Comments on: Hot or Not? Gilmour Traveling Sprinkler

By: Roger Allen

Roger Allen — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 08:59:16 +0000

To: Allen Bormuth

Can find parts at (www.lrnelsoncorp.stores.yahoo.net) or call 1-800-NELSON-8 (1-800-635-7668) M-F 8a-5p. The spray arm assembly (#77506) is priced at $10.00, have to purchase whole assembly — tee fitting not available alone. As for stripped gears — the entire motor assembly (#77376) is priced at $13.00.

By: Allen Bormuth

Allen Bormuth — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:42:47 +0000

My John Deere Travelling sprinkler tipped over and broke the plastic tee fitting the first time I used it. It has been on the shelf since I can’t find replacement parts. Without replacement parts I give it a big NOT.

By: ambush

ambush — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:46:41 +0000

The one Chris posted looks really hot, but the other one seems like more of a gimmick.

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:09:11 +0000

I have the yellow traveling sprinkler by Nelson (model 1895) and it is *very hot*. I’ve used it since 2001 and haven’t had any problems. I like that it has a plastic ramp that I can place over hose and the sprinkler will shut off when it reaches that point on the hose. I also like that follows the hose where I want it to go and every square inch along that line will get watered. I’ve had a lot of people that enjoy just sitting on the porch talking while we watch it move across the lawn.

Notes:
- I’ve used it with a 100ft hose and haven’t had a problem with it pulling that around. (But I also have 70-80 lbs of water pressure, if that makes a difference.)
- I agree with the person that commented about making sure not to do curves that are too sharp. Just takes a little trial and error to get a feel for it.
- Nelson’s web site says they introduced theirs in 1963. YardWorks seems to be a Canadian brand. The Gilmour version seems *really* similar to the Nelson model. Since Gilmour and Nelson are both owned by Robert Bosch Tool Company, that would explain the similar design. I’ll leave it to someone else to decide/comment if the parts are of the same quality.

By: shopmonger

shopmonger — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:15:51 +0000

I live in NJ What is a sprinkler? HAAA HAAA HAAAA

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:41:07 +0000

Not. You don’t want this Gilmour one or the Nelson Rain Train. They are both plagued with the same problems: stripped gears, inability to go up even the slightest hill, an “off” valve that sticks. So, you end up with a tractor sprinkler than can’t go or, worse yet, keeps going off the hose but doesn’t shut off. My wife chased her mom’s Nelson sprinkler all over the neighborhood her entire childhood.

If you really want a tractor sprinkler, you want the National Walking Sprinkler (https://www.nationalwalkingsprinkler.com/). This is the original walking sprinkler that every other company (poorly) copies. It may cost more up front, but it is well worth the slight extra cost in lack of frustration. It pulls hundreds of feet of hose, drives up mild inclines, and just works.

@SteveC: check out the link above. It is probably the sprinkler you remember your Dad having.

By: Brau

Brau — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:38:54 +0000

I have the YardWorks (yellow) tractor and it is a godsend for my property which is 120′ long and 40′ narrow. Saves a lot of hassle moving sprinklers. (The Nelson appears to be a rebranded version of the same model). One caveat is that the shut-off ramp doesn’t always work on unlevel ground (like lawns) so I have mine on a timer to make sure it stops. It *can* follow the hose over gradual arcs but I have found it best not to, as it occasionally skips the hose and runs off somewhere else if it’s not dragging the hose straight behind.

By: Blair

Blair — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:50:52 +0000

We had a similar (in theory), sprinkler in the 60″s. The one the folks had was actually a hose reel, that followed the hose, and wound up the slack as it traveled.
I believe it was a Melnor brand, and for our yard I remember it worked very well

By: Steve C

Steve C — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:05:39 +0000

Wow, a blast from the past, sorta.

Dad had something similar when I was growing up. It was already old in the 60s and to my knowledge is still working today. It was all cast iron but didn’t mimic the look of a tractor even though they do kind of resemble each other. The thing weighed a ton. Dad could set out a loop of hose and it would do the entire lawn with no supervision. It’s a great idea but it sounds like this one suffers from “let’s take a good idea from an old product and make it from cheap plastic crap.” syndrome. Too bad.

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:53:59 +0000

I like mine. Came with a ramp that engages a shut-off valve on the belly of the beast. Sweet. Also has 2 settings for throwing different amounts of water.

By: Joel Spangler

Joel Spangler — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:40:37 +0000

NOT - I wouldn’t want to see anything with a JD logo on it in my yard.

By: BadBob

BadBob — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:46:22 +0000

I have one of the yellow rain trains I like very much.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:14:16 +0000

Semi-Not: If you lay out more than 50′ of hose, the weight of the water-filled hose exceeds the ability of the sprinkler to drag it.

By: Toolhearty

Toolhearty — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:49:31 +0000

Comments on Amazon aren’t very positive, looks like most give it a NOT.

http://www.amazon.com/John-Deere-4010J-Traveling-Sprinkler/dp/B0001ANC7M/ref=pd_cp_hi_1

By: Roscoe

Roscoe — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:03:18 +0000

You want the Nelson: http://www.amazon.com/Nelson-1865-Raintrain-Traveling-Sprinkler/dp/B00002N6AN

Nelson makes huge models that you’ve probably seen on sports fields and where new grass is planted commercially, they’ve adapted it for smaller areas and make a decent unit.