Buying Advice Buying a new SCUT or CUT and have a few queries.

[shooterdon]

One thing about a ZT. If you have relatively flat ground and any number of things to mow around, it is twice as fast as a MMM. If you keep the MMM mounted, it reduces ground clearance and for me, taking the MMM on and off is pain I want to avoid. Also, look at the usage you expect. I have about 1.5-2 acres that I mow 20 times a year. A "cheap" ZT that costs $3000 will only get 20 hours of use a year. If the ZT has a life of 400 hours, that is 20 years of use. Maintaining another engine/unit is not at big deal for me. 30 minutes for an oil change every second year...big deal.

Good advice above about evaluating having one time projects hired out or renting equipment instead of making an investment. Not sure you even "need" a tractor if you have a ZT. 1.5 acres means most of them time the tractor will be a powered wheel barrow. If your buddy put in your drive ask what he will charge for maintaining it twice a year. Maybe you can cut his grass with your ZT in barter?

have 20 acres and did just fine for 7 years without a tractor. but with old age, and the need to process/handle firewood as well as deal with 120-140" of snow a year a tractor made sense. I use a Husqvarna 48" rider to cut my grass and it it takes 1.5 hours. Cheap solution but a bit slow. My old JD855 had a MMM and I never used it due to lack of maneuverability and the pain to remove/attach it...but the newer machines are simpler. I farm out bulldozer and BH work.

Lastly, your soil may be tough with a post hole auger. They are not fun when they get stuck.

 

[skipperbrown]

If you are going to be digging post holes, you will want position control to control the speed the auger digs. It is very easy for the auger to bury itself without it. This will force you to take the auger off and 'unscrew' it. Been there, done that. Another issue with scut's is ground clearance. It requires a post hole digger that can hold the auger higher than a tractor with twice the ground clearance. If you have rough fields, ground clearance on a scut can be an issue. If you go this route, get a skid plate especially if you buy the bx series. Plus, the ride of a bx vs. a b vs. a m is huge. Running over exposed roots will propel me off the seat of my bx, I can feel them on the b, and on my NH with 5' tall tires, I don't know they are there.

You don't need a lot of tractor weight/power for augers, but you need a counter balance to lift the auger and dirt. Bigger tires will give you better traction for pulling a blade and weight is your friend when you drop something in the ground.

To save your back, get a FEL with skid steer attachment. Pallet forks and pallets are the best therapy for a bad back. Good luck with your search!

If you aren't going to be mowing yard with your tractor, where the scut's excel, I would recommend a bigger frame tractor and you will definitely want position control on whatever you buy for any ground engaging work.

 

[dodge man]

One thing JD has is the auto connect deck for their MMM. I have one and it’s not hands free but very quick and easy.

 

[GeneV]

I got the gc1710 with a 60" mmm deck. It gives a great cut, motors through tall grass w/o a hickup, and the bigger deck lets you get closer under trees. I will say though, I'm glad I also have a garden tractor with a mower. There are times (like currently) when I have ongoing projects to do around my property requiring loader and backhoe...it would be a hassle if every week I had to disconnect all that, mount the mower, and then reverse the process when I'm done.