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So this year I'm going to replace my tired old Honda Harmony II mower. It's never really been the same since my other half accidentally tried to mow a stump with it. I had the shaft straightened by a local repair guy but it just doesn't run smooth. Plus, it's slow.
I'm thinking of getting a Toro mower to replace it -- specifically their top-of-the-line personal pace mower.
Before I drop the coin on it, though, I thought I'd check with the crew here to see if anyone has personal experience -- good or bad -- with any of the recent Toro models.
My neighbor has the personal pace toro. Its a nice machine. I still prefer my honda but the personal pace is nice, but honda has a similar system that is variable speed.
I know you asked for feedback on "recent" models, but I have two Toro products (Lawnmower, snow-thrower) that are each 20+ years old. Both still run like champs and start on the first pull...
IMO, electric start isn't needed on a lawn mower. You could probably save some coin if you avoid that. Get something that has the clutch that disengages the blade rather than killing the engine when you release the deadman switch.
IMO, electric start isn't needed on a lawn mower. You could probably save some coin if you avoid that. Get something that has the clutch that disengages the blade rather than killing the engine when you release the deadman switch.
I don't need the electric start. If my wife uses it though, she appreciates it.
Agree electric start isnt really needed. I had a 6 year old start my honda. It starts that easy. 1 pull= running.
Same here. I have one similar to the link you posted if not the same one, can't remember the # off the top of my head. I leave it at my rental property which I rarely visit and have a neighbour mow the lawn, but the few times I make it down the mower starts first pull even with must be some pretty stale gas. While mulching leaves this past fall I put a fair amount of acorns and small twigs through it without any issues. even found a hardball in a pile of leaves takes a licken' and keeps on ticken'.
The engines are awesome, we have an old honda waterpump that's now pushing 20 years that we literally use once a year when we open our pool and it runs like a swiss watch with 0 maintenance. It gets thrown under the deck and forgotten until the following spring when it gets fired back up.
My little 18 inch Toro push mower that's 14 years old starts on one pull with 3 primer pumps (as the sticker on the engine instructs) when cold, no primer pumps when at/near running temperature. The one pull doesn't even have to be very firm either.
Bought my mower on Friday night -- used it yesterday. Ended up getting a Toro 20092 -- without the electric start. It's a mulcher, with rear bag and side discharge options. I only mulch but it's nice to have options.
The Personal Pace feature is the shiznit. I walk, and the mower runs right along ahead of me. It scampers up the steep swales in my backyard and is very maneuverable. It's a huge step forward from the slow one-speed drive of my old Honda Harmony II. It also has an easily adjustable handle angle, very nice for me since I'm tall and the only available angle on the Honda is too low for me.
Deere has a comparable mower. It's a 22", which is a wee bit wide for a couple of obstacles I need to get the mower between. The handle adjustment isn't as easy on the Deere, and the top speed on the self-propel isn't quite as high. I think the mulching bits under the deck on the Deere are a bit more conventional too - more comparable to the Toro Recyclers than the Super Recyclers. Both have the same Briggs & Stratton engine.
Deere has a comparable mower. It's a 22", which is a wee bit wide for a couple of obstacles I need to get the mower between. The handle adjustment isn't as easy on the Deere, and the top speed on the self-propel isn't quite as high. I think the mulching bits under the deck on the Deere are a bit more conventional too - more comparable to the Toro Recyclers than the Super Recyclers. Both have the same Briggs & Stratton engine.
I don't think Deere has a comparable mower. It may be branded Deere, but it probably made by Murray. Liquid cooled tractors start the John Deere brand.
But if I had to push/walk, I'd either get a Toro or Honda.
You will be pleased with the Toro - I have something similar ...I think it is called super recycler personal pace or something like that. Been a great mower and still kept it for hard to reach places after I got my rider. Each Spring - 1 pull start. Best money ever spent. Enjoy!
Craftsman self propelled freebie that Dad gave me when he bought a house with a yard way too big to mow with a push mower FTW! It doesn't start on the first pull, but it was free damit so I'm not going to complain one bit!
That said, nice mower Mike! Just out of curiosity, why didn't you go with the big wheels in the back? I find they help it get over the St Augustine a lot easier.
Craftsman self propelled freebie that Dad gave me when he bought a house with a yard way too big to mow with a push mower FTW! It doesn't start on the first pull, but it was free damit so I'm not going to complain one bit!
That said, nice mower Mike! Just out of curiosity, why didn't you go with the big wheels in the back? I find they help it get over the St Augustine a lot easier.
My yard is mostly Kentucky Bluegrass and various rye grasses. I've never really felt a need to restrict my mower selection to big-wheel models.
A lot has changed in the mower realm since Tecumseh went bankrupt last year. I saw that HD had some Ariens mowers that were outfitted with Kohler engines. Kohlers are junk IMO, but the new Kawasaki industrial engines on the new JDs are even worse. I've worked on literally hundreds of small engines.
I had a Honda mower, and loved it not only because it ran great, but because it had a composite deck. Always stayed clean and never rusted. The only problem with the Honda engines is they would develop funky carb problems, where they would start but die. Hlaf the time, it's dirt in the carb, half the time, the rings were bad and the engine didn't have enough compression to draw fuel in during the intake stroke.
Myself, I go old school.....I have a gas powered reel mower. It's amazing the quality of the cut as opposed to the rotary blade.
Last time she tried to do me the favor, she mowed a stump and bent the output shaft of the mower. I discourage her fraternizing with the power equipment but sometimes she can't be reasoned with.
My yard is mostly Kentucky Bluegrass and various rye grasses. I've never really felt a need to restrict my mower selection to big-wheel models.
Fair enough. With that type of grass you don't really need it. The St Augustine is so thick it really does make a different. I do love a good rye lawn, I wish it would grow down here.
I had a Toro GTS about 20 years ago and it was fantastic!!! I did put a rock thru the deck but that is on me - not Toro. Great cut and never any issues. I eventually went to a tractor due to the size of my yard. I heard Honda was the best - but never had one.
Our John Deere is in and going to be delivered next week. We need it now....the grass is high.
Which one did you get? They seem to be phasing out their residential lawnmowers, looks like they're down to three models. I also noticed they no longer seem to be carrying their chainsaws, but that's another topic.
I have a 15 year old JD 14sb and am looking to replace it. It looks like Toro or Honda will be the way I go. My main requirement is it having the blade stop function. It pisses me off when I'm bagging and have to restart the lawnmower every time I empty the the bag.
Which one did you get? They seem to be phasing out their residential lawnmowers, looks like they're down to three models. I also noticed they no longer seem to be carrying their chainsaws, but that's another topic.
I have a 15 year old JD 14sb and am looking to replace it. It looks like Toro or Honda will be the way I go. My main requirement is it having the blade stop function. It pisses me off when I'm bagging and have to restart the lawnmower every time I empty the the bag.
We got the X320. It was pricey, so hopefully it is worth it. We have 1.6 acres, so we need a decent size deck so it doesn't take 4 hours to mow the lawn.
Can beat a Deere... best dang mower in the whole dang universe.
Our deer is getting pretty old. Near 20 years old. But it does take like 5 pulls to get the stupid thing started. When the blade is running, it runs like a champ, but when idle with no blade, it coughs and we and the JD places never can see to figure out why. Oh well. Might be time to retire it.
Just got word the mower is finally being delivered today. Woohoo! But it's supposed to rain tomorrow, so I don't know if we'll be able to cut the stupid grass. LOL, just our luck. Oh well, we're still working on painting the master BR anyway....
And the guy from the nursery is coming over this afternoon to take a look at the trees/plants. A bunch of them look sick or something to me. Need to know what's what so I can do something about it.
Our deer is getting pretty old. Near 20 years old. But it does take like 5 pulls to get the stupid thing started. When the blade is running, it runs like a champ, but when idle with no blade, it coughs and we and the JD places never can see to figure out why. Oh well. Might be time to retire it.
Purchase some spray Seafoam (DeepCreep) and add it to the gas on a regular basis. I have a 1991 Ariens 927 rear engine with a 12HP Briggs. It started to run poorly about a year ago. I changed out the spark plug and add a spray of Seafoam into the gas when the lawn needs cutting and it starts right up and runs like a champ. Cleans out alot of the carbon build up in the carburator and such. Worth a try.
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I hammered out the lawn this evening as my son had already showered. What was an hour and ten minute job (start of mower to end of sweeping) is now 40 minutes. It cut through the really thick/high grass like it wasn't even there.
Reviving an old one to not make a new one. I just retired a hand-me-down Honda HRT216TDA. Even though I did all the maintenance last year and it runs like a dream I was ready for an upgrade. The self-propel system stopped working years ago. So it was kind of hurting my back to use it.
Anyway, just picked up this bad boy this past weekend.
It's a Husqvarna HU800AWDH. AWD, 190cc Honda GVC, large rear wheels, the whole nine. And the hose hookup to clean the deck works amazingly well.
02-15-2010, 11:51 PM
@ fatty
takes a licken' and keeps on ticken'.
