Are all Push mowers with pre-set engine speed?

[leehljp]

My 12 year old 21" no-frills B&S lawn mower is on its last leg. I use it for trim around a half acre yard with lots of trees. My riding mower does a good job for what it does but it does not turn tight enough to eliminate the need for a good trim mower. Distance is too long for an electric corded and I don't want to go battery mower for trimming.

So, I have been looking at push lawn mowers. I have no need for self-propelled one. BUT I am having one problem - All lower end push mowers that I have seen come with the motor speed pre-set and no way to adjust the engine speed. I guess I am getting old but I DO want a push mower with VS for occasional heavy grass.

Anyone know of a decent low-medieum priced no-frills push mower but with throttle adjustment?

[jking]

I've only seen throttle adjustment on high end mowers. Throttles started disappearing about 20 years ago on low-mid range mowers.

[cabinetman]

I've only seen throttle adjustment on high end mowers. Throttles started disappearing about 20 years ago on low-mid range mowers.

That cold be the case from what I've seen. I have a gas edger without throttle adjustment. It does vary to the load. I'm wondering if a throttle adjustment can be configured.

.

[All Thumbs]

I think it is more of an EPA emissions thing than anything else. The units I've seen have governors that control the throttle. The governor simply responds to the load and opens/closes the carb to maintain a consistent blade speed.

[woodturner]

Throttles started disappearing about 20 years ago on low-mid range mowers.

The push mower I bought in 1982 has a governor rather than a throttle.

[woodturner]

I guess I am getting old but I DO want a push mower with VS for occasional heavy grass.

Instead of a manual throttle adjustment, most mowers have a governor, and have for many years. The governor automatically adjusts engine speed for load, essentially automating the throttle control.

If you are looking for a mower with a manual throttle control, maybe try looking for low end/cheap mowers, since "better" mowers are likely to have the "automatic" feature.

Alternatively, you could easily add a throttle control to essentially any mower, it's an easy modification.

[leehljp]

I am just noticing some changes in the technology landscape, so to speak, that you fellows saw as it happened. I probably will see more and more over the next couple of years.

I will go into south Memphis today and pick up one at HD. It seems that they have the largest selection. I was at Lowes yesterday with only enough time to get what I needed there. They didn't have anything until I got into the $300+ range. And those were the self propelled ones. The self propelled ones are not quite agile enough (a tad too heavy) for lots of quick twists and turns.

I did look at one low end one and I could not even see a governor for which to add a speed adjustment cable.

Sears/Craftsman has a mower that "looks" good in that it has front swivel wheels, but it is way more expensive than what I want to pay for a "trim" mower.

[LinuxRandal]

Those front trim wheels are never on low end mowers, unless you weld them there, yourself.

Those old $99 push mowers are plenty light enough to push around, and normally the body will go before the motor, with general service. We had a older guy here, that you could buy a good condition, working mower all day from, in the $50-$75 range for a basic mower, then he went up depending on features. Don't limit yourself to new, for what several people I know would call a ditch mower. Got the aptitude? Find a curb mower. I've seen a lot of people get rid of a mower, due to bad gas. Had one gal I know, took her mower in for not running issues, to get it back running like a champ and the next fill up not again. (water in the gas) She wanted to replace the mower, instead of the gas.

[Dal300]

We have a couple of roll around weed-eaters to handle trimming. One handles up to .155" line but we use .130" on it. the other is a 4.5HP model by MTD that will take .325" line.... I just use old 10 gauge wire for it as I can't find any of the right line. It will take down young trees.

I had to replace the carbs on both of them last year, ($25 for the little one and $45 for the larger one). We have a 10% minimum Alcohol load in our gas, it eats older fuel lines and leaves a lot of crap in the carburetor that looks a lot like silicone gel.

We mow 5 1/2 acres of lawn every week with a JD 13HP lawn tractor, (25+ years old), and a JD 737 Ztrac with 25HP., (7+ yrs old).

We have also had problems with the alcohol in the gas with those machines.

If you can't find a throttle to hook up a cable to, how does the engine get it's input to the carb? It either has to be electronic or mechanical and even with the high dollar mowers they don't often use electronic injection and ignition.

[BadeMillsap]

Even TORO

My daughter recently bought a upper-mid range Toro ... it has a governor and no way to manually increase throttle ... I really don't like this "improvement" at all in push mowers ... what's next? Chainsaws and weedeaters? I could REALLY do with a little less "oversight" !

[sparkeyjames]

My daughter recently bought a upper-mid range Toro ... it has a governor and no way to manually increase throttle ... I really don't like this "improvement" at all in push mowers ... what's next? Chainsaws and weedeaters? I could REALLY do with a little less "oversight" !

It's not so much oversight (aka EPA regs) as it is greed. If they can eliminate parts and charge the same they make more money. It also keeps those with a lower mechanical intelligence from messing with things and results in fewer warranty returns. Less parts equals less parts that can break.

[woodturner]

It's not so much oversight (aka EPA regs) as it is greed. If they can eliminate parts and charge the same they make more money.

The governor improves emissions which helps them to comply with EPA requirements. They actually save money and parts with the governor - it's basically a spring and a piece of steel wire, instead of a cable, control, etc. required for a throttle. Sort of a win-win on both counts.

It also keeps those with a lower mechanical intelligence from messing with things and results in fewer warranty returns.

Definitely agree with that . The mechancial competence of most people, even well educated people and trades people, often scares me .

[gsmittle]

If you can't find a throttle to hook up a cable to, how does the engine get it's input to the carb? It either has to be electronic or mechanical and even with the high dollar mowers they don't often use electronic injection and ignition.

The last one I actually looked at (about 15 years ago now) had a flywheel with fan-like fins on it. The governor was a pivoting metal piece that the airflow from the flywheel hit. When the flywheel slowed down, a spring pulled the governor toward the flywheel, opening the throttle. As the flywheel sped up, the increased air flow pushed the governor away, closing the throttle. I'm not sure how it stayed out of a positive feedback loop.

g.

[Dal300]

The last one I actually looked at (about 15 years ago now) had a flywheel with fan-like fins on it. The governor was a pivoting metal piece that the airflow from the flywheel hit. When the flywheel slowed down, a spring pulled the governor toward the flywheel, opening the throttle. As the flywheel sped up, the increased air flow pushed the governor away, closing the throttle. I'm not sure how it stayed out of a positive feedback loop.

g.

Probably built in slop like they did with early steam powered tractors.

I haven't seen the system you describe since about 1990? maybe. I think it was on one of those off brand units like a Bohlens or Cub Cadet.

[Daryl]

What are you guys complaining about now? All small gas engines have always had a governor of some sort, otherwise the engine will over rev and shortly be ruined. As for a pre-set speed, what is the big deal? As far as I know, they are set at the high speed, that is where they are most effecient and do a better job of chopping off the grass. I could put a cable on my B&S motor, just have to bend a tab on the throttle lever, but I would still be running it as fast as it goes. OH MY, It doesn't have a choke either, but, three squirts of the bulb and it starts right up, even after setting over winter. It is a rare occasion when I have to pull the cord twice. No more gut busting, arm wrenching, cussing trying to start a mower for me. By the way, this is it's ninth season, I expect many more, I just wish the wheels would hold up as long as the motor. When it comes to mowing grass, I like progress!