Need help with new 0-turn purchase...

[Grumpycat]

You indicated you have hills.....I also posted question about ZT mowers and have hills but for safety reasons decided not to buy a ZT.

I test drove one in my yard and did in fact find it too dangerous for me on my slop which leads to a deep pond at the bottom.

You test drove one ZTR in your lawn. I suggest not all are the same. Country Clipper goes to effort to put the gas tank under the seat to lower C.O.G. for better resistance to rollover. Not quite as easy to access as an Exmark with gas tank high on rear flank.

These things have to be tested and certified, even if the certification is performed by the manufacturer. So there should be test reports. Can't hit the right search phrase to find tonight.

 

[searcyfarms]

i like the feel of my dads country clipper, it has the KAW and not sure what hydros it has in it, he did have one leak one time and it was an o-ring on the drive motor, it was a slow drip, he didnt like getting oil on his concrete floor. I will say my buddies grasshopper with the front mount mower is nice to get up under things, it gets better traction but he has chevron AT101s on it if i remember right.

going across side hills are much more challenging on a zero turn no matter which brand, preferred method is up/down if possible but i realize that isnt always doable.

there is no PERFECT mower - there is only the best choice for a given user and their use

my brother in law has a deere box store zero turn that ran about 3000 bucks, been through a drive motor every year for the past 5 yrs of ownership, he dumped it last week for a cub cadet of some sort i havent seen it yet but i doubt he spent more than 3000 and im confident he got it at a box store as well.

when it comes to Zeros, as said here before many times, you get what you pay for and you will spend over 5K to get something in the descent hydro class, upgraded mower, 50" deck range -

the best will cost you no doubt about it but if you are like me a high end mower will likely outlast you

 

[EddieWalker]

When I was looking for my zero turn, I read everything that I could and also payed attention to what I was seeing the pros use around town. Here, it seemed like there where four or five brands that I kept seeing over and over again, so that's where I put my focus on. In the end, I went with the Scag 61 inch and Kawasaki motor. It's been great at mowing, but a nightmare at starting. Because I've had so many electrical issues with it, I can't recommend it. I've been told that they have fixed this, but I spent too much money for something that I've had to removed every single safety sensor and bypass the key to be able to get it to start.

If I ever have to buy another lawn mower, I think that I will look at the Kubota F series with the deck out in front of the machine. Grasshopper also has this design and I looked at them, but didn't like the dealer and then they closed down before I chose the Scag. Zero turn is nice, but it's also more work then a riding mower and it beats you up if your lawn isn't perfectly flat. When I had a riding mower, I enjoyed mowing more and found it relaxing. The zero turn is not relaxing!!!

 

[searcyfarms]

When I was looking for my zero turn, I read everything that I could and also payed attention to what I was seeing the pros use around town. Here, it seemed like there where four or five brands that I kept seeing over and over again, so that's where I put my focus on. In the end, I went with the Scag 61 inch and Kawasaki motor. It's been great at mowing, but a nightmare at starting. Because I've had so many electrical issues with it, I can't recommend it. I've been told that they have fixed this, but I spent too much money for something that I've had to removed every single safety sensor and bypass the key to be able to get it to start.

If I ever have to buy another lawn mower, I think that I will look at the Kubota F series with the deck out in front of the machine. Grasshopper also has this design and I looked at them, but didn't like the dealer and then they closed down before I chose the Scag. Zero turn is nice, but it's also more work then a riding mower and it beats you up if your lawn isn't perfectly flat. When I had a riding mower, I enjoyed mowing more and found it relaxing. The zero turn is not relaxing!!!

Agreed..........a Z/T will beat you to death even the front mount g/hopper or deere i have drive are rough, more so than the tractor type chassis. I love mowing but since i got my larger SCUT and now CUT my wife/daughter love it. They are more forgiving when it comes to bumps. They wont mow as fast nor turn as sharp but are much more versatile for my application.

I have never asked a friend with his Kubota how he likes it vs his SCUT I bought from him about 5 yrs ago, but he has never raved about it so i guess it must be ho hum for him. My neighbor has a Z/T and i cant remember the brand, its a red one so either toro/snapper/exmark. Its about 5 yrs old or less - he mows between 4 and 5 acres. He has a Cub Lo-Boy, with a belly mower, another Cub with a woods belly mower and just recently i am helping him fabricate a 7 foot 4 wheel ranch king finish mower for his farmall C. He thought the Z/T would be the answer for all his mowing and he said it just hurts his back/neck too much. The Cub Lo-Boy only has a 48 inch deck and so is the Cub w/woods belly mower. He spends hours mowing and riding so he is needing something bigger.

The C with the 7 foot finish mower should be the ticket, smoother ride and he only plans to use the z/t close up around the house.

He gave up the speed of the Z/T and went back to the Cub/Lo-Boy units due to the pain and rough ride of the Z/T.

You are right on Eddie, if you have a rough yard that is not golf course smooth you better plan accordingly - my cousin wears a mouthpiece like football players use after biting his tongue a couple times from bouncing around while mowing, he said it works well. I dont know if they come with seat belts or air ride seats but that would be a must for me if i owned one.

 

[art]

Of the brands of zero turns we sell the Cadet with a steering wheel holds the hills far beyond any twin stick and with the bigger tires over some they ride smoother then the suspension units!

 

[Foreman TX]

Of the brands of zero turns we sell the Cadet with a steering wheel holds the hills far beyond any twin stick and with the bigger tires over some they ride smoother then the suspension units!

I'm going to look at the Z900 series 0-turn this week and see where the price comes in on it.

 

[Pete6114]

If i had to buy a ZT, it be a Ferris hands down. Just sold my Kubota F2690 and am using my neighbors Ferris 5100, which is a joy to operate with it's fantastic suspension. I cut a lot of acreage for him and am not sore after several hours of cutting lumpy uneven large areas. My F26909 on the other hand will pop my dentures out of my mouth if i'm not careful.

 

[EddieWalker]

That's disappointing. I've always heard that the front deck mowers give a much nicer ride then a zero turn.

 

[searcyfarms]

If i had to buy a ZT, it be a Ferris hands down. Just sold my Kubota F2690 and am using my neighbors Ferris 5100, which is a joy to operate with it's fantastic suspension. I cut a lot of acreage for him and am not sore after several hours of cutting lumpy uneven large areas. My F26909 on the other hand will pop my dentures out of my mouth if i'm not careful.

And that is exactly why my cousin wears a rubber mouth piece when mowing on his Z/T - sounds like the suspension units are the way to go, my dads country clipper has an oscillating/teeter totter type front set of wheels so that helps a little on uneven ground but still its pretty rough - i dont go very fast when mowing with it

I love mowing with my 72" belly mower on my deere cut unless its muddy/soft its just HEAVY - i dont get to use it much tho, my daughter and wife usually get to it before i get home from work so i have to find other things to do to get to use it LOL

SO get this.............my gson who is two is over last night, i have all this equipment in my barn, i said which one do you want to ride on, he says The Big Red tractor LOL, i have 3 deere a volvo, and the 706 in my shop currently, go figure he picks RED lol!!! Its the oldest, roughest, at the moment but thats what he picked.

his choice is RED when we play with my ERTL tractors inside - I have to say im a bit partial to RED but grew up on both, my favorite was our RED 400 farmall.

 

[rbtjr]

We have owned five ZTRs--two Toro 52" for home use, no ROPS; a commercial walk-behind Husky 61" with a velke; a 66" ExMark commercial with ROPS; and now a 61" Wright Sport X, which has a fold-up seat and doubles as a stand-on or sit down. We bought the Sport X because I mow about 400' or more along a pond bank most of which is on a 5-to-1 slope. Whether I stand or sit on the Sport X, if something goes wrong I can just step off the back of the mower. I was motivated to buy this style mower when I guy I knew was mowing on a pond bank, ran over an area that had been undermined by muskrat tunnels, went into the water with the mower, and drowned because his belt got caught on one of the operator's handles. We really like the Wright. They are expensive but based on what I can tell are very well made. I mow about two acres, some on hills, some around the pond, some with trees and other obstacles to mow around. The Sport X is very maneuverable.