On 5/27/2011 6:40 PM, Cheryl wrote:
Hi AHR readers and posters. I just bought a new John Deere riding mower,
nothing fancy, but it's a new way to mow for me.

I know that the maintenance schedule is posted on it right under the
engine hood, and will follow it to a tee. But, and given differences in
prices in different areas, what is an average cost of servicing these?

So far today I have only driven it in non-mowing speed to get it down my
backyard hill and into the shed until my brother can come over and help
me figure out the best approach to mowing the hill. It was a little
scary and it felt like the tires were slipping a little on the hill, but
the grass is very long at this point. I guess long grass is slippery. My
brother said I was imagining the slippage.

Anyway, any answers to these questions are appreciated. I'm just getting
too old to mow the hills without hurting my back, and not yet ready to
hire someone to do it for me full time yet.

Thanks!

Is it hydrostatic drive, or manual? If hydro, did the delivery guy do
the voodoo routine to make sure the fluid got in all the right places?
If transmission was slipping, that could feel like wheel slippage. And
did he check/set the tire pressures? One hard tire and one soft one can
confuse a lot of things.

Basic rule on hills- anything over the degree tilt listed in owner's
manual, go up and down rather than side to side. Tipping even a tiny
tractor over sideways can lead to a Very Bad Day.

I'm jealous. My yard is only about 2/3 acre, minus the house footprint,
but even a small tractor would cut my mowing time in half.

--
aem sends...