54" vs 60" MM Mower - Pros / Cons, Opinions?

[Anonymous Poster]

54\" vs 60\" MM Mower - Pros / Cons, Opinions?

Hi,
I would like to ask for opinion on Mid Mount Mowers.
54" or 60" - which would you choose - Pro / Cons?
Lets say if it were to be mounted on a JD 2210 or 4010.
Thanks

 

[bigpete]

Re: 54\" vs 60\" MM Mower - Pros / Cons, Opinions?

Hi again, SubVet.

Just don't ask anything about Hydrostat or Gear trannies and the thread will be fine. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

If I recall, you are not mowing anything over 3 acres, or so, so you would be fine with the 54". If I recall, the 4010 can be fitted with a 54" or 60" and the 2210 takes the newer 54C or 62C.

I have the 60" deck on my 445 (it's the same deck as the one for the bigger units and the 4010) and it gives a great, fast cut. It weighs 300 pounds and the deck metal thickness is heavier than the 54". From what I have experienced and read, it's one of the best mowing decks available.

I can't comment on the 54" or the "C" decks yet, but I expect something of a similar experience from the 62C I ordered. I've got about 4 acres to cut and the 8" will make a world of difference to me

If you are looking to shave a few $ off the deal, the smaller deck is probably a good place to do it without sacrificing quality or performance.

p.s. Did you find a good price on a decent box blade?

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: 54

Subvet,

A lot depends on how your lot is laid out. I think you mentioned in one of your earlier posts that you will be mowing about 2.5 acres, but I don't remember if you have a lot of trees and other obstacles to mow around or if you have fairly open land. In my case, I have a mixture and there are some areas where I wouldn't want/couldn't use anything bigger than the 54.

My brother owns 2 JD 425's. One has a 54 and the other a 60. The main difference (besides width of cut) is that on his 60 the anti scalp wheels rotate whereas on my 54 they are fixed. I have not run into any problems with the design, but my guess is that given a certain type of terrain, the rotating wheels would be better as they would "turn" when you turned the tractor. I do not know if the 60 for the 4010 or 2210 has the same type of rotating wheels, but my guess is they do.

For me, the price difference between the two was very significant and I couldn't see spending the extra money for 6 more inches of cutting width. My guess is that you could go with the 54 and the money you saved would get you 2/3 of the way to purchasing a nice leaf collection system (again, you may not need one depending on your lawn).

For what it's worth, the 54 provides a very nice cut.

Bob

 

[BWS]

Re: 54

do they make a mmm thats h.d.like a brushhog??

 

[hazmat]

Re: 54

<font color=blue>do they make a mmm thats h.d.like a brushhog?? </font color=blue>

Not that I've ever heard of.

Subvet, not sure about the 54C and 62C decks, but when I was shopping (last may) there was a difference on the 54 & 60" decks for the 4010. The 60" was heavier built. You mentioned before that this tractor needed to outlast you. Unfortunately it is a few hundred dollars more. That said, only you know how hard you are going to run it, if you keep your yard like a golf green, then the 54 will have no problem. If there are alot of rocks or old stumps, you may want the added protection the heavier built 60" deck provides.

For reference the 60" on my new holland weighs 400# I think it is 3/16" steel.

FYI you didn't ask, but the 18HP 4010 will power the 60" deck just fine. If you intend on installing the mulching kit, you may want to go with the 54".

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: 54

Thanks for the feed back,
I have narrowed my choice of tractors to the 2210 or 4010.
The dealer gave me a pretty good price on both.
2210 with 54C deck and FEL - $12,300 the $4010 with 54" MMM and FEL - $12,600.
The decission now is which size deck to go with.
On the 2210 it is about $400 more for the 62C and 4010 about $700 more for a 60" deck. I was mainly wondering if it was worth the extra $$$.
Thanks
Pete, I have not looked for a Box blade yet, stil concentrating on the tractor.

 

[beenthere]

Re: 54

Really, only you can answer "is it worth the extra $$?".

I have the 54" on a Deere 445 (and have had one for about 7 years). I mow about 8 acres with it, and the main reason I stick with the 54" is because of the proximity of a lot of trees. My neighbor has had the 60" and he is very happy with his. If the lay of the lawn is not real flat, the 60" requires some extra thinking to keep the lawn looking level. But it can be done. If you want to mow faster (less time), get the bigger deck.

 

[jyoutz]

Re: 54

I have a 4100 with a 54" deck. It works fine. Would I rather have a 60" deck. Yes, but I put the extra $ towards another implement. You didn't ask, but I thought that I'd mention that for the few hundred $ price difference, I would definately go with the 4010 tractor. The 4010 is a more heavier duty unit than the 2210. I'm sure the 2210 is a nice subcompact unit, but it should be priced much less than the 4010 to make up for the difference in the capability. HP is not the only criteria for comparison. The 4010 has more hydraulic flow, and loader / 3 PH lift capacity.

 

[BigDave]

Re: 54

SubVet,

If you ever hit obstacles with your deck, like I do, then go with the thickest deck of the three. I know the 62" is either 0.5 or 1.0 gauge thicker than the 54". I'm not sure about the 60", but I suspect that it is the most rugged. If I remember correctly, the 60" has steel covers over the pulleys, versus plastic on the other two. Just something else to consider. Ask you dealer to look up the thickness & weights. Maybe he has a recommendation. Expect to see anywhere from 9 to 11 gauge steel on the decks you are considering.

I have a 7 gauge deck, that I just had reinforced to help overcome the fact that I use a 3000lb tractor to trim edges.

 

[TresCrows]

Re: 54\" vs 60\" MM Mower - Pros / Cons, Opinions?

The bigger deck will increase your manuverability while mowing, you can stick the left side into scallops and other tight spots and the inside uncut radius is also smaller. There is no question in my mind--get the 60. J