COX LAWN BOSS – 13.5HP Briggs & Stratton Engine, 32”CUT

[steveo]

cub cadet are crap; you got a good commercial unit there steveo, will still be going strong in 10 years with sensible use and maintenance - I'm on my 2nd one in 15+ years. you can get a mulch kit or make a hinged flap, I made this from heavy gauge checkerplate...

the beauty of this is I can flip it up to side throw longer grass/ferals

Thanks for the pic redeye. So if I fitted or made a mulching plug/flap would you recommend fitting mulching blades or normal blades?
here is a pic of the new purchase, well hopefully anyway.

$_20.JPG

[DavidS]

Just use the standard blades with the mulch plug. Looks good to me, congrats on the new mower

[steveo]

Thanks Dave and to everyone else for their advice. Much appreciated as always.

[Redeye]

take off the plate that's bolted on the front of the deck - lets longer grass in easier

[steveo]

Hey redeye, what's the chain for on the flap. Also how is the flap sitting out at the 45 degree angle? How do you flip it up?

On another note what is the approximate weight of the ride on? The rear tail gate on my trailer has a chain on each side to hold it at a 180degree angle to the trailer floor when it is open. I'm wondering if those chains will support the weight of the ride on and me using the ramps. I'll put some blocks under it just in case but it would be good to know what those chain and welds would support. I might have to look at cutting a link and putting in a removable one so I can drop the tailgate all the way down as a safer option.

[Redeye]

there is a slot cut where you can see the chain going over the edge of the flap, the idea was I could adjust the angle but in reality I use it either fully open or closed
they're around the 210-230kg range from memory

[steveo]

I got the ride on home. The guy I bought it off drove it up on to the trailer with no dramas. When I got home though I had to reverse it down. First time ever reversing a ride on down ramps so I was a bit nervous. I had an issue with the deck scraping on the ramp. The ramps are the curved variety which i had assumed would avoid the bottoming out. My driveway is on a slope. When on a slope does it make a difference to the angle if the nose of the ute faces up the slope or down the slope when loading a ride on?

How safe are these machines going up and down ramps cause I had a feeling I was going to topple over backwards as i was reversing down? I know it is a matter of practice and experience but i don't want to take unnecessary risk. The owner manual is no help. I was a bit jumpy on the brakes as well which maybe didn't help.

[Fred's mowing]

I don't know the answer Stevo but, Im sure others will help.
Smart move asking a safety related question rather than just trying to wing it!
C'mon dudes, let him know, what's the go.
Cheers Fred.

[duck-01]

when I do it, I try to have the back end of the trailer "uphill" from the ute - which lessens the height diff between the trailer and the ground

theyre scary those loose ramps, I used to have a set like the ones you describe, its easy for the deck to catch on the ramp, mine had exposed bolts everywhere on the top of it- and then you tow the ramp back with you - youre sposed to tie the things forward, but it still seems unstable as heck

I got a ramp put on the back of the trailer permanently by a trailer mob, easier for the machine, easier to load bags of grass into it etc. but it does catch a lotta wind on the freeway.

good luck with your new toy.

btw, YES ive seen you tube vids of guys wheelstanding the rideons up/down a ramp and having them roll on top of them - be wary.

avagoodone

[edbeek]

You might feel safer reversing up onto the trailer and driving off forward until you get your confidence up.
I would have thought that the curved ramps would have sorted any scraping issues onto a trailer. How long are your ramps and how high is the rear of the trailer?
Does the trailer tow pretty level or is it low at the ball?
On an even slope (from front of vehicle to end of ramps) it wouldn't make any difference to the scrape angle whether you are facing uphill or downhill. Your climb angle(going up the ramps) would be steeper though(relative to horizontal) if the nose is uphill.

[steveo]

Hey duck, glad I'm not the only one who thinks their scary. The ramps were stable in this case, I didn't secure them but will do so next time, I might pin them to the trailer to save tying them. Until I become more familiar with the tipping point of the mower in forward and reverse I'll keep a change of pants in the ute. Sounds like you have made a sensible decision to get the ramp made up. I tried the back end of trailer uphill first and it bottomed out, then I tried back end of trailer downhill and it still bottomed out but not as bad but this could have been due to uneven ground.

[geoff]

Well done stevo...years ago i had a cox stock man 13.5 and was a ripper...my trailers now have full width mesh ramps so no issue but back then i had ramps and because the trailer was 5 ft wide i could maneuver the machine by standing beside it using my hand on the drive pedal ( it was a friction drive) and work ed safely for me ..

[steveo]

Thanks Geoff. Did you reverse it up or reverse it down? What did you get after the cox?

I notice in the owners manual the max and min deck height is adjustable. I reckon the cutter deck is adjusted too low on this thing. The lowest setting drags heavily on the ground so maybe if I raise the maximum height it will give more clearance.

Hi Edbeek. Do you reckon reversing up just feels safer or is it actually safer assuming everything is else is right i.e. secure ramps, good traction and good deck clearance.

I'll let you know the length of the ramps and height of the trailer. it's a 6x4 trailer with long drawbar. I'll also check the trailer level with the ride on. Normally the level is good although. I have the self propelled honda on the drawbar.

[DavidS]

My Cox nearly always scraps the deck going up or down on my curved ramps. I sometimes pull the deck lever up and hold it while I load the mower sometimes this helps just depends on the lay of the land, not much to worry about. I have never had my mower flip on me going up or down the ramps. I have had the front wheels lift off the ground though as I had the throttle up full throttle and I was backing down ramps fast so decided to slow down by hitting forward, front wheels lifted off the ramp for a second and scared the s##t out of me, ever since I don't have the mower running at high throttle only just above idle.
It is a strange feeling reversing down the ramps but you will get used to it. I am training the new owner of my business to use both mowers and he has the same feeling. I watch his hands they are shaking when he backs the mowers down the ramps.

[Valley Lawnmowing]

Sounds like deck height needs raising and make sure tyres are pumped right up. I used to have the curved ramp set up and drilled a couple of holes in the floor of trailer so ramps could be secured with bolts at the top. Grip tape on the ramps helps too when your tyres are a bit wet. Sounds like ya got a good deal on the lawn boss.