Comparison Husqvarna GT48DXLS Compared to John Deere

[DHD]

Teachu2, like you I really needed a locking diff or a 4wd mower. Safety was my biggest motivator, going down hills out of control and being able to go up hills on some days while other days I would loose traction and slide back down. I have a CUT and side by side so this was only going to be used for mowing. I was seriously looking at the Husky R322T 4wd mower. With it's price range came a whole new set of options. Until then I really hadn't thought about the X570. That's what lead me to look around in the used market. I can't say I was looking specifically at the GT48DXLS at first, Husqvarna has several models with locking diffs but only a couple that also have the fabricated deck (Something I wanted). The YT line seamed kind of lower end with it's smaller wheels which left only the GT48DXLS (at least that's what the dealer I talked to said). The only one he had was sold so I could look it over but not even try it and didn't think he was going to get another. I might have waited another year but the dealer wasn't sure if Husky was going to have it in their lineup next year (another reason why I started looking at other options). I notice Husqvarna no longer lists the GT48DXLS on their website. In the past when I got to spending over $5k to just mow I shelved the idea. Had I not found a used X500 with low hours I probably would have waited until next year.

We went with the Husqvarna R322T AWD, we actually have two R322T machine's.
My wife helps me with the mowing, and we only use the R322Ts for mowing.

Much of our property has slopes and the R322T has worked out much better than our previous
2 wd Wheel Horse riding mowers.
The AWD is a huge advantage on slopes.
Another plus is the front mount deck, it flips up easily to clean out built-up grass clippings or changing blades.
Articulating steering for tight and easy maneuvering around objects is another benefit.

We both love our R322Ts and will never go back to traditional riding mowers, with mid mount mowing decks.

 

[DHD]

Deleted because of Double post

 

[dalola]

We went with the Husqvarna R322T AWD, we actually have two R322T machine's.
My wife helps me with the mowing, and we only use the R322Ts for mowing.

Much of our property has slopes and the R322T has worked out much better than our previous
2 wd Wheel Horse riding mowers.
The AWD is a huge advantage on slopes.
Another plus is the front mount deck, it flips up easily to clean out built-up grass clippings or changing blades.
Articulating steering for tight and easy maneuvering around objects is another benefit.

We both love our R322Ts and will never go back to traditional riding mowers, with mid mount mowing decks.

Those look pretty slick! Never saw/heard of it until now. Too bad they don't make a larger/heavier unit. Great concept, but seems to have some reliability/quality issues per the Husqvarna website reviews.

 

[17 Oaks]

I am in the exploratory mode and don't need it today, but will prob pull the trigger ( on something) this spring, if I get enough work down on the place to need it...more stump removal and the biggie, ROCK pick up and I have TONS of rocks on the ground.

Several things drive my requirements: 1) hills, 2) anything but flat ground and 3) stumps/rocks.


Whether or not the GT48 is my solution or not is still up in the air. But in my year long research it has strong positive reviews, and has 2 features I feel I need: 1) Fabbed deck, 2) locking rear axle. There may be more but at this time these are key.

In my research I found this thread and as a result joined the forum. My thinking was that somewhere in the 101 posts there would be light at the end of the tunnel that pointed to a solution to my needs. As for the prime talking point the "stronger frame", yea I guess albeit stronger frame is at best a relative term, stronger than what and how strong does it need to be to cut grass and weeds. I am also looking at the Husky R322 in 4wd and I will look at anything I can find out there that I think will do the job I need it for. Sure I think my JD is a great tractor, but I don't need another tractor or backhoe, I got now it along with a lot of other stuff I use on that JD, but my JD does not cut and I will be danged if I am going to spend almost $4k to hang a deck under it, especially since that won't work as my land that I want to mow is to heavily treed to maneuver that JD around.

I also like my Husky stuff, 3 chain saws, and a backpack blower to clear all those oak leaves that drop year round next to my house, good stuff it is.

 

[s219]

.... and has 2 features I feel I need: 1) Fabbed deck ....

What is it about a fabricated deck you think you need? Historically, it's not so much an issue of whether a deck is fabricated or stamped, but what gauge metal it's made from and how it's shaped and reinforced. Both Husky and Deere have offered 7-gauge stamped decks on their pro equipment that would make their lighter fabricated decks look like tin cans. So I would not let stamped vs. fabricated be a defining issue. Pay attention to the gauge of the metal on the deck, the shaping, and the reinforcement. Stamped decks will have better airflow and less clogging (smoother shape and corners) and if you can get one that's heavy gauge and well made, it would be the best of both worlds.

 

[Teachu2]

Stamped decks will have better airflow and less clogging (smoother shape and corners)

This is, like most generalizations, generally true - but the fabbed deck on my GT48 is exceptional in airflow and lack of clogging. The airflow contributes to excessive noise and it will throw clippings all the way across a residential road. Very sticky mud will adhere inside the deck, but it still didn't clog. I installed a mulch plug, which reduced the noise and eliminated the long discharge. I anticipate pulling the mulching plug for the first cut of the season.

 

[17 Oaks]

What is it about a fabricated deck you think you need? Historically, it's not so much an issue of whether a deck is fabricated or stamped, but what gauge metal it's made from and how it's shaped and reinforced. Both Husky and Deere have offered 7-gauge stamped decks on their pro equipment that would make their lighter fabricated decks look like tin cans. So I would not let stamped vs. fabricated be a defining issue. Pay attention to the gauge of the metal on the deck, the shaping, and the reinforcement. Stamped decks will have better airflow and less clogging (smoother shape and corners) and if you can get one that's heavy gauge and well made, it would be the best of both worlds.

Generally speaking, like gauge for like gauge the fabbed will be stronger vs the stamped one, generally speaking and in the case of fabbed vs stamped my bet is the fabbed on a mower is far stronger, but that is an assumption on my part. Stamped is cheaper and the easy way to better aerodynamics, fabbed requires design to achieve the same results.

Generally speaking.

My place is an old cattle ranch in the hill country of Tex. Well they don't call it Hill Country for no reason...basically the hill country is a layer of top soil about 1-4 in thick on top of a piece of limestone. Rare is flat and if if you see pasture it was man made and I don't have flat or pasture. Let cattle roam on it and the ground is unlevel, rough and IMO a stamped or thin gauge deck will get destroyed in short time. This not finish mowing, right not I mow with a Billy Goat ROUGH CUT and have been clearly, smoothing out with it. Drawback is it weighs 355 lbs, 2 wheels, and cuts a 26 in swath. TRUST me this is BRUTAL work in 100 F temps, even with the good breeze I had blowing yesterday. Been at this for almost 6 years and thinking by next year I might be able to mow a few acres around the ranch house, but even with all the work I have put in, its still a rough mow and its not and never will be some grassy lawn that I cruise over with a cold one in my hand and smoking a cigar.

Besides, I am in my 70's and my wife keeps worrying I am gonna drop dead behind my Billy Goat or on my John Deere..which is fine by me, I am an old soldier and was prepared to die with my boots on to begin with.

 

[s219]

Generally speaking, like gauge for like gauge the fabbed will be stronger vs the stamped one, generally speaking and in the case of fabbed vs stamped my bet is the fabbed on a mower is far stronger, but that is an assumption on my part. Stamped is cheaper and the easy way to better aerodynamics, fabbed requires design to achieve the same results.

Generally speaking.

My place is an old cattle ranch in the hill country of Tex. Well they don't call it Hill Country for no reason...basically the hill country is a layer of top soil about 1-4 in thick on top of a piece of limestone. Rare is flat and if if you see pasture it was man made and I don't have flat or pasture. Let cattle roam on it and the ground is unlevel, rough and IMO a stamped or thin gauge deck will get destroyed in short time. This not finish mowing, right not I mow with a Billy Goat ROUGH CUT and have been clearly, smoothing out with it. Drawback is it weighs 355 lbs, 2 wheels, and cuts a 26 in swath. TRUST me this is BRUTAL work in 100 F temps, even with the good breeze I had blowing yesterday. Been at this for almost 6 years and thinking by next year I might be able to mow a few acres around the ranch house, but even with all the work I have put in, its still a rough mow and its not and never will be some grassy lawn that I cruise over with a cold one in my hand and smoking a cigar.

Besides, I am in my 70's and my wife keeps worrying I am gonna drop dead behind my Billy Goat or on my John Deere..which is fine by me, I am an old soldier and was prepared to die with my boots on to begin with.

I would agree with you to a point, but look at those well-known heavy duty stamped decks (i.e., Deere 7-iron or similar) and there would be no concern on my part. Some of the stamped decks I see on compact tractors and pro z-turn mowers are clearly made to be bombproof. They've done their homework and gone to heavier metal and good reinforcement to make them strong.

I think where stamped becomes a risk is on cheaper box-store mowers, where they are manufacturing to a price point and have short warranties. Those decks are not made to last. There is no way to make that price point with a fabbed deck regardless of the gauge of the metal, and the only way they make it with a stamped deck is with thin metal.

The other concern will be rust, if clumping and moisture are problems. Thicker metal is better for that (all else equal, like metal quality, paint quality, etc), and of course smoother shapes and less cluttered structures are better too. When I have had decks rust out, stamped or fabbed, it's always been in some area or corner that collected clippings and wasn't easily cleaned (or even visible) on a routine basis. Upon examination it was obvious, but if it was, why did they design them that way? It probably means they didn't think about that part or even study that. Filling/rounding corners or fairing in brackets would have eliminated the problem.

The mowing you describe I probably wouldn't mow with either lawn tractor discussed in this thread. Neither is tough enough, and even if they were they'd beat you to death at any reasonable speed. I'd be looking at a suitable mowing implement for your 2620, assuming it can make the turns and fit in all the spaces you need to mow. I have a Honda push mower for around my house, the X380 for my septic field and yard, and then everything else requires bush hog or sickle mower on a larger tractor. No one machine can do it all well.

 

[17 Oaks]

I would agree with you to a point, but look at those well-known heavy duty stamped decks (i.e., Deere 7-iron or similar) and there would be no concern on my part. Some of the stamped decks I see on compact tractors and pro z-turn mowers are clearly made to be bombproof. They've done their homework and gone to heavier metal and good reinforcement to make them strong.

I think where stamped becomes a risk is on cheaper box-store mowers, where they are manufacturing to a price point and have short warranties. Those decks are not made to last. There is no way to make that price point with a fabbed deck regardless of the gauge of the metal, and the only way they make it with a stamped deck is with thin metal.

The other concern will be rust, if clumping and moisture are problems. Thicker metal is better for that (all else equal, like metal quality, paint quality, etc), and of course smoother shapes and less cluttered structures are better too. When I have had decks rust out, stamped or fabbed, it's always been in some area or corner that collected clippings and wasn't easily cleaned (or even visible) on a routine basis. Upon examination it was obvious, but if it was, why did they design them that way? It probably means they didn't think about that part or even study that. Filling/rounding corners or fairing in brackets would have eliminated the problem.

The mowing you describe I probably wouldn't mow with either lawn tractor discussed in this thread. Neither is tough enough, and even if they were they'd beat you to death at any reasonable speed. I'd be looking at a suitable mowing implement for your 2620, assuming it can make the turns and fit in all the spaces you need to mow. I have a Honda push mower for around my house, the X380 for my septic field and yard, and then everything else requires bush hog or sickle mower on a larger tractor. No one machine can do it all well.

All valid, that said:

In spite of cutting down trees like a beaver for the past 5+ years I am covered by them albeit I am now down (finally) to mostly oaks, the cedar mostly gone. Here in S Tx you just don't cut oak if you want to keep a high value on your property. We got HIT HARD by oak disease, my place was missed, but just down the road the guy with a 100 acres has FEW left. So my JD, by adding a deck ($3700) would be near worthless as it just cannot maneuver, Bush Hog would be throwing money away.

I only need to mow maybe 4 times a year max. With the Billy Goat I do 2 full mows (of the acreage I want to mow) a year and several supplemental mows in areas that get and retain more moisture, like the low area that is the run off for the pond and down below the dam.

You can see the challenges, low hours, and frequency of use, but still a need, challenging rough terrain and a mix of native grasses and other vegetation (nuisance). Plus trying to keep down that dam Poison Oak.Ivy, I swear I could round bale the stuff and no matter how bad the drought is it grows green and healthy!

Sure I could buy a $10k machine that does all and more, well I don't need the more and not likely to ever get $10k of value from it. Yet I know somewhere in the vast mix there is something that meets my needs that I can justify the cost. Key is justify, my Billy Goat was almost $4k and I did not bat an eye and its the only thing that I could get to clear with due to the trees I save...

 

[airbiscuit]

17Oaks, Your logic seems - well- logical ...