RC Lawn Mower | Buying, Unboxing & Testing

We have bought a remote control lawn mover. Not your average lawn mower but one that looks like a mini tank and would not be out of place on "Robot Wars". We go through the buying of the unit as well as picking it up from the warehouse. We unbox it and test it out on our sloping land.
Ian & Julie are building their biggest project of their lives - a Passive House Container Home which will be totally off grid, alongside their tiny homestead allowing them to live as close to self sufficient as possible in the heart of the French Pyrenees.
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#mower #lawnmower #gardenmachine #grassmower #grasscutter #robotmower #clawermower #lawnmowerrobot
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[@hongshi8251]

Very nice little remote mower. Thanks for sharing

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Thank you - we love it 👍🏻

[@andrewjones-productions]

I'm 7 months late to the party, but I have say I think you made an excellent purchase with this mower. When you opened the battery compartment, you can tell it was made with care as all of the cables were tidy and it was very clean inside. It looks a genuinely solid machine and a good solution for the task you have bought it for. Very impressive.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

We used it yesterday pushing the limit on the slope (50º with a helping hand) and it is working great. Julie runs it now while I am on the tractor. 👍🏻

[@hibye2519]

How much u paid it for it?

[@justinturdeau2383]

​@@HomesteadingUncontained any thoughts now compared to when you first bought it? Is it fast enough or painfully slow? What is the quality of the actual cut? Thinking about getting one of these for a large farm yard.

[@1nvisible1]

*You're missing out on a million views a short of Freya & Friend vs the Moon Buggy @**12:00** would bring!*

[@JaredJanhsen]

The manufacturer did an excellent job with this mower. The electrical systems are very well designed and assembled. The Kohler engine is a good choice. The only improvement would be electric start for the engine. It's very nice that the ground-drive can still operate even if the engine isn't running. Much safer to load/unload and also refuel the engine since it can drive back to the operator. This is better built than most $5000 riders you can get in the US.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

I am happy with the build. It does tend to bend the cutters when Julie finds all the rocks but it is easy to rectify.

[@wrxs1781]

I could play with this mower for days.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Julie now loves it and uses it all the time.

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

The main problem I see, is you need a lawn chair and beverage upgrade 🙂 I am VERY impressed with the power and stability, and for ~$1000, a great deal!

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

🤣🤣🤣 you read my mind …. I told Ian all I need is a sun lounger & nice cold bottle of Rosie and I’m sorted Julie x

[@beachinrc101]

@@HomesteadingUncontained I’m thinking wow he’s lucky you seem easy to please & for a second I was lil bit jealous but then again my wife is pretty easy going to she’s like the one in a million she puts up with me and I’m a pain in the butt we are going on 20yrs 😂 lol kids are all grown up,one grandson & working on buying property so great info want to build a log home eventually 👍

[@KayoMichiels]

And add a FPV camera with a screen or even a headset!

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

@@KayoMichiels With a headset; great idea!

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

@@KayoMichiels you just made me chuckle 🤭 see you love you little woman too 💗💗 it’s great seeing the kids doing their own home nesting & build projects ….. little mini me’s you Dads did a good job xxxx Julie

[@fleaniswerkhardt4647]

We had a similar problem and ended up buying a couple of goats. It's a viable option if your place is fenced.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

When we move on site permanently we plan to have Alpacas and this summer I will be fencing the whole boundary... it is just one thing at a time at the moment 😀

[@jonleiend1381]

@@HomesteadingUncontained Years ago I had a part of my property that was really over grown and needed cleaned up. Everyone said to get goats. I got a couple goats. they took more time taking care of them than I would have spent with trimmers cleaning up the area by hand. :-)

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

@@jonleiend1381 that is funny, plus the fencing required 😂

[@theoztreecrasher2647]

@@jonleiend1381 Yep. When you're finished with the line trimmer you just clean it up and lock it in the shed then go for your holidays. If you've got animals there are no such things as days off!

[@ensteffo]

@@jonleiend1381 Yes a goat can only eat so much. I have seen someone renting a flock of goats to clean up an overgrown yard and filmed it in time laps. Think its on ytube in fast forward film somewhere.

[@lukebrown6913]

Bloody hell...that's a great price considering robot mowers cost about the same....Great video guys.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

I have looked at the little ones in the shops and the prices are crazy.

[@neilpinner5750]

Hello from cornwall. Having worked with similar machines to help with grip on slopes we add ballast in the form of 25ltr water tanks that fit into brackets on the machine! Easy to add and remove as needed hope this helps ,keep smiling.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

I did think about ballast - When it goes up a steep slope I put pressure on the forward end. With ballast this could keep it in traction and stop any idea of flipping backwards (I use the blade on the rear as an outrigger).

[@alantaylor353]

Sweet rig.! They look like 4 RC car ESCs that you'd use in something like a 1/8th scale buggy or truck. They'll be nice & cheap to replace if needed.! Also, the transmitter & reciever.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It is all simple RC components. So anything can replace them.

[@edsmachine93]

Very nice mowing machine. Looks like a quality machine. Thanks for sharing.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

No problem. It works really well 👍

[@jaypeerobot3745]

So nice. If you run out of gas, you can still drive it back to refuel, if it's too far to walk with a jerrycan.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Yes, I have done it....... although got Julie to walk back for the Jerry can first though (it charges as it runs)

[@sixtyfiveford]

Looks like a blast to use.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It is great and works for us on the slopes.

[@ivanstefancic8938]

Be careful with the steep angles because the oil might not be getting to where it needs to. A friend of mine has a steep back yard and the lawnmower shop recommended a 2 stroke because of that same reason. Great videos mate, keep it up 👍

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Yes, a few people have mentioned this. We try and go up and down and not sideways now.

[@AviewFromUnder]

It is a splash lube engine, there is no oil pump. That said there is a max angle. It can tip in some directions better then others.

[@jeffcard3623]

The kawasaki fj180v KAI has a pressurized lubrication system. I have these on my fleet of commercial mowers. Not cheap though.

[@AviewFromUnder]

@@jeffcard3623 I stand corrected, interesting as I did not know of any pressure lubed utility engines this small. Thanks!

[@dodgeme1986truck]

​​@@AviewFromUnderit is pressure lubed however Kohler engines shouldn't be side hilled as they tend to uncover the oil pump pickup starving the engine of oil Kohler engines have been notorious for this for years... As they refuse to put the oil pickup in a better spot

[@JonsDailyHustle]

Gotta love the saftey and convince of an rc mower

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It does take the worry out of cutting the slopes.

[@IraQNid]

In the USA the "go cart" style of mowers are called riding mowers/tractors. They're pretty common on larger properties that don't have a bunch of steep hills. You can deck those out with nicer chairs, anti-roll & anti-flip safeties, side and rear bags to catch trimmings, cup holders for your beer, radios, plow attachment in the front, and of course they have headlights for mowing the lawn at night...while getting tipsy.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

We get those too but not as luxurious 😞 but the go kart ones are very low to the ground. Motor is on the rear and looks like a proper race car. But cheapest I have seen is €6k or more.

[@non1503]

Yeah people use to make their old snappers radio controlled for cheap.

[@ciupercaaugustin]

Wonderful property ,nive projects ,amazing

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Thank you 🙏

[@christianpaul5075]

You made my day with this video - this is exactly what I need ;-) And my Dogs will love it too!

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

hahaha, yes, they seem to bark at that more than the ride along. It is a great piece of kit.

[@off-gridhillbillystyle3735]

Did you get one yet?

[@christianpaul5075]

@@off-gridhillbillystyle3735 mhh, my wife had some - lets call it "concerns"🤣

[@GundamExia88]

Wow, I need one to mow the hills in my backyard. this will come in handy.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Not too big - it is not very fast. But for small areas of slopes it is great.

[@HenryLoenwind]

I really like the hybrid drive. It makes so much sense.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Yes, I was worried about then it ran out of fuel and then realised....it is an electric drive 🤪

[@ysesq]

@@HomesteadingUncontained stick a bosch dc alternator and let the engine charge the battery while it runs

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

@@ysesq It does have an alternator and does exactly that. I never charge the batteries on the machine…. Works great.

[@Skylancer727]

I mean it does mean the motor will be less powerful for cutting grass, but considering it already needs the electronics for the transmitter and receiver, it makes sense. It more means it doesn't need a fancy transmission system.

[@AuthenTech]

that first shot makes it looks like a tiny RC car

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

I wish it was as fast as a little car

[@GmailDaniel]

So interesting :) I didn't know they made so big remote control mower.👏😁

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It is a great "heavy" machine that just takes down the brush. Really pleased with it.

[@off-gridhillbillystyle3735]

@@HomesteadingUncontained how can I get a discount?

[@52Ford]

​@@off-gridhillbillystyle3735 By getting in touch with the company and making a deal? Things are a little different in China - offer less than they're asking, they'll probably respond...

[@perstaffanlundgren]

There are bigger slope cutters out there than this machine, one person got killed by a big one weighting in at 300 400 kilos , it was operated in a to steep slope and flipped over ,unfortunately he got the machine falling over himself.

[@brettwebb6789]

@@perstaffanlundgren Why would anyone stand next to a remote controlled mower? Isn't that the benefit of these things? You can stand a safe distance (and not directly down slope!) of them?

[@BIGSTANK1983]

And again you guys have convinced me. I'm sold I'm gonna to get one

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

haha - it is a great little machine and again saves us the worry of tipping the tractor over

[@beachinrc101]

Love how interested the steers were very healthy looking animals can’t believe how they can make $$ selling equipment that cheap but they are geniuses at production and cutting costs lol great vids enjoyed watching

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

I feel like they are thinking....give me that grass. In fact they stretched under the fence and licked up the cut grass. 🤣

[@SMGJohn]

You be surprised how cheap things are to manufacture, but companies are putting a lot of margins on those stuff to make as much profit, they usually have advertisements, shipping, warranty and so on and so forth to uphold, so it ends up cutting into those margins, whereas this Chinese thing I doubt it has any good warranty on it, they usually just sell it out the door and let the rest care for its shipping etc, there not much advertisement involved, and cost cutting as you said, using cheaper parts, basically its good enough.

[@JerzyLasica]

They sell it at a real price, not inflated one. take for example chinese mini escavator (5K $) and US Towable Backhoe by Harbor Freight (3.5K $) which by the way is made from parts made in china.

[@JerzyLasica]

@@SMGJohn I think that fair price is a good advertisment.

[@SMGJohn]

@@JerzyLasica Businesses will always need to make money, prices are doomed to increase in free market Capitalism, thats just how the economy worked, a tractor might have been 2000 dollars in 1924 and while people also made less money, the price for a tractor today is a bit more like 20 000 dollars for a "good" one and while we do earn more today then we did back then, the price increase has simply outpaced the wage increase.

[@uss888999]

Your views on this Robot, will also go thgrough the roof Such an obedient Mistress! I am getting this Alien too! 👽

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Great little machine

[@likeaglove12able]

That little mower really got in there and knocked it all down. Pretty impressive.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It is doing a lot better than we expected. did the whole 1 acre in 2 hours today and it was pretty high in places.

[@dodgeme1986truck]

@@HomesteadingUncontained just an fyi Kohler engines do not like being run sideways across slopes even if it takes longer always go forward backward on slopes with those engines as they tend to oil starve when side-sloping and will fail prematurely... Just a tip from someone who lives in the state where they make those engines

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

@@dodgeme1986truck thanks for the tip. 👍

[@letsdothis9063]

​@@dodgeme1986truck thanks. We have a zero turn with a Kohler and very steep slopes (scary steep). That's definitely a good thing to keep in mind. I had no idea. No problems yet. With your advice, we can maybe keep it that way. Thanks again!

[@hellohello8556]

That was a good but at that price. Very impressive. 👍

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It is working well for us

[@Junkboy888]

Great little machine. Looks like fun. I do recommend wearing safety glasses while using it simplicity because you will all ways be looking at it while it cuts.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

I am looking at a full face mask as when those stones are propelled out the rear it can be a little sketchy 😵‍💫

[@theoztreecrasher2647]

@@HomesteadingUncontained The stones and grit will quite honestly be the least of your worries. Some of the native plants (and also the types of verminous flora that the ladies like to pollute their environment with) contain toxins that can do serious damage to your eyes. Take it from someone with experience. A full face guard might look wimpy but it's preferable to wonky eye(s)!

[@RRED2]

Just watched, excellent mower and loved the video. Thank you, All the very best. 😊😊😊

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

So nice of you, thank you 😊

[@captnsquid8151]

That is a very cool unit. I would check and see what angle is max for that unit to run on. A sharp over angle may starve the engine of lube oil. We know engines do not like that, and then give you a very big BIG Seize. Food for though.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

I try and go up and down and not sideways but I will look into it for sure with Kohler.

[@renalshomlmes338]

@@HomesteadingUncontained kohler typically have an oil pump so that should not really be much of an issue.

[@joelnickerson6739]

That is some awesome little machine. It can go where I wouldn't try to drive my 1025r John Deere tractor. Cost alot less than my tractor too. Have fun and back to work, lol

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Exactly my issue, I tried my Kubota on the slopes but nearly tipped so this works wonders while I just stand and watch.

[@wvincus5522]

Compared to a: golf membership, or a vacation abroad, or a good camera, or Apple products, it cost peanuts. It’s all about priorities, folks.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Totally, anything to save my wife's back when bush hogging. 🤣

[@wvincus5522]

Correct, you got your priorities right! Cheers!

[@daszieher]

I always think that 2.5 grand is a lot of money, this could probably be done (at a profit) for a good bit less, if a proper importer brought it to the market. But then again, when you see what people are willing to dish out on phones on a regular basis. 2.500 is a proper price.

[@Unknown_Ooh]

I'd rather go on a vacation abroad than this. You are mad.

[@flynick]

What about a strimmer?

[@dandan6944]

Little buggy is doing a great job 👍

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Cheers Dan, it works really well. 👍🏻

[@campkohler9131]

*There's* your remote lawn mower at 06:03 . Self-guiding, self-fueling, self everything!

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

We wish - too early for animals at the moment - once we have fenced in the property and live there full time we are planning on a small menagerie of beasts. 🤣

[@fiokgoogle8779]

Végre egy hasznos RC járgány , ami játék de nem jaték . Nagyon szuper 😁👍🏻

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Definitely not a toy 🤪

[@duncanblanchard334]

Looks great fun 😁, could you not of borrowed some sheep😂, they come with free fertiliser 😊.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

There used to be sheep and goats on it but the guy had them taken away from him so we have to revert to mechanical. Plus it saves on fencing.

[@bowjjj3]

@@HomesteadingUncontained We have lots of these sort of areas down under. Many of our problem weeds can't be eaten by stock (cows, sheep, goats) or they eat everything you don't want them to eat... then head into neighbours. Many areas need more than a sheep brain to control/mow. Would love one of these for some of our 23 acres. 4 creeks with some shear drops too.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

@@bowjjj3 Yes, that is the other issue, I like the grass and hate the weeds but so do the goats and sheep so I would be back at square one plus I would need fences. I do want livestock in the future but for other purposes 😉

[@rjung_ch]

The cows are very interested in the new mower.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It did not bother them at all as it creeped past them. Suppose they are used to big machinery bringing them food and water.

[@TreeChangeFarmer]

I like it Ian! Certainly looks the goods so long as the reliability is there (keep checking those nuts and bolts). Imagine if you could program it with GPS coordinates of the property boundary and just let it do its thing?

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

I have trained Julie on the controls now so she is a less complicated GPS unit.

[@rjung_ch]

@@HomesteadingUncontained 😁😂

[@1979thorhansen]

@@HomesteadingUncontained What is the range on the remote?

[@repaid1]

@@1979thorhansen As no one has answered thus far. It is a R/C aircraft remote..It's range is farther than you can see it to mow at minimum. Some of my R/C remotes go to about 6 miles.

[@HenryLoenwind]

@@repaid1 This, BTW, also answers the automation question. One needed to get an RC remote with digital input and a control computer with GPS. Then it'd be either trivial (experienced programmer) or impossible (layperson) to automate. Although, hardwiring the computer into the control circuitry in the machine should also be possible, and---as the GPS unit needs to be placed there anyway---probably the saner way to do it.

[@markweintraut]

Thanks for the review, great to see somthing in action before making a purchase. I think I would atack that hill blade first (blade up hilll) then back down still blade up. If that didnt work, I personaly wouldnt hesitate to try hanging 10 or 20 pounds of aditional small tractor weights on the blade. Any kind of iron really, sometimes the slightest change in weight distrobution can make a huge difference. Chears form Indiana

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

I us the blade on the rear as an out rigger as the tracks slope on the rear, so going backwards up hill seems safer.

[@brettwebb6789]

These mowers are pretty back heavy. If you try to drive forward up a hill you're going to flip over. Ask me how I know... 😀They're able to tackle much, much larger slopes in reverse, especially if you have a dozer blade installed. In fact, the engine is likely going to stall out or the treads will finally lose traction long before it flips if you're driving in reverse.

[@Badhands55]

Very cool machine- looks like you could spread material also with it

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It is not great at pushing soil about - I have not tried it in the snow but I use it to stabilise the machine on steep slopes

[@tonywong3388]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Cheers Tony - it works great.

[@unclejohn5012]

Looks awesome and definitely not your usual solution but definitely a smart one! Do want to say, might want to get into touch with a local RC Hobby group. Make sure a fail safe is set on the RX on the machine in the event of a signal loss.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

I did a test yesterday, turning off the RC while it was in full motion - it just stops dead and doesn't know wha to do. It works great, better than I expected.

[@unclejohn5012]

@@HomesteadingUncontained Wow, that's actually a small detail that's a good sign! As for all the RC side it's all off the shelf RC components so should be easy to fix/maintain in the future by yourself or others!

[@tp8150]

It seems to be well made and funny to use. Let's face it: I don't think I'm the only one who sees that as a usefull tool and an exciting toy

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It was fun to begin with but now we just use it to get the grass cut which is not at all fun....hence me leaving it to Julie to do now 🤣

[@nativefish]

I have always wondered if these were for real. I have a very steep ditch that is impossible to mow without the handheld weedeater. Would like to try one of these for that ditch. They are now $2000 US before shipping and such.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Try a little negotiation - there are a lot of suppliers so they may want the business.

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

@@HomesteadingUncontained Especially now, with manufacturing severely depressed in China. They might even include a container for cheap.

[@paullambert2668]

If you have a tractor, you could consider a hydraulic offset flail. More money, but would mow a lot faster, and have a lot of other uses.

[@poolmotorrepairguyFL]

That's way too cool. I want one or two

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It has proved very useful so far 👍🏻

[@beyondmiddleagedman7240]

Lesson 1 for using ramps. Strap them to the vehicle so they don't slip off from torque reaction.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Yes good idea. I did peg the bottoms.

[@sunshinecatcher8779]

Boys and their toys love it

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

haha, but this is Julie's toy now...she can even steer it 🤪

[@MrJollyRoger]

Hello, I'm new to the channel, just subscribed. A great video and demonstration. I used to be in vegetation clearance, and have used things like this. They are good. With the bits it can't do, I'd recommend a petrol strimmer (upgrade to a decent harness, Stihl or Husqvarna) with an Oregon Mulching Brushcutter Blade 2 Tooth, (red, downward pointing tips). They are pretty cheap too. I'm not sponsored by them, I just found them to be the best blade for this kind of work. With practice, a masher blade can get through growth like this in no time. PPE is absolutely essential though, and the dogs and other animals would need to be kept far away as stones can be launched over 10 metres. Have a great one you two.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Yes, I need a decent cutting mask and protection, other than the rocks (which can fly out the back of the RC mower just like you said) the bloody stinging nettles fly up and down your shirt - first time I have been stung on the eye ball. Just looked up the blades and will get one on order..... cheers 👍🏻

[@MrJollyRoger]

@Homesteading Uncontained Hello fella. Mesh is the best for face protection, doesn't steam up and offers great protection. Perspex gets scratched up quickly and becomes brittle. With the stinging nettles, we mostly wore polo shirts, but I used to wear a tight fitting base layer, mainly to keep cool, but this might be a good option to keep the buggers out. You're welcome to email me if you want any tips or advice on ppe or equipment, I'd be happy to help and my emails on my about me bit.

[@rpeek]

Love the Dachshunds!

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

If only they munched the grass....

[@rod444rod]

Our local county bought one. Used it a few months and now its for sale. Not sure what the issue was, but I think it was slower than they would have liked.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

ah, yes, they are not the fastest. It is a slow walk behind but for the places we need it for we do not need speed but I can understand a local council not wanting their workers to be hanging around. We are using it all the time at the moment and really pushing the limits of the slopes......

[@tomsheng8591]

Great video. I love it and going to buy one! Thanks

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Thank you - mention me if you go to the same company as I did. 👍🏻

[@williamakers1101]

As an American, it is always wild to hear about how much you guys have to pay in taxes and fees. I think it is well worth $1200, but at $2500, there are a lot more mower options to consider here in the states.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It is a basic 20% sales tax here - but a zero turn is around €6K here (basic model) so this was a lot cheaper. a ride on mower is around €2500 for a cheap brand.

[@matts.1042]

I have a treacherous front lawn and my ankles roll. Own a Kubota BX and and AWD Cub Cadet walking mower. Trust me, the $$$ was worth it and there were no U.S. options for anything under 2.5-3.5x the cost. Except one that is just same thing imported from China and labeled by a Texas co. Which was about 1.75x the cost.

[@JasonEngman]

I have ordered multiple pieces of equipment from the same supplier previously, and am based in the US. The taxes are more from china imports. You have tax, china import tax, port duty, storage, etc. Buying a 7k piece of equipment can easily cost 15k to import. Plus you have to go through the headache of the epa forms and everything.

[@vincetugg25]

This is so cool I totally need one

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It is very useful for the banks

[@ivyking4149]

Alternate options would be to; -Hire day laborer with a shovel to flatten the bump. -plant trees on the steep sides. -keep goats -ask a nearby goat farmer to let his goats graze on the plot. I like toys, or useful machines but this seems a bit cumbersome; Get the rc in the car, get it out, mow the steep sides, get the (dirty) rc back in the car, and then do it again next week.

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

Homesteading Uncontained 1 day ago I wish I could have but not my cows and there is no fencing around ours... it was used for goats before we moved onto site but there was an actual Shepard guarding them with his dogs. We will have animals munching it down once we get the fence up for sure.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

👍🏻

[@livingworldbg9476]

You did a nice job on the mower

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Thank you 👍🏻

[@starphlo1233]

Thanks for this video. I've been paying people to cut my hillsides and didn't want to pay 5 grand for an electric zero turn. I'm too old to go rolling down a hill. Think I'll order this.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

That was my thought, the zero turns may have worked but the cost is ridiculous.

[@Dave-ei7kk]

Zero turn mowers are NOT a good solution for hilly terrain. The best solution for that is the front mower style which has the traction wheels and main steering wheel(s) behind the deck. Very low center of gravity and much more stable steering on a steep side hill than the zero turn style that steers by differential power to the traction wheels. I understand they are common in Europe but zero turn mowers have taken over in the US. I have a residential John Deere F525 front mower that’s 15 years old. I’d like to replace it with a new one (preferably battery electric) but JD only makes larger diesel powered commercial front lowers now.

[@JasonEngman]

I have an electric zero turn and it slides around like crazy on any hills, even with tractor tires on it. Also it runs out of batteries in like 1/2 an acre, even faster if the grass is tall. Not to mention its broken again (as usual) thinking of selling it when I get it fixed.

[@fortyninehike]

It’s a neat little toy. I wouldn’t want to clear a field with it, but looks fun none the less

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It is slow - we only use it on the slopes while I cut the rest with the tractor - Julie loves messing around with it.

[@davidholmes9643]

Thanks Julie and Ian for your reply. We have really enjoyed your videos we think you work so well and are so funny. We have watched all 19 episodes of the videos, but cannot find the next regarding building the structure any help? I thought the robot and the digger where amazing for the price. we are looking at the possibility of buying in the Limosen region. regards David and Catherine

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

The next episode is out today and the structure is starting in the next week or so. The groundworks have take much longer than we expected for sure.

[@davelonh2391]

Yes, it work ! My neighbor has one.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It is a good machine for the slopes.

[@percy6464]

Loved it!

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Cheers - still going strong.

[@TheDistur]

Looks like fun.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Julie is loving it and now thinks she will be good at video games too. 🤣

[@tanioraaura1274]

my grunty weed wacker with the right blade will cruise through that growth. However,I'd be keen on owning one of those machines, too .

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

We tried with the trimmer and blade (have to use it still on the high banks) but it does take a while and is messy..... this cuts neat.

[@tanioraaura1274]

It looked amazing . Thank you for sharing .

[@badgimp4577]

Thats a really good price! That's less than the cost of a quality riding lawn mower here in the states!

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

That was what I thought too. The ride on feels a little unstable though on the steeper slops.

[@shivrajdeopa1571]

Awesome work😅

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Thank you so much 😀

[@MostlyPosative-nj5ex]

Ventrac makes attachments that could mow that easily. Obviously those are more expensive but they certainly are worth the investment. Especially with all the attachment options they have.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Ventral is a different league though - I did look at it but it would be half the budget of my whole house build 🤣

[@simonmiddleton4977]

Nice to see a new video, glad to see you both happy and healthy 👍😃

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Cheers Simon - videos will become a bit more frequent now we can concentrate on the build and the homestead.

[@jpulley]

When I get older, I'll get one of these to shovel the snow out of my driveway from inside the house.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

I didn't get to use it in the snow - we didn't have much. It has a good push power but the tracks do spin a little - maybe needs studs for snow work

[@infrontcompany]

your dog is cute😆

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

haha - the cuteness factor 🌭

[@jimdoolan2277]

Hello from new Zealand was looking at a one ton Digger so watching some of your video and really enjoying them Cheers 👍🏻

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Thank you so much Jim...really appreciate it 👍🏻

[@solarsynapse]

2 kewl. I have made 3 RC mowers. The last one is a full size ZTR I modified.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Cheers 👍🏻

[@shadwell749]

That is a good looking machine. I may need one for a property we bought with a steep slope

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It works well. Not fast but better than cutting by hand.

[@threeriversforge1997]

Easier than a scythe, but a whole lot more expensive! You should still get a good scythe, though. Once you learn how to use and maintain the scythe, it'll make short work of those tough patches. And you'll be upholding a very old tradition that's part of the European culture and heritage. They're every bit as fast as using a string trimmer, and a whole lot easier. I recommend the Austrian Pattern handle for folks just starting out, with a "ditch blade".

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

When we arrived in Franc EI did by a scythe but wow, that was tough work (maybe not got the right action) Julie does the slopes with this while I get the rest down with the tractor......

[@mattalford3932]

Definitely need one of those

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Always 🤣

[@reweydewy]

Time is money a slope mower long term may pay off. Must be a lot more fun with a RC though

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

They are just too expensive for us at the moment. Once we get on site permanently I will probably revert to one and ditch the tractor too.

[@reweydewy]

@@HomesteadingUncontained thanks for sharing. Cool machine

[@kevinbushey1879]

Very impressive

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Cheers Kevin 👍🏻

[@daniellclary]

I found it funny when your wife said it was bigger than she was expecting. To me it looks about the size of any mower, and really you would not want it smaller than that. Smaller mower means more passes you need to make, and less wight you have to push through vegetation. I have seen some mowers that go on tractors, and are for curving hills. They are a long arm that has some articulations to conform to the hill. They are often used to clear out grass around the highways. I have no idea if those things can be sold to the general public, or how expensive they are.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It looks big with the tracks (and bulky). But it is a standard 50cm mower inside. The attachment for the tractor would have set me back €5k or more and is still no good on the lower slopes (10m reach).

[@rpeek]

Nice video

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Cheers

[@Friedfroglegs]

Thank VOUS very much for an excellent video. It’s heart-warming and quaint. If you two travel to La Nouvelle Orlean chez Aus Etat-Unie, please reach out. Vous are always welcome chez-moi. I have small Funny Farm and I’m getting too old to cut grass six times monthly. You two really did a nice job and I appreciate your effort. BTW, I’m so happy the crate fit in your cool work van. 😅

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Merci Beaucoup - Thank you so much for your comment. I have been to New Orleans once a long time ago and loved it. Exactly how you say - I don't want to struggle with a hand mower on the slopes when I can just use this machine to do it for me. 👍🏻

[@arcadianchaos4967]

Great video, very informative, but it may be worth checking the door to door price as I have just had quoted a bigger machine (23HP) and the shipping price door to door including all taxes came in at 714 USD and that is to NE Dordogne. So worthwhile shopping around and asking for the delivery to your door price, if nothing else it saves you the journey costs and fuel.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

I would go for to door next time - a guy up the road bought one and it worked out cheaper for sure. It is a learning curve specially after the digger import 👍🏻

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

Ian, I see that a viewer commented that the Kohler was a fulll lube system.. Did you find the knock sound was a partially sheared flywheel key... that is designed to shear completely and stop the motor when the blades hit a rock.... but in your case must have only partially sheared... and because the flywheel has the magnets for the timing in it... the shearing action alters the timing... which can make the engine hard to start and to "knock" as the spark is ignited early/late.... Always use the soft aluminium keys...it's chjeaper than a bent or broken crankshafet as the heavy bar and cutters rotating at speed had an awful amount of inertia....that when it hits the immoveable object....snap!

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

We looked for one for my grandson and kept saying the real thing is cheaper....

[@blakespower]

cute little toy

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It is a workhorse for sure 😀

[@eddale5557]

Lol the dog's love this hahaha! Do remove snow too as it have a snow plow in front? :)

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

not really, I had it included just in case though - I use it as an outrigger on steep banks, a little more insurance in case it topples backwards 🤪

[@leahandstugillanders5556]

Enjoyed thiis thanks, Another way maybe is to get a portable electric fence system and make the stock eat the grass. thats what we do down here in NZ

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

We will have animals when we move permanently but for now we have to do it ourselves - trying to get neighbours cows on there, but means buying more fencing.

[@JohnnyTheCache]

its adorable 😍😄 must have one

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It is working well for us.

[@juancbarahona7544]

I love to see the blades

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It is just a standard dual rotary blade like a normal lawnmower (it is a standard Kohl mower built into the remote control chassis.)

[@general5104]

I like the fact you dont have to wade into snake and muddy and poison plants, and poisonous bugs, to mow your bad spots. Just pull up a folding chair and plop down and play with a joy-$tick. OR, breed it with one of those floor-vacuum robots that runs patterns and cleans your floor. Then when battery gets low, it parks itself on the charger. It's an idea. And since your country doesn't have many of those, make SURE to put a GPS tracker in it and lock it up. Now that you've advertised you have one, thieves will be crawling all over themselves, trying to figure out how to PUT legs on it so it will FOLLOW THEM HOME !!! THANKS FOR YOUR VIDEO !!! I subbed. Bill, from Tn. 🇺🇸

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

haha, I know, I was bought up in Australia where every part of the garden was a kill zone. 🤣

[@xiasonic]

so cute!

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

💙

[@tomsmith4907]

A neat looking bit of kit ....I could think of a few things I could mount on top of that would surely get me in trouble with the law LOL......... I had a steep hill outside the motel I managed and maintained for 20 years I found a pushmower called a flymo at a yardsale popular in america in the 70's - 80's... it has no wheels and hovers they made them gas and plugin electric .i tied a rope on it and would stand at the top and pull it up and down and you could swing it back and forth a little...but this was a steep enough hill that gravity helped you along so I dono if it would work for your hills.........my first one was electric but like a fool i sold it when the motel was bought out and torn down... I recently picked up a gas powered model 2 tinker with.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Haha. We had the same but it was too weak for the bigger weeds. On nice grass it would work.

[@jangosselaar6708]

Love your tekkels i have two aswel

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Little barkers....but we love them ♥️

[@calo_of_yahuah]

I love it ! I found it online for $21,000 usd 😮

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

The big brand units out there (pro models) are expensive but this is pretty cheap compared to a standard ride on mower.

[@fmphotooffice5513]

Do they hire living goats to clear land where you are? The machine looks impressive. I bet the engine upgrade made all the difference. With a sub-5hp rngine I bet it would bog down over all the clippings. Great purchase, especially for hazardous hills.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It used to have goats on it but the guy had them taken off him (he did not look after them). We will have livestock when we move permanently to site

[@mrhaltstop2294]

Even the cows are interested by this new toy

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

I tried to make them more animated but they just looked at me 😵‍💫

[@teofilol2666]

They're like somebody is eating up my dinner.

[@muhabdullahb1060]

very helpful with work

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

We are really pleased with it - It is just about to come out again now spring is coming.

[@michaeldonovan6076]

Having thought about your issue on banking I couldn't help notice the rubber tracks,,had a great idea that just popped into my head that might help you climb those banks without slip, yeap you know where I'm going with this? You could stud the pretruding track grips that would give more grip,,spikey Studs should do the job you'll need a stud gun.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

I did buy a stud gun or screwy thing for some tires on my little rally cr. They were rubbish and I had to pull them all out. But it is a good idea. I saw another mower similar that had its own winch on the front for some very steep slopes.

[@michaeldonovan6076]

Thanks Ian and wife enjoy, enjoy, enjoy,,.it's a must have. 💯💞🇮🇪

[@pauliuspeldzius1869]

Have created my own from a standard loan mower. total cost was about 600 euro. Easy enough to do with just a little bit of tinkering around. Fair enough, it's not with tracks but same affect. 2,5k is costly, that's a Stihl ride-on machine...

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

If I had the time I would have given it ago.....but where do you live to get a ride on Stilh for that price.... they are nearly 7K here..... a cheap ride on is 2.5K but is no good on the slopes.

[@kariszibele]

Gratulálok, jó munkát a géppel. 👌👍A múlt évben 2021-ben én is egy hasonlót vásároltam, szeptemberben Shandongból rendeltem meg és november elején érkezett Magyarországra . A költségek is hasonlók voltak. De nagyon jó, bevált a gép, vidáman lehet vele a munkát végezni. A gyári adat szerint, 680 méteren belül van a rádiójelek működése. Az olyan messze van, már nem is látható a masina. Persze azóta a szállítási költségek jelentősen drágultak Kínából, szerencsém volt, jókor vásáróltam a gépet.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Thanks Karoly - I am very pleased with it and yes your are right, you would lose sight of the machine before the Radio Control lost connection. Thank you for commenting. 👍🏻

[@asdfdfggfd]

Thats neat, I might buy a yard to just to have a reason to get one of these.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

haha, it is just for the slopes but it does get a lot of stares.

[@MrMrdazzab]

Very helpful thx!

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

No problem, thanks for watching.

[@raymondfournier4104]

Hah! It has tank treads! To cool

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Robot wars next 👍🏻

[@Self.reliant]

You still want to go straight up and down the hill don't mow sideways on the hill. I get a lot of mowers in the shop from mowing ditches sideways. The reason is lack of oiling that can happen. But that is a sweet little mower.

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

Yes, I told Julie off for that....

[@larrysowada9905]

Boys with their toys that's cool i need something like that I've got several 30 and 45 degree hills and a snow plow WOW my driveway is 4 tenths of a mile long and i hate snowblowing it, just think you could be doing something else while the wife cuts the grass with your new toy lol and not a bad price, thanks

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

It is proving itself already, cutting through everything. We normally only have snow a few weeks of the year down in the valley but I can't wait to try it out.