[brmeyer]

Good afternoon! I have a 03 Recon 250 ES. We primarily use it for utility on the property, including mowing 2+ acres with a 60" Swisher tow-behind mower. Those mowers are usually 300-400 lbs. The property has some small hilly sections, but nothing crazy.

I bought the Recon used last year and honestly know little about the history. After mowing this season, usually every 5-7 days, I've lost most power at higher RPM. It's ok if you keep the RPM low, but the clutch discs feel shot otherwise. Adjusting the clutch screw helped a little, but still slipping pretty bad. Also changed the oil, but with standard SAE 10W-40 (wondering if that's not sufficient for the wet clutch).

So the main question: anyone else using a 250 to regularly mow or tow? Are frequent disc replacements to be expected, or am I safe to assume they were mostly worn out when I bought it and mowing isn't unreasonable (although certainly hard on it)?

Thanks!

 

[shadetree]

is this oil for cars and trucks you put in it ?, or was it oil made for wet clutches ?, reg auto oil will slip a ton over time, spec with pulling heavy loads such as your mower.

 

[shadetree]

bottom line...YOU SHOULD NOT USE OIL MADE FOR CARS AND TRUCKS IN A ATV !..ppl do it ?, but it's not right at all.

 

[brmeyer]

Will definitely be immediately replacing the oil with actual ATV 10W-40.

Barring that, sanity check me? Completely fine to pull a 300-400 mower, regularly throughout the year, without quickly destroying the clutch discs?

 

[mrbb]

having installed the wrong oil, the damages can already be done to your clutches, regular oil coats them with a film like deal and it doesn';t come off
so, if your clutches are slipping it very well just could be from damage done by using wrong oil
as for towing a 300-400 lb mower, the weight of the mower isn';t that big a deal, but to be honest, its all the slow running and heat that is made by doing so, that can wear on a motor and its parts, I have used a 400 foreman to tow a 50 gallon sprayer for hrs at a time, but NOT ever 5-7 days
that is asking a lot of a small motor IMO
And since you didn't buy this atv NEW< you have no clue what its life was like, so, NO way to say YOUR atv is being worn faster or not from your use alone, its all the yrs or hours or miles of abuse or not, it had before you that also adds into things
ME personally, I think your better off buying a larger mower, MADE to mow things, and then your only running one motor
OR get a small older tractor and a brush hog behind it, or PTO drivin finishing mower
then again your ONLY running one motor and older tractors were made to run slow for hrs at a time!

won't be as smooth riding as the atv , but will outlast it doing what your asking to be done IMO?

 

[misterclean59]

I think the clutch can handle it if new. Just don't allow the centrifugal to slip because that generates alot of heat. I'd be more worried about the engine overheating if it were mine. Make sure you use a full synthetic oil if you mow with this wheeler.

 

[shadetree]

I have to agree with mrbb, more than likely, the damage is done to your clutches. your best bet ?, replace the clutches, put the correct oil in, and I think you will be ok. my biggest concern is ?, is that small atv is not much for work !, its not big enough to handle large jobs as an air cooled atv ?, sooo..this is a shoot from the hip for you bro. at least replace the friction disk on the change clutch, as well as the centrifugal clutch arms, get the right oil in, and I believe you will be fine. JUST DON'T FORGET, THIS IS AN AIR COOLED MOTOR !.

 

[Wsg]

I am plowing gravel with my 420 so I would think you can tow a mower, don't abuse your machine while working it and it should be fine. I plow till I hear my fan kick on then do some light work till the motor cools then back to plowing. As other have stated you need to do a couple oil changes cheap good oil rotella 15w40 diesel motor oil. Readjust the clutch, with each oil change and if it still slips the damage is done time for some discs or at least pull the disks out and mic them and if they are within spec a light sanding might get you the frictionn you need without replacement, but if you are doing the labour new discs are not that expensive.


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[shadetree]

I am plowing gravel with my 420 so I would think you can tow a mower, don't abuse your machine while working it and it should be fine. I plow till I hear my fan kick on then do some light work till the motor cools then back to plowing. As other have stated you need to do a couple oil changes cheap good oil rotella 15w40 diesel motor oil. Readjust the clutch, with each oil change and if it still slips the damage is done time for some discs or at least pull the disks out and mic them and if they are within spec a light sanding might get you the frictionn you need without replacement, but if you are doing the labour new discs are not that expensive.


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your comparing your 420 to a 250 recon..lol. big difference !.

 

[mrbb]

I am plowing gravel with my 420 so I would think you can tow a mower, don't abuse your machine while working it and it should be fine. I plow till I hear my fan kick on then do some light work till the motor cools then back to plowing. As other have stated you need to do a couple oil changes cheap good oil rotella 15w40 diesel motor oil. Readjust the clutch, with each oil change and if it still slips the damage is done time for some discs or at least pull the disks out and mic them and if they are within spec a light sanding might get you the frictionn you need without replacement, but if you are doing the labour new discs are not that expensive.


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and also, I doubt your plowing as often or for as many hrs at a time as he is with his 250!
I plow a ton, and two things, like what he has(I have actually towed an exact mower like he has to be honest, many times at hunting camp, till we gave up on it and got better tools) its a lot different demon than plowing snow, and don';t forget plowing snow is done in the winter time when temps are low, and he is doing this in summer when its HOT out!, big difference right there! LOL

 

[Wsg]

Ya but I would guess the mower has wheels shouldn't be to hard to pull


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[shadetree]

Ya but I would guess the mower has wheels shouldn't be to hard to pull


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wheels or no wheels ?, a recon is air cooled, where is, a 420 is liquid cooled. running the wrong oil in it is not what you want..lol.

 

[Wsg]

Ya I see your point didn't know if it had a light to tell if it was hot, definitely wouldn't want to strain it and burn up motor


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[shadetree]

Ya I see your point didn't know if it had a light to tell if it was hot, definitely wouldn't want to strain it and burn up motor


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they have a oil temp light, but with it being air cooled, wrong oil in it, all he's doing is trashing the clutches, which in turn, makes it even harder for that poor thing to pull the weight .

 

[Manny]

I wouldn't even waste time trying to flush the old oil out, by changing the oil 3 times you could've replaced the friction discs for that price.

cheap caltric discs off ebay have held up great for me.

that mower is not too much wait for the recon, if people saw what orchard workers pulled around here with recons they'd crap themselves.

 

[mrbb]

its NOT the weight of the mower really that';s the problem, its the fact he's pulling it at slow speeds for long periods of time in HOT summer days
air cooled motor rely on air flow to cool
and he's NOT going very fast,. and he is towing too boot, its asking a lot of a small atv/motor
he's already proved it can do it, but its about how long it will last if he keeps doing it.

like I said, there are better tools for the job IMO!

 

[shadetree]

its NOT the weight of the mower really that';s the problem, its the fact he's pulling it at slow speeds for long periods of time in HOT summer days
air cooled motor rely on air flow to cool
and he's NOT going very fast,. and he is towing too boot, its asking a lot of a small atv/motor
he's already proved it can do it, but its about how long it will last if he keeps doing it.

like I said, there are better tools for the job IMO!

some can't grasp the concept...lol.

 

[Manny]

jesus, you guys will literally argue to the very end.

on a lighter note, brmeyer, you better not pull that mower for fear you may heat up the engine, better yet, don't use it all.

get yourself a harness with a hitch built in and pull it yourself......make sure you drink plenty of protein shakes before the mow or you will overheat!

 

[mrbb]

jesus, you guys will literally argue to the very end.

on a lighter note, brmeyer, you better not pull that mower for fear you may heat up the engine, better yet, don't use it all.

get yourself a harness with a hitch built in and pull it yourself......make sure you drink plenty of protein shakes before the mow or you will overheat!

not sure who is arguing, I am not?
all I been doing is giving info
and me and shade just seem to agree, NO argument between us here, so??

and God bless you if you can pull a mower like this with a harness LOL make sure you wear a Go Pro and have someone get a video of you too? HAHA

 

[alloutdoors]

Good afternoon! I have a 03 Recon 250 ES. We primarily use it for utility on the property, including mowing 2+ acres with a 60" Swisher tow-behind mower. Those mowers are usually 300-400 lbs. The property has some small hilly sections, but nothing crazy.

I bought the Recon used last year and honestly know little about the history. After mowing this season, usually every 5-7 days, I've lost most power at higher RPM. It's ok if you keep the RPM low, but the clutch discs feel shot otherwise. Adjusting the clutch screw helped a little, but still slipping pretty bad. Also changed the oil, but with standard SAE 10W-40 (wondering if that's not sufficient for the wet clutch).

So the main question: anyone else using a 250 to regularly mow or tow? Are frequent disc replacements to be expected, or am I safe to assume they were mostly worn out when I bought it and mowing isn't unreasonable (although certainly hard on it)?

Thanks!

Seems this machine is relatively new to you as well as mowing this particular property. Overall, I feel the machine can handle this, but that assumes for me at least the conditions aren't too harsh, i.e., trying to mow very high grass, mowing at high speed, lugging the engine, etc., which are not really described here. I do believe, however, you have the problem potentially solved, i.e., oil and wish you the best on next steps.