PaulB
Gold Member
Re: Are ZTR\'s worth the $$$
Jim - I am with you - I will be getting a 4 footer.
Thanks for the input guys.
Jim - I am with you - I will be getting a 4 footer.
Thanks for the input guys.
Are ZTR's worth the $$$
- Thread starter Anonymous Poster
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JimBinMI
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Re: Are ZTR\'s worth the $$$
Wen,
I'm guessing your "M" has at least a few more horses than Paul's "B". /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
JimBinMI
Wen,
I'm guessing your "M" has at least a few more horses than Paul's "B". /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
JimBinMI
W5FL
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Re: Are ZTR\'s worth the $$$
Right you are JimBinMI
My last tractor would not do all the things I wanted it to do. This one is 68 HP and it has MORE torque at idle than my 40 HP had at full throttle. You really see that when you put on the brake and let out the clutch and the tractor takes off like the brake is not there. The brake is really strong, but the tractor is stronger.
I almost agree with the usual statements that you can get as much done with a smaller tractor as a larger one, but there are exceptions. If you can't lift it, it doesn't matter how much time you have, you still can't lift it. Same is true for pulling a heavy load in deeply tilled soil. Either it will pull or it will not. Sure glad I order a 4WD tractor!!! Don't believe even the ORANGE color would make up for not having that! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Right you are JimBinMI
My last tractor would not do all the things I wanted it to do. This one is 68 HP and it has MORE torque at idle than my 40 HP had at full throttle. You really see that when you put on the brake and let out the clutch and the tractor takes off like the brake is not there. The brake is really strong, but the tractor is stronger.
I almost agree with the usual statements that you can get as much done with a smaller tractor as a larger one, but there are exceptions. If you can't lift it, it doesn't matter how much time you have, you still can't lift it. Same is true for pulling a heavy load in deeply tilled soil. Either it will pull or it will not. Sure glad I order a 4WD tractor!!! Don't believe even the ORANGE color would make up for not having that! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
JimBinMI
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2000
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- Coldwater, Michigan
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- 2015 Kubota BX25D-1, New Holland TZ18DA
Re: Are ZTR\'s worth the $$$
Wen,
There's hope for you yet! That last sentence of honesty was refreshing! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
JimBinMI
The world without Blue would be too Orange!
Wen,
There's hope for you yet! That last sentence of honesty was refreshing! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
JimBinMI
The world without Blue would be too Orange!
OP
Anonymous Poster
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Re: Are ZTR\'s worth the $$$
Ok guys ,
I can say the ZTR mwers can cut grass faster than the finishing mower and riding lawn mower combined. I had the Ferris distributor come by and cut my 5 acres. We cut it in 2 hours where it had taken my wife and I 4 to 5 hours to cut weekly. The ferris had the suspension which let it travel faster and still cut and ride smooth . Also it never felt like it would turn over on the terraces . I could'nt believe it did such a good job . Let the wife use it and she wouldn't get off until she had cut most of the neighbor's grass too. So she let me buy one ,should last twenty years with good care.
Ok guys ,
I can say the ZTR mwers can cut grass faster than the finishing mower and riding lawn mower combined. I had the Ferris distributor come by and cut my 5 acres. We cut it in 2 hours where it had taken my wife and I 4 to 5 hours to cut weekly. The ferris had the suspension which let it travel faster and still cut and ride smooth . Also it never felt like it would turn over on the terraces . I could'nt believe it did such a good job . Let the wife use it and she wouldn't get off until she had cut most of the neighbor's grass too. So she let me buy one ,should last twenty years with good care.
OP
Anonymous Poster
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Re: Are ZTR\'s worth the $$$
I have a 18 hp Craftsman 46" mulching mower that I mow about 2-3 acres with. It takes about 3-4 hours to mow each week. At 3 years old it has broke down 4 times and the deck is really starting to show its age. The front pully fell off last week and I borrowed a 25 hp 61" Grasshopper commercial ZTR to mow with. It took an 1 hour 15 minutes to mow the same area and it mowed better and left less visible clippings than the mulching mower. The commercial ZTRs will save time on turning but they also will mow very thick manicured grass about as fast as you want to go(up to about 10 mph). I have been looking and found used ones for around $4,000. I guess the answer to the question is another question. What is your time worth? It would save me 2-3 hours per week about 30 time a year. A 6' finish mower will save 1-2 hours per week mainly due to wider cut and faster ground speed and only cost $1500 for a good one. I just provided information and no answer because I haven't decided what I am going to do.
I have a 18 hp Craftsman 46" mulching mower that I mow about 2-3 acres with. It takes about 3-4 hours to mow each week. At 3 years old it has broke down 4 times and the deck is really starting to show its age. The front pully fell off last week and I borrowed a 25 hp 61" Grasshopper commercial ZTR to mow with. It took an 1 hour 15 minutes to mow the same area and it mowed better and left less visible clippings than the mulching mower. The commercial ZTRs will save time on turning but they also will mow very thick manicured grass about as fast as you want to go(up to about 10 mph). I have been looking and found used ones for around $4,000. I guess the answer to the question is another question. What is your time worth? It would save me 2-3 hours per week about 30 time a year. A 6' finish mower will save 1-2 hours per week mainly due to wider cut and faster ground speed and only cost $1500 for a good one. I just provided information and no answer because I haven't decided what I am going to do.
Roger Mulkey
New member
Re: Are ZTR\'s worth the $$$
Paul,
If you already have a tractor and can spend the $$, you should be able to cut your mowing time significatly with a ZTR. Lack of time was what drove me to by a big mower. I am lucky enough to have a 61" Scag Comercial ZTR (22 Kawasaki liquid Cooled) that I use to cut 2ac of lawn in about 1 hour and 2ac horse pasture in about the same time. You can check out the scag site at http://www.scagpowerequipment.com/. The pasture is very rough so I just raise the blade. The 2 big advantages for me are:
1) the ability to make mow fast and turns at the end of the lawn and around trees.
2) the side hill stability.
I also have a tractor of other work. Most lawn equipment dealers will demo a unit on your property. Just be carefull with the hydro steering... I almost dove mine in the pond within 10 minutes of delivery.
Paul,
If you already have a tractor and can spend the $$, you should be able to cut your mowing time significatly with a ZTR. Lack of time was what drove me to by a big mower. I am lucky enough to have a 61" Scag Comercial ZTR (22 Kawasaki liquid Cooled) that I use to cut 2ac of lawn in about 1 hour and 2ac horse pasture in about the same time. You can check out the scag site at http://www.scagpowerequipment.com/. The pasture is very rough so I just raise the blade. The 2 big advantages for me are:
1) the ability to make mow fast and turns at the end of the lawn and around trees.
2) the side hill stability.
I also have a tractor of other work. Most lawn equipment dealers will demo a unit on your property. Just be carefull with the hydro steering... I almost dove mine in the pond within 10 minutes of delivery.
OP
Anonymous Poster
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Re: Are ZTR\'s worth the $$$
I have located a Grasshopper 614 w 44" mulching deck and a 14 hp engine. It does have a drive shaft rather than belts which, as I understand it, is part of what makes ZTRs work better than other mowers. I know the blade speeds on ZTRs and finish mowers are both in the 18000 rpm range. Does anybody know what speed a regular lawn tractor blade rotates at? Roger Mulkey's ZTR and one I borrowed were both in the 20-25 hp range and mow great. I wonder if the 14 hp with a smaller deck would have the same power and be able to mow at a good speed. Thanks Paul for starting the thread and thanks to everyone ofr the information, I am in the same dilemma. I even asked my wife for her opinion and she don't know the right answer!
I have located a Grasshopper 614 w 44" mulching deck and a 14 hp engine. It does have a drive shaft rather than belts which, as I understand it, is part of what makes ZTRs work better than other mowers. I know the blade speeds on ZTRs and finish mowers are both in the 18000 rpm range. Does anybody know what speed a regular lawn tractor blade rotates at? Roger Mulkey's ZTR and one I borrowed were both in the 20-25 hp range and mow great. I wonder if the 14 hp with a smaller deck would have the same power and be able to mow at a good speed. Thanks Paul for starting the thread and thanks to everyone ofr the information, I am in the same dilemma. I even asked my wife for her opinion and she don't know the right answer!
Bird
Epic Contributor
Re: Are ZTR\'s worth the $$$
You say 18000 RPM range? Did you perchance mean FPM (feet per minute)? My Bush Hog finish mower says the blade tip speed is 15,613 fpm and for 20" blades, I think that works out to 2981.8634 rpm.
Bird
You say 18000 RPM range? Did you perchance mean FPM (feet per minute)? My Bush Hog finish mower says the blade tip speed is 15,613 fpm and for 20" blades, I think that works out to 2981.8634 rpm.
Bird
OP
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Re: Are ZTR\'s worth the $$$
You are right. It is FPM. Do residential lawn tractors travel at the same speed? I'm trying to figure out whether blade speed has anything to do with the quality of the cut and the speed you can travel while mowing. AM I going to help myself by getting a ZTR with 14hp since my lawn tractor has 18hp or am I wasting money. I hope you are getting some of the rain we are getting down where you are. That's why I'm here at the computer instead of outside. This is the frist real rain we've had all year so I'm not griping.
You are right. It is FPM. Do residential lawn tractors travel at the same speed? I'm trying to figure out whether blade speed has anything to do with the quality of the cut and the speed you can travel while mowing. AM I going to help myself by getting a ZTR with 14hp since my lawn tractor has 18hp or am I wasting money. I hope you are getting some of the rain we are getting down where you are. That's why I'm here at the computer instead of outside. This is the frist real rain we've had all year so I'm not griping.