Thread: Another Case of Production Design not Communicating with Mainenance Design

Hello All,

I just finished mowing the footpath - well the roadside with the ride-on mower. Yes a new belt was acquired from the mower shop and I fitted it. With our block being triangular in shape the roadside is our longest side because it is the hypotenuse. It is also by far the steepest section as well. While I have mown this slope before with the tractor slasher, the ride-on is the safest option for myself and the passing traffic. The long and thick grass did choke up the cutter deck of the ride-on a couple of times, causing the motor to stall. Otherwise the mower went like a Trojan.

The ride-on is now parked in the house yard. With the ride-on out of the way of the shed doors, the big guns of the tractor and slasher are definitely coming out to tame the paddock. The ride-on can tidy things up there in a couple of days time.

Kind regards
Lionel

Originally Posted by Lionelgee

Hello All,

I just finished mowing the footpath - well the roadside with the ride-on mower. Yes a new belt was acquired from the mower shop and I fitted it. With our block being triangular in shape the roadside is our longest side because it is the hypotenuse. It is also by far the steepest section as well. While I have mown this slope before with the tractor slasher, the ride-on is the safest option for myself and the passing traffic. The long and thick grass did choke up the cutter deck of the ride-on a couple of times, causing the motor to stall. Otherwise the mower went like a Trojan.

The ride-on is now parked in the house yard. With the ride-on out of the way of the shed doors, the big guns of the tractor and slasher are definitely coming out to tame the paddock. The ride-on can tidy things up there in a couple of days time.

Kind regards
Lionel

I just do around the gardens/shed/house with the ride on and use a finishing flail mower behind the tractor for the rest. The finish *isn't* as good as a proper finishing mower like the ride-on, but its much, much safer to use around the house urban area (flails thrown down). I have a 5foot slasher, it can throw golf ball sized rocks hundreds of meters. I avoid using it at all costs, and always try to keep it pointed away from anything that can be hurt

I have hit a golf ball with the flail before. I stopped 'cos I wondered what the hell the hamming from the mower was. It was the ball bouncing off the mowers casing, it spat it out after a few seconds, simply dropping it behind the mower in the grass (rather than pelting it miles at the speed of sound)

Originally Posted by Lionelgee

Hello All,

I just finished mowing the footpath - well the roadside with the ride-on mower. Yes a new belt was acquired from the mower shop and I fitted it. With our block being triangular in shape the roadside is our longest side because it is the hypotenuse. It is also by far the steepest section as well. While I have mown this slope before with the tractor slasher, the ride-on is the safest option for myself and the passing traffic. The long and thick grass did choke up the cutter deck of the ride-on a couple of times, causing the motor to stall. Otherwise the mower went like a Trojan.

The ride-on is now parked in the house yard. With the ride-on out of the way of the shed doors, the big guns of the tractor and slasher are definitely coming out to tame the paddock. The ride-on can tidy things up there in a couple of days time.

Kind regards
Lionel

The only way to get cutting performance from a ride on .... if your a person that has "grass" like me rather than "lawn" .... is a big single deck mower. Just look at any australian made mower, they will all have big single decks, and will work much better as a "slasher" than amercian mowers (that will shred belts, break deck spindles, bend bar blades etc...). My rover rancher I just sold.... sold new in 2004, we owned it from new. It was still running it original drive belt whne I sold it, and it 2nd cutter belt. Only because a stick got jamned in there and chewed the cutter belt up. A well designed mower doesn't shred belts. The 18hp motor had a shortish belt back to the large single cutter deck. The entire deck pivoted forward tensioning the belt (so no tensioners). My sister inlaw uses american mowers. I think they generally have 3 of them at any one time .... and if they are lucky, one will be working (ie: not have broken belts, tensioners, deck spindles, etc). She should be using a slasher type mower, not an american "lawn" cutter..... well given the acerage they are trying to upkeep, she really should have a 60hp tractor and 10foot slasher.

Originally Posted by 1950landy

A guy I know needed a new H/L bulb in his newer VW was quoted 2hr's so decided to do it him self , never again he told me had to take whole front off the car & working by him self took him 4hr's .
My brother buys bulbs for the front running lights on his 5 year old VW by the carton & he recently had to make up some bulb holders because the plastic ones had melted & shorted out, burning some of the wiring.

Another great example of Prestige brand = **** quality.

Back not that long ago, I used to change out globes for customers as simply part of looking after customers at a cost of the globe only. Nowdays I call the auto sparkies out to change head light globes.

Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

I just do around the gardens/shed/house with the ride on and use a finishing flail mower behind the tractor for the rest. The finish *isn't* as good as a proper finishing mower like the ride-on, but its much, much safer to use around the house urban area (flails thrown down). I have a 5foot slasher, it can throw golf ball sized rocks hundreds of meters. I avoid using it at all costs, and always try to keep it pointed away from anything that can be hurt

I have hit a golf ball with the flail before. I stopped 'cos I wondered what the hell the hamming from the mower was. It was the ball bouncing off the mowers casing, it spat it out after a few seconds, simply dropping it behind the mower in the grass (rather than pelting it miles at the speed of sound)

G'day Double Chevron,

You are right about the flail mowers. My career used to be in Local Government Parks and Gardens. A number of councils went exclusively to flail mowers for any tractor towed grass cutting implement. Their front deck ride-on mowers were also all mandatory rear exit chutes. Too many public liability claims against the council or they wanted to minimise their risks.

One summer we were working combined gangs. My crew and another one. The other supervisor was a couple of grades above me. He had just cautioned his and my staff about what way the exit chutes of their walk-behind-slashers were facing and make sure the side discharges were pointed away from cars. Everyone nodded and their supervisor turned his back to speak to a member of the public. Next second thwack - shatter - shatter. One of his crew did not follow advice and a 1950's chopped roof Chevrolet had its custom made front windscreen twinkling pieces into the sun. "Not Happy Jan"

Kind regards
Lionel

Originally Posted by DazzaTD5

Another great example of Prestige brand = **** quality.

Back not that long ago, I used to change out globes for customers as simply part of looking after customers at a cost of the globe only. Nowdays I call the auto sparkies out to change head light globes.

Hand a Mercedes where to change the front bulbs you had to take off the front wheel then remove plastic trim under car then reach up and through all the bits of engine to remove another cover. Then retract bulb extract hand with bulb and then back in again with new bulb and put it all back together again. Bulbs needed regular replacement.

Had it done by the Mercedes dealer once as part of a service. When picked up noticed a bulb sitting at the bottom of the head light. Rattling around in the it would destroy the silver reflective coating. When commented that was not right they said had dropped when changing and could not fetch it out would need a new head light assembly if wanted it fixed. Think really they were hoping I would not notice. Suggested they feed a length of nylon rope in with sticky tape on end to retrieve. Would have thought I was Einstein from their reactions. In a way lucky for me they had already written up the invoice and this was done afterwards so did not end up paying for the extra hour to fix

Or design wise try adjusting the head lights of a Renault from right had drive to left hand drive. Normally you put some stickers on the lights so they do not dazzle on coming traffic. Not perfect but does the job. Now the designers thought this could be done better if there was a lever you could push to change the headlight aim from right to left. Unfortunately when implemented it was a 2 hour job to push the lever due to the amount of car that had to be dismantled to reach the lever and then the same again to put it back afterwards

Originally Posted by DazzaTD5

Another great example of Prestige brand = **** quality.

Back not that long ago, I used to change out globes for customers as simply part of looking after customers at a cost of the globe only. Nowdays I call the auto sparkies out to change head light globes.

Some European countries stipulate that when travelling there you must carry a spare bulb kit. Imagine a wet night trying to change a bulb with the amount of dismantling and reassembly needed on new cars.
The company I worked for had 11 Citroen Berlingo vans. On 6 of these the reverse gears went. It would go suddenly without warning leaving you stranded if you had parked nose in.
The fuel pumps were prone to packing up. You would be driving along and then suddenly no fuel. Happened on 5 vans including me. All leased so sorted at no cost to the company.
If the door handle on your Defender goes you replace the handle. If it went on a Citroen or Renault the whole door trim was changed!!
Seat bases were prone to wear and tear which ment a new driver's seat had to be fitted. When your seat base in the Defender goes you replace the seat base. Sometimes the simple ideas are the best.
Saw a camper van in a car park with the bonnet up. A mechanic was trying to access the battery at the back of the engine at the bulk head to remove it.Whoever designed that set up never considered how bad it could be for your back to remove a battery and fit another one.

Mate had an E46 convertible 335I. Came to me grumbling that had been told by 3places that could not change a blown HID bulb but he had to buy a whole headlight unit for AFAIR $1600.

I thought , that cannot be right. Took about 3 minutes to withdraw and show him the bulb, but BMW dealer charged him $200 for the (aftermarket OEM was $600) bulb of course.( he was too computer illiterate to buy one on line)

It was interesting to me that the wires entering the bulb socket were all singed, but the dealer apparently included some liquid tape in the deal.LOL
Regards PhilipA