On Thu, 21 Jun 2001, Rush wrote:
> Can you explain why you like the foot tranny control? I'll be in the
> market for a new mower next season, and I've started to study my
> options.
my two cents, as the new owner (three mowings) of a snapper rider with
hydrostatic drive and mitsubishi (briggs branded) engine:
I wanted foot control until I found out that you have to keep your foot on
it. you pick up your foot, mower slows, just like car. with the fender
mount you push it and go. the downside to this is that if you have to
slow and steer at the same time you only get one hand to steer. this
wouldn't be a big deal for me except my son likes to help daddy cut the
grass and two-hand control is easier. I think this is up to personal
preference.
I think you should drive each mower you're looking at before you buy one.
for the prices asked, this shouldn't be a big deal. I actually wasn't
looking for a snapper at all (too expensive, *especially* for the fact
that is is, after all, only a lawnmower. I wonder about the guy that said
his snapper was cheap. they're the most expensive things going here.) but
the guy at the dealer encouraged me to ride them first. good trick, I
ended up buying one, albeit a used (year old) one, with a bagger
attachment (which I wanted). the kubota dealer here doesn't deal with
piddling small equipment--anything less than farm tractors.
anyhow, I'd second what eric said--try to find a yard guy's old machine.
usually cheap and you might find a zero-turn twin-tranny model. I'd have
done that except a) I'd been looking for a while with no luck and b) the
used snapper was a lot less than a new one.
complaints: snapper baggers work best on larger snapper riders, which is
why snapper doesn't list a bagger for a 42" deck. nobody told me that
'till after I bought the damn thing. mine clogs constantly and I'm taking
it back friday, er, tomorrow. I have no idea what the remedy is, but
I have to unclog the tube three times for every time I dump the bags.
also, the bags on the attachment are mesh, so any dust from the yard
escapes in a large cloud around you. I don't know if the solid
plastic-style baggers have this problem as well, but there's a data point
for you.
otherwise it steers well and seems very solid. much was made about its
cast iron front axle. I dunno why that's good, but I see lots of grease
fittings all over it, which I like.
my brother-in-law has a murray rider and it's crap, a complete waste of
money.
if I had it to do over again, I'd probably try to wait longer for a used
commercial machine.
scott
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