117 - Friday, May 12, 1989 -

NARROWING CHOICES

Choose the right mower

MORE THAN six million walk-
behind lawn mowers are sold each
year in North America. Below are
answers to the most-asked ques-
tions by lawn mower shoppers ac-
cording to a lawn mower manufac-
turer,

What are my choices? You'll
find a wide range of lawn mower
models. There are self-propelling
and walk power mowers; side-
discharge, rear and side-bagging
and mulching models; pull start or
key-electric start features; safety
systems and more to consider.

How do I narrow my choices?
Start with the critical component
in the mower, the engine. You'll
find three types of lawn mower
engines today: standard four-cycle,
two-cycle, and overhead valve
(OHV) four-cycle engines.

The standard four-cycle is the
highly durable, longtime standard
of the industry.

In recent years, the two-cycle
has grown in popularity. The
two-cycle is smaller and lighter,
and has fewer moving parts to
wear out or break.

The newest engine on the scene
is the OHV four-cycle engine. Its
technologically superior design
provides extra cutting power, ease
of starting and long life.

Remember these upkeep tips
about four and two-cycles: With
separate oil and gas chambers, the
four-cycle will require occasional
oil changes. You needn’t change
the oil on the two-cycle, but you
will have to mix oil with each tank
of gasoline.

Will my mower start easily? This
is the deepest fear of a lawn mower
shopper. You can deal with your
concern by asking the dealer to let
you test-start a mower.

Also, ask if starting is part of
the warranty. Key-electric start op-
tions are available on some
models. Add 15 per cent to the
cost of the mower in return for the
convenience of automotive-type

starting.

Is a self-propelling model right
for me? A self-propelling model
with wheels that drive the mower
while you guide it, is the perfect
choice for those who don’t want to
push their mower back and forth
across the lawn.

Some self-propelled models have
variable speed options. You may
want to run your mower at a
slower speed when trimming in
confined areas.

When purchasing a rear-bagger,
you may want to inquire about a
rear-wheel drive, self-propelling
version because as the bag fills, the
front wheels will lose drive trac-
tion,

Side-discharge baggers are typi-
cally front-wheel drive and easier
to control. The operator must

to determine the quality of cut.

If the ability to pick up pine
needles, shreds of paper and sticks
is important, select a model with
strong vacuuming power. Some
models are designed with
unimpeded air flow for superior
vacuuming power.

What cutting width do I need?
Consider first the layout and size
of your yard. If your backyard is a
maze of flower beds and obstacles,
you might want 2 narrow width
mower to make manoeuvring easi-
er. Mowers generally range in size
from 43 cm to 56 cm with the 53
cm model the standard for many
homeowners.

What about my zafety? A varie-
ty of options is available that will
protect the operator while th:
mower is in operation. Some
models have a special brake
designed to quickly stop the blade
and the engine each time the han-

dle is released.

A “blade brake clutch’’ is also
available. The clutch stops the
blade while leaving the engine
running. It saves you from having
to restart the mower many times
during the mowing task, but expect
to pay extra for the feature.

Your mower should also have a
trailing shield at the rear of the
mower deck to prevent rocks and
other debris from being thrown.

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Which bagging option should I
choose? Two types are available,
rear-baggers and side-discharge
mowers with a bagging at-
tachment.

Rear-Laggers allow close, easy
trimming with either side of the
mower. Because the clippings
don’t need to “‘turn a corner”
from 2 side chute into the bag as
they do on a side-discharge bagger,
clogs occur less often.

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simply tilt the wheels up to stop
and turn.

Will the mower beautifully
groom my yard? What you don’t
want is a mower that leaves tall
blades of uncut grass called
“stragelers”’ or forms a pattern of
lines on your yard resuiting from
the mower cutting lower on one
side. A test drive can steer you
clear of these models.

If you are able to arrange a test
drive, mow a test plot about two
metres square and eyeball the grass
surface from your hands and knees

FREE PARKING

AT REAR

Aubrey Schnelder
“Your Sleep Expert”

171 E.3RD ST., N.VAN. __ 986-1361

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