Mow with my bx24 or buy a zero turn mower?

[Don87]

Double post: puter malfunction

 

[Popster]

Go with the zero turn. Just think how long and how many maneuvers it takes to mow around a tree with a MMM. With the ZTR you just go around the tree. I can mow around a well casing with the ZTR. With the MMM you have lots of wasted time at the end of rows, none with the ZTR.

The ZTR may not have AC, but they go so fast that you have a breeze in your face!

I mow two acres also, the ZTR takes about 1/4 to 1/3 of the time of the MMM. Also, my Scagg has turf tires and does not leave ruts like the ag tires on my ford 8n or my L2850. I am selling both rear finish mowers.

 

[Jnasystems]

I don't have any experience on a ZTR, but I can't imagine a machine that would mow my 2 acres in a third the time of my BX. The BX is a great mower, far better than an 8N with a rear mower. It takes me about 2.5 to 3 hours to mow my yard and I have about 150 trees scattered around the yard. I mow in straight lines and trim around any obstacle as I come to it (the same as I would do on a ZTR). Never is there a need for a small trim mower - just a small string trimmer. The BX is so zippy that the turn at the end of the row only takes a couple of seconds and never has it put a mark on my lawn.

Before the BX I used an F series front mower. That was a bear to use as it definitely wanted to tear up the lawn at the ends and around obstacles, and it took about 30 min more on the F series even with the larger deck (72").

If it were me, I would do it again - mainly for the money, space and maintenance issues associated with the 2 machines.

That being said, are there folks that have experience with both the BX and a ZTR? I would love a direct comparison between them as I can only see a 30 min increase in efficiency by going with the ZTR.

 

[ejkessler]

I don't have any experience on a ZTR, but I can't imagine a machine that would mow my 2 acres in a third the time of my BX. The BX is a great mower, far better than an 8N with a rear mower. It takes me about 2.5 to 3 hours to mow my yard and I have about 150 trees scattered around the yard. I mow in straight lines and trim around any obstacle as I come to it (the same as I would do on a ZTR). Never is there a need for a small trim mower - just a small string trimmer. The BX is so zippy that the turn at the end of the row only takes a couple of seconds and never has it put a mark on my lawn.

Before the BX I used an F series front mower. That was a bear to use as it definitely wanted to tear up the lawn at the ends and around obstacles, and it took about 30 min more on the F series even with the larger deck (72").

If it were me, I would do it again - mainly for the money, space and maintenance issues associated with the 2 machines.

That being said, are there folks that have experience with both the BX and a ZTR? I would love a direct comparison between them as I can only see a 30 min increase in efficiency by going with the ZTR.

I have owned both, BX22 with 60" MMM and a Scag Freedom Z 52" and the Zero turn will run circles around the BX. I have 4.3 acres and it is broken up into different areas. With the BX it would take me close to 4 1 /2 hours, now it is around 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hrs. No exaggeration. I used to believe before buying the Zero turn that it was mostly hype. Not any more. I cut twice a week during the summer and the previous 8 to 9 hours has turned into around 3 to 3 1/2. I also tried using a 72" rear finish mower off of a L2800 and that was much worse than both from scalping to continual turning and backing up to compensate for non-maneuverability. Your 2 1/2 to 3 hours IMO would turn into an hour. Some people would definitely feel that does not warrant the adding of a new machine and that determination is an individual assessment. There is not a right or wrong answer, only what will work for you. I tried doing the one machine route and for me and my demands that changed.

 

[Tollster]

2 Acres here, had the same exact issue. Started with a wheel horse 18 hydo, all the attachments, (Kept, is and still in use for snow blow).
Moved on and got a BX 23 with a 60" MMM, used this a a back up, as I really want to keep the hours low on the BX,particularly since it has the BH and FEL.
Then the wheel horse started to nichol and dime me, belts ,switches, pulleys, ect.So Iused the Kubuta in a pinch, while working on the wheel horse.
Bota works ok, its a bit tall, ROPS catches a lot of trees, its a bout the same time as the wheel horse because of its size 48" VS 60". It is also considerable heavier, so I cannot get as close to the pond edge, even with the additional 12" of cut on the Bota.

SO NOW WHAT YOU ASK ABOUT. The ZTR

I purchased a new Exmark Lazer 'Z" in 09, its faster than anything I own when it comes to mowing. I went with a 54"cut as I have stones walls and some tight tree areas on my 2 acres. The hills can be a bit tough, particularly if its wet. I still cannot get real close to the pond edge, so I get the wheelhorse out for some areas.
It took me -2.0-2.5 hours with the horse, bout the same with the bota, but nicer cut
the ZTR takes about 45 minutes to 1.25 hours depending.
The variance depends on weed wacking. With the other mowers, my wacking time would be 2-3 hours around the pond, trees, walls, flower beds with mulch, etc. I found with the ZTR my wacking has been reduced considerably so if I mow 1.25 hours on the ZTR as I metioned above, I may wack 30 minutes, most of that time is round my 1/2 acre pond, If I mow 45 minutes on the ZTR, wacking time is less than 1.5 hours.

 

[PoorMansCat]

Got a Toro Titan for the 3+ acres of yard, and the Bota for the 2+ acres of pasture... The Toro will run fasy enough that you really need to wear a seat belt... never leaves a blade standing!!.

 

[sw03]

here is my lawn with a BX24...Forget the ZTR!!! No BH there

 

[ejkessler]

here is my lawn with a BX24...Forget the ZTR!!! No BH there

It's not a matter of how well the lawn will look afterward it is about how long it will take. To each his own.

 

[Jnasystems]

Wow - not that I don't believe you, but that is unbelievable!! Why the drastic improvements? I mow as fast as I can - is the blade design different that you can travel faster? Or is it all in the turns?

I do mow less often - maybe once per week - sometimes the grass is very long - will the advantages of the ZTR start to fade when mowing tall grass?

Kinda makes me think I should sell the BX and get a ZTR and a bigger tractor, or even a skid steer. I got the BX as a compromise figuring that most of it's responsibilities would be mowing.

 

[aczlan]

Wow - not that I don't believe you, but that is unbelievable!! Why the drastic improvements? I mow as fast as I can - is the blade design different that you can travel faster? Or is it all in the turns?

I have run and repaired commercial ZTRs (Exmark and Huskvarna), we tested a Cub Cadet Tank a few years back and we now have a B7500 and a BX2660. Your BX24 will hit 8.1MPH going all out. A ZTR will go 11-15MPH going all out. That combined with the ability to get the edges from the mower without having to back up and having a better flowing deck (allowing you to cut faster) will cut your time significantly.

I do mow less often - maybe once per week - sometimes the grass is very long - will the advantages of the ZTR start to fade when mowing tall grass?

It depends on what you define as long. When I was mowing for Trugreen Landcare we were mowing with Exmark Lazers (60-72" decks and 23-25HP engines) once per week on irrigated lawns and taking off 2-4 inches of grass each cut. The mowers were able to do 2-3" with the handles at the stops, but when it got into 3-4" being removed we had to double cut (to get rid of the clippings as per our contract which stated "no visible clippings") and slow down some, but they still moved at least as fast as your BX.

Aaron Z