Lawn Mowers Deck Size & Horsepower

When it comes to buying a lawn mower it’s very important to know what type of mower you’ll need. Figure out what type of grass grows in your yard and how often you’re going to need to cut it. By doing this you’ll figure out what size blades would be best. This is where deck size comes in to play. The blades that cut the grass are located and attached under the deck. Another important factor when buying a lawn mower is the horsepower. What type of engine do you want? A carburetor engine will allow you to buy a mower with more horsepower and torque.

Deck size

The deck size is big deal. After all, it’s what’s protecting the deck blades. Mower decks for a riding lawn mower vary in width from 36” to 60”. A smaller deck size translates to a smaller cutting width, which means more passes to mow the same-sized lawn as a mower with a larger deck. If your lawn is large, you might want to consider longer blades, in which a larger deck size will be needed.

Horsepower

Not too many people are as concerned with engine horsepower anymore, as mowers with at least 5.5 horsepower perform just as well as mowers with stronger engines. Mowers with an overhead valve engine are more efficient and deliver more amount of torque with less room, compared to mowers equipped with a side valve engine having the same amount of cc's.

The term ‘horsepower’ came from James Watt, an engineer who supposedly worked with mine ponies used for removing coal. Mr. Watt calculated how much work 1 pony could do within one minute and used his results to define horsepower. As it still stands, one horsepower equals 746 watts or 33,000 foot pounds.

EPA Cracks Down on Horsepower

The EPA says small spark-ignition engines that have 25 horsepower or less contribute approximately 20% of hydrocarbon emissions and 23% of carbon monoxide emissions from mobile sources. The most popular manufacturers of engines that highlight the amount of horsepower are ones of lawn mowers, weed whackers, leaf blowers and chainsaws.

Phase 1 emission regulations state small SI engines have to meet emission standards for HC, CO, and NOx in 1997. Since then, the EPA recently adopted Phase 2 standards for small SI engines. A basis of Phase 2 standards is the durability of equipment, and that engines will continue to meet emissions standards as they age, not just when they come off the assembly line. With stricter regulations to be followed, it’s no wonder why auto makers no longer us carburetor engines.

Horsepower Fraud Lawsuit

A class action lawsuit was recently filed in New Jersey charging that manufacturers of lawnmowers have purposely misstated horsepower valuations on their products in order to justify higher prices. Defendants in the lawsuit include Sears & Roebuck Co., Briggs & Stratton, Deere & Co., Tecumseh Products Co., Briggs & Stratton Corp., Kawasaki Motors Corp. USA., MTD Products, The Toro Co., American Honda Motor Co., Electrolux Home Products, The Kohler Co., Platinum Equity LLC, and Husqvarna Outdoor Products.

The defendants were all members of a “Power Labeling Task Force,” that met in 2001 to discuss various means by which to conceal horsepower fraud and misrepresent horsepower to the consuming public. One of the suggestions made by this group was to include a misleading ‘disclaimer’. The disclaimer was titled ‘Understanding Horsepower’ and included misleading information on horsepower issues.