Lawn Mower Brakes

Review by Ralph L. Sanders : WE-ONE - best size/cost for small-medium lawns- updated 5/21/10

I have found that I was in the same position as the first 2 reviewers, a medium size yard, that takes about 1 hour to mow by walking. I didn't see buying the smallest Sears or Home Depots 36 or 42 inch riding mower for my yard. Yard Machine made a 28 inch mower about 6 years ago and when I got the financies to purchase it, Yard Machine Co. had discontinued it, it was a 28 inch mower. Snapper has a 28 inch mower but wants $2200 for it. I was saving to buy it. Since Home Depot had it and WalMart, I did the same thing, grabbed it up before it is discontinued. As for liking it, I love it, even though its been raining every other day since I recieved the crated box. So I'm excited, and will give this great review based on the others reviews, and basically for the manufacturer for manufacturing an economically viable riding mower for all those with small to medium lawns and have no need for dual bladed mowers. My next request is, when will Weedeater (or Husqvarna) offer the accessories for this mower, like a grass catcher, or do I have to invent/modify one to fit this one. P.S. Sorry Amazon, your cost was higher than Home Depots and Walmart. But you get a plus for having the review section, which I use with the upmost regards. I will give an update to this when I get to use it... Update 5/21/10: Absoutely great. This mower was better than expected. It even had holes in the rear for me to design an attachment. Yes, that's right, I designed an attachmet as an interim fix for not having a grass catcher. Being an engineer, I now use my push mower (the attachment) to collect the grass clipping. Although I have to go over the yard twice, I can cut the entire yard, collect the clipping with a second pass in 45 minutes.

Review by J. Haindel "Jay" : Better News!!

Update: (6-20-2011) The problem with the transmission has never reoccurred again. It is working flawlessly. It may have been a piece of debris that got caught up in the chain or belt and has now gone away. I still really like this mower. The only drawback is the transmission's excessive noise and the vibration when the mower blade is engaged. This mower is perfect for small yards and has plenty power to cut a really thick lawn. It may also be noteworthy that Sears and Snapper all use this same type of transmission. I have not tried their mowers but I do know they cost two or three times as much as the Weed Eater One. ................................................................................................................................ Update: (4-12-2011) The transmission that I was concerned about, went out. It suddenly started grinding and tore up something in the drive. The machine is still under warranty, but now I have to load it (it is heavy) and haul it to a lawnmower shop. That is where their warranty work is done. It has failed and will be out of commission right in the middle of grass cutting season. I will have to borrow or buy another mower until it is fixed. I seriously question the longevity of this machine now. ................................................................................................................................ I have had my Weed Eater We-One for about a month now. I like it very much and will list below my pros and cons: Cons: 1. Replacement battery costs almost $50. It is a closed wet cell like that used on kids electric cars. 2. The instructions say not to "shift on the go" You are supposed to stop then shift. Bummer 3. The "transmission" is a rubber tire that rides on the output pulley of the motor. (no gears) I wonder about it's longevity. 4. You have to "suck" the oil out of the engine to change your oil. 5. The mower vibrates pretty badly when engaged and while it is in use. It makes the mower somewhat noisy. 6. The steering wheel seems a bit tall. 7. There is no engine speed control. The engine runs at the same RPM at all times. Pros: 1. The engine has no choke. It works like a car engine and is very easy to start. Pull starting is a breeze and it usually starts on one easy pull. This may eliminate the need to replace the expensive battery. 2. The "shift on the go" is not that badly missed as the clutch works well to slow down. 3. The "transmission" is advertised to be designed like snow mobile transmissions and you know they have to be reliable! 4. The lack of engine speed control is not that much of a problem since the gear range is almost perfect and the clutch works really well. 5. The grass cuts very evenly and smooth. The mower part is excellent and well designed. 6. The engine is very quiet. You will hear almost nothing until you engage the blade. Then the noise and vibration starts. 7. It seems very economical on fuel. I use as little or less than my push mower. 8. It has a 2 year warranty. 9. The "fit and finish" are excellent. This mower is really well designed. My compliments to the engineers. 10. The size is perfect for small lawns which is the norm in many areas. It will take on a large lawn but consider it has only a 26" cut which is just a little bigger than a push mower. 11. Seating is comfortable and has two springs to cushion the ride. It can be a little rough ridding on rough ground. 12. Turning is easy with no problems. The radius is limited by the nature of the design. It cannot be made to turn any sharper with it's physical limitations. It is like driving a Go-Cart and it is fun to drive. A neighbor said it even looks like a Go-Cart. 13. The price is wonderful considering the competition. This mower should turn out to be a number one seller, in my opinion. 14. I saved the best for last. It is made in the USA!!!!

Review by Michael Maglio : So far, so good.

With this being a new item this year, early availability has been low. Found that one of the Big Box retailers had received one or two each and thought I'd snag one quick as they could be in short supply. Going on faith, as no reviews to be found yet, I brought one home still crated. Was very pleased with quality at first sight, found it to be very simple to assemble and it started right up with just some fuel...oil already installed. I had read about the new Briggs 875 engine and although no HP rating, the 8.75 torqe rating was listed. The engine is very quiet with a nice muffler system and it moves the mower over grass very well. Engaging the mower deck (belt driven so do so slowly, the noise level increases while turning the drive pulleys and the blade and the enging revs with the increased load. As it is only mid March, I haven't cut grass with it yet, but I expect it will do so nicely. There are 3 forward speeds and I am hopeful that it will cut well at the fastest because the lower two are a bit slow for long stretches, but nice for going against walkways, etc. There are only four cutting heights available with the middle two being approximately 2 1/4 and 3 1/4 high. I expect that I may wish it had another height in between these, say about 2 3/4, as the highest and lowest will probably not be useful for me. While the ergonomics seem fine so far, the seat appears to have cushioned sections but they are no softer than the rest of it. Given the low price, I can't really quibble with that and I will likely use a stadium seat pad if uncomfortable as is. Controls seem convenient and sightlines for cutting are good. 26" cut is relatively small, but hopefully will be made up for by speed and less walking. The specs say that the blade is designed for mulching and bagging, but the accessories (mulch kit or bag) are not yet available but the mulch kit is expected to be soon. The turning circle is not tight, as I expected for this type of unit, so a few perimeter runs will likely be needed to gain area for turning for the mid-lawn runs. My property is only 120' square, but significantly larger lots may demand a wider cut and more features. Having said that, this unit is fairly small, of low complexity (one blade) and if it cuts well should meet the needs of many homeowners. It is not a tractor, so towing attachments doesn't appear to be an option, but that allows for a smaller motor and footprint in the garage. Lastly, I like that it is in cruise control when moving, no foot on the gas, only the brake/clutch when needed (it actually has a brake pad and rotor). I will review grass cutting later in the Spring.

Review by Quantum Field : Things That Happen After a Season or Two

I have now been using my We-One for two seasons. By and large it has been a good tool. It has never failed to start, it is not rusting anywhere, and the fuel economy remains better than my push mower. I mow 1 1/2 acres with some hills and dips. The We-One has proved to be more stable on the slopes than I thought when I first started using it, but there was a learning curve because the steering is not very tight. There are three forward speeds and one reverse speed, no throttle, so reverse is slow and the lowest gear is slow, but one can use the brake pedal to modulate the fastest speed so this has not been a practical issue for me. Overall for the price I have been satisfied. However...Be aware that the steering wheel attaches to the column with a plastic spline that will strip out sooner or later (mine stripped at the end of last season) rendering the mower unsteerable. This is a replaceable part (part # 186737, about $16.00), and the replacement is metal. Next, the left steering linkage will bend, also rendering the mower unsteerable. You can only hammer the linkage straight again a couple of times before it snaps off. This part is also replaceable (part #428033, also about $16.00) and has been improved over the original. These are the only maintenance issues I have experienced so far. Three stars because of the poor quality of these steering parts, otherwise I would have rated the We-One at four or even five stars.

Review by Fred Wampler : Weed Eater One - Good and Bad

I purchased the Weed Eater One for $650 from WalMart Superstore. 2 year guarantee best I could tell. The mower came assembled and in good condition. 1. Grass cutting quality - very good. 2. Mower power - adequate, even on hills. 3. Turning radius - could be better. Ok I suppose. 4. Gear ratios (ground speed/power). 1st is fine, 2nd is too tall (fast), 3rd didn't even try. 5. Mows in reverse. Good. 6. Starts good. 7. Gears can be changed on the fly. Good. 8. Tends to lose traction mowing across even gentle slopes. Up and down is just fine. 9. Fuel usage - good 10. Comfort - good with good seat adjustment In summary, it is great for my small yard (1/3 acre)

Review by Julia G. : Yard Work that I Used to Hate Is My Favorite Thing To Do Now!!!

I've looked and looked and looked for a riding mower until I found this one. I've read many reviews and did not find any negative comments anywhere at all... and now I can say it's true. Especially for the price, I have nothing to complain. Once I got used to, it became very easy to operate too. Because of its size (so much smaller than regular riding mowers), it fit right into my SUV. It was light enough that me and my husband were able to lift it to slide it in my car. Another good thing about being so small is, it goes through tight spaces that definitely cut down the time of trimming work. Prior to purchasing, I was concerned about the capacity of gasoline (only 1.2 qt). This is nothing compare to the most riding mowers where it can hold up to 2~3 gallons. But it seems like this 1.2 qt last forever and I really haven't filled up as often as I originally thought. It really gets great mileage, so it is saving me gas too. If I have to suggest one thing to the manufacture, they could improve the sound it makes when the deck is being engaged. It really sounds like an old track trying to get started and almost going to break down..... but I am used to the sound now and knowing it is going to work, it doesn't bother me at all anymore. Not sure to use on a larger land, but it is way beyond perfect for my 1/2 acre lot. Use to hate yard work, now I can't even wait to get on my "One." If anyone is interested in, check out the manufacture's website. They have several videos to watch.