# Questions on Broadmoor abilities



## Chris_S (Jun 19, 2014)

Hi,

New on the forum, been reading a lot and most of my questions have been answered. I am planning to go visit a stocking dealer to view the Broadmoor machine this weekend, so I think some of my questions might be answered then. However, I figured in case I could not get a good answer, I'd post my questions here as well:

1) Can the Simplicity mowing deck clear pathways of debris?

My old Ariens tractor was used often as a blower to clear both paved and dirt pathways of things like leaves and pine needles. Basically, just firing up the blades and allowing the side discharge to blow the stuff off the path.

In particular, on several of my dirt paths, there are roots. Not worried about hitting them as I would just lift the deck over it, but is this something that the rollers will not handle?

I usually only need to clear the dirt path twice a year, so this isn't a show stopper at all for me. I just want to know if the use on that type of terrain is going to cause the machine any trouble and I should plan to rake the area by hand instead of using the machine.

2) How do you set a specific cutting height using the electric deck height adjuster? Is there some kind of scale somewhere?

Reason I ask is that I tend to mow several areas at different times due to the way the sun dries the yard (mainly so that I don't have to sit in the open field under the mid-day sun) but I also cut different areas at different heights and it would suck if I went back to finish the 'nice' part and could not get the height adjusted to the same level as earlier.

3) Mulching and bagging. I plan to mulch most of the year as the summer heat does not create a lot of growth. However, early spring and fall leaves supply far too much material for mulching, so I will need to also have a bagger. I can see that the mulch kit has replacement deck pieces as well as blades. I plan on having the Turbo for the bagger. When I switch from mulch to bag, how much of the machine needs to be swapped out? 

4) Backup Safety. If the override were held in the 'override' position (instead of toggling it each time you engage the blades) would it still override? Not trying to defeat it, just looking for a potential means of keeping it in place when using the deck as a blower so that I can activate and deactivate the deck around sensitive plants and not worry about the backup for that operation. Right now I have one hand on the wheel and one on the PTO switch. Operating the override as well as I work around the plants would be tough. 

5) I keep reading about all these transmission problems. The K57 in the Broadmoor I'm looking at is rated at over 200 ft lbs according to the spec sheet which is higher than the K46 is. Does that equal more strength or not? My only real use for a stronger transmission is that I need to haul a cart full of fire wood up a slope. The Ariens I think toasted its transmission doing that, but that was a much lighter weight machine. The slope is roughly 40' long and rises about 8' in that distance. The cart of wood is likely 500-600 lbs. Should I be OK? I figure I run the slope about 3 times each day I'm out cutting wood and I do that maybe 8 days each season. The machine should be pretty cool on each trip as it sits a while as I load the cart up.

6) Is the fairly new B&S Pro with EFM engine a decent power plant? 

Anyone here want to talk up their 2013 or 2014 Simplicity Broadmoor? (^_^)


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## Chris_S (Jun 19, 2014)

OK, now that I have my machine...

1) Yes, the rollers do make clearing dirt paths more difficult. Basically the deck and rollers need to be lifted up and over anything in the path. For me, that's just a couple roots, but if you have a more 'busy' path, this isn't the machine to clear debris from it. The driveway clearing isn't an issue at all. I'm glad on this - if I fail to remove the pine needles before the first snow, I end up with pine needle reinforced snow clogs in my snowblower which are a PIA to clear out.

2) There is a small gauge of sorts down on the deck to the right. A small numbered scale and a piece of metal with a pointer. As you lower the rollers (effectively raising the cutting height) the pointer moves up the scale. I found that a height with the pointer in the middle of the number '3' was equal to the height I liked on my old machine. The scale itself means nothing, it is just a relative set of markings. However, the pointer is far enough from the scale that your head position when looking at it can make a difference in what reading you get. I glued the tip from an orange zip tie under the pointer so that I just move my head forward until the orange is not showing and read the scale from there. Makes setting the deck height pretty consistent. Still, not the greatest means, but better than nothing. I guess the next level machine has an indicator on the dash. Sadly, that level machine has a deck that is too wide to fit between my raised beds. Would be nice to be able to spec any deck with any level machine. (well, within the power of the machine I guess, but no reason a smaller deck can't be used with an upscale machine.)

3) The mulch blades and the regular blades don't look all that much different. The baffles that are replaced on the deck are not difficult to swap. (They can partly be seen in the image below as the black colored extension on the deck held in place by the chrome bolts.) I'm going to just try swapping the baffle near the discharge and see how that works when bagging. If it doesn't seem to be working, I'll swap both. I can not for the life of me see any reason to swap blades. If there is a difference, it is pretty subtle. In fact, the standard blades seem to have more cutting edge than the mulching blades. 

4) The backup safety does work (as I found out after saying "why is the engine stalling?") but if you get used to flipping the switch right after engaging the blades, it's not a big deal, and it is on the same side of the machine. So, you pull the PTO and then flip the switch. Interesting, I taped the switch in the 'activate' position and that worked to effectively disable it if you are mowing around sensitive plants with the side discharge. There are three wires going into the switch, probably a common ground, a lead for the switch and a lead for the little LED that lights up with the safety is off. Doubt it would be too hard to bypass if you needed to.

5) I plan to pull the transmission after this season, drain the fluid and put in the Amsoil Synthetic Tractor Hydraulic/Transmission Oil. That has a significantly higher sheer and heat rating than the standard. The Amsoil also contains additives that are supposed to help preserve the seals. Info can be found here: Amsoil Tractor Hydraulic/Transmission Oil I've been using Amsoil in everything for years and been quite happy with the results. Can't imagine this being any different. In any case, I'll know I've at least given the transmission the best chance at survival I can.

As for longevity, I guess I'm going to have to see how things go after a decade or so I guess. (^_^)

6) The engine sounds good, starts well, has not consumed any oil in the 3 hours I've put on it, and the oil still looks very clean, so I don't think there is any ring blow by issues. Spark plugs also look brand new, so no sign of any odd combustion issues. The service manual calls for an initial oil change at 5 hours. I will be swapping in Amsoil 4-Stroke 10w-30 Small Engine Oil and a larger version of the oil filter made by K&N (model HP-1002) which should fit. If not, I can easily modify the metal engine cover to provide a little more room. The filter is fairly low and is mostly visible below the engine cover as it is. (in the image below, the yellow disk is the factory filter.) The larger filter not only provides more filter area, but a larger surface for cooling too. I like the K&N oil filters as they seem to keep my engines clean and even with extended oil changes in my vehicles, oil analysis results have been exemplary. Expecting only similar success on the tractor.

Interestingly, the engine never seems to be under load. Slopes, engaging the PTO, etc. and hardly any change in the rhythm of the motor. Just keeps on purring away. The exhaust blows in a different direction. Don't know why, but the movement of the plants really caught my attention. Since I am always watching for wildlife while I mow (we have turtles that like to cross our yard for example) any movement catches my eye.

I have absolutely nothing bad to say about the Briggs and Stratton Pro engine at this point. Everything looks easy enough to maintain/repair. I love the extended oil drain tube (no more makeshift oil drain ramps) 


So.... What about the machine? 

All in all, I like this machine. The maneuverability is significantly better than my old Ariens. Much tighter turning circle and the effort needed to turn is a lot less. Where I needed 3 rows of buffer at the edge of my lawn to do 3-point turns, this one can easily do it in a 2 row buffer. (Yes, the deck is a little wider on the new one, but only 4") I also don't feel like I need to correct the steering as I do my rows nearly as much as I did - the machine tracks better it seems. Still getting used to the location of the controls as some are reverse of what I'm used to - the PTO is on the left instead of the right for example - keep turning on the headlights. The transmission is very sensitive, press the pedal a bit more than you want and you lurch. Probably more due to the failing transmission on the old machine than an issue with the new. 

I have a section of the back meadow which has more slope than the 'yard' and I had not cut it once yet this year due to the failing transmission on the old machine. I didn't know what to expect with the mulcher and the high grass. Well, I had to go slow and make several passes over some of the thicker growth, but it did a fantastic job. Now that the grass is cut back, I suspect further trimming of this area will go much faster. Even the meadow came out with a much cleaner and more even cut than I've ever had with the the Ariens. The fact that the deck did not lift and dip with the wheels of the tractor, but rather followed the general contours made a huge difference.

About the only thing that I really do not like is the deck lift/lower lever. There is very little assist and to get the deck up and locked in the up position requires enough effort that I'm actually pivoting in the seat if I don't brace my feet. I would have expected some spring or other assist to reduce the weight of the deck. It is significant enough that my pre-teen son can't lift the lever off the notch to lower the deck. Otherwise, he could operate the machine. Very odd that Simplicity would make this one operation so difficult when everything else is easy.

Only other issue I had was in washing down the machine after mowing. As always, I opened up the engine cover and rinsed off the internals. Something got wet that didn't like it. Machine would not start for about 20 minutes. (grrr what kind of 'tractor' has stuff that can't get wet?)

Love the mesh seat. Very comfortable and provides good air flow I just hope that it holds up as well as the more conventional seats. Seems strange not having to tip the seat forward when getting off to prevent the sun from turning it into a hot plate. Still tip it forward for storage as it allows the cover to slope in all directions.

The fuel level gauge is in a rather odd location. Behind and under the seat. In fact, if you are tall and need the seat all the way back, you'd cover the gauge and would not be able to read it without moving the seat forward. Odd design if you ask me. Fuel opening is HUGE. Can just upend those Eagle cans and pour it in. Oddly, as the tank nears full, the fuel does not distribute well. You have to slow down for the last quart or so and allow the gas to level. No idea what is happening. No bubbles are seen. But you can tell by the gauge that there is still room. Again, very odd.

Love the solid wheels, they clean out easy. The deck is still able to collect grass clippings in the worst locations. I'll probably be either removing or modifying the belt covers to allow an easier clean out. 

Here is a photo my wife took as I was just starting on making a 'checkerboard' design with the roller at the back edge of the property. (I think I need better grass, my stripes don't appear all that obvious) And before anyone says anything - I was stopped for this photo and had removed my cap, glasses, and ear muffs. Even though this machine is a lot quieter than my old one, I still do not operate power tools without eye and ear protection.


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

Glad your happy. As for the safety gear...what was that you said, lady?


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