Hi all,

We are on the lookout for a powered rotary mower with about a 41cm cut
and wondered if anyone had any particular recommendations and why
please.

We have been using a similar spec Qualcast (with a B&S engine) and the
'drive' control cable has (just) broken and we aren't sure how easy it
will be to get such spares (yet, as it only just happened after the
shops shut). [1]

Looking at some older posts here it seems Mountfield / Honda / Hayter
seem to be the names people recommend (especially for 'commercial'
levels of load) but I wondered if there was a particular make or model
that stood out above the rest?

Money is an object so a good second hand machine might be an option?

I think for us, one of the more important criteria (outside of ease of
use and efficiency etc) IS the ease of access to spares.

Oh, also something where the grass collection container is very easy
to get on and off. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[1] I will probably be able to repair it myself with a cycle /
motorcycle (Bowden) cable inner if we can't get the genuine part
easily or quickly.

On Fri, 17 Jun 2016 22:38:04 +0100, T i m wrote:

Hi all,

We are on the lookout for a powered rotary mower with about a 41cm cut
and wondered if anyone had any particular recommendations and why

Hayter - c25 years old and still going strong. Used on large garden of
c0.3acre of grass for 10 years but house move to larger lawned area means
its now just used fortnightly to get the steeper areas and bank sides.

Easy to service.

On 17/06/16 22:38, T i m wrote:
Hi all,

We are on the lookout for a powered rotary mower with about a 41cm cut
and wondered if anyone had any particular recommendations and why
please.

I can't recommend any petrol mowers as mine is electric!

We have been using a similar spec Qualcast (with a B&S engine) and the
'drive' control cable has (just) broken and we aren't sure how easy it
will be to get such spares (yet, as it only just happened after the
shops shut). [1]

(snip)

[1] I will probably be able to repair it myself with a cycle /
motorcycle (Bowden) cable inner if we can't get the genuine part
easily or quickly.

Where has it broken? I can remember making a temporary repair for a
similar problem many years ago by using a single terminal block
connector to join the two cable ends together. That's if you can get at
them, of course.

--

Jeff

On Sat, 18 Jun 2016 04:17:57 -0500, Ermin Trude
wrote:

On Fri, 17 Jun 2016 22:38:04 +0100, T i m wrote:

Hi all,

We are on the lookout for a powered rotary mower with about a 41cm cut
and wondered if anyone had any particular recommendations and why

Hayter - c25 years old and still going strong. Used on large garden of
c0.3acre of grass for 10 years but house move to larger lawned area means
its now just used fortnightly to get the steeper areas and bank sides.

Is this one powered / driven OOI please as looking at both this
Qualcast and a Hayter previously, the 'gear in wheel' looks prone to
being damaged if a small stone got in there (and how I came to be
looking at the Hayter).

Easy to service.

Servicing isn't generally an issue, as long as the designers have done
their stuff. That said, I have seen some engine drain plugs in some
less that ideal places but I guess that's what you might get when you
take a stock engine and mount it on a platform?

May I ask what model your Hayter is please (I know you probably can't
still get it today).

Cheers, T i m

On Sat, 18 Jun 2016 10:18:28 +0100, Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 17/06/16 22:38, T i m wrote:
Hi all,

We are on the lookout for a powered rotary mower with about a 41cm cut
and wondered if anyone had any particular recommendations and why
please.

I can't recommend any petrol mowers as mine is electric!

;-)

We have been using a similar spec Qualcast (with a B&S engine) and the
'drive' control cable has (just) broken and we aren't sure how easy it
will be to get such spares (yet, as it only just happened after the
shops shut). [1]

(snip)

[1] I will probably be able to repair it myself with a cycle /
motorcycle (Bowden) cable inner if we can't get the genuine part
easily or quickly.

Where has it broken?

Just between the deck and the actuator on the mower itself Jeff.

I can remember making a temporary repair for a
similar problem many years ago by using a single terminal block
connector to join the two cable ends together.

Yes, and I've done and suggested the same. ;-)

That's if you can get at
them, of course.

In the absence of any better way or workshop manual we ended up pretty
well stripping the thing down (inc taking the engine off, only 3
screws mind) to be able to get to the broken part. Maybe now it's
clean and when not in a rush (between the thunder storms) we might be
able to figure out if the offending part could have been accessible
with everything in situ.

If it isn't and if this is a weak spot I might be tempted to see if we
could cut a small access hole in the side of the deck and plastics and
then design and 3D-print a cover for it.

Basically it looked like (or we did anyway) remove the wheels, gears,
rear axle bearings, height adjustment rods, a few nuts, bolts and
screws and then the whole back end came out, giving us access the
cable (well, there was a pop rivet holding the plastic inner frame in
place but I drilled that out so we could get to everything easier).
;-)

I meant to phone Qualcast today but got sidetracked. ;-(

If that can't help with genuine spares I'm sure I can fix it but I was
looking to see what else might be out there that could be better for
the long term.

Cheers, T i m

On Sat, 18 Jun 2016 17:52:11 +0100, T i m wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jun 2016 04:17:57 -0500, Ermin Trude
wrote:

On Fri, 17 Jun 2016 22:38:04 +0100, T i m wrote:

Hi all,

We are on the lookout for a powered rotary mower with about a 41cm cut
and wondered if anyone had any particular recommendations and why

Hayter - c25 years old and still going strong. Used on large garden of
c0.3acre of grass for 10 years but house move to larger lawned area
means its now just used fortnightly to get the steeper areas and bank
sides.

Is this one powered / driven OOI please as looking at both this Qualcast
and a Hayter previously, the 'gear in wheel' looks prone to being
damaged if a small stone got in there (and how I came to be looking at
the Hayter).

Not driven - other than pushed by me


Easy to service.

Servicing isn't generally an issue, as long as the designers have done
their stuff. That said, I have seen some engine drain plugs in some less
that ideal places but I guess that's what you might get when you take a
stock engine and mount it on a platform?

To drain this one it needs to be tilted over but its easy enough to
manage.

May I ask what model your Hayter is please (I know you probably can't
still get it today).

Hayter Hunter 41; with 4 wheels rather than a rear roller. I don't think
they make them now, I think the replacement is the Harrier.

One thing about Hayter (I think its a general thing across the range) is
that there is a friction disk connecting blades to drive so if you hit an
unexpected obstacle the blades will stop but the disc allows the drive to
remain unharmed.

Don't know if any other manufacturers have this.

It has a B&S engine if that makes any difference to your decision making.

On Sun, 19 Jun 2016 05:23:44 -0500, Ermin Trude
wrote:

snip

Is this one powered / driven OOI please as looking at both this Qualcast
and a Hayter previously, the 'gear in wheel' looks prone to being
damaged if a small stone got in there (and how I came to be looking at
the Hayter).

Not driven - other than pushed by me

Ah, thanks, I thought it might be (after Googling about).


Easy to service.

Servicing isn't generally an issue, as long as the designers have done
their stuff. That said, I have seen some engine drain plugs in some less
that ideal places but I guess that's what you might get when you take a
stock engine and mount it on a platform?

To drain this one it needs to be tilted over but its easy enough to
manage.

Ok.

May I ask what model your Hayter is please (I know you probably can't
still get it today).

Hayter Hunter 41; with 4 wheels rather than a rear roller.

It seems there are still a few about second hand on places like eBay.
;-)

I don't think
they make them now, I think the replacement is the Harrier.

Ah, yes, I think that's what came up in quite a few places.

One thing about Hayter (I think its a general thing across the range) is
that there is a friction disk connecting blades to drive so if you hit an
unexpected obstacle the blades will stop but the disc allows the drive to
remain unharmed.

That does sound like a good thing as it's automatically resettable. On
this Qualcast we have there is an ally drive 'thing' that I believe
shears off before it can damage the crankshaft but replacements seem
to be over 20 quid. ;-(

Don't know if any other manufacturers have this.

Ok.

It has a B&S engine if that makes any difference to your decision making.

B&S or Honda would be prerequisites I think.

What are the panels thoughts re rear roller versus rear wheels please?
I can see how a roller might give a slight striping effect (probably
not heavy enough to do a proper job?) and could be good along narrow
paths (but you still have wheels on the front)?

Cheers, T i m

On Sun, 19 Jun 2016 12:52:49 +0100, T i m wrote:

On Sun, 19 Jun 2016 05:23:44 -0500, Ermin Trude
wrote:


It has a B&S engine if that makes any difference to your decision
making.

B&S or Honda would be prerequisites I think.

What are the panels thoughts re rear roller versus rear wheels please?
I can see how a roller might give a slight striping effect (probably not
heavy enough to do a proper job?) and could be good along narrow paths
(but you still have wheels on the front)?


It depends if you like to 'paint' your grass different coloured stripes

I found that my mower, without roller, did give a sort of striped effect
but it wasn't a priority for me. To get a real stripe you would really
need a cylinder mower with roller.

I never got bogged down but can see that a broad roller rather than
narrow wheels would help mitigate that risk - you'd just tilt it a little
to take the weight off the front wheels.

On Sun, 19 Jun 2016 07:11:15 -0500, Ermin Trude
wrote:

On Sun, 19 Jun 2016 12:52:49 +0100, T i m wrote:

On Sun, 19 Jun 2016 05:23:44 -0500, Ermin Trude
wrote:


It has a B&S engine if that makes any difference to your decision
making.

B&S or Honda would be prerequisites I think.

What are the panels thoughts re rear roller versus rear wheels please?
I can see how a roller might give a slight striping effect (probably not
heavy enough to do a proper job?) and could be good along narrow paths
(but you still have wheels on the front)?


It depends if you like to 'paint' your grass different coloured stripes

Talking of painting but I wonder if you can (or will be able to) get
pre-striped artificial grass? I've seen some with dead / yellow bits
in so I wouldn't be surprised if they don't at some point!

I found that my mower, without roller, did give a sort of striped effect
but it wasn't a priority for me.

Nor me, but I remember getting stripes on my Mums lawn when I was a
kid.

To get a real stripe you would really
need a cylinder mower with roller.

I think that's what we had.

I never got bogged down but can see that a broad roller rather than
narrow wheels would help mitigate that risk - you'd just tilt it a little
to take the weight off the front wheels.

Understood.

Thanks for the feedback. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

On Sat, 18 Jun 2016 18:08:20 +0100, T i m wrote:

snip

I meant to phone Qualcast today but got sidetracked. ;-(

But since have.

If that can't help with genuine spares

£24.99 all inc for the two cables and £19.99 for the blade (that I
didn't think was that bad).

I'm sure I can fix it

And we did tonight. Replaced the broken (inner) cable with a generic
one from a cycle shop and used a std cycle cable clamp at the
dead-mans-handle end though a slightly enlarged hole. ;-)

but I was
looking to see what else might be out there that could be better for
the long term.

And even though we now know how it all comes to bits (and more
importantly, goes back together (with no parts missing or over)g) it
is all a bit of a 'faf' and obviously not designed for such things to
be easily replaced.

However, if it only happens once a year I guess it's not so bad. ;-)

Cheers, T i m