Kawasaki FJ180V

[Glencairn]

Where's the best value to get a lawnmower with one of these?

 

Looking at aluminium decks.

 

Much (probably inefficient) google searching found this:

 

 

Gardencare LMX51AV PLUS 51cm lawn mower - Gardencare Direct

WWW.GARDENCAREDIRECT.COM

 

[pleasant]

gardencare are a chinese manufacturer and apart from the engine is built down to a price. Plus there are limited agents about for spares warranty and repairs if needed. My personal recommendation would be a Toro machine fitted with that engine. Built like a barn door made for pro use and as they also own Hayter, any Hayter dealer as well as Toro can do warranty and source spares etc. However it wont be the price of the chinese gardencare

Edited September 23, 2022 by pleasant

[Stere]

Why not get a honda engine one whats special about the kawasaki?

 

Think my ideal mower would have a more powerful honda GX200 and a stainless steel deck and side discharge option for longer grass like this one:

 

Even has 4 wheel drive and 2  different blades  one for mulching and a hi- lift winged type for bagging .

 

 

Marina Systems MX 4-MAXI 52 SH GCVX 200 lawn mower 4 in 1 , best deal on AgriEuro

WWW.AGRIEURO.CO.UK

---

Marina Systems MX 4-MAXI 52 SH GCVX 200 4 in 1 heavy-duty lawn mower

 

 

Steel decks rust alu ones rot/corrode plastic better maybe but surely stainless is best?

 

Wouldn't be so bad if spare decks weren't £250 quid each or whatever.....

 

Then the mower gets junked even though the engines fine.

 

 

Edited September 23, 2022 by Stere

[pleasant]

I have customers with steel deck machines with deck perforation within 5 years of purchase, simply because they don't maintain it by cleaning the underside. Likewise, I also have customers with 15 year old steel deck machines with only surface rust....because they clean it.

 

Alloy decks can, and do suffer a degree of 'powder' corrosion with age, but again this is accelerated by poor maintenance- however after many more years than a steel deck machine.

 

If you want to replace your machine every 5 years, then don't look after it, if not- then do.

 

A professional user wouldn't normally expect to be using a mower that is probably 15 years old anyway- the machine is written down after three years and has paid for itself many times over so corrosion shouldn't really be their first concern. Steel deck machines are not for pro use anyway, as they simply cannot be 'screwed together' as well as an alloy deck machine to give the sturdiness and reliability an pro machine needs.

 

I take your point regarding a stainless steel deck, but putting rust issues aside, it would be no good in pro use environments for the issues I mention above- and the impact resistance of flying debris with steel being so thin. Stainless steel decks were offered years ago, but it really had no market, as for a domestic user it made machines too expensive and pro users aren't worried whether a deck doesn't rust on a walk behind as before it does, it's done its work.

Edited September 23, 2022 by pleasant

[Bunzena]

Our 16 year old HRX Honda has a plastic/composite deck.

 

No rust, no cracks - despite some real punishment throwing up hidden chunks of stone and gravel when mowing. 

[Dan Maynard]

I've got a steel Honda that's over 20 years old. Plated over the corrosion about 5 years ago, can keep going like this for ages - advantage of steel I guess.

[Grassyass]

I agree with the other comments we are pro users after three or four hard seasons  all the drive components are trashed,decks and engines all ways out last gearboxes,most engines on pro mowers are good theses day if looked after ,

[Stere]

I wonder why plastic use  is limited  as the honda ones are good and seem well regarded. Maybe  its wrongly percieved as  a poor quality -  a only used on cheap chinese  stuff type material, hence  its needlessly avoided as they think it wouldn't sell as well.

 

Its probably the best material for the job if its of a decent thickness  &   quality type of plastic

 

 

 

I know commecially 3 yrs is regarded decent time for a mower.  But don't like needless waste and a throw away culture etc for enviro reasons.

 

Quote

 all the drive components are trashed

 

Yeah  normally first think to go.

[pleasant]

1 hour ago, Stere said:

I wonder why plastic use  is limited  as the honda ones are good and seem well regarded. Maybe  its wrongly percieved as  a poor quality -  a only used on cheap chinese  stuff type material, hence  its needlessly avoided as they think it wouldn't sell as well.

 

Its probably the best material for the job if its of a decent thickness  &   quality type of plastic

 

 

 

I know commecially 3 yrs is regarded decent time for a mower.  But don't like needless waste and a throw away culture etc for enviro reasons.

 

 

Yeah  normally first think to go.

All Honda pro use machine are alloy deck. Honda core product domestic stuff is polycarbonate, and the budget Honda Isy range are steel.....which are the worse for rotting quickly if not regularly cleaned.

[Glencairn]

Thanks for all the advice so far.

 

I had this idea that over time petrol engines will be phased out and that regulations had probably ruined the recent ones that were made to be more compliant with emissions regs.

 

What I had hoped was to be able to source a good example of a bottom of the line up, pro model and when I looked up the ones that caught my interest they all seemed to come with the kawasaki engine.

 

My experiences of buying my husqvarna brushcutter were that I opted for an entry level pro model. When I received it and saw on the plate it was made in China I was a little disappointed.

 

Thanks for the pointer towards Toro, I had been looking at Kaaz, if Toro are a tougher machine I'll keep on looking at those.

 

I imagine Stere is right about decks, polymers have come a long way in recent years, perhaps the industry simply hasn't caught up with the times...