Ariens Razor 21 Reflex Mower - Three Problems They Need To Fix (2023)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- UPDATE: I called Ariens about these 3 problems and they will be sending out a kit to block the clippings (no cost to me, not even shipping). For the other 2 issues related to the rear wheel lockup and front height adjustment being weak and popping loose, they simply recommended that I take the mower to an authorized shop to diagnose and fix as needed, which I think is fair (they can't diagnose/fix over the phone). SO...I'll wait until the end of the mowing season and take it in because at that time I won't need to use it. The warranty is good until 2027 for me anyway. I'll post an update later on after I take it to the shop and let you know the outcome. If they say they can't or won't fix the rear wheel lockup problem, I'm going to be really irritated, but let's wait and see what happens. I would imagine by this time, they already know there's an issue with the transmission locking the rear wheels sometimes (if trying to pull it backwards) and I would hope there wouldn't be any resistance to fixing that, once it's proven at the shop. This seems more like a problem with the supplier of the transmission, not Ariens (but of course Ariens ends up being responsible to the end user). This is the company that makes the transmission (I called them too, but guess what?...they won't call me back and you can't get anyone on the phone live when you call - you have to leave a message. Ha...I wonder why): generaltransmi...
Original Notes:
These are three problems that should be pretty easy to fix (at least two of them should be easy). The problem with the rear wheels locking up when trying to pull it backwards may be an issue with their vendor that supplies the transmission.
Ariens is using a company called General Transmissions. Here's their website & the transmission that's in this mower: generaltransmi... Either Ariens or General Trans mission needs to address this problem or explain why it's a "feature" that it's supposed to have (it's the world's most horrible feature if it's intentional). It's not the customer's responsibility to be troubleshooting issues with a brand new mower and coming up with workarounds. Other than this, it's a great mower (honestly). It cuts very well, has a strong engine and bags really well (lots of air pressure to force the clippings into the bag).
These simple problems give this mower a bad name though, in my opinion. They really need to fix this on future models and for those that already purchased one with the existing design, at the very least, an "I'm sorry" would certainly be appreciated ;-) Better yet, ship out some stronger height adjustment levers to me and some kind of adapter to keep the grass from blowing all over my mower (through that large gap).
FYI: One of these problems has been resolved (the clippings on top of the deck issue): • One of Three Problems ...
I just purchased the newly released dual blade. Looks like they have addressed some of the problems. I put a quick short vid up and will be putting a more detail video up Tom. We have snow so cannot cut with it but ill play around on my garage pad and see if things lock up. Cheers.
I see you do snow removal too. I use a BR600 Magnum backpack blower on my driveway if it's only an inch or two deep (a bit more if it's very fluffy cold/dry snow) and that works great. It gets right down to bare pavement and doesn't leave anything behind like a snow thrower or shovel. It all depends on the type of snow and how much you get though as far as whether it makes sense to use the backpack blower or not.
Nice...I use the same blower!@@ThePhotographyHobbyist
I have the same problem. I contacted Ariens Customer Service. They had me take the mower to the retailer where I purchased it in May of 24. Ariens sent an anti lockup bracket, and that pretty much solved the rear wheel issue. I am glad it did not have to become a paper weight.
FYI, Lowes had the stop sale in 2023, now in 2024 Menards is selling them, likely the old stock. Avoid. Ultra shallow treads on the wheels as shown. Terrible.
My front wheel height adjustment level not only popped off, it snapped off and is now permanently laying on the ground.. didn't even last a year.
@@JonathanFaifer yikes. I believe it has a pretty long warranty, so I’d definitely have them fix it for free.
I remember when Ariens made a quality product.
Just wanted to update, bought one at Mernards (well the dual blade) and all 3 of your issues have been corrected on the new models. The rubber flap (not foam, it's definitely plyable rubber) is pre-installed, the level mechanism now "snaps" in on the front (however I'n curious how long this will last on plastic) rear is unchanged, and there is no issue going forward, or backwards (wheels dont lock up)
That’s good to hear. I love how it cuts, but it’s just a shame the early models had issues.
I bought mine at Blain's 2 weeks ago and they didn't fix the issue on mine.
Bought one at menards the 61109 model right under the dual blade version. The wheels still lock and need the mower pushed forward without the propel on to disengage them to then reverse.
Wasn't fixed on mine either from Menards
The reason I came on here was to see if anyone else was having these problems. You nailed all 3 with this video.
Someone else here commented that he works at Lowes and there is (or was) a 'stop sale' on these recently, so if you ask me, that means Ariens knows about these issues (the important ones) and is trying to get a handle on it before they get anymore customer complaints. I haven't officially complained/called them yet, but I think I will. I'd like to hear mostly about the rear wheels locking up. I've NEVER experienced that with any other self-propelled walk-behind mower.
@@ThePhotographyHobbyist I contacted Ariens. Not a huge help at all. As far as the grass spitting out from the rear of the bag. They have a fix for that they will send you. (You pay the shipping) As far as it's locking up. They will ask for your zip code and have you send it to a local Ariens repair person. Good luck with getting it back before the end of summer. I'm still demanding my money back! I will update.
I came to this site to get some answers about my Razor, and it's crazy locking front wheels and oil soaked air filter, and now I'm finding out there might be more. I call the Razor my Tank because it is indeed a heavy lawnmower and will run over just about anything. I have another lawnmower that is a Craftsman with the same engine, and I use it way more than my Razor.
I wish I would of seen this before I bought mine. Absolutely the worst mower I have ever owned. I have all the same issues! The rear wheel issue is a deal breaker for me. I'm old and up until now I really enjoyed mowing. Now after using it twice I want to take a sledge hammer to it. I will not use it again, I get so f'n mad.
I hear ya. The rear wheels issue is the only thing I truly care about. If I knew it was going to bother me this much, I would have returned it while I had the chance. If you haven’t had yours long, I’d see if they’ll take it back.
Like many lawnmower makers, they do not want hire people for “quality” research! Owners are free to do that for you!😂
Just got 2 week old with same problems as you having!!! Told to make it go forward and then it should work!!! Well for 570 dollars I do not believe this is a good fix!!!
I am only speculating but I assume they know the real fix for the issue of the transmission locking the wheels sometimes when trying to pull it backwards is too expensive to fix and they don’t want to lose all that money. I think the third party transmission manufacturer is to blame for the wheel lock issue.
On my Razor, model #911605, it's not the rear wheels that lock up, but it's the front wheels, and they only lock up when I'm pulling it backward. I thought maybe it was a safety feature for when mowing steep inclines, but nope, it does it all the time. Whether I'm on a hill or flat ground, it doesn't matter. 🤷
Watched another TH-camr about this mower. Not happy with ariens . Ened up going back to Troy built commercial
Im 60 years old, bought this mower to make my mowing easier....so I thought. I have to lift the rear of the mower to pull it backwards. Junkiest mower, I've ever had without a doubt. Can't return it. $550 down the tubes.
@@GAJJ1964 it’s definitely frustrating. That design is a bad idea. I assume it was done for safety reason, but it’s dumb and hinders most normal people mowing.
The rear wheel lock is a safety feature so you dont run over your feet/toes. The transmission thinks you've lost control and slipped with sudden jerk forward. It's annoying, but you get used to working with it.
Its been that way on several self propelled mowers I've used. You woukdnt belive how many people mow in flip flops.
No real excuse for the flimsy adjusters on an expensive mower.
Well it's a stupid design and I can't use it. Bought mine 2 weeks ago and mowed twice. Both times I get so pissed off and wore out. I'm old and can't drag a mower all day. Some one will get lucky because I'm setting out at the curb. It's useless to me.
That's funny about that front wheel adjustment. I have a 24 year old Ariens (That I still use) and I had to do the same thing, years ago! I used mechanics wire. It's been working for probably 22 years that way. Too funny, I'd like to hear from anyone else about having to do that with any other model, or is it endemic of Ariens front wheel assembly.
The orange frame on my old Ariens mower rusted over 24 years of neglect, and the rust gave out yesterday and the engine fell through it. I don't remember having any issue with it until this day -- and I never did any special care. I also have an Ariens snow blower of the same vintage, which gets serviced every 2 years (don't want to risk a breakdown when it comes to snow). They used to make quality products, but now the new one I bought doesn't look like it will make it beyond the warranty period.
After you pull the handl back, try "then" rolling forward a bit in order to fully dusengage forward drive transmission, before then rolling backwards . . . don't know if that'll help. but I remember having seen that on another video somewhere. Worth a shot.
@@stevenkmckendallsr1169 what you mentioned does work, but the problem is I have a lot of hills, so that means I have to try to push the mower uphill a few inches after I’m done going up and want to come down before it will come back without having the rear wheels locked up.
Following up with my Razor........ I am used to the wonky transmission. Still cuts well. Otherwise, it's just a mower. Nothing fancy or standout. Thought I would be a big step up from my old Lawn Boy.......nope. It's a decent mower for sure, and, I guess that's what you get for $549 or 579. Wasn't long ago that a mower like this was $300.
I may take mine to the shop after the mowing season is over. Warranty. I want to see what they will do, if anything, about the rear wheels locking up. That’s the only thing that really bothers me now, the more I use it.
Another follow up……started mowing this year and now my mulch plug is popping loose randomly when mowing. Came loose like 5 or 6 times yesterday. No reason at all. What next?
I purchased this mower. At the time of purchase they told me about the wheel lock and said it was a safety feature and to realse the drive lever and let it roll forward a bit and then it will go backward. It is kind of a pain but you get use to it. I guess its to make you aware so you dont roll over your feet or so it doesnt roll back on a hill. I have not had the height adjustment issue.
That’s true, you can release it by pushing it forward a few inches and then it will roll backwards freely. But this is a problem for people that use it on hills often like I do because it’s very difficult to coordinate pushing it forward a few inches every time you stop when you are on a hill and want to go back down. It’s cumbersome and slows you down. Depending on how much grass you have, it also causes damage to the yard when it’s being dragged backwards with all the weight on the rear wheels coming down.
Ariens has gone way down hill since the 90s unfortunately many other brands have as well my 1996 model ariens with the 6 horse Tecumseh has mowed thousands of acres in its 28 seasons never had a problem with it
They would do themselves a huge favor if they'd take a hard look at this model and make a few simple, common sense tweaks. The base of the mower is very good. Cuts great. Deck is great. I like the wheels (see sturdy/thick). Engine has plenty of power. Bags well (even when REALLY wet. They need to (maybe they already have) fix the issues I mentioned but also give an option to buy some kind of insert to discharge grass to the side (I called them and they say there's no discharge option like I mentioned...so it just clumps up the grass right behind the mower if you try to rear discharge (makes a mess), so the only realistic way to use the mower is mulching or bagging. Discharging is a no go, due to the big mess it makes.
After 2 weeks, i.e. 2 mowing jobs on my lawn, the left rear wheel was making bad noises. I took it back to the big box store, but was refused a return because "gas" had been in it. They insisted I needed to take it to a dealer for warranty work. Now, a week later I am told it needs a new rear wheel drive transmission! Beware!
If they replace the trans, let me know if it still locks up the rear wheels when pulling it backwards (in certain conditions).
Anyone have a fix for the rear wheels locking up? My dad bought one and menards wont take it back. And the 2 places close by for warranty want nothing to do with this mower and the one guy said he told this company to take his name off the list because he want nothing to do with these.
Got mine 3 weeks ago. also at Menards. Had a very noisy left rear wheel, when not in drive. They insisted I take it to the dealer who honors the 2 year warranty. Called them today, after a week and was told it needed a new rear wheel transmission. Covered under warranty, but not really a trust builder!
Toro also has this problem with the rear wheels locking up.
That's one of the things I mentioned. The wheels often lock when trying to pull it backwards after you were just going forward. You can 'release' them by giving the mower a push to move it forward a few inches and then you can pull it back without the wheels locked, BUT I have hills, so I'd have to push it uphill (not drive it up) and then the wheels are unlocked. That's not very practical. Some say it's a safety feature. I say it's a nuisance.
I had Toro personal pace mowers. They do this too. Probably the exact same system.
The wheel adjustment is a bigger annoyance. I have a Husqvarna that does this with the right front wheel.
The brand name means nothing. They all are built on the cheap.
Thanks for the info. I didn't have too much of an issue with the rear wheels locking up, but luckily I'm on all flat ground, but the front wheel adjustment failed miserably this year. Ariens customer service has been pretty helpful so far though, I'm out in the boonies over three hours from a service center, and they're getting some parts out to me. Bungee cord it is till they get here, appreciate the video bud!
I baught this mower and I am having a lot of problems as well. Only one of my front wheels turn. This mower is bad and the customer service is horrible
got this same mower,it makes a loud grinding noise when I push the mower,even when the engine is off.seems like its coming from the rear of the mower,any ideas?
I assume that’s the ratcheting sound and if that’s the case, that part is normal. The rear wheels on mine do the same when it’s not running and you push it forward. Sort of like the same sound, but louder, that you hear for example when you push a 10 speed bicycle forward without the pedals moving. Ratcheting sound.
@@ThePhotographyHobbyist thanks!
Took mine to a dealer who now reports it needs a new rear wheel drive transmission. I used it twice to mow a 1/4 ac. lawn. Not building confidence in Ariens, at this point.
I have to think, a system like this, has a tension adjuster to eliminate exactly this issue
Its not dissimilar to a bicycle shifter adjustment?
I have a Troy-Bilt rwd self propelled, does the same thing. I've learned that I have to release the drive and let it roll forward a few inches before I can pull it backwards. My mower has a lever for engaging the drive, so its pretty easy, but your sliding handle thing would make this difficult. I think its inherent to the design of the drive system, there are one-way clutches in the wheels that won't disengage unless it can roll forward slightly.
Yep. You can indeed roll it forward just a bit to then pull it backwards without it locking up, but it’s a pain ok my hills. I sold my old Troy-Bilt (it was probably 15 years old?) and that one was front wheel drive, so all I had to do was lift the front to do turns and it the front wheels dragged a bit backwards you didn’t even notice it.
If you read the manual if the rear wheels get stuck you disengage drive then push forward on the ridgid bar just a bit to disengage and then it rolls back out of gear in neutral. Explains it in the directions.
Explained or not, it’s a horrible ‘design’ for people that have lots of hills/slopes to mow. It’s a ‘safety’ feature I don’t need/want, because try pushing it uphill on a steeper slope (driving it forward leaves you in the same scenario, wheels locked) and even better when the grass is wet. It’s hard to do/wears you out and makes it very frustrating and likely even more dangerous as you fight it to get the wheels unlocked…or you give up and let the rear wheels drag down your already thinly covered slope, tearing even more grass off. Not fun. I’m an adult and able bodied. I can use a regular walk behind mower that doesn’t have this ‘feature’ safely and have for years. If someone is too feeble to handle a mower on a slope, losing control of their walk behind mower probably isn’t their biggest concern. They shouldn’t be using it anyway if that’s the case. Making someone fight the mower to make it do what you want isn’t the safest idea. It’s a bad idea in my opinion and it’s probably one of the reasons Lowe’s yanked this mower from their stores. Too many customer complaints.
How is rear discharge
Pretty bad. There’s no attachment to direct it anywhere, so it just sort of falls into a pile on the left side of the now as you’re behind it. It’s not well dispersed. I never use it for discharging because of that.
It’s amazing how few reviews there are for this mower yet cost as much almost of a Honda hrn $100 difference. I’ve thought of buying it but I’m not sure as reviews are few in thick grass
It does really well in thick wet grass in my experience. Cuts well and the engine has plenty of power.
don't buy one. I'm returning mine.
I saw this today after I brought this home. Hope they have fixed all this in the interim -- but I have already noticed another problem with the handle. When you unfold the handle to put it in the operating position, two spring backed pins on either side are supposed to engage to keep in place. One of the pins barely touches the hole it is supposed to go into. My previous lawn mower was the same brand, and it served me well for approximately 24 years. But it is very clear Ariens is also falling victim to the modern trend of quality nosedive. Whether it is Boeing or Ariens, it is the same issue. If I am the quality guy inspecting what I just bought, it won't be shipped.
For that issue with the pin that snaps into a hole in the handle, I’d use a screwdriver to move the pin around a little to make sure it’s not simply a bit crooked and therefore not poking out far enough. I think it’s sort of spring loaded but not necessarily a spring behind it, you know. Like a springy metal piece stuffed inside the tube with the pin that should pop out of the hole. Wiggle it around a little and it may get seated in better and pop out like it should.
@@ThePhotographyHobbyist Thank you very much for the quick response. Also I want to mention that I found your video the most useful on the topic, and yours is the one people will benefit from if they watch.
@@cliffmathew Thanks. My videos aren't fancy, but I try to show something people might really be interested in or need to know.
@@ThePhotographyHobbyist You are doing a great job! Keep it up 🙂
What size bungee us that 24 orv36n
24 inch
How much oil do you put in the razor mower
The owner’s manual for the engine says 15 ounces, so I would keep it simple and go with 1/2 qt. That’s close enough.
Reasons to pass on these.
I heard they fixed the problems. I’m not sure if that includes the wheels locking up often when you need to pull it backwards though. That’s the only one I truly care about. It’s very annoying due to the hills and uneven ground I have (I change direction often).
I bought one of these about 6 weeks ago. Mine does all of the same things. I've gotten in the habit of releasing the propulsion "bar" just before I come to a stop or reverse direction so that the wheels release and allow me to roll backwards. It's a terrible design, but the Toros are exactly the same (I think the Toro and Ariens are the same mower with different paint, engine shroud, etc.)
Luckily, my height adjustment hasn't popped loose while mowing, but I am sure it will happen at some point. I don't regularly bag with my mower, so the air leak won't be too much of an issue. It seems that the new Ariens mowers are much cheaper than the previous models. The Briggs engine seems to be cheaply made, too.
My Razor cuts very well and it's likely better than most other mowers at the big box stores, but I wonder if I should have went with a Cub Cadet with a Kohler engine..........
I can work around these issues but I think it's not fair for someone buying these new going forward. These things should be fixed. It's especially a problem for someone less mechanically inclined that just wants to start it and cut grass...not try to come up with workarounds. That being said, it does cut and bag very well and I'm very happy with that part.
Agree. The self propelled mechanism/transmission is just wonky. Bad design. No excuse for flimsy metal on the height adjustment, either. A little strip of rubber or some kind of seal would take care of the grass clippings “leak” too.
Had I known about the wonky “personal pace” self propelled mechanism (I am used to it now) and the flimsy height adjustment beforehand, I would have bought a different mower. Oh well!
do you have the rear drive one? I prefer front drive but would like to avoid issues
@@IndestructibleTurtle Rear drive. One model down from the top of the line.
@@IndestructibleTurtle the one I have is rear wheel drive.
Thanks for the heads up
Someone else commented recently that they bought a newer version not long ago and it seems like some of the problems have been fixed in the new model, so you might want to check them out if you find out and are interested.
I just bought the 163cc and the self propel is very weak and won't move through the yard. My old lawn boy pulls through the yard without me pushing it at all. I will be returning my ariens tomorrow
i work at lowe's and there is a stop sale on this mower..i bought one last minute because my craftsman went caput....ariens didnt say why the stop sale...after watching this i know why...
Interesting. Hopefully they will fix this for anybody else that buys one new (this, the stop sale). I’m hoping they provide a solution for the rest of us that already bought one, regarding the problem with the wheels locking up when you try to go backwards.
See description for more details / info. --> UPDATE: I finally called Ariens about these 3 problems and they will be sending out a kit to block the clippings (no cost to me, not even shipping). For the other 2 issues related to the rear wheel lockup and front height adjustment being weak and popping loose, they simply recommended that I take the mower to an authorized shop to diagnose and fix as needed, which I think is fair (they can't diagnose/fix over the phone). SO...I'll wait until the end of the mowing season and take it in because at that time I won't need to use it. The warranty is good until 2027 for me anyway. I'll post an update later on after I take it to the shop and let you know the outcome. If they say they can't or won't fix the rear wheel lockup problem, I'm going to be really irritated, but let's wait and see what happens. I would imagine by this time, they already know there's an issue with the transmission locking the rear wheels sometimes (if trying to pull it backwards) and I would hope there wouldn't be any resistance to fixing that, once it's proven at the shop. This seems more like a problem with the supplier of the transmission, not Ariens (but of course Ariens ends up being responsible to the end user). This is the company that makes the transmission (I called them too, but guess what?...they won't call me back and you can't get anyone on the phone live when you call - you have to leave a message. Ha...I wonder why): generaltransmissions.com/en/product_category/gas-residential/
FYI: One of these problems has been resolved: th-cam.com/video/R89ETzKwKZc/w-d-xo.html
Drive issue: They claim that adjusting the cable fixes the lockup. We're a dealer, I'm the mechanic, and it didn't work. I think it's an internal problem with the transmission. Front axle: I've replaced 3 front axles so far because of a broken adjuster tang. Ariens has new axles, claiming that the original ones were made from a sub-par material. They look exactly the same, visually. We'll see if they are any better. I wish they would've just re-released the original that they discontinued years ago. That was an awesomely solid unit!
Here's the video on cable adjustment: th-cam.com/users/shortstsF-5vcBNLI
Knowing the engagement for the trans is simply pulling a cable that makes a pulley tighten the belt, I already checked underneath the mower and confirmed it’s not a matter of the tension on the cable being too tight from the factory, which would keep the belt engaged. Looking at how it was designed and the small plastic channel this passes through, I thought it might be an issue with something getting snagged, so I even clipped out a small piece of plastic towards the end of the cable where the cable comes through closer to the transmission and confirmed there’s no way for that to get snagged after that and the problem still happens. I think it’s an internal problem like you mentioned, something with the transmission
Also, there was one other person that commented here and said he works at Lowe’s and there was a stop sale on these. I’m sure Ariens knows about this and are getting lots of complaints about it. It’s a shame because I love how it cuts and I love how it bags. The issue with the wheels locking up is the biggest problem I have because I have a lot of slopes and it gets pretty annoying when I’m trying to go backwards because it gets locked up much more often when you’re dealing with slopes.
@ThePhotographyHobbyist the "workaround" that I've found is pull the handle all the way back to disengage the transmission, grab the metal handle and push the mower forward a bit then the wheels will unlock and you should be able to pull it back. It is a shame. They still make some of the best snow blowers.
@@Earthscum If you start watching around 5:34 and pay attention to my hands, you can see I pulled back pretty hard several times during the times the wheels get locked up. I did try this off-camera at different times also, and no matter how much I pull back on the drive handle to make sure it's not engaged (even using one hand on the metal bar and one on the plastic drive bar as you mentioned), it still won't unlock. It's like this thing has a factory rear locker. I'm sure the 4x4 rock crawling community appreciates a rear locker in their trucks, but I'm not so thrilled with a rear locker in my mower, UNLESS it will disengage when I need to pull it backwards :-)
@@ThePhotographyHobbyist lol, yeah. Mowers aren't supposed to have lockers, for sure. When it's locked, try pushing it forward, it should disengage the dogs inside the transmission. I was doing this in the shop on flat ground. Does it do it only going uphill, downhill, or just any time? If I get some free time in the shop, or nest time I get one in with the issue, I'm going to tear into the transmission or drive gears to see if I can figure out the cause. I suspect rough edge that catch the dogs and won't let them release. They are external in most mowers, little spring cogs inside the drive gear. When they get mucked up with hard grease or dirt they do the same thing, but they are locked all the time.
Wow Ariens should be called Karen's 🤣 Lol... But sorry that your having those problems and thanks for this video because I was thinking about buying this lawnmower.
;-) I'm not sure where they sell them now. I see Lowes stopped carrying them. Probably due to customer returns/complaints. I assume.
@@ThePhotographyHobbyist thanks I'm thinking about that 201cc yardmax... What do you think about them
@@BIGGBULLxxx I did a quick search, and from what I can tell, that is a Chinese brand that started operating in the US a little while ago, so if it was me, I would stay away from it and stick with a name you know like Toro or Cub Cadet.