Hello and please be gentle

Hello one and all.

I have decided to join a forum as originally all I wanted to do was lock the rear different on my 2001 castel gardens jr92 with a B&S 12.5hp motor. Reason being I have a small place with a large proportion on a slope or next to a river and I'm fed up with getting stuck. Now though, having watch a few YouTube videos I realise I may want to go a bit further. Better brakes, de restrict the engine, foot operated throttle, better tyres, you get the idea.

I do not need the machine to mow anymore as I have bought another but I would like it to tow a small trailer around the place. Then, if I have time, mess about in the mud.

I am of advancing years, with little experience in mechanics, even having driven or owned landrovers for nearly all my adult life. I have a reasonable tool shed and plan to take the project rather on the slow side.

I look forward to many happy hours perusing the forum trying to find the answer instead of just asking bone questions.

Please take it easy on me as I do realise that my mower is made mostly of plastic so won't weld too well. Also I am on the slow side when it comes to forums, so bear with me.

Minibreakdown
(I own a mini and I tend to break down a lot)

Welcome to the forum! No worries as most folks are gentle here. I think we all understand that we all had to start somewhere. I know I've just recently started messing with these machines myself, and I figured it's never too late to learn anything so why not just jump in! I'm not sure how many members we have from France (You might be the first, but I could be wrong) or how many others might have specific knowledge of your mowers manufacture, but it's likely that once you get past the plastic, they're all pretty much the same (and there will be plenty of metal to weld on ) It sounds like your needs present a perfect purpose for a starting project.

Enjoy the project and be sure to keep us updated on progress, successes and failures. Collective knowledge and experience is what forums are all about!

RevDogg wrote:

Welcome to the forum! No worries as most folks are gentle here. I think we all understand that we all had to start somewhere. I know I've just recently started messing with these machines myself, and I figured it's never too late to learn anything so why not just jump in! I'm not sure how many members we have from France (You might be the first, but I could be wrong) or how many others might have specific knowledge of your mowers manufacture, but it's likely that once you get past the plastic, they're all pretty much the same (and there will be plenty of metal to weld on ) It sounds like your needs present a perfect purpose for a starting project.

Enjoy the project and be sure to keep us updated on progress, successes and failures. Collective knowledge and experience is what forums are all about!

Thanks for the reply RevDogg,

I did read a load on the forum and there is a great age and experience range with a good feel. Also with a forum in the States I am getting information from where changing ride on mowers started, no brainer to me. The machine is built in Italy where they seem to put every thing together the same, just changing the body work colour and styling. They then put different manufacturers stickers on, hey presto, different machines at different prices and snob value.

Once I get the plastic and the cutting deck off I don't think there will be a lot left. Saying that though it may be a good thing as I could eventually put exactly what I want where I want and not have to adapt things. But lets not get ahead of ourselves as the first job to do is lock the rear axle, then go on from there.

Cheers

From an Englishman living in France

Hi There,
France, the amazing thing about the internet is talking to people halfway around the world. Welcome. I have a old riding mower that I use for plowing and using it in the original platform, well just sucked. I feel your pain. I come from an automotive back ground and it helped alot to modify it do what I wanted. I locked the rear, added a gas pedal, modified the engine, chained the rear wheels, and changed the weight balance. Worked out great, I can drive through snow about a foot deep and plow snow almost 2 feet deep. And in the summer time, I pull off the plow for playing and is strong enough to do a wheelie dragging the rear bumper up and down my yard. Feel free to ask anything, people here are happy to help.

Could we see some photos? Because if I think your mower is what it is then it has a peerless 700 with a chain to a diff axle. I have the same mower, all the stickers were removed but it has a 36" cut and a 1999 12.5hp I/C Quiet engine. It is the lawnmower around our house, works great! Although those plastics really annoy me! And the safety switches, but they are soooo well hidden. Sometimes they just cut the engine out while mowing. Good luck with your build!