WHY? or WHY NOT? THE MCLANE REEL MOWER!
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- Опубліковано 27 жов 2019
- This video is about Why? or Why Not? the McLane! I ended up buying two used McLane 25" Greens Keepers. I bought them because they had barely been used and it was a deal I couldn't pass on. I have only used my John Deere 220C and was curious about how they would perform.
In no way is anyone sponsoring this video.
@McLaneMower #McLanemower #reelmowing #reelmower - Наука та технологія
Great vid. I’ve had a McLane for a few months now. Works great & easy to service.
I sold both of mine and wish I had kept one of them.
Great video. Thanks for the information👍🏻
Thanks Buddy!! We will get some more videos made as soon as the winter weather passes.
Great Vid. McLane is a good mower. I should get another one.
Did you subscribe???
Let me know I can sell ya one sir .....
Great video, thank you!! I hope to make the reel plunge soon...
It's the only way to go. I am selling one of my 2 McLanes for $600.00 to someone in the Lawn Community. They are both identical 25" greens keepers.
You still selling?
I have found out that you could just engage the reel and drive and let go and just watch your McLane mow your lawn
Seems like a better mower If you have a small complex yard with planters and other obstacles to go around.
Well said. Professional Greens mowers are not designed for the average home owners lawn. Your lawn needs to be laid out properly to make them work. McLane, Tru-Cut, Swardman and others are designed for the home owner. I am renovating my lawn this year and I'm setting it up for my John Deere.
to add: great video and helpful...I use a 20" McLane on front (abt 3000 sq ft) and a 25" , 10 blade McLane that has a 9 1/2 HP Briggs when i get industrious for the back, abt 8500 sq ft - its a beast....chose McLane for simplicity of maintenance, cut quality, and the fact that im not too concerned abt HOC down to 32nd's or 16th"s...
are either of them a greens keeper with the roller? Thanks for watching my video!
standard Mclanes, but both have slotted rollers.. bought both used..the 25" has some age but like you said, you cant tell one from another...long as they have good motors and very sharp blades the rst is kinda window dressing...both are their commercial grade series --from what I've seen the only difference is a stronger briggs and 10 blade reels -which I love..otherwise specs are same..
I definitely like that I can run the blade independent of the drive on my tru cut. But... love the cut of the toro. Pros and cons to all for sure 👍🏼
My John Deere is a precision machine, but the McLane is definitely easier in the tight areas.
I have 2 Mclane 7 blade 20 inch reel mowers. Both were good used deals. Hard to find a Mclane groundskeeper used. Been thinking about a John Deere or Toro greenskeeper. I like to keep the bermuda really short. Looks like the John Deere or Toro could get a little complicated. The Mclanes I can maintain with out problem.
I have a John Deere 220C and it is easier to adjust and maintain then the Groundskeepers were. If you can find a good deal on a John Deere or a Toro I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger on one. there is just a little more of a learning curve to mowing with one, but you will get used to it in no time.
I bought a 25 inch mclane greens mower and never looked back. I mow my tifway at 1.5 and it looks stunning. By the way I love your flamingo's.
Can the gk mow higher than 3/4"?
good info. McLane sounds good to me
It serves it's purpose in the lawn.
Great video. I’ve been keeping my eyes open for a used McLane, but they are hard to find here in Wisconsin.
These were a very rare find. I ended up selling both of them.
Mind if I ask why you ended up selling both? Anything in particular you didn’t like about them?
@@diyard3001 I ended up flipping them for the money. I already own a JD 220C and it has a rear roller so I can get stripes. The McLane doesn't have a rear roller to give those dramatic stripes. The only McLane I would own is the Greens Keeper because it has a front roller with micro adjusters and a 10 blade reel. All the others don't have these features and that is why they sell for 200 to 400 used.
The older model engines with less EPA restrictions can actually be fine tuned, extending the life of the engine.
I have the older engine on my John Deere, what sort of things can be done? I always smell like exhaust when I'm done mowing.
Dan Blubaugh the carburetor is probably running too rich. Pull a spark plug and if it’s black and sooty, you need to lean out the air/fuel mixture screw or check the float and needle valve in the carb’s fuel bowl if it’s got one.
Go Hawks! I appreciate your video and it couldn't come at a better time. Sadly, I just had to retire my Honda rotary ( that started on the first pull) do to a completely rusted out deck. Been kicking around the idea of going with a reel mower. I was wondering how they would do with our cool season grasses out here in the PNW. The only drawback I see is I like my grass a little taller than a reel mower is capable. I'm going to watch your video on why you love your low lawn next.
What'd you ever do with that second McLane that you weren't sure what you were going to do with?
I ended up selling the second one at the beginning of the pandemic. How tall is your lawn normally?
I've never really measured it. About 8 years ago I completely renovated the front yard. The grass was just a mix of grass and weeds that had blown in over the years. Killed everything and scalped it to dirt. Brought in top soil to level and reseed. Been mowing with that honda rotary at probably 2"-3".
This spring I purchased a sun joe scaryfier/dethatcher. In preperaton for that I mowed it 3 times in 9 days to get it down to the lowest setting on the mower. I couldn't believe how much thatch there was. After power raking and removing the thatch, I could finally see dirt. The grass was 5" long. My mower had been riding high on a layer of thatch!
I brought in more dirt to level some low spots and over seeded the entire lawn, focusing on some bare spots ( I might have gotten carried away with the sun joe).
So to answer your question, right now it's abnormally high, i've mowed once since then, but I just sold that rusted out Honda. Now I don't even own a lawnmower!
@@patburt9558 I asked because if it's above 1" you won't be able to use a toro or john deere reel mower, you would have to get a homeowner style of mower like a McLane, Tru-Cut, or Swardman to go above 1".
Great videos sir.
Thanks Mike. I just listed the extra McLane for sale we will see how it goes. I also jumped over to your channel and subscribed.
Dan Blubaugh I love one. But I think your a little far from me
@@MikeHaddadLawnAddictions I need to find a way to list it so someone from the lawn community might be able to buy it that lives out west. I have it on craigslist in the Seattle market now.
Dan Blubaugh you can always make a video. Post it on the you tubes. Who knows.
good work brother
Thank You.
Just bought a 25” Mclane and within 30 minutes of use already burnt up the clutch belt. I have adjusted the tension rod but not sure what’s going on.
I wasn't too sure if I had adjusted my tension on mine correctly, but it did not burn up my belt, at least not yet. I called Mclane but they did not help me much. If someone could do a demonstration that would help tremendously.
Beautiful trees bro
Thanks 👍
You sold me to McLane!!.
I might sell the one in the video, I haven't decided yet. I have 2 identical greens keepers.
I live in Utah and have a lawn that is usually cut at 3.5” during the summer. I have 90% KBG 10% PR mix. I’ve been thinking about training my turf to go below 2”. I’m fascinated by reel mowing. But everybody that I see that uses them, are using them on warm season turfs. Any idea how they’d work on my type of turf?
I've been using them on my 80% KBG & 20% RYE for 4 years now. They are able to be used on all cool-season grass types except for Tall Fescue. You can watch Connor Ward on The Lawn Rebel's Channel or Ryan Knorr's Channel, they both reel mow cool-season grass. Mclane says their mower is for warm-season grass types, but everyone uses them on cool-season also. I have no idea why they say it's for warm-season grass types.
@@Blubaugh5 awesome. Thanks for the info. I know Ryan and Connor both use reel mowers on cool season. But I think they’re using more high end reel mowers. So idk if that makes a big difference or not?! I know Jimmy Lewis, another UA-cam lawn care guy, is local to me and uses a 20 year old toro Greensmaster reel mower on his KBG and cuts it at 5/8 or 3/4” without seen issues anyways. Who’s really to say what the entire yard looks like and if they’re scalping some areas and not showing it in their content.
@@hauntedutah They're not scalping the lawns. Their lawns have been leveled and they have front rollers on them. If you get a reel mower make sure it has a roller on the front or get one from Reel Rollers and add to it. I use my John Deere 220C and I used the Mclane you saw in the video for a while and they both cut great. The Mclane, Tru-Cut, and others like these do not have rollers on the back, so they don't stripe as well. The high-end Toro, John Deere, and Jacobsen are not the easiest to use on a residential lawn unless it is very smooth. The Mclane is by far, more user-friendly for the average homeowner.
@@Blubaugh5 oh I know they’re not scalping the lawns. I guess what I was saying is sometimes we as viewers don’t see the full picture and every imperfection
What is the correct way to ensure that the connecting rods for the clutch are set up correctly? When I bought my 25" GR series 7 blade less than a year ago, the lower rod came connected but the upper rod was not. There is some kind of adjustment needed to ensure proper clutch belt tension after connecting both rods. I was not sure I did this correctly. I thought Mclane should have placed markings on the rods to help non-mechanical people like me.
Have you called McLane @ (562) 633-8158
My manual has adjustment specs and I know if it's not adjusted properly it will prematurely destroy belts. Call McLane they are some of the most helpful people ever.
@@Blubaugh5 Yes I did called them but they were not as patient as others have said. I just assumed that when I engaged the reel the belt does not slip. Is this how it is supposed to work Dan?
@@stanleyhenry3700 Can you message me on Instagram or Facebook?
As soon as I get the chance I will on Facebook
You want durability, precision and superior cut go with JD, ease of use go with McClain.
I’m late to the show... are you located in Iowa? Some things look familiar to where I live. 🤔 Anyways... I just started to go low, I’m pushing a 20” Scott’s currently but for budget purposes, I was looking at the 25” Mclane. Thanks for sharing the info.
Better late than Never!!
Excellent video. The biggest difference between a McLane and any greensmower, is in the quality of the blades. The golf grade greensmowers use hardened steel for the bedknife and reel. A McLane uses much softer steel for both. Therefore, it requires much more frequent sharpening. It also will not stand having any kind of debris passing through. I have had my Toro GM 1000 cut screws, nails and bolts left in the lawn. A McLane would have a chipped or bent blade if the same thing happened.
That is a big difference that I didn't point out. I have nicked the blade on my John Deere and been able to do a quick 5 minute back lap to get rid of it. The McClane would have taken me 30 -40 minutes to do the same process.
How does the Greens Keeper McLane stripe the lawn?
It does a little bit because of the wheels, but not as much as the toro or john deere greens mowers as they have a roller. If your grass is 1" or higher it does pretty good. If you are below an inch it's not so visible.
@@Blubaugh5 Thanks for the feedback. I've been using another brand of reel mower for years looking to switch to McLane Greens Keeper mower but don't want to lose the stripping effect.
Its funny how much you remind me of Donnie Baker 😁
I hope that's a good thing. Thanks for watching.
I bought a 25 inch greenskeeper this week. Haven't used it, the manual says it cuts up to .75 but when I loosen the bolts and turn the micro thing it looks like I can cut a lot higher. Is this true? Will it harm the mower if I do?
There is a cutting table height adjustment chart that shows all of the adjustments. You may have to call McLane for it. They are great and super helpful. You can adjust the rear axel to a low, medium, or high position. The axel comes set in the medium position from McLane. Where are you located?
@@Blubaugh5 Wake Forest, NC
@@Blubaugh5 It is set at .85 now, cuts but now my clutch belt gets loose every time I go 5 feet. Going to have a love hate relationship here.
@@eriklutz377 Call McLane customer service, they will probably tell you exactly what's going on. I sold both of my Greenskeeper's just because we needed the money at the time. I wish I would have kept one of them.
Is it easy to have a reel mower serviced?
There are a lot of places to get reel mowers serviced. Some people use the little independent guys and others like myself use Large companies that service Golf Courses. In the Pacific Northwest, I use Pacific Golf and Turf. I only take it in when I need the reel ground, I do my own back lapping. Pacific Golf & Turf is a Johnn Deere Dealer, but they will grind any brand of reel mower.
I have a 10 blade 25 inch McLane with a Honda..
I would love to trade it for a McLane greens mower..
Any suggestions..?
I would put it out there as a trade, because yours will mow higher than the greens keeper and someone might want that.
@@Blubaugh5 Do you any leads on a used Mclane Greenskeeper ?
@@dominicktomaino1573 Not at the moment. I bought 2 from a guy that was selling 6 of them., but I just flipped the 2 that I bought. I wish I would have kept one of them.
mclane makes there nuts and bolts .
any chance you still have the McLane for sale?
I do have someone interested in it, but at the moment I do still have it.
name is Stan Hall, e-mail is ….mshallfam@hotmail.com...your thoughts on price?
Where are you located?
Good Morning Buddy!! I live in Liberty Lake, Washington. I haven't had a chance to make more videos or watch many videos in the last 3 1/2 months due to work. I was going to do a reno this fall and had to cancel it. I will get caught up on your videos to see how your reno turned out. I am excited about your new property.
@@Blubaugh5 was hoping you were in the midwest so I could buy that other mclane off of you 😂
@@TheLawnWhisperer If I knew you were interested I would have figured out a way to get it to you. I ended up selling both of them. I might regret selling the second one, but John deere and toro are much better machines. I'm guessing you are wanting the height of cut that you can't get on the others.
For the most part, the McLane 25" does its job and cuts as well as a brand new $2200 lawn mower SHOULD. However, the design and assembly departments could use a lot of improvement.
In June 2022 I purchased this mower following an 11,000 sq ft total restoration project because McLane had good reviews and a strong 40 year reputation. But so do many others making mowers.
The comparison videos along with the fact that it is made in the USA, made McLane seem like the best choice. These days I really want to buy from American companies making products right here in America.
It’s disappointing that what I’m seeing with my recent McLane 25" reel mower purchase simply appears to be from another American company that hired crappy, inexperienced workers with no measurable skills and take no pride in the work they are being well paid to do, and slapping an undeserved, overrated 'Made In The U.S.A. sticker on it. (Which they didn't even put on straight ! )
In my opinion, a three month New, $2200 mower shouldn’t be falling apart, making terrible rattling noises, have paint chipping and rusting at accessory and control lever contact points, or wearing out prematurely from poorly designed part locations and/or attachment brackets incorrectly placed prior to being welded.
You must know the drive chain cover doesn't fit because of the protruding bolt on the Roller Support Bracket !!
This is simply the result of sloppy workmanship from top to bottom. Starting at the designing phase, and adding careless mistakes during final assembly at the factory, and then the absence of adequate quality control inspections prior to McLane products being delivered to their customers. This mower shouldn't have cost more than $300. to $400 MAX !
I 'Baby' all my tools, vehicles, my home, and pretty much everything I own. And generally things last a really long time. I don't shop for labels or the search for the most expensive things, but I buy the best whenever possible, no matter what the cost because I don't have money to waste. I somewhat 'splurged' on this because I needed a quality piece of equipment to do a quality job for many years to come.
I seriously doubt this mower will stand the test of time without constant, costly repairs and modifications.
And although I understand it may be difficult to find good help these days, however... quality control must remain diligent and top notch. That’s the only way a mower manufacturing company can survive with competitors like Toro, California Trimmer, Swardman, Allett, etc..
This is just another American piece of junk that some foreign company will make better, cheaper.
Hey McLane.... Step Up or Step Off !
I couldn't agree with you more if I tried. I bought 2 of these used and used one of them for a couple months. I sold both of them to just turn a profit. The 2 that I bought were built in 2015 and were put together well. I completely agree with you on the design flaws but they were not that big of a deal for me. If they could make minor changes and upgrades to the mower, they could have a much better product. The mower has not changed since 1991. My biggest complaint would be the adjustment for the reel to bedknife. It sounds like they have had a massive increase in sales over the last couple of years and are probably just throwing shit together to get it out the door which is sad. I bought 2 of these at $200 dollars each and flipped them for a profit. I'm trying to find a reel mower for just my front yard that is 1200 sq ft and has obstacles. My JD 220C I use in my backyard because it is wide open with no obstructions. I need a homeowner style for the front, but I'm not paying 4-6 thousand for an Allett or a Swardman with plastic gears and parts. Thanks for the reply.
Thank you for making your post. I was thinking of purchasing a Mclane and this had a lot of information that I couldn't find elsewhere.
2023 Update: The customer service manager, ANNA, said they would take the whole mower back for replacement, but due to severe winter weather, and it wasn’t going to be used for another 5 months, I didn’t get it out right away.
And when I tried to get a bill of lading for the trucking company, she changed her mind and said they wouldn’t honor the warranty because I took too long. WHAT !? There was no timeframe or expectation stated and it was in the middle of winter!
WTF difference would that make when It's still under warranty??
As it turns out, Anna uses an 'Unlisted Private Cellular Number' to hide her identity when making calls to McLane’s customers, (Just like all other phone scammers do). I believe Anna is just an Incompetent, Power-Tripping, Control Freak, and a Pathological LIAR ! And sadly, that's who McLane pays to make their warranty claims decisions. What was I expecting? This only confirms my suspicions that my mower was not simply a "rare instance" of an unacceptable product by this company. I can clearly see their company is rotten all the way through its core, from the employees and their inferior products! AVOID THIS SHADY, DISREPUTABLE, DISHONEST COMPANY and buy ANYTHING else but a McLane Reel Mower.
Just like Pan-Am Airlines, Borders Books, and Blockbuster, hopefully McLane will soon be just another American company that bit the dust because of lack of quality, terrible employees and office staff, and poor decisions made by inept management like Anna.
The big difference with McLane is that the others didn’t fail because they lied and cheated their customers out of thousands of dollars before they went under. In my opinion, McLane can’t go away fast enough!
Cool video.. I am interested in the McLane with the Honda motor. Respond when you can.. thx.
I appreciate you watching the video. I actually have sold mine about a month ago. If you have any questions about a reel mower you are looking at please feel free to ask me.
@@Blubaugh5 Why did you sell your McClane?
@@jpatsilva I bought 2 of them on a great deal and decided to flip them. In hindsight I wish I would have kept one, because I will never find one at that price again. Reality is my John Deere is a far superior mower, although the Mclane is much easier to mow with.
@@Blubaugh5 I ordered the GreensKeeper 25. I spent $2400. I'm just wondering if I'm making a mistake not finding a John Deere or Toro.
@@jpatsilva Assuming you got the Honda engine, there is no way you will be disappointed. These are much easier to maneuver around the yard than the toro or John Deere. Once you get use to adjusting the bed knife to reel you will be extremely happy with it. These are better built than the Swardman and the parts are inexpensive and easily accessible. You can call Mclane anytime and they will answer any questions for you. Great customer service. Message me on facebook and I will give you my number and we can talk. facebook.com/dan.blubaugh.39
The Mc Lane reminds me of that ugly girlfriend I had in Jr. High.
It never changes, like the baby blue dress pants my Dad wore for 50 years.
Anyone own a Jacobsen? Pros/cons?
I have done a lot of research and the Jacobsen seems to have a lot of mechanical issues. If you can get one at a great price and are very capable of doing your own work on it, then it might be ok. The Toro and John Deere are also much easier to get parts for.
Dan Blubaugh thanks! I have an opportunity to get an Eclipse 2 with the floating head, grooming kit, and I think it has the 15 blade reel. Pretty good price. Under 700 hours.
@@bryanschrum1542 How much and how tall is your lawn?
Dan Blubaugh I’ve got Tifway 419 Bermuda that I’m cutting with a TruCut c-27 currently at maybe 3/4”.
@@bryanschrum1542 The reason I ask, is if the jacobsen has an 11 plus blade you're going to want to be around 5/8 or lower. 9 to 11 blade for 3/4 or lower. if you are above 3/4 you would want 9 blades or less.
I have an old 20" McLane and is horrible, made for midgets, back hurts after using it.....bought it for $200 so no big deal. The new 25" looks tempting
I'm only 5'8" so probably not as big of a deal for me. I'm thinking of selling my extra one for $800 to someone in the lawn community.
@@Blubaugh5 Where are you located at?
@@RaulTorresMorfin Eastern Washington