5thGenTexan
Member
I currently have 10 acres of land. About 7 of those acres are heavily wooded and not applicable to this post. 
The other 3 acres are where my house is being built and where I have "grass" or at least something growing. My land at the road is about 270 feet wide and something like 1600 feet to the back of the property. Starting at the road I have about 260 ft by 50-75 feet to mow. Its pretty rough due to the "clump grass" growing there. Dirt has eroded around the clumps. Very rough. At the 50-75 foot mark we have cut a swale to direct water, and then my land starts to head downhill. This section, down to our build site is pretty barren due to trying to lessen the slope to slow the water down when it rains. Below this past where the house is built, thigs get flat again and its pretty smooth down there. Mostly because alot of the soil from up above has come to rest in this area.
Top: I have tried to mow this with my Kubota L3130 and old brush hog, but I keep breaking shear pins. I believe its due to a couple of issues. 1) its rough as can be and shakes me, the tractor and mower to death when keeping up my speed to maintain RPMs for the mower. 2) I try to go slower to keep the shaking down, and the mower doesn't like running at those low RPMs. At some point I am going to get my box blade in this area and loosen it up and then smooth it back out. For now, I need to keep the tall grass down. Hence my need for a garden tractor. If I can drive slow enough, much shorter wheel base, I think I can maintain this area fairly reasonably. I will need it anyway later when the house is finished and I mowing the "yard"around the house, whatever that ends up being.
Middle: Don't need to mow, no grass or anything.
Bottom: I can mow this with the tractor fine. I can maintain the RPMs and no shear pin issues.
After visiting the JD dealer today and getting brochures and prices, I am leaning towards the X310. Reviews here and elsewhere look good. I'd rather go tractor than Z-turn so we can pull a small cart later on and a few other small things. Is there anything else (brands, models) I should look at. I will go back and test out the X310 and maybe others when its not a rainy day.
The other 3 acres are where my house is being built and where I have "grass" or at least something growing. My land at the road is about 270 feet wide and something like 1600 feet to the back of the property. Starting at the road I have about 260 ft by 50-75 feet to mow. Its pretty rough due to the "clump grass" growing there. Dirt has eroded around the clumps. Very rough. At the 50-75 foot mark we have cut a swale to direct water, and then my land starts to head downhill. This section, down to our build site is pretty barren due to trying to lessen the slope to slow the water down when it rains. Below this past where the house is built, thigs get flat again and its pretty smooth down there. Mostly because alot of the soil from up above has come to rest in this area.Top: I have tried to mow this with my Kubota L3130 and old brush hog, but I keep breaking shear pins. I believe its due to a couple of issues. 1) its rough as can be and shakes me, the tractor and mower to death when keeping up my speed to maintain RPMs for the mower. 2) I try to go slower to keep the shaking down, and the mower doesn't like running at those low RPMs. At some point I am going to get my box blade in this area and loosen it up and then smooth it back out. For now, I need to keep the tall grass down. Hence my need for a garden tractor. If I can drive slow enough, much shorter wheel base, I think I can maintain this area fairly reasonably. I will need it anyway later when the house is finished and I mowing the "yard"around the house, whatever that ends up being.
Middle: Don't need to mow, no grass or anything.
Bottom: I can mow this with the tractor fine. I can maintain the RPMs and no shear pin issues.
After visiting the JD dealer today and getting brochures and prices, I am leaning towards the X310. Reviews here and elsewhere look good. I'd rather go tractor than Z-turn so we can pull a small cart later on and a few other small things. Is there anything else (brands, models) I should look at. I will go back and test out the X310 and maybe others when its not a rainy day.
