Suggestions and do I need 4wd?

[DavidVT]

Hello all,
I have not posted for years, and then it was about my Kubota tractor ...
So, we have 12 acres of which we often mow half of it. We have hilly property that works the average mower.

I have one tired old Craftsman garden tractor (99) that can do the hills if I am careful. (been flipped backwards more than once) After installing an electric fuel pump on the Craftsman, it has never let me down but age is getting to it mechanically.
I have one newer Husky that never dealt with the hills (ran away downhill and refused to climb uphill). It died at the end of this past summer.
Both of these in the 18 to 22hp range.

It is time to replace the primary mower (Husky) with something which will not scalp the grass, will never hesitate to run, and safely go up, down, and across the hills.

We are focusing on the non big box store John Deere products and expect to spend at least twice what the old garden tractors cost us. We are considering this next mower an investment and are going to take our time with the decision.
The Husky's engine is dead but the ole craftsman will get the summer started ok. Thus no super rush but hopefully we have this new one by July 4th 2018 as a goal.

Looking for product suggestions along with help trying to determine if 4wd/awd is needed. (I dont want to blow money on a feature we dont need but also dont want to make a mistake if we do need it.)
We are not interested in a zero turn.
Not looking for mulching nor bagging. This is rural former farm land that we simply like to keep mowed.
Not looking for snow removal nor any winter use as the Kubota has that responsibility along with bucket and backhoe.
The grass is often thick and the hills challenging.

Thank you

 

[oosik]

A lot of what you seek/ask revolves around the decision you must make. Do I want a unit that will do the job safely, all the time, without EVER a chance of failure. If that is your decision - then, most likely, you will want a 4WD unit. If, on the other hand, you can accept something less - perhaps 2WD is adequate.

Your major concern could easily be safety. "The grass is often thick and THE HILLS CHALLENGING". "(BEEN FLIPPED BACKWARDS MORE THAN ONCE)". Those two statements, to me, would indicate the need for 4WD & stout roll bar for safety, if nothing else.

Find excitement in your grandchildren, not maintenance of your property. The two statement I've quoted above could go well beyond excitement and be terminal.

 

[DavidVT]

Love the 'excitement' statement! Good food for thought.
Only looking for inputs to the decision. In the end it is all mine of course.

 

[jeff9366]

I cannot speak to Lawn & Garden tractors.

Traditional tractors have brakes only on the rear wheels. With 4-WD engaged a traditional tractor has the semblance of four wheel braking going downhill. With 2-WD, when tractor weight shifts forward going downhill, on to small front wheels, there are times when braking is nonexistent.

Do Lawn & Garden tractors have brakes on both front and rear wheels?



HST transmission provides some transmission/engine braking going downhill.

 

[ovrszd]

I like my JD2210 4wd. Very durable and capable mower. Plus tracgor features if needed. I bought it with 100hrs at 4 years old paid $9500. Sounded like a lot of money at the time. 9 years later and 900hrs on the meter I think it's the cheapest machine I could have bought.

 

[rgr33]

I don’t have much experience with lawn and garden mowers either. But I do have experience mowing on a hill. I mow a vineyard, on a fairly steep hillside, with a clover cover crop, which is as greasy as heck when wet.

I wouldn’t consider mowing under those conditions without a ROPS, seat belt, and 4wd.
In your situation, I would be thinking of a compact utility tractor, like the kubotas and John Deere’s many on this board own, equipped with a rotary or finish mower.

If that doesn’t suit you, than I would look at one of the larger lawn tractors WITH 4wd.
You have tempted fate enough already, and maybe, your luck might turn on you at some point if you choose to stay with a 2wd unit.

I don’t mean to sound preachy, but It gives me the Willie’s to think about hillside mowing on green grass.

 

[DavidVT]

Thank you for inputs. Anyone else please chime in.

My curiosity was triggered so I just spent 30 min looking at 2210 listings and also figuring out what is the new version of that platform (and price).

The ideas around larger subcompacts beyond a garden tractor take me back to the original Kubota shopping 14 years ago.

My friend had loaned me his B model Kubota which we used for a weekend. It felt so top heavy on these hills that we actually waited a year to save a bit more cash. With that we bought the GrandL with a much wider footprint. With filled industrials I can brush hog the wild hills we don’t mow without fear. (Yes belted and ROPS up)

Unfortunately it does not make a good mower platform as the industrials, even in 2wd, rip up the lawn when I cross the grass. .

I can see this will be an interesting journey selecting the next mowing rig.

Happy Holidays to all!

 

[beenthere]

For a simple answer to best help you go forward, get a JD 425, 445, or 455 with a 54" deck in AWS (all wheel steer).

Good luck..

 

[oosik]

Another though, David. On the really steep mowing areas - you might want to go with more vertical mowing as opposed to strictly horizontal. However, if it was safe with the old Craftsman mower, you will certainly be able to find something that fits the bill.

 

[MossRoad]

Hello all,
I have not posted for years, and then it was about my Kubota tractor ...
So, we have 12 acres of which we often mow half of it. We have hilly property that works the average mower.

I have one tired old Craftsman garden tractor (99) that can do the hills if I am careful. (been flipped backwards more than once) After installing an electric fuel pump on the Craftsman, it has never let me down but age is getting to it mechanically.
I have one newer Husky that never dealt with the hills (ran away downhill and refused to climb uphill). It died at the end of this past summer.
Both of these in the 18 to 22hp range.

It is time to replace the primary mower (Husky) with something which will not scalp the grass, will never hesitate to run, and safely go up, down, and across the hills.

We are focusing on the non big box store John Deere products and expect to spend at least twice what the old garden tractors cost us. We are considering this next mower an investment and are going to take our time with the decision.
The Husky's engine is dead but the ole craftsman will get the summer started ok. Thus no super rush but hopefully we have this new one by July 4th 2018 as a goal.

Looking for product suggestions along with help trying to determine if 4wd/awd is needed. (I dont want to blow money on a feature we dont need but also dont want to make a mistake if we do need it.)
We are not interested in a zero turn.
Not looking for mulching nor bagging. This is rural former farm land that we simply like to keep mowed.
Not looking for snow removal nor any winter use as the Kubota has that responsibility along with bucket and backhoe.
The grass is often thick and the hills challenging.

Thank you

So what exactly is your preferred budget? That can narrow down the looking quite a bit.