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Lawn Mower Speed
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Lawn Mowers Features (continued)
Lawn Mower Speed and Transmission.
You'll never win a race with a tractor lawn mower or lawn riding mower, but these practical machines do move along at a good clip.Depending on the type of transmission in your cheap riding mower, you'll have more or less control over the speed. Cheap tractor lawn mowers with manual transmission, like the John Deere D100 and Yard Machines 28604, have pre-set speeds (five in the former, six in the latter) and you have to manually shift the gears to change the speed. An automatic hydrostatic transmission, featured on the Craftsman YT 3000 28924 and Ariens 42-inch 960460024, enables a continuum of speeds up to the maximum; the Craftsman YT 3000 even offers cruise control (as does the Weed Eater One WE261) for long, uninterrupted stretches of mowing. Note, however, that hydrostatic transmission eats up more fuel and requires more maintenance than a manual transmission, although it does give you more control and makes turning easier.
All cheap tractor lawn mowers move in reverse and for safety reasons require more than the mere flick of a switch (e.g., a key to lock into a special setting). Among the models on our list, reverse speeds vary from 1 mph (Weed Eater One WE261) to 2.8 mph (Yard Machines 28604). If sections of your lawn are too narrow for turning around but wider than the cutting deck, you'll probably want a lawn tractor that mows in reverse. Among the models we researched, the Ariens 42" 960460024, John Deere D100, and Weed Eater One satisfy this requirement.
Electric start is standard on these lawn tractors. Even the Weed Eater One, a cheap lawn riding mower, features electric start but also includes a pull-start as insurance in case the battery isn't sufficiently charged.
Lawn Riding Mowers Turning Radius.
The turning radius is the minimum size U-turn that a riding mower can make; the tighter the radius, the easier it is to maneuver the machine and the less grass that's left uncut. A typical turning radius for a cheap tractor lawn mower is 16 or 18 inches; the Weed Eater One WE261, the only cheap riding mower on our list, features a wide 31-inch turning radius. If you need a lawn tractor that essentially turns circles in place, you'll have to climb way up the price ladder to a ZTR model like the Toro TimeCutter Z4200 (starting at $2,449, Amazon
). Or, you could take a half step up to the newest Craftsman lawn tractors with the Turn Tight technology, which TodaysMower.com notes cuts the turning radius to eight inches.
Tractor Lawn Mowers Warranty.
The warranty on cheap lawn riding mowers is usually a limited two-year warranty; the Craftsman YT 3000 28924 features a full two-year warranty. Cheap lawn tractor mowers last longer with regular maintenance, which is why you should service the unit regularly (according to the owner's manual) and make sure replacement parts are readily available, either online or at a nearby retailer. Ariens offers buyers one set of blades a year at no cost for the life of the lawn tractor, a bonus that appeals to many consumers, according to consumer reviewers.
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Troy-Bilt 20 HP Automatic 42 in. Riding Mower
A strong 20 HP engine, 42-inch cutting width, two blades, and top forward speed of 5.5 mph would seem to mark this Troy-Bilt as a good buy, but users complain about parts that give out within a season or two, maintenance headaches, and a chronic need for servicing. Read more »
Products Mentioned in This Review
Yard Machines 38 in. Riding Lawn Mower ReviewTroy-Bilt 20 HP Automatic 42 in. Riding Mower Review
Weed Eater One Review
John Deere D100 Review
Craftsman YT 3000 Review
Ariens 42 in. Riding Lawn Mower Review
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Ariens 42 In. Deck 19.5 HP Briggs & Stratton Automatic Troy-Bilt 22 HP Hydrostatic 46
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