DR Mower Review

I purchased this brushmower new from DR in October 2003 to help clear a hilly, thick brush-filled 8 acres. This is the commercial model with a 17 HP Kawasaki V-Twin engine.

I started out slowly. Because it has so much power and makes such a horrendously violent racket as it cuts through the big stuff, it took a little while to get used to it. However, after the first few hours of use, I was barreling through 2 1/2 inch trees just like the brochure said I could!

Over the past few years, I've cut through a lot of brush, small trees and other stuff (including a Yellow Jacket nest, which I'd rather not talk about) and the DR Mower has performed better than expected.

Observations: There are only a couple of minor issues I've had with this machine. The choke cable regularly slips from the holding bracket on the Kawasaki engine. This has caused me to have to try to stick my fingers under the air cleaner assembly to manually adjust the choke at the engine many times. The holding bracket often loosens from operating vibration. I suppose some kind of lock-tite type goop might help.

The operator presence control is a bit tough on your hands when running the machine for hours at a time.

The DR Mower is also not sized most comfortably for taller users. In other words, if you're 6'2" like me, you can't stand upright when pushing down on the machine. This is not a big deal when you can let the DR Mower rest on the ground, but when cutting through thick brush and small trees, you have to constantly raise and lower the DR and it can be a real workout on your back. I suppose it would be equally tough on your arms and shoulders if you're on the shorter side.

Any issues I've brought up are minor. This machine is very durable and hard working. It has cleared just about everything I've thrown at it. It is very loud when doing its business, so make sure you have ear protection. I use one of those hard hat / face screen / ear cups combos that works perfectly with the DR Mower. As this is a very powerful machine, it can throw debris from the front of the machine. I've seen sticks and tree bits thrown up to 40 feet, so make sure you have some eye protection too - and keep others a safe distance away and in view at all times when using the DR Mower.

Accessories: The DR Mower is really a multi-purpose machine. There are now quite a few accessories available, such as a lawn deck, Snowblower, snow blade and even a generator. I have only the snow thrower attachment, so will comment just on that one. The snow clower is a single-stage attachment that, when coupled with the 17HP Commercial DR Mower, has a lot of power for cutting through deep snow. We live in the hills of New England and get a LOT of snow. The DR Mower with Snow Thrower attachment does the trick. The only complaint I have with the snow blower attachment is the handle mechanism for turning the chute. The clamp that connects the handle to the DR cuts into the paint as it has to be tightened quite a bit to stay in place. It would have made more sense to have a connection point for the handle either pre-welded onto the frame or able to attach to a more secure point.

Changing attachments on the DR Mower is easy. There is simply a belt to attach and a single attatchment point that is held by a pin. No tools are required.

Tire Chains: I use my DR Mower in a rugged environment. Hills, rocks, muddy areas, etc. Tire chains have come in very handy in most situations - not just snow. For most normal conditions, the standard knobby tires are suffcient.

Verdict: If you need a powerful, reliable machine to clear thick brush and small trees from your property quickly and easily, the DR Mower is for you. At about $2,600 for the Commercial Model, it's not cheap, but it is a high-quality product that will impress you with it's power and versatility. I would never have been able to clear as much of my property without it. The speed and efficiency of the DR Mower is really amazing and I would certainly recommend it to my friends.

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