Diggin It
Super Star Member
Gophers are the least of my worries. The various portals to the underworld, well ....
Buying Advice Tractor vs zero turn
- Thread starter Mattyboy93
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dragoneggs
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2013
- Messages
- 13,627
- Location
- Seabeck, Washington
- Tractor
- Kubota BX-25D, Kubota Z122RKW-42
I've got mountain beavers... at least they leave my mowed areas alone.
riptides
Super Member
I have a big lawn. LOL. My kidneys still ache from yesterdays new hole.
I go throttle max and max speed. When this ZTR goes, I'll be looking at anything spinning close to 18k and moving over 12mph.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
My speed while mowing is determined by the smoothness of the ground, the number of obstacles that I have to go around, and most importantly, the sharpness of my blades. I have never mowed with my zero turn at full speed. I have mowed with it at such a slow speed that I'm barely moving forward. I'm not in a rush to finish, I like to have a nice looking lawn when I'm done. I had asked my son in law to mow one time and he did such a horrible job that I never asked again, and ended up mowing it right after he left. His mom wanted me to include him in doing stuff, but that was a bad idea. I also have Bahia grass, and the stalks are very abrasive on a mower blade. The only other type of mower that could do my yard and area around my house would be a push mower. I had a Craftsman riding mower before the zero turn and there where areas that I just couldn't get to, or out of, so I did a lot of weed eating. A tractor just isn't an option around the house.
Out on the land, mowing my walking trails with the zero turn is also at a moderate speed. It's not as smooth as around the house, but it's more fun because I'm out on the land and wondering through the woods and along the edge of my pastures and across the top of my dam. It's really kind of fun mowing those areas. I go over those trails twice. All the way in one direction, then turn around and mow it wider in the other direction. 60 inch deck and I'm maintaining at least 9 feet wide of well mowed, easy to see snakes, type of walking trails. My guess is that it's a mile and half each way.
Out on the land, mowing my walking trails with the zero turn is also at a moderate speed. It's not as smooth as around the house, but it's more fun because I'm out on the land and wondering through the woods and along the edge of my pastures and across the top of my dam. It's really kind of fun mowing those areas. I go over those trails twice. All the way in one direction, then turn around and mow it wider in the other direction. 60 inch deck and I'm maintaining at least 9 feet wide of well mowed, easy to see snakes, type of walking trails. My guess is that it's a mile and half each way.
kthompson
Elite Member
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2008
- Messages
- 3,509
- Location
- South Carolina
- Tractor
- Kubotas B2710, M6800, L6060 cab, Volvo EC excavator, 2 ZTRs and various implements.
But he can get between or under my trees either. lol
On serious note I was in the hay growing for a while an 8mph if fast enough for me on a tractor. Our fields we smooth at that.
kthompson
Elite Member
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2008
- Messages
- 3,509
- Location
- South Carolina
- Tractor
- Kubotas B2710, M6800, L6060 cab, Volvo EC excavator, 2 ZTRs and various implements.
Eddie Walker, on your son in law. My oldest grand son use to ride my leg when he was up to about five years old. Learned to steer on my tractor. Went about 11 years and this year wanted back on one. Just had gotten a new Kubota L with cab and offset flail mower. Worst looking tractor I have now due to limbs scratching it and him not understanding stay away from the LIMBS. Yet it has been worth it all for the bonding been able to do and the experiences I hope he remembers for his life time.
BTW, do we have the same son in law? lol
BTW, do we have the same son in law? lol
cdaigle430
Veteran Member
I read on this site before that sub compacts are too heave for normal mowing. After a period of time they compact the soil so much only dandelions will grow. I can understand that I guess.
dodge man
Super Star Member
I’ve been mowing with a subcompact or a compact for about 12 years and unless the ground is really wet, compaction is not a problem.
Diggin It
Super Star Member
The areas I mow with the SCUT are areas that I don't really care if they have grass or just something green. All I ask for are roots substantial enough to deter erosion.
JoelT
Silver Member
I've been mowing 5ish acres and some trails with a brush hog behind my jd4310....and a push mower around the house. We did some thinning and there's more to mow now but the brushhog can't maneuver what's needed. I'm told I can't buy a mid mount for a 2004 tractor anymore unless it's used and I can't find a used one. Everybody say go for a zero turn but I'm concerned about getting stuck on ruts, bumps, some hills and some not terribly smooth terrain. How stable are these zeroturn mowers anyway? Just how "flat" does the ground have to be to avoid getting stuck, sliding or even more fun...rolling?