Good afternoon everyone,
Im after a little advice/guidance,
i currently run a viking 6 series 4 wheeled mower along with a toro time master which i usually use for mulching and collecting larger areas. I mainly do commercial so a 4 wheeled mower is perfect.However, this year i have got more higher end gardens (domestic). A couple of clients have asked if i can stripe the lawns, but currently do not have a roller mower.
Does adding a stripe to the lawns bring the garden up to the "next level" so to speak. Im considering buying one and running it alongside the viking i currently use. Are the roller mowers are durable? doing over concrete and tarmac etc?
What roller mower would people recommend? i really like viking, the collection in the wet is great and they are robust. However after purchasing a lot of new equipment this year, i was considering second hand? obviously try to find a good one, but apart from viking, can anyone recommend a good machine?
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A roller mower is a must for a good finish. We run various mowers and always 'stripe' private lawns as well as some of our commercial contracts. Weekly cutting is necessary to make it practical. You can 'stripe' with a drag mat on a wheeled mower, but the finish is not a good.
We usually stick to what we know - Hayter. We ran a Lawnflite(Honda) for a few years, but the dreaded gearbox problem reared its ugly head and it gave up the ghost at the end of last summer. Although we loved the machine, charging what they do for a machine with an inherent problem, meant we wouldn't touch one again.
We currently have 2 Hayter 48's and a 56.
I'd avoid the Viking roller machines, do a search here for why but my dealer doesn't sell them to contractors now.
Depends on the size of garden/budget really. For a lot of use I'd say the Honda-pro clones like the Kubota (new versions are faster) are top choice, or the 19" Hayter is supposed to be better than the larger one.
I don't need anything so heavy: it slows me down on the gardens I do. This year I've got a Mountfield SP555 21" roller, pretty cheap and it's running nicely so far. Only thing is the belt pops off occasionally, but I leave the screws out of the cover so it's a 30 second job to put it back on.
I am considering a Mountfield SP505R which is the 19" version of the one Paul is now using. Only 38kg compared to the 19" lawnflite pro which is 52kg. At £700 it is not much more than a back end rebuild for my honda pro. Handles will fold down easily as well. I am very tempted, no mower snobbery here.
After last year's endless hours lost taking the Viking backwards and forwards to the dealer, I bit the bullet and now carry two mowers for the first time.
It does make life easier, as the wheeled one is always there for a wet lawn, or rougher garden, and it's light enough to get up and down steps alone. The downside is half the van full, but overall it's working better for me.
I got matching machines: the wheeled and roller 21" Mountfields. About the same price as a Kubota for the pair, and my thinking is that it's easy to swap a cable or something on-site if needed.
Personally I wouldn't have any Hayter made after after 2003 ish - which is when they went to half width rear discharge and in my opinion, build quality crashed from that point onwards.
As a very good domestic mower - not too bad - for pro use no - sorry 'not fit for purpose' in my eyes.
Honda/Lawnflite/Kaaz pro roller and all of the clones like the equivalent Cobra pro roller - well built, economical mower capable of a very high standard of finish in varying conditions - yes I do have one - however not suited to smaller gardens as long, heavy and handles can make it difficult to cut right up to fence lines etc.
Granted there is a known issue with the gearbox where the dog clutch wears out (normally through the drive slipping or not engaging cleanly).
Horses for courses really......
Our gardens range from postage stamps to a 1,000+ sq m. The Honda was a dream to use on the larger garden, but it's not an all rounder. As you say, too heavy and too long! I am surprised you say the Hayter is 'not fit for purpose'. They will easily do 3 seasons before being pensioned off and they get well used.
If there is a better alternative to the Hayter I would be very interested and would give it a go.
I use a 2014 Hayter Pro 56. Its great on fuel, collects well in the dry, okish in the wet. Don't have any issues with it. Its to heavy for small gardens or awkward access ones! It cuts around 9 solid hours a week, wet or not.
Thanks all for your input, its made me think even more about what to get,
I was considering spending 300-500 on a used machine this year and see how i get on with it. otherwise it will have to wait a while to buy a new one.
I cut grass fortnightly, its its raining ill probably switch to a 4 wheeled mower and carry both on the van,
me knowing nothing about hayters, can anyone tell me if this is a good deal?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hayter-Harrier-56-Petrol-Auto-Drive-VS-Re...
We run in each van a Kubota Pro 21" Roller and an Etesia Pro 46 and the combination works well for us.
The Kubota is good on the big lawns and leaves an excellent stripe, the Etesia gets used on everything else. The wet collection on the Etesia is virtually faultless and it will cut grass as fast as you can run with it (although it is also self propelled).
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