STUPID STUPID PEOPLE

Geo-TH,In · Jun 9, 2015

A friend wants me to fix his craftsman 42 inch rider. Anyone who leaves a mower out in
the rain, has to be STUPID. The rear end, is froze up. The ignition switch was rusted
and won't turn. The plastic teeth on flywheel are missing. The starter is bad too. The
solenoid was fried. Wires in the wrong place. Carb is full of crap so much so, the
needle jet was stuck in place. Had fun getting it out. There is oil from engine blow
by, so even if I get it running I think the rings are shot.

All I've spent so far is my time. I had all used parts to get it to a point where it
will crank over. After looking at the oil in the filter area, I think I'm wasting my
time. Half of me is saying it's the challenge to get it running, while the other half
of me is saying STUPID, STUPID. BTW, I'm doing this for free.

markct · Jun 9, 2015

Tractors should be made to leave out. For years they were then someone decided they didn't need to be. Maybe they conspired with the garden shed sales people

rrlund · Jun 9, 2015

I bought a used Deere at the Deere dealer one time that had been sitting out in front of the building for who knows how long. The salesman had to get a can of WD40 to even get the switch for the deck freed up.

Geo-TH,In · Jun 9, 2015

People may think they can set outside, but look at the mess I'm dealing with as a result of sitting outside in the rain and snow. I will never leave any of my tractors, mowers, cars, truck, or tools sit outside. I pay good money them and plan to take care of my things.

Married2Allis · Jun 9, 2015

If he thinks you'll fix it you're in a tough spot! Looks like a basket case with a locked-up rearend and worn rings. Hate to say it but there are plenty of $200-300 specials out there on CL that were kept inside and well taken care of.

tomturkey · Jun 9, 2015

Maybe they could'nt get it up the steps to get it in the house lol. gobble

Traditional Farmer · Jun 9, 2015

Hey don't knock it,I've made a lot of $$$$ buying things that people screwed up.

rrlund · Jun 9, 2015

We live in a country where people leave their $30,000 cars outside so they can pile $500 worth of junk in the garage.

bison · Jun 9, 2015

(quoted from post at 14:43:41 06/09/15) We live in a country where people leave their $30,000 cars outside so they can pile $500 worth of junk in the garage.

in't that truth!

PJH · Jun 9, 2015

Hey watch it Randy! If I hadn'ta jumped, you'da got me!

sotxbill · Jun 9, 2015

(quoted from post at 16:43:41 06/09/15) We live in a country where people leave their $30,000 cars outside so they can pile $500 worth of junk in the garage.

AAAAAAAAMEN!!!!!!!!!!!! But its usually a 40 to 65k car and truck.

pat sublett · Jun 9, 2015

They may have been made to set outside but, they lasted longer and looked better if they were kept inside.

Phil-mar Farms · Jun 9, 2015

Was it sucking oil because of a clogged air filter?

Geo-TH,In · Jun 9, 2015

Crankcase has a rubber tube going to filter area. It's engine blow by.

Geo-TH,In · Jun 9, 2015

I don't agree. The problems I looking at was a direct result of sitting outside, rusted ingition switch, locked up tranny, rust inside carb and who knows what else what I'll find?

Fawteen · Jun 9, 2015

I feel your pain. I spent several hours working on a JD LT150 lawn tractor that has absolutely had the stuffings beat out of it and been left outdoors since it was new.

Plastic all stove to heck, and the mower deck hasn't been cleaned since it was new. Feller brought it to me because "it was making a funny noise".

Well, Scooter, that's because the top of the deck has rusted nearly through, there's a crack 18" long in a u-shape around the mount for the belt idler, the idler has bent the deck more than an inch out of plumb, the left spindle brake is broken off and dragging on the pulley, both front caster wheels are hanging on by a thread and there's a hole in the back of the deck that must have been blowing grass up your pant leg for at least a year.

He wanted me to put a new belt on it and get it running...

I spent several hours cutting back to something that resembled metal, bolting patches over the resulting holes (nothing to weld to) and then re-welding various brackets back onto the patches.

I billed the cheap Esso Bee for 4 hours of labor (not even close), a new belt from JD and a token amount for the metal, carriage bolts, fender washers and miscellaneous hardware I used.

I might even get paid some day.

I'll guarantee it'll be back in even worse condition next year, if not sooner.

Billy Shafer · Jun 9, 2015

I have people in 65K trucks. Drop off junk then complain about a repair bill.I do have one customer that pays me 400.00 in advance. If I need more he sends it. Never complains.

Steamboat · Jun 9, 2015

Another thing that gets me is the big box stores that have a line-up of mowers chained outside the store for months or years at a time and expect you to by them as new??
I ALWAYS keep all my power equipment under cover. Why couldn't they at least keep theirs under a car canopy?

Ray · Jun 9, 2015

You can buy a running one for 50 bucks at any sale.If your that set on helping him find a another one and junk that one.

Ron-MO · Jun 9, 2015

Often the junk in the garage is worth less than $500. When I lived in a house that had no attached garage, and had to go out in all sorts of weather I took care of most of that problem when I built, as I put two bays in the basement and a two bay attached garage on the upper level in addition to my shop which also has two bays. Ironically, I still could use a little more room, but if anything sits outside it is usually my 15 year old beater.

Geo-TH,In · Jun 9, 2015

Yea, I went to buy one of those. They tried to start it and water came out the exhaust. Never started. I walked. And why do some think it ok to leave them outside?

showcrop · Jun 9, 2015

One of the worst problems with old tractors, water in the oil, will happen with them under cover. When a warm front follows cool weather you get water all over and inside the housings. Do you ever have dew there?

ss55 · Jun 9, 2015

It's great if you are doing this to help out a hardship case, but I agree with Ray, it sounds like that mower has too many problems to justify fixing it. Moving sales and Craig's List are great places to find low cost usable mowers. If you want a project, check with local retailers if they have any fixable trade-ins for cheap.

I agree with keeping equipment under a roof or cover whenever possible, but there are also people who don't have the means to build a shed for a $200 mower.

On a similar subject: A local town, Hutchinson, MN requires new built homes to be include a garage. Habitat for Humanity objected saying garages are a bad investment and are too expensive for their budgets. Neighbors still insisted on garages because cluttered yards were unsightly and decrease neighboring property values. As a compromise, the city gives HH no-interest loans to build single car garages. The loans come due the first time the house is sold.

Rich_WI · Jun 9, 2015

I have a mower I bought new in 1991, its been outside ever since. Used it tonight, pushed the primer bulb twice, pulled the cord once. No problems...

El Toro · Jun 10, 2015

The only item I leave out is my old wheel barrow. I've had to replace the wooden handles several times. Hal

Bret4207 · Jun 10, 2015

It's nice when you can put everything under a roof. It's nicer being able to afford to build the roof in the first place.

showcrop · Jun 10, 2015

(quoted from post at 04:11:02 06/10/15)
It's nice when you can put everything under a roof. It's nicer being able to afford to build the roof in the first place.

And then in the Northeast you have to pay for it again every 15 years in property taxes.

wilson ind · Jun 10, 2015

Old friend George Haven't you learned yet no good deed goes unpunished. Why why do guys on this site find fault with everything a fellow does or says??? Shame on you for being able to afford a roof let alone a shed from all your years of managing your money.

Geo-TH,In · Jun 10, 2015

Bill, I don't have a clue. I guess some like yard art. The boys west of the river like to display all their yard art, cars on blocks, junk washing machines, refrigerators, mowers, tractors with trees growing in then, go figure. The more junk in their yard, the less they have to mow I guess. I don't let it bother me.

I'm about to give up on this mower. Tranny is still locked up. Choke cable is rusted solid, and the carb is giving me fits. It will start, then die. If I spray starter fluid on carb, it will run for a short while. Carb is full of gas. Something is choked in the main jet circuit. Guess I'll have to wait until a 14.5hp briggs comes along.

I guess people who can't aford a roof are the same ones who want me to fix their mowers for FREE. You think some day I'll learn to JUST SAY NO?

showcrop · Jun 10, 2015

(quoted from post at 14:55:05 06/10/15) Bill, I don't have a clue. I guess some like yard art. The boys west of the river like to display all their yard art, cars on blocks, junk washing machines, refrigerators, mowers, tractors with trees growing in then, go figure. The more junk in their yard, the less they have to mow I guess. I don't let it bother me.

I'm about to give up on this mower. Tranny is still locked up. Choke cable is rusted solid, and the carb is giving me fits. It will start, then die. If I spray starter fluid on carb, it will run for a short while. Carb is full of gas. Something is choked in the main jet circuit. Guess I'll have to wait until a 14.5hp briggs comes along.

I guess people who can't aford a roof are the same ones who want me to fix their mowers for FREE. You think some day I'll learn to JUST SAY NO?

Just tell them to their faces that they are STUPID STUPID instead of telling YTers.

Bret4207 · Jun 12, 2015

(quoted from post at 09:51:08 06/10/15) Old friend George Haven't you learned yet no good deed goes unpunished. Why why do guys on this site find fault with everything a fellow does or says??? Shame on you for being able to afford a roof let alone a shed from all your years of managing your money.

I'm not finding fault with the idea at all friend. I'm just pointing out that when you are building an actual farm and not a suburban paradise that sometimes things like new buildings have to wait. It's called managing your money.

wilson ind · Jun 12, 2015

Has that thing got a good hydro transaxel? I have a fried with good mower except rear end . It's also craftsman , maybe we can work something out.

WellWorn · Jun 12, 2015

(quoted from post at 07:33:45 06/10/15)

(quoted from post at 04:11:02 06/10/15)
It's nice when you can put everything under a roof. It's nicer being able to afford to build the roof in the first place.

Click to expand...

And then in the Northeast you have to pay for it again every 15 years in property taxes.

y thoughts exactly. Showcrop and Bret.

This is why it's not just cheaper here, but smarter to leave things out. Stupid, stupid people build barns or equipment sheds big enough to house all their stuff, then pay through the nose for the privilege. A can of WD-40 for the ignition and hinge points, changing the oil regularly, and if it's used often enough with good care, it will still have a darn good service life. A Crapsman mower? The service life on that is designed to be short to begin with, and then when the owner adds abuse above and beyond weather - ruin is to be expected.

Royse · Jun 12, 2015

"You think some day I'll learn to JUST SAY NO?"

Forgive me for pointing out the obvious, but if I could
abuse my equipment and get someone else to fix it for
FREE, I wouldn't think I was the stupid person.

I like a good challenge too, but there has to be a limit.
At least charge them for the work you're doing plus parts.

STUPID STUPID PEOPLE

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