A chain around the spindle, and a snowblower Short for Don the Small Engine Doctor
A customer's John Deere stopped mowing after hitting something in the grass, and viewers answered Don's question with their own worst finds: rebar, clothesline poles and chicken wire.
donyboy73
Story of Why this story? The channel's weekly summary: what went up this week, what is drawing views now, and where the channel stands among similar channels.
Customer Hit Something… Now This John Deere Won’t Mow!
Among the DIY and workshop channels near donyboy73 in size, most are moving slower than usual right now, and Don is no exception: his channel is a little under its normal daily pace, with subscribers holding at 464,000. HomeTransform and Stick welder are the two keeping their usual speed, well ahead of the rest of the group.
The Friday video did what Friday videos here do. "Customer Hit Something… Now This John Deere Won't Mow!" puts a lawn tractor on the lift with a deck that has quit, and the culprit turns out to be a chain wrapped up in the spindle. Viewers would very much like to hear the owner explain that one, and one wishes he had seen the man's face when the chain was handed back. Someone thinks part of it looks like a swing seat. Another suspects the customer tried to mow the Canadian Shield.
Don also asked about the worst thing anyone has hit with a riding mower, and the replies read like a repair-shop logbook. They mention a buried pipe, a survey marker made of rebar, a clothesline pole, and chain-link fencing left in tall grass. A fellow shop owner adds a list of his own that runs from baling twine to electric fence.
The calendar shows in the Shorts. Two quick snowblower tips went up a week apart. The first is about filling the tank with fresh fuel before storage. The newer one covers oiling the wheel shaft and checking the control cables. That newer clip passed 19,000 views in its first day and is now the busiest thing on the channel. For a man who wants to fix everything from chainsaws to roto-tillers, the season is already turning toward snow.
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What viewers say
Don, I think they tried to mow the Canadian Shield.
@RightLaneHog3151See it on YouTubeThanks for the video Don. Would have liked to seen the look on his face when you gave the chain back.
@glenharper3136See it on YouTubeLooks like a seat from a swing.
@ScottAllison-jf4keSee it on YouTube
7 more comments
I run a mower shop. I have seen rop, chain, fence wire, Shepards hook, bailing twine, chicken wire, garden hose, electric fence, plastic rope and other stuff wrapped around blades.
@mrboom4570See it on YouTubeWorst thing I hit was a 1 inch rebar survey marker. Destroyed the blade and bent a spindle.
@tacocinSee it on YouTubeI hit the clothesline pole while trying to get in close, so far so good no damage and everything is working.
@Stihlalive044See it on YouTubeGreat video Don.
I once hit a large piece of pipe that was buried in some leaves with my Husqvarna. It literally broke the spindle where the bolts connect it to the deck.@marathoner43See it on YouTubeMy dad dropped some chain link fence in tall grass in a old horse corral.I didn't know he did it until I went to mow it and lucky me I had just installed 2 brand new blades .The right blade got twisted all up but the left was salvaged .Needless to say how angry I was but thankfully the spindles were OK and I was able to get the mower operational again.
@stephenperkins5644See it on YouTubeLuckily, I haven't hit anything too wild on my tractor, maybe a large stick- but that's about it. I usually scan the yard before mowing because I don't like replacing spindles and blades🤣
@infinity3jifSee it on YouTubeYou are definitely my go to guy for repairs and advice.
@Nic_O_teenSee it on YouTube
Public comments from the video's page on YouTube
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The videos drawing views on donyboy73 right now
- Channel
- donyboy73
- Subscribers
- 464,000
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 369,370
- Videos published this week
- 3
- Video published
- October 2, 2026
- Video views so far
- 40,681
The numbers
Here is how Don's channel and his newest videos moved over the week.
💡 Test your knowledge
The Canadian Shield, the joke under Don's mower video, wraps around which large bay?
The Canadian Shield is a vast region of ancient rock that curves around Hudson Bay.
