Buying Advice In need of help replacing a lawn mower

Apsterbobed · Nov 27, 2015

Hello everyone, I have been tasked with replacing my mother's lawn mower. Currently she has a JD zero turn with a 48" deck, I don't remember the model but I belive it's 22 hp. It's only a few years old and mechanical is perfect, the problem she has is it takes 4 to 5 hours each week to mow her lawn. She has about 4 or 5 acres of lawn that is mowed weekly and about half is too bumpy to go full speed. This wasn't an issue while my sister was still living with her as they split it but now she is spending the vast majority of her free time on the mower, afterwards she is sore from the rough ride. When I was living there we had a JD 790 with a 6' rear finish mower and a FEL (that we used in conjunction with a 48" rider) and I could mower anywhere on the lawn so I know that there is nowhere on her lawn where a larger mower can't fit. Now we have the kioti and it's too heavy for the majority of her lawn, and she hated mowing with either tractor and would just use the rider. So that's the back story and what I am looking for is advice on a replacement mower to cut down on her time and maybe something more comfortable for the rough sections. Her lawn is very thick and grows fast due to the fact that it holds a lot of water and is almost never dry, there is a thick layer of clay just under the top soil and ledge under that in many places. Any and all help would be appreciated.

smstonypoint · Nov 27, 2015

I don't own one, but Ferris ZTRs are reported to offer among the smoothest (if not the smoothest) rides.

Steve

MinnesotaEric · Nov 27, 2015

Apsterbobed said:
Hello everyone, I have been tasked with replacing my mother's lawn mower. Currently she has a JD zero turn with a 48" deck, I don't remember the model but I belive it's 22 hp. It's only a few years old and mechanical is perfect, the problem she has is it takes 4 to 5 hours each week to mow her lawn. She has about 4 or 5 acres of lawn that is mowed weekly and about half is too bumpy to go full speed. This wasn't an issue while my sister was still living with her as they split it but now she is spending the vast majority of her free time on the mower, afterwards she is sore from the rough ride. When I was living there we had a JD 790 with a 6' rear finish mower and a FEL (that we used in conjunction with a 48" rider) and I could mower anywhere on the lawn so I know that there is nowhere on her lawn where a larger mower can't fit. Now we have the kioti and it's too heavy for the majority of her lawn, and she hated mowing with either tractor and would just use the rider. So that's the back story and what I am looking for is advice on a replacement mower to cut down on her time and maybe something more comfortable for the rough sections. Her lawn is very thick and grows fast due to the fact that it holds a lot of water and is almost never dry, there is a thick layer of clay just under the top soil and ledge under that in many places. Any and all help would be appreciated.

What is your budget? I have back issues and decided to pull the trigger on a Ferris IS2100Z. I have a thread on it on the Simplicity Forum.

My back and neck issues are somewhat unique, but I've also started a thread on seating options that I'm exploring for the new Ferris on the General Lawn and Garden Forum.

Apsterbobed · Nov 27, 2015

I don't know my budget yet I have to discuss that with her and I need to find out what her JD is worth. I will take a look at the links, thanks.

kthompson · Nov 27, 2015

Two years ago I bought a top of the line Ferris, my second zero turn mower while twice the price also twice the mower and as comfortable as a zero turn can be. It has full spring and shocks on all four wheels. It is a 61 inch deck with a 37 Kawaski engine and it will run. It will also eat a belt and not even burp. They had lighter weight mower that I would have bought but my dealer had this one at very good end of year price. If you don't buy a model with the springs you are missing it. Still holes in the ground will bounce you for the speed it runs.

My thoughts, slow the travel speed down, do so with the stop bolts for the handles. Second if possible get a top notch seat for it, on my other zero had added a much better seat that really helped it and check the tire air pressure. Now check it not looking at the tire sidewall but the JD manual. Think good chance the tires are over filled. They depend on low air pressure to help the ride, did so on my Bush Hog and does on the Ferris. Doubt this is an option but larger diameter tires ride better for they do not drop into holes the same.

Looked back at your post and some other thoughts, level the yard. Best option to improving it. Smooth lawn will ride smooth. You probably can do that for les than buying a new mower. Also think you are using a residential mower which will have the worst possible ride. Small tires and terrible seat. Also will weigh less and thus bounce easy. You also may find the levers are not adjusted for her in the seat causing her to lean to operate it putting more stress on her back. You can expect at least here to spend $7,000 for any commercial mower. I really do enjoy a zero turn mower but they are not perfect and the ride with them due to the speed most run suffers.

DK35vince · Nov 27, 2015

I have a Hustler Super Z for our 7 acre lawn.
35 HP Kawasaki with a 72" deck, suspension seat, flex fork front suspension and 7-8 PSI tire pressure gives it a pretty decent ride.
The thing will flat out mow.
I can mow our 7 acre yard in 2 hours.

kthompson · Nov 28, 2015

In rereading your post it seems if possible the first item is to drain the wet area. Then get the yard as smooth as reasonable. No idea on there but depending on what it is rough you may can haul in decent dirt and just level it over the area to make it level. As have posted running two zero turns and one area I do not like them is on wet lawn especially if sloped. I had much rather use my B2710 with 72 inch rear finishing mower there. Still on wet lawn you need to lift the mower at times and be sure to make no sharp turns to protect the grass.

On draining the yard it possible you want to prevent the water getting there, so ditching the uphill side is best way. Here we will use tile and plastic on the downhill side of the trench to be a barrier so the water will drain down to the pipe.

Apsterbobed · Nov 28, 2015

I completely agree that smoothing the yard would be the best solution but her lawn is her baby and trying to talk her into any type of work that disturbs the grass is like pulling teeth! We have cut a few drainage ditches through the yard and at the property line on the up hill sides. Fortunately most of the spots that stay wet are still firm enough that the zero turn doesn't cause damage, she somehow has amazingly thick, strong and resilient sod. Smoothing the lawn sounds like a long term solution but I don't know how long it would last through the freeze thaw cycles before it goes back to the way it is? It may never go back I don't know, but in the spring when the melt is well underway she will have water that comes up out of the ground in places. Sometime you can walk around on large semi frozen sections of floating sod! My theory is the water travels on the ledge and comes to the surface in places where the ledge is close to the surface. I could be wrong. We have talked about drainage tile, french drains, and reshaping the surface to promote drying but it always comes back to hurting the grass and cost. Part of the problem is the lack of slope that we have to work with, and there are horse pasture fences scattered about that need to be worked around. If anyone wants to donate any time with a dozer I would happily remove fencing for them! Or maybe some electrical work?