Couple of things

Freds · Apr 19, 2006

I just had 3-16" stumps ground and all I can say is I can't believe anyone would dig them out themselves. More power to 'ya, but for $30 and thirty minutes work.... for him that is.... I have a stump about a foot below grade and no damage to the surrounding area, just the immediate stump area. If I get a depression in the yard from the rest of it rotting, so be it. It's not a putting green /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif.

And....
I got totally spoiled yesterday /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I'm having my 100 service done on my mower, a Kubota G-2160. They are also putting some high lift blades on it and fooling around with the seat. As some of you might recall, I have nothing but bad feelings for this lawn tractor and it was $8,000 NOT well spent, but I'm trying to coexist with it.
Well, they are running behind in getting my mower back to me and the grass was going crazy, so yesterday I asked the shop if they had a ZT I could play around with. Thirty minutes later and I was being given a quick lesson on a brand new ZD-25 and loading it on my trailer /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Oh yeah, babe.

This is one serious machine! Another dealer, where I got my tractor and mower from, talked me out of getting one of these. They said that it wouldn't do well on a soft area I have in the yard and would ride too rough, something I also read here a few times. Compared to my G-2160 this thing is a dream and talk about fast! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I think it took me 1-1/2 hours for something that usually takes around 2-1/2... and that's counting the small learning curve.

The dealer who lent it to me told me that there are people who put hitches on them for pulling rollers or whatever, but you have to be real careful you don't turn too sharp. That's the only issue.

I gotta get me one of these (yeah, right) and recommend a ZT to anyone even thinking about one. They're pricey, he told me this one was around $12,500, but they are very worth it.

That's all.

Jagmandave · Apr 19, 2006

I used to mow my property (only about 3 acres) with my Yanmar tractor pulling a bush ohg. It took at least 3 hours, and I had a heck of a time getting around all the trees and mowing some of the slopes. I bought an Exmark ZTR and now it takes about an hour and the lot looks great. it does ride a bit rough tho, but it's still so much easier and safe than with the tractor. I highly recommend it!

Freds · Apr 19, 2006

I went from 4 hours with a 60" RFM to 2-1/2 with the 2160. Manueverability cuts time SO much, hence even less with this bad boy.
This was a smoother ride then my 2160 and I didn't have a stiff neck when done from all the jostling around. If it felt bumpy at all I blamed it on mowing while doing about 40 mph /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

BB_TX · Apr 19, 2006

I have been seeing the Cub Cadets and TOROs advertised for $2500 - $3000. I have been having dangerous (read that expensive) thoughts lately.

Cliff_Johns · Apr 19, 2006

( If I get a depression in the yard from the rest of it rotting, so be it. It's not a putting green .)

I had a stump ground 5 years ago and I fill in the depression and reseed every spring. It settles another 2 or three inches each year. It's reallty amazing how much there is to rot still in the ground. I pulled out a bunch or stumps two years ago and the ground is still flat there. And besides, I like digging out stumps. It's a good time as long as it's not something I HAVE to do.

The other issue is regrowth. Depending on the tree, a stump ground tree will often continue to resprout. Mullbury is a good example.

You millage may vary. (YMMV)

Cliff

Freds · Apr 19, 2006

( It settles another 2 or three inches each year)

Hah! If my dang stumps would have rotted that much the past three years, I wouldn't have had to call in the stump grinder /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

beagdog · Apr 19, 2006

You would truly love the ZD-25. I traded my G1900 4ws for a ZD-21 last fall and couldn't be happier now that spring is here and I'm getting to use it. I had some concerns about mowing slopes and soft areas too, especially when damp, and they have all been unfounded. The more I run it, the more secure I feel on it, there is a learning curve. Only thing I see wrong with mine is that it's slightly underpowered on some slopes in tall grass. I cured that today by ordering a ZD-28 with a 60" deck. My dealer made a deal with me last year that if I wanted a ZD-25 or 28 he'd give me full value that I paid for my 21 last fall against either one. With the zero percent interest still on, I'm going for the 28.

I struggled too with towing behind it and decided to just by a low priced used garden tractor instead of trying to learn to tow with the ZTR. I found a really slick old Cub Cadet 1250 hydro last fall and it now does all my towing jobs (sprayer, fertilizer spreader, etc.)

I looked long and hard at the 2160 before I made the trade last year, from your comments, I'd say I made the right choice!

Bird · Apr 21, 2006

( The dealer who lent it to me told me that there are people who put hitches on them for pulling rollers or whatever, but you have to be real careful you don't turn too sharp. That's the only issue.
)

Well, maybe not the only issue. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I tow a dethatcher and a lawn sweeper behind my little Toro ZTR with no problems. But . . ., the dethatcher has a lever you can move to pick up the tines for transport or to cross driveways, sidewalks, etc. With most lawn tractors or garden tractors, you could just reach back there and move it, but with the ZTR, it's too far back there, so you have to stop and get off to go back and move it. With the lawn sweeper, it's the same thing with the rope to dump it. You'd have a hard time doing it from the seat of the ZTR.

The other difference is in backing whatever you're towing. If you're accustomed to towing with a car, pickup, tractor, etc., you've probably learned to back whatever you're towing pretty easily. If you have your hands, say for instance, at the 3 o'clock/9 o'clock position on the steering wheel, and your trailer starts to turn to the right, you pull down on the steering wheel with your right hand; i.e., turn right, and that brings the trailer back left. With a ZTR with the two levers, pulling with your right hand will turn the trailer farther right and fast. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif So there's a little learning curve. Backing something with a ZTR is very simple as long as you remember to do it backwards from what your accustomed to doing. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

jcmseven · Apr 21, 2006

Glad you like it, I just got a 757 JD Z trak last week and it is a mowing machine. The Kawasaki engine in mine uses a lot more fuel than does your Kubota, but that means I just need to go faster mowing to make it use less. Right???

John M