Get a Laugh From My Lawnmower

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
My lawnmower is old enough to vote! This year when I started to mow the lawn for the first time, the rubber on one of the back wheel started peeling off. By the time I finished, it was really shredded. And silly me, I thought I could remove the back wheel and take it to Lowe's to get a replacement. Well, when I popped the wheel cover off, there this gear-looking thingy on the wheel. I tried turning the wheel bolt (it requires a 7/16" wrench), but it either is attached to something else in the mechanism, or I just don't have the strength and I didn't want to force it. Is there any handy-person that can advise me on how to remove it (just so you know - I am a person with limited mechanical skills or know-how), or would it be best just to have a lawn mower repair guy do it?

mower wheel1.jpgmower wheel2.jpg
 

Assuming you have the right wrench?

Try spraying the bolt with WD-40,
try tapping directly on the bolt lightly with a hammer a couple times to loosen rust,
try hitting the handle of the wrench sharply with a hammer, instead of turning it by hand, to get it started.

Good luck!
 
The First thing I would need to know is what is the Make and Model of this mower. Make=Craftsman, Toro, Ariens, etc., Model number should be found somewhere on a plate or decal somewhere on the body of the mower. Armed with that information, I could then go to various sites on the Internet...Repairclinic.com, Jacks small engines.com, etc., and see if replacement parts are still available. If so, these sites will have an illustrated parts list, showing part numbers, etc., and probably video's, etc., on how to replace a given part. However, if this mower is as old as you say it is, there is a more than 50/50 chance that not much is available. Looking at the picture of the wheel assembly, I doubt that there is much that "ancient" still out there.

You could try taking it to a local repair shop, but the odds are still pretty slim that they would have any parts....and you would be spending money on something hardly worth saving. Your best bet is to start visiting places like Lowe's, or Home Depot and looking for a new mower....Toro is my favorite for good quality self propelled hand mowers. Prices for a Toro Personal Pace will be in the $350 to $500 range.

But, Like I said, make and model number is the first place to start...with that info, I can give you a better response.
 

Don M gave good advice......if it were me, I'd first check the manufacturer for a wheel replacement, if no luck, you're looking at a new mower....I have had the Toro brand riding mowers with very good luck.
 
Briggs & Stratton is the engine...I would need the mower make and model to see if any wheel parts are still available. The mower appears to have some sort of nameplate on the front...but given the overall appearance of this mower, I would agree that it is "ancient". Again, I would suspect that your time and money would be better spent searching for a new mower.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Toro-22...th-Briggs-and-Stratton-Engine-20332/100659628
 
I'm not aware of B&S ever making a lawn mower...they just supply the engines for several brands. If you get time, go over that thing in detail, and see if you can find any manufacturer info on it. If B&S is the only thing you see related to a manufacturer, finding any mower body/wheel/etc., parts is probably going to be a lost cause.
 
I don't know... if I had a lawn mower that was old enough to vote and still ran, and would start reliably, I think I'd rather replace the wheel, if I could find one that would fit. It's worth a gamble. A new mower may not last 2 years. Taking it for repair sounds good in theory, but is easier said than done, unless you know someone who can take it for you.
 
The bolt only has three hatch marks on it, making it a grade 5. I would put the wrench on it and stand on it, or whack it with a hammer. You already have a broken mower,more broken don't make a difference. I don't understand the ratcheting mechanism, possibly a safety device to prevent rolling backwards.
 
Robusta said:
I don't understand the ratcheting mechanism, possibly a safety device to prevent rolling backwards.
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Me neither...if this is the left rear wheel, it appears that this ratcheting mechanism is some sort of "emergency brake" to keep the mower from rolling forward unexpectedly, and the "pawl" must be engaged during mowing. If this is the case, it would go a long way towards explaining why the tire got shredded, if mowing was attempted with the wheel locking up. I'm still kind of curious as to what brand of mower it is. I strongly suspect that the only place a person might find parts for this mower would be in a salvage yard.
 
If it were mine I'd retire the old mower and purchase a new one.....you might also look in the local paper for 'lawnmower repair', several years ago I purchased a used Toro from a guy that did lawnmower repair in his garage for a fraction of what a new one would have cost me and because he'd gone through it himself he even gave me a warranty.
 
debodun said:
I did find the owner's manual after an exhaustive search in the garage, if this is any help. BTW - the sales receipt was inside. I bought the mower on May 4, 1994 and it cost $339.00.

View attachment 52110
Click to expand...

I took a few minutes, and did a search on "MTD model (XXX) parts", where I entered model numbers from 130 through 148....and every one of them came up with some sort of riding lawn mower. That would indicate that sometime in the past 24 years, MTD has completely changed its model lineup, to the point where you will probably have little or no luck in finding a replacement part for this old mower. In recent years, MTD has begun to supply "entry level" mowers under various brand names...MTD, Yard Machines, Troy Bilt, etc., etc....and most of them are bargain brands with prices in the $150-$200 price range. For the $339 you paid 24 years ago, you could almost get a really good Toro, or Husqvarna mower today for not much more.

Bottom line...scrap this old mower....put a $5 price tag on it at your next yard sale, and go shopping for a new mower. I personally like the Toro brand (Home Depot), and Husqvarna (Lowe's). I have a Toro Personal Pace that I really like....it is variable speed, and goes as fast, or slow, as I chose to walk.
 
Just buy a big roll of duct tape and start wrapping it around the old wheel. Keep wrapping until it about the right diameter. It will last all summer!
 
debodun said:
Thanks for trying, Don. I looked at Lowe's mulching push mowers. This is the one they have that's closest to mine:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Bolens-140-cc-21-in-Push-Gas-Lawn-Mower-with-Briggs-Stratton-Engine/4188561
Click to expand...

Yup, that would probably work, if you have a fairly level yard, where you don't need a "self propelled" mower. Bolens is a brand that has been around for a long time, and it is one of the many "brands" which MTD makes. For that price, you probably won't find one much cheaper...even at Walmart.
 
Evenually you can't get the parts. They don't make them anymore. Can you blame them.

Time for a new mower.

You will love it. No more folling around. Just get out and mow.

I mow for a friend of mine. We replaced the front wheels just before sears went out of business.
 
debodun said:
Gas or electric?
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If you can mow your yard in 45 minutes, or less, electric will work, and is much quieter......HOWEVER
1. Electric mowers cost 2 or 3 times as much as a basic gas mower.
2. If you forget to recharge the battery shortly after mowing, the battery life will be reduced.
3. Replacing the mower battery is expensive...1/3 the cost of a new mower
4. If you leave the charger plugged in for an extended period of time, you risk a fire....these things use Lithium batteries, which have a history of overheating and burning/exploding.

Personally, the Only battery powered tool I own is a drill....and I am careful on recharging it.
 
Thanks for the advice, Don.

My front yard is on a knoll. Every year it seems to get steeper. By the time I finish, I feel like the guy in this photo. That's why I prefer a self-propelled, mulcher.

uphill mow.jpg
 


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