t know tractors still know JD.
Look for a 185 Hydro, don’t spend more than $250 on it and it’ll run forever. Big Kawasaki single, one of the best small engines I’ve ever had.
If you can find one, the next gen newer top of the line Deere lawn tractors are the LX line. You can sometimes find somebody who doesn’t know or care giving away a LX277 or something for $400-500...that’s an awesome machine, usually go for $1000 or so in good shape. Avoid the 100 series LXs (LX176 etc) with the water cooled Kawasaki though, those are a mess.
"Matt Nichelson" (whoismatt)
04/12/2017 at 12:21, STARS: 0
TIL the Binford mower is a Craftsman LT1000. Not my pic, but I own an LT1000 like the one below. I have a Binford mower and didn’t even realize it!
"E92M3" (E46M3)
04/12/2017 at 12:25, STARS: 0
I wouldn’t bother. Try to find one that doesn’t run anymore that someone just wants gone. One with the engine still intact, but just needs a new carb. New carbs run $20-30. If it needs tires, there’s another $100-150. 8-12hp is plenty. Or just save yourself time and buy a runner for $300 from someone who is moving.
"PartyPooper2012" (PartyPooper2012)
04/12/2017 at 12:34, STARS: 0
"Meatcoma" (mastapoof)
04/12/2017 at 13:57, STARS: 0
Eh, I’ve got a yard machine that starts every year. The deck and belts have had more work than anything else. The spindles on the decks are ridiculously expensive. Everything else is serviceable and it starts every year.
I also have a 1978 JD 316 garden tractor. The JD parts are kinda pricey but damn if that thing doesn’t keep ticking along.
"Pickup_man" (zekeh)
04/12/2017 at 14:16, STARS: 0
I mean, they work, and if you do some basic maintenance there isn’t any reason they shouldn’t start, but make no mistake, they’re built to be nearly as cheap as possible. For some people though, that’s all they need.
That JD is pre MTD days, and I’ve heard nothing but good things about them. If that yard machine is still ticking along in 40 years I might change my mind, but I’m not holding my breath haha.