Matt, the regular Snappers front axles are straight through. That's why they stay better aligned then the rest with stub axles on the adjusters. Perry, haven't seen them yet but from others comments on other forums the Sears Snapper has little similarity other then name and color. Much the same as when Toro changed the name of the original Recycler to Super Recycler and introduced the the Home Depot designed as Recycler. The HD Recycler had little to do with what one considers a real Toro. Same applies with the Sears Snapper. But folks will buy them cause they got a piece of plastic in their wallets with Sears on it. The positive side to this is that unlike much of the MTD line up using Chinese engines and decks this cheap extension of the Snapper line keeps jobs here at home.

First things first: there is no such unit as a "gross torque." That is so beyond stupid that they should all be sued for being dumbasses. Why they can't rate the engines in lb/ft (not "foot pounds") is beyond me. Second, yes the reason this is happening is because B&S and Tecumseh got way out of hand in overrating their engines. The order of true power of these three engines is as others have already stated: 1) 6.75 lb/ft is least powerful; 2) 8.75lb/ft is middle; and 3) 6hp Kawasaki (which is rated at something 11-12 lb/ft as I recall). The Kawasaki is by far the most powerful. The middle B&S engine has all the mass and size of the Kawasaki, but less power, but also less cost. It's similar in that it's an OHV design and therefore I wouldn't think it is much less complicated than the Kawasaki, although parts might be cheaper. The flathead B&S is significantly down on power yet again, but it _is_ less complicated, smaller, a lot lighter, and cheaper still. All of these engines represent compromise, so there's no clear "best." If you _need_ a lot of power, then get the Kawasaki. If you mow 10 lawns/week or more, get the Kawasaki. Otherwise maybe you can save some money and weight and get the flathead Briggs.

Well, I mowed the back yard today with my new SPV21675E. All I can say is, I'm kicking myself.... for not getting a good machine like this YEARS ago. I coulda saved many, many, many hours. I was bagging the clippings, and the performance was astonishing. My old "pile-of-unmentionable" mower would require me to stop after about 1 to 1-1/2 rows to empty the bag, which never got more than 25% full. But if I didn't empty it I was treated to a clogged deck & chute and grass clumps all over the lawn, a real pain to rake up. This Snapper requires 1/5 the stops. Not a typo - 20%. The clippings get packed into the back of the bag. In fact, if you run the engine without the bag, the machine will blow the cover plate open about an inch or so. Coming from what I had, this thing is just great! And, it doesn't blow clippings all over the patio. The self propel also works great. If I pull the handle all the way I have to walk FAST to keep up, but not unreasonably so. I couldn't believe how fast I got through the job. The manual says 4.2 mph, which is a good brisk pace. The simple lever system for controlling the mower is easy and natural. I'm glad I chose this over the Deere JS25 (which is essentially the same mower) - I'm convinced that I wouldn't like the Deere "Mow-Mentum" system as well as the less flashy Snapper control. My lawn is dead flat so I can't comment on hilly terrain performance but it seems quite strong and traction is good. The evenness of cut is outstanding - I couldn't ask for any better. It's quite a bit better than the one Honda commercial mower I borrowed (sorry I don't know the model number) but then again this is a brand new blade and I doubt the Honda blade was freshly sharpened. In any case, the grass looks beautiful. I never wanted an electric start before and just got it this time because I got a good price on the machine. But I would now recommend it. It is really great just to turn the key after emptying the bag without bending and yanking and vapor lock on a hot day... it was 100 here today, and that key start was absolutely decadent! The Briggs 675 is one of those "no-prime, no choke" engines and started instantly every time. There's no throttle on the engine - it runs full throttle all the time. Fine with me - faster blade means better vacuum and better cut. The self propel speed control is so easy and smooth you don't even really think about the lack of a throttle. I had a single-point height adjustment mower years ago and loved that feature. I still do. So easy to fine tune the height, no pain, no strain. This is a great feature and will spoil anyone fast. Cleanup was pretty easy. I always hose off the under-deck. I had a mower rust out once, so for the past 25 years I rinse off the underside of the mower and have never had any problems with rust since. Then I run the engine for a couple minutes to blow dry. Easy. I do think those machines with the topside hose port would be cool, especially if you fit a quick disconnect. But unfortunately Snapper doesn't have it. Still, it was only a couple of minutes to get the machine cleaned up. This Snapper isn't a commercial mower and it may not last as long as those do. But I have to say that it is the best running, best performing machine I, as joe average homeowner, have ever had. I'm very happy with how quickly and effortlessly I was able to complete the job, and how good the grass looks. The bagging performance is, once again, unbelievable. Next time, I'll try the mulching... but I have an old Toro "Recycler II" mulcher so even if this Snapper doesn't do as well at mulching I will still be a happy camper (I bag mostly). If you are looking at $200 mowers, step up to this one. You will not regret it! I haven't actually used the equivalent $400 Toro or LB or whatever. So, they may be great, too. But you won't be unhappy with the performance of this Snapper.

Have you tried the Snapper web site ? I am sure if you take it to lawn mower repair shop they can come up with a spring that will work. BG