Push a self propelled mower? Harm it?

[Jack Rabbit]

I've borrowed a mower to get started with. Craftsman 22" 6.75. It is self propelled but I prefer to push. Can I push it with the drive disengaged (drive lever in off position)? Will that do any harm to the mower? Also: The mower is heavy. I have to pick it up an put it in the back of my truck and unload it from there. I can do that but it isn't easy and I worry about back injury or dropping it. Any advice about best ways to pick it up safely or make a makeshift ramp or such? I'll get my own mower when I can but I need this one for now.

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Last edited by Jack Rabbit; 03-25-2010 at 03:33 PM.

[jklawncare]

Lawn care business tips

you can buld a ramp as simple as using two 2x4's you can buy ramp brackets at any local hardware store as well

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[lukus223]

Originally Posted by Jack Rabbit

I've borrowed a mower to get started with. Craftsman 22" 6.75. It is self propelled but I prefer to push. Can I push it with the drive disengaged (drive lever in off position)? Will that do any harm to the mower?

Also: The mower is heavy. I have to pick it up an put it in the back of my truck and unload it from there. I can do that but it isn't easy and I worry about back injury or dropping it. Any advice about best ways to pick it up safely or make a makeshift ramp or such?

I'll get my own mower when I can but I need this one for now.

Yes, you can mow w/o the self propel. I don't like it through the turns, but it's a must for the strait a ways.

I started out by buying ramps at lowes. It was a kit with the aluminum ramp heads. Then I bought a 2" x 14" and had it cut in half. screwed the ramp heads on and bam! Ramps! Cost me atbout $35 all together. I still use them 2 years later.

[CHEESE2009]

Just need a couple of 2x4's and two (2) bricks to keep the wood from sliding.

It's pretty dangerous though, if that wood lets lose, your mower is finished.

I want to build a ramp, I was looking at some blueprints.. Too bad I'm too lazy to get involved with that right now, haha!

Let us know what you do, this is interesting!

No, that should not damage the mower if you push it. That is why it has an "off position" on the self propel.

As far as the ramps, you can make your own but I wouldn't use anything less than 2x6 or 2x8 boards because of side to side stability.