OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Collectors Corner Ride On Ride Ons Without Brakes

Hi guys, I recently bought a nice shiny ride on from a dealer, well known brand and was totally disgusted with its performance.It is a twin head cutter (38") 15 hp. It has far too much power, will not drive on any slight side slope, just looses traction and spins the upside wheel and when going up/down slopes has absolutely NO brakes.
It shredded the cutter belt in a couple of hours, genuine belt from dealer $96- recommended after market brand $56.
When the cutter deck is in raised position the belts line up but in lowered or cutting pos. the line is about 1-1.5" drop down
to cutter and idlers.
The only redeeming features are the spline type drive on the cutter bars and 3 bolt holes for the blade mounts. The old blades were a bit dinged up so I cut about 1/2" off the ends and remounted with new bolts in the next outer holes.
The engine is a beauty, I think its by B&S O.H.V. The colour is orange and grey and a popular Swedish name
I also have a Rover Colt 5 (Straight from the tip but big enough for my town block, two Greenfields a Duetcher R360 what a mongrel and a "Lawn-Bug" but king of them all is a "Cox Yardman" the only one with a real footbrake. I am in two minds to stretch the frame on this one and fit a 36" deck and dozer blade on front. This will be more of a stick rake as my property hase millions of those rotten "tureala" (?) treas wich shed limbs all the time. I will post pics when I get back home over the weekend.
regards ray.

Hi Ray, sorry to hear of your woes. Did you buy this one new? With all those mowers why did you need another one. I recently fitted a disc brake brake to a Greenfield but not a task I would expect anybody to try. I have a couple of Deutcher 360's, what is your problem with those. I admit the brake is from the Flintstones. I have an Ariens and that has a good brake. Stretching the frame should not be too difficult, you really only need to move the front wheels forward, just takes a fair few hours

NormK, I don't think I am the only person collecting old ride-ons. The Deutcher I got cheap with the intention of making a "Tow-Mow" It has a good GX400 Honda. I will try it first with a stiff bar to hook on the quad bike, a little more comfort than what is original. just take the trans belt off and let the rear end free wheel. If that works o.k. then I might cut the front axle off and make a tongue hitch to the quad. I am not a restorer (more a wrecker).I have driven one in the past and found I really don't have enough arms to swing that crazy tiller and push and pull those handles.The brakes are rather rudimentary to say the least, a bent iron bar spragging on the tyres, they could have fitted wooden brake blocks (railway style) My little "colt 5" has a suggestion of a disc caliper on the chain sprocket but the thing that gets me on it is the left foot clutch/brake while the right foot does nothing.
A friend has a lovely big A.M.C. but he complains of it overheating after an hour running and his block is not really sloping. I will stick to the Greenfields and Cox.
My little lawn-bug I got for the novelty value but I will say it is the easiest to mount and dismount-for me anyway.
I did post here some time ago but ""lost"" my password, after no end of frustration I just raised another email addy and started again.
regards ray

Ray, every ride on has its problems, maybe the newer ones don't but you certainly pay for it. I had considered fitting a steering wheel to a Deutcher mounted on the bonnet and driven to the front pivot with a chain. The good thing with them they are light in the steering compared to the Greenfields and Cox with the 2 rear wheels driving, makes steering very hard. They only brakes I have seen on the Greenfields is on a Stallion and that was only a park brake, you could not use it whilst moving. I just work on these mowers repairing/rebuilding them for no particular reason, certainly not for any monetary gain, but it keeps me from wandering the streets

Ray with the Husqvana , I would not like to put them on sloping ground because they are narrow and high, the fact you had the high side wheel loosing traction is not a long way from it tipping over and that can get ugly. This is where the Deutscher comes into its own, low, flat and wide, and by fitting a flat seat you can lower the center of gravity even more. I wouldn't give up on it, I would improve it to make it fit for your purpose. If you really wanted to you could fit a pair of discs to the front wheels,or even with a bit of ingenuity you could fit them to the rear. I moved the gearshift to the right hand side so you don't have this setup with 2 levers on the one side. I haven't tried fitting a longer arm on the steering to reduce the travel arc of the tiller but that might work, or as I said a chain driven steering wheel setup

Morning Folks,

Just a couple of thought bubbles.

Since 1990, Australia has had a standard for the design of ride on mowers - AS3792.1 (minor amendment in 1991). This Standard addresses, among other things, requirements for cutter deck safety, stability and braking.

It requires minimum stability to 30 degrees fore and aft, and 20 degrees laterally and also requires both a park brake and minimum standards for a service brake.

I'm assuming all Australian built machines since this time have met this standard. Perhaps it's not a mandatory standard but it would be a foolish manufacturer (from a liability perspective) who would not be be able to demonstrate these minimums.

Also, I'm guessing that most, if not all, 1st world countries have minimum standards for ride ons and that the requirements are fairly similar and for reasons of liability importers would be able to demonstrate that their machines and the standards they are built to emulate those of this country.

Cheers,

Morning prd, stability is always going to be an issue because of the environment rideons can be used in, no manufacturer has any control on that unless they fit a tilt switch so the mower stops if it gets to a certain degree angle.You then have an issue if the mower stops in that position, how do you get it out of that position. Getting off a machine in this position also has its share of dangers. I don't know, new ones may be fitted with something like that. This is where the Deutscher comes into its own with a low center of gravity and with the duel wheels, makes it wide and flat, except for some reason they stuck the seat up high. This can be overcome by fitting a seat directly to the frame. People will always push the limit on cutting sloping ground

Morning Norm,

The AS makes it clear. 30 degrees fore and aft and 20 degrees lateral is the absolute limit.

The modern world increasingly requires that no machine can ever cause harm to anyone. And indeed, no harm can ever befall anyone ever and that the design of equipment and the law must do everything in its power to prevent people doing stupid things.

I'm a bit more old school. Be aware of your own limitations, the limitations of the machinery and act accordingly and ultimately be responsible for your own actions.

If the slope is too steep then a standard ride on is not an option and an alternative needs to be found. Bayboy will testify, I'm sure, that as an example the hills around Gympie, for example, make a ride on dangerous in many cases and simply should not used.

Afternoon prd you can't always protect stupid from doing stupid. A few months ago I sold a Greenfield Stallion on ebay and when I saw the postcode I contacted the seller to tell them that I didn't think it would be suitable because that postcode is all hills, up one side and down the other. The stallion has a forward/reverse gearbox not heel and toe which you can ease into reverse to slow down. The woman rang me and thanked me for telling her and 10 minutes later she rang back saying her husband said it would be fine. He came and picked it up and a week later he rang me to ask if I could fit a brake on it because he got into a situation , rolling backwards down a hill and had to crash it into a tree to stop. I ended up fitting a disc brake on it that works well, but a massive job. Without a brake these things become a billy cart

The Kingcat I got from the tip shop would be an OH&S nightmare these days. The only interlock it has is a transaxle neutral switch to prevent starting in gear, nothing on the cutter deck engage or the seat. It also has a narrow body with a a 48" cutter deck with the two outer spindles and their belts exposed in the exact spots you would put your foot down to get off. I nearly have to ready to go again, just turning up a new steering boss to fit a new steering wheel as the old one was smashed, probably while it was being "deposited" at the tip. Just going to have to remember to make sure the cutter has come to a complete stop before stepping off.

Trev, can you make up a couple of guards to cover the belts and pulleys and maybe a brake lever to prevent the blades from spinning when the blades are disengaged

Thank you all for the replies, this husqvana thing has a transmission disc brake not much bigger than a bottle top-refered to as a "puck" and that's that.I bought it because I thought it was bigger and better than the old Greenie E3 which my daughter drives all over-up down any way at all without concern but I have been told in no uncertain way what to do with him. (swen the swede that is)
Yes I realise that there are design rules and some people have to be protected from themselves. The greenie does not appear to be unstable, has never got drybogged or lost traction and with instant forward -reverse makes it that much easier backing and filling with both hands on the wheel.I will also say that D-D has been a plant operator since age 18 and has grown up on some of the biggest mining machines in the country and is very safety conscious.
NormK, I will be getting stuck into "Rasputin" asap and first up will be "BRAKES" Colour will be "Warwick Yellow" (match her HK Monaro)will get a GTS badge in it somewhere, regards ray

The Deutscher R280/360 gets its speed control and braking from the transmission system when it is properly set up. Unfortunately all these mowers are now at least 22 years old and many have been tampered with by owners or mower mechanics who do not understand the transmission system and general adjustments on the mower. The variable diameter pulley transmission drive depends on correct setting to give maximum pulling power and good speed as well as full control of speed in downhill travel. Having repaired many and dismantled even more I am amazed at the stupid (and dangerous) things that people do to them.
In terms of safety I have had reports that the old R360 was able to outperform the ridiculously priced Grillo Hillclimber in the challenging hilly slopes of Coffs Harbour.
I am quite happy to share my knowledge with anyone who cares to contact me 02 46831140

My Big 11-30 Greenfield has a brake fitted... My HD8 & mini Tractor8 have locking hand brakes

see below 11-30 brake, I have put new pads in since this pic.