Want to buy a used Grasshopper and need advice.

[arto98607]

There is some pretty good advice above already by others!


Front mount rear discharge deck mower is the way to go if you need to mow a lot around hedges, trees & bushes etc.

I bought 1993 Grasshopper 721D with 61 inch rear discharge deck back in 2003 and we have put on over 1000 hours since then (about 1750 hrs now).

It's been a great mower and probably paid for itself just in reduced fuel cost alone, if compared to gasoline engine mower.

You should be able to find used Grasshopper that may need some reconditioning in the $3000 - 5000 range so they are not cheap but on the other hand, a good low hour used Kubota Diesel engine alone can easily be worth 3 grand.

Used ones in excellent condition not needing repairs will cost lot more.

 

[sixdogs]

arto98607--How hard is it to flip up the deck on yours compared with the models that have the electric lift?

 

[arto98607]

arto98607--How hard is it to flip up the deck on yours compared with the models that have the electric lift?

The deck is made of heavy gauge steel so manual lifting is not very practical at least in the long run, but can be done by the right person

Here is how I have lifted the deck for service:

1. Drive the deck wheels up on two 4" x 12" x 5' lumber car ramps. Works pretty good and effortless :thumbsup:
2. Lift manually by using 2 x 4 as a leverage and prop up the front of the deck on 12 x 12 wooden blocks.
3. Use engine hoist & prop it up on 12" x 12" blocks.


No. 1. works best by far.

Usually I lift up the deck only once a year or once every two years to change the blades. Decided not to spend time cleaning it underneath after I painted it with Por 15 paint on back in 2003.

 

[Birdhunter1]

Manual lift front mount Grasshopper decks (at least 2005 models) have a handle that will mount to use as leverage and it isn't horrible to lift.

 

[sixdogs]

Good info and thank you both. I'm still looking and find prices all over the place. Dealers still seem to have what they had in the spring for used mowers. A mower could be $6500 at one dealer and a nearly identical mower $8500 at a different dealer. My plan is to hope for a mower to come up at an auction and if no go there see what dealers have in September. There are lots of mowers for sale. The grasshopper really is a well built mower.

 

[Birdhunter1]

Mine has 850 hours on it, things to check at an auction yard I would look at is the pillow block bearings underneath, the deck wheel bearings and casters (look for excessive slop), the PTO drive belts and idler pulley on the back of the engine check for slop in the idler, pop the deck cover and look for slop or flop in all the pulleys, lift the deck and look at the gearbox.. make sure it is solidly mounted and the bearing and seal are in it (about a $250 part), also while under the deck there is a cup shield between the blade and the spindle that will wear or tear, check the hydro pump drive pulleys (a bit harder to do without removing a panel), look for evidence of a hydraulic oil leak on the pan under the pumps (flip up seat to look) (if its built up with a mountain of debris you can just about judge how it was cleaned and maintained), look behind drive wheels on top of drive motors (that is a hard one to keep cleaned off but can be done), check the hydraulic hoses from the pumps to motors. There are also two round fiber disks in the shaft between the motor and the hydro pump drive system that is the weak point by design to shear if a bind occurs. I don't think this is a wear item it is more of a tear item, I have not had to replace mine and most people don't but from what I have been told it is a more common item for people that commercially plow snow. I have a plow on mine and have used it for dirt, gravel and snow and have not had that item break but it can and is designed to like a shear bolt.

If most everything I mentioned needed replaced except the deck drive gear box you could probably do it near $500. Those are things I have either replaced, adjusted or checked often in the last 8 years of ownership. None of those parts, except the gearbox, are really expensive by themselves or in pairs but those parts combined with labor can mean the difference in a $6500 machine vs and $8500 machine in the same mower with comparable years and hours. Mine is a 2005 model that I bought in 2011 and happened to be owned by the father of the dealer, he went and picked it up every year to service it and had completely gone through the machine before I bought it. His dad was in his 80's at the time and lifting the manual fold deck was just a bit too much for him and he wanted an electric fold deck.

 

[sixdogs]

Great advice, Birdhunter. Thank you.

 

[sawtooth]

You will love these machines. I currently have a mid mount commercial 325D and one of the new 900D’s. In 2016 I also bought a new 725D but since I have some very steep banks plus need a 72” deck I traded for the 900D when it came out last year. There is a huge difference in performance if you need the larger deck and or have steep hills. The 900D just has more power and a lot more hill climbing ability. The 1.3L engine in the 900D has the same 25 hp but has a larger displacement engine so torque rise is like 30% or higher. It’s very noticeable when mowing high thick grass using a 72” deck. With the 61” deck the smaller diesel has plenty of power though.

 

[sixdogs]

My ground is dead flat and I mow around 2 1/2 acres. I now mow with a pull type 7' rear mower and can really fly. The GH would either replace that mower or I could just use it to mow under my trees and treeline. Not sure if I want a 5' or 6' front mower.

 

[sawtooth]

I would stick with a 61” deck on the 725D unless you plan to mow every week and won’t let the grass get very high. Even at that your speed will be limited power wise depending grass type and thickness. I’m almost surprised that GH offers a 72” deck on the 725D. Its very borderline. Having flat ground and mowing each week definitely helps though. Just don’t plan on mowing at a real high rate of speed. The 61’ deck though is a perfect match for that machine.