It's been a good run, Toro, but adios!

I had a Toro that lasted 27 years.

My next one almost as long.

The mowers ( Toro, etc.) you buy at Lowes & HD are different than the ones you buy at a lawn mower store.
 
I have 3 Toro Personal Pace mowers, 22 inch..
The oldest one is about 15 years old, bought at a lawn Equipment store..Cast aluminum, mulch or bag, no side discharge..Gifted to my son, still works..
The second one is about 8 years old. Bought at the same store..
Works great..
The third is 2 years old, bought at HD..
All have B&S engines..
All are the GTS (guaranteed to start) models..
The 2 year old does not have a carb primer bulb as is NOT as easy to start..It can be a real bear to start after sitting all winter..It requires manual priming the first time starting in the spring..
All of mine are rear wheel drive ( small wheels)..
If your Toro has the black grass catcher it is the model available at most Lawn Equipment stores ( they may sell the same ones as HD as well), the ones from HD have a White one..Not the same quality..IMHO..
 
Kohler in an 8 HP '79 Wheel Horse lawn tractor, still going. Far superior to Briggs or Tecumseh IMHO. Their reputation is stellar, similar to Stihl in chain saws and yard maintenance equipment.
 
DeathGrip said:
I have a '79 Toro self propelled with a 3hp Briggs that still runs well.

Confession time. A friend bought it new and after cutting the grass twice he put it in the garage. I got it from him 5 or 6 years ago. I took the carb apart and it was in good shape. Put a new filter on it and added some gas. It started right up after a few pulls and a little adjustment.

Tip, Always run non-ethanol in one. Ethanol will eat rings and valve seats in older mowers. You can get the good stuff at the boat dock.

Confession two. I let the neighbors crew cut my yard.

YMMV
Click to expand...

Still using my 1979 model as well.To be fair,it sat for a few decades up in the attic above the garage.I fired our lawn guy last year after he thought he should expand his duties,and decided to just do it myself.The big downside of that is that I damaged something in my shoulder,either bringing it down,or getting it running again.The shoulder will never be the same.I'd love to use non ethanol,I've read about that previously,but the boat yards don't even have it around here,and I'd have to drive a few states away to get it.
 
Funny how different strokes are for different folks.
I have always liked Briggs and Stratton over the Tecumseh and especially the old Clinton motors before them. Had a professional mower repair guy tell me that Tecumseh was superior to Briggs.
I have had nothing but trouble from Tecumseh, and was unable to get a few running right, even after going through the carb numerous times.
I won't take a Tecumseh mower if you give it to me. :)
 
My current mower came from the dumpster. Seems my former boss was mowing one day and said it just quit and would not even turn over. Well upon getting it home it was sans oil in the engine. HMMMM so I soaked the piston and cyl with some good ol PB Blaster and worked the shaft till I git it freed up. Put fresh oil in it and a spark plug and it started on the first pull. 6 yrs later Im still mowing weekly with it. Change the oil every spring and off we go. Still starts on the first pull with the same spark plug. The good old B&S also known as broken parts and scrap metal is still going strong. Ive always had good luck with B&S small engines.

Oh the mower is a cheap *** MTD.
 
On other business at HD this morning..
Toro Personal Pace mowers all had the B&S engines..
The Toro propelled and non propelled as well as the high back tired version had the Kohler Engines...
 
I have a miracle Toro. I don't even have to touch it to mow the grass. I never have to put gas in it. :)

My neighbor borrows mine every week and in return he mows my lawn and pays for the gas. I'm only out a little more wear and tear. :D

It's only about 5 years old but starts and runs fine.
 
RonJ said:
I have a miracle Toro. I don't even have to touch it to mow the grass. I never have to put gas in it. :)

My neighbor borrows mine every week and in return he mows my lawn and pays for the gas. I'm only out a little more wear and tear. :D

It's only about 5 years old but starts and runs fine.
Click to expand...

That is one hell of a deal. Did you offer up your weedeater, too? :)
 
RonJ said:
Not doubting you, but can you substantiate that?
Click to expand...
You question wasn't posed to me, but..
If personal experience count's, I can..At least in my past purchases..The cast decks were only available from dealers, not the box stores..
Times change, things may have changed..
 
some of the very 1st snowmobiles had kohler engines,artic cat motoski ect. my new cubcadet tractor has a kohler and it's perfect.
 
GKC said:
I have always bought Craftsman lawn equipment (except for a Husqvarna zero turn mower) and I've always had very good luck with them. In fact, the walk behind mower I have now has a Kohler engine, which works perfectly. According to all the reviews I've read about the Craftsman models, the Kohler engines are much better than Briggs & Stratton.
Click to expand...

I had an old grey Craftsman that lasted 20+ years of 3 hour mowings a week and never missed a lick. The next one was a red Craftsman, and it seemed to burn oil a few years in and the bolts kept breaking out of the frame (until finally the frame itself split). I drill and bolted it back together how I think it should have been from the factory and she still runs but burns oil badly now. Not impressed, and I know it has a briggs engine on it.

Replacement mower for the past 3 years has been a Husqvarna with a Honda motor on it. So far, mows great, and pushes really easy.
 
The home depot toro is not real toro. Go to a real equipment store and compare. I had a HD toro that was garbage so went to a power tool shop to get parts for repair. The parts man showed me the difference between a HD toro and a real toro, there is a world of difference. I bought a new one from him and it has been trouble free. I don't understand how toro can let this happen, it ruins their reputation.
 
I've been hearing about the terrible things that happen to small air cooled engines from ethanol fuel for years. I have a cheap store brand mower with a 3.75HP Briggs & Stratton bought in 1994. Around here all gasoline is 10% ethanol and has been since before'94. Mower still runs great, starts on first pull, burns no oil.

Personally I have to wonder if the horrors of "alky-fuel" don't have some relation to how often some change oil.

Engines? It's just hard to beat a B&S engine. Sure Hondas produce more HP. (with more complexity) But they cost a lot more. And just how much HP does a lawn mower really need?
 
Koehler engines are a good quality unless something has recently changed,My John Deere has a Kohler Command & it's been problem free


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