Walk behind mowers/ front or rear wheel drive discussion

[scootr]

Took delivery of a Toro TB230C. It's rear wheel drive. I'm replacing an older Troy Bilt TB210 front wheel drive.
I find the front wheel drive much easier to maneuver around obstacles where you just press down on the handle and let the wheels loose traction as you slow and turn vs having to clutch the drive...Is it just me?
Maybe I'm not mowing right

 

[Mtsoxfan]

Just a personal preference, I prefer FWD. I don't always release the drive bar when navigating hilly areas, around trees etc. Tilting back lifts front wheels so I can twist around a tree for example. I don't like pull/release/pull/release for my style mowing. That's just me though.

 

[whitenorth]

I'm a fan of rear wheel drive. Especially going up a hill. Plus, I am a fan of Toro's Personal Pace system.

 

[ruffdog]

I have one of the classic Ariens rear drive mowers. I guess after 34 years it has paid for itself. Yes, I have to engage the handle every time but it has been working. I do wonder about front wheel traction though.

 

[bigtiller]

I haven't ran either one since I was about 30 but back then I preferred the rear wheel drive ones.

After getting hot and tired, sometimes when mowing uphill I would let the mower pull me a little bit. Then I had to play catch-up to get the front wheels back on the ground.

 

[scootr]

My last 2 front wheel drives had one speed on/off. And it was easy to control ground speed by pushing the handle down and loosing some traction.
The new Pace lever will definitely take some getting used to

 

[whitenorth]

My last 2 front wheel drives had one speed on/off. And it was easy to control ground speed by pushing the handle down and loosing some traction.
The new Pace lever will definitely take some getting used to

I like it because it matches your pace. Best advice is plan ahead when wanting to back up. Let it roll forward a bit as that will unbind the wheels and they won't be locked up when you try to pull it back. That is my only real complaint on the system.

 

[Spanky100]

Took delivery of a Toro TB230C. It's rear wheel drive. I'm replacing an older Troy Bilt TB210 front wheel drive.
I find the front wheel drive much easier to maneuver around obstacles where you just press down on the handle and let the wheels loose traction as you slow and turn vs having to clutch the drive...Is it just me?
Maybe I'm not mowing right

Over the years we have had both and you will get used to either after awhile.

When buying front or rear wheel drive walk behind mowers my take is it depends on you yard and if you bag the grass clippings.

Level lawn with out bagging the front wheel drive is preferred to me. Easy to turn or stop as the drive wheels ar not engaged with ground when you push down on handle.

Un-level lawn, where you will be going up grades I prefer the rear wheel drive for improved traction with weight transfer when going upgrade. This condition is increased if using a rear bagging mower as the weight increases in the rear when bag fills.

(caution with higher grades aways mow across the grade and not up and down for safety as you could slip and wind up under blade. Had an uncle that is missing a few toes from that condition. If mowing lateral and the mower turns over downhill and you are behind it - just let go )

When using a modern consumer grade walk behind mower you usually have the upper handle bail keeping the engine/blades engaged and the lower handle bail engaging the tractive drive. With rear wheel you just feather the lower bail up and down when turning or stopping forward motion. You get used to it quickly and it is seems normal. Eception is the Toro type personal pace that you the more you push the handle forward the faster it goes. When turning or stopping just do not push forward. Agiain soon you get used to it.

Enjoy your new mowing machine.

Plus be thankful it is one of the likely last gasoline powered residential mowers available for purchase in your state. I hear California is not allowing consumers a choice to purchase them in the future.

Best regards

 

[scootr]

It's true what you say about CA. You can burn cars in LA but you can't run a gas mower in the country because it pollutes the air.

 

[dodge man]

I’ve got a rear wheel drive Lawnboy and at times had trouble getting the wheels to unlock so I could drag it backwards. I’ve given up on it as I can’t get it to run consistently.