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Oh, and in case you may be wondering, I did have that mulching block removed during my attempts to vacuum with the JS46.

I'll be out scouting for attachments today.

Caruso

JS46 Walk behind mower - will it vacuum pickup leaves
Garden Tractors
Replies 2 Post by carusoswi

I just bought this machine last weekend. I think the OP is being a bit heavy handed. I sympathize concerning the eye injury, but I do wonder if his machine or its bagger might be defective or incorrectly installed as I am unable to reproduce this problem (and there are plenty of debris-riddled areas of opportunity in my yard).

The machine does include a side-discharge attachment, although I cannot say whether there is a bagging attachment to be used with that discharge setup.

As for the wheel lock-up complaint, the machine is designed so that you can disengage the self-propulsion by returning the handle to the rear of its operating range, then moving the machine ahead just an inch or so (or less). Then, you are free to pull the machine backwards.

I, personally, am big on cutting in reverse whether using a push or walk-behind or a rider, as cutting in both directions strikes me as much more efficient - cut one swath forward, the next backward, etc. No awkward turning at the ends of my cutting path, no endless circling of the lawn, etc.

It seems to me that JD has, in this machine, struck the best of two worlds, a machine that is easily used as a push mower in either direction, or self-propelled variable speed in forward.

I bought my JS46 as an open (but complete package) box (for just $250), so my manual was only the Spanish language version (ok, less than complete package). Not one who is big on manuals, I jumped in and used my machine without reading the manual (my 20-year-old Lawnboy would not start), but it took me all of two attempts at moving backward to figure out that you have to continue forward about an inch after disengaging the self-propel feature in order to pull the machine backwards. If you engage a tree or other obstruction while in self-propel, just push down on the handle to lift the front wheels off the ground. This effectively shortens the footprint of the mower and you will now have room to maneuver the rear wheels that extra inch or so. Now you may continue forward a bit further (mowing up the tree, if you will) in order to disengage the wheels.

On an incline, if pushing forward requires more energy than you care to expend, just push down to lift those front wheels and wiggle the mower from side to side once in each direction to turn the rear wheels forward one by one a bit, and the gearing is released so that the mower will roll backwards freely.

I consider this a feature of the mower, or at worst, a characteristic, certainly not a defect.

Once you become familiar with it, you can release the self-propel feature six inches before encountering a tree, then let the mower roll on its own momentum up to the tree. At that point, the rear wheels are already disengaged so that you can pull the mower backwards normally.

In one use of the mower, this became second nature to me. There are aspects of this mower that suit me less than those of my trusty old LawnBoy (which is not self-propelled), but I feel the self-propulsion on this Deere is well done, and the mower remains delightfully light weight. Pushing or pulling it without self-propulsion require no more effort than a mower without this feature.

I offer best wishes to the OP and am happy that his injuries were not serious.

Caruso

John Deere JS46 Rear Discharge Eye Injury
Garden Tractors
Replies 8 Post by carusoswi