looking for ZTR recommendations

[IXLR8]

Hi folks, I am looking to replace my Husqvarna 48" 14hp walk behind with a ZTR. I have about 1.7 acres to mow, lots of obstacles, read turning. I am trying to keep price below $4K, a minimum of 48" deck, the quieter the better. I want this to be my last mower, so it needs to last 15+ years. Toro and JD are the only dealers I know of within 50 miles. Toro seems to be going with intergral pump/motors, JD seems mostly seperate pump and drive motors. Are the intergral units getting better? Or are they still limited life units?

TIA

 

[DavidVT]

If you are determined to go to a ZTR, my advice is to rent one as close to what you want to buy and test the living tar out of it on your property.

With any luck you will be very happy and will be able to evaluate the feature set. On the other hand, ZTRs are not for everyone and not for every property. Hills and ponds are where my friend learned he did not like his ZTR.

 

[IXLR8]

For the last 4 years I had hired out the lawn mowing. They used Toro ZTR's, 42" I believe, they did the job in 1/2 the time as I do with the 48" walk behind. Too much turning for a LT, I don't want SWMBO using the walk behind... she knows how to run a ZTR. Nearest rental place with a ZTR is 55 miles, 1 hr 30 min, away.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Hi folks, I am looking to replace my Husqvarna 48" 14hp walk behind with a ZTR. I have about 1.7 acres to mow, lots of obstacles, read turning. I am trying to keep price below $4K, a minimum of 48" deck, the quieter the better. I want this to be my last mower, so it needs to last 15+ years. Toro and JD are the only dealers I know of within 50 miles. Toro seems to be going with intergral pump/motors, JD seems mostly seperate pump and drive motors. Are the intergral units getting better? Or are they still limited life units?

TIA

i gather by your spending limit of $4K that you're looking for a residential machine instead of commercial, right? if so, i would give a STRONG look at the John Deere Z425. sounds like it would be right up your alley. it has 23hp and 48" deck. i own the Z225(18hp 42" deck) and i couldn't be more pleased with it. i can cut my yard in an hour, and it used to take me 3 with any other mower i've ownded previously. the only thing i would change about it is get a larger deck(48 or 50"). that's not the mowers fault, it's mine, but it still does the job in a VERY reasonable ammount of time. my yard is about 2 acres and has LOTS of turns and places where back and forth motion is needed. i have had it 2 years and not a single problem out of it....not one. in my honest opinion(as well as some reviews i've read) they are the BEST residential Zturn out there.

 

[IXLR8]

i gather by your spending limit of $4K that you're looking for a residential machine instead of commercial, right?

I would like to keep it under $4K, my limit is $5K, since I only mow my own lawn, and mowing season is early May to early Oct, I don't know if the step up to commercial is warrented. My Husky is 9 years old and all I have done to it is change the belts once.. this year due to a stick getting caught in one and jambing it and I just figured it was time to change them all. It has also had regular oil and filter changes... added lots of gas. Nothing else has been done to it, okay... I adjusted the brakes once, so I know there is something to be said for commercial quality.

if so, i would give a STRONG look at the John Deere Z425. sounds like it would be right up your alley. it has 23hp and 48" deck.

It is on my short list... biggest issue is lack of grease fittings... 'sealed' bearings/bushings make me nervous.

 

[RollingsFarms]

I would like to keep it under $4K, my limit is $5K, since I only mow my own lawn, and mowing season is early May to early Oct, I don't know if the step up to commercial is warrented. My Husky is 9 years old and all I have done to it is change the belts once.. this year due to a stick getting caught in one and jambing it and I just figured it was time to change them all. It has also had regular oil and filter changes... added lots of gas. Nothing else has been done to it, okay... I adjusted the brakes once, so I know there is something to be said for commercial quality.

It is on my short list... biggest issue is lack of grease fittings... 'sealed' bearings/bushings make me nervous.

Well in my use of the Z225 I have, it has not been a problem whatsoever. I honestly think you will appreciate the quality of the Jd machine over the others when you see them in person. to me, it was as close to commercial as you can get. My friend who is in the mowing business personally reccomended the new JD's to me and he is an Exmark man. Speaking of Exmark, if you have a dealer close by, take a look at the new Exmark Quest. it has a 48" deck and 22hp engine, with commercial styling and quality. I think they run about $4,500. had they been out when I bought my JD, it would have come down to those two in the end, and I probably would have bought the Exmark simply because my friend could get me a GREAt deal from his Exmark dealer that he does ALOT of business with. that would be the only reason though. I still got a good deal on the JD($2,800 with a $400 maintinance package).

 

[larso1]

"It (the JD EZtrak) is on my short list... biggest issue is lack of grease fittings... 'sealed' bearings/bushings make me nervous."

My Z425 manual indicates all of the JD EZtrak models have greasable deck spindles. The two front caster wheel supports have sealed bearings. Not too much else to need grease fittings on these, as far as I can see.

 

[coobie]

Hi folks, I am looking to replace my Husqvarna 48" 14hp walk behind with a ZTR. I have about 1.7 acres to mow, lots of obstacles, read turning. I am trying to keep price below $4K, a minimum of 48" deck, the quieter the better. I want this to be my last mower, so it needs to last 15+ years. Toro and JD are the only dealers I know of within 50 miles. Toro seems to be going with intergral pump/motors, JD seems mostly seperate pump and drive motors. Are the intergral units getting better? Or are they still limited life units?

TIA

I have owned 3 ZTR,s IMHO you will be hard pressed to find a ZTR for under $4,000 bucks that will last for 15 years.I think if you spend $7,000 to $10,000 on a ZTR without a stamped deck it might last you 15 years.You get what you pay for in a ZTR,trust me I know.coobie

 

[IXLR8]

I have narrowed my search down to a JD or Toro machine. I found a Ferris dealer, they also carry Toro, Cub Cadet, Husqvarna and Simplicity. I talked to two different sales folks... they didn't know squat about any of the machines... they were pushing the Simplicity hard, saying it was a better built machine than the Ferris!! They are also 100+ miles from my house. According to their web sites, Scag and Bob-Cat dealers are similar distances from home. The JD and Toro dealers are next to each other and 9 miles from my house, so one of them is going to get the sale. Neither dealer is great so that is not going to be a factor. Of the JD and Toro machines.. which one do you think I should consider for my needs/requirements? Thanks

 

[montanaman]

$4,000 budget and want it to last 15 years just won't work. The smallest machine I sell is $5,000 and I'm starting to wonder why I even have them because when I show the differences to someone, they usually move up a model. Yes, it's a few grand more but you are getting much better hydraulics and usually an engine rated for about three times the life. There ARE lower cost units out there that still have very well built decks and heavy spindles and the reason they cost less is combination pump/motors and a lower rated engine. I would at the very least get a very high end residential unit and keep in mind that it should be good for at least one re-power, so a total of about 2,000 hours machine life.

Ken