# McLane vs California Trimmer



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

Not a typical 'VS' thread. Not tryna start any wars or anything, but my story is...I was die hard into Cali trimmers. I knew which model I wanted and everything. Had my budget allocated for it. Pop online and I see the Honda motor version is discontinued?? Power equipment direct doesn't list then anymore....only the Briggs/strat. Which I wasn't leaning towards. So now...back to the drawing board for me. I'm not TOTALLY against it, but I wasn't interested in it initially...maybe this thread can change my mind?

I know there are separate threads about each mower, but I felt having it all mixed together in one all while pointing out the main differences and even the nuances that one may have that the other doesn't. Even if you don't have experience with the other, I'd love to hear your experiences. You don't have to help me figure out which is best for me, even tho I'd appreciate it lol, I'd just like all the info here to sort through. Any similarities and any differences are welcomed.

I am however looking to make the purchase within a couple weeks so, this is a pretty important thread for me lol


----------



## Dono1183 (Oct 11, 2021)

I have B&S motor on the Cal Trimmer and it's been great so far. I've had it all season. I personally like it because I mow some steep grades and it doesn't have any angle issues with the oil. I've never owned a McLane but I'm sure you'll be happy with either. :thumbup:


----------



## Bombers (Jul 14, 2020)

Mclane replacement parts are doubled that of Cal Trimmer. Just saying.

edit: I see some other distributors/sellers on Google search that still have stock of hondas.


----------



## thelawnlife (9 mo ago)

Ever since Mclane got bought out a few years ago by an investment company parts have soared in price.


----------



## csl23 (Jul 22, 2021)

I started with a mclane and ended up with a greensmower as do many on here. Just something to consider


----------



## Slim 1938 (Aug 24, 2019)

I have both and mclane parts are expensive. I see your in TX. You might call Howard's lawn equipment in Lubbock. He usually carries CTs with Honda engines. I bet they ship also. 
https://www.howardslawnequipment.com/


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

Thanks for all the replies thus far. Very helpful. I wasnt aware of how expensive the replacement parts were for the mclanes. Trying to find comparison videos on YouTube and there just aren't any. I'm not entirely interested in a greensmower just because I won't be cutting that low anytime soon if at all. Plus the way it operates I tend to not be much of a fan of. I do like that they seem to be a lot quieter though.

I'll check out Howard's...thanks.


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

Dono1183 said:


> I have B&S motor on the Cal Trimmer and it's been great so far. I've had it all season. I personally like it because I mow some steep grades and it doesn't have any angle issues with the oil. I've never owned a McLane but I'm sure you'll be happy with either. :thumbup:


Angle issues with the Honda?


----------



## rockwalltxguy (Oct 1, 2021)

I have had a standard 25" Mclane with a Honda engine for about a year now. The fit and finish is terrible on the mower. Engine is fantastic. I will say though it's super easy to work on the Mclane. If I had to do it over I would probably look at used JD greens mowers. I'll keep this one for now but will likely buy a used JD greens mower next year and use this one for tasks like scalping where I don't want to mess up the nice one. @DFW245 arent you in Rockwall out here by me? If so feel free to PM me and you can come take a look at my Mclane before you make a decision.


----------



## Bombers (Jul 14, 2020)

DFW245 said:


> Thanks for all the replies thus far. Very helpful. I wasnt aware of how expensive the replacement parts were for the mclanes. Trying to find comparison videos on YouTube and there just aren't any. I'm not entirely interested in a greensmower just because I won't be cutting that low anytime soon if at all. Plus the way it operates I tend to not be much of a fan of. I do like that they seem to be a lot quieter though.
> 
> I'll check out Howard's...thanks.


Use the dealer locator on their site. There's a couple in DFW alone. I see the Reel Lawn Guy in a lot of the FB lawn groups.
https://caltrimmer.com/dealers/locate-dealer/


----------



## Dono1183 (Oct 11, 2021)

DFW245 said:


> Dono1183 said:
> 
> 
> > I have B&S motor on the Cal Trimmer and it's been great so far. I've had it all season. I personally like it because I mow some steep grades and it doesn't have any angle issues with the oil. I've never owned a McLane but I'm sure you'll be happy with either. :thumbup:
> ...


At an acute angle, I've read that the low oil sensor will go off, and shutdown the engine. I have a very steep area that I mow, and so that was a concern for me. The B&S doesn't have that sensor, so I just make sure I check/change my oil on a regular basis.


----------



## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

Chain vs belt?


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

jayhawk said:


> Chain vs belt?


Valid point. But what are the downsides to a chain? Price?


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

rockwalltxguy said:


> I have had a standard 25" Mclane with a Honda engine for about a year now. The fit and finish is terrible on the mower. Engine is fantastic. I will say though it's super easy to work on the Mclane. If I had to do it over I would probably look at used JD greens mowers. I'll keep this one for now but will likely buy a used JD greens mower next year and use this one for tasks like scalping where I don't want to mess up the nice one. @DFW245 arent you in Rockwall out here by me? If so feel free to PM me and you can come take a look at my Mclane before you make a decision.


Awesome bro! Thanks! Yeah I'm right at Heath. Near the Heath golf & Yacht club. Rockwall is a stones throw away. I'd gladly take you up on that offer. I think that would help with the decision making process.


----------



## rockwalltxguy (Oct 1, 2021)

DFW245 said:


> rockwalltxguy said:
> 
> 
> > I have had a standard 25" Mclane with a Honda engine for about a year now. The fit and finish is terrible on the mower. Engine is fantastic. I will say though it's super easy to work on the Mclane. If I had to do it over I would probably look at used JD greens mowers. I'll keep this one for now but will likely buy a used JD greens mower next year and use this one for tasks like scalping where I don't want to mess up the nice one. @DFW245 arent you in Rockwall out here by me? If so feel free to PM me and you can come take a look at my Mclane before you make a decision.
> ...


PM me and I'll send you my address. I'll probably be mowing on Saturday.


----------



## pmalecki (9 mo ago)

I purchased a McLane with a Honda engine this spring. So far it's been perfectly fine and has helped make a drastic improvement in my lawn over my old rotary mower.

A few observations after a few months of mowing every other day:

Cons:
Fit and finish is not the greatest, and the mower just feels light duty. 
Parts are double the price of other mowers
No rear drum - I've noticed around my edging the rear tires will almost leave burn in marks on my turf.

Pros:
Of all the brands, this has to be the easiest machine to work on. Outside of getting the a relief grind on the reel, I can't see any possible repair that you can't do yourself.

Belt drive - adds to the simplicity of the machine - no clutch and no grease fittings. Replacement belts are cheap, and an easy swap.

Back lapping is a simple 20 min job and it's very easy to keep the reel sharp and cutting paper.

The Honda engine is ultra reliable, and it has started for me on the first pull every single time.

The mower is light in weight, making it easy to move around if need be.

I plan on keeping this mower forever - however I do intend on purchasing a used JD greens mower this winter. If I had to do it all over again, I'd just skip the McLane / CT / Trucut and go straight into a greens mower.


----------



## rockwalltxguy (Oct 1, 2021)

pmalecki said:


> I purchased a McLane with a Honda engine this spring. So far it's been perfectly fine and has helped make a drastic improvement in my lawn over my old rotary mower.
> 
> A few observations after a few months of mowing every other day:
> 
> ...


This is 100% my exact same thoughts.


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

pmalecki said:


> I purchased a McLane with a Honda engine this spring. So far it's been perfectly fine and has helped make a drastic improvement in my lawn over my old rotary mower.
> 
> A few observations after a few months of mowing every other day:
> 
> ...


What are your thoughts for wanting to skip to the greens mower? Is it because you mow really low? Or is it something else?

Thanks for all the TONS of useful information here. The light duty part is a little off putting I will say. But only slightly.


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

rockwalltxguy said:


> DFW245 said:
> 
> 
> > rockwalltxguy said:
> ...


Will do. I'll see if my schedule is open then. If not I'll definitely link with you before this purchase happens.


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

Dono1183 said:


> DFW245 said:
> 
> 
> > Dono1183 said:
> ...


Is the reel speed variable? And how hard is the mower to push without the wheel engaged and just the reel?


----------



## Dono1183 (Oct 11, 2021)

DFW245 said:


> Dono1183 said:
> 
> 
> > DFW245 said:
> ...


It (the reel) responds to how much gas you give it. One complaint I have is that the reel and the drive wheel are not independent. So if I want to just move the mower, I have to give it gas, and the reel has to run while doing so. It is quite hard for me to push the mower without the drive wheel. I do have a front roller on it. But it's not really practical to just push the reel.


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

Dono1183 said:


> DFW245 said:
> 
> 
> > Dono1183 said:
> ...


Oh ok so it is kinda variable in a sense. But can you explain more about the not being practical to push? That's how I planned on using it since my lawn is so small. Drive wheel up, reel rolling and just pushing it manually. Is it really that hard to push without the drive wheel engaged?


----------



## Dono1183 (Oct 11, 2021)

I may not be the best example on that tbh. I have no flat spots on my lawn bc the whole lot is on the side of a hill. I also keep my lawn at 1" hoc so it gets hard to push anything through it. How big is your lawn? I actually use the drive wheel in pretty tight spaces. It's really a great way to use it imo. I can turn it around in tight spots and I don't find it difficult to maneuver.


----------



## jdrop01 (8 mo ago)

I've had both and prefer the CT over the McLane. Bedknife to reel adjustment on the CT is way easier than the McLane IMO. Parts are cheaper as mentioned above for the CT. I purchased mine brand new from https://reellawnguy.com/, Buddy was awesome to work with and even delivered the mower for free since he is in the DFW area. I've enjoyed it for the last two seasons I have owned it.


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

jdrop01 said:


> I've had both and prefer the CT over the McLane. Bedknife to reel adjustment on the CT is way easier than the McLane IMO. Parts are cheaper as mentioned above for the CT. I purchased mine brand new from https://reellawnguy.com/, Buddy was awesome to work with and even delivered the mower for free since he is in the DFW area. I've enjoyed it for the last two seasons I have owned it.


Website doesn't seem to be active. But that's another vote of confidence for the CT.


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

Dono1183 said:


> I may not be the best example on that tbh. I have no flat spots on my lawn bc the whole lot is on the side of a hill. I also keep my lawn at 1" hoc so it gets hard to push anything through it. How big is your lawn? I actually use the drive wheel in pretty tight spaces. It's really a great way to use it imo. I can turn it around in tight spots and I don't find it difficult to maneuver.


An inch shouldn't be that bad right? That's lower than what I've seen people in my neighborhood maintain at. My lawn is only 750sqft. Back yard at most is 2k. Well I suppose I don't mind using the drive wheel, I just want to be able to walk at my own pace without the mower pulling me to speed up so to speak


----------



## DocTodd (9 mo ago)

@DFW245, I purchased a used 25" Mclane with 10 blade reel locally to mow around my pool area of maybe 2k sq ft. I am not sure how old it is, but it certainly doesn't give me the feel like it is flimsy or whatever as someone previously mentioned. It is a heavy machine. I don't have any issue rolling across concrete, and I don't have any issue making turns while mowing. It is a bit tough to push and pull in the yard though. One thing I noticed yesterday was that I was leaving the drive wheel down while trying to maneuver in the yard (blade/clutch also disengaged) and that was making it much tougher to get into and out of a few tricky corners. So far, I am happy with the Mclane. I had to replace the chain to the drive wheels bc I drove over a metal marker flag wire that broke the old chain, but that was a pretty quick fix once the new chain arrived.


----------



## Dono1183 (Oct 11, 2021)

DFW245 said:


> Dono1183 said:
> 
> 
> > I may not be the best example on that tbh. I have no flat spots on my lawn bc the whole lot is on the side of a hill. I also keep my lawn at 1" hoc so it gets hard to push anything through it. How big is your lawn? I actually use the drive wheel in pretty tight spaces. It's really a great way to use it imo. I can turn it around in tight spots and I don't find it difficult to maneuver.
> ...


Gotcha, you don't have to walk super fast or anything. Just don't give it as much gas. It'll adjust its speed based on your input. So essentially you can walk as slow or as fast as the mower will go depending on how much gas you give it.


----------



## jdrop01 (8 mo ago)

Here is buddy's email to get in contact with him about CT's. [email protected]

Also, I majority of the time in my front yard never have the drive wheel down when mowing, I simply push it and to me it is easy. My front lawn is pretty small and I like to keep my reel spinning at a decent speed so I opt to leave the drive wheel up in the front yard and use it in my larger backyard. When using the CT I also apply a slight up pressure to keep the front roller from bouncing so much.


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

jdrop01 said:


> Here is buddy's email to get in contact with him about CT's. [email protected]
> 
> Also, I majority of the time in my front yard never have the drive wheel down when mowing, I simply push it and to me it is easy. My front lawn is pretty small and I like to keep my reel spinning at a decent speed so I opt to leave the drive wheel up in the front yard and use it in my larger backyard. When using the CT I also apply a slight up pressure to keep the front roller from bouncing so much.


Ok. Something I was unaware of. So the roller does bounce around a lot if you don't push up on it? That's something I'd have to keep in mind.


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

Dono1183 said:


> DFW245 said:
> 
> 
> > Dono1183 said:
> ...


Ohhhh alright that makes sense. I can just throttle down if I want to walk slower. That's perfect. I may test both just to see which I prefer the feel of more.


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

DocTodd said:


> @DFW245, I purchased a used 25" Mclane with 10 blade reel locally to mow around my pool area of maybe 2k sq ft. I am not sure how old it is, but it certainly doesn't give me the feel like it is flimsy or whatever as someone previously mentioned. It is a heavy machine. I don't have any issue rolling across concrete, and I don't have any issue making turns while mowing. It is a bit tough to push and pull in the yard though. One thing I noticed yesterday was that I was leaving the drive wheel down while trying to maneuver in the yard (blade/clutch also disengaged) and that was making it much tougher to get into and out of a few tricky corners. So far, I am happy with the Mclane. I had to replace the chain to the drive wheels bc I drove over a metal marker flag wire that broke the old chain, but that was a pretty quick fix once the new chain arrived.


Thanks for this. So is yours a commercial version? Or is that just the size of it? I know the CT has a residential one at 20" and commercial at 25"


----------



## DocTodd (9 mo ago)

DFW245 said:


> DocTodd said:
> 
> 
> > @DFW245, I purchased a used 25" Mclane with 10 blade reel locally to mow around my pool area of maybe 2k sq ft. I am not sure how old it is, but it certainly doesn't give me the feel like it is flimsy or whatever as someone previously mentioned. It is a heavy machine. I don't have any issue rolling across concrete, and I don't have any issue making turns while mowing. It is a bit tough to push and pull in the yard though. One thing I noticed yesterday was that I was leaving the drive wheel down while trying to maneuver in the yard (blade/clutch also disengaged) and that was making it much tougher to get into and out of a few tricky corners. So far, I am happy with the Mclane. I had to replace the chain to the drive wheels bc I drove over a metal marker flag wire that broke the old chain, but that was a pretty quick fix once the new chain arrived.
> ...


I believe it is an older 25" greenskeeper mower since it has the 10 blade reel. No idea commercial vs non.


----------



## LoCutt (Jul 29, 2019)

Dono1183 said:


> At an acute angle, I've read that the low oil sensor will go off, and shutdown the engine. I have a very steep area that I mow, and so that was a concern for me.


My ancient 25 inch McLane originally had a B&S 5HP engine. I swapped in a GX160 Honda with oil alert and cyclone air filter. My engine shuts off if the left side of the mower is down (because of the soil contour). I have to move the mower and restart it. The oil alert is a constant problem but the cyclone air filter is great.

I can't beat this problem by topping off the oil either. It's annoying.


----------



## Dono1183 (Oct 11, 2021)

LoCutt said:


> Dono1183 said:
> 
> 
> > At an acute angle, I've read that the low oil sensor will go off, and shutdown the engine. I have a very steep area that I mow, and so that was a concern for me.
> ...


There are some videos online on bypassing that sensor. May be worth the watch.


----------



## r-trussell (Aug 24, 2021)

I have had a 25" Mclane for about 11 years. To this day the mower starts on the first pull every time. It seems to be the poor man's greens mower. I have no issues with it other than I would like it to be easier to set the reel to bedknife. I would like to see a screw type adjustment instead of a tab to pry on. The mower does what I need.


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

LoCutt said:


> Dono1183 said:
> 
> 
> > At an acute angle, I've read that the low oil sensor will go off, and shutdown the engine. I have a very steep area that I mow, and so that was a concern for me.
> ...


That is very interesting. I'd hate to have that issue. Maybe I'm leaning more towards the B/S now. My bonus got pushed out a couple weeks but that's fine. Gives me more time to research and speak to people. Looking at about September 15. So only a handful of days left to pin point.

A couple of guys near me have a McLane. I think I'll link with them just to see how it operates. I wish I could get the CT in a wider variety than just the standard 20". 7 blade 25" would be perfect but hey lol


----------



## rockwalltxguy (Oct 1, 2021)

@DFW245 I'll be mowing in the morning around 10-10:30 if you want to stop by. Sent you my address in a PM.


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

rockwalltxguy said:


> @DFW245 I'll be mowing in the morning around 10-10:30 if you want to stop by. Sent you my address in a PM.


Appreciate the invite, soon as im recovered from covid, ill take you up on it.


----------



## rxb97 (Oct 1, 2020)

If your buying a mclane and you hold out, they are usually cheaper in winter. Might be true about californias too, not sure. Ive owned Toro GM 1000 and 1820 Flex, Swardsman and Mclanes. The flex I miss(subaru engine so quiet and easy to start). But the mclane/honda is reliable and super easy to maintain


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

rxb97 said:


> If your buying a mclane and you hold out, they are usually cheaper in winter. Might be true about californias too, not sure. Ive owned Toro GM 1000 and 1820 Flex, Swardsman and Mclanes. The flex I miss(subaru engine so quiet and easy to start). But the mclane/honda is reliable and super easy to maintain


Nice!! I dont believe I can hold out. After these torrential rains weve had, my lawn has thickened up supremely. And using a manual reel is floating like crazy now. My '.75' is probably closer to 2.5" at this point lol. I emailed the rep about the cali trimmer though I dont believe hes got back to me yet.


----------



## LoCutt (Jul 29, 2019)

Since there's an external wire for the oil alert, do you reckon disconnecting it would disable the oil alert?


----------



## callmestevee_o (Nov 11, 2021)

LoCutt said:


> Since there's an external wire for the oil alert, do you reckon disconnecting it would disable the oil alert?


Depends on if the sensor is triggered by a change in resistance or some other parameter. You could disconnect it and try to start it up. If it starts then you're good. If not then you may have to be soldered in a resistor.


----------



## Dono1183 (Oct 11, 2021)

There's videos on youtube on how to disengage the sensor.


----------



## Chrisj796 (Aug 2, 2019)

Dono1183 said:


> I have B&S motor on the Cal Trimmer and it's been great so far. I've had it all season. I personally like it because I mow some steep grades and it doesn't have any angle issues with the oil. I've never owned a McLane but I'm sure you'll be happy with either. :thumbup:


This is the problem with my Mclane my lawns slopes look like steps lol


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

Chrisj796 said:


> Dono1183 said:
> 
> 
> > I have B&S motor on the Cal Trimmer and it's been great so far. I've had it all season. I personally like it because I mow some steep grades and it doesn't have any angle issues with the oil. I've never owned a McLane but I'm sure you'll be happy with either. :thumbup:
> ...


Really?


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

UPDATE: Thought I'd post an update. After much deliberation, I decided to go with a California Trimmer 7 blade with the Honda Engine. I got a pretty good deal on it since it was a demo in a showroom up north. Buddy was a huge help in the whole process. Also shout out to everyone involved in this thread that helped by giving advice or sharing their experiences. Also, big big thanks to @rockwalltxguy for the massive help he was. Gave me an in person tour and rundown of his McLane. Even gave me key points to look for during my search. I look forward to many many years with this.


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)




----------



## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Good Call!

I was going to chime in and say that a Honda GX isn't the end-all be-all and if the mower you wanted was available with a Briggs, you'd have been perfectly fine. Too often we get hung up on having that Honda engine but in reality, the Briggs is more available (current times....), OEM parts are affordable, the engines run great, and nobody is putting 1000+ hours on one of these mowers anyways.


----------



## rockwalltxguy (Oct 1, 2021)

Awesome! You will have a blast not having to push that manual mower around now. Glad I could help out!


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

MasterMech said:


> Good Call!
> 
> I was going to chime in and say that a Honda GX isn't the end-all be-all and if the mower you wanted was available with a Briggs, you'd have been perfectly fine. Too often we get hung up on having that Honda engine but in reality, the Briggs is more available (current times....), OEM parts are affordable, the engines run great, and nobody is putting 1000+ hours on one of these mowers anyways.


Yeah I happened to get this deal at the same price as a new Briggs. Technically it's still new, just been sitting on the showroom floor for a couple starts here and there. So I saved a little chunk which amounted to a backlapping kit and a front grooved roller.


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

rockwalltxguy said:


> Awesome! You will have a blast not having to push that manual mower around now. Glad I could help out!


Definitely man, big help. Yeah that'll be less work for sure. Hopefully a way better cut as well


----------



## Dono1183 (Oct 11, 2021)

Have fun mowing with that new mower man! Glad you're happy with your choice, cuz that's the important thing. 👍🏼👍🏼


----------



## DFW245 (Jul 23, 2021)

Dono1183 said:


> Have fun mowing with that new mower man! Glad you're happy with your choice, cuz that's the important thing. 👍🏼👍🏼


For sure. Most I've spoken with say might as well just to a greens mower. But for me personally? The use case doesn't make sense. Lowest I'll mow is about the lowest the Cal trimmer goes. So I'm set. Plus, I'm on common Bermuda so I won't be going crazy low anyway.


----------



## jdrop01 (8 mo ago)

DFW245 said:


> For sure. Most I've spoken with say might as well just to a greens mower. But for me personally? The use case doesn't make sense. Lowest I'll mow is about the lowest the Cal trimmer goes. So I'm set. Plus, I'm on common Bermuda so I won't be going crazy low anyway.


I always get the itch to move up to a Toro GM1000, but in reality, I think my CT handles my yard very well. I can push it without having the self-propelled roller down and it is easy to handle on my small front lawn. My CT stripes well and when I stand outside and look around at my neighbors' lawn, my lawn definitely stands out. I guess my only gripe is the wheel marks the CT leaves behind but next year I plan on trying to maintain around 1/2-3/4 inch to see if this reduces the wheel marks.

And for Buddy, that guy is awesome and super easy to work with.


----------

