Home and yard maintenance

[kd]

Did a major service on JD lawn tractor today.  It turns 20 this year registering 429 hours.  Changed all fluids and filters, including the lifetime transmission fluid as it's never been changed, and both spark plugs.  Sharpened the blades as well.  Surprisingly, the tranny fluid looked good and only a tiny bit of metal filing on the flow magnets. All belts looked good as well.  Had to get a piece welded on the mower deck and it's working fine now.  Here's hoping for another 10 years! New ones are over $5k and likely not built as well. 

Also, had to put a new tube in the grease gun today.  That's a job i've been dreading.  Last time was about 15 years ago and it was just as hard this time.

[Firm]

Lol, those grease guns can be super frustrating. I do a couple tubes a year and I've learned a little trick...Clamp a vice-grip on the plunger shaft once you have it fully retracted to hold it in that position, then you can swap the new tube in and screw everything back together before releasing the vise-grip.

Good work on the JD too. Those older ones are pretty tough. I have an L110 (low end model) from the early 2000's. I don't use it to cut the lawn much anymore as I have a Husqvarna zero-turn I use now, but I use it plenty for pulling a landscape trailer around the yard, hauling brush, pulling dead cars, etc...basically, lots of abuse. Takes it like a champ. 

[Bridgecity]

My Dad has 1989 JD 332 that still gets regular use. 16hp yanmar diesel. Its doesn't get near as much use since he purchased a zero turn 5 or six years ago, but still uses it around the yard for pushing snow (has the loader attachment) and moving stuff around.

Minimal problems with it over the years. Both rear axles broke at some point, and I believe the front steering spindles wore out. JD parts are stupid expensive so we ordered used parts from eBay a couple times. 

[Blizzard]

Just found out a few weeks ago that Honda recently stopped making gas lawn mowers. Super disappointing because I was hoping to buy one when I buy a house in a year or two. I guess I'll have to look for a lightly used one now. The top-line model was well over $1,000 (for a walk-behind mower) but they had all the bells and whistles and last forever. My dad still has and uses weekly his Honda lawn mower from around 1990 when my parents bought their first home, and it runs perfectly. No way I'm buying an electric lawn mower.

[Blueprint]

Just found out a few weeks ago that Honda recently stopped making gas lawn mowers. Super disappointing because I was hoping to buy one when I buy a house in a year or two. I guess I'll have to look for a lightly used one now. The top-line model was well over $1,000 (for a walk-behind mower) but they had all the bells and whistles and last forever. My dad still has and uses weekly his Honda lawn mower from around 1990 when my parents bought their first home, and it runs perfectly. No way I'm buying an electric lawn mower.

I have a Greenworks 80V battery mower and I LOVE it! This is my 6th season (I think) and no battery charge loss as far as I can tell. I would have bought a Honda at the time, but they had no electrics so pass. Now I'm hoping my 40 y.o. snowblower with blow up its Tecumseh so I can move to a battery blower. One of my neighbours has the 2-stage Greenworks, and it's almost too strong for residential use, throwing the white s**t over the next lot.

[Tortoise]

I have an old Toro that refuses to die. But when it does, for sure I'm going with an electric lawnmower. And I'll probably get a snowblower at the same time to share the batter use.

[GreatBigAbyss]

I dunno, I took at look at that Honda electric mower, and it looks kinda awesome.  Not having to ever do maintenance on a mower (aside from some cleaning, and sharpening the blade) sounds pretty good to me. 

I would also go electric snowblower, but my Ariens snowblower is pretty new, and well, I kinda like the chug-chug of the Tecumseh when it's under load. 

[Bridgecity]

I keep saying I'll be going with an electric mower whenever my 20+ year old Craftsman with Honda engine dies, but doesn't seem like that's going to happen.  I will be going electric at some point.  Might take the old Craftsman to the lake so I have an excuse to buy new

[GreatBigAbyss]

Also, the Honda's about double the price as the e-Go that I see at Rona.  But I'm willing to bet it's built twice as well, and will last four times longer. 

[Blueprint]

Also, the Honda's about double the price as the e-Go that I see at Rona.  But I'm willing to bet it's built twice as well, and will last four times longer. 

Probably! I got my Greenworks bundle (mower, blower, trimmer, two 80V batteries and one charger) for around $500 at Costco, on sale. Nowadays the mower alone is much more expensive than that. Ego seems to be the Tesla of the power equipment world, but I really like my kit so far. Lighter machine, ergonomic handle, no yanking starter cords, no smells, less noise...

[Fobroader]

We've had our Stihl electric mower for about 5 years plus, and we bought a cheap electric lawnmover mower for our lake lot. I couldn't imagine going back to gas. I have a Stihl electric trimmer at home and a Milwaukee one for the lake, also much, MUCH, better than a gas one or, god forbid, the plug in ones. Our old gas mower was working perfectly, but after trying my dads battery Stihl one, it was so much nicer, quiet, smooth, no fumes, no problems starting in the spring. Couldn't recommend battery powered mowers and trimers enough!!

[Blueprint]

We've had our Stihl electric mower for about 5 years plus, and we bought a cheap electric lawnmover mower for our lake lot. I couldn't imagine going back to gas. I have a Stihl electric trimmer at home and a Milwaukee one for the lake, also much, MUCH, better than a gas one or, god forbid, the plug in ones. Our old gas mower was working perfectly, but after trying my dads battery Stihl one, it was so much nicer, quiet, smooth, no fumes, no problems starting in the spring. Couldn't recommend battery powered mowers and trimers enough!!

Who are you and what have you done with Fob 

The Stihl battery stuff is linked with Greenworks', as Stihl is a minority share holder. The battery products are joint ventures, as is the lower-end Kobalt stuff.

[Fobroader]

Maybe you won't see me in a Cybertruck, but I will wave to you while pushing my vibration free Stihl and drinking a non frothed over beer haha

[Blizzard]

My concern with an electric mower is that when the batteries start to lose capacity, if the manufacturer has changed the  batteries and the new ones are no longer compatible with the machine you have, you're stuck buying a new mower. And companies have an incentive not to make the batteries compatible to force you to buy a new one... planned obsolescence basically. Versus with a really good quality gas mower, you can maintain it forever basically until parts aren't available.

I have less and less patience for cheap disposable consumer goods, so lately whenever I have to buy anything, I splurge a bit to get something that will last a very long time. I somehow doubt the current crop of electric lawn mowers will last 30-40+ years like the Honda gas mowers.

Another issue with an electric lawn mower for me is that I'm looking at houses in neighbourhoods with 15-20,000 square foot lots, which means over an hour of mowing time. I'm not sure I could get through all of that with an electric mower, without having to change batteries partway through. And I don't know, I kind of like the sound and smell and torquey feeling of a good gas mower.

[RRocket]

Not sure if everyone knows how to properly load a grease gun. This prevents air locks which are usually the issue.

Pull the plunger all the way back. Unscrew the barrel (body) and remove old grease tube.

Put the new grease tube in the barrel (body). Now screw the barrel back on BUT NOT ALL THE WAY. Leave 1-2 threads before full tight.

Release the plunger and let it travel all the way down.

Now pump the trigger to prime the gun. The 1-2 threads will allow air to escape but not the grease. Alternatively, if your gun is equipped with a bleeder valve on top, push it a few times during the priming process.

Once grease is coming out the tip, completely tighten the barrel to make an air tight seal.

You should be good you go.

If this doesn't make sense, I'm sure there are videos