Sunrunner

[powermax_paul 1]

Picked up a 8HP Sunrunner for Deb last summer. It's really great around trees and landscaping. Doesn't do well climing hills. Takes a little getting used to, with the rear wheel steering. Paul

[Al 6]

Hi, The Sun Runner came out in 1985. It is a unit with a front mounted mower. It was originally built as: 8HP 36” gear drive, 12HP Gear and Hydo with choice of 36 or 42” mower. The engine sets just behind and over the drive wheels. There are casters on the front of the mower and the steering is done by the rear wheels, which are controlled with a cable linkage. The operator sits over the engine and a little dump box is on the rear over the steer wheels. It is a very reliable mower and on the earlier ones probably the most common trouble was the steering cables. Parts improvements alleviated that. They turn Very short and will mow tight around a 10” pole. We sold some. And they are still running. I have 3 on hand now 2 ready to sell a 12G and a 12h 42s. Also, some new attachments for them. Later they were improved and the deck had a side to side pivot and the rear roller added. Then the steering was changed to a long drag link and the power increased to a 16 V Twin Vangard with the 12 being retained. They were then renamed as front cuts or in the price book FC,s. The units work great on level ground and small hills. They do not climb steep hills well because the operator and engine weight shift to the steer wheels when you go up hill. This happens on any unit with the drive wheels in front and the weight above or behind them. They will back up a pretty steep hill. The FC models the lift lever pulled on a big spring and if traction was a problem you could pull back on the lift lever part way and the spring started to lift on the mower deck transferring the weight to the drive wheels. I have a personal interest in the Sun Runners, because I will always wonder if I had anything to do with their development. In 1983 we had sold a couple of 4200 tractors to 2 older gentlemen that would barely sign their name and hardly read. They mowed lawns for a living. They were in and we were talking and one said that Simplicity should turn the seat and steering wheel around on the 4200 and drive it backwards with the mower mounted on the rear making a front mount. It would be great for mowing under bushes and fences etc. I thought it was a great idea, and went in and called Conrad Langenberger, the Vice President of Marketing. I told Con what the guys had proposed and mentioned that it could be a new low cost product. In view of the fact that, probably 80% of current tooling could be utilized and nobody else had a low cost front cut at that time.. We kicked it around for about 15 minutes and he said he would look into it. In 1985 Simplicity had a “Family Reunion” and all of the dealers in the country were invited to this 3 day event. This is where the Sun Runner was introduced. When they drove them into the arena in the dark and turned on the lights they even had one with a bag rack and set of golf clubs in the box on the back. Every one I talked to said it had been Con’s crash pet program to have it done for the reunion. I talked to him several times since and I never asked and he never said if the program was in process when I called or not. I guess I will never know. Related: I got serial number 007 20hp 60” Sun Star from our marketing meeting when they came out. [I bought it sight unseen before the meeting and took a trailer and brought it home] After I mowed with it I didn’t like the fact that the 60” deck dug into the dirt if you were mowing parallel to a bank and turned into the bank. I built some neat little rollers for the front of the deck. I also put some wide rims and 26 X 12.00 X 12 bar treads on the rear. Took some pics and called the factory. Told them about the 2 items. They said after the tractor was done they had tried the 26 tires and they couldn’t be used because they hit the mower deck. They asked how I got them to clear. I said use 4 or 8 ply tires and they lay flatter and pull better also. I sent the pics in and they sent a rep down. Within 30 days the rollers on the front of the deck and the tires were options. This is what makes this such a GREAT Company. They are so open to their dealers. They advertise in the Trade Publications as “The Dealer Line” stating their commitment to dealer marketing. They really are. Of all of the companies we deal with they are hands down the best. Al Eden

[MPH 12]

Al, maybe, if you think it would compete with the zero turn units that seem to sweeping the market today, you should see if they would bring 'em back. .MPH

[Al 6]

Hi, They never caught on that great,the numbers never really developed. I think they would have, but hydros got cheaper and this opened the door for low priced zero turns. Heard they are building a small front cut they sell in Eruope, who knows what the future will bring. Even though this is not a huge company, they are constantly looking for growth opportunities. And they are great enough to do it without lowering themselves to getting in bed with the mass merchants and the junk they demand. May they ever survive. Al

[MPH 12]

Last nite I was lookin at the new Simplicity Adds that Kent posted on the sites 'whats new' Think it was in 82, the sunrunner had the deck out front like the new fad zero turns, looks like it be the ticket for trees in the lawn. Anybody have any first hand exp. with these?? do they steer with a brake system??MPH

[SimpleMan 8]

Had a chance to see one once...if memory serves me correctly the Sunrunner steers at the rear..much like a combine. At the time, I was told by my dealer that if one has a very 'hilly' yard, these units were not very stabe. But..I would think that with a Simplicity mower deck, and having it out front of the wheels it should make an excellent job of mowing the yard. My 2cents(5cents Canadian) worth SimpleMan

[MPH 12]

Al, just rereading your reply #3, Thanks for your time to make such an indebt history report on these machines..MPH