bx or zero turn

[LBrown59]

I pulled a 60" Swisher trail mower with my 20HP Sears garden tractor for years to mow my 5 acres. That gave me about an 8' cut and I could drop the trail mower if I had to for finish work around trees. Fuel prices have made that a less attractive option, the trail mower and garden tractor each drink a big gulp of gas, the diesel is much more economical. But then a price difference of about $10,000 can buy a lot of gas.

My BX1500 diesels use a lot less fuel than the CC GT2554 gas.
The great thing about this is I can now buy Diesel for a lot less per gallon than I could before getting the two BX1500
tractors and the diesel is delivered to me 25 to 55 gallons at a time.

 

[LBrown59]

I'm one of those people that are "against the grain" on this one. If I was in business it would probably be different, but as a homeowner that mows 2+ acres I will take a riding mower/mid mount mower any day. My father has a 54" zero turn and I have tried it numerous times, mowing while he is gone. It seems to beat the crap out of my lawn. Circles around the trees and on a slope, it just skins up the grass as I try to turn. Driver error? Maybe a touch, but I'm pretty comfortable with it as far as normal operation goes. I have noticed many other people that have them and have the same "rings" around the trees and same problems with the side hill problem. Basically for double the expense I would be hoping for better. As far as saving me time.....why are we in such a hurry for anyway? Just my opinion of course, but I will be having anything but a zero turn although I would like to try the ones with the mower out front and see if they are any different without spending the coin to find out otherwise.

good post

 

[Ob1kubota]

good post

Yes when you mow as a hobby agreed good post and I might add my wife wants her BX2230 back for the back 40 because the new ZD326P is beating her up when she accidently hits a sink hole hide in high grass. Me, old Ob1 likes the speed of the ZDs over BX but the ride even with the new suspension won't compare to the BX with a 60"MMM.

 

[Lockport]

Get a BX and a gang mower from Northern Tool. This particular one cuts a 102" swath while maintaining floating capability for a smooth, even cut over rolling terrain! Priced cheap, too, although there is a higher quality line if you have the $$$ to spend.

 

[Charlton John]

I highly recomend the ZTR. I used to mow w/ my N.H. tz25da w/ a 60 " deck. Although the cut was nice if loader left on then this will add time to mowing. I recently upgraded tractors and went w/ a Kubota 2620, also at time of purchase got the 60 " drive over MMM w/ this as well. After mowing for 10 minutes I asked the dealer to take it back to big a tractor to mow w/ in my case (2 acres) w/ obstacles. I purchased a zero turn (for only 800 more) and couldnt be happier mowing time went from 1.5 to 2 hrs. to 50 minutes. Deck prices and residential zero turns are not that different in price.

 

[bx24]

I have a BX and I have driven ZTRs and the former cutting king, the Toro Groundsmaster style mowers. ZTRs will go faster (although my Toro went 12 mph forward and 17 mph backwards .... not sure why). Anyways the Toro would cut a ton of stuff fast. The problem would probably be storage of the Toro (in case you have not figured it out yet, I am suggesting you buy a used Toro AND and a BX!). The Toro is basically a BX with a 6' deck driven backwards. You can pick up a really nice used diesel mower for $3K-$4K. The thing I always loved about them was how you could reach under bushes and trees and not get slapped with the branches.

Good luck

PS You can also mount snow blowers on the front!