Lady needs help-advice for 4 wheel drive riding lawn mower

[jenkinsph]

The person who started this thread put in herfirst sentense that she thought she needed a 4wd lawn mower and mentioned a specific john deere lawn mower model was too many dollars.

So lets think about that statement and your assessment that people are always against jd.

A jd 4wd lawn mower runs about $12,500.00 plus tax. For that you get a gas engine unit. It has no front end loader provision or valve for a fel. No included implements or 3 pt. Hitch. No rops or seat belt. A close competitor to it is the 4wd Kubota lawn mower in gas for about 8,000 or in diesel for under 9,000 and the kubota has zero turn type ability in addition to 4wd. So what part of her statement is incorrect or biased against john deere ?

When I purchased the x749 diesel, four wheel steer, 4x4, 3ph and 540 rear pto it was $13,000. Including the mmm deck and two front hydraulic circuits which were standard features. A fel was not a recommended option with 4 wheel steer but was an option for the x748. I would rather not have a rops on a mower working under tree limbs but if you want a rops and fel I think all the manufacturers including Deere have a line up of subcompacts with this set up.

Again I was asking a GENERAL question about wailing on Deere products of all kinds, in all the general forum headings, not this specific thread. And I should add that I like a lot of the Kubota offerings and recommended an M59tlb in another thread last week.

 

[ovrszd]

I am always puzzled why so many here wail on John Deere products. While I have had many good tractors of other brands in the past I seem to see countless threads talking down Deere and recommending other brands. I think most of us recognize there are lots of good brands out there today but why wail on Deere so much?

I think they are green with envy.....

 

[Gary Fowler]

I REALLY APPRECIATE your honest comments and will reconsider ZTR. I was just hesitant as I saw one go into my good lod boys mower shop and it was going to cost ove a $1,000 for a part. He could only turn one way. Thank you!!!!!

You do know that even tractor type with hydrostatic drive (no gears to shift) also has that same part, the HST drive pump and motor. The difference is that ZTR have 2 where most tractor types have only one. If you get a commercial grade ZTR it will have more robust pumps AND they are serviceable which means you can change oil and filter in them and also can be rebuilt after a long life of mowing rather than just tossing and putting in a new unit.

For around $1000 more than your budget, you can get a high end ZTR with 3400 or higher series HST drive units that will last more than 1000 hours. I also prefer the Kawasaki engines for my mowers as I think they are better built and have more power than the similar size Kohler or Briggs and Stratton engine. You will pay a bit more for it however.
I also have a Ferris with the coil spring over shock suspension at all four corners. I think it give much better ride than stiff frame mowers.
I think Exmark makes a good mower also so check them out. They have some with Kawasaki engines almost within your budget. I really liked the suspension seat on their top of the line unit but it was $9600 with a 60" deck.

 

[AxleHub]

When I purchased the x749 diesel, four wheel steer, 4x4, 3ph and 540 rear pto it was $13,000. Including the mmm deck and two front hydraulic circuits which were standard features. A fel was not a recommended option with 4 wheel steer but was an option for the x748.

What is the difference in equipment between a x728 and a x749?

 

[jenkinsph]

What is the difference in equipment between a x728 and a x749?

749 is diesel engine four wheel steer and four wheel drive. 728 is gas engine two wheel steer four wheel drive.

 

[eagle628]

A jd 4wd lawn mower runs about $12,500.00 plus tax. For that you get a gas engine unit. It has no front end loader provision or valve for a fel. No included implements or 3 pt. Hitch. No rops or seat belt. A close competitor to it is the 4wd Kubota lawn mower in gas for about 8,000 or in diesel for under 9,000 and the kubota has zero turn type ability in addition to 4wd. So what part of her statement is incorrect or biased against john deere ?

Be interested if you could point me to a Kubota zero turn garden tractor with four wheel drive. At any price.

 

[AxleHub]

Be interested if you could point me to a Kubota zero turn garden tractor with four wheel drive. At any price.

Kubota GR2020 is the gas engine unit and the GR2120 is the diesel engine unit.

They feature 4wd and a steering system called Glide Steer. Myself I'd considered the diesel version for a couple of years because it has piwer and torque a-plenty to use for lawn mowing or snowblowing or other implement options.

Remember now . . Its a commercial duty lawn tractor.

 

[DHD]

Be interested if you could point me to a Kubota zero turn garden tractor with four wheel drive. At any price.

Not a zero turn but still very maneuverable is the Kubota F series front mount mowers, in either 2wd or 4wd. They are pricey.
What's great about a front mount mower is the flip up mower deck for easy service, not mashing down the grass with the front wheels of the tractor before the grass is cut.
https://www.kubota.com/product/FSeries.aspx

Another less expensive, highly maneuverable front mount mower, and is all wheel drive is the Husqvarna R322T AWD
HUSQVARNA R 322T AWD - Riders

 

[AxleHub]

Not a zero turn but still very maneuverable is the Kubota F series front mount mowers, in either 2wd or 4wd. They are pricey.
What's great about a front mount mower is the flip up mower deck for easy service, not mashing down the grass with the front wheels of the tractor before the grass is cut.
https://www.kubota.com/product/FSeries.aspx

Another less expensive, highly maneuverable front mount mower, and is all wheel drive is the Husqvarna R322T AWD
HUSQVARNA R 322T AWD - Riders

Personally . . I looked at quite a few front mount mowers in 2009 thru 2011. Of all of them the ones I was most impressed with were the zero turn Grasshopper products. Their manueverability, prices, optional implement choices and serviceability were just excellent. And they offered big advantages for snow blowing and cutting grass on hills that others couldn't match imo. If I was going to be in the lawn care business or had
a big estate or acreage or lots of hard surface snowblowing . . thats what I would have chosen.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

. . . Again I was asking a GENERAL question about wailing on Deere products of all kinds, in all the general forum headings, not this specific thread. And I should add that I like a lot of the Kubota offerings and recommended an M59tlb in another thread last week.

I think the natural tendency is to take shots at #1, whether it's tractors, motorcycles, cars or anything else. I'm not saying John Deere is the best, and I know they're not even the best-selling tractor in some sizes, but their name recognition puts them at #1 overall. People love to bag on Harley Davidson motorcycles for the same reason.

I own a Kioti, two Kubotas and a John Deere garden tractor, so I'm not loyal to any brand.