Tractors, Mowers, Chippers, Trailers, Chainsaws, Generators, Boat Engines, Flood Control, & Census.

Depends on how old, I have a big 1960's Wisconsin powered Bolens Husky 1256 around here somewhere. It is the tractor that got me started with the Wisconsin engines years ago -- I liked the bark of the exhaust.

Like this:

 

I have one that I'd like to sell.

1969 Bolens 1220.

 

That would be a "Husky" tube frame series, quality machines -- weighed in about 650 with no attachments.
Originally had a Tecumseh 12 hp engine and a manual transmission, the hydro version was a 1225.

 

I like them. The ones I dealt with were built like brick shit houses!

They were quite busy when it came to the mechanicals.

 

They did have quite a bit going on didn't they, built to be serviced and repaired however.
The starter/generator never sounds ambitious but they seem to work, mostly.

 

Lol. You are right. It was at times easier to just wrap a cord around the fan flywheel. Seemed odd they had a built in notch for wrapping the pull cord.

 

Serious, mower related question:

What is the reason for the zero turn industry moving to vertcle shaft engines?

As a wrencher, I would much rather work on horizontal shaft powered units.

As for longevity, I'm not seeing a big difference in hours before a repower is required.

Please express your opinion. The small searches I did were inconclusive.

 

When you find out, let me know also. Horizontal/V twin engines tend to have less leaks [ crankseal isn't under oil] and last longer. Only thing I MAY think is you can make a mower more compact/shorter with a vertical then a horizontal engine.

 

For the same reasons we have front wheel drive cars, cheaper to build and more efficient.

It all comes to turning the direction of the power, with a horizontal shaft you must turn the power 90 degrees to drive the blade and nothing is ever free.
That 90 degree turn uses expensive horsepower that can be put directly to use with a vertical engine. Also the mechanics to turn the power costs money.

 

Yes.

The 500 (horizontal) series vs the 5000 (vertical) series Toro mowers is a bit longer .

 

New engines vs a more expensive deck belt and a a couple $25 idler pulley does add up.

 

As you said for the commercial cutters the vertical engines seem to last just as long before needing a re-power.
The simpler power transmission systems should be more reliable too --after all, the reliability of a part that isn't there is infinite.

 

Grasshopper has a stupidly simple design. One end of the crank drives the hydros, the other end drives the deck driveshaft. Works extremely well. International cub cadet had the same set up, [I had a 104]

 

Untile you replace a clutch on a vertical shaft engine, all those points are valid .

 

That's why I put 44'' Ground Hawgs on my ZT, never get stuck and I can work under it.

At 40 MPH I can now mow and drive on the highway if need be.

 

I wanted a Grasshopper front mount, they accept snow blowers and blades -- until I saw one in person. They are giants and take up a whole garage bay to store.

(...naturally if I stumble over one for cheap I will haul it home -- cool trumps smart for me sometimes...)

 

I like them too, but the older ones had hydro drive motors that chain drove a wheel sprocket. Not sure if the new ones do or not .

 

My little patch of weeds

 

Yeah, they are long, mine has a vacuum system with a dump hopper on it so at least the length is put to good use. They also cut closer to stuff then a normal ZT does. With no deck on the front [floats where it attaches to the mower body] it has little traction, put it on and it does well and side hills much better then a rear drive ZT.

 

My 720K uses hydros that then drive wheel motors. The filters for the hydros [2, one for each hydro] are the size of a filter for a V-8. I'd have bought another one if they were not so dang expensive now.