Front vs Rear Wheel Drive Self Propelled Lawn Mower

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Front Wheel vs Rear Wheel Mower

Self-propelled lawnmowers have two types of drive: front wheel and rear wheel. But what does that mean, and which one is better? Essentially, when a gearbox propels the rear wheels, it’s a rear wheel drive mower. When the gearbox propels the front wheels, it’s a front wheel drive mower.

What type of lawn do you have?
If you have a lawn with inclines, then choose a rear wheel drive mower. They don’t lose traction, so you don’t have to worry about getting stuck on a hill—they simply glide right up. Front wheel drive mowers don’t handle hills as well, and you’ll end up pushing (which is not what you want to do when you buy a self-propelled mower.)

If you have flat terrain, then either choice is fine. Both rear wheel drive and front wheel drive mowers maintain traction on flat land.

Making turns
Rear wheel drive mowers are more maneuverable than front wheel drive mowers. Because front wheel drive mowers want to push forward, you have to lift the front wheels in order to make sharp turns. Thus, rear wheel drive mowers can handle quicker turns, which comes in handy if you’re trying to mow around trees and bushes.

The bagger affects the weight distribution
Because the bagger is located in the back, rear wheel drive mowers will gain more traction as the bag fills up. The opposite is true for front wheel drive—they’ll lose traction on the front wheels as the weight shifts to the back. You may experience tires spinning when this happens.

Steve Holdgren Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve

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