$1499 vs $3500 (Deere D105 vs. X300) Worth it?

[Diggin It]

Schmuck mowing a field sailed one out in to the road as I was passing. Gave me a nice trophy to remember him by, in the paint and trim about a half inch below the passenger door window.

YIKES........

I didn't even realize what it was at the time. I thought I hit something on the road that bounced up to the undercarriage. It wasn't until the next day that I saw this. Then it came to me, but by then it was too late to prove anything.

 

[ylr]

If it were me, I would see if I could find used replacement parts on ebay to fix the D105.(I know it's too late, since the OP scrapped his mower). If the mower was not repairable, he could've at least put the mower up for sale on Craigslist for parts. I agree with the other posters who said the problem was not with the D105, but the operator. Who is to say an X300 or ZTR wouldn't have shared the same fate, depending on where the rock hit?

 

[shooterdon]

Well, I am not perfect. Have mowed over sticks I should have picked up and rocks/stones that looked I should clear. The 5" rock that broke my spindle was hit by accident....caused by inattentiveness in tall grass. Maybe if I had had a commercial mower, that rock would just have buggered up the blade instead of the spindle as well. It took a good sized rock to damage my "cheap" Lowe's Husqvarna YTH so I can only imagine how big the rock must have been to damage the OP's JD. Either that or I was lucky. I doubt a JD105 is that much worse than the Husqvarna.

It would be interesting to hear from owners of higher end machines how they fare when they hit a rock 5" in diameter. A "better" mower might not have survived either.

Like I said in an earlier post, the spindles on eBay were $50 for a pair...so I have a spare. They are a bit of a PITA to replace but unless the transmission or engine dies, I will be stuck with the YTH for a while.

I drove a Country Clipper with the joystick and loved it. Guessing not commercial quality as none of the "experts" here mention it much. I know squat about mowers. Maybe it seemed so much better because the Husqvarna is so bad. Cars are like that too. A Malibu feels great if you drive a Yugo...but it is no Mercedes.

 

[Kingsqueak]

With the rocks and roots I have in areas, I think I may just bring in some top soil and cover them next year. I have enough grade that drainage won’t be a problem to add the layer. Was pointed out to me by a landscaper as being an easy fix vs twiddling with all the rocks that pop up and dealing with roots.

 

[Tennsawdust]

Buy once cry once.Used to buy cheap riding mowers for years they lasted 3-5 years(got ruff terrain to mow)Got my wallet out in 2011 best choice so far.JD X740 diesel.

Nice mower! They are expensive, but a very solid machine.

 

[DK35vince]

Re: Need tractor to mow 2 acres. Ideas?

My question is how far will a ZTR toss a rock without damaging the machine?

Zero turns are the same as riding mowers as far as, you buy the cheap models, that's what you are getting.
Low end riding mowers and zero turn mowers have the cheap, light duty decks. (alone with light duty frames, transmissions, Etc. Etc.)
Move up it price/quality you generally get a heavier deck.
Example. I went with a commercial zero turn mower and the deck is very heavy duty (The OP's D105 rider weighs 393 lbs according to the specs, I'm betting my mower deck alone weighs that or more. Its that well built)

 

[Molalla1]

Re: Need tractor to mow 2 acres. Ideas?

My question is how far will a ZTR toss a rock without damaging the machine?

My Snapper ZTR after many years, since '06, has not caused a problem . . . a new head gasket around '16 and that's it besides normal maintenance and it's been mowing +/- 2 acres around my home, along with a 21" Snapper walk behind @ 6.75 hp and many a rock have both tossed, no problem...

 

[eagle628]

It would be interesting to hear from owners of higher end machines how they fare when they hit a rock 5" in diameter. A "better" mower might not have survived either.

I have hit some truly spectacular rocks with my Deere X595 when mowing stupidly rough ground. I have hit rocks so hard I've stalled the engine, but kept right on going afterwards. I have also blown the gearbox on the deck once, but I did buy the deck separately from the tractor from a commercial landscaper, so I don't know the history of it. With the replacement, I have continued to mow stupidly rough ground with no damage (so far, anyway).

 

[Wagtail]

Well, I bought a D110, in 2013, from the Dealership that I'd just bought my 4105 from. The D105 was not being sold in Aus. I use it on my 6 acre property, although I don't mow the entire 6 acres all at once... at the most, 2 acres max at a go.

It's never failed me, including (initially) blindly mowing paddock areas that hadn't seen a 'blade' in years = oh, the things it 'found' :laughing:. Including an old rusted wheel chain, numerous fist-sized rocks and raised tree roots. I've also used it to tow a small garden 'wagon' with a portable generator to sites to use power tools.

After the first 3 years of operation I replaced the blades... after truly abusing the crap out of them. I'm still on the original belt and there's no sign of wear on it.

I'm quite pleased with it and hope to get many more years from it.

 

[Diggin It]

^^^ I've seriously abused my Craftsman over the 8-9 years or so I've had it. Mowed areas it shouldn't have been able to, towed stuff up and down hills, dragged trees, pulled other stuff out of stuck places, hit stuff mowing. Just a few days ago, I moved a 500 pound log splitter up a fairly steep incline with it.


Wasted the trans once doing something stupid. Replaced it but kept the old in case I ever get around to trying to rebuild it. Other than that, it's done the Timex bit --- took a licking, but kept on ticking.

OP has drifted off the the 'friendly' board where he continues to post threads asking essentially the same questions and gets the same answers.