5 hours ago, jensmann said:

This is the best you can get.

Honda engine. Last forever. 3 Rai in 5 hours.

Blades in any watsadu. Baht 12,000.

All others are toys for English lawns. Trust me.

See image.

Plus it is as heavy as pushing an elephant. Mine is banished to the shed where it has been for years. I replaced the blades with cut down pickup rear springs and it is OK on smooth flat ground but very heavy on any slope.

Edited August 22, 20223 yr by billd766
Bad spelling

I had a Briggs and Stratton for many years before buying a new Honda. Turned out to be the worst mower I've owned. The self-propelling unit gave up after about twelve months and it was always difficult to start. After a few years of struggling I bought a Briggs and Stratton Rapter from Lazada and gave the Honda to the local recycle place. I've had it for about 12 months now and like my first one, it's pure luxury, as well as being half the price of the Honda. Spares are easy to get on Lazada and it seems to use a lot less fuel than the Honda. 

One other important thing about the B&S is that it I hardly have to use the self-propelling mode, it's very easy to just push it without assistance. If I tried to do that with the Honda, it was hard work.

14 hours ago, In the jungle said:

Half a Rai is not that big and you can probably get by with a cheaper mower with a Honda engine.

 

Be prepared though for the general crappiness of the Non-Honda parts such as control cables, blades, wheels, the deck etc.  Patco is probably the best of the local brands I have come across as they do a model with an aluminium deck of reasonable quality.  Patco blades are made of cheese but at least they are cheap.

 

The Honda HRJ216, which I assume is what you are talking about at around 30K, is a great mower and high quality in all respects.  Be aware though that it is pretty heavy at around 48kg and that the blades are hideously expensive if you buy them in Thailand.

 

I use a Honda HRJ216 as a back up to an imported Honda ride on mower.  Any parts I need for the ride on have to be sourced from abroad which is why I have a back up.  I source the blades for the HRJ from Australia where you can buy tradesmen's packs of genuine blades for sensible money.  Bought this way the blades are one sixth the price you will pay in Thailand.  One set of blades will last years.  I have about three Rai of lawn to cut in total. 

 

I agree with this post. I would also add that after the 7 mowers I have purchased in Thailand - this HRJ 216 is the only one I would recommend 

1. It has a positive drive system - the belt systems on the cheaper mowers give up too easily.

2. All the cables, body and controls are well made and will last. The cheaper ones fall apart.

3. Blades that fit can be bought on Lazada at much less cost than Honda and seem to last well.

 

I have 2.5 rai of lawns (many slopes) the cheaper ones last 2-3 years and don't cut as well, even with Honda engines. I just purchased my second HRJ216 after 6 years of use. 

6 hours ago, topt said:

Curious do you have to rake up all the clippings or you just leave?

Grass is 80% water and the clippings contain valuable minerals so they should be left on the lawn. If the grass is not long, you won't see the clippings after a couple of days. If it is long, just rake the clippings around.

6 hours ago, transam said:

 

I still have it, stripped it down, stripped the paint off, cut rust out and patched the shell. Primered with special metal paint, then can sprayed red.

 

 

If it were mine I would have it zinc phosphate coated then powdercoated red.

 

much more durable than paint given the harsh enviroment it has to work in.

25 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

If it were mine I would have it zinc phosphate coated then powdercoated red.

 

much more durable than paint given the harsh enviroment it has to work in.

My Honda mower is not a race car, its shell is cr@p, a bodge job is all that was required with the tools I have. The 2 pack undercoat is holding up well, especially the underneath, where the real problem started.......

Thanks to you all, , have ordered a mower, a raptor / briggs and stratton engine

i had a "very old " mower decades ago in Aus with a B & S motor

it ran for nearly 30 years, admittedly they are most likely chinese made now, so i hope i get one that actually works

ill post an update when it arrives as to its perceived value

Not often we see a lawn mower thread, so I hope you don't mind me showing a few pointers for your Honda where you don't need to go and find a Honda shop or pay OTT....????

 

Pull start cord, Thaiwatsidu, 5bht a metre.

 

Pull start handle that doesn't hurt your hand, made up out of a few plastic electric conduit fittings...

 

An old style throttle lever that stays where you want it, new from Lazada, think it was 30 bht. 

 

The local bike shop made up an inner and outer cable to my measurement to fit the lever, think that was 150bht..

 

Food for thought.....????

Here is a good idea for when you have trouble with the pull

start.