So my wife usually cuts the grass, I had to cut it today and noticed the motor moved on pull start. Cut the yard then took a look. No rust but 2 bolts had busted through the housing. Took it to the lawnmower guy, they are gong to look if it repairable. Craftsman mower with a Honda 5.5 engine. A safety issue for sure, and I asked is this unusual? He said believe it or not I have 2 more waiting for repair of the same thing. They don’t make em like they used to. I am not sure how catastrophic the results would be, but I sure would not want to be around the mower if the last bolt and a half decided to go!
I was just about to go out and cut the grass between rain drops. I suspect it would just make a lot of noise when the blade started hitting the deck then maybe stall and wreck the engine. If not though stand back until the gas runs out. Reminds me of when my router fell out of the housing and danced around on the garage floor until I could get the thing unplugged. Gotta be quick on your feet.
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So there I was in high school, if dad could not fix it with the red screwdriver, the only tool my mom allowed him call a repairman. Going through my grandfathers stuff was a saw blade that attached to an electric drill perfectly. I needed to saw a piece of wood, put it in the old shiny aluminum I think drill, and started cutting. It was only by the grace of god when that thing kicked back I was not hurt. Then in shop class some guys partial finger in formaldehyde hung over the shop door, teacher exposed a darker side, the kid had lost the finger in a joiner, 3 weeks later someone asked how it happened, he showed them with the other hand then lost the little finger on that hand also!
I have another problem with my mower, but thanks to your post I will take Craftsman from my shopping list.
My issue is: small wood chips make holes in my mower deck… it is rusted to the point of paper-thin after 13+ years in service 
Honda 5.5 is indestructible. If not rusted deck, that thing would go another 10 years for sure.
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Yes I think the thing is only 10 years old, starts up first time, run fuel out to winterize, occasional oil change, engine is a champ, deck is not.
You have to remember Craftsman/Sears does not make anything. They are all made by others with different paint jobs and numbers but the same thing. If anyone wants my sturdy Toro that I bought 30 years ago for $500, you can have it. Cast deck but I screwed the carb up. Otherwise a great machine that I have no use for.
I assume you are not asking $500
My understanding is that cast mower decks are no longer made because the deck may shatter if the blade stirs up a rock and throws it against the housing. I have used mowers with cast decks since 1955 and never had that problem. I have had stamped steel decks rust out.
I have three mowers and only one is running. The one that runs is an 18" Toro that I bought in 1988. After we moved a couple of years later to a place with a larger yard, I bought a 20" Homelite-Jacobsen mower in 1992. Both mowers have a cast aluminium deck. The Homelite-Jacobsen is a mulching only mower with a shorter blade perpendicular to the longer blade. I used the Homelite-Jacobsen almost exclusively since it mulched so well and used the Toro for backup. About fifteen years ago, I replaced the short block on the Homelite-Jacobsen. It started burning oil a couple of years ago. I bought a couple more years of service by switching from straight weight 30 heavy detergent to full synthetic 10W-30. It reduced oil consumption by 75% until last fall where I could again fog for mosquitoes while I mowed. Since parts, including the blades, are no longer available for the Homelite-Jacobsen, it isn’t worth buying another short block.
I also bought a Black and Decker 20" battery powered mower several years ago from a friend. It has a tough vinyl plastic deck. I had to replace the batteries after one season at a cost of $65. The new batteries lasted only two seasons. I again put new batteries in at the beginning of last season. I mowed for five minutes and the mower stopped. Apparently, there is a problem in the controller board. I can bypass the board and the motor will run. Unfortunately, many parts are no longer available for this mower.
I am using my old Toro and getting in the mowing between rains. The grass is growing so fast that I have to double cut so I don’t leave a hay field.
I like the idea of a battery powered mower. I realize that the lithium ion batteries on the new mowers are better than the sealed lead acid batteries on my old Black and Decker. I am debating whether to buy a new lithium ion battery mower or get an organic mower–a goat.
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If you get the organic mower aka goat you get the fringe benifit of free fertilser.
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@Renegade. I am doing the calculations to determine whether gasoline, batteries, or feeding the goat off season is the cheapest way to go.
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You do have a point about the off season feeding I forgot you are in indiana & do have a much longer winter than I have in ga.
@Renegade. Usually, here in East Central Indiana we have to start mowing about the end of March. This year, we were three weeks into April before we had to break out the mowers. With all the rain, I still haven’t been able to put in my vegetable garden. Only about 10% of the crops are in. The farmers are really in a bind.
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Yes farmers are scrambling. not a farmer but heading up to the cabins, lake water iw 40 degrees I hear as I was looking into some snorkeling. 5 mm wetsuit in the works!