Hi guys,
After doing umpteen tours of duty in the automotive forums, I've sort of shifted gears. After several years in condo/townhouse living I now find myself in a house again, and needing to start over with power equipment. Anyway, today after I found myself waxing my Honda FG-110 mini tiller and vacuuming the carpet that my mower & tiller sit on, I figured I was sick, and better admit myself to the forum. That was just today. Yesterday I did a typical "fall cleaning" of the mower, and I've only used it like 4-5 times.
My mower is a Troy-Bilt (I'm assuming that "Troy" is another word for "plastic") that I picked up from Lowe's for $124 (half price), apparently used once and returned for a no-start condition, although Lowe's didn't bother to put that on the tag. Turned out to be a mis-located choke actuator lever that I discovered upon removing the carb. Now it's running like a new Honda should, and starting on the 1st pull. But I have serious concerns about it's longevity. There is a lot of force at work when you lift the front end, all where the plastic rear piece is bolted to the flimsy steel deck. I can see the strain on the plastic and the flexing of the deck when it's lifted. Despite that, I really do like the Troy-Built. It's a manual push with the larger rear wheels, and it pushes really nice. Good exercise for me.
Prior to getting that, I had picked up 2 used Snappers, 1 missing the self-propel parts. I used the Snap once after we moved in to mow the back yard area that was more of a field with a moderate sized ditch. I wanted to find all the nastys before putting the Troy out there. I already had 1 of the Snappers torn down & have sanded the deck down to bare metal & primed. I also dismantled the 2nd Snap and will rebuild 1 from all the best parts of the 2. This is planned for more of a winter project. The Troy may lose it's Honda powerplant once the Snapper is ready.... but I really haven't decided yet. I've also just started looking for a nice used Honda 3813 lawn tractor.
:soap:
On a related side note, what the **** happened to gas cans since I last bought one some 10 years ago?? I looked at them at one place, and all they had was this retarded "safety" nozzle which I didn't want any part of, so I took my bad self elsewhere to spend my money. I started on a journey of discovery where I was enlightened to the fact that apparently our government is in the gas can design business now. A gas can... SERIOUSLY? This no-spill device or whatever it is seems to make spilling over MORE LIKELY the way the spring loaded nozzle works. :banghead:
:sorry: For my droning on (and on). Anyway, here's some pics.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
FG-110 cultivator/tiller (with mods shown)
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Honda powered Troy-Built
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Snapper deck in primer
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Bucket-O-Snapper parts
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
After doing umpteen tours of duty in the automotive forums, I've sort of shifted gears. After several years in condo/townhouse living I now find myself in a house again, and needing to start over with power equipment. Anyway, today after I found myself waxing my Honda FG-110 mini tiller and vacuuming the carpet that my mower & tiller sit on, I figured I was sick, and better admit myself to the forum. That was just today. Yesterday I did a typical "fall cleaning" of the mower, and I've only used it like 4-5 times.
My mower is a Troy-Bilt (I'm assuming that "Troy" is another word for "plastic") that I picked up from Lowe's for $124 (half price), apparently used once and returned for a no-start condition, although Lowe's didn't bother to put that on the tag. Turned out to be a mis-located choke actuator lever that I discovered upon removing the carb. Now it's running like a new Honda should, and starting on the 1st pull. But I have serious concerns about it's longevity. There is a lot of force at work when you lift the front end, all where the plastic rear piece is bolted to the flimsy steel deck. I can see the strain on the plastic and the flexing of the deck when it's lifted. Despite that, I really do like the Troy-Built. It's a manual push with the larger rear wheels, and it pushes really nice. Good exercise for me.
Prior to getting that, I had picked up 2 used Snappers, 1 missing the self-propel parts. I used the Snap once after we moved in to mow the back yard area that was more of a field with a moderate sized ditch. I wanted to find all the nastys before putting the Troy out there. I already had 1 of the Snappers torn down & have sanded the deck down to bare metal & primed. I also dismantled the 2nd Snap and will rebuild 1 from all the best parts of the 2. This is planned for more of a winter project. The Troy may lose it's Honda powerplant once the Snapper is ready.... but I really haven't decided yet. I've also just started looking for a nice used Honda 3813 lawn tractor.
:soap:
On a related side note, what the **** happened to gas cans since I last bought one some 10 years ago?? I looked at them at one place, and all they had was this retarded "safety" nozzle which I didn't want any part of, so I took my bad self elsewhere to spend my money. I started on a journey of discovery where I was enlightened to the fact that apparently our government is in the gas can design business now. A gas can... SERIOUSLY? This no-spill device or whatever it is seems to make spilling over MORE LIKELY the way the spring loaded nozzle works. :banghead:
:sorry: For my droning on (and on). Anyway, here's some pics.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
FG-110 cultivator/tiller (with mods shown)
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Honda powered Troy-Built
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Snapper deck in primer
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Bucket-O-Snapper parts
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
