What's so funny, I don't get it?

[dbartlett1958 96]

Malmac,

 

My best friend is just that guy! He recently built a bigger house and has some lawn now. He asked my advice on what to get for a lawn mower/tractor. Now this guy has trouble changing a light bulb, so when he asked me my opinion, my first fleeting thought was an older Wheel Horse.  However, as previously stated, this fellow is not one to change oil, check tire pressure, etc, so when I opened my mouth, I said "You should go to Home Depot and buy a new John Deere. They have a 3 year warranty, blah, blah, blah.

 

He is happy with his "Tractor". I am happy not fixing it!

 

Wheel Horse tractors are made for men and women who can appreciate a well made product. Quality over Quantity any day of the week. Year in, Year out.

 

You get my point.  I have said it before, and will say it again, "Wheel Horse Tractors are Lifetime Tractors".

[Firpo701 407]

I believe I would have had to whoop his a....I mean.... wire his mower to expl....I mean....I would just........man. You handled it much better than I would have.

Maybe the best thing to do would be to handle it the way you did. When his mower breaks down, you show him the ways of the horse.

I agree...I probably wouldn't have handled it that well. Lol. "The Horse is strong with this one!" :laughing-rolling:

[r356c 375]

I've seen 3 nice looking newer MTD rebranded tractors with blown engines for sale in the last few months. Not a huge percentage of units sold, but interesting enough to dig a little.

As reliable as the older cast iron Kohler engines are, the newer made in China Kohler Courage sold in the big box stores tops my list of engines to run away from. Plastic oil pick up tubes that rub against the crankshaft and melt shut with the expected engine seizure soon to follow tops my list of design flaws. Thin castings follow as a close second. This video is priceless for an early last laugh. 

[squonk 38,928]

I have 4 Horses and don't have this problem. None of my neighbors mow their freakin yards except my retired engineer to the North. He has a 10' X10' yard and breaks out his 20 yr old RER Craftsman and makes a few passes.  

[squonk 38,928]

You know, there's nothing like these old dinosaurs, they mow, haul, lift, push and plow anything we ask of them. Can the big box wannabe's say the same? That is the difference in my opinion. Long live these dinosaurs!

Yes Dino's haul plows, transmissions, engines, make video's and fall out of trees! That's why we love them!   

[MalMac 1,328]

Well the story continues, revenge has been served. Yesterday I had to visit the big box store that my neighbor bought his tractor from. As I got into the lawn and garden area I heard someone raising there voice with one of the sales associates. Wouldn't you know it, there was m y neighbor raising heck with the sales associate. I had an idea what he was upset about. I continued to look what I came in for then ventured back over to the lawn and garden area. While I was checking out some other stuff the associate came over to ask if I needed help. Well I could not help myself I had to mention I noticed he had a up set customer. He chuckled and said yeah. He told me that the guy had come in wanting to return his lawn tractor because trying to pull a heavy roller thru some new landscaping up and down his lawn he blew the transmission out of it. The sales guy was trying to point out to him that it says right in the manual it does not recommend pulling a roller as it puts too much strain on the transmission. So revenge has been served, I thought about driving the Ol' C-145 down there pulling my big roller but no since in throwing gas on the fire. I will bet he won't stop by again.

[squonk 38,928]

Your neighbor sounds like a typical blowhard to me.

[Lagersolut 613]

Well the story continues, revenge has been served. Yesterday I had to visit the big box store that my neighbor bought his tractor from. As I got into the lawn and garden area I heard someone raising there voice with one of the sales associates. Wouldn't you know it, there was m y neighbor raising heck with the sales associate. I had an idea what he was upset about. I continued to look what I came in for then ventured back over to the lawn and garden area. While I was checking out some other stuff the associate came over to ask if I needed help. Well I could not help myself I had to mention I noticed he had a up set customer. He chuckled and said yeah. He told me that the guy had come in wanting to return his lawn tractor because trying to pull a heavy roller thru some new landscaping up and down his lawn he blew the transmission out of it. The sales guy was trying to point out to him that it says right in the manual it does not recommend pulling a roller as it puts too much strain on the transmission. So revenge has been served, I thought about driving the Ol' C-145 down there pulling my big roller but no since in throwing gas on the fire. I will bet he won't stop by again.

 

 

 

[AMC RULES 36,945]

You can bet your bippy...

I'd have my set up with a roller...  

for the sole purpose of doing hot laps with it every time he drives by.

Give him the big smile, a friendly wave, and don't forget the loud "Hey buddy" to boot.   

[dclarke 4,011]

That is too funny!..... Perfect.....  I don't know but I think I'd have to pour jusssst a little bit of salt on that wound.  

[groundhog47 347]

Ya know what chaps me more is someone saying that is when I think about myself, my dad, history. Look at some of the updated of us. Heck if it works, be proud of our fore bearers ingenuity and let em laugh and  MalMac that's a right fine lookin machine that apparently just makes him jealous. Keep on keepin' on  

Edited August 10, 2014 by groundhog47

[Firpo701 407]

Well the story continues, revenge has been served. Yesterday I had to visit the big box store that my neighbor bought his tractor from. As I got into the lawn and garden area I heard someone raising there voice with one of the sales associates. Wouldn't you know it, there was m y neighbor raising heck with the sales associate. I had an idea what he was upset about. I continued to look what I came in for then ventured back over to the lawn and garden area. While I was checking out some other stuff the associate came over to ask if I needed help. Well I could not help myself I had to mention I noticed he had a up set customer. He chuckled and said yeah. He told me that the guy had come in wanting to return his lawn tractor because trying to pull a heavy roller thru some new landscaping up and down his lawn he blew the transmission out of it. The sales guy was trying to point out to him that it says right in the manual it does not recommend pulling a roller as it puts too much strain on the transmission. So revenge has been served, I thought about driving the Ol' C-145 down there pulling my big roller but no since in throwing gas on the fire. I will bet he won't stop by again.

That is just too good! I'll be chuckling about that all day! Especially as I'm mowing with the 701! :laughing-rolling:

[608KEB 794]

That is one of the best stories I've heard about the new "homogenized" lawn tractors. I would go over there and pull his roller...laughing the whole time. Now He'll probably buy a  

[Lagersolut 613]

 

 

Where's your big box POS going to be 36 years from now ?

 

 

 

 

 

****EDIT***

 

36 HOURS FROM NOW

 

 

[Racinbob 10,277]

That is one of the best stories I've heard about the new "homogenized" lawn tractors. I would go over there and pull his roller...laughing the whole time. Now He'll probably buy a  

Better yet, hook to the front of hid dead junk with the roller still hooked to the back (that is IF it didn't pull his tranny apart). Pull it back to his garage that way.

[Retired Wrencher 4,876]

I can't imagine one good reason why...    

you stopped that gorgeous  to entertain his nonsense in the first place.    . 

Nice Craig . All the shows that I attend and talk with Meany Mechanic in the business they all say that most People do not no how to fix anything today and most do not no what quality is and big box store junk. So every time u see him just wave and think big box store Sucker. Gary    B...

[aaubrey96 0]

And just what will your neighbors tractor look like in 34 years?

I know, a recycled beer can!

It can't be it's plastic

[RMCIII 838]

Craig has the right idea, but I would just hook the roller, to the horse, and park it in my front lawn. Put a little sign on it, "Lawn Rolling for Free"!

 

Rob

Edited August 11, 2014 by RMCIII

[Road-Track 39]

Some people don't deserve a classic WH.  

 

If you don't know why they are better, you will never get it.

 

Others live in a throw away world and do not understand or have the "Knack"!

 

The Knack

[608KEB 794]

Cast Iron is wonderful!!!!

[Desko 552]

I'll take quality over quantity any day that story is to funny I think he's the one who's sorry for buying a new piece of junk.

[WheelHorse79 271]

Poetic justice has been served, and it's even rarer that you were able to witness it.  He was probably the victim of the dreaded Tuff-Torq K-46 or T-40 transmissions.  They can only safely mow flat lawns over the long term.  I think manufacturers should post a warning label on the hood of the tractors stating that the trans can only handle the weight of the operator and tractor on flat ground.

[312Hydro 473]

It can't be it's plastic

Recycled pop bottle. :handgestures-thumbupright:

[r356c 375]

Aesop's Fables

Translated by George Fyler Townsend

 

The Horse and His Rider

A HORSE SOLDIER took the utmost pains with his charger. As long as the war lasted, he looked upon him as his fellow-helper in all emergencies and fed him carefully with hay and corn. But when the war was over, he only allowed him chaff to eat and made him carry heavy loads of wood, subjecting him to much slavish drudgery and ill-treatment. War was again proclaimed, however, and when the trumpet summoned him to his standard, the Soldier put on his charger its military trappings, and mounted, being clad in his heavy coat of mail. The Horse fell down straightway under the weight, no longer equal to the burden, and said to his master, "You must now go to the war on foot, for you have transformed me from a Horse into an Ass; and how can you expect that I can again turn in a moment from an Ass to a Horse?'

 

Moral: Might makes right.

[leeave96 487]

Great story - probably happens all to often.

My family had an MTD lawn tractor on my Grandparent's place and it got used and abused by everyone in the family - cousins, uncles, etc. Hardly no service to it, mowing grass from 5 inches to 3 ft sometimes. Somehow that mower lasted about 15 years. My Dad gave it to me for scrap, I sold the engine and scrapped the rest. I've got a box store MTD Cub Cadet and it's been a very good tractor - we are on the 4th summer mowing with it. HOWEVER - it get's serviced, the deck doesn't ride on the ground and it's never used in a heavy duty way. It is a lawn tractor and that's all it does is mow grass. It's purpose is to give my Wife and kids a drop dead safe (more safeties than even my Wheelhorse tractors) and easy to use machine. One choke/throttle lever, foot control - very easy to use. But as good of a mower it has been, in my mind, I'm wondering when something is going to let go.

Having said the above - here's some observations:

MTD bought Cub Cadet from IH back in 1981. How many years has that been? Many folks still associate the new yellow and white Cub Cadets with IH. Heck, I see a craigslist ad from time to time listing a one or two year old IH Cub Cadet - really???? Clueless owners and sellers.

I've read over and over again about guys buying a sears or other box store "garden tractor", loading the tires with fluid, adding wheel weights, rear box weights, ag tires and putting serious ground engaging attachments on them, like a Johnny bucket or pulling a large camper or crazy heavy roller. You read their posts and then silence. My guess is at some point, something let go and the box store tractor dream is over.

When I was a boy, everyone thought the Sears Suburban garden tractors were cheap - like a box store tractor of today. Funny how things are relevant based on the times. Those Sears tractors had an aluminum tranny case whereas a Wheelhorse or IH Cub Cadet had a cast iron tranny. We had an SS14 and it was a great tractor. When I bought my first Wheelhorse, I drew a lot of similarities to the Sears in the 3 speed/hi-lo tranny and mule drive belt around the front axle arrangement between both. We have a family friend that must be in his late 70's today. Back in the early 70's, he and his Dad bought a Sears tractor each. He has both of those tractors today and they are daily drivers. He must mow 3/4 acres every week and the tractors keep going. So much for junk.

IMHO - the box store tractors have their place - but when someone buys one and rubs the old iron crowd's nose in the newness of the box store tractor - they deserve to have a tranny failure....

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Bill