Is thirty years too long to keep a lawn mower?

[CalG]

I got this Giant-Vac 54 inch walk behind mower to keep up the sports field at the elementary school when my kids were there and playing one kind of "ball" or another. Volunteerism was still a thing then.

Well, the kids are grown and gone for some time now, but I still have the mower and use it to do the bulk of the lawn every summer.
The deck is getting pretty holy (sic) but the Kawasaki engine always starts right up, and it uses no oil.
But today, the drive belts to the wheels started slipping badly up even the slightest grade. The tension wheel is adjusted properly, so the easy option was to spray on some belt dressing. Good to go... till next time.
I looked "on-line" for replacement drive belts. They can run some good money. Like $90 each!

I've got a little bit newer Ransomes Bobcat just like it only in 48" that suits me better. I don't seem to quite as quick in the corners as I once was.

I'm just wonder when is the right time to send this one off. I'm sure it has another dozen years in it with just a little bit of TLC ;-)

 

[Gem99ultra]

The $90 price for belts is not at all surprising. I've had to buy some for $60+ for much more modern equipment. IMO, I'd keep the old Giant-V. It's served you well. I see no reason to toss it just because it doesn't still have new paint. Spring for the little bit of TLC.

 

[D&D]

I got this Giant-Vac 54 inch walk behind mower to keep up the sports field at the elementary school when my kids were there and playing one kind of "ball" or another. Volunteerism was still a thing then.

Well, the kids are grown and gone for some time now, but I still have the mower and use it to do the bulk of the lawn every summer.
The deck is getting pretty holy (sic) but the Kawasaki engine always starts right up, and it uses no oil.
But today, the drive belts to the wheels started slipping badly up even the slightest grade. The tension wheel is adjusted properly, so the easy option was to spray on some belt dressing. Good to go... till next time.
I looked "on-line" for replacement drive belts. They can run some good money. Like $90 each!

I've got a little bit newer Ransomes Bobcat just like it only in 48" that suits me better. I don't seem to quite as quick in the corners as I once was.

I'm just wonder when is the right time to send this one off. I'm sure it has another dozen years in it with just a little bit of TLC ;-)

You already answered the question.
"I've got a little bit newer Ransomes Bobcat just like it only in 48" that suits me better."

 

[MossRoad]

Back in 1985 my in-laws bought is a little Craftsman lawnmower for a housewarming present. It was not self propelled. I didn't like it very much, and I really wanted to buy my own mower, but didn't want to offend them, so I kept it and used it. I never changed the oil. Just topped it off each spring. I never changed the spark plug. Never removed it. I never changed the air filter, just tapped it out if I saw it matted with grass clippings. And I never drained the gas over the winter. Basically, I wanted it to die so I could buy my own mower.

Well, over the years, it kept running. And it would always start on the first pull. Each spring I'd pull it out of the shed, gather the family around, and see if it would start first pull. I'd push the primer bulb 15-20 times, hold down the handle and give it a yank! BRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!! It would come to life with a puff of smoke and then settle down and off I'd go...... FOR 29 YEARS!!!

The deck finally gave out. The wheels were all pointing different directions, and it was getting hard to push. The cut was still great, and that little motor wouldn't die.

I removed the motor and it now sits in the corner of my garage as a sign of respect. I scrapped the rest of the metal.

So, yes, 30 years is too long. 29 is OK.

 

[dodge man]

Nope, at 30 years old it’s expired, state law says you have to junk it. If you have room to keep it and it still works keep it and use it some. $90 for belts isn’t that bad. What I call $100 lawn mowers, 4 hp Briggs, plain steel deck, are over $300 now

 

[EddieWalker]

I've had my Scag zero turn since I bought it new in 2010 and I think I've had it too long. Five years was how long it lasted before giving me issues getting it started. It's been a struggle ever since. Some years, I can get it to start most of the time. Other years, it's a never-ending battle.

Almost all of it is from electrical issues. Most of those are from safety switches.

None of it's been expensive to fix. It's just time consuming to figure out the latest issue and then getting the parts to fix it.

The question I keep asking myself is when will I hit that point where I'm wasting too much time working on it instead of actually mowing the grass?

 

[fidowanttobe]

I'm a fan of stuff that I have that's proven its worth, (30 years!) to the point I wanna keep it around as a "spare" (if I have room).
NOT pushed back in the tree rows and "I'll fix it someday" though.
So, yes. My estate people will ask why I have a shop-vac, compressor, stereo, battery charger, trouble lights, etc. and a box of more than basic tools in every building. Because they still work.
I usually don't toss stuff that is worthy on my watch, fix and re-home it if no room.

 

[John0829]

I have a push mower that is much closer to 40 than 30 years old. Bought it to replace the self propelled my daughter hit a small cedar stump with and bent the crankshaft (she was P.O.'d because I made her help). Anyway, it still starts first pull, uses no oil and gets used each week to mow the smaller areas where the ZT just will not fit. It does get the oil changed each spring, cannot recall ever pulling the spark plug but did replace the air filter once. For me age does not matter, dependability does.

 

[oldballs]

My Case 448, L & G tractor is 42 YO and has endured the ignorance of a newbie at these things. It still serves me as a tow tractor for small wagons and carts and a Shredder/Chipper.. I've retired it from mowing/snow since I have two Kubotas with MMMs an d blades.. I did my bests to maintain it and it still starts & runs faithfully.....except for a surge issue that I feather out with the choke.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[LouNY]

I have found this to be a good place to get belts from;
V-Belt Guys: Online Replacement Supplier & Manufacturer

I'm still using my Kubota F2000 built in 1986 or 7 so 39 years old

 

[whitenorth]

I've got my Dad's 1966 John Deere 110 riding lawnmower. 60 years old next year. My Dad was using it up until he passed in 2021. My brother inherited it and he used it until last year when a bearing went out on the mower deck. He gave it to me and I have a place seeing if they can put new bearings in the spindle since they are no longer available. I will have the other 2 done as well if they can. If they can't, my brother has a place that has done special bearings that are no longer available for the place he works for. Hoping my place will be successful as my brother is about 4 hours away from me.

Other than that, it still runs and drives great. Only thing that is temperamental on it is the variable drive but, that has been that way for as long as I can remember.

I am also running a 1990 Ford 1520. 35 years old. Nothing currently wrong with it. Use it to and the front 2 stage snowblower to blow out my driveway. Have not hooked up the mower deck to it yet as I only bought the tractor last October. Didn't mow with it as the mower deck gear box seal leaked but, that should be fixed this week. Really overkill for what I need to mow but, bought it for blowing out the drive mainly. I'll mow with it just to so that it doesn't sit all summer.

 

[CalG]

I have found this to be a good place to get belts from;
V-Belt Guys: Online Replacement Supplier & Manufacturer

I'm still using my Kubota F2000 built in 1986 or 7 so 39 years old

Thanks for the reference.

They sure don't make finding anything easy. Put in a part number, came back with four pages of possibles to weed through. Jeesh!

I'll keep trying. ;-)

 

[hodge]

I'm running a 40 year old Steiner S20, and it's got tons of life left. I like the older, simpler, more durable stuff.

 

[tacticalturnip]

My Honda push mower must be 25 years old or so, I'm certainly not the first owner; I have no plans to replace it unless it really gives up the ghost.

It's not something I get excited about, not like the admitted retail therapy that comes with say- a tractor.

 

[CalG]

My Honda push mower must be 25 years old or so, I'm certainly not the first owner; I have no plans to replace it unless it really gives up the ghost.

It's not something I get excited about, not like the admitted retail therapy that comes with say- a tractor.

True about those tractors being in a different class.
The Fordson is 73 this year.

 

[Deere Dude]

I've got my Dad's 1966 John Deere 110 riding lawnmower. 60 years old next year. My Dad was using it up until he passed in 2021. My brother inherited it and he used it until last year when a bearing went out on the mower deck. He gave it to me and I have a place seeing if they can put new bearings in the spindle since they are no longer available. I will have the other 2 done as well if they can. If they can't, my brother has a place that has done special bearings that are no longer available for the place he works for. Hoping my place will be successful as my brother is about 4 hours away from me.

Other than that, it still runs and drives great. Only thing that is temperamental on it is the variable drive but, that has been that way for as long as I can remember.

Those 65-66 JD 110s and attachments are worth quite a bit for collectors and hobbyists. Just like some cars. They were quality made and hold up quite well. They may not be as intuitive and easy to drive but they are popular in parades and tractor shows, especially around Illinois and Wisconsin.

 

[whitenorth]

Those 65-66 JD 110s and attachments are worth quite a bit for collectors and hobbyists. Just like some cars. They were quality made and hold up quite well. They may not be as intuitive and easy to drive but they are popular in parades and tractor shows, especially around Illinois and Wisconsin.

I don't know, I grew up driving that tractor once I got big enough. It is simple and easy to use. Easy to push around if needed to. Plus, it is running on the 2nd or 3rd crank. Not bad for an engine that old. Plus, there are a lot of fond memories with this tractor.

I know it threw a rod in 2003 (found the paperwork when my dad bought the parts) that only cracked the block. Didn't put a hole through it. I'm told he JB Welded the crack and its been running ever since. Other than the replacement parts in the engine, blades and having bearings replaced in the mower deck once already, it is all original. Still running the same tires it has always had. Benefit of being kept inside in a basement that never got below 50 degrees.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can get the spindles new bearings.

 

[tacticalturnip]

True about those tractors being in a different class.
The Fordson is 73 this year.

You've got a collection; one day I hope to have one myself.

 

[CalG]

You've got a collection; one day I hope to have one myself.

Anyone with a friend at the bank can buy a new one, It takes a certain level of cray-zy to keep the old ones going. ;-)

 

[ultrarunner]

New is easy… good used is unique.

I still have my 3.5 hp Craftsman with untouched engine… it did 6 yards every week and bought it 1985… deck is getting thin so I’ve started using the HRM 215 pro Honda I gave mom in 2000 with aluminum deck.

Add me to the long term owners club.