Extra Duty Snapper entails what?

[Bountyhunter]

I was looking at the Snapper website for the RER's and noticed a listing for "extra duty" models.

Does anyone know what you get in these "extra duty" models besides a bigger engine and is it worth the extra cost?

Also, have any of you tried using the plow blade that can be mounted on the RER and did that work for light snow?

I will be looking for a used unit soon and I want an idea of what to look for.

My self-propelled walk behind mowers are Snappers and I just installed a new 6.5 hp Briggs Quantum engine on the newest (20+ years old) of the two I own. I picked all three (One saw duty as a parts unit.) of them up as junkers and got them running about 15 years ago. I just wanted a new engine on that one and at $159.99 from Harbor Freight I couldn't pass it up. It's nice to walk behind a new engine that doesn't put out burnt oil from the exhaust. The old 3.5 hp burned a little oil when it ran which didn't cause a need to refill between yearly changes, but it still smelled.

I did have a little fun mounting the new engine because I wanted it to face forward instead of to the left like the old engine. Required drilling new holes in the deck. Can't use the original throttle cable with the engine facing forward like that, but it doesn't matter.

Bountyhunter

[mark777]

I don't have the answer but I have an older Snapper RER and on the front it says extra tough?? LOL ... Could they be any tougher than they already are?

Mark

[dirtybernie]

i wondered that myself. the RER'S come with several different motors (at least the older ones) maybe there is more to it.

[jodyand]

Do you have a link? When i go to there site i don't see anything about it. I know at my Dealer he has a few different models from the single blade to the two blades RERs.

[Bountyhunter]

I will try to post the link to the "full" specs below.

If it doesn't come thru, all you have to do is press the request for "full" specs that is just above the box of "quick" specs.

They have 3 "extra duty ones listed.




Model 281123BV 281223BVE 281123HVE 2813523BVE 331623BVE 331323HVE 331523KVE
Power
Engine Make
B&S B&S Honda B&S B&S Honda Kohler
Horsepower@rpm
11@3400 12@3400 11@3400 13.5@3400 16@3500 13@3500 15@3500
Model
OHV OHV AVS OHV OHV AVS OHV AVS OHV OHV
Cylinders
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Starting
Recoil Electric / Recoil backup Electric / Recoil backup Electric / Recoil backup Electric / Recoil backup Electric / Recoil backup Electric / Recoil backup
Fuel Capacity (qt) 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
Transmission
Type
5-Speed Disc Drive 5-Speed Disc Drive 5-Speed Disc Drive Extra-Duty 5-Speed Disc Drive 5-Speed Disc Drive 5-Speed Disc Drive Extra-Duty 5-Speed Disc Drive Extra-Duty
Speed–Fwd. (mph)
1.0-4.6 1.0-4.6 1.0-4.6 1.0-4.6 1.0-4.6 1.0-4.6 1.0-4.6
Speed-Rev. (mph) 0-1.9 0-1.9 0-1.9 0-1.9 0-1.9 0-1.9 0-1.9
Chassis
Frame
Solid-Steel Pivoting Solid-Steel Pivoting Solid-Steel Pivoting Solid-Steel Pivoting Solid-Steel Pivoting Solid-Steel Pivoting Solid-Steel Pivoting
Tires–Front (4-ply)
11x4.00-4 11x4.00-4 11x4.00-4 11x4.00-4 11x4.00-4 11x4.00-4 11x4.00-4
Tires–Rear (4-ply)
16x6.50-8 16x6.50-8 16x6.50-8 16x6.50-8 16x6.50-8 16x6.50-8 16x6.50-8
Turning Radius (in)
28 28 28 28 28 28 28
Steering
Quick Response 1:1 Quick Response 1:1 Quick Response 1:1 Quick Response 1:1 Quick Response 1:1 Quick Response 1:1 Quick Response 1:1
Attachment Lift Manual Manual Manual Manual Manual Manual Manual
Dimensions
Length (in)
64 64 64 64 65 65 65
Width (in)
32 32 32 32 38 38 38
Height1 (in)
39 39 39 39 39 39 39
Wheel Base (in)
46 46 46 46 46 46 46
Weight2 (lbs) 300 314 332 332 365 382 382
Mower
Cutting Width (in)
28 28 28 28 33 33 33
Width w/Deflector (in)
32 32 32 32 38 38 38
Cutting Height (in)
1.5-4.0 1.5-4.0 1.5-4.0 1.5-4.0 1.5-4.0 1.5-4.0 1.5-4.25
Blades One One One One One One One
Accessories
Dealer Line Oil
X X X X* X X X
Ninja® Mulching Kit
X X X X X X X
Thatcherizer®
X X X X X X X
Single-Bag Collector
X X X X X X X
Twin-Bag Collector
X X X X X X X
Clam-Shell Collector
X X X X X X X
Bag-N-Wagon (30 bu)
X X X X X X X
36" Dozer Blade
X X X X X X X
10 cu ft Dump Cart X X X X X X X
List Price

$1,199.99 $1,599.99 $2,199.99 $1,799.99 $2,299.99 $2,599.99 $2,499.99
*Included with mower.
1To Top of steering wheel or seat.
2Approximate weight with mower.

[Bountyhunter]

How about it guys?

Someone must know what the "extra duty" Snapper RER mowers have and are capable of.

I know I can call a local dealer here in Milwaukee, WI and get the technical details, but I am hoping someone has had personal experience and can tell me if the "extra duty" features are worth it.

The other end of the coin is that since I will be looking to buy a used unit, I would like to learn what to look for to pick up more value for the dollar.

Bountyhunter

[jodyand]

OK from what i can tell there are only these two model that are heavy duty and these are them 421823BVE , 422023BVE They are the 42" models and it seems to be in the disk drive is more heavy duty then the others not just the motors.

[Bountyhunter]

Jody:

They don't make an RER (Rear Engine Rider) in a 42".

The first jump up to an "extra duty" unit is $1,000.00 more than the base model RER. I don't think an extra thick driven wheel on their tranny would cost that much more or that Snapper would be foolish enough to try and gouge people like that.

Bountyhunter

[kyfarmer]

Bounty, after looking through the IPL and service manual for my RER, I found differences in the transmission and tie rods, surely there are more for $1000 though. The "standard" model has 4 planetary gears in the trans and the tie rods are just bent 90 degrees on the end. The "extra tough" model has 8 planetary gears and the tie rods have spherical rod ends. You can look up the manuals at www.snapper.com. There is a "publications" button near the upper right side of the screen.

[jodyand]

Jody:

They don't make an RER (Rear Engine Rider) in a 42".




The heck they don't i have seen them at my dealer they are huge. Here is a picture of the page at the snapper site on RERs. They dont make a high vac in 42" just a 33".

[Bountyhunter]

Jody:

Sorry about that :hide: , you are correct.

I was looking only at the residential Hi-Vac models which lists 28" & 33" decks and did not even realize anything bigger was available.



Kyfarmer:

I am looking at the 5-speed disk drive residential RER's. I can't afford the commercial stuff.

Bountyhunter

[jimpell]

Bountyhunter, I was a Snapper dealer for 7 years. The Xtough RER is worth the difference. Off the top of my head here are some of the differences. The engine will be classified as commercial or extra duty. Should have bearings on both side of the crankshaft. Steel sleeve in the cylinder. This engine will have a better air filtering system. The "extra tough" model has 8 planetary gears and the tie rods have spherical rod ends. The rear axle will have ball bearings instead of sleeve bearings. The center pivot point will have nylon bushings. That is all that I can think of right now. It has been 12 years since I was in the business so I might have forgot some of the features. I am looking for a 3012X to restore. Seems as most of them are still in service. Hope that this helps. Jim Pell You can email me at jimpell@oldlawnmowersandstuff.com

[Bountyhunter]

Jimpell:

Are you saying the residential RER's have planetary gears?

I never looked at the tranny of one and always believed they were belt driven discs that turned a rubber drive wheel like Snapper's walk-behind self-propelled lawnmowers.

Bountyhunter

[Bountyhunter]

Well, I finally called a dealer and found the answer to my question.

It turns out the only difference between a Hi-Vac Residential RER Mdl. 281123BV and a Mdl. 281123HVE "Extra Duty" is the engine.

The former has a Briggs engine, and the latter has a Honda engine.

The Briggs equipped RER has a MSRP of $1,199.00 and the Honda equipped RER has a MSRP of $2,199.00.

For a $1,000.00 difference, you could bank the money and probably have enough for another Briggs engine using just the interest it would generate before the original engine gave out.

No other difference in the RER's construction.

Bountyhunter

[Maybar]

maybe this one was extra light duty. i do know from this experience that when two new drive disc only last 30 minutes it's time to look a little deeper. the dealer really didn't care to discuss what caused this premature failure. mumbled something about the shaft and bearing. he was more interested in the $206.

[darl]

The most important thing is the distance from the drive disc from the engine plate. the Smooth clutch kit came with a tool SNAPPER part no. (3-2392 Tool Smooth Clutch) the other differences are bearings in both fenders instead of bushings. From your pictures looks like you need 5-7398 axel short most of the parts are the same as the regular rear engine riders. except for the fenders and roller bearings on the axel shafts. Good Luck darl

[Walt 2002]

>you need 5-7398 axel short

The gear which is shown loose from short axle, and is originally pressed on, can be brazed or spot welded in place for extended life.

Walt Conner

[mowbettabluz58]

Hey! Go to Snapper's web site they build a 42" TWIN BLADE/20HP RER (Briggs& Stratton ELS) V-Twin! Extra Duty Drive train components. Probably heavier clutch/springs/belts,etc.

[mowbettabluz58]

I just received an e-mail response from Snapper this morning(06/19/06). In my initial query to Snapper , I only asked about the technical differences between the standard and extra duty models. As stated by the other forum participants; The Extra Duty does have 8 planetary gears in the differential as opposed to 4 gears in the standard duty. I did not inquire about the other components involved in the machines. But I see that someone has already provided that info! Good job ! Also,once again, Snapper does build a 20 HP/42" side discharge RER. Read their web site info.