Buying Advice Recommendations Please!!! What is the best tool or tools for this job?

[Skold]

Hello All,

We just bought 5 treed acres and want to know what we should get for mowing/ground maintenance. The property came with a beater Yanmar YM2100D with a brush mower that I may keep and fix up or sell. I The trees are mature and dump a lot of leaves/branches but we also want to keep it all mowed and looking nice. We also get a lot of rain so the ground can stay pretty mushy/moist so that is a consideration too. The previous owners used the Yanmar for brush mowing and a riding lawn mower for closer to the house. I'd prefer to just need one tool for the job but that might not be wise. We also want to be able to deal with the leaves with whatever we end up with.

I know this is a pretty broad question, but would y'all recommend? Attached are various pictures of the house and property...the pictures are after a heavy rain so that water is usually soaked in the next day but the ground can still be a bit mushy.

Thanks in advance for your input!!!

 

[Scook222]

I would fix the tractor and keep it since it has a front end loader on it if it’s not a lot wrong with the tractor. You would be surprised how much you can do with a front end loader and always wonder how you ever got by without one. You could always get a 3 point finishing mower to put on the back to mow with and get a new or used push or riding mower to get close to the house.

 

[Skold]

I would fix the tractor and keep it since it has a front end loader on it if it’s not a lot wrong with the tractor. You would be surprised how much you can do with a front end loader and always wonder how you ever got by without one. You could always get a 3 point finishing mower to put on the back to mow with and get a new or used push or riding mower to get close to the house.

Thank you for your input. I am leaning towards that. I'm thinking riding mower for closer to the house and over septic leech field. Think a riding mower would do OK in all of those pics assuming the ground was dry? Would y'all recommend zero turn or normal riding mower for this property after seeing the photos?

 

[Scook222]

It looks like your yard is fairly flat. As long as the yard was dry and not a lot of slopes, a zero turn would be fine and it would make quicker work of mowing than a regular riding mower. I have used both and can mow a lot more in the same amount of time than a riding mower of the same size. There are a few post on here about zero turn tires if you slopes or need better traction. If you haven’t ever driven a zero turn, test drive one before you buy it. I tell my wife all the time, I have run any kind of heavy machinery that I could get my hands on and the hardest thing I have ever driven was a zero turn mower tryin to mow the side of the road going down to the bottom of the ditch. The wife tried it once on flat ground and said the would stick to the regular riding mower. Both would work great, but once I got used to the zero turn, I really like it.

 

[rbstern]

Congrats on the new property!

That 2210D is a good tractor and will come in handy for all kinds of tasks you don't yet know you need it for. Parts (including a new fuel tank cap) are available here:

Yanmar Tractor Parts

A zero turn would be my choice for that property. And I'll second Scook's point: Zero turns are excellent, but they will bite if not handled with care, especially on/near slopes. I ended up in a ditch once, and I was lucky it didn't flip. Love the machine and how fast it cuts grass. Just have to remind myself not to get complacent with the controls.

 

[bcp]

If those are neighboring houses in some photos, I would let some brush grow up for more privacy.

Bruce

 

[Skold]

If those are neighboring houses in some photos, I would let some brush grow up for more privacy.

Bruce

Yep, I plan on it...thanks for the advice!

 

[Skold]

It looks like your yard is fairly flat. As long as the yard was dry and not a lot of slopes, a zero turn would be fine and it would make quicker work of mowing than a regular riding mower. I have used both and can mow a lot more in the same amount of time than a riding mower of the same size. There are a few post on here about zero turn tires if you slopes or need better traction. If you haven’t ever driven a zero turn, test drive one before you buy it. I tell my wife all the time, I have run any kind of heavy machinery that I could get my hands on and the hardest thing I have ever driven was a zero turn mower tryin to mow the side of the road going down to the bottom of the ditch. The wife tried it once on flat ground and said the would stick to the regular riding mower. Both would work great, but once I got used to the zero turn, I really like it.

Congrats on the new property!

That 2210D is a good tractor and will come in handy for all kinds of tasks you don't yet know you need it for. Parts (including a new fuel tank cap) are available here:

Yanmar Tractor Parts

A zero turn would be my choice for that property. And I'll second Scook's point: Zero turns are excellent, but they will bite if not handled with care, especially on/near slopes. I ended up in a ditch once, and I was lucky it didn't flip. Love the machine and how fast it cuts grass. Just have to remind myself not to get complacent with the controls.

Yeah, I'm thinking Zero turn as well....any recommendations on brand and model? Thanks again!

 

[rbstern]

Yeah, I'm thinking Zero turn as well....any recommendations on brand and model? Thanks again!

I can only speak to what I have: An Ariens Zoom XL 54. A few years ago, it was the top-of-the-line "pro-sumer" model Home Depot offered (online order). I had some Home Depot gift cards, which made it a good value. The machine itself is pretty well made (pro-grade transmissions, fabricated deck, grease zerks on the front wheel bearings), but I wouldn't buy it again. I'd buy from lawnmower specialty shop (Snapper, Exmark, etc.).

Just days before the warranty/one year mark (hours before a holiday weekend, of course), the Kohler motor's valve cover started leaking. Figured I would get it handled under warranty. Called Home Depot customer service. They told me they would just ship it elsewhere for service and it would take a long time, and I should call a repair shop instead. Completely non-caring attitude (thanks, Home Depot...great service...NOT!). Tried the Ariens web site, called the closest listed servicing dealer. Was promptly told they don't service Ariens and they shouldn't even be on that list. Tried calling Ariens direct: "Leave a message." Weekend came and went, and I was out of warranty. Had I bought from a reputable, local shop, it would have been a non-issue. Ended up ignoring the warranty and doing the repair myself. Fortunate it wasn't a more serious problem.

Bottom line: Ended up with a decent zero turn lawnmower and no dealer support. Retail big box lesson (re-)learned.

 

[FM504]

I’ve got a 61” bad boy outlaw xp with a 27hp Kawasaki engine and it is a fantastic zero turn. My fenced off yard is 2 acres and then I use it to cut each side of half a mile of gravel road to the front gate and then around the entrance. It goes over rough ground easily just have to set the blade height up a little. Good machine for the money. Highly recommend.