Bosch lawn mower handle. Bosch CITYMOWER 18-32 18v Cordless Rotary Lawnmower 320mm
Why do lawnmower handlebars come loose and how to fix it?
Sometimes it feels like your handlebar is always loose you tighten them but they come loose again.
I have serviced my own commercial mowers monthly for years and I have found the four most likely causes and I have listed them here from the most common to the least.
The main four reasons for loose handlebars are
- The handle tightening knobs are worn.
- The handle has a hairline crack.
- Missing or loose bolts where the handle meets the mower.
- There is a crack in the mower body.
Some of these issues are easily fixed and some of them require more work. There is one trick that I worked out and used on my mowers with great success but I will talk more about that later on.
The handle locks are worn.
Most lawnmower handles come in two pieces. This is a feature for easy transport and storage of your mower. This comes in handy if you want to take your mower somewhere but it has a downside. It creates a weak point in the frame. The join is constantly under pressure and it creates a week point in the Handel putting a strain on the fittings.
There are generally two types of handle locks that you come across.
A Cam Lock Lever
I personally don’t like these fittings. Once they start slipping it is the beginning of the end. You are supposed to be able to tighten them when they start to move, but I have found that the tighter you go the harder it is to click them into the lock position.
These fittings are usually found on cheaper or battery-powered mowers although Masport is still using them on their machines. If you have an issue with these fittings you will need to replace them. You can find them in the big box stores or get them directly from Morrison.
A Cam-lock lever as seen here
Handle tightening knob
These are the standard bolt and knob fixture that you find on most mowers. You can get these in a few different shapes
These are far easier to use and to fix if they start coming loose.
I have used all of these on different machines and there is not a lot of difference in the way they work. I have had a point break off the triangle knobs on occasion. This annoying doest affect the functionally of the tighter. However its enough to make me prefer star tightening knobs if I can get them.
If they are constantly coming loose the easiest fix I have come up with is by using a spring washer and placing it between the handle and the knob. Nine times out of then that will solve your problem.
If they do need replacing you can get Universal handlebar tighteners. They fit most mowers and saves you paying top dollar for the genuine part.
A couple of quick fixes.
If you just want to get out and finish a lawn then here are a few quick options.
A bolt and nut. I have replaced the handlebar fixture with a standard bolt and nut. This is never a good long term fix as you will always need a spanner to drop your handlebars in the future. I would also recommend using a spring washer as well. This will keep the nut tighter.
A pipe clamp. This is the same kind of fitting you would use on a hose. If you have a couple of these lying around then they may solve the problem. I have used this before but it is not a permanent fix. It will last you a few mows while you sort out the correct part.
A couple of warnings.
Throttle cable. When playing around with your handlebars, watch out for the throttle cable. It is easy to catch when tightening up your handle fittings if you accidentally catch the throttle cable and kink in it, then it will no longer work.
Tightening knob. A couple of things to watch out for. Don’t cross thread and don’t over tighten.
Hairline cracks in the handle bars.
Hairline cracks usually appear at the stress points on the handle. The easiest way to spot them is to apply downward pressure to the handlebars. Can you feel any movement in the Handel? If so you should be able to find the crack by pushing down and looking at the stress points. If you can feel movement but you cannot see the crack try getting someone else to push down on the handle while you examine them.
A hairline crack is not as uncommon as you would think. I have had this happen quite a few times over the years.
There are a few of ways to fix this problem
- Welding. This is normally the first thought that people have although it is sometimes easiest said than done. Some handlebars are made out of very thin metal and are not easily weldable. You usually get this issue with the cheaper mowers. If you have a commercial mower then welding may be an option for you.
- Glue. This will probably be the easiest option. Do make sure that you use a metal glue. I have added a link to a glue that will do this job but if you don’t want to wait then your local hardware should have something similar. Make sure that you clean the surface before gluing and give it a bit of time to set.
- Replace. Sometimes the Handel is so far gone that you may just need to replace it. This is quite uncommon and the last time I had to replace a handlebar was when one of my guys lost the mower off the back of a trailer while traveling. He forgot to secure the mower. The handle looked ok, but it was bent and unusable.
Missing, loose or damaged bolts where the handle meets the mower.
Check where the bolts attach to the mower body. Are any of them damaged, loose or missing?
If so then they will need replacing.
Sometimes some of the nuts are inside the grass chute. If so they could be caked in grass and a bit hard to find. Another thing you may need to watch out is that sometimes there are no nuts on the other end of the mower handle bolts. There may be a small flat steel fitting that sits inside the mower body and has the thread for the bolts built-in. This may drop out when you unscrew the bolts so it would pay to work on concrete so you can find them easily if they drop.
If you cannot find anything wrong with the bolts, then I may be the bottom of the handlebar where it meets the mower. They a normally half round in a tight half-circle. If the circle widens then you will get play. Take the handle off and use a hammer to knock the edges so the curve is tighter and that may solve your problem. If you are not sure how to do this there is a video of this below.
There is a crack in the mower body.
Check the area where the handlebars meet the mower. If the bolts are good and there is still play then you may have a crack in the body. I have had this happen before but I have left it to last because it is not common. If this is the issue then welding may be your only option. I have never had good results with glue doing this job.
It is possible to make a small steel plate and bolt it to the mower body to reduce the play but this can be quite time consuming to build and it doesn’t always work.
A final reminder.
If you do end up going to the shop for parts then remember to take a photo first.
This will help a great deal when explaining the problem and getting the right part.
Bosch CITYMOWER 18-32 18v Cordless Rotary Lawnmower 320mm
Battery AH Explained The best way to describe battery amp hour is that this is effectively the size of your fuel tank, the more amp hours your battery has then the longer the battery will last between charges. amp hours does not increase the power of a given tool.
Battery Voltage Explained A tool with a higher voltage than another is a bit like choosing an engine in a car, the higher voltage will generally mean higher power performance. As with cars though a bigger engine does not always translate to better performance so it is important to compare the specifications of tools at different voltages between different manufacturers.
Bosch PowerForAll The Bosch PowerForAll Tool range is a range of tools you can buy knowing that batteries are compatible with all tools in the range providing they are of the same voltage. eg 18v fits 18v, 12v (10.8v) fits 12v (10.8v) etc. Please also note that 10.8v is compatible with 12v vice versa as it is just a name change. Indego Lawnmowers also use the PowerForAll 18v battery but require a cover plate to be removed if changing.
PowerForAll has many advantages not least the fact that once you have a tool with a few batteries then there is no need to buy the more expensive versions with battery charger, you can just go ahead buy the much cheaper no battery versions!
So remember PowerForAll signifies complete battery compatibility throughout the range. There is however, one caveat to this, some of the very first older chargers will not charge the very latest batteries a battery charger upgrade will be required if you have a first generation charger. All batteries fit all tools however.
As of 2021 Bosch has licensed PowerForAll to other manufacturers whereby batteries between these manufacturers will be interchangeable.
Important You cannot use Bosch Pro (Blue) batteries in either 12v or 18v DIY (Green) products.
Read 18 Customer Review(s) for Bosch CITYMOWER 18-32 18v Cordless Rotary Lawnmower 320mm
Kevin 14/10/2022 15:30:27 Great item as advertised. Never had a bad product from this company. Thanks again.
Peter 13/09/2022 16:34:33 Generally very happy with the mower. It’s advertised as a city mower and it worked pretty well on my small lawn. It didn’t excel at anything but it is a good allrounder. Pros. Bosch universal battery and easy to change Dead lock key, which means you can’t switch it on without it, so it won’t chop anybody’s finger off by accident. Reasonably sized grass box and cut height adjuster Ergonomic handles and switches. Cons: The handle is fiddly to put down for storage.
Jane 14/07/2022 09:28:12 Cuts grass well and quickly. I have a small ‘lawn‘, but it’s mostly couch and meadow grass and it has no problem with this. It is so lightweight and therefore easy to get out and put away. Quiet too
Charlotte 13/07/2022 21:49:12 Great service and speedy delivery. First time we’ve owned a cordless mower. quite life changing if you’re used to faffing around with cables and extension leads! I have registered for the free battery but have yet to receive it but that comes direct from Bosch so not Tooled-Up’s problem. Very happy otherwise.
J 14/06/2022 22:09:24 Its a good cordless lawnmower. It does the job. Just make sure you order the right battery power you need for your lawn. overall very happy with the product
Alan 08/06/2022 16:06:55 The Bosch 18V Citymower lawnmower is very lightweight and easy to use. The 3 year warranty is a bonus. I bought the bare model which costs about the same as the similar 240V version. My wife likes the flexibility of having no trailing lead and the quietness of the mower.
Pete 06/06/2022 19:37:04 So much easier than a corded mower. Cut just as well. The service from Tooled=Up was 1st class.
Anthony 09/05/2022 10:07:22 Great service and delivery from Tooled-up. Lawn mower works fine, battery doesn’t last overly long but I wasn’t expecting it to. One niggle is the handle which is smooth on the top but ridged underneath so it’s not comfortable to carry far. That said it’s a great product.
Joel 28/04/2022 15:49:32 Great mower, but only really ideal for small lawns where you don’t really care for lines or a perfect cut. But if you are on a budget and want a cordless mower it’s great!
Paul 27/04/2022 16:17:31 Great service and quick delivery of the product. A lot cheaper than other suppliers such as Amazon. In fact it was so much cheaper that I had to keep checking that I was comparing the same product. Build quality of the item itself is very flimsy but I read about that via other reviews and knew about it prior to purchase so it wasn’t a surprise. All in all, I’m very happy.
MR 06/04/2022 21:12:17 Only used a couple of times but has worked as expected. Bought it to do the edges of the lawn instead of manouvering the big petrol one. This is very light and saves using electric cords. Bit flimsey but was expected and you just need to treat it appropriately. Similarly box fills quickly but light and easy to remove and empty. Overall very pleased so far.
Stefano 10/06/2022 16:04:40 Having only just purchased the mower it’s far too early for me to make an in-depth review. However having used the item for the first time, it seems like a good product and ideal for small lawns. My only gripe is the fact that manufactures not provide the battery and charger which has to be purchased separately which is why there are less stars than there could have been. Food for thought!
Les 10/04/2022 12:37:03 Overall satisfactory bearing in mind the price. I was disappointed, however, to find the box in which the mower was sent had obviously been previously opened and there were signs of usage particularly around the top of the handle, as if the item may have been used for display purposes. I was in two minds whether to send it back, but decided it was too much hassle. Don’t think I will use you again though.
Bosch Electric Rotary Lawnmower Rotak 32-12
Part Number: 06008A6078 Model: Rotak 32-12 Motor: Powerdrive Motor Power: 1,200 W Blade Width: 32 cm Torque: 13 Nm Cutting Height: 20 – 60 mm; 3-fold Grass Combs: Yes Grass Box Capacity: 31 L Handle Type: Standard Integrated Carrying Handles: No Cutting System: Rotary blade Power Cable: 10 M Dimension (L x W x H): Product. 59.8 x 28 x 39 cm Packaging. 60 x 39 x 27.5 cm Net Weight: 8.6 kg Gross Weight: 10.2 kg
6 MONTHS Bosch WARRANTY
Authorized Seller
Details
Part Number: 06008A6078 Model: Rotak 32-12 Motor: Powerdrive Motor Power: 1,200 W Blade Width: 32 cm Torque: 13 Nm Cutting Height: 20 – 60 mm; 3-fold Grass Combs: Yes Grass Box Capacity: 31 L Handle Type: Standard Integrated Carrying Handles: No Cutting System: Rotary blade Power Cable: 10 M Dimension (L x W x H): Product. 59.8 x 28 x 39 cm Packaging. 60 x 39 x 27.5 cm Net Weight: 8.6 kg Gross Weight: 10.2 kg
Scope of Delivery
1 x Bosch Electric Rotary Lawnmower Rotak 32-12
Features
Bosch Garden Tools. Bosch Electric Rotary Lawnmower Rotak 32-12
The grass combs cut your lawn perfectly right up to the edge. cut close to the edge of walls, flower beds and lawns.
Powerful 1200 W Powerdrive motor delivers effortless mowing, even in challenging situations
Lightweight Easy handling and transport, weighing only 8.6kg
31-litre Grass Box For greater capacity and reduced need for emptying
Ergonomic Handle Design For easy maneuverability
Bosch Rotak 37 Lawnmower Review 2023 – Video Tips
Hello once again and if you are considering buying a Bosch Rotak 37 Lawnmower in the coming days or weeks, then please make sure to check out this brief review that will explain all you need to know before you make any buying decisions. The FOCUS of this review will be to outline all the key and important features that it has to offer you plus all the main positives (pros) and negatives (cons) that you need to know also.
Review Focus
Our review will be to FOCUS on the Bosch Rotak 37cm Corded Rotary Lawnmower and you can make comparisons with the Bosch Rotak 37cm Cordless Rotary Lawnmower through the options provided below.
We will also outline a comparison table so you can see for yourself how it compares against other lawn mowers under the Bosch brand and we have also included 2 videos that you can check out also at the end of this page to add further clarity. In addition to all this, we will point out several frequently asked questions that have come up in the recent past that should answer most of the queries that you may have which we hope will be of benefit to you.
Price Guides
Before we start, please be aware that guide can only be shown at the time of this review as can change slightly from month to month or even week to week depending on local promotional activities so please make sure to view the price checkers outlined below to ensure you have the most accurate up to date price information. To break down this review, it will be outlined in 5 main parts as follows:
- Part 1 – Quick Overview Frequently Asked Questions
- Part 2 – Review of the Features, Pros and Cons
- Part 3 – Comparison Table vs other Bosch Lawnmowers
- Part 4 – Price comparison options: Bosch Corded vs Bosch Cordless
- Part 5 – Video demo displays for further clarity
Part 1: Overview FAQ’s
Frequently Asked Questions for the Bosch 37cm Corded Lawn mower (17)
Q1. Where are these Bosch lawn mowers made? A. These lawn mowers are made in China managed and designed by Bosch enterprises
Q2. Does this lawnmower include a rear roller and if so can it be detached? A. Yes, this lawnmower includes a rear roller to generate stripes but cannot be detached
Q3. How long is the cord provided? A. The length of the cord here is 10m long
Q4. Can it be used as a self propelled lawnmower for hills / slopes? A. No, this can only be used as a push lawn mower (only available in the Professional range, not the DIY range)
Q5. How good does it work around borders and flower beds? A. By using the grass combs, it will cut extremely tight to borders and flowers giving a nice precise finish
Q6. Can the handles be folded? A. Yes, they can be folded but is trickier than one would imagine – requires some effort
Q7. Does it have the mulching capability? A. No, there is no mulching capability with this lawn mower
Q8. Are these handles height adjustable for tall people? A. Yes, the height of the handles can be adjusted to suit whatever size you are
Q9. How do you adjust the mow heights? A. You can easily adjust the mow heights by adjusting the single height lever on the side
Q10. Can it used with one hand or does it need both hands to operate? A. It needs both hands on the handles to operate
Q11. How do you fold the handles? A. You need to twist the red plastic levers gently on the handle
Q12. Can you get a self propelled model instead? A. They are not available in the DIY range, only the professional range of mowers
Q13. What are the storage dimensions for sheds? A. The storage dimensions are 80cm L by 40cm D by 45cm H
Q14. Does it have a plastic deck or a metal deck? A. The deck here is made from plastic (with a steel blade)
Q15. Do you need to register online to get the 2 year warranty? A. No, you do not need to register for the 2 year warranty, just keep the transaction receipt
Q16. What coded replacement blade is available? A. The code for the replacement blade from the lawn mower is F 016 800 272
Q17. Does it provide you with a cable tidy system? A. No, there is no cable tidy system built in, you need to wrap it around the handle