Moving to dedicated mowing machine

[4570Man]

Changing stuff around sucks. That is why we have 8 mowers.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I have two tractors and two zero turn mowers. I never remove the backhoe from my B26, it is strictly a TLB. My LS is usually just used for soil tillage, bush hogging duties but occasionally gets to move some heavy loads with the FEL. The FEL has never been off as it is just too handy to have in place. I don't have any tight spots to worry about clearances so it isn't an issue to have it on even with the extra weight. My mowers are a Ferris IS700Z which is my dry land mower. I get out my Craftsman 6000 with the bar lug tires to mow around my ponds and any other slippery areas. The only issue with a ZTR is that if you get into a slippery area especially on a slope, you are not getting out as you will just slide deeper into it. This spring has been the worst for mowing because of all the rain, but with the bar lug tires, I have only been stuck about half a dozen times trying to mow my swamp area. My Kubota RTV 900 gets them out really easy though.

My only issue is that the Craftsman goes into the garage first so I have to move the Ferris out first in order to use it. One never has enough storage space or large enough buildings.

Changing stuff around sucks. That is why we have 8 mowers.

This is the answer which took me a few years to discover. 5 Kubotas, push mower, four or five weed eaters (Don't use any of them but the one with the saw blade on it) and spray weed killer.

 

[Will_C]

The BX is a wonderful "jack of all trades". I absolutely loved mine- I mowed 4 acres between 2 properties, plowed a 500' driveway, and did a multitude of landscaping work with it. It was all I could afford and all I had the capacity to tow.

8 years after buying it, I bought a ZTR, and boy, what a difference in mowing speed. The next year I bought a B tractor, and have greatly appreciated the ground clearance and FEL capacity. I am happy to have what I have-much more capable than my BX was, but truthfully, I don't get anymore done. It just is a luxury to do it easier.

Will

 

[yoshi1]

I started with a zero turn Kubota ZG222 when I first moved to our property but really wanted the BX23 at that time. I just could not justify the cost. The zero turn mows great and is very quick but a one trick pony. Once I got it paid off, I got the BX25D. I've been able to do things with it I had been putting off for 5 plus years. It worked out the way it was suppose to just had to be patient. In hind sight, a BX model with a FEL might have been a good compromise.

 

[SLIMSHADIE]

Boys and there toyz
Downsized from a cape cod in the city to a ranch in the country with 3 acres, love it. Kids getting older and college soon. Anyways sold the push mower for a JD rider with a 48" deck, took 2 1/2 hours to mow. Winter came and the blade and tire chains didnt cut, winter laughed at me. Sold thr JD and bought the BX25D. With the 60" deck it only took 2 hours to mow, 1 of the worst winters came and the BX shined. 6' banks of snow up and down the lane. Racking up 100 hours a year between mowing, snow removal and dirt work. FEL is easy to remove, deck not bad but not wanting to install/remove everytime to mow and that backhoe i still dont have down, love that thing but a pain int the ... My dad bought a zero turn but didnt do what he thoght it should of. Ended up buying it 1/2 price with only 30 hours on it. With a 52" deck it still mowed only in 1 1/2 hours, cuts good but doesnt like the thick stuff. Those levers were pretty tricky at first, second summer and its natural. Installed a dog run in part of the back yard, my dad gave me 2 push mowers which helped with mowing that. Never thought i would be push mowing anything anymore, its small i dont mind it. Looks like i have done a full circle here, but the BX is now a backup mower, strictly snow removal, dirtwork and odd jobs. Wouldnt trade it for the world and still drive it every other day. Still trying to figure out the snow. Bucket and rear blade works good but still touching the snow several times. Bought the front blower last year, worked good. Practically ruined it with the gravel lane and drive. Careful but not careful enuogh. Gotta rebuild it before winter. Just picked up a very good condition front plow. I will start off with the front plow and rear blade this winter and if it gets bad, just throw on the front blower when needed...

 

[NC419N]

Having both ZD and BX mowing machines to mow with provides us with the best of both worlds. Any one with a zero turn that has experienced the down hill wet slide can understand the dangers that can arise with them but the speed at which they mow is superb. I guess my only question is why did you go with the Gas Engine and not Diesel ?? My day purchased a Gas model and I get that because he has no other Diesel machines. That's my only question

 

[PhilVA]

My main farm machine is my L3000DT. Anything that needs FEL work or typical 3pt hitch stuff goes to it. I used it for mowing all of our pastures (about 15 acres) and it was a pain to maneuver it close quarters. I had a JD big rider with 52"deck to cut grass for roughly 5 acres but was beating the machine up as this land is no golf course. Gave the JD to my daughter and her husband and bought a Kubota B2320 with 60" MMM. It has the FEL remotes but no FEL. It now does all of the grass cutting chores for the farm.

 

[maximus1277]

Agree with all the comments. Bottom line for me is that bigger tractor is always better and zero turn mower can't be beat. That's why I went from a 2320 to Kioti ck, and got a scag with 72 inch deck to take care of my mowing needs. My mowing time has been reduced to 1/4 of chore it used to be. Originally I wanted a diesel zero turn, but weight and blade speed were deciding factors in choosing a liquid cooled Kawasaki scag.

 

[archwoodholding]

I have a 2+ acre yard that has numerous obstacles and slopes and steep ditches. I have been using a JD 445 garden tractor to do the mowing for the past 14 years (one large 400' long 25' tall ditch I pay to have mowed because it's just too steep and sharp at bottom ... they use a standup ride on and they fight to stay on the slope to get it done ... fast but dangerous) I'd love to find something that could mow quicker, be easy to control, and easy to change/sharpen blades. Of course the cut would have great or not worth the change. Do you have any suggestions as to what ZTR machines would work for me? Everyone I have posed this question to so far has said Ventrac or Steiner but my 6'4" tall 375lbs doesn't fit on them and many ZTR's require me to have a much smaller girth to operate them they way they were designed.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I have a 2+ acre yard that has numerous obstacles and slopes and steep ditches. I have been using a JD 445 garden tractor to do the mowing for the past 14 years (one large 400' long 25' tall ditch I pay to have mowed because it's just too steep and sharp at bottom ... they use a standup ride on and they fight to stay on the slope to get it done ... fast but dangerous) I'd love to find something that could mow quicker, be easy to control, and easy to change/sharpen blades. Of course the cut would have great or not worth the change. Do you have any suggestions as to what ZTR machines would work for me? Everyone I have posed this question to so far has said Ventrac or Steiner but my 6'4" tall 375lbs doesn't fit on them and many ZTR's require me to have a much smaller girth to operate them they way they were designed.

Kubota f3080 or new model number F3990. They are 4wd.