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Thread: Walker Mowers

  1. #1
    Senior Member fairdinkum's Avatar
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    Default Walker Mowers

    G'day everyone. I'm looking at getting my first ride on next season and from all the videos I have seen of the walker mowers I kinda have my heart set on one. However I will be on a limited budget and I want something that I can also use on a large percentage of my residential jobs. The particular model I am considering at the moment is the MBK42SD with an 18HP Kohler Command and a 42" deck.

    What I would like to hear are the opinions of those who use or have used walker mowers before and if possible have used that particular model. Or even if you have that motor on a different machine is it any good? There are a few other mowers in my price range and I will demo them all but just wanna hear personal experiences with this mower. What are it's limitations? How does the finish compare to other mowers? Are the controls as easy as they look? How strong/sturdy is it? All that kind of stuff.

    Cheers in advance you lot!

    Jason Forrest
    Fair Dinkum Lawn & Garden Care
    Servicing St Clair, Erskine Park, Colyton, South St Marys
    0407 435 642


    fairdinkumlawns.com.au

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  2. #2
    Senior Member happymowin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Walker Mowers

    the kohler powered mb is stronger than the briggs powered MB

    i have a MBB (MB BRIGGS) with 48 inch mulch deck (18hp too)

    i bought a 52 in belt drive deck for rougher stuff, when i got a GHS (which ive now put off) but then found out i *shouldnt* use it with the mbb, altho the mbk its ok to use on. go figure.

    they are a superior mower, cut beautifully and are EASY to operate,

    the combo of the left hand running the wheel control and the right hand on the forward speed controller (speed control if you like) is beautiful, altho ive never used a machine with the two big left/right controls - ensure you ONLY use your left hand on the wheel controls you sort of use your index finger to pull the right side, and the other 3 fingers to operate the left side.

    the way it works is your FSC (forward speed control) sets your forward ground speed, and you pull back on the wheel controls to slow that side down - you can also pull both levers back to slightly slow down forward motion for a little bit then release them to return to the FSC set speed.

    the AT tyres are a BEAUTY (mine cost $600 for rims and tyres, and i found a while ago i got ripped off, $400 is prolly right) and allow me to mow to about 30 degrees (25 is a DODDLE, 30 is about the limit)

    they are NOT GOOD on wet/soggy/boggy ground, you WILL bog it, and have a beast of a time pulling it out - done it about 6 times on mine, learns you to watch out for it a bit better - the drive wheels sink in, then the deck sinks in, and youre stuffed - usually have to fold the deck up, stand in front of it and PUSH while using the whel controls to make the wheels back up.

    the swing back blades you can get for them are MAGIC when mowing rough stuff, and do seem to give a better finish overall (but are much more work to get off and sharpen, - undo blades, then undo 2 bolts each blade - and then you have twice as many surfaces to sharpen) so i HAVE gone back to the bar blades (unless im doing a feral, then its swing backs all the way)

    the bars are cheaper overall too

    on one feral, i was mowing over football size lumps of concrete, and pieces of wood about the same size, with the swing backs

    they got a good system of a shear pin in the PTO (make sure you get a handfull of these as spares - and ENSURE they are the right ones for YOUR machine) and shear pins in each blade holding it to the trash hub

    i bought a BOX full (100?) of nuts and bolts from a bolt place for the blade/trash hub ones, but always use genuine walker pto ones.

    they are EXPENSIVE from walker, but i reckon the blade ones are ok to substitute slong as i use the genuine walker pto ones.

    you USUALLY break the blade ones first, and i think the pto ones only break when they get old/worn, ive only broken say 6 pto ones, and MANY blade ones

    youll break FAR more pins on the bar blades than the swing backs, its the nature of the beast

    breaking them is as easy (with the bar blade) as mowing over a big root you didnt see - but better to replace a couple bolts than the gearbox.

    they REALLY are a good machine - one of these days i will splurge on a GHS walker and have the bees knees of all mowers.



    so is that enough info mate? lol


    EDIT:

    also the bolts for the blades, the bar ones and swing back ones are different lengths, i think the swings are longer from memory, so i got a box of nuts, and 2 diff size bolts to suit.

    ask away if you got any specific questions


    of interest the new price is under 10,000 now, so a good second hand low hours should only cost you 5 to 6k

    my understanding is theyve got a "service life" of 1500 to 2000 hours

    cheers

    cheers

  3. #3
    Senior Member AJD Mowing's Avatar
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    Default Re: Walker Mowers

    I was looking at a walker in the shop the other day it was $18,000.00,, must be a diferent model to yours happy I know nothing about rideons and often wonder if it would be worth the money unless you had majority comercial or acerage customers. It would be nice though riding around all day..
    AJD Mowing Giving Back Your Life

    http://www.ajdmowing.com.au/

  4. #4
    Member urbanpatch's Avatar
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    Default Re: Walker Mowers

    good info, I am looking at getting the 48" sd/mulch deck

  5. #5
    Senior Member happymowin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Walker Mowers

    ajd, that was prolly a 20 hp MC "GHS" which catches the grass - i had my heart set on the MT 26HP efi model with the 42 in 3 way deck (catches, mulches and discharges) they go for $25,000 odd, with the better seat.

    the ones fd and i are talking about are side discharge only - 18 hp "babies" but they cut better than the deere 22 HP that i had before.

    the power transfer to the blades is really efficient cos of the shaft drive timed decks (and less snail trails too) and something about the way they have the motor set up too, cant remember (like the shaft driving the wheel motors and deck pto is straight in line, and *some* other mowers turn the shaft throuhg 90 degrees losing power on another belt???)

    cheers

  6. #6
    Member of forum Jayk's Avatar
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    Default Re: Walker Mowers

    for a finish mower, the walker is probably the best there is. i have a mt 20hp koehler ghs with a high dump. i am looking at buying a new one too, and bar none i would get a md diesel. they will go for about 4000hrs before you need a new motor. with a high lift/powerdump you are looking at 35k. they will also cope with much larger decks (if you can get it through the gates!). for 18k i would look at a hustler fast track with a catcher. prob 10-12k and put the rest in the bank. if you buy second hand i would only look at a diesel. you could pick one up for below 10k. they are not good at slashing, but as happy said the one good thing are the sheer pins. they usualy break b4 the blade gearbox breaks....
    "Time trial. Start as fast as possible, finish as fast as possible and hope it is fast enough,"

  7. #7
    Senior Member Scooby Steve's Avatar
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    Default Re: Walker Mowers

    I have the 20hp kohler on a Huskie great motor as for the walkers good machines quality cut nice controls just a tad expensive.

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