Farewell Briggs&Stratton

[Wayne M.]

I knew they’ve been treading water, but this is so sad. Another American icon is done.

https://www.rermag.com/mergers-acqu...agrees-to-acquisition-by-kps-capital-partners

 

[JR]

This is really sad. I know they've had their share of reliability issues, and much of their reputation has been earned, but I really hoped their commercial line they have been investing in would help them make a come back. I've got a couple of Van Guard engines that have been flawless. My 35 horse big block in my mower will be close to breaking the 2000 hr mark by the end of the season. I've not touched one single component on that engine to date. I never add a drop of oil in between services. It's such a strong engine. Sad that Briggs will likely again be changing directions.

 

[Wiredawg]

Very Sad... I'm proud to say the Ariens zero turn mower I bought three years ago is has 24HP Cml Briggs and Stratton motor. I've never had a B&S motor fail... just had the mower decks fail...

Sorry to hear it.

Ron

 

[JR]

Going down memory lane, dad brought home a Wheel Horse 210-5 from Marcy farm equipment. I was wee enough to fit in between his legs and stand on the tunnel for the initial pace lap around the yard. It had a 10hp cast iron Briggs. That same tractor is sitting in the back of one of my outbuildings. I parked it in the very spot it sits in under its own power and purred like a kitten until the carb ran out of gas.

 

[NIsaacs]

Yes, just like Maytag, Tecumseh and Wisconsin.

 

[Wayne M.]

This here is my 3HP B&S powered Little Wonder edger, engine date of 1975.
It’s a symbol of pre globalization outdoor power equipment. It’s completely USA made.
I bought it for $60 at a car show/ swap meet. It needed a belt, blade and a fresh coil. It starts on the second pull and it’s awesome.
In the shot is my B&S I/C Gold (I think) Craftsman pressure washer. It’s good too, but it’s global- not the same B&S.

Unrelated, but part of the RIP list is my late ‘60’s ARCO mini, powered by a Tecumseh HS50. I barely fit on this thing.

 

[JR]

I've got an old (I'm guessing late 70's) Tecumseh post hole auger with a 4" and 6" auger. Also an inheritance. On the rusted gas cap it calls for 24:1 mix ratio. She's a real deal mosquito fogger Runs like a top. I've plugged hundreds of holes with it. Places tractors wouldn't get to.

 

[seafish]

Please know that I am NOT at all for losing US based manufacturing jobs, but it's more like "Good Riddance" to Briggs & Stratton for me... as after several dissapointing and frustrating experiences with B&S I make it a point to ONLY purchase outdoor equipment that comes with, or that I can swap to, a Honda motor.

It was a 1990's vintage 16HP V Power tiller motor that wouldnt start without removing and cleaning the carb after even THREE days of not running it that finally convinced me of this. EVen when using fuel stabilizers!!!

After THREE YEARS of substabtial carb BS (so sorry .... pun intended!! LOL), I purchased a NIB Honda take off from a distributor of the same tiller (some people like to convert them to diesel engines) and TO THIS DAY (what 25 years later??) that Honda fires up on the first or second pull even after not running for three seasons before I fire it up for use. And I no lnger even use fuel stabilizers!!

Of course, this is just my .02 and YMMV !!!

 

[TFucili]

I am going to go against the grain here, and say good riddance. Having been in the small engine and OPE business, I saw first hand what got them where they ended up. They fell light years behind the Honda, Kawasaki, and Subaru-Robin(at that time called Wisconsin-Robin)engines of the time. Their QC was so bad it was beyond embarrassing. Brand new engines with valve guides not finish reamed. Cams ground out of time causing serious reversion, etc., etc. etc. It actually got to the point that I absolutely refused to sell a piece of equipment for industrial/commercial use with a Briggs & Scrapiron engine. When they were putting I-78 through our area I was selling pumps and generators by the bushel. I could sell a given company the same generator, run by the same crews, with the same abusive habits, the same duty cycle, and the same lack of maintenance, one with a Briggs I/C(Industrial Commercial), and one with a Wisconsin Robin, both flatheads, so it's apples-to-apples, and we would be doing a shortblock on the Briggs, when doing a valve adjustment and tune-up on the Robin. That is NOT an exaggeration. When they finally went overhead valve, the original Vanguard engines were made by Generac. They called them Nagano engines.

Next nail in the coffin was when they went full-greed, and pulled the rug out from under their long time central distributors, and left them holding the bag.

Lastly, they had always been an engine manufacturer. They did not sell equipment of any kind. They were an OEM supplier. Instead of improving their product, they went on a buying spree of flagging equipment manufacturers to get some market share. That finally collapsed on them.

One thing I will absolutely give them credit for, at least at that time, was they had a fantastic parts, warranty, training, and support infrastructure. Information was readily available, and if you knew your stuff, and had a good relationship with your central distributor, gray area warranties were always approved, and things made right with the customer.

Sorry for a bit of a rant, but that is the insider's view of a failed company.

 

[seafish]

TFucili,

It's actually nice to hear an insiders perspective that confirms my bias against B&S !!!

 

[Tuesdak]

I have a soft spot for B&S engines. Mainly their simplicity, but, IMO a slight level above Tecumseh. I have worn out a few and ventilated at least one block.

@TFucili Not so on warranty. Small Engine Shop with a large sales floor I worked for in 1994-1995 had a bunch of new B&S Quantum engine mowers that wouldn't run worth a damn. A ex-Navy fellow in the shop figured out the altitude and non-adjustable carb was the problem requiring different jets. The local B&S rep attempted to deny the warranty claims for re-jetting with different B&S part numbers. The Shop owner told the rep "The stuff we buy doesn't have to have B&S engines on it."

No new B&S equipment was sold there for a couple years.

B&S should have changed to a float carb when Honda's Guaranteed-to-Start hit the streets. They ran the Flo-Jet and Pulsa Jet way too long. Simple, but, required several rope pulls to prime the damn things. And then the rope would "Snap!". The Guaranteed Hard Starting of those carbs hurt their rep pretty bad. Tecumseh had the edge here with float carbs.

With the Pacific Rim knock off junk aka outright cheap copies made by the best slaves they can catch... It was just a matter of time before B&S went under. Looking at what they copied, Honda, is even more telling.

 

[TFucili]

I have a soft spot for B&S engines. Mainly their simplicity, but, IMO a slight level above Tecumseh. I have worn out a few and ventilated at least one block.

@TFucili Not so on warranty. Small Engine Shop with a large sales floor I worked for in 1994-1995 had a bunch of new B&S Quantum engine mowers that wouldn't run worth a damn. A ex-Navy fellow in the shop figured out the altitude and non-adjustable carb was the problem requiring different jets. The local B&S rep attempted to deny the warranty claims for re-jetting with different B&S part numbers. The Shop owner told the rep "The stuff we buy doesn't have to have B&S engines on it."

No new B&S equipment was sold there for a couple years.

B&S should have changed to a float carb when Honda's Guaranteed-to-Start hit the streets. They ran the Flo-Jet and Pulsa Jet way too long. Simple, but, required several rope pulls to prime the damn things. And then the rope would "Snap!". The Guaranteed Hard Starting of those carbs hurt their rep pretty bad. Tecumseh had the edge here with float carbs.

With the Pacific Rim knock off junk aka outright cheap copies made by the best slaves they can catch... It was just a matter of time before B&S went under. Looking at what they copied, Honda, is even more telling.

I had zero issues getting warranty, but it might have been a different central distributor(Atlantic Power), too. Plus, it was the mid-90s when I exited the small engine gig.

You are correct on the carbs. They stuck to those Fred Flintstone carbs for way too long.

It's funny I can't remember what I had for supper last night, but I did so many Briggs warranties, all by hand in the pre computer days, I can still recite my dealer number.

 

[TMyers]

I could rewind a B&S recoil spring for a broken pull rope before I was 10 years old. And, the cover on a book of matches is .020. If you did not know these things, we didn't grow up the same.

Briggs & Stratton was my PlayStation!

 

[Dan_69GTX]

View attachment 122935
This here is my 3HP B&S powered Little Wonder edger, engine date of 1975.........

That is GREAT!! When I first saw the pic of the edger I thought - "that motor looks just like the one on a minibike I had"... Then I scrolled further down and saw your minibike. GREAT memories!!!

 

[TFucili]

I could rewind a B&S recoil spring for a broken pull rope before I was 10 years old. And, the cover on a book of matches is .020. If you did not know these things, we didn't grow up the same.

Briggs & Stratton was my PlayStation!

Recoil repair? Some tools from my archive. From left: flywheel holder, starter clutch tool, fixture to hold the blower housing, winder for the pulley, and governor adjusting tool to bend the tabs to hold the pulley.

 

[Wayne M.]

Are those from Foley Belsaw? I used to get those catalogs.

 

[Wayne M.]

I’m reading back and appreciating the input. It’s obvious that globalization just extended the suffering for B&S. The late 70 to mid 80’s, I guess were a dark time for american machinery manufacturing and quality control.
I do have a Honda GC craftsman mover that’s been flawless for 12-15 years and a shindiawa trimmer that’s never let me down since 1999, so I do get it.
I still have a soft spot for older american engines like the ones I shared above.

 

[TFucili]

Are those from Foley Belsaw? I used to get those catalogs.

The rewind fixture and winder were from a source I don't recall, but the rest are Briggs factory service tools.

 

[Regcabguy]

Yes, just like Maytag, Tecumseh and Wisconsin.

We had one of those super duper Samsung water saver washers die at 5 yrs and 3 days. Just after the service agreement expired.Loud sucker and took an hour to do a load. I went and bought a Speed Queen with manual controls while I could. The salesguy said the touch screens were going to replace the manual knobs soon. This thing will outlast me.

 

[JR]

My boy just got done cleaning up the mower after a good 3.5 hour workout so I thought I'd throw in a picture or three while it's cleaned up.

993cc V Twin

While this is on Scag more than it is on Briggs because that's how they spec'd it, check out the industrial 2 stage Donaldson filter housing.

This little engine calls for 6.5 quarts of coolant. The radiator is massive for an engine this size.