Mowing advice needed, please

[Teachu2]

We moved to the mountains last year, to a 5 acre property with some pretty steep terrain. Included with the property was a JD L130 riding mower with a 48" deck. It's ready for a transaxle, and I'm debating replacing it with something else.

Our lawn is small. I bought a Honda walk behind mower, and can mow the lawn in 15-20 minutes. It does such a great job that I mow the foxtails on the hillside that is the back yard with it - it bags the foxtails, so my dogs don't get into them. That leaves about 4 acres of native grass, weeds, and trees - hundreds of oaks - and some steep terrain. My Kioti DX3510 goes everywhere I need to go with a 5' brush hog, but the wife would like the three acres or so she can see around the house to be a bit finer cut, and without the furrows from the cutter's skirt when it drags.

The previous owner actually mowed all of the property with the L130 when it was new. As that took it's toll on the transaxle, they quit doing it and hired it out.

My options (so far):
1) Rebuild/replace the K45 in the L130, and let the wife mow with it. Probably add a ROPS, as it lacks one and it would be easy to roll it on several of our hillsides. $1k
2) Upgrade the transaxle to a K76. Add ROPS. $2k
3) Sell the L130 as parts, and buy a much better mower. Either of us could use it. $6-10K
4) Sell the L130 as parts, and buy a rear finish mower for the Kioti. I doubt the wife would use it, but she might. $2-3k.

Any other options I haven't listed? (Grazing animals are not an option...)

 

[mddorange]

With my 5' brush hog I do my 5 acres of hilly pasture and it cuts almost like a riding mower and I know just where to set the 3ph to keep the skids off the ground.

 

[leonz]

Are you sure it needs an axle or just the drive belt? I have to replace the drive belt on
my LA115 before too long and its four years old now.

I would sell the old mower and buy a flail mower and you will have a much better lawn in less time.

For the money you are willing to spend a Vrsimo Vineyard flail mower is well within in your price range and
they are built in California so you could buy it from the factory directly most likely.
Mowing with a flail mower takes much less time especially with rough ground conditions.

 

[Teachu2]

With my 5' brush hog I do my 5 acres of hilly pasture and it cuts almost like a riding mower and I know just where to set the 3ph to keep the skids off the ground.

Problem is the skirts are too deep to allow close mowing. OTOH, I need the deep skirts for bush hogging. That's why I'm considering bush hogging at the beginning of the season, then finish mowing the remainder of the time.

 

[Teachu2]

Are you sure it needs an axle or just the drive belt? I have to replace the drive belt on
my LA115 before too long and its four years old now.

I would sell the old mower and buy a flail mower and you will have a much better lawn in less time.

For the money you are willing to spend a Vrsimo Vineyard flail mower is well within in your price range and
they are built in California so you could buy it from the factory directly most likely.
Mowing with a flail mower takes much less time especially with rough ground conditions.

About how much money do you think these cost?

 

[leonz]

They did have a price list on their home page but it is no longer there.

You also can buy Caroni flail mowers from the California dealer that sells them.

I suggested the Vrisimo as they are locally made and you can buy them
in the Golden State from a Vrisimo dealer.

1-800-426-5615 is the Vrisimo office in California

There are many good used flail mowers for sale too.

 

[ishiboo]

We moved to the mountains last year, to a 5 acre property with some pretty steep terrain. Included with the property was a JD L130 riding mower with a 48" deck. It's ready for a transaxle, and I'm debating replacing it with something else.

Our lawn is small. I bought a Honda walk behind mower, and can mow the lawn in 15-20 minutes. It does such a great job that I mow the foxtails on the hillside that is the back yard with it - it bags the foxtails, so my dogs don't get into them. That leaves about 4 acres of native grass, weeds, and trees - hundreds of oaks - and some steep terrain. My Kioti DX3510 goes everywhere I need to go with a 5' brush hog, but the wife would like the three acres or so she can see around the house to be a bit finer cut, and without the furrows from the cutter's skirt when it drags.

The previous owner actually mowed all of the property with the L130 when it was new. As that took it's toll on the transaxle, they quit doing it and hired it out.

My options (so far):
1) Rebuild/replace the K45 in the L130, and let the wife mow with it. Probably add a ROPS, as it lacks one and it would be easy to roll it on several of our hillsides. $1k
2) Upgrade the transaxle to a K76. Add ROPS. $2k
3) Sell the L130 as parts, and buy a much better mower. Either of us could use it. $6-10K
4) Sell the L130 as parts, and buy a rear finish mower for the Kioti. I doubt the wife would use it, but she might. $2-3k.

Any other options I haven't listed? (Grazing animals are not an option...)

Look on Craigslist for a GT235/245/255, or a GX345 or 345. If something goes wrong they are worth fixing. If you look for a while you can find a nice MINT GX for 3-4k.

 

[in2toys]

I'd suggest a finish mower for the kioti. One less engine to maintain...

 

[4570Man]

I have a 72" finish mower to mow about 5 acres. I wish I had bought a flail mower. I don't get to mow there very often, and the grass is sometimes a foot tall. The finish mower will do it, but you have to take it slow.

 

[Will_C]

I have 3 acres behind my barn that is too rough for my ZTR, and is too wet to mow in the spring. I bush hog it around Memorial Day, and then use a 5' RFM every 10-15 days the rest of the season. With the rear discharge, it does well even when the grass gets 6-8" high.
As the OP has a tractor, and the wife wants a cleaner look, a RFM is my recommendation.

Will

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

In the OP's situation, I'd go with leonz's suggestion of the flail mower. It would be less than buying a new ZTR or quality riding mower. And he wouldn't have another engine to maintain.

I can tell you that Vrisimo needs to hire a photographer and take him and some equipment to some lush vegetation and get some new photos. I've heard they build a good machine, but their photo galleries on their website don't do ANYTHING to make you want to buy one of their flail mowers.

 

[Teachu2]

How about 60" Heavy Duty Flail Mower EFGC155 - Value Leader Implements ?

 

[farm boy00]

Get a big craftsman garden tractor with Mower. MAKE SURE IT'S A GARDEN TRACTOR. i have a gt6000 and love it

The rear wheels can be spread out so you can get a wide wheel path

 

[MESSMAKER]

I have heard of putting g. wheels on the front of a rotary cutter to save the skid tracks. Might think about it.

 

[Teachu2]

I have heard of putting g. wheels on the front of a rotary cutter to save the skid tracks. Might think about it.

Considered doing that, but SWMBO wants a closer cut.