How To Pick A "Good Mud Mower" 

Saw the title and clicked as fast as i could

Good info will link to it when I start a new build soon :)

i agree with almost everything you said except about the hydros, in certain conditions a hydro is a far better choice than a gear drive, at least in my opinion, if you have mostly dry conditions without a lot of mud or any deep mud, hilly terrain with a lot of steep climbs, or rough trails where it's best to run at a slow speed for safety sake i've always felt a good hydro is a great option due to the control you have with the hydro transaxle in these conditions, especially on the steep hilly terrain, i think they're also great for the beginner who has limited knowledge or tools and the guy who just wants to go out and take a leisurely ride on the trails

Around here...we haul scrap mowers to the scrap yard and we get paid by the pound to do so.

⭕️... sir, thank you for taking the time to share this. you answered a lot of questions that i honestly didn't kno i had. i hope this video is shared a million plus times! thanks again.

Nice to see ya back. Well said this should help many. Need a little weasel action this summer.

I have 3 mowers out back, I have a Bolens varidrive, I call it my black basketcase, its pretty much never NOT given me problems when ever I try to do shit with it, My 24hp deckless Husqvarna GTH2448T, Runs great! and my newest purchace, a nice, albeit a bit rusty Dynamark with a dead engine and a 5 speed, not a peerless though.

Loved the 11 and 12 hp briggs

One thing I would not recommend is buying someone’s used “mud mower” unless you want to waste some money. All the time I see guys take a machine that’s worth $150, do a mild pulley swap, add a cheap light, and then jack the price up to $750 because it’s now a “mud mower”. Maybe I’m crazy but it seems like a joke to me.

I'd say too, look at the availability of parts, new and lawnmower junkyards. The 1968 Ford may be wicked cool but hard or very expensive to get parts, but a 2012 Craftsman might be a dime a dozen, which could give cheap options to chop a second frame and make a 6x6..

Very informative video as always Doc, wish you had done it about 4 years ago would have saved me a lot of money and headaches.

Hey Doc. Possibly the best video you've put out. Now I know exactly what to look for. I'm about an hour away from you. When Covid is finally dead lets get together. I'll bring the beer. A video on geared rear ends would be appreciated.

I 100% agree with this information!

Certainly Nice to see a sprocket's video again .. so basically your saying make sure you don't buy or pickup a "fugazi" ? Just started seeing in a local facebook group guys selling cheap mowers . " Fixer uppers " .. Just like you had mentioned . A shell with a junk Motor .. buyers has to always beware . Thanks Doc . Godspeed

I wasn't going into my last project for mud mower use explicitly, but went through the gamut of research trying to find a strong geared transmission thinking I'd fabricate it into a big ol honkin' 86 LT Toro. Yeah, some months later, I'm rebuilding the Peerless 801 in the Toro (it has some kind of stranggggge friction dry clutch disc smack dab on top of the rear pully that needed re-engineering, and boy did that become a project!) and also picked up a '77 214 with a Peerless 2300 that needed a repower unfortunately. While I'm perhaps bias towards geared transaxles, one thing to keep in mind with hydros is that not all that advertised power is actually reaching the ground, assuming the sticker isn't lying on top of that. A fair amount of power is used up powering the pumps, and that 20+hp might be more like 10-11 at the wheels.

Hey Doc! What an excellent video sir! Its literally everything in one video! Oh and you mentioned the DOC LOCKER, I'm actually going to attempt to doc lock a spicer 4450. I'm building a go kart out of a murray rear engine rider for my kids! PT1 is on my channel.... its evolved since that video but you'll get the idea... I'm gonna give you credit and a shout out in my video when I doc lock the spicer. I'm just waiting on parts to come in! Thanks Doc see ya on the next one brother!

11:29 he nails it on the sticker thing,folks. His example of a 15 vs a 14hp being the same is correct. It's a sticker,yes,but they also play games like throttle stops. So that 14hp might have a throttle stop because an oem wants 14hp,not 15. So that 1hp could be as easy as turning a screw or removing a throttle stop. Why didn't I see this when it came out ,that Deutz Allis in the trailer pic is what I'm here for ❤️

Interesting stuff. I don't really need another mower, but maybe when I fix and sell my smaller Simplicity. I mean, I've got the little "clown car" mini mower, but that's more of a collector item (an apparently uncommon Craftsman miniature rider, mostly dry rotted tires still holding together thanks to some Slime, 6hp Tecumseh, one forward and one reverse gear, one blade, and one "clutch" pedal to avoid lurching forward...) Really nice tips to identify the variety of drive systems!

- garden tractor vs. lawn tractor - Transaxle

Long ago there was this weed eater or poulan branded mower that I was working on. It had an actual 7 speed transmission.

Super helpful, thanks.

ive got a nice mud mower just gonna be a long time till i build it

Well said brother! Even though I'd argue on the variable drive used off-road,but I think I got lucky there with MurFord lol. Next video idea I suggest pulley swaps as this is another commonly asked,but maybe cover steering issues that go with pulley swapping a mower🤔 Thumbs up 👍

Thank you, I've been thinking of getting another project lawn mower that is shaft driven and putting a diesel in it but that is for the future. Do you think you'll do a in-depth video on what you did with your Murray?

I have an old roper and got a techumseh enduro 13 horse engine put in last weekend

A 2021 may even be a pile of junk all bolted together. You may be purchasing a known good mower that was assembled short handed on a Friday to boot. Now you have to pay to get rid of a mower you still have payments on. Thanks for sharing 👍and making me silly.

I’m getting started with fixing a Briggs & Stratton 17.5 hp engine that I need to put a cam in him so I’ve found a 14.0 hp Britton Stratton horsepower engine is there a good engine

I have a 69 wheel horse and a 76 sears they both got 3 speed manuals there both great

I think if we could find a real standard transmission for this size of equipment we will be ended all conversation a dream would be a constant mesh like a sports quad

IVE BEEN THINKING OF STARTING WITH A TOTALLY NEW MOWER , SAY AROUND $1500.00. OR SO JUST TO HAVE EVERY THING NEW CONDITION . THEN SWAP MOTORS WITH A PREDATOR 670CC PERFORMANCE SERIES . STRENGTHEN THE FRAME , AND PUT ATV HUBS ,BRAKES AND SUSPENSION . WITH PUSH BAR WITH A WINCH , LED LIGHTS , ETC . I DONT KNOW IF I WANT BELT DRIVE OR CHAIN DRIVE . WHICH DRIVE IS BEST ?????

Great advise, thanks for posting !

Make sure to get a 2 cylinder opposed engine they there the strongest tractor engines

Is a 96 craftsman w a kohler magnum 20 v twin engine. with hi low transmission plus 4 speed between the knee shifter a good candidate..has factory rear 12" rims.bolt on type

Great vid sir. Lots of helpful info for us newbie's here. So that said....... how bout listing 5 or 6 good project brands/models to sink our teeth into, so to speak. What makes/models should be on the top 5 best to get units for mud mowers? Thank you.

Thanks! New sub here. Very informative information. You cleared up a lot of confusion on what I actually need for my older MTD 16.5 HP Briggs opposed twin "automatic transmission" lawn tractor ( F-N-R lever on right side fender). I only use it as a UTV for hauling chores on my property in wooded terrain with some hills. My needs are mainly traction with enough low end power to pull a small trailer loaded with firewood or whatever. I replaced the turfs with ag tires and it helped a lot. Any other suggestions?

Good info all around there Buddy!!!

The gt I got was $350 in the fall and free in the spring when it didn't start. Engine spins, transmission rolls on neutral and holds in gear. Hope I didn't haul a turd across the county

Great advice. Thanks

Yepper.

Great video man 🤠

He's back... yahoo.

im restoring a cub cadet 1806 with creeper gear. i like the shaft driven engines. how do you feel about kevlar belts for the belt driven tractors

Dumb question. I’m interested in converting my yard machines 638rl to UTV. Is that possible? Or should I look for a different mower.

Nut buster position lol ouch.

Great video

I have mtd got it for free but didnt understand do u like mean they sre hard to pulley swap or what

in my area the junk mowers i just haul to the scrap yard and get money off them

There’s dog shit right here lol good video I hope everyone watches this

U can see it in my pfp but I have a 1980's Montgomery ward 18/44 it's well a project at the moment but do u think it would be good for muding if not Im planing on buying a old craftsman mower because those are good beaters

I have a mower with reverse neutral forward with separate gears what do I have ??

Any familiarity with a "TuffTorq" K 210 A (Gear) transmission ?

Do you ever work with Wheel Horse EQPT?

On my mud mower it doesn’t free roll even when I pulled the thing on the back it still doesn’t roll? Do anyone know what it might be??

What good mud mower do you recommend?

What do you think about a lawn general gt 5 speed with a 18hp they any good for a mud mower

I'm 14 min in and have no idea what to look for.