The right drive choice is the key to success with the mower. There are several types of lawn mowers. The 2 most common are belt (transmission is carried out by the belt) and direct (direct transmission of momentum from the engine to the knives). Based on the features of the application, in both types there are pros and cons. If you are engaged in the search for lawn mowers, having no idea about the technical characteristics, we will tell you how the belt and direct drives differ and how they differ.

Belt drive

Most belt drives consist of flat leather, rubber or fabric belts running on cylindrical pulleys, or V-shaped belts running on grooved pulleys. Provide efficient power transmission.

Benefits:

  1. Simplicity and profitability.
  2. Does not need parallel shafts.
  3. There is protection against overload and jamming.
  4. Noise and vibration are attenuated by a damper. The service life of the lawn mower increases as load fluctuations are absorbed by the shock.
  5. It does not require lubrication, reducing maintenance costs.
  6. In the event of a breakdown, a quick and easy repair at a low price (in most cases, it is possible to repair the mower yourself).

Disadvantages:

  1. High load on the shaft.
  2. Low belt life.
  3. Permissible operating temperature: 35-85 ° C.
  4. Large external dimensions of the transmissions and low efficiency.
  5. To prevent wear and stretching of the belt drive, it is necessary to constantly adjust the center distance or use a tension roller. Idling causes most of the friction and is as much a problem and maintenance expense as the belt itself.

Direct drive

Direct-drive lawn mowers directly receive energy from the engine without additional reduction mechanisms.

The main advantages:

  1. Greater durability and efficiency: power transmission takes place with less friction energy, as in the case of chain and belt drives.
  2. It has low noise: it has fewer vibrating parts, also not a loud overall noise level.
  3. Long term of operation. It practically does not break and does not require replacement. If universal joints are installed in the shaft, they will be able to work from 3,000 to 5,000 hours before replacement is needed.
  4. High torque at low revs.

Disadvantages:

  1. Complex and heavy construction.
  2. Overcharge.
  3. In conditions of an imperfect lawn (stones, branches, hilly terrain), when a knife of a lawn mower is hit with a direct transmission on these objects, serious damage will occur that can make the machine unsuitable for use.

Which is better to choose

Each type of lawn mower has its pros and cons. When choosing the appropriate option, you need to consider in what conditions the machine will be used and with what frequency.

If you don’t have the opportunity to often mow the lawn, then for dry tall grass you will need a more powerful mower with direct drive.

If you use the mower often, it will wear out faster. It is easier to repair a machine with a belt drive: both independently, including replacing the belt, and with the help of a service center at an inexpensive price.

In case the budget is limited, an inexpensive belt drive is suitable because of its simple design. If the price does not matter and there is a need to process large areas of lawns, then it is worth investing in and purchasing a lawn mower with direct transmission. With proper operation, it will last longer without breakdowns.
The main thing is to free the work surface from small debris that can damage both types of mowers, but especially direct-drive ones.