ZTRs on hills & slopes

[ddivinia]

My dealer has a demo and it sells itself. Many times they don't want to return it.

D.

 

[Rob-D]

My dealer has a demo and it sells itself. Many times they don't want to return it.

D.

It's 11 grand... I'll return it.

 

[sandman2234]

Place just west of town has an overpass that they have to keep the sides looking pretty on, and they keep it mowed with a Steiner 525 with duals. They have tried just about everything else, but when it comes to hills, the Steiner rules. (and if you think $11K was expensive, don't even look at one, because they can go for that much used, lol. I don't think they are made anymore anyway. The operator of that one and I stop and speak to each other whenever I am out that way. Me being curious and him hoping mine will come up for sale cheap, since he had to put a gas motor in his and mine is diesel
David from jax

 

[Rob-D]

Yes, but what are we talking about? OK, I want my place to look nice but I'm not in the commercial business, the last thing I want to do is mow someone else's lawn. Gag me with a spoon!
A tractor, sure, I can do all kinds of stuff with one and it's worth a lot of money for me to have one so I dish it out. But mowing, well, I like my Deere 445, it's really a quality machine but it's right at the top of what I want to spend for a dedicated mower. I don't expect to be buying any golf courses in the near furture either. My 445 cuts the lawn like a carpet, everyone notices how nice it looks, I do it very fast and I'm back on the tractor or doing something I really love to do.

How about this, if someone loves mowing so much come on over a do my place and then we can have a beer when you're done!

Rob

 

[ddivinia]

It's 11 grand... I'll return it.

Have you ever driven a ZTR mower?

I thought I was crazy to spend $7500 on my 757 ztrack. I could not imagine not owning one now. It is a serious mowing machine. We will be mowing with it for a very long time.

I have a JD 2210 - it sucked in comparison. It didn't do anything very well, but it was OK. I am glad it is gone.

D.

 

[Rob-D]

I own a ztrac445 with the high capacity 54" deck. I also have owned several JD tractors and am waiting for my 3320 TLB to come in.
I like the ztrac but mowing lawns, it's ok but limited. You can do so much more with a tractor. Actually the 2210 is a good little machine, lots of guys around here have and love them.
Rob

 

[ddivinia]

I own a ztrac445 with the high capacity 54" deck. I also have owned several JD tractors and am waiting for my 3320 TLB to come in.
I like the ztrac but mowing lawns, it's ok but limited. You can do so much more with a tractor. Actually the 2210 is a good little machine, lots of guys around here have and love them.
Rob

Fair enough - I am sold on dedicated machine for mowing.

My 757 rocks. I need to go out and do some backing today.

In regards to the 2210 - many people love them and many people hate them. I sold mine with 250 hours or so on it I think.

Hard time spinning a 4' shredder
Cooling fan is a real bear to replace.
If you abuse the PTO much at all - you can count on a very $$$ repair.
The Hydraulic filter is in exactly the wrong spot - easy to punch a hole in them. Keep one on hand and some oil.

D.

 

[Rob-D]

D,
Sounds like you have a lot more experience on the 2210 than me. I don't know it but the 20 series Deeres are my favorite. I guess to each his own.

Rob

 

[ddivinia]

D,
Sounds like you have a lot more experience on the 2210 than me. I don't know it but the 20 series Deeres are my favorite. I guess to each his own.

Rob

You have good taste. I think the 3x20s and 4x20 are going to go down as some of the best all around stuff JD has built.

D.

 

[jcmseven]

I really, really like the 900 series ZTR's from JD. If anyone has a hankering for a throw down mowing machine these are the ones--and this is coming from a fellow who does not like ZTRs especially after owning three of them. One thing about ZTRs in the past I did not like was that the levers had to be "rowed" so far to make direction changes and steering adjustments. Now, the new JD line is like a fighter jet, with minute changes in lever position making huge changes in machine movement. As for the Steiners, I do not know if they still make the 525 but our local hospital has two of the 430's, one gas and one diesel. They truly are very stable on hillsides and very safe--but they are also pretty slow. The hospital bought them because there are two hillsides on the property they were worried about overturning a ZTR. The Steiners handle it with ease, but one weekend I took my 757 out there just to try it out and did not have any trouble either and was much faster everywhere else---and that machine could not hold a candle to a 950 ZTR JD out now.

John M

 

[ddivinia]

I love my 757. I don't want to drive a new one, I will want one.

I think we mow 3+ acres here. Have had it for 5+ years or so. I just turned 200 hours on it. It has cut my mowing time down big time.

There is a nice used 757 with the bagger on ebay right now.

I think picking up commercial equipment after the season 1 or 2 years old is probably not a bad idea. They are built like tanks and the landscapers want to dump them so they dont have to pay payments thru the winter.

D.

 

[Rob-D]

John,
The 950 is high price commercial dedicated mowing machine, it should mow better than a 757 which can do other chores. How many acres are you mowing every week to justify a 950?
As for stability its gained by a low center of gravity and rear weight. Now that I loaded my ZTR tires to do just those two things it does do hills well enough for me to do the couple of acres I mow now.
My friend has sheep and horses on my front fields so I don't mow them yet. If she moves I'll have to start mowing them and I'll get a 6 or 7 foot rear finish mower for the tractor that will cut them pretty quickly.
I'm trying to figure out who here, not doing commercial mowing, can justify 11+ grand for a dedicated mower?

Rob

 

[ddivinia]

Are they really $11k?

D.

 

[Rob-D]

D,

Yes, and more! This is my point, how many of us can justify that expense?

Rob

 

[ddivinia]

D,

Yes, and more! This is my point, how many of us can justify that expense?

Rob

Tough call - if my time was worth a nickel an hour maybe not. $11K is **** steep. I balked at $7500, but maybe that is a bargain now.

Thing is there are a lot of players in that space. Lots of options to consider besides green.

D.