Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

     Hi Gang. Although the grass wasn't that high for a true mow, I gave it a cut anyway. I wanted to clean up the lawn in prep of putting down Scotts crabgrass preventer tomorrow. I also just redid my front end and was anxious to see how it steered. I just put in new spindles, and bushing in the wheels. What a difference. A few weeks back I pulled the front  wheels off  to replace the bushings, and discovered my one splindle was about half worn away on the inside corner. I'm lucky it didn't brake off while in use. I thought there was too much play in the steering.  LOL. The 1990 Simplicity 12.5 LTH is purring like a kitten. It has a B&S Vanguard V-twin that has seen a lot of duty as I used to plow a lot of snow in the winter with this tractor also. No smoke and no oil leaks. Good engine. I have another tractor just like this one that has a blown motor. I originally bought it for a parts tractor, but now I am on the verge of ordering a 16 hp Vanguard V-twin to put on that one. Never hurts to have a spare tractor.
     Anyway, it was a real nice early spring day here. Blue skies and mid 60's. I didn't know it but my wife snapped a few pics while I was out there. Blowin a foot of fine powder on a 10 degree day can be fun, but I thiink I'd rather be doing this!

Hey AJace, checkout the Racetunes

Looks like the fall  aerating, seeding, and winterizer paid off.

                                                                                                                           Kevin

      Hi Ajace. Nice looking tractor. Looks like brand new. Wax? Whats that? I never was one for washing and waxing my tractors
but have been getting into it more lately. I've learned from coming to this forum to have a little more respect for my machines.
For years I didn't put anything on the lawn because of the kids always being out there in the summer time. Now that they are
teenagers, you never see them in the yard rolling around.  LOL 
      Each year I've been doing a little more with the Scotts products. Last fall I hit it hard. I aerated with a spike aerator, reseeded
the whole lawn with Scotts fall mix, and then put down Winterizer with weed control. It wasn't cheap, but great results. I'm very 
pleased with the way the lawn looks for this time of year. I normally would have some hugh brown areas, but not this year.
A couple more pics.

Heres a shot across the yard towards my neighbors yard. It's a little hard to see the golf flag, but he has a golf green in
his backyard. I'm standing on the "executive tee" which is by the shed in the pic above. Par 3 about 60 yards.  LOL 
Of course we have the more gutsy Par 4 Blue tee, Which is about 80 yards. The trick there is going over two
apple trees to hit the green. Seperates the men from the boys.  LOL  


This area of grass right here is always dead bare thatch in the spring. Quite a difference this year.

                                                                                                         Kevin

Here's my pride and joy. I cleaned a dead mouse from out from under it. Then I made sure the bungee cords had not lost their boing.

Robmints, what HP was the dead mouse, and are you going to power it up with a bigger mouse.
As I say, Ya can never have enough bungee cords.

                                                                                                         Kevin

PS. Your the one that gave me the idea for the fall lawn regiment when you posted it on WTB last year, so thanks.
                                                                                  

Kevin,

I over-seeded and fertilized this spring because it worked real well last fall, but I was cheap and used an annual seed. So this spring I used the good stuff. Then it rained 4 inches in two days and it all washed away. Still looks good, maybe last years seed couldn't read and didn't realize it was an annual.

Believe it or not, it was a nice looking mouse. I hate mice. But I took a picture of it after I threw it out of the shed with the concrete hoe.

Your yard looks great. I mean really fantastic. You must have mis-understood my directions. Your lawn looks way better than mine.

VqangEllis, why the wheel weights on the Simplicity???   My guess would be helps "roll" the lawn better w/ your built in lawn stripers.  Just curios though??  Bill.

Very nice Kevin!!

Vangellis, that LT1000 is an 01' and wasn't washed and waxed last year, but this year it was.  Washing and waxing seems to bring out the beauty in what you own.  Although time could be better spent, when I'm done it kinda looks like I did a good thing. 
Robmints, those MTD's are good tractors, I have one similar.   What's the craftsman screwdriver rigged up for? 

Bill_D wrote:

Hi Bill. Just to lazy to take them off in the summer. Actually, I'm not that big of a guy so it's just to add a little more weight for traction when I do have that occasional need for a little more ummph on hills when the grass is wet. Plus I think it looks cooler.  LOL   

Thanks Marshall. It's always nice to go out on the deck when I'm done with the yard and survey the work done.
Thats the reward.           

                                                                                                                  Kevin

now Rob i must say you tractor is just about my favorite MTD unit.

engine lasts forever,drive is super simple couple belts once in a long while ,mower deck is easy to service and parts if needed are readily available.

i have a hood at work that i could give you,unless you are into that aero look,and thats okay by me.

later chris   

snowshoveler wrote:
Thank you very much Chris. The hood that broke off is behind the shed, along with the rest of the air cleaner. But I don't leave it out in the rain very much, and the air cleaner makes a very nice tray to hold an adjustable wrench and the 1 7/8 tow ball. I keep the headlight bulbs kind of tied around the steering wheel so I can use them as hand warmers.

It is just my tow machine. It might not stop too well, so I need to becareful, as we all should I guess.

Thanks again for the offer.