To upgrade or not to upgrade...?

[Ovranalyzr]

It seems as though you want to renovate and smooth your pasture so you can mow it with a Zero Turn mower.

Unfortunately, to renovate pasture requires a pretty heavy tractor, a moldboard plow and a Disc Harrow for starters, then a heavy Landscape Rake, Box Blade, Rear Angle Blade or Land Plane to smooth the rutted areas; plus quite a lot of time.

If your plans for your next abode include the need for a tractor, maybe you should go ahead.

Used equipment can be fine if you are mechanically inclined and have the tools and want to spend the weekend in maintenance but you said: "I need some of my time back on weekends."

Wow... that sounds like a lot of work which I don't know that I'd want to tackle. My next place would be much smaller (1 acre) so I would still need a ZTR, but not a tractor. I could always work it into the house deal for a prospective buyer if one came along.

 

[newbury]

I'm outside of the Montgomery area Newbury. I've thought about trying to get some boarders, but not sure if I want the liability of horses that aren't mine on the property. I'm looking to downgrade a little to a place with about 1 acre as opposed to 6. I still love the country feel and don't want a neighbor within arms reach of my house which is another reason I've thought about just staying put and making things easier around here.

With the present real estate market that might be the best bet.

Wow... that sounds like a lot of work which I don't know that I'd want to tackle. My next place would be much smaller (1 acre) so I would still need a ZTR, but not a tractor. I could always work it into the house deal for a prospective buyer if one came along.

If you buy a new tractor you'll probably take a big hit in the wallet even if you bundle it with the house. Have you gotten any quotes for having the rough parts bushhogged?

 

[Ovranalyzr]

With the present real estate market that might be the best bet.


If you buy a new tractor you'll probably take a big hit in the wallet even if you bundle it with the house. Have you gotten any quotes for having the rough parts bushhogged?

Yeah, no kidding. I also absolutely love my neighbors which makes the thought of leaving difficult. I've found a couple of used tractors that I could trade my Mitsu in plus a couple of thousand for. I think it would help, but I don't want to waste the money. I also found a commercial ExMark ZTR that would save some time, but probably beat me up in the pastures. I could do one or the other, but not both. Just not sure which one if either to act on.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Yeah, no kidding. I also absolutely love my neighbors which makes the thought of leaving difficult. I've found a couple of used tractors that I could trade my Mitsu in plus a couple of thousand for. I think it would help, but I don't want to waste the money. I also found a commercial ExMark ZTR that would save some time, but probably beat me up in the pastures. I could do one or the other, but not both. Just not sure which one if either to act on.

I would be lost without my tractors as I use them for things other than mowing lawn. I do have a 7 foot bush hog for the rough rutted up stuff and where I still have some large rocks and tree branches in the pasture and use it to keep down the saplings etc. but it does take longer to mow with the 7 foot BH than the 52 " mower going over the same area.

A commercial grade ZTR would mow a 6 acre plot easily even if it is rough ground, just slow down a bit. They are still smoother than a tractor especially if you get one with a frame suspension like the Ferris or Simplicity mowers and if needed upgrade the seat to a suspension seat and you will be like in a Lazy Boy recliner. I would go with a ZTR especially if you are considering downsizing soon to a one acre tract. I mow about 6 acres of lawn with my ZTR in about 2 1/2 hours with my Ferris. My grandsons are here for the summer and I can put one on my Craftsman to help and get it done in 1.5 hours. The craftsman goes about 6 mph vs 10 for the Ferris so it doesn't quite cut the time in half but it is close. I do all the mowing around the trees (lots of them) while grandson mows the mostly open areas so he gets to mow about half the area.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Yeah, no kidding. I also absolutely love my neighbors which makes the thought of leaving difficult. I've found a couple of used tractors that I could trade my Mitsu in plus a couple of thousand for. I think it would help, but I don't want to waste the money. I also found a commercial ExMark ZTR that would save some time, but probably beat me up in the pastures. I could do one or the other, but not both. Just not sure which one if either to act on.

I would be lost without my tractors as I use them for things other than mowing lawn. I do have a 7 foot bush hog for the rough rutted up stuff and where I still have some large rocks and tree branches in the pasture and use it to keep down the saplings etc. but it does take longer to mow with the 7 foot BH than the 52 " mower going over the same area.

A commercial grade ZTR would mow a 6 acre plot easily even if it is rough ground, just slow down a bit. They are still smoother than a tractor especially if you get one with a frame suspension like the Ferris or Simplicity mowers and if needed upgrade the seat to a suspension seat and you will be like in a Lazy Boy recliner. I would go with a ZTR especially if you are considering downsizing soon to a one acre tract. I mow about 6 acres of lawn with my ZTR in about 2 1/2 hours with my Ferris. My grandsons are here for the summer and I can put one on my Craftsman to help and get it done in 1.5 hours. The craftsman goes about 6 mph vs 10 for the Ferris so it doesn't quite cut the time in half but it is close. I do all the mowing around the trees (lots of them) while grandson mows the mostly open areas so he gets to mow about half the area.

 

[Ovranalyzr]

Thank you everyone for the thoughts and ideas. I'm leaning towards a larger tractor with turf tires and a 72" finish mower to cut as much of my lawn as possible and all my pastures. I've come across two different John Deere 870's with a little over 500 and about 1000 hours respectively. Both are around the $7k range. The one with 1000 hours is actually further away, but in better shape according to pictures.

Does anyone have thoughts on that tractor model and size? Turf tires won't damage a yard, right?