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Neighbor Is A Lawnmower Killer

7 years ago

My neighbor. When I moved here in '94 he had a nice Lawn-Boy 'Gold' with 'F' engine. I knew something was up because it smoked bad. I had just bought a LB 10201 for mowing the tall cut slope in front and I had experience with LBs before, so I knew excessive oil smoke when I saw it. What I don't know is if he was using it on 'choke' or if he was using way too much oil in the gas, but it didn't take long before the muffler coked-up and it wouldn't run. Naturally he took it apart himself without a clue as to what he was doing, and ended up taking it to the lawnmower shop in a bag. That guy relieved him of the carcass and sold him a new 4-cycle mower. He actually had pretty good luck with that one. You may wonder why I didn't help him out - its impossible because he already knows everything. I tried, believe me, but he simply didn't believe what I was telling him. Anyway, he finally wore that mower out and got a new Toro. With maybe two summers on it, he blew it up the other day. He was cutting the cut slope, about a 35 degree slope - it puffed a couple of times and quit - locked up. I don't know if he ran it out of oil, if gas got into the oil because of the slope and that mixture locked it up or what happened. I didn't see it. But now he has a new 4WD Toro! I wonder how long it'll last?

Featured Answer

aluvaboy

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

I have a neighbor who does the same thing with his lawn. He sees my lawn in excellent shape and ask me suggestions for his lawn. I give him tried and tested methods. He yes me to death, but will not follow through even one of my suggestions. Three weeks ago, I told him it was time for the pre-emergent application when he saw me doing that chore. He has not done anything yet. Not even cleaned up his yard of the winter debris like twigs, pine cones etc. Soon the day time temperature will be in the eighties and it is crab grass season. His lawn will be full of crab grass and other weeds. Then he comes out and laments "what did I do wrong". This is the same story line for the last few years! I am really sick of the guy.

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Comments (9)

rasims
7 years ago
That's ashame, those 93 or 94 gold series Lawnboys were some of the best ever made. I know the type you are talking about, there are plenty around here where I live to...you would think that he would of seen how long your mowers last and think that maybe, just maybe, there is something he is doing wrong. LOL
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300ft_anin
7 years ago
as i read this i'm waiting for my neighbor to bring back a weed eater i let them barrow. new to the house (renters) first time doing their lawn. i didn't have it in me to tell them no, they seen me out in front yesterday getting it ready to put online. i can hear it running as i type so they haven't f'd it up yet, pretty hard to break? but you know how that goes.
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You say trees aren't possible because he built to the edge of the lot line but you have never indicated whether your house is built to the edge of the lot line or not. How close is his siding to your window exactly? Could you plant trees on your property to provide some shading? Could you install some type of retractable screen (like Phantom motorized screens or similar) that could be lowered during the times of the day when the sun is at an angle that reflects from your window onto his siding? What about functional shutters that can be pulled in when needed? Or a Bahama shutter? It seems like there could be a variety of solutions to this issue. I see both your side and his side of it and I wouldn't let this issue be a relationship-killer because it's always nice to be on good terms with neighbors when possible.
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300ft_anin
7 years ago
update. it's back, they even wiped it off. told them i'm not in the business of loaning tools.
1saxman
Original Author
7 years ago
Sounds like you have some decent folks next door!
300ft_anin
7 years ago
ya i hope they don't get in the habit of asking to use stuff. as a fatter of fact i just got off the phone with a guy wanting the weed eater and a mower i have listed on CL. hopefully it's gone.
yt125
7 years ago
The reason I use antique equipment, nobody asks to use it.
300ft_anin
7 years ago
yt that's funny. well the weed eater just drove off, so that 1's no longer available.
1saxman
Original Author
7 years ago
Its now even better; I found out the mower he got has 'no oil change required' which will be right up his alley.

BTW, I was curious about that and the answer is they have improved the cooling of the engine, the air filter and the piston/rings. They didn't say but I imagine they're also using a good synthetic oil. They're figuring about a 12 year life span on the mower in general. I can tell you that if I had one of those I would change oil as usual because I know that with my maintenance there is no practical limit to a mower's life.
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