Trying out the DR SP30 walk behind 30" mower
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- Опубліковано 6 кві 2022
- This video is Sponsored by DR Power Equipment
Click the link to check out their Lawn Mower SP 30 and their complete line up of equipment bit.ly/DRPower-LawnMovers-Som... - Розваги
This video is Sponsored by DR Power Equipment
Click the link to check out their Lawn Mower SP 30 and their complete line up of equipment bit.ly/DRPower-LawnMovers-Something2LookAt
Need some Finisha blades :)
Hey It needs a Kawasaki engine. Hope that trans is heavy duty. Nice aluminum deck
No one does grass videos like the original! Thanks for the great vid, good to hear you!
Ha, yes, I'm the seasoned veteran now. But Brian is the original. Thanks for chiming in Brad!
What a powerhouse! That thing has you doing quite a power walk 😳. Very nice!
I was with a DR dealer for 4 years.
Those mowers sounded like a jet at full throttle.
Exactly. Love the sound.
I like it first time seeing this brand👍 Tundra laying in the background!
Another great video Mike machine looks awesome
Great video man! It is always a good day when you post a review video!
I like doing reviews. :)
The TORO 30" Timemaster is the bomb for residential walk behinds. Cut, power and ease of use with electric start.
I have a dewalt 33 inch walk behind and I love it. It fits into most gates also have a Scag 48 inch walk behind.
This thing sounds louder than the Toro timemaster
Interesting, Dewalt makes a 33. I use a Cub Cadet 33. I have found over the years that 33 is the perfect compromise size for the small gate issue. And oh yes, this SP30 is loud, but it makes a really cool sound!
Great video!
The blades are not synchronized, non-toothed belts are used. It doesn't need synchronization, as the diagonal blade offset allows for no blade interference while still affording cutting overlap. After 1+ years of heavy use my few quibbles with the DR30 are with the comically small gas tank (good for only 1/2 an acre in one fuel-up), not shutoff petcock, the flimsy spring-loaded side deflector cover panel which breaks off easily (they sent me a free warranty replacement after mine broke last year), today the height adjustment handle broke in half at a weak point (I am contacting them today for a warranty replacement part), the tendency for wet grass (the only kind in my swampy Mid-Atlantic region) to cake on the underside of the deck in all the crevices, and noise like a jet pane taking off. The pluses are the ample power, variable speed rear drive, aluminum deck, blade brake feature (with engine still running). The bagging action is really good- detaching and re-attaching the bag is quick and it really stuffs the grass in there, and with no clogging. The mulching action is superior. The 2 year warranty on the mower and the lifetime warranty on the deck is tops; they stand behind the product. In all I am very satisfied with this mower. I installed a fuel filter and petcock, and also an auxiliary gas tank with petcock on it, which I had saved off a 1980 2-stroke Lawn Boy Commercial. So the stock tank is now usually shut off, and serves as simply a reserve tank. Keep a full complement of spare belts handy. So fare only one broke, the main drive belt. One can run this thing with the belt cover off, gives it a cool steampunk look. An under-deck grass scrape-out is best achieved by locking the push handle in the upright position and tiling the whole mower 90 degrees back so the front of the mower is pointing skyward. Cost-wise, This unit goes on sale regularly and the used units go on sale for hundred bucks cheaper, so wait for a sale if you're going to get one. When I bought my "newsed" on and a new one went on sale for the same price as a used one a month later, DR was willing to credit my card an extra hundred bucks. The refurbished model I received was super-clean and had been drained of oil and a new quart bottle supplied, so it was like having a nearly-new machine with a fresh oil change.
Again, great comment and great info.
Update, the replacement for the flimsy spring-loaded side deflector cover is still working, learned the hard way to be extra-gentle with it. I installed the replacement height adjustment handle, which had broken in half at a weak point near the height detents. Customer service was responsive, sending all warranty parts out promptly. Installing it was a bear though. Requires removing the drive transmission. Would have been better if they had designed that lever with a bolt attachment instead of having it staked with a pin to the hard-to-access plate. It made what would have been a 5-minute job into a 90-minute one. I put the molded plastic belt cover into storage, as by poor design brush collects in that area, causing wear. Incidentally, when I removed that cover to replace a broken blade drive belt, not only was it full of clippings in there, one of the big blade pulley hold-down nuts was OFF and rattling around in the cup! Was it not properly torqued at the factory? Maybe they should have made the cover clear, so you can see when things are figuratively going to seed in there.
Another update, while the rear wheel was off to put in this blasted lever I noticed significant gear wear on the final drive gears. There are two of them, one on each side of the mower in the rear. Even though these small chunky gears are about an inch wide, the gear on the wheel itself is actually only a thin (maybe 1/8th of an inch)-thick steel plate, which is affixed to the wheel with screws. And when the small gear drives the geared plate, that thin plate is tearing up the small gear on the slender patch where it makes contact. It's not going to last much longer but I can probably turn both gears around and get more use out of these gears before they are completely shot. Maybe the chunky gear is made of a steel which is too mild. Did I mention both gears were dry as a bone? Were these supposed to be lubed with lithium grease at the factory? My 2-year warranty is going to be out in eight months. I reached out to DR for replacements, and advice about lubrication, stay tuned...
Once again DR customer service was superb- they're sending me two more "GEAR-SPUR-DRIVE-WM1 000000000000395481" at no cost without balking one bit, despite the fact that neither of the two original gears have failed YET, but are certainly heading in that direction. I advise all owners of the SP30 to pull both rear wheels and check that gear for wear. Again, you should be able to flip 'em and get a second and final life out of them. Customer service says lubing the gears is optional and they are not lubricated from the factory. Well, I'm lubing mine, with quality grease.
I get info from DR every now and then but I haven't seen anything about this machine yet. Glad you did this one and I am interested in this particular mower. I rarely mulch or bag, but have to now and then. The side shooting is what I am mainly interested in and it looks like it has very decent lift on those blades for a change. No throttle control like on some mowers I take it? What DR needs to do is make the ground drive lever with notches so you can squeeze it to where you want it and let go rather than go full speed or try to maintain a set speed on rough ground. A simple flick of a thumb lever could disengage the ground drive lever etc.
Oh it's very easy to hold the ground speed where you want it. And yes, it has a fixed throttle which has those blades spinning really fast! Do you hear that howl? It has tremendous cutting power. Yea, I'm a side discharge kind of guy too. It handled all 3 options very well. Oh yea, I didn't know that this particular mower existed either. They also have a 26" I believe.
@@Something2LookAt Yeah I saw the 26" and that one may be even more interesting tome and what I would use it for, but can't say for sure without trying one or the other. That thing sure sounds like a commercial mower. It must have very high BTS like a commercial mower.....in the 18K range I would guess. Wonder how it'd do in wetter grass like we have here most mornings in the mowing season? The deck is kinda tightly baffled, but it isn't that wide so maybe would stay fairly clean and not throw wads. I hope you get a chance to try that out in a video. It sure impressed me!
@@404nitro Yea I noticed that too. Wide deck but stays close to the blades. Great for mulching. And thick! Thick metal on the deck. I haven't looked under the deck cover yet but I am curious about the pulley arrangement and how they got the BTS up that high. It's engineered well.
Oh, don't worry. This is Florida. A wet grass video will be coming!
@@Something2LookAt thing that was running through my mind while you were mowing here is just how will it do in the tall bahia when you get those long whips etc. That will be a great test. Keep these coming!
Great review. I'd love to get one but it's out of my price range.
One observation: The cutting area extends well past the wheels so keeping the wheel on the outside edge is shorting you by a couple inches each pass.
Yes, you gotta watch what you're doing. Not sure what I did. I may have kept the wheels on the tracks.
Mike you put that lawnmower through the ringer it did not fail amazing torque from that engine
Oh, and you know it will see higher grass than this. Stay tuned...
Looks like a monster of a mower hope it does the job for your business 👍
I tried this and the latest toro Time cutter which imo has better control.
Its a great mower but I wish it had a throttle lever. With how big the engine is and the blade control lever it would be nice to have a throttle control just my opinion
Man....that thing is a Cuttin' Jessie. You can just hear the power.
It is truly an awesome machine. You guys want another video with it?
Love to see what this thing can do in some of the really tall thick stuff
that looks like a commercial mower just relabled as a residential and for 1k for the standard version it’s not too bad seeing the build quality of the deck alone
Generac is a good brand so it’s good to see DR is in good hands and won’t be “cheapened out “
Oh, you know the tall grass mowing video will come. he he. The season's just getting started. It does seem really tough, so I think it will do very well.
@@Something2LookAt - Give the engine Premium Protection 10W-40 Synthetic Motor Oil from Amsoil. The best for heat reducing, smooth running. And even more important fuel saving!
@@laurapalmerTDGE Amsoil is all I run....Best oil made
@@gls3894 - Arguably the best for engines etc. Started with the 10w40 as mentioned above because of the issues with a Honda GCV 530 engine, which are sensitive to high temperatures. Including overheating by Castrol 5w40 etc. I also use it in Makita leaf blowers, Honda edge trimmers, scarifiers.
Also in my vehicles. From time to time the PI.
It is an absolute added value.
Green greetings.
Mike let me tell you something that DR walk behind the more is a tank there’s a mild bog down but very mild
that has some serious power, What cc rating is the motor, interesting comparing it with Toro 30 inch with their 233cc engine, cheers, and thanks
Someone needs to do a side by side comparison with a Toro timemaster.
Toro timemaster is playing with the price .. i think i need this
I have had my DR 30 for almost 2 years the height adjustment handle broke at the top of the notch I used it once. The blade drive belt broke at 6 hrs, Napa sells a extreme duty belt for about $30 the first couple lasted about 8 or 9 hours and then I started turning it off with the belt ingaged now I get more than 16 hours of life out of it. The front axel is another problem with the bolts coming out. If you don't work on your own equipment then don't buy this machine 😢
What size drive belt is it?
Seems to be doing an alright job. The engine is a unknown though. Looks like a Chinese engine, probably Loncin. Somewhere between Residential to Commercial Grade. Same price as the Toro Timemaster Residential 30", but the Toro comes with a 223cc Briggs. I think I'll hold on to my Exmark Metro 26", It's true Commercial with a very good Kawasaki FJ180V engine and it has one blade, so no timing (Cogged) belt issues.
Great vid and looks like a very good mower. Any idea who makes their motor's for them? Website didn't say.
I don't know. What horsepower would you say this is? I know it's not a direct equation from cc to horsepower.
@@Something2LookAt About 6.5 - 6.75 depending on series model.
@@randalljaynes8628 That's what people are saying. But the torque is high for it's size.
I love my SCAG 'cause it's the best,
But this walk-behind DR sure handled this test!
It has a tough, strong motor that cuts right in,
But the trans is so fast I may have to visit the gym! 😛
Cool push-mower, dude!
Ha! Awesome my friend!
@@Something2LookAt 😛
1 drawback. Needs a bigger gas tank. Also smoked the belt that goes from main pulley to to engage the blades. Only had 4 cuts. Not sure how. Belt was stretched. Only thing I can think of was the 2nd time using, I tried starting it with blade lever engaged, electric start. That was my fault.
Update. Well sort of. I believe the belt issue might be a recall. One dealer, not the one I purchased it from, told me they had the same issue.
Thank you for sharing the video just curious if you are still satisfied with the mower?
Yes! This is one of my favorites. It's an animal though! Not for type B personalities. lol. It has a set throttle so it mows in crazy mode all the time. Which is what I like about it. :)
Definitely similar to the Toro Timemaster.
Yep. Very strong too.
I love the one handle deck raising system. Does it come with gator blades? I have the Toro equivalent 30 inch and use it a lot.
It has standard hi lift blades, and it really has a lot of lift. Oh yea, I wonder if they sell mulching blades for it... But I think I showed underneath. Maybe I didn't get up close to the blade end.
@@Something2LookAt Oh yea, you did show underneath. Sorry.
That thing needs a Honda GXV390…… Or to magically become a Ferris FW15 🤨
Mulching St Augustine grass with the DR SP30 mower
Looks like a Toro Time Master with a different engine and a few different minor setups
It's the same basic thing, but completely different. Definitely all different parts. I shot a new video with this mower today. Bagging really thick bahia grass. It did great! Stay tuned...
Time for some Finisha Blades and some nice over grown grass…Let the mowing season begin!!
This mower would be even more amazing with the Finisha blades.
Thinking of getting one of these but need to know more about the DR engine. Where is the engine made and how well do they hold up as compared to a B&S or Honda engines?
I don't actually know.
Decided to buy the Toro Time Master. Picked it up yesterday and did the first mow with it. Very happy.
Mike, at 12:34, do you think that's brown patch? It looks ominous, but I'm not there, clearly.
Would you recommend this mower, the Cub Cadet CC800, or the Toro TimeMaster for a yard that is less than 1 acre but has a very steep heel in the back yard?
The CC 800 all the way. It has the most traction. Very very strong transmission and tall rear tires.
was considering getting this for my property but good lord that price! machine is awesome tho!
That's basically about what all the 30 inch machines cost.
@@Something2LookAt gotcha, I was hoping it would be cheaper considering it's listed under 'residential' and not 'commercial' but I was wrong lol
I should be getting mines in a week or so. I’m already thinking about replacing the belt before I even start.. why can’t they get this problem corrected ? it seems to be on going.
It seems to have something to do with the crazy high blade tip speed. Mine has never snapped by the way, and I am not babying it!
223cc/15 = 14.9HP. That's a beauty of a machine.
I know DR was recently bought by Generac, is this a new piece of equipment, shipped under the new name? I’ve used a DR blower, aside from the engine, the rest of the unit is trash IMO. The tires look cheap, and I feel the four tier wheel function will have its faults. Very funky design.
It did ship from Generac, but everything else says DR. Oh I think this mower is nice and solid.
It looks like the bag is the same size on every mower out there.I always expect a larger bag on these double blade units.Also How much are the blades to replace?The problem with this kind of unit is you can not just pick up parts any place.I want to buy the best Mower but be able to replace the blades at a reasonable price.as well as other parts.
The blades are $13 each. You can get stuff for them at www.drpower.com
How has this mower held up after owning it for awhile? Do you mow any hilly properties? If so, how does it do?
Oh, it does ok. And it's still working perfectly. For hilly properties it would probably be better to have a taller back tire. They went with wider tires instead of taller. Still pretty good though.
This is a machine that's a value in its own right; That said it's not a Toro or a Ferris and sooner or later you'll need parts or dealer support for service because it is an investment, and no one likes to be deceived!
What is the deception?
@@Something2LookAt I refer to the fact that the engine is a mystery? NOT a Kohler Honda, Briggs and Stratton or Kawasaki!
@@markescartin1915 True. They're referring to it as a DR engine. Either they made it or they're putting their name on another company's engine. It IS a very good engine though! Surprisingly strong. Look for the video where I was mulching thick St Augustine with it. From what I'm hearing, they stand by their products so regardless of where it comes from, they'll fix it if it breaks. Now, of course, I think I'm like you and I do my own repairs so you have me curious where I might find the diagram for the engine. So, I'm gonna investigate. Somebody knows! Let me know if you find something.
Im looking at grtting one for my solo business looks like a good machine could use a couple upgrades but i do t think it gears to commercial guys
It is certainly strong. I don't know for sure how well it would fair being on the trailer every day though. I will say that so far nothing has broke on it.
What oil did you use? Are you planning to change the oil and inspect for machine shavings? Since you left the owner's manual on the pallet did you simply dismiss the recommendations made by DR?
True, I didn't read the owner's manual. It did have the warning tags telling you to make sure to put oil in it. I've just had many new mowers and the initial instructions seem to always be the same. I should do that first oil change though, and inspect for shavings. I've only used this mower a couple of times actually.
How does this compare to the Toro Timemaster?
Its engine is 14Hp which is strong enough to climb up 30-degree grades.
The engine is ridiculous. I have never used a mower that spins the blades this fast. It's actually a thrill!
Looks really sturdy but….
That narrowed grass chute for the bagger would probably clog easily.
I noticed some flex when you took it off the pallet. I think another steel height adjust arm on the other side would help.
That must be a bear to put in the bed of a truck.
Swivel casters on the front would really help at the end of a row and take much less effort to turn.
Over all, seems to be a sturdy residential unit. Would like to see an update in 1,2,3 years.
Sir please what engine this unit has ‼️⁉️
Or were to get the stuff for the regular tuneup ⁉️
That is a really good question. Even in the owner's manual and parts list there is only a listing for the whole engine, not an exploded view and independent parts list for the engine. It's a mystery. But for regular tune ups they sell a tune up kit for it here - www.drpower.com/Power-Equipment/Lawn-Mowers/Walk-Behind-Mowers/Accessories/Maintenance-Kit/p/A0000313151
@@Something2LookAt thank you sir!!
10.6 pounds feet, times 2500 RPM, divided by 5250 = 5 horsepower.
Question - I've read the specs for that mower and it said that it has a 1.0 quart fuel tank, is that big enough for a large suburban lawn?
The tank is a joke. Easy to overfill and make a mess, not large enough for more than a half-acre, tops.
have you tried the timemaster?This looks like a better unit. I found theTORO to be underpowered and it ate pulleys.
I haven't tried the Timemaster. But this DR SP30 has absolutely no shortage of power. It's an animal!
Yeah the timemaster seems to be alot of maintenence. Also some people have said they had problems with the belts breaking on these too.
Wow looks good, it's a 6.75hp engine.
It feels a lot stronger than 6.75 hp. Is that torque rating higher than normal for that size?
@@Something2LookAt same torque rating as the 10.00 that's on the timemaster, 223cc can be 6.50hp or 6.75hp, all depends on the size of the piston.
@@knighthawk86855 So that's where the power is coming from. The torque.
@@Something2LookAt yes, but like with the timemaster it should be 8hp at least, for the price.
I bet if you check it's one of those runsnomore Chinese engines, which is just about impossible to get internal parts for, but we shall see as he uses it more.
How did this mower work for you? Any issues?
I have not had any problems with it. I am highly impressed with it. Really high rpm's on the blades. Very capable machine.
How heavy is the mower is it made of iron
I think the deck is cast aluminum. Noticeably heavy, but would have been heavier if it was a steel deck.
What do you think of this one vs a toro 30 ?
Well, I haven't tried the Toro
I wouldn't consider this Commercial Grade. Commercial grade means a Fabricated Steel deck (10-12 gauge) and Commercial Quality engine, not a unknown Chinese engine.
Does DR make the engine? 14.87 hp is plenty of hp. same as the toro timemaster 30inch i hope the reviews are better than the toro.
They do not make the engine. There was a discussion in the threads here about the engine. There was somebody who knew the manufacturer. It is a Chinese company, but, wow, it's a great engine. He said the real manufacturer label should be right under the DR label. I haven't looked yet.
Be really nice if DR came out with an electric version of this mower.I no longer want to deal with gas motor mowers.Could use two blade motors and one propulsion motor and of course a battery pack.Do like how this mower works.
They would probably charge 2000.00.for an electric one. And the battery would probably cost another 800 bucks lol
So weird, i just watched a video of the same exact mower, supposedly anyways…… But on the sticker on the engine, it says 224 cc… Opposed to this that says 223 ? WTh lol ?
Wow, uh, I dunno what to say about that. Maybe they started rounding up instead of down? :)
On sale for 1.6K? Holey moley! Do you worry about ethanol?
I've never had issues with ethanol on lawn mowers. It does seem to mess up the 2 cycle equipment.
@@Something2LookAt
Thanks. Probably more specific to snoblowers. Not an issue in sunny Florida.
Did you purchase this lawnmower or are you just demoing it?????
It is sponsored by DR. It stays with me. :)
Lightweight is good and what did I use it for it’s a lawnmower ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxTPN04aT-Qdjr_KS3ql7ng8wnU3wwsCqk also recommend Yes it is lightweight so hence not as robust as our old one. But if you take care it does the job really well.
Walk behind or run behind?
With a full pull of the lever I'd call it a jog.
Looks like a Toro
Well you’re really trucking along and you haven’t even sped up your camera
Yes. It's all in real time.
I trust gas powered mowers because you can mow more
My 30" RIDING MOWER has a single 30" blade when
engaged is WAY quieter than that DR. That thing
must weight a TON. At the end of a long day of
CUTTING your shoulders are going to ACHE.
Why walk (or push) when you can ride?
!
Only weighs 117 pounds. Aluminum deck
A riding mower is harder on the grass, especially soft soils, and it cant mow under the canopy of shrubs and bushes without hitting them like this one can. The SP30's low-profile deck and offset blades can reach way beyond the wheel footprint and cut grass without damaging bushes and and rolling over tree roots. I take steep hills with it that would be dangerous to do on a ride-on. For kicks I constructed a velke/sulky for it, and the drive system on this thing is so powerful that I can mow a flat field standing upon that, Roman-chariot style. But different strokes for different folks. For me an acre is the cut-off point; If I had more grass than that to mow I'd consider a ride-on.
Try mowing hills or bumps with that helicopter.
Do you have an update after one season? Reviews on DR's website are NOT encouraging...
I see those reviews with people having problems but not one thing has gone wrong with mine, and I work it hard! I don't know what to say, I've had no problems.
@@Something2LookAt Lots of folks don't know how to operate or maintain things.
@@dalesworld1308 Oh, well, maybe. The blades are spinning at an insane speed. I've been mowing commercially for 30 years and I've never seen anything like it. So it might be really pushing the upper limits of the belt, BUT, mine hasn't broke and I really run it through the gamut!
【from Hipa】Are you willing to work with us?We provides parts for small engines.
376th like
Honestly it looks like a Chinese knock off of the already problematic Toro Timemaster. I dunno...
Whatever the case, this review was a while ago and I use this thing and nothing's broke. Love it!
223cc = 15HP
Incorrect sir...not even half of that!
Trans box looks cheesy
Worst machine you can get ,piece of crap
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