Although I love gardening, I've never enjoyed mowing the lawn.
To be honest although we have a big garden here, it's not a job that's too bad because of the second hand ride on lawn mower that I brought a couple of years ago. Well when it works that is. this year it has given me an endless list of problems.
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| Stored in my shipping container to keep it nice and dry. |
It's stored in my shipping container to keep it in the dry, which is awkward really as each time I want to use it I have to set up some ramps to get it in and out but it doesn't seem to appreciate this love and rewards me with breaking down at every opportunity.
Here's a list of the problems so far this year:-
- Slow puncture on the front left wheel - replaced the whole tyre as it couldn't be fixed.
- Battery wouldn't hold charge - replaced the battery.
- Pipe from the petrol pipe to the engine split, spilling petrol on the floor - replaced pipe (a bugger to fit as I had to take loads of the casing off, steering wheel and the fuel tank.
- The mower blades seized up - oil and grease then "persuaded" to move with my hammer.
- Slow puncture on the front right wheel has now appeared - Just live with this for now.
- Shredded the belt that drives the blade whilst halfway through mowing the lawn - belt on order now!
When you've got young children like we have, a lawn is an essential thing to have as it gives them space to run around, enjoy the outside and be children. But the way my mower is performing I'm tempted to let it grow and cut it for hay! Maybe I should get the scythe out on it!
Anyone else have constant problems with machinery - no matter how big or small it is?
Maybe you should get a couple goats.
ReplyDeleteThey'd probably eat everything except the grass!
DeleteMine is only 2 years old so yet to develop any faults, although I've noticed recently that the steering has become heavier. Some WD40 maybe?
ReplyDeleteGrease would probably be better as it would last a bit longer if there is a grease nipple for it.
DeleteGet a couple of Alpacas or some Geese that will sort your lawn out :-)
ReplyDeleteI find machinary frustrating and leave it to hubby.
Our sit on mower is ancient and has been giving us problems for a few years now. We thought it couldn't be botched up anymore this year until we found that a replacement would cost just under £3000 ! That has focused us to yet another botch up! But it needs gentle encouragement all the time to do its stuff.
DeleteDawn, I'm not allowed geese. It was in our marriage vows.
Delete3000 for a new one means I'll keep fixing this one for ever!
How big an area is your lawn, Kev? I cut my lawns with a pedestrian petrol mower. Sometimes I cut one lawn one day and another one another day. Suppose you could get a couple of lambs or calf's to fatten. Or even let areas grow for hay for the livestock.
ReplyDeletePretty big. I'll pace it out tomorrow.its a nice area for the children to play so to keep it free from animal mess is pretty important. I am going to build a garden shed/food store in there so that should take up some of it!
DeleteOur riding mower had constant problems and sit rusting now, I use a push mower and feed the grass to the steers and also put it on the garden to mulch the weeds. I also reduced the amount of yard by increasing the amount of garden and hay/pasture area. Large lawns are such a waste unless you have a ball team.
ReplyDeleteThe garden keeps the girls entertained and it would be difficult to divide it up any other way really. I sold my push mower when we moved here as it was electric and not really any good for a lawn this size. I'd be there all day.
DeleteWe have our chainsaw in pieces while we wait to get a new fuel line,gaskets, fuel and air filter.It's nine years old,so there is a sharp intake of breath when hubby orders the parts. Our lawn tractor usually has mice nests in the engine which are a bu&&er to get out.
ReplyDeleteJane x
I thought good storage for mine over the winter would be the key to getting it working right this summer - but I was wrong!
DeleteI have had a riding mover for about 10 yrs now. Bought it new using the proceeds form selling the jacuzzi that came with the house. Its a Sears/Craftsman brand but it has a nice 16 hp 2 cyl 4 stroke Honda engine. In the last couple of years it has started to act up a bit. It lives in the garage and sees no use during the 6 months of winter which is not good for it. Needed a new battery last year which was reasonable after 10 yrs. But even with the new one if it is not 100% on charge it wont start unless I jump it no matter how a fiddle and adjust the ignition coils. And then if it goes more than a week without running it will only run on one cylinder. (has new plugs) Once I warm it up for 10 minutes and aggressively throttle it up manually past the governor limits it will run on both. The mower deck it self has been relatively trouble free other than having to replace one broken hanger rod likely due to hitting curbing with the deck. FWIW I am told there is only two or three actual manufacturers of these mowers and they are then branded with the retailer name. So they are all actually the same beast with different trim and spec motors.
ReplyDeleteI think new batteries are getting worse. We've had to buy quite a few new ones lately. I remember when I was younger and when a battery stopped being good enough to use on a vehicle we'd use it on the electric fence to keep stock in. Now it seems that when they stop they just die and it seems to be after a only a couple of years.
DeleteWe have a joke here, If you own a riding mower its broke right? Seems none are any better than the others and if you own one it will be broke down about half the time LOL. Yep we own one and the list of stuff that has been fixed or rigged to keep it going would fill three pages LOL. We refuse to buy a new one because it would be the same way this one is. Seems no matter who we talk to, they say don't buy such and such brand I did and its a piece of junk LOL Everyone seems to have a different brand LOL. Ours is older now and its literally wired together in places. Missing parts (obviously non essential) is ducktaped together in places the wire wouldn't work. LOL ... but agree when they will just let you start them up and use them, they are handy.
ReplyDeleteIt makes mowing the lawn a quick job when it's working but at the moment I'd be better off with a pair of scissors. It's comforting to know everyone else struggles to keep them working though - at least it's not just me!
DeleteC says there is a thing called "Tire Slime" which you put in mower tires to stop them puncturing. It works well . He got some off ebay.
ReplyDeleteI put some in the wheel that I've just had fixed and it never did the job. I might try my luck with this one though. They're not the easiest wheels to take off in a hurry and I could do without the expense.
DeleteMow is Me...I always say. We mow to much. Hate it when it could go for pasture for animals but since our farm is still for sale and Americans are all about THE LAWN, I keep mowing. At The Poor Farm we will mow only the smallest yard and will have paths throughout the property for people. No rider mower that's our goal. In the meantime, I feel your pain !
ReplyDeleteGood pun! like I've said on other comments the lawn is good for the kids - otherwise I don't think I'd bother too much with it. In England there are many people that spend a long time looking after their lawns - at our last place I just keep chickens on it instead!
Delete