With the front drive, if you want to go around a corner, you push down
on the handle. Then, the front wheels are off the ground. Much easier
than lifting the machine off the ground. I've used both.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"NickySantoro" wrote in message
...
I have to get a new mower soon and have been seeing a lot of rear
drive types advertised. Are there any significant advantages or
disadvantages to the rear drive as opposed to the front drive I am
used to?

rear wheel drive is the only way to go with mowers, for this reason...

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
...
With the front drive, if you want to go around a corner, you push down
on the handle. Then, the front wheels are off the ground. Much easier
than lifting the machine off the ground. I've used both.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
.

"NickySantoro" wrote in message
...
I have to get a new mower soon and have been seeing a lot of rear
drive types advertised. Are there any significant advantages or
disadvantages to the rear drive as opposed to the front drive I am
used to?

"Bob M." wrote in message
. ..
rear wheel drive is the only way to go with mowers, for this reason...

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
...
With the front drive, if you want to go around a corner, you push down
on the handle. Then, the front wheels are off the ground. Much easier
than lifting the machine off the ground. I've used both.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
.

"NickySantoro" wrote in message
...
I have to get a new mower soon and have been seeing a lot of rear
drive types advertised. Are there any significant advantages or
disadvantages to the rear drive as opposed to the front drive I am
used to?

I don't get this idea that a rear wheel drive is maneuvered around a corner
any differently than a front wheel drive. The rear wheel drive model has a
differential in the powered axle and it will pivot on a dime, so to speak,
with the handle depressed and the front wheel raised. I've had two. I make
90 and 180 degree turns by pressing down on the handle and swinging around
with drive usually engaged.

SJF

"SJF" wrote in message
news:G9g5g.9618$9c6.8901@dukeread11...
I don't get this idea that a rear wheel drive is maneuvered around a
corner any differently than a front wheel drive. The rear wheel drive
model has a differential in the powered axle and it will pivot on a dime,
so to speak, with the handle depressed and the front wheel raised.

You do get it, partly. If you push down on the handle on a
front-wheel-drive mower, the front wheels are in the air, spinning
uselessly. You do the work and guide it. Push down on the handle of a
rear-wheel-drive mower and the driving wheels are still on the ground. The
mower does the work, you just guide it. This is why rear-wheel-drive mowers
are better, IMO.

I don't get this idea that a rear wheel drive is maneuvered around a corner
any differently than a front wheel drive. The rear wheel drive model has a
differential in the powered axle and it will pivot on a dime, so to speak,
with the handle depressed and the front wheel raised. I've had two. I make
90 and 180 degree turns by pressing down on the handle and swinging around
with drive usually engaged.


I own and use both types of mowers and do believe there is a
difference. Yes you can push down on the handles of a rear drive but it
does not slow the machine unless you actully pull back on the mower or
disengage the drive. Engaging and disengaging the drive becomes a
matter of habit with the rear drive.

My place is covered with stumps and rocks. Say I am walking along a a
given speed and want to mow around a tree or rock. You need or want to
slow the machine way down to negotiate the obstacle, perhaps even make
a complete 360 degree turn. With the front drive this is easy. Just
push down on the handles to disengage the drive for a moment. The
front drive will pull the mower around the tree and can be easily
slowed and pivoted by pushing down on the handles (which is easy to
do). With the rear drive you would have to lift up on the handles to
get the same result, essentially picking up the whole mower. Otherwise
you have to repeatedly disengage the drive to slow the machine. When I
am in this situation while using the rear wheel I sometimes actually
hold the mower back to prevent it from going too fast.

So anyway, I have three strategies for slowing and turning the rear
wheel drive. With the front drive there is one simple strategy, push
down on the handles and pivot the machine leaving the drive engaged.
Both mowers work well enough, for sure, but the front drive is a bit
easier to use around obstacles in my humble opinion. If I only had one
mower it would be a rear drive because they have a better choice of
speeds and also because they handle better in tall grass and rough
ground.

"Lawrence" wrote in message
oups.com...

I don't get this idea that a rear wheel drive is maneuvered around a
corner
any differently than a front wheel drive. The rear wheel drive model has
a
differential in the powered axle and it will pivot on a dime, so to
speak,
with the handle depressed and the front wheel raised. I've had two. I
make
90 and 180 degree turns by pressing down on the handle and swinging
around
with drive usually engaged.


I own and use both types of mowers and do believe there is a
difference. Yes you can push down on the handles of a rear drive but it
does not slow the machine unless you actully pull back on the mower or
disengage the drive. Engaging and disengaging the drive becomes a
matter of habit with the rear drive.

My place is covered with stumps and rocks. Say I am walking along a a
given speed and want to mow around a tree or rock. You need or want to
slow the machine way down to negotiate the obstacle, perhaps even make
a complete 360 degree turn. With the front drive this is easy. Just
push down on the handles to disengage the drive for a moment. The
front drive will pull the mower around the tree and can be easily
slowed and pivoted by pushing down on the handles (which is easy to
do). With the rear drive you would have to lift up on the handles to
get the same result, essentially picking up the whole mower. Otherwise
you have to repeatedly disengage the drive to slow the machine. When I
am in this situation while using the rear wheel I sometimes actually
hold the mower back to prevent it from going too fast.

So anyway, I have three strategies for slowing and turning the rear
wheel drive. With the front drive there is one simple strategy, push
down on the handles and pivot the machine leaving the drive engaged.
Both mowers work well enough, for sure, but the front drive is a bit
easier to use around obstacles in my humble opinion. If I only had one
mower it would be a rear drive because they have a better choice of
speeds and also because they handle better in tall grass and rough
ground.

Most self-propelled machines now have a continuously variable drive speed so
the difficulty of speed adjustment is pretty well eliminated and it's easy
to slow down quickly or to propel in short lunges.

SJF

Most self-propelled machines now have a continuously variable drive speed so
the difficulty of speed adjustment is pretty well eliminated and it's easy
to slow down quickly or to propel in short lunges.

SJF

What you are referring to is a hydrostatic transmission and would
include reverse. You say most machines have one? Can you could give
even one example?

I own 4 self propelled mowers and only one of them has such a drive.
It is a $2100 walk behind brush mower. Any mower having such a feature
would have at least a 32 inch deck and be considerd a commercial mower.
17 inches is the typical deck size for a residential walk behind
mower. Here is a link to show you an example of my mower:

http://www.snapper.com/field_brush.html

My own search for such mowers can be found at this link:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...& btnG=Search

My search confirms my personal experience that front-wheel drive 17"
mowers have but one speed. 17 inch rear drive mowers often have
multiple speeds but apparently never do they have a hydrostatic
transmission. The smallest mower with such a feature has a 32 inch
deck and runs into the thousands of dollars.

I would be happy for you to prove me wrong so that I can go out an buy
such a mower.

"Lawrence" wrote in message
ups.com...

Most self-propelled machines now have a continuously variable drive speed
so
the difficulty of speed adjustment is pretty well eliminated and it's
easy
to slow down quickly or to propel in short lunges.

SJF

What you are referring to is a hydrostatic transmission and would
include reverse. You say most machines have one? Can you could give
even one example?

I don't know what you mean by hydorstatic but my old Toro rear drive mower
seems to have variable speed.
It gradually slows down to a stop as I gradually let the blade / wheel
drive bar out. I don't know if this was the intent of design, I don't have
the owners manual. It kinda feels like I am 'fanning the clutch'
Note that this action is independent of the 123 speed control lever.
As I said in another post the annoying thing about this mower is that the
rear wheels don't turn backwards. So if I need to go back the rear wheels
lock and skid.
Kevin






I own 4 self propelled mowers and only one of them has such a drive.
It is a $2100 walk behind brush mower. Any mower having such a feature
would have at least a 32 inch deck and be considerd a commercial mower.
17 inches is the typical deck size for a residential walk behind
mower. Here is a link to show you an example of my mower:

http://www.snapper.com/field_brush.html

My own search for such mowers can be found at this link:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...& btnG=Search

My search confirms my personal experience that front-wheel drive 17"
mowers have but one speed. 17 inch rear drive mowers often have
multiple speeds but apparently never do they have a hydrostatic
transmission. The smallest mower with such a feature has a 32 inch
deck and runs into the thousands of dollars.

I would be happy for you to prove me wrong so that I can go out an buy
such a mower.

"Kevin Ricks" wrote in message
. ..

"Lawrence" wrote in message
ups.com...

Most self-propelled machines now have a continuously variable drive
speed so
the difficulty of speed adjustment is pretty well eliminated and it's
easy
to slow down quickly or to propel in short lunges.

SJF

What you are referring to is a hydrostatic transmission and would
include reverse. You say most machines have one? Can you could give
even one example?

I don't know what you mean by hydorstatic but my old Toro rear drive mower
seems to have variable speed.
It gradually slows down to a stop as I gradually let the blade / wheel
drive bar out. I don't know if this was the intent of design, I don't
have the owners manual. It kinda feels like I am 'fanning the clutch'
Note that this action is independent of the 123 speed control lever.
As I said in another post the annoying thing about this mower is that the
rear wheels don't turn backwards. So if I need to go back the rear wheels
lock and skid.
Kevin






I own 4 self propelled mowers and only one of them has such a drive.
It is a $2100 walk behind brush mower. Any mower having such a feature
would have at least a 32 inch deck and be considerd a commercial mower.
17 inches is the typical deck size for a residential walk behind
mower. Here is a link to show you an example of my mower:

http://www.snapper.com/field_brush.html

My own search for such mowers can be found at this link:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...& btnG=Search

My search confirms my personal experience that front-wheel drive 17"
mowers have but one speed. 17 inch rear drive mowers often have
multiple speeds but apparently never do they have a hydrostatic
transmission. The smallest mower with such a feature has a 32 inch
deck and runs into the thousands of dollars.

I would be happy for you to prove me wrong so that I can go out an buy
such a mower.

My present machine is a Craftsman, 21-inch, rear drive, self propelled,
purchased 2-1/2 years ago. It has the Easy-walk (or some such name) feature
that is common on many brands now. It is NOT hydrostatic drive and does not
have reverse drive. The continuously variable speed is obtained with a
split v-belt pulley. By squeezing the drive lever, the v-belt idler
progressively tightens the belt, causing the halves of the drive pulley to
open against a spring. This reduces the effective diameter of that pulley,
increasing the speed ratio. Conversely, with the drive lever relaxed, the
v-belt goes slack and there is no propulsion. A very cute idea which I
expect has been around for many years but just recently applied to small
mowers.

SJF

In article . com, on 3
May 2006 17:30:05 -0700, Lawrence wrote:

What you are referring to is a hydrostatic transmission and would
include reverse. You say most machines have one? Can you could give
even one example?


I'm not the person to whom you posed the question, and I don't know if
I'd agree that "most" new mowers have continuously variable drive - but
certainly, it's very common. It's also been around for at least half a
dozen years now - maybe longer.

These are home model, 21" (a few 22") walk-behind, self-propelled
mowers.

Toro "Personal Pace"

Lawn-Boy "Sens-a-Speed"

Husqvarna "Auto Walk"

Google on "Variable speed lawn mower" to find these and lots more.


--
Seth Goodman