Mowing ..

[FASTXR]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

I think you are correct, the front-end styling looks quite old compared to the models represented on the Cub Cadet website.

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Yep that was my thought too.

I'm tempted by it due to the 36" deck size - with the exception of a 30" electric model ($6,800!) everything else Cub Cadet has is 42" or bigger which is far too big for me.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Interceptor

My gripe is that I've picked up two mowers in maybe a week that wouldve cost $3k to buy new, that have been neglected or abused and then dumped..
WTF is wrong with these people?

I would suspect that it was owned by a business with employees rather than a sole trader. Said employee uses and abuses the machine because he/she didn't pay for it. The result is a $3000 mower being ran into the ground, then dumped for a new one.

I have a co-worker like that, ruins or completely destroys good tools with little to no care for what he is using at any given moment.............then wonders why nothing works like it should. This person also managed to block up the nozzle on a solo pump sprayer within one single use. But guess who has to get their hands covered in weed killer to fix it? I'm glad its not me paying the wages in a situation like that, sometimes it would cheaper to pay the person to stay home.

[LG17]

I broke the drag links on my Husky on the weekend.
I now have them wired up while I wait for new ones to come from the USA.
Does anyone know what happened to All Mower Spares in Cambden?

[Interceptor]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

I would suspect that it was owned by a business with employees rather than a sole trader. Said employee uses and abuses the machine because he/she didn't pay for it. The result is a $3000 mower being ran into the ground, then dumped for a new one.

The 196 and 216 I picked up a couple of months ago, I'd believe that, they had "out of service" tags with "U/S, engine seized" n them.... splash of fuel and they each did half my yard before I even looked at anything else on them.....

the rest of them..... its just like people dont care and give up!

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by LG17

I broke the drag links on my Husky on the weekend.
I now have them wired up while I wait for new ones to come from the USA.
Does anyone know what happened to All Mower Spares in Cambden?

Wow, that was sudden.

[LG17]

The new drag links arrived quickly from the USA. We fitted them yesterday and what a pain in the **** job. The new ones came with an adjustable end except one of them had an end jammed totally. We tried everything to loosen it up but no luck. Anyhow, a wheel alignment is on the cards today as the toe out is massive.

[Mechan1k]

Originally Posted by LG17

Does anyone know what happened to All Mower Spares in Cambden?

I haven't used them in a while ... but were always handy to get items from them.

When I am out there next I will see if they are still in the small industrial area down near the BP Servo.

[Citroënbender]

I believe they went into “voluntary” administration. As in, jumped before they were pushed.

A shame, it was good to have a bit of choice.

[LG17]

They were great for online sales for those of us who are miles from any other such place.

[Rallye Sport]

My least favourite time of year, we've had a couple of weeks of temps in the high 30's and low 40's. Its hot and dry out there.
Our renovations and prep are paying off though, we're still green and surprisingly have some water budget to spare.



Edit: I've just noticed a sprinkler out on the bend to the left, it'll have to wait until Monday morning now

[DFB FGXR6]

Finally had the replacement wheel cover plates delivered today, after a strange interaction.





After sending emails to a couple of vendors asking if they had some of these floating around, all bar one came back with a YES.

"Hi …yes we can help ..I have a new 1 and I know where another is!"

Bloody brilliant! I direct deposited the asking price within an hour, along with a tip in appreciation, and was told I would get an email when it was on the way. A week later and I asked if the items had been shipped, the response was "Not yet …maybe tomorrow!". What?!

Anyway, two weeks later they are now here and ready to fit.

Except................................

[Citroënbender]

Got to see a self-drive Milwaukee mower in action yesterday. The work light amused me. For (apparently) around $1800 it still seemed plasticky and toylike. Quiet and powerful, though.

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Got to see a self-drive Milwaukee mower in action yesterday. The work light amused me. For (apparently) around $1800 it still seemed plasticky and toylike. Quiet and powerful, though.

Milwaukee seem to be making a real push into garden equipment at the moment.
They were visiting us with the sales truck regularly and leaving heaps of demos behind for us to play with for a week or so.
He hasn't been back after he questioned why we had just brought a brand new Stihl electric blower and not one of his
Agreed CB their stuff is very toylike in looks and performance.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by LG17

They were great for online sales for those of us who are miles from any other such place.

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

I haven't used them in a while ... but were always handy to get items from them.

When I am out there next I will see if they are still in the small industrial area down near the BP Servo.

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

I believe they went into “voluntary” administration. As in, jumped before they were pushed.

A shame, it was good to have a bit of choice.

Check out post #22 in the below thread. Annoyingly, I never find everything I need in one store, so I've collated a number of suppliers now.

https://www.fordforums.com.au/showpo...5&postcount=22

[LG17]

The only place I managed to find my drag links was Amazon US. Freight free, reasonable price and here in a week.

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

My least favourite time of year, we've had a couple of weeks of temps in the high 30's and low 40's. Its hot and dry out there.
Our renovations and prep are paying off though, we're still green and surprisingly have some water budget to spare.

image

Edit: I've just noticed a sprinkler out on the bend to the left, it'll have to wait until Monday morning now

Looking very nice Rallye, your teams hardwork is paying off......
Like the look of that approach shot to the dance floor and the damn playing havac in players minds.
Where the cart is in the middle of fairway whats the distance to flag ?
Nice upkeep and mowing might I say.

Perefect weekend for garden duties this weekend here in Syd, not as humid finally and gave the back a cut.
Damn I love using my SP Victa !

[DFB FGXR6]

Well........................

https://www.fordforums.com.au/showth...=1#post6874724

[DFB FGXR6]

After getting the new ready for action, I turned attention to the old.

As discovered when I replaced the drive cogs on the Rover, the wheel backing plates were damaged and letting too much debris to enter the drive systems rotating assembly. After scouring the internet proved fruitless, I sent emails to a couple of mower shops pleading my case. All but one couldn't help, but I now have two replacement wheel backing plates.



So, it was off with the wheel and drive cogs, a now familiar process.



The backing plate is secured by a single pop rivet, which I drilled out.





The new parts didn't have the hole for the rivet, so I put the new cover on the machine, offered up the old one and used it as the guide. After trying to secure the new cover with bolts I had in stock, I gave up and had to go out and get some replacement rivets.





With the new backing plates fitted, I applied grease to the axle and drive shaft, re-installed the drive cogs and pawls, followed by the wheels and a slug of graphite powder to lubricate the cogs.

A quick test run to verify the repair, and its driving both wheels and seems to be producing less noise as the old plates were scraping against something.

[DFB FGXR6]

Looks like the mower shop that screwed me over 15 months ago is in trouble.

As I've explained previously, the shop changed hands nearly two years ago and the customer service went to crap. At the time, I understood that people make mistakes, that businesses like this are flooded with work. But making two mistakes in a row at MY expense, then not owning the mistake or making it right for the customer is pathetic. I vowed to never go back, telling everyone that I know to do the same.

I have since gone on to stock my own spare parts and repair machines myself, in the process, I have been enjoying the challenge.





Ever since, the business has gotten worse and worse. The front yard is a complete mess. There are rows of junk push and ride-on mowers, catchers and engines sitting along the fence in full view of the public, sharing space with rows of brand-new riders. That's just lazy and makes the place look hokey. If they can't be bothered keeping the place neat, then what is the quality of their work or customer service? Oh wait, I already know the answer to that.

And now they are having a "Save My Bacon" Event. I would say that as the economy has dived and sales have slowed post Covid, its the end of summer, and the lack of customer service has finally caught up with them. And they had the audacity send me an invite via text message and Facebook to this "Event" that is clearly a fire sale.

[Citroënbender]

I’m hope you enthusiastically responded that you’ll attend, followed by a late backpedal “Sorry, got to fold my socks”…

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

I’m hope you enthusiastically responded that you’ll attend, followed by a late backpedal “Sorry, got to fold my socks”…

I thinking I'll go in, act like an entitled pri.k, sign for a new zero turn and offer to pay for it the next day. Then I'll completely ignore them for 3 weeks, before cancelling the order via text message. I'll blame him for me not calling sooner, while also blaming a lack of staff for my inadequate communications skills.

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by FTE217

Looking very nice Rallye, your teams hardwork is paying off......
Like the look of that approach shot to the dance floor and the damn playing havac in players minds.
Where the cart is in the middle of fairway whats the distance to flag ?
Nice upkeep and mowing might I say.

Perefect weekend for garden duties this weekend here in Syd, not as humid finally and gave the back a cut.
Damn I love using my SP Victa !

Thanks for the kind words FTE. We're in a sort of caretaker mode at the moment just trying to get through but it allows for a bit more time on the machines to finesse the course.

The carts would be about 250 out on a 470 (the tee boxes are a fair way back on that hole) That lake penalizes both big and small hitters on their second shots if they try and take the water on. We cleaned the lake last year and judging by the amount of balls we pulled out people still seem to want to take it on.

[DFB FGXR6]

The opening skit in this video sounds very familiar.

Random Customer - "I'm looking for a plant, it has green leaves......"

Me - "Ok, I sort of need more information than that, most plants have green leaves, how big are the leaves, what shape?

Random Customer - "Oh, I think it has big round leaves........"

Me - "ok, like this?........"

Random Customer - "No, they are longer and thinner and have holes in them......................"

Me - "hmm, ok, what colour are the flowers.........."

Random Customer - "I think they are red...."

Me - "Like this?"

Random Customer - "Well, I don't know, I haven't seen it flower"

Me - "ahh, do you know how high it grows, a tree, a shrub?"

Random Customer - "Oh, it's a tree, I think, grows pretty tall, about 1.5mt......."

Me -"1.5mt is not really a tree, it sounds like a shrub, I might need you to bring in a piece of the plant or photo of it for me to look at"

Random Customer - "oh, let me look, I think I have a photo on my phone............................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ...............10 minutes later..................................I was sure I took a photo, I can't find it...........anyway, I thought you would have known what it was........."

And so on and so on.........................

And then guess who ends up being labeled as the person who doesn't know what they are talking about.................all because I can't ID a plant with a vague disruption that started with "plant" and "green leaves".

The joys of working with the general public.

[Citroënbender]

You must be tempted to ask them questions such as “what does the bark taste like?” Or “You mean the one that’s supposed to work like Viagra?”…

[DFB FGXR6]

Got some good use out of the Stihl MS271 today!

In this case, yet another summer storm, yet more damage to infrastructure and trees around the place. The victim a multi-trunked Eucalyptus nicholii. I've always hated this tree, I'm no gum tree fan at the best of times, but this one was ugly, misshapen and pain to mow around. So, I took great pleasure is chopping it down.

This was the MS271's first big job, and exactly why I bought it, the thing ripped! I was tossing up between using the 271 or my old 028, but I wanted to get some more running under the new ones belt, its still very green (if that makes sense). It was great to let it run hard and long.

I also handed it over to the boss to have a try (he's a big-boys-toys sort of guy too), it took him a couple of cuts to learn not to force the machine with pressure, rather to let it do the work. It's amazing how much easier a sharp, powerful chainsaw can make a job like this.



And this is an area where battery power is just not feasible............yet. For light pruning, give me the battery saw, its lighter and less taxing on your upper body. But when you are slicing through multiple large limbs, you need stamina. While an electric motor has no problem with a job like this, the battery just can't sustain longer running before the either going flat or hitting the heat overload shutdown.

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Got some good use out of the Stihl MS271 today!

In this case, yet another summer storm, yet more damage to infrastructure and trees around the place. The victim a multi-trunked Eucalyptus nicholii. I've always hated this tree, I'm no gum tree fan at the best of times, but this one was ugly, misshapen and pain to mow around. So, I took great pleasure is chopping it down.

This was the MS271's first big job, and exactly why I bought it, the thing ripped! I was tossing up between using the 271 or my old 028, but I wanted to get some more running under the new ones belt, its still very green (if that makes sense). It was great to let it run hard and long.

I also handed it over to the boss to have a try (he's a big-boys-toys sort of guy too), it took him a couple of cuts to learn not to force the machine with pressure, rather to let it do the work. It's amazing how much easier a sharp, powerful chainsaw can make a job like this.

image

And this is an area where battery power is just not feasible............yet. For light pruning, give me the battery saw, its lighter and less taxing on your upper body. But when you are slicing through multiple large limbs, you need stamina. While an electric motor has no problem with a job like this, the battery just can't sustain longer running before the either going flat or hitting the heat overload shutdown.

So let the tool to the work? Granted good equipment in good shape helps, but so many times in the past i have seen people trying to force equipment and dull, overheat, whatever then have a whinge because it took its time. I suppose thats why diy weekend warriors love the warrenty on ozito stuff, use it incorrectly then return and replace it. Im pretty sure ryobi do the same.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Got some good use out of the Stihl MS271 today!

In this case, yet another summer storm, yet more damage to infrastructure and trees around the place. The victim a multi-trunked Eucalyptus nicholii. I've always hated this tree, I'm no gum tree fan at the best of times, but this one was ugly, misshapen and pain to mow around. So, I took great pleasure is chopping it down.

This was the MS271's first big job, and exactly why I bought it, the thing ripped! I was tossing up between using the 271 or my old 028, but I wanted to get some more running under the new ones belt, its still very green (if that makes sense). It was great to let it run hard and long.

I also handed it over to the boss to have a try (he's a big-boys-toys sort of guy too), it took him a couple of cuts to learn not to force the machine with pressure, rather to let it do the work. It's amazing how much easier a sharp, powerful chainsaw can make a job like this.

image

And this is an area where battery power is just not feasible............yet. For light pruning, give me the battery saw, its lighter and less taxing on your upper body. But when you are slicing through multiple large limbs, you need stamina. While an electric motor has no problem with a job like this, the battery just can't sustain longer running before the either going flat or hitting the heat overload shutdown.

Good stuff, the smaller 181, bought recently handled the large limbs I had come down while I was away.
Was't sure it would cut a 300mm diameter log so well but no drama.

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Well........................

https://www.fordforums.com.au/showth...=1#post6874724

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Luv the SP big bro of mine DFB.
How do you rate the soft shell catchers compared to solid plastic ?

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by FTE217

Luv the SP big bro of mine DFB.
How do you rate the soft shell catchers compared to solid plastic ?

I actually prefer hard plastic catchers. I find them easier to empty into garden bags that I use, they help hold the bag open while you shake the grass out. I also find the fabric catchers broadcast more dust.

That said, if you are emptying into a green waste bin or compost, the fabric catchers can be easier as the base levers the grass out.

[DFB FGXR6]

Is it crazy (of course it is) that I spent a stupid amount of money ordering two exhaust tips for my new Briggs & Stratton 850 and 750iS engines.....................

Standard straight muffler outlet................





Briggs & Stratton "Exhaust Deflector"..............









The one on my Mulchmaster above I stole off another 850 engine before I traded it, it's been on a couple of mowers now. Completely pointless, I guess the same concept as putting an exhaust tip on a car.