Garden tractor or Zero Turn Riding Lawn.

[JohnBoy45]

Hi, I'm planning on buying a garden tractor or a Zero Turn Riding Lawn to cut my grass. Why does people buy a Zero Turn Riding Lawn mower instead of a garden tractor? Which one would you buy?

Cub Cadet
Toro
Husqvarna
Craftsman
Poulan
Murray
John Deere
Bolens
Bolens
Yard Machines
Thanks, Terry

 

[Fordlords]

ZTR's are specifically made for mowing- that is it. They can do that job very quickly and easily as they are ideally designed for big and quick lawn mowing jobs.

Garden tractors are made to perform multiple tasks. They mow, aerate, dethatch, sweep, pull carts, pull rollers, snow blow, plow, can have tillers and loaders, etc. Much more versatile machines than ZTR's, but typically can't mow grass as fast as a ZTR. Of course all the attachments beyond mowing are extra costs for the GT owner, but for some applications such as proper lawn sweeping and dethatching as I have to do a ZTR mower will just not work.

I would personally chose the BolensR 15.5 HP* 38 over anything else out there, if I only knew what it was??
/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif


-Fordlords-


-Fordlords-

 

[Bird]

Terry, that's like asking which brand of tractor, or which brand of pickup, to buy. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I've owned Craftsman and Cub Cadet lawn tractors, and now have a little Toro ZTR. I'd say each was the right machine for what I wanted to do at the time I bought it. The ZTR will definitely get the mowing done quicker, while the garden tractor is more versatile, as Fordlords said. However, the ZTRs are not all quite as limited as he said. I do pull a dethatcher and a lawn sweeper behind my little ZTR.

 

[Freds]

Yep. Fordlords hit the nail on the head.
I have a lawn tractor and tried out a ZTR while it was being serviced. I absolutely loved it /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif BUT...... you take into account all those other things that just won't work as well with a ZTR, like one member mentioned to me, you might be able to pull a broadcast spreader with a ZTR, but can you reach the lever to turn it off? Nope.

Now, if I had a 4-wheeler I would get a ZTR in a heartbeat!

 

[K2QO]

FYI Gang,

The lead guy at Consumer Reports on tractors and mowers is Peter Sawchuck. Peter used to design mowers and tractors for a living. He really knows his stuff. Peter has intimate knowledge of how these machines are designed, the manufacturers tradeoffs, MTBF and all the other stuff that goes in at the factory.

And don't forget that the ratings are based on a set of criteria that may or may not be what is truly important to you.

Lastly, the message that got this rolling compared a ZTR to Deere L-series. But if you read the CR article carefully and the replies Peter has in the CR discussion area, you'll see that the Deere X304 with 4 wheel steer is a very good choice over a ZTR as long as you have a lawn tractor need like towing.

Best regards,
Mark
Clarence, NY

 

[KentT]

If you'll look at a Simplicity Regent (or its equivalent with a Snapper, Massey-Ferguson or Agco label on it) you may find a lawn tractor that will work for you that's almost as maneuverable as a ZTR...

The Regent's 14" turning radius is the best out there, as far as I can tell... and it's available for $1800 - $2500 based on engine, transmission and mower deck options....

 

[jjj0923]

I have a Scag Zero Turn, but I have decided not to give up my garden tractor. I use a broadcast spreader multiple times each year and if I hooked it to the ZT I could not reach back and open and close the gate to opens the feed when spreading lawn care products. I also like having a backup cutter in case something happens to my new ZT.

But for hauling around the utility cart, nothing is cooler than my Bombardier ATV!

 

[Birdhunter1]

I have seen snowplows on the front of zero turn mowers and I can verify that they can move the same amount of snow in half the time as what a tractor and blade can do.

As for mowing they are the best thing if you are mowing (unless you have a walk behind with a sulkie) and they will cut your mowing time in half or more.

 

[Fordlords]

Only some of the ZTR's are even equipped to be able to tow things behind them. The clutch drive system on many of the ZTR's is not designed to pull heavy things from behind or push plows or snow, it is designed to move the machine only. Things one needs to look into when considering GT vs. ZTR.

I'm not a big fanatic of Consumer Reports, but their logic in their articles on this subject is one I do agree with.

-Fordlords-

 

[Spiffy]

Almost all the consumer Z's these days seem to have some flavor of the the HydroGear integrated transmission instead of the old friction drives. I can't see any particular patern of why some brands have hitchs and others don't. My best guess is just the feedback they get from their lawyers on overturning the machine, etc.

I know one of the dealers around here pushes snow in his parking lot with a Dixon and "swears by it".

That said, I wouldn't think twice about pulling a light load with any ZTR, but sure wouldn't want to load a EZT very much, or even the IZT too much for that matter.