Help me pick a mower

[tmc_31]

In 2007 I bought a 50" Troybuilt ZT from Lowes. priced at $2600 end of season and a safety switch that they replaced, I was out the door for $1975.

Just replaced the spindles and blades this year and some sheet metal on the deck to the tune of about $500.00. Other than tires, a belt and occasional batteries and oil changes this is the only money have spent on this mower over the 14 years I have had it.
We mow about 2 acres each week over the mowing season.

I also have a tractor/shredder that I use for mowing for others.

I feel that for me, the ZT was an excellent investment that will keep paying dividends.

Tim

 

[Williy]

Back in the late 70's purchased a craftsman riding mower
with snow blower returned it was not able to keep the belt
on so I purchased a walk behind snow blower it could handle
more snow than the riding mower blower! Now just wait for the
snow to melt.

INSTEAT OF REPLACING THE SPINDLES!
Remove the spindles use a punch or stick of wood and punch
the bearings out, remove seal from on side and grease well
then use a socket or whatever to replace bearing with open
side to center of spindle housing reinstall this done once a
year or every 2 years. When you put grease in the zerk in
the middle of the spindle you are not getting any grease in
the bearings they have a seal on them! Name of the game
is to save you some money!!!

willy

 

[tmc_31]

Back in the late 70's purchased a craftsman riding mower
with snow blower returned it was not able to keep the belt
on so I purchased a walk behind snow blower it could handle
more snow than the riding mower blower! Now just wait for the
snow to melt.

INSTEAT OF REPLACING THE SPINDLES!
Remove the spindles use a punch or stick of wood and punch
the bearings out, remove seal from on side and grease well
then use a socket or whatever to replace bearing with open
side to center of spindle housing reinstall this done once a
year or every 2 years. When you put grease in the zerk in
the middle of the spindle you are not getting any grease in
the bearings they have a seal on them! Name of the game
is to save you some money!!!

willy

Good tip Willy, thanks!

Tim

 

[TractorGuy]

Since you came to us for advice on spending your money:

I vote for an optioned out Kubota LX3310HSDC cab tractor with climate control. Total MSRP with options, $42,463.

1 FRONT - 7-12 R1 Bridgestone Farm Service Lug
REAR - 12.4-16 R1 Firestone Traction Field & Road TTinc.
(BR8707A & ABR9382)
1 54" QUICK ATTACH BUCKET$473.00
(B2371)
1 3RD FUNCTION VALVE KIT (CAB)$835.00
(B7369)
1 36" PALLET FORKS (1000 LBS. CAPACITY)$426.00
(K9048)
1 LOADER LX2610/LX3310 W/GRILL GUARD$3,882.00
(LA535)
1 K CONNECT MODULE - LARGE FRAME$712.00
(LX2941)
1 HOSE HOLDER KIT$70.00
(LX2953)
1 4 POINT HITCH AND SUBFRAME$1,351.00
(LX2940)
1 BOLT ON CUTTING EDGE$177.00
(B2373)
1 MECHANICAL SELF LEVELING KIT / LA535$822.00
(B2377)
1 63" RESIDENTIAL SNOWBLOWER$3,295.00
(LX2963)
1 PALLET FORK FRAME$665.00
(B2376)

 

[Steelauzzy]

I want to change my answer! Yesterday my mower needed some fixing so instead I hitched a little self powered pull behind behind my rtv500. Grabbed a cooler and some beer and went to it.
the swisher I was pulling is a little small like 44” and only like 18hp I think. Other than over the septic field I was able to just rip like 2-4 times faster than any mower. Suspension cupholders and a nice breeze was something I’ve never had mowing before! Also I stayed clean! The discharge is rear facing and like 12’ behind me. I’m in the process of building a 30hp 8’ wide now so I should be able to cut the time in half. The tiny one only took me about 2 hours to cut 4 acres.

The kubota new was 13,000cad and the swisher I pod 1200 but I think they are closer to 2500 new. Add a plow blade now you have a machine that can do everything from climbing the mountain to the cabin to gardening plowing etc. Also the kids love it!!
And unlike every other mower that no matter how “easy” it’s still a pain removing the deck. With the pull behind it’s one pin with maybe 2 lbs on the hitch.

 

[IndyJay]

...Grabbed a cooler and some beer and went to it.
... only took me about 2 hours to cut 4 acres.

... only took me about 2 hours a six pack to cut 4 acres.

There, I fixed it for you...

 

[NCL4701]

I bought a kubota scut with the 26hp engine and undermount mower. Apart from getting hospitalized twice from the rad hose blowing and burning the crap out of my arm it was the roughest slowest mower ever. 26k of junk. The loader was completely worthless could barely even pick up the weight of a set of pallet forks let alone the pallet.

absolutely buy the zero turn!! Get a cheap truck plow or some junker to plow on the 2-3 times a year your blower/shovel can’t handle it or just call a friend. If you do go for a scut spend the $$ to get one of a decent size. Growing up we had a grey market kubota about 25hp but with big tires and a decently heavy frame and a Ferris zero turn. Btw whatever zero turn you buy if you have gophers weld gussets and stiffeners to your front idler wheels before you even attempt to mow.

Agree with that. If you go with two machines, ideal but expensive, skip the SCUT and move up to a CUT. For tractor/loader work weight is as important as HP; both for loader capacity and traction. The weight needed for tractor/loader work is a negative for lawn mowing, which is why trying to find one machine to do both is likely to leave you disappointed in its performance as both a tractor/loader and mower.

 

[dadiehl]

To the OP.., if I have learned nothing else lurking this forum if you don’t leave this most knowledgeable group some financial boundaries your advice will be all over the map.

 

[New2Tractors2]

To the OP.., if I have learned nothing else lurking this forum if you don’t leave this most knowledgeable group some financial boundaries your advice will be all over the map.

Well, after reading the advice here, and not wanting to keep paying $500/mo to have the grass mowed by a landscaper, I went out about a ZT (JD Z545R). It makes quick work of *most* of the lawn. Right now I am contemplating whether I can get by without a SCUT for other jobs. It's really hard to know what type of equipment you will need until you've lived in a place for a while. I have no idea, for example, how difficult it would be to use a walk behind snowblower on the 200 foot driveway, whether mulching or a blower would suffice for leaves, or how often I would need to do other SCUT tasks. I am not ruling out a SCUT at the moment. The ZT works great for the main residential lawn and paid cash for it so I do not regret that. Of course, just last weekend I trimmed a bunch of trees to make room for the ROPS bar on the ZT, and boy it was a pain in the butt to haul them off the woods! If I bought a SCUT I'd probably seek a 0 interest financing deal.

 

[dadiehl]

Congrats on your new toy!