I got a Dines Manufacturing zero turn at an auction last year dirt cheap because it looks old and no one in NY knows what it is. I didn't either till I got it home. Mine seems to be a 96ish vintage but the things look the same from the 70s till new.
The thing is commercial grade all plate steel and works really well. The best part is that it's pretty simple with the chain drive models, and all the parts are still available from the manufacturer (in the US) and they are happy to talk to you on the phone about how to fix it or replace parts etc.
I don't see how you'd break it and if you can fix it yourself or have a mechanic who is willing to give it a go they'd be able to fix it because parts are available.
Now I also like that the mower is out in front of the machine and you can unclip some chains and just lift the deck up 90 degrees for cleaning or sharpening or blade replacement without having to remove the deck or have a lift. It also somehow mowes hills surprisingly well, and while 7mph isn't the fastest out there for zero turns it is faster than our lawn tractors. Especially for what zero turns are good for like mowing up against trees etc.
Of course new they cost a lot but if you can find them used, they are likely to work great even if abused (I am sure mine was abused before I got it) and really easy to repair cause they are simple designs and the manual has exploded Views and the phone help. Plus you support American manufacturing.
Submitted July 13, 2019 at 12:00AM by jmp242 https://ift.tt/2YRR6HY
