1st Day with Little Wonder 16hp

Well, did my first spring clean-up today -- actually, started my first spring clean-up today. More tomorrow.

Anyway, used my 16hp little wonder leaf loader for first time. Very happy with it's performance. Many wet and heavy piles it took without a hiccup. No clogs at all today.

However.... I think I would have paid another $1000 for electric start. Pull start might not be so bad, but this thing is the most finicky piece of equipment I've ever had to start. Starts great cold, but turn if off, then try to fire up 5 minutes later and you'll pass out from exhaustion yanking on that godforsken pull start.

I tried it all. Choke full throttle, chocke no throttle, no chocke no throttle, no choke full throttle, and everything in between. Seems like it floods no matter what technique I tried (smell gas).

Walk away for 10 minutes and restart "cold" -- first pull.

Anyone with similar experience?

 

Haven't used one yet but my 11 horse BG did the same thing until i installed a new carb kit. Doubt that's your issue though. Glad to hear a good review on the loader I'm in the market myself. Trying to decide between the BG 16 horse or the Little Wonder 16. How do you have it mounted??? My only hesitation is the size, it's about 100 lbs heavier than the BG.

 

I went with the LW because of the replaceable housing.

I mounted it on the front of my trailer. Made two extension legs, and bolted them on the A-frame tongue, and bolted the other side to the angle iron of the trailer sides. This puts the loader about two feet from the back of the leaf box.

I was working in tight quarters today, and kinda wished I had gone with the swing-away hitch. In this case, it would have worked. No mower or trailer needed.

 

I was thinking about a similar set up. What did you use for an extension from the loader to the box??? Those swing away hitches are great. Saw one last fall that had a reese hitch so you could still tow your trailer. Did you have a loader before the LW??? Sorry to steer your post in a different direction!!!!!!

 

hmm, tow the trailer too? Might have to part with the money for one, or have one fabbed.

I found a great source for tube/hose. Omni hose in Portsmouth, NH. I had been struggling to find something and got their name from a tube place in Sanford.

I told the guy I need a 10" dia hose, flexible, blah, blah. He says "what is it for", I say "it's an extension for a leaf loader to.."

cuts me off and says, yeah I got them, made just for that. It is too! $12 a foot, but it's perfect. Cut the hole a little smaller than 10" in the leaf box, and it threads right in. Slip the leaf chute into it, and I'm off.

obtw, this is my first leaf loader.

 

Cool I have some extra from my BG I should be able to use. The swing hitch is nice, I think he did have it fabbed, I looked into it for the BG and LW and my dealers hadn't heard of it. Back to your original post!!!!

 

Is there a website for that hose place? If so, please post it.

I tried getting the hitch for the LW last fall and they told me they weren't offering it then because of problems they were having with it. The machine was too heavy for the hitch and the hitch kept breaking.

As far as the pull start thing, make sure the hose is attached tightly to the fan housing. If not that safety switch won't engage and the thing won't start. The first couple times I tried to start mine, I nearly pulled my arm off because the switch wasn't engaged. But the choke on that thing is a little touchy.

Did you build a box for yours? If so, how tall did you have to build it? Got any pics? If so, post them!

 

Greenmonster did you get your LW at MB in Plaistow? I went to there open house last week or the week before anyway they had a good price I thought 2900.00 but the new style swing away was almost 600.00 I thought that was ridiculous. I do like the shredder blade on the little wonder though. Good luck with your unit keep us posted on its performance. Thanks have a good season.

 

Electric start would be nice!! I have the Lesco loader and it has worked well so far. I had a clog last year with leaves, but it broke free before I had to do anything. I do a lot of scalping dry, warm season grasses and it has no problems clogging. Where it does have problems is with green fescue. It clogged a couple days ago around the bend of the loader. Took me about 10 minutes to disassemble and free the clog up. One of these days I would like to have a fabricator build me a bend that is not so drastic. You can see the 90 degree bend with the Lesco model in the pic below.

Those you have boxes similar to mine, how did you make your back door? I made mine out of angle iron. There are 2 doors that swing out. One door locks with a simple dead bolt. The problem is, the blower blows with so much force, the top of the doors bow out pretty bad and will have to be better designed before too long. I went with the swing doors so on some days I could use the truck for easy loading of debris. I am now thinking of having it hinged at the top to swing out, like a dump truck. I could then rig up a cable and reel system so that I could raise the door and lock into place when I need access to the rear for loading branches and such.

Give me some ideas!!
Matt

 

ok. Ran the LW again today. Didn't shut it off but once. It's still tricky to start once warm. Dealer is gettin a call tomorrow.

affprop: I got mine at Osgood's in Ossipee for $2,700 -- doesn't include swing-away hitch. They're a J.D. dealer that has been pretty good to me. Got a redmax power broom there too. That thing is the berries!


mtdman: website for the hose is omniservices.com. don't know if they have other locations, or if the ship??? good luck
I built my box 6.5' high, as measured from the bottom of the dump body.

walker-talker: My back door is f%$#in' me too! I basically ran out of time, and just screwed a couple pieces of plywood up against the back. Makes it a real b*$^% to unload. Hopefully I get a break and I can make some new back doors. I need something that will open up for dumping, plus allow me dump access for the skid steer.

Sorry guys, no pics yet. When I get a spare minute, I'll take some pics so you can see my new truck, lettering, leaf loader set-up, and leaf box! Plus some homemade b/p blower boxes, and a tool rack.

I'll tell you about this two-day clean-up too!