Teachu2
Platinum Member
I have five acres of Sierra Nevada foothills, with most of the property consisting of oak trees and native grasses. Current equipment is a Kioti DS3510 with a brush hog and a flail mower, and a beat up old Deere L120 riding mower. The Kioti is a bit large for some of the slopes (trees get in the way), the L120 is overwhelmed by the terrain at it's advanced age. I'm thinking of getting a more robust riding mower with a locking differential, 2wd, gasoline only, no PTO. The wife will be operating this machine, as will I on occasion.
I need advice on a couple of things:
Weight - I know that heavy is better in tractors, but what about riding mowers on slopes? The L120 is listed at 532lbs. I'm looking at a Deere x570 at 748lbs (606 on TractorData?) vs a Husqvarna YT48DXLS at 583lbs(596 on TractorData). Which will climb slopes better, given the same Kawasaki engine in both? (If TractorData is correct, there's only 10lbs difference)
Durability: The Husky has aluminum spindles - are they problems? Their 54" model has cast iron. The wife seems to break something on the L120 every time she uses it, but it is old and tired, with lots of battle scars. I have not been able to determine the spindle composition on the new Deere.
Truthfully, the box-store L120 has given amazing service for ten years - but I've put half it's replacement cost into keeping it running the last two. The x570 should last much better, the Husky may do fine at half the cost.....
I need advice on a couple of things:
Weight - I know that heavy is better in tractors, but what about riding mowers on slopes? The L120 is listed at 532lbs. I'm looking at a Deere x570 at 748lbs (606 on TractorData?) vs a Husqvarna YT48DXLS at 583lbs(596 on TractorData). Which will climb slopes better, given the same Kawasaki engine in both? (If TractorData is correct, there's only 10lbs difference)
Durability: The Husky has aluminum spindles - are they problems? Their 54" model has cast iron. The wife seems to break something on the L120 every time she uses it, but it is old and tired, with lots of battle scars. I have not been able to determine the spindle composition on the new Deere.
Truthfully, the box-store L120 has given amazing service for ten years - but I've put half it's replacement cost into keeping it running the last two. The x570 should last much better, the Husky may do fine at half the cost.....
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