DON'T BUY This Crappy Box Store Zero Turn Mower!
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- čas přidán 23. 07. 2022
- In "No One Reads The Manual", Taryl goes over this terribly crappy box store zero turn that you definitely should AVOID at all costs. It's plagued with problems as you can see and hard to get at anything when you do need to fix it. What a piece of fecal! Before and After the lesson, Taryl has to show these equipment owners the proper way to use their own equipment. Its almost as if you could wipe your behind with the manual! So sit back, have a laugh and learn something with Taryl & Co in another funny, yet informative small engine video. And as always... There's Your Dinner!!
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Is there an email address or some way to get ahold of you taryl
@@arvillenoe2542 I am wondering of the same thing. What is your email address Taryl.
@@victoryfirst2878 I've got a all original restoration I'd love for him to do start to finish of great great great grandfather old ss12 it'd make several interesting videos. It belonged to my wife's family pepal died no one wanted it I got it because its been in the family since he worked for sears its one of the early 1960 released it's been from New Orleans to his move to Houston Texas finally to his move to Tennessee lots of history behind it and it was worked hard lots of attachments for it and to much history to just let go besides i like older garden tractors and equipment however he died at 93 just before his birthday shortly after that i got parts for it to get it going finally brought myself to working it got it running and have a video of it running on my play list it sat for several years before I got her running I think it was like 18 years sitting the shed before I got to it however I'd love to get everything as it should be pulleys belts bushings wiring stop light head lights cigarette lighter in the dash mower deck extra in dependable reliable ready to use shape but yet keep the original paint to show its age and how it's been used
That guy at the end there, looking to drop kids off at the pool, I'm pretty certain that was Bud Dickman.
I read the owner's manual for my mower. After digging through about 40 pages of warnings telling me that gas is flammable I found the one page of operating instructions.
Yours didn't come with the warning to not run around outside in an electrical storm?
I saw one that said, Don’t stick your foot under the deck ! Ouch
@@jamesbrannon9594 when I was a teen ,I was building a model car that I got from Japan.
The interpreted instructions were horrible.
The body mounted to the chassis with machine screws and the instructions stated:
Don't screw the screwing hole too much or it will become unavailable.
Sounds like the story of my dating life. 🤣🤣
And don't drink battery acid. "I didn't know that"
@@TheBandit7613 but it's got electrolytes. That's what plants crave!
I've gotten 4 free, non working riding mowers with various problems off the side of the road, watched some Taryl Fixes All videos and now I have 4 running riding mowers.
Thank you Taryl!
What good is that? You can only ride one at a time!
@Your Pappy I will in the near future, but for now they are being used on my girlfriend's rental properties. My goal is to sell each one to a tenant. Except for one, it's my yard work/trail tractor.
Small Engines are easy but can be a pain sometimes
@Your Pappy In my case as a lawn man, If one breaks, you have backups until you fix the broken one.
Only 4? My boys drag that many home in a month to turn into the most bizarre lawn cruisers for farting around on logging roads 😆😆🦾
I never cease to be impressed with how smart Taryl is and how incredible he is at fixing everything. All the young men that work in his shop are so lucky to have an incredible mentor
Taryl we need more of these don't buy videos. Companies deserve to get roasted for putting out a bad product
👍
Kawasaki fr651v engine is a piece of s#,....junk
@@patrickstockton2091 What about the fr730v , i thought kawis were supposed to be better than others .
Yeah, like gettin rid of these zero turn go cart mowers that are nothing but dangerous! People has gotten killed on them.
@@danbasta3677 People should just be pulling powered finish mowers behind their pickup if they have a big yard, weld about 6 junkyard push mowers together and hook it up to the Reese.
I found a mower at the landfill a few weeks ago. It looked in great shape so I threw on back on the trailer. When I got it home and put it on the lift (the picnic table) I found a 10" nail spike in the chassis, and the undercarriage of the mower looked like the previous owner was cutting down smalls trees with the mower. I checked online and found the same mower for $200. This mower was missing the filter and filter cover which means the carbetrator was filthy. I cleaned the mower and carb, put clean gas in the tank. Checked the spark plug, and it came back to life on the second pull. So now I've got a $200 mower for nothin. What a good day. Thank you Taryl. You inspire me, as well as other shady tree mechanics. Know anybody with an old mini bike? We're looking for one.
This reminds me of an experience. I had sold a motorcycle, with owner's manual and accessories, they paid, and took it away. About a week later, got a call, they were all upset, the thing wouldn't start. I asked if it had gas in it, they said it did. I hooked up my trailer, packed some tools, and went out to see what was going on. Sure enough, he turned the ignition on, hit the starter button and it would spin but wouldn't fire. I looked over the bike, checked the gas for myself, it was full, but found the run/stop switch was in the stop position. Switched it to run, and the bike started right up. They were some embarrassed pups, but at least did apologize.
Haha, that's funny. I assume their first bike...?
@@doug2993 That, I dunno. It's a possibility.
I use to work for a Major Heavy Equipment Mfg years back , Got a call on Saturday Morning from a Customer who had gotten a 125 ft Genie Manlift ( we carried those as well ), it was like 7:00 AM an this guy was very irate ( Dude I haven't even gotta a cup of coffee yet ) anyway he's ranting an raving on the phone I'm holding it like a foot from my ear , He's saying the Boom won't swing an the machine is Worthless an He's demanding another new machine be brought out immediately, So I ask him by chance have you checked to see if The Boom Lockout pin was still in place - Oh Man did that set him off , what you think I'm a IDIOT I've been using these machines for 10 yrs lalalala . So I ask where he's at an tell him ok look it's going to be about 3 hrs before I can get there , WHAT I can't wait 3 Hrs well Sir that the est drive time to your site .
Im getting dressed an my Boy he's 10 yrs old wants to ride along yeah ok Buddy . We pull up an sure enough the Boom Pin is locked in - it's got a huge metal D- Shaped handle an the pins like 1-1/4 dia steel about 6 inches long . I look over at my Boy an just shake my head. Here comes the Yelling Foreman spitting an arms waving as my boy jumps out an push's the boom side to side as the man basket wasn't sitting on the ground he reaches over pulls the pin an points saying Pin Pin even I know how to remove a pin 🤣, ( that's my Boy ) 👍😜. Wasted a Whole Day with drive time for some dumbass , when we could have been fishing or such .
I worked as an electronic and computer tech for years. We had a bumper sticker in the shop that said "RTFM" or Read The F.....g Manual.
I was one for 33 years. I had a sign that said “Fast, good, or Cheap-pick any two”
RTFM. You crack me up man, and I've learned a lot from you. Thank you for sharing, you are a true fixer not a parts swapper. Keep em comin!
Thank you Taryl for helping so many do it yourselfers like me fix my stuff.
Taryl, bought a John Deere 400 tractor for $400. Very excited to get it going.The left side connecting rod broke like they all do and I’m not really sure why. Took it apart and removed the Koehler engine (k532), broken connecting rod , used muriatic acid to clean the material transfer off the crankshaft micro polish the crank shaft and it looks like it’s salvageable. Ordered a new connecting rod and gaskets set for a hundred bucks. All along I’ve been thinking this would be a perfect video for you. Maybe you had a run across one of these at one time let me know. Phil from downingtown
I wonder who else looks forward to these after am coffee? It's become my Sunday routine! Thanks Taryl and team!
I just want to thank you. Your videos are SO explanatory. I bought a little riding lawn mower that had no spark and with the help of several of your videos I got it back up and running. Sure enough it was the safety switches. You really deserve more subscribers!
I was a Sears repair technician (15 years) I did lawnmower and washer& dryers. Only a few customers read the owner manual. The others say it didn't come with one or I can't find it. God Bless you Taryl and family. Thank you for your video's.
Manilla envelope....all the little bolts or wrenches, extra spark plugs, one of the most valuable drawers in my garage.
I miss Craftsman old stuff was good before it was offshored .
Kenmore Whirlpool still good .
@@MitzvosGolem1 You aren't the only one.
most throw it out with the box right away..including anything they didn't think to look for.... and if they do remove the manual..they are too busy to look at it...
@@MitzvosGolem1 not when it comes to washer and dryers. The old was real good but now, it’s crap. Motor attached directly to adjutator. Bushings (not bearings) don’t last. I was an advocate for them until a couple years ago. Look up the reviews.
Thanks for teaching this Grass Rat. I have a Toro Timecutter Z-5000 and think I got lucky. It is 8 years old and my neighbor left it out in the rain and when it did not start, he gave it to me because he had another one. I got it fixed up and have been riding around all summer on it. My grass is looking all country club like. My wife is even happier because I cut my lawn without complaining about how hot it is outside. Good video bro.
This is why I just do away with all the ignorant safety switches on my machines. It's not that hard to keep your toes away from the blade.
The only safety switch worth having if you ask me is the seat. My wife gives me hell because I'll cut a steep ass ditch and lean my ass onto the far right corner of the seat with basically just my left cheek on the seat lol but that's to keep the rear wheel that starts spinning biting 😂
@@acetech9237 same here lmao :D
I wish I could get rid of the switch that prevent me from reversing my 30" MTD while the blades are engaged. They got some clever setup where you have to put it in neutral, hold the brake, turn the key back one notch and press a button to disable the reverse safety. I keep nearly stalling because I forget to do that while trying to back out of or into a slot without disengaging the blades.
I put my safety’s back on my mower after I pulley swapped it I can catch a machine going 5 mph not 20
Not long ago they never had those stupid switches, but now we have stupid people with dangerous machines.
You guys are the best. Education with chuckles! Enjoyed watching, thanks!
This intro skit is perfect for us in I.T. "What did you do?" "read the manual?" Love having some Taryl on a Sunday morning!
Thank you bother.... I wished more people were as generous with their knowledge and time as you are. In addition to the entertainment value; Priceless... Thank you and God bless my friend.
Thanks for all your help. You are very smart to be able to repair all that stuff. It take a special guy to understand electronics. That how I made my living and still don't understand it that well. God Bless you man.
The first thing I always do when I get a mower is eliminate as many of those stupid switches like that as I can because those things are notorious for going bad and are on pretty much all brands of riding mowers
I do the same. You just have to use your head and be careful when starting it up or backing. Which a guy should, anyway!
My snapper was giving me all kind of problems sometimes it would crank sometimes it wouldn’t most likely not, carried it to a local mechanic he pointed a wire and said if you take this loose I think it’ll fix your problem, it did working great now.
@@redloh7204 My snapper was always giving me trouble. I found out that giving it turkey ans a little lettuce helps before I pick him up.
Just wanted to thank Taryl for the sticker he gave me through my buddy Jay. He was at the All Ohio meet yesterday. Giant flea market and many displays even though I didn't make it for the last couple years.
Sure is trur
I had a MTD garden tiller back in the 80's, it took a beating and served me well for years. Then I gave it to a friend who's still using it. Guess I was lucky, I see where Black and Decker bought out the remaining MTD stock in Aug. 2021. Thanks for the video Taryl.
El Mirage, Arizona
90% of the parts weren't sourced from China in the 80's, like they are now.
Awesome video, electrical problems are very time consuming at times. Thanks for sharing this valuable information.
hello from Ottawa Canada
I wish my old tillsmith tiller had reverse and neutral. It's a beast to have to manhandle around,lol. You're spot on on the mtd stuff,lol.
Thank You Taryl for all your hard work to educate us Week END Worriers
Electrical problems are toughest to figure out. Thanks for the tips. This was very good information. 👍
Thanks for the video, always enjoy watching!
Andy the tough guy is a genius character, more of him in the future, please.
AntNee
A good thing to get if you're messing around with vehicle electrics all the time (like we do, all our lives) is get one of those power probes. It has two leads that hook up to the car battery or A battery, and it has a switch on it where you can stick the probe end on something and either supply it positive or negative to test something like a wiper motor, or you can have a plug disconnected and try the probe on various pins to see where the short is.. it will tell you also if it's a good or bad ground and how much resistance there is thru the wires but it will sense if something would be ruined with the wrong polarity and won't send enough voltage down the line to zap it. I'd recommend the Autel PS100 one, well worth the $100 or maybe the green 'MrCartool' one, don't get the cheap $20 or 30 dollar ones without the display, they are next to useless you may as well just connect a wire to your battery terminals and stab into different terminals as they dont tell you anything rather than if something works or not. well worth putting it your long term toolkit along with a decent multimeter (I recommend the Vici VC837 for that (the orange one)
@@FourDollaRacingYour right. Useless, can't even use it as toilet paper!
Just selflessly giving my time so it may help others , unlike you who would probably drive past the scene of an accident with dying people on the road...
Had the same switch go bad on my troybilt ZTR. My problem was the PTO wouldn’t engage. I just jumped the switch out & problem solved! Hate that troybilt but I’ll run her till she’s done. Thanks Taryl for the update on that valve cover gasket for this POC. Worked great…no more leaks 👍
Schematics in hand before you open your tool box. And on some stuff you intend to keep a FSM. Another great vid. Thanks. Great finish.
I have one of the tillers like the opening, I gave $350 for it new, maybe 15 years ago. eBay carb made it worth keeping. My brother bought a Troy Built 2 years later for $750. The only difference was $400. Had to put an eBay adjustable carb on his too.
MTD wasn't always that bad. My parents bought a 2007, manufactured in 2006 or 5, MTD Yard Man Select from walmart shortly after they got married. It was around $1700 I think, if not, less than $2,500. Just a generic mower, with a 42 inch deck. And it had a Kohler Courage 19.
After they got a John Deere and a Cub Cadet later on around 2014 or 15 when we moved to a new house with a huge yard, I took the MTD mower as mine. Ever since, I've taken care of it like it was a baby. I was around 7 years old when I got it as mine, and now I'm 15, and it still runs as good as new, and the only repairs I had ever done to it was 2 carburetor cleaning jobs, that's it. The rest was just regular maintenance.
It has a lot of sentimental value to me, and good chunk of it comes from before I took it over, from when I was 3-5, I used to sit on my dad's lap as he would mow our yard, every time he mowed, and those were good memories. I would cry if I ever lost that mower.
Same scenario happened to me. Only when my house burned down it got stolen by some meth heads prowling in my yard when they knew no one was there. My dad bought it at Montgomery Ward and used it for at least 10 years then he got a new Cub Cadet and gave me his MTD and I used it for 7 years. I always took good care of my lawn equipment especially that one. It held a great deal of memories, now my dad has passed away I wish I still had that mower.
Mtd is good brand go to home Depot sadly Walmart crap there. Ever since government band the flat head we SOL..
I have a 1978, All Steel Construction, Front- Tined Rototiller with a B&S 1 pull motor.
It's irreplaceable
Home Depot and Wal Mart is MTD mowers. Same with Lowes, and others I am sure. The names you see at the BBStores on the mowers is just stickers MTD puts on their product under licensing agreements or outright purchasing the name. Change the plastinc body parts a little here and there and make em a different color. Say if you want a John Deere, you better go to a John Deere Dealer to get one. Same with others. MTD is for the price buyer only and the ones with the best success will be the ones with postage stamp flat yards.
Intro cracked me up. As a former auto tech this hit a nerve. My shop was in the city and the amount of people that would walk up to my bay asking for air in their tires, check an engine light, change wipers etc probably added up to a whole work week worth of hours over a year. There are always exceptions for actual customers it just blows my mind how people think looking in a manual is a waste of time, but wasting your time is fine.
Thank You Taryl! We have a 2013 Cub Cadet LTX1050 and it's been a pain at times. I learned something.
I have the same mower. 11 years in and she never fails me. Have changed the spindles and muffler once each. Guess I got the one in a million!
That chainsaw scene with Ant'ny was hilarious. As a Massachusetts native, I can appreciate the attempt at a Northeastern accent. It's not easy to fake if you didn't grow up with it.
AGREE
Taryl you are one of the best on CZcams at explaining how to do things ! Keep up the good work.
And you are a Nut!
Sure wish I lived closer to your shop, you are a down to earth treasure, keep up the great channel! Ken from michigan
Thanks taryl for all your help working on our junk
Buy from a dealer !!! I have seen so many mowers assembled wrong at box stores, example a local "farm and fleet" store sells Ariens, the deck lift pedal was actually installed backwards on every single one,
If they cannot put a pedal on correct what else did they fudge up? Hopefully the dealer employs people that actually have mechanical knowledge instead of summer flunky help that was forced to get a summer job by mommy because she needed to air out the basement.
I was at Home Depot, and they had a company in there to assemble their stuff that the sell. I wonder how that works for them?
@@Farm_fab Not good. I have a super stubborn elderly old lady for a neighbor. She bought what I think I remember was a Toro mower from Depot. Self propelled and I didn't like the sight of it. Well she got what she says is 25 stitches on up from her ankle up to the middle of her calf on her right leg. She would have been perfectly fine if the blade didn't fly off right next to her ugly little toad of an eco car she drives. The blade hit the rubber car tire came flying back and somehow being a flat blade it should not have shot out from under the mower at her going skywards but that is what the blade did do. I told her she has a law suit it was only the 3rd time she used it this year and the last time. I just cut her grass for like 5th time now... Never buy anything from a lumber store mechanical not even a power saw either... Most of the stuff Chinese garbage period.. Depot pulls what Walmart and other stores pull when they sell this Chinese crap. They have a little tag that says the unit should be serviced by a professional before use. What professional??? They sold it they should hire the professional. Oh but wait that costs money for a professional these days. And there ain't too many of us left no more..
It seems like the customer that owns the mower in the video left that thing sit out in the rain. One of my ex girlfriends bought a brand new crate mower from a dealer and three years later the head gasket failed. The original head gasket did not have a fire ring and that's why it failed , i matched up a fire ring from an old V8 car motor and it's still working 2 plus years later. She hired someone to install it with me basically telling him how to install it. It's my body failing me and not my mind , if not for my body failing me I would have fixed it myself.
Apparently, the assembler is one of those who "Never reads the manual." They are the know it alls that knows nothing at all.
@@carmichaelmoritz8662 Many people mistake this cheap garbage for the real McCoy because real commercial grade mowers are made to endure the elements as well extended use. I see a few guys I know still running zero turns from the later 90s and most commercial lawn guys do let their mowers sit on the trailers exposed no way to get around that when them guys work a seasonal job seemingly 24x7 schedule. Troybilt has some decent mowers like the Super Broncos I have one going on 15 years. People have asked me how I have one with a metal hood and not plastic hood also the front axle and rear axles are built like a beast compared to a newer one I picked off CL ads. The older one has a 15hp single cyl Kohler Pro in it as well. Most of em came with the crappy Kohler Courage motors. Then I have one that someone dumped off with a blown 20Hp Courage in it. Over all the thing is like new but it has a cheesey front axle on it I will say that the steering is like amusement park ride. I am repowering that one right now today.. All of the Super Broncos I have do also have shitty plastic hood hinges. all of em broke. Thanks commercial auto body plastic glues they survived my surgery and are much better than new hinges.
Taryl….love your videos….you have a good way of making the repairs informative and entertaining….and I like the camera work you guys do too.
Lol , the look after Taryl said I keep a stack of manuals under the sink 😂🤣😂 Great video y'all 👍
The first two customers are the type we get in the UK but they are the ones who have purchased the item online and have no idea how to use the equipment once they have assembled it in the way they think it says it needs assembling. The best one is Stihl 4 mix engines as they assume that they are four stroke and run them on unleaded minus the two stroke oil which can prove a expensive mistake if they run it for too long. They also love to ignore the don't use fuel more than 30 days old warning which causes them the stressful non starting issues.
Always read the destructions.
I got an MTD 'Yard Bug' many years ago. It did have a major defect, but I can't complain as it was a free curbside rescue.
I replaced the horrible steering-column cable-shifter with a home-engineered shift-lever that sticks out just ahead of the left rear wheel. At least, that turned it into a useable rider-mower! 🙂
I owe taryll so so much. I got a riding lawn mower sitting in the woods for 10 yrs ,for free and made it work like brand new, thanks to this great guy 🙏. I won't be surprised,with all the knowledge he has, if he uploads a video on how to repair a tankless water heater 😂. Btw, never buying MTD again lol
In the 90's GM radios had a hidden feature to boost the volume, Customers never read the manual, I always read them.
I always sit on the toilet and read instruction manuals... Its best to do it there anyway incase things don''t come out right
Love your content. Educational and very entertaining. Keep up the great work. I'm a Grass Rat for life
Hey there Taryl, hope all's well and thank you for sharing your expertise with us. Unrelated to zeroT's but wanted to catch you as you review most recent comments. I'm breathing new life into a previously non- running Lawnboy SP with a Tecumseh LEV90-120. Just replaced head & carb gaskets, plug & oil and got it going. The A-kicker is, the carb spring got damaged during disassembly so it's SHOT. None in stock within 50 miles of me and online would take at least 12 days and I need to mow asap. I've positioned the governor arm as I've seen is "factory" and with only the choke linkage connected, Idle screwed it to run smoothly at approx 2800+/- (no blade or drive belt attached). This mower has no manual throttle control so I'm wondering whether I can add the blade & belt, set the rpm to approx 3000 and be ok using it without the spring until the new one arrives. Thanks in advance and as always . . . stay safe! 🤙JJFIII
Taryl excellent videos thanks for teaching us. Keep them coming
After breaking a number of parts on my first truck, doing repairs after “reading” the manual, I learned how to read the manual. Read it before you turn a wrench, before you look at it, before anything. Any news piece of equipment you get, read the manual. It saves a lot of headaches, money, and you get your money’s worth out of the equipment you bought.
Right on, brother!
"Real Men" don't read the instructions, but *smart* *men* do!
RTFM "Read the Fucking Manual"
@@qbubbaq I work in IT. PREACH!
Taryl! MTD is a great product for you. When it walks thru the door just say to yourself and then to the client, $65 bucks to start.
Thank you sir, for all of your knowledge & great enthusiasm!!
Thanks again for the knowledge. Keep the great videos coming.
Nice job keeping it simple with the battery powered continuity tester. A digital multimeter may be a bit intimidating for some newer grass rats.
Multimeter continuity testers can be finicky sometimes. Some work good, some not so good. There's different ways those meters test for continuity. So it's always a good idea to test the meter before you start testing things with the meter. Just so you know things are working how you think they should be working.
Just got a stihl chainsaw at a yard sale for $15. Owner tells me "it's got bad gas in it, there's ethanol in there these days!" Sure thanks. Starts up on second pull if you follow the proper starting procedure.
Good deal!
But the dude was right about the gas- I use only non-ethanol because of carb problems.
@@MrTruckerf have had ethanol in gas here since 95. Zero problems.
I had a Murray riding mower for 27 years and I worked on it the whole time myself, one "new slightly engine" one new transaxle, a few batteries, blades, spindle bearings. I mowed one to two acres every summer with it it was still running when I moved and sold it
I kept it clean and cleaned it up for winter storage in the shop.
I take care of a fleet of Zero Turn Mowers for a customer. Ex Mark, Kubota, Cub, Bad Boy, Ferris. In this world of new mowers all I can say is combustion engines continue to go downhill (emissions and cheap manufacturing), and I'm beginning to see more Self contained (Hydro Gear) hydrostatic on even the commercial brands.
Change your oil every 50-100 hours or once a year, Park them in the dry, change the oil in your hydro if they are standalone units every 150 hours, and SLOW DOWN when mowing uphill. I personally own a MTD, Yard Machines for my property (can find on my youtube), she's over 300 hours and runs strong. Just perform the maintenance, and dont treat like crap, they will last you. They arent a cheap throw away mower like people say, they are like anything else being produced this day and time. Stamped decks also get a bad rep, when all you need to do is clean the grass out when you sharpen your blades.
Wanted to see you hook up the continuity tester to ground and with that main connector hooked back up. I assume at that point you short out to ground at the coils. Then start removing connectors with the yellow wires to see the circuit open up when the component that is causing the short to ground is removed from the circuit.
My grandfather used to tell anyone that would listen about his neighbor Lenny that used his tongue to test for spark on lawn mowers back in the 50's and 60's. In the late 70's GM came out with their HEI units. He used his tongue there to test 4 spark on a Chevy Caprice and lost a portion of his tongue the spark blew part of his tongue off... Spark does tend to increase with water and moisture around.
I agree, MTD units are nothing but trouble ! It’s sad that bought IH Cub Cadet and literally destroyed the brand ! ☹️TCB⚡️
I agree.. cub cadets were well built machines before mtd.
@michael finney
Wondering now what changes we’ll see now that Black & Decker bought MTD and Excell in 2021….
My parents have a Troybilt Jr. (3hp Tecumesh) from way back in 1983. Still runs and tills, perfectly! In almost 40 years all it has had other than oil and gear oil was a valve job around 1993 and a couple of air cleaners- Oh and a drive belt for the reverse back up pulley on the Tecumesh. Still has the original, loud, mufkin. 40 years ago, Troy Bilt was top notch stuff.
We appreciate all the information that you share. God bless.
The funny part is that mower is over 3 years old MTD hasn't made that model for years because I made those mowers. Also worked in a shop for several years have seen all brands make bad units
I guess 3 years is a long time in MTD longevity?
I noticed on low end and high in mower on switches and relays they mounted so moisture can get into them they are either upside down or in a angle instead of the connection being on the bottom thanks for your videos
That's what they teach them in engineering school now..............
Even bottom of the class engineers have to get a job somewhere. Besides, it's job security for people lake Taryl. Can you imagine what it'd be like for Taryl if nothing ever broke? He'd have to charge people for showing them how to do things that are in the manual.
Your a good man Taryl! Greetings from Australia, and really appreciate your content!
"I only wear the track suit from the waist up", had me laughing!! Keep up the good work!
Taryl, thank you for another educational video. I enjoyed what you told and showed us what MTD stands for, first time I heard them. It really is a shame how MTD has destroyed the lawnmower/riding tractor market with their pieces of shxt. Including even having John Deere building their least expensive mowers too. Just so John Deere can compete with MTD. The real sad truth is, if the person really wants to buy those cheap mowers. Your John Deere dealer will discount the price from the MSRP. But even then, I would never advise anyone to buy any mower built by MTD.
Something I find interesting and crazy, the number of people who buy these cheap mowers. Use them for a year or two (no more than 2 year's) and then sit them at the curb on their bulk/junk trash pick-up day. I have to believe you and your family have seen that take place too. It is a real shame, how we have become this throwaway society!
Keep up the wonderful excellent work and your awesome cool/funny skit's too.
May God bless you and your family.
Big fan of Deere diesels like the 4045 ,6076 and 6081, before they went common rail injection for the emissions stuff.
Now they are like the apple of the equipment market.
Feel bad for the farmers waiting a week for some tech to come out and plug in a computer and find a 10$ bad switch ,meanwhile his crops are going to crap.
@@MrTheHillfolk yes, I fully agree. Down time costs the farmer way to much money.
I have a John Deere compact diesel tractor, a 2004. Before the emission stuff came along. I grew up using John Deere tractors and equipment on the farm. The only way I would trade my John Deere, would be to have a cab with a/c, heat and a radio.
I can certainly see that with newer mtds and especially Troy-Bilt MTD mowers, however I have a couple from the '80s and '90s that run like absolute beasts and I've never had any major issues with them other than a couple small engine issues but the engines are of course built by Briggs & Stratton not mtd.
@@Realohiorailroadproductions I was questioning myself if I should include something about the older MTD's. You are correct, MTD did produce fine products in the past. It is possible, MTD saw the future of homeowners buying habits and realized, there was going to be a market for less expensive mowers. Plus, we have become a throwaway society too. Adding to why MTD has become the largest producer of mowers.
A few years ago I was interested and looking for a model of MTD tractor you may own. Unluckily for me, my disability has gotten much worse. Causing me to look into having other hobbies.
@@Realohiorailroadproductions my lawn tractor is 22 years old and its never been broken. I think I put a new belt on it. Granted I only run it like 5 times a year in central Texas (this year not at all due to drought)
They sure don't make them like they used to. Great lesson on trouble shooting. 👍
After watching the news I need a little uplifting laughter...Thanks guys!!
I learn a lot from ya! Watch you every day. About time someone tells the truth on how junky certain brands are!! Thanks for the honesty.
some one left it out in the rain? rusty switch or the battery acid got on the switch?
Troybilt USED to make good equipment until bought out by MTD. Now it's just another zombie brand because of greed.
Troybuilt is now total JUNK.
Shit doesn't run good out of the box.
@@TheBandit7613 Like so many other American brands, the bean counters took over and fired the engineers who knew what they were doing due to "cost cutting".
Careful on word 'Greed'. Investment industrial 'Stock' is used in large union and individual retirement funds, including insurance. No way possible for payroll deductions to cover massive retirement numbers of today....
Careful, like votes, consequences are never revealed.. until too late. ;/
Reading manuals is important. These days you have to wade through a lot of needless safety stuff, but even that is not ALL bad. But they always give you "how to start" info, and how to store your mower over the winter by running it out of fuel! Most important that.
Thanks, Taryl you have been an enormous help to me, and others I am sure.
50 percent of all customers that bring in a chainsaw that wont start gets taken out back by us and started right away, when the customer asks what was wrong with the saw we tell them it has a "bad operator valve"
True story from a tough period in my life. I had previously bought a Stihl new from the local dealer. They have an excellent young mechanic that had replaced the carb (ethanol ruined the 1st one), and I took the saw in later for something I can't recall just after putting in fluids. While there, he pulled the bar oil cap off. He says "there's GAS in there!" Yes, I had totally zoned and put fuel in the oil reservoir. And no, I wasn't there for oiler failure - it just happened the mech was doing routine "let's see the overall condition of this saw".
That’s what we need, why people buy from chain stores- because of smart mouth small businesses like yours
The continuity problems are not just with lower end box store equipment. I've see the same kind of issues with $500k construction equipment. Seeing some of the controls for the servos, they litterally are printed circuits used for a contact point. Have used dielectric grease to stick a little sliver of foil to make contact until the week out comes in. I'm not a mechanic, but you don't have to be Gordon Ramsay to know when something tastes like crap.
But the problem isn’t that. It’s the fact that you have to cut the machine to access the switches.
@@matthewsones5287The access is a problem too. Take that switch apart, see why it lasts a year or two, when all the 45 year old Eaton, or GE, or Rockwell......or.....are still functioning in my little Sears/Cub. As far as access, litterally I should be pulling the flywheel on my old Briggs 1970s right now to service the points and condensor, instead I am waiting 4 days on an electronic coil. Had to drain and pull the gas tank to, for a service item..... The hidden in the harness relay bothers me worse. Just like fusible links in cars, engineers at their worst.
@@matthewsones5287 not to hound, but before I wondered, and intermittent failure is usually worse than a complete failure, especially with electric. Not just the troubleshooting, but something else will go bad from it.
@@ricksanchez3176 intermittent is way worse. I specialize in electrical repair in diesels…
@@matthewsones5287 That has got to be fun 😁😂. I grew up working on semis from the 70s and 80s in the 80s. There was a harness to the injectors, alternator, and headlights, and a couple single wires to the solenoid on the injector pump, and maybe a coolant alarm, not even wiring to the injectors on a Cummins. Now.....OK where's that manual......which doesn't have crap.
Very informative video. Thanks Dude for sharing.
Love your show Taryl! One of these days I am gonna drive up there (from Terre Haute, IN.) to meet you and buy some Grass Rats Apparel! THERE'S YOUR DINNER!
For not that much more money, you could get a consumer toro timecutter zero turn with the kawasaki and have 5X the mower this is with a forged deck.
AYP is just as bad. Kohler has a distinctive sound when cranking. The company I worked for used them in our smaller equipment. Worked good in some applications. A coal fired power plant was not one of them. Electrical problems are the Bain of any tech. I worked on a Cat Skid steer with an intermittent problem. I was about to take a stick of TNT to it. Finally traced it to a very rusted switch in the right joy stick. Ah the joys of equipment repairs. Good vid Taryl.
Im never to old to learn. Thank you for the video
Great diagnostic video!!
About manuals..... It's time for another fireside chat.
I always notice the multitude of lawn mower blades on the pegboard. I just wanted to know what the story is with those. I think it might be a good idea to make a video about the different styles of lawn mower blades and what they are for and what they do
They are for lawn mowers and they cut grass.
Yeah Tarra, (I just gave u an Aussie name shortening). A talk on all the different blades would take the voodoo out of the subject.
It looks like there was oil that collected dirt and crap on the switch. Perhaps the owner was oiling the drive levers, not knowing where the oil was going, thinking he was doing something good for his mower and wound up screwing up the switch. Just wondering.
Oils collect dust and ruin switches. Use air or brake cleaner spray as it Evaps away dry.
I have been watching Taryls videos now for a while. I have to say he really is a great mechanic and him and is crew makes the videos so entertaining they are actually hard to watching. There's your dinner 😂
I meant to say the videos are hard to stop watching they are so entertaining. Sorry but thanks again
I know Briggs and Stratton have a diode inline on the kill wires. That burns out sometimes but you have the opposite effect. It won't turn off. It's just a general purpose 2 amp diode. On one of my mowers I've put a couple Nova II ignition modules on the V-twin. You just have to connect the wire after the diode. Right up at the coils. It starts faster. Maybe a little more power. It has 2000 hours on it so it's hard to know. Keep your oil changed once a year or how ever many hours the manual says and they'll run a long time.
You know most of the riding mowers are made at one factory, down the same assembly line. It's owned by Husqvarna, Sears, MTD, Troy Built all made by same people. Just different plans and parts. The plant is made in Orangeburg SC
Was MTD now owned by Stanley
Some of your customers SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED around power equipment. Much less use them.
Another very informative video. Thanks Taryl !
Nice work Taryl thanks for the tips !!!
Nothing wrong with the mower...it is clearly evident it is left out in all weathers. They MUST be kept in a place with a roof. MTD were good long ago. I really like the MTD Yardman push mowers from 1998-2003 with the very thick alloy decks, powered by Tecumseh OVRM engines...I have two and they've never faltered...they are maintained and undercover when not in use. Cheers from Sunny Australia!!!
Hey. Don’t talk so poorly of them. Half of my living comes from those.
Back in 2015, I bought a zero turn Cub Cadet. I've been pretty happy with it. I've had some times when due to weather, or my severe back problems I couldn't get the lawn mowed until it was starting to seriously looking like a hay field in need of a combine harvester to mow it.
The mower I bought, I think it was not the cheapest one but not the best one either...still it goes through that super tall grass like a hot night through butter.
The only thing I hate about it, is the battery is hard to get out...there is a bolt/nut that is on the frame and it is in the way - so you have to lift and tilt the battery to wiggle it out of that tight space. It's a knuckle buster....plus, I'm a 59 year old woman, 5 foot 2 inches tall, and have a bad back, so that doesn't help the process.
So far no repairs to do a bad product, one due to an accident in 2018.
My sister was mowing the lawn, and sucked up an old large cow bone my dog had snuck outside. It was one of those bones you can buy at a farm & ranch store - it was originally stuffed with peanut butter.
My sister and I both missed it when we did the walk through around the lawn before mowing and that bone rattled about under that mower, destroying the belt and damaging the blade.
The place I bought the mower from came and picked it up, repaired it, and brought it back
(I live 6 miles one way from their place). I felt that the repair price was very reasonable,.
The bill was around $125 for a new blade, belt, plus they did new gas, air, oil filters and spark plug replacement, and as I said, picked it up and brought it back.
The wait time was a little long, almost a month, but that didn't bother me in the least. As I said, that mower can cut through almost high thigh tall grass without an issue. I live in an itty bitty town and they are about the only certified repair shop for several mower brands, and they were swamped that year with repairs. When that bone did the damage I was imagining a $200 to $400 dollar repair bill. So I was happy with the price that it was and again, got the filters replaced too.
I always bypass those safty switchs. Thanks for showing me how.
Unfortunately this issue also happens to the more "expensive/higher class" machies. Lawn machines has never been this bad before.
Do you mean Yard Machine or just lawn equipment in general?
no such problems with Jacobsen or allett
i have a slightly newer model of this mower and you guys are wrong about them...They were the consumer reports winner for years in a row and that is why I purchased mine. I have 700hrs on it and have not had a single electrical issue. I have billed out over $35,000 for mowing on this machine but paid only $3000 for it after tax. These mowers from Troy-Built are awesome, highly rated, all steel frames, and the maintenance is a piece of cake (I have very little experience but have done 100% of the maintenance). I think this example must be anecdotal because Troy Built products are very high quality.
Agreed. Maintenance and storage are key to machines longevity.
Bought the same mower in 2010 but it has Yard Man stickers on it. It is an MTD mower. Cub Cadet also sells their version of this mower. In 12 years only thing I have had to change are the coils, carb, and both belts and of course the blades. Have 600 hours on it..
I have a small John Deere made by MTD,bought it new 10 years ago at Lowe's,has 137 hours on the clock,runs and works just like new,most dependable mower I ever owned.
Almost riding lawnmower in America is made by MTD. With expection snapper,