Rear Engine Riders vs. Tractors

[lowerAla]

Does any know why there are so few RERs around? Basically Snapper, Simplicity and Ariens, thats it. What are the disadvantages that make them so unpopular? Rear Engine Riders seem like a good crossover choice between tractors and ZTRs, without the high price. There must be something about them that I am unaware of. I know they don't look cool, but is that it? Give me some advice, since this is one of my options. Thanks

 

[Fordlords]

We had this really old 1960's Snapper rear engine rider around the house for the longest time, and it honestly did a very good job of cutiing the grass and was simple to use. It didn't have a lot of power as is the nature of most RER's, but for its purpose did not need much power. If I remember correctly my father sold it at a garage sale as the deck used a special 6 sided belt (grooves on both sides of the belt) that wore out quickly and was getting hard to obtian for that model, and it's been regular tractors for us ever since. I think the RER's just declined so much in popularity that the market isn't there for them to be made much anymore.

-Fordlords-

 

[Shimon]

They are pretty light duty and are made more for small manicured lawns. I bought a used Honda Harmony which was an excellent machine but it was too "light duty" for all the ruts and holes in my lawn. The tires are small and it didn't have much power (11 HP) so I sold it for what I bought it to a couple with a "cleaner" lawn.

They have their place and they are well made for the most part.

 

[Lindblom Lawn Care]

I have a John Deere RX95 RER. The quality of the cut is supper. Snappers have been around for a long time. I really don't have any idea. Unless tractor design is easier to work on, and the "cool factor."

Other than that I honestly don't know.

 

[slowrev]

I had an old AMF rear engine riding mower and now have a Gravely 812 garden tractor. One thing I can say about the RER's is TRACTION!

The neighbor has a NH 4wd compact (about 35hp) and the old Gravely will go anyplace the NH will and places he cannot take the NH because of rollover danger. The gravely will go places you can't stay in the seat. err well I can , I put a bass boat seat on it, nice and cushy bucket seat with fold up arm rests
I use it to keep the brush and weeds beat down (belly mower deck) in a forested area of mine, and to haul firewood. It is only 12 hp, but it chews up anything I can push down as I drive over it. and will pull 1/2 ton trailer of firewood up a 30 deg slope ( not %).

 

[bontai_Joe]

RERs are pretty good at cutting grass, and I believe Snapper makes one up to a 48" wide deck, but typically they are fitted with 30" to 36" decks. So it takes longer to cut a lawn than using a tractor with a 48" to 54" deck. But a tractor with it's stronger transmission can do other things, like plow snow, pull an airator, pull a decent sized loaded cart. I think the limiting factor of the RER is the trannies used in them limits what they can do, and the fact that most folks want bigger mowing decks. But as mentioned above they do offer a HIGH quality cut at a reasonable price.

 

[Lindblom Lawn Care]

I would think the transmissions would be the same. Snapper uses a "cone drive" type of transmission. Not the best for pulling. Others use the pyreless (sp?) transmissions that are same for RER or tractors of same horsepower. Most use a belt drive from engine to tranmission.

 

[lowerAla]

Thanks for the replies. One of the issues with RERs appears to be traction. Is this because of the smaller tire size? I am thinking it is, because the weight over the rear wheels should actually be more than on a lawn tractor. I don't live in snow country, so that is not an issue, but I did notice on the Snapper web site that they sell a snow blade for their RERs as well as tire chains. Anybody really push snow with one of their machines, or is this something they sell that does not really work?

 

[bontai_Joe]

Thanks for the replies. One of the issues with RERs appears to be traction. Is this because of the smaller tire size? I am thinking it is, because the weight over the rear wheels should actually be more than on a lawn tractor. I don't live in snow country, so that is not an issue, but I did notice on the Snapper web site that they sell a snow blade for their RERs as well as tire chains. Anybody really push snow with one of their machines, or is this something they sell that does not really work?

The Snapper snow plow set up does work on light snow that's not too deep. Although I haven't pulled up the actual weights off the manufacturer's website, I think that most RERs are lighter in weight than all but the smallest tractors. I have a Troy-Bilt Horse tiller that has a front mounted blade. Even though the whole setup only weighs around 300 pounds, it will plow a small amount of snow off a driveway, but it will never replace my big garden tractor that when set up for winter is well over 1000 pounds with a hydraulically controlled 54" wide front blade.

 

[slowrev]

Thanks for the replies. One of the issues with RERs appears to be traction. Is this because of the smaller tire size? I am thinking it is, because the weight over the rear wheels should actually be more than on a lawn tractor. I don't live in snow country, so that is not an issue, but I did notice on the Snapper web site that they sell a snow blade for their RERs as well as tire chains. Anybody really push snow with one of their machines, or is this something they sell that does not really work?

I believe the reason for the increased traction in RER's is the engine weight being over the rear axle. I have found that the smaller the tire the less traction you tend to get. Less surface of the tire is in contact with the ground on the smaller tires.