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When one thing goes wrong, everything goes wrong....

18K views 63 replies 24 participants last post by  Patriot Services 
#1 ·
Anyone ever have this issue? When one thing goes wrong everything goes wrong. If you lose a customer, you lose a group of customers. If it rains, it rains long enough to rain you out. If you get behind, you don't get behind one lawn, you get behind 20 lawns. If a mower breaks, you fix it and something else breaks. It's just been one of those weeks and I'm ranting.

Truck, decides to take a crap, after part to part, it's finally fixed.

Trimmer; the favorite and go to trimmer starts acting up. Drop it off for repair while I use the backup. Pick it up, get to working, same thing happens again. This time I ditch it and buy a new one because I'm in love with this model have the "feel for the trimmer."

A day later, Toro Turfmaster breaks a pulley, jumps timing in the middle of a job. Now, the Toro Turfmaster that broke a tension pulley and jumped timing. The mower is now fixed, oil and oil filter changed, new blades, air filter changed, pulley changed, spark plug changed, ready to roll.

Now what could possibly happen?

All in the same week,

Today, get reel mower back from the golf coarse mechanic. Reel was back lapped and very sharp and nice. Leaving a sexy looking lawn. Move to the back lawn? And what happens? The freaking old reliable Honda mower decides to lock up.

Anyone have a week like this? :dizzy::dizzy::dizzy::dizzy::dizzy:
 
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#5 ·
Man I have those days too, its part of it I gets.
I believe so. It's just part of the stress of running a business, and part of owning toys and equipment. I always try and look at the bright side. Hey, the Commercial mowers all fixed and ready to roll. The reel mower has a nice and perfect reel now and is leaving a sexy as hell cut on my lawn. And luckily, this reel is just used on my personal lawn. I made it to Harbor Freights by two minutes before closing at nine and picked up me a cheap engine on sale. I'm gonna drop it on the reel tommorrow, and I think it should hold up at least for just being used on my personal home lawn.
 
#6 ·
Be thankful you possess the skills to repair what breaks. Truly screwed is when crap breaks and your dealer says two weeek wait and a price tag slightly less than replacing it outright. Great PM helps minimize problems but stuff still breaks. Getting to the point where you have backup pieces is assuring too. Even if its low end trimmer and a rear engine rider you can still stay on task for a while.
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#7 ·
Been there this week and its not over Belt broke on one mower then get that fix another mower throttle cable breaks
In all trying beat the rain and didn't happen I'm 2 days behind Tomorrow will be catch up I hope if nothing breaks + Working Saturday again Looking like Sunday be landscaping But the $$$$ keeps coming in

One good thing happen today I bought a $400 chain hoist for $50 at a yard sale Then my Cousin offer me $200 for it I said nope
 
#8 ·
Be thankful you possess the skills to repair what breaks. Truly screwed is when crap breaks and your dealer says two weeek wait and a price tag slightly less than replacing it outright. Great PM helps minimize problems but stuff still breaks. Getting to the point where you have backup pieces is assuring too. Even if its low end trimmer and a rear engine rider you can still stay on task for a while.
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I know where your coming from. And PM is not a problem for me. I go beyond PM. And when I say beyond, I mean beyond. Everything on the equipment stays changed at intervals hours and hours before the manual even calls for it. I believe if you work your equipment hard, you should maintenance it hard. I just got our home lawn on a good fert. / mowing schedule, I'm hoping I can drop this HF engine on the reel tomorrow without running into any adapter or cable fitting issues though! It's a bummer right after you get the reel back lapped and nice and sharp! :hammerhead::hammerhead:
 
#9 ·
Been there this week and its not over Belt broke on one mower then get that fix another mower throttle cable breaks
In all trying beat the rain and didn't happen I'm 2 days behind Tomorrow will be catch up I hope if nothing breaks + Working Saturday again Looking like Sunday be landscaping But the $$$$ keeps coming in

One good thing happen today I bought a $400 chain hoist for $50 at a yard sale Then my Cousin offer me $200 for it I said nope
Nothing like them yard sales. I can't wait for the day I come across a "rich homeowner" commercial unit at yard sale prices. :drinkup: You'd be surprised, last time I was picking some parts up at the dealer a homeowner was asking me my opinion the the 8,500.00 ZT he was buying. Wait for the day he decides to yard sell that thing when he decides he's got too much money to mow his lawn and hires one of us and puts that thing up at a yard sell. :cool2:
 
#10 ·
Nothing like them yard sales. I can't wait for the day I come across a "rich homeowner" commercial unit at yard sale prices. :drinkup: You'd be surprised, last time I was picking some parts up at the dealer a homeowner was asking me my opinion the the 8,500.00 ZT he was buying. Wait for the day he decides to yard sell that thing when he decides he's got too much money to mow his lawn and hires one of us and puts that thing up at a yard sell. :cool2:
Today came across a WB Sears 3.8 Edger that look like new a 400 dollar unit for 60 bucks The owner said only edge there drive and walk still has the same blade when they bought it last spring
 
#11 ·
Today came across a WB Sears 3.8 Edger that look like new a 400 dollar unit for 60 bucks The owner said only edge there drive and walk still has the same blade when they bought it last spring
Which model is it? If it's McLane, I have a McLane walk behind I also piked up for the same exact price, $60.00. I love that thing for cutting fresh edges. I stick edge or trim edge everything, but you know how it is when you need a walk behind! I piked up a roto tiller, not the mini tiller, but the bigger tillers just a few minutes ago in the neighborhood. Someone set it out on the curb. I'm sure it's too late to look at tonight, but I'm willing to bet it's a blown engine. If so I'm going to swap it the same way I did the reel mower with a $99.00 Harbor Freight engine. ;) :laugh:

Got that $99.00 HF Chonda in the McLane Reel today with a little bit of fabrication it bolted right up. Reel is back lapped and the bed knife is sharp as an be. It ran like a dream and cut like a dream. To tell you the truth them engines are worth every bit of $99.00. I'll see how it holds up over time, but it seems like you can't beat them for the price on just replacing fixer uper's that you pick up. Now I'm bak to the mowing schedule on the lawn one day later. :cool2:

That Honda engine that was on there looked like it was manufactured in the late 80's or early 90's and it hydro locked for sure. Here's a shot with the old engine off and the new engine on. Took a bit of fab., an hour, and a six pack.

 
#14 ·
Which model is it? If it's McLane, I have a McLane walk behind I also piked up for the same exact price, $60.00. I love that thing for cutting fresh edges. I stick edge or trim edge everything, but you know how it is when you need a walk behind! I piked up a roto tiller, not the mini tiller, but the bigger tillers just a few minutes ago in the neighborhood. Someone set it out on the curb. I'm sure it's too late to look at tonight, but I'm willing to bet it's a blown engine. If so I'm going to swap it the same way I did the reel mower with a $99.00 Harbor Freight engine. ;) :laugh:

Got that $99.00 HF Chonda in the McLane Reel today with a little bit of fabrication it bolted right up. Reel is back lapped and the bed knife is sharp as an be. It ran like a dream and cut like a dream. To tell you the truth them engines are worth every bit of $99.00. I'll see how it holds up over time, but it seems like you can't beat them for the price on just replacing fixer uper's that you pick up. Now I'm bak to the mowing schedule on the lawn one day later. :cool2:

That Honda engine that was on there looked like it was manufactured in the late 80's or early 90's and it hydro locked for sure. Here's a shot with the old engine off and the new engine on. Took a bit of fab., an hour, and a six pack.

It looks like a Mclane but it has Craftsman stickers on it
I stepped in dog poo again today.
I didn't walk it but did hit some with mower at same time I was passing one my guys blew it all over him It Happens
 
#17 ·
Today I'm edging a mulch bed, cut right through a wire that was like 2" deep. Then a half hour later, I step on one of those covers that people put over the basement window holes and I fell right through it.
Don't feel bad man. I did much worse other day. Almost broke my leg in the process. I shop broom swept the last of the compost out of the bed. And was at the car was getting the residue left out. I pulled up the truck a little bit past the drain and hopped out of the bed after spraying it. When I jumped down I went straight through the drain that wasn't put on correct. Need I say I smelt like complete garbage and the water was almost waste deep. I went home with my whole jeans soaked.
:hammerhead:
 
#18 ·
Always happens that way, it could be smooth sailing for 5-6 weeks then everything decides to take a crap for a week or two.

Been there far too many times yet I always seem to find a way to keep rolling without getting too behind.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#20 ·
Anyone ever have this issue? When one thing goes wrong everything goes wrong. If you lose a customer, you lose a group of customers. If it rains, it rains long enough to rain you out. If you get behind, you don't get behind one lawn, you get behind 20 lawns. If a mower breaks, you fix it and something else breaks. It's just been one of those weeks and I'm ranting.

Truck, decides to take a crap, after part to part, it's finally fixed.

Trimmer; the favorite and go to trimmer starts acting up. Drop it off for repair while I use the backup. Pick it up, get to working, same thing happens again. This time I ditch it and buy a new one because I'm in love with this model have the "feel for the trimmer."

A day later, Toro Turfmaster breaks a pulley, jumps timing in the middle of a job. Now, the Toro Turfmaster that broke a tension pulley and jumped timing. The mower is now fixed, oil and oil filter changed, new blades, air filter changed, pulley changed, spark plug changed, ready to roll.

Now what could possibly happen?

All in the same week,

Today, get reel mower back from the golf coarse mechanic. Reel was back lapped and very sharp and nice. Leaving a sexy looking lawn. Move to the back lawn? And what happens? The freaking old reliable Honda mower decides to lock up.

Anyone have a week like this? :dizzy::dizzy::dizzy::dizzy::dizzy:
Welcome to my life.

You just need to add employees to the mix.
 
#23 ·
Welcome to my life.

You just need to add employees to the mix.
Funny that you mention that. I've had two customers ask me this week if I plan to hire any employees. My usual answer is NO. I'd rather do 60 lawns by myself then 120 with an employee. Just my personal preference. One day I might run some crews, but that's when my body can't take it anymore and is calling for a break. Next year or in the future years, I think I could be efficient one other crew member aside from myself. I love working by myself, but at times I think about how nice and efficient it would be to have me or another guy to jump out with the trimmer then another mowing behind. As of right now I'm happy being solo, but I think that might be my next step. I don't want any crews until my body is hollering for a crew. :walking:
 
#25 ·
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying having 10 crews while you sit in the office isn't the way to go. But when your out in the field working, I couldn't be happier working by myself. I think I would actually do good with one side man, but I wouldn't want anything bigger when working in the field. One day, and I say one day, when my body can't take it, I'll be the one sitting in the office, running crews. ;)
 
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