mowers

[mulitweed]

lookking to buy a zero turn , what should i get , what should i stay away from

 

[big bubba]

hello, welcome to forum. you might describe more of your application & overall budget. off hand, i'd start by avoiding consumer grade box store machines. go commercial, or at least heavier duty than the junk they sell in front of Lowes, etc.

also...you're going to get a lot of name brand machines thrown at you on your question. my 1st step would be to look at your use & budget, then wade through all the manufacturers.
having a specific dealer or a dependable small engine mechanic close by is also a plus, regards

 

[Ricn]

My Son has the I-mark mowing 2 acres, he likes it very much! There are others of course and most like the one they have. Just stay clear of big box stores, buy commericial, and U should be good for a long time.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Ive loved my commercial Hustler for the past 5 years

 

[big bubba]

in terms of budget, around 5.5k & below will get you a consumer grade box store mower. of course depending on size. for heaver duty or commercial, plan on spending 7k on up. in general, 54"-60" are the std sizes

"My Son has the I-mark mowing 2 acres": Ricn
think it's the eXmark mower. plenty of good quality out there, Ferris another one. the OP will have to look at 8k plus for that grade mower.

commercial mowers not only have a more robust frame construction, but heavier duty wheel motors & hyd pumps. (Parker & Hydro gear are the ones to look for on those higher end items) ... in terms of mower engines, i lean toward Kawi, regards

 

[mvoght]

I have a 19 year old John Deere Zero Turn, 760. It was a demo model I bought from the dealership in 2005.

We replaced the engine about 5 or 6 years ago, about 400 hours ago, the Kawasaki they came with was apparently problematic, often caught fire, but we kept it clear of grass so that wasn't it, I honestly don't remember what the fatal flaw was with the first motor, but it was replaced with a Kohler to the tune of about $3500, which compared to the price of a new machine was the better option.

The master clutch seems to be an 8 year item, I've replaced it twice. Seems to be around $500-600 to repair.

We change the oil and filters and keep it blown off after mowing, but otherwise have abused it mightily on our 15 acres.

I will happily keep maintaining it, and even would replace the engine again if needed as it is a workhorse and that mowing deck is SOLID.

I have a friend who has managed to get not one, but two Kubota diesel lemon zero turns. But whatever dealer she has in NC is not so awesome.

I do NOT love the dealer, although it changed ownership and I will say the service department seems improved. I'll have to see about the sales department... They seem to not realize that just because I'm a petite woman does not mean I don't spend my own money. My husband will never buy a piece of equipment...he'll use mine, but he won't ever go shop.

 

[big bubba]

sounds difficult over the years for you. curious why the original diesel was replaced at such low hrs. & wonder why the clutch goes out so soon.
having said that, 15 acres mowed regularly is a lot of area (& time) to cover. have you considered a smaller sub compact tractor in addition to yours? regards

 

[mvoght]

sounds difficult over the years for you. curious why the original diesel was replaced at such low hrs. & wonder why the clutch goes out so soon.
having said that, 15 acres mowed regularly is a lot of area (& time) to cover. have you considered a smaller sub compact tractor in addition to yours? regards

I was not clear.

It is a gas engine machine. It had over 2000 hours (I think...gotta go look at the writing on machine) when the engine went, hence 400 hours AGO. The low hours was how many hours the new engine has on it.

8 years given the use isn't the end of the world, given the problems and repairs I hear about on other equipment.

Would I buy the same machine again? Dunno. Now it is the devil I know, and I'm comfortable with it.

I also have a Case 585 and a 93" finish mower that gets used for pastures, but we edge with the zero turn. My husband and any help I hire all prefer the zero turn, in fact when my son visits, he loves to jump on the zero turn and mow a field or two. Sub compact is too small for me, because I do use my loader a fair amount. I do want to downsize to a compact though.

 

[almega1962]

Not enough info from the original poster. A box store zt might be enough or maybe he needs big diesel.

 

[WVH1977]

Gravely Pro-Turn 600 w/Kawasaki EFI motor. You will love it!!!!!

 

[Ricn]

in terms of budget, around 5.5k & below will get you a consumer grade box store mower. of course depending on size. for heaver duty or commercial, plan on spending 7k on up. in general, 54"-60" are the std sizes

"My Son has the I-mark mowing 2 acres": Ricn
think it's the eXmark mower. plenty of good quality out there, Ferris another one. the OP will have to look at 8k plus for that grade mower.

commercial mowers not only have a more robust frame construction, but heavier duty wheel motors & hyd pumps. (Parker & Hydro gear are the ones to look for on those higher end items) ... in terms of mower engines, i lean toward Kawi, regards

U-R right, exmark..

 

[ReRide]

It sure depends on how much you plan to use it. I bought a new Grasshopper 725 front deck diesel in 2014, and at 990 hours and 10 years old and it still runs like the day it was new. The only repair has been a set of belts which is really just maintenance.

 

[RjCorazza]

It's hard to make a recommendation without knowing how much acreage is being mowed. Other than recommending Kawasaki engines, which generally come on the better residential machines and up, I can only really recommend commercial equipment.
My usage is likely significantly different than the op though.

 

[big bubba]

makes sense, mine about the same except i've replaced idler pulleys few times.

Grasshopper is another established commercial name. i now get kevlar reinforced belts from source below, much better than Gates box store. a lot of heat is generated in the belt train on zeros. thankfully my spindles are grease serviceable

V Belts | Vbelts4Less Top Quality and Service

www.vbelts4less.com

 

[mulitweed]

thamks everyone for the info

 

[oosik]

I mow around two and a half acres. I use a JD 570 riding mower. JMHO - but in my case the riding mower works better than a zero turn. Two of my acres mowed are meadows with field grass, lumps, bumps, swales and whoop-te-doos. Not so good for a zero turn.

A day of mowing can be quite a work out for me.

 

[mvoght]

I mow around two and a half acres. I use a JD 570 riding mower. JMHO - but in my case the riding mower works better than a zero turn. Two of my acres mowed are meadows with field grass, lumps, bumps, swales and whoop-te-doos. Not so good for a zero turn.

A day of mowing can be quite a work out for me.

The Zero turn does beat you up in fields! I spent about an hour yesterday on mine, I mowed 2 very, small paddocks and then edging 2 pastures with a double pass, and a bit of machine abuse when I mowed an overgrown trail outside my fence that we'd fallen behind mowing.

It's hard to make a recommendation without knowing how much acreage is being mowed. Other than recommending Kawasaki engines, which generally come on the better residential machines and up, I can only really recommend commercial equipment.
My usage is likely significantly different than the op though.

That's interesting, as it was a Kawasaki engine that was failing on my 2005 JD ZTF 760. And, they replaced it with a Kohler.

 

[big bubba]

The Zero turn does beat you up in fields! mvoght

yes indeed. i mow around 4 acres same as yours around ponds, etc. the feral hogs have made a disaster in wet areas of turf, makes for a rough ride. fortunately i can handle it. were i on the market again, would go w/Ferris w/front suspension. strange why other manufacturers have not done the same, regards

 

[319Quahog]

I mow around two and a half acres. I use a JD 570 riding mower. JMHO - but in my case the riding mower works better than a zero turn. Two of my acres mowed are meadows with field grass, lumps, bumps, swales and whoop-te-doos. Not so good for a zero turn.

This is where I am at. I only have a small part of my lot which needs mowing-maybe an acre, but it is hilly, bumpy, swirly, angled, etc.

I did it yesterday with a push mower, and have about talked myself into running to the Deere place and getting a 42" X370.

 

[shooterdon]

Typical. People recommed stuff and don’t squat about what the guy needs.

Sarcasm mode engaged…….

Buy an $18,000 mower and brag about it.