Upgrade from ZD to F Series Mower?

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I have been thinking of the F series for a while and wonder to what degree the 4WD is necessary? I use an old JD F510 right now to mow around obstacles and such and use a B7800 with a 60" belly mower for open areas. I live on flat ground and like the F510 a lot because I can sneak in under trees and bushes that the B7800 cannot. So I figure I could get an F series for all things and ditch the B7800 mower?
Is 4WD just something I should buy and not worry about it?

I have both. 2wd (For Sale $12000 92 hours) and a 4wd. The 2wd will go great on level and rolling hills and will do some what steep hills but if your wanting mountain goat ability then the 4wd is best. The 2wd will back up any hill or forward with a slight lifting of the front deck but negotiating on the side of steep mountains/hills requires the 4wd. I'd say 95% of buyers could do with the 2wd but a few of us mountain goats need/want the 4wd.

 

[gordyy]

what will the 4 wd do we were in an area that has been unreachable as roads were washed out the last 2 yrs the utility crews reached it in an old amphibious 6x6 farmers crossed other fields etc. they fixed the road in this spring (one of them) so I have been mowing them. last week to save time my sons went with me to mow as I had to go to a funeral out of state while we were mowing a rain storm went through dropping almost 2 inches of rain, we waited the worst out then finished mowing when we went to leave that hauler in the avitar panel and trailer fell into the patch on that road one front tire was up in the air even. we unloaded the tractors thinking I would drive one to a farm a mile or so away get a big tractor and pull it out, my boys being the rednecked mud lovers they are opted instead kind of as a joke to hook them to the truck see what they would do. Believe me when I say differencial locks and 4 wd make a difference those two tractors pulled that 2 ton hauler and trailer right out of the muck! We only regret there was not a 4th person along to video it LOL

 

[Czabe]

I mow for a water utility that has resivours buried partially in the ground and then the ground hills up steaply around the tanks witha pump house on the side of the hill very tall ditches etc. I use both a sub compact 4 wd and an F 2560 4wd. I tried a ZT out and I could not go up the hills or hang on the sided of them with anything I tried and I tried out all I could, all the salesman said no problem till they brought out their machines and used them some of the areas I mow have serious pucker facktor on them even on the sc2400 which is more stable going up and down the steepest parts.
The F is more money and if you mow it really regularly the rear discharge is ok, but if its high when you mow the side discharge handles the cut much better and I dont think the windrow of grass is any uglier than the clumps coming out the rear discharge. besides a spring keeps the deflector up when your far enough from the buildings kids and critters that eliminates almost all the windrow.
The F is the best cutter I have used to date and have tried out or used 7 models of tractors and mowers both

Thanks everyone for chiming in on this topic. I forgot about it for a while, but am glad I wandered back in. I think at this point, I'd love to see how I could "test drive" the F-series on my property and see for myself, how it cuts, how it dances around various trees and such. Does anyone know how/if one can arrange such a thing? I realize that may be difficult or impossible.

On the grass clumps issue. I have removed the plastic baffle on the ZD321 (I know, I'm a menace to the neighborhood!) and it DOES throw moderate to light clippings into a nice easily absorbable spray for recomposting. Heavier grass, not as good.

I would like to see the "clumpyness" of the rear-discharge on the F series. That would be important to me.

I don't like how on breezy days I often get a "clippings shower" on turns with the ZD.

So if anyone knows how I go about getting a "test drive" let me know.

Thanks!

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Thanks everyone for chiming in on this topic. I forgot about it for a while, but am glad I wandered back in. I think at this point, I'd love to see how I could "test drive" the F-series on my property and see for myself, how it cuts, how it dances around various trees and such. Does anyone know how/if one can arrange such a thing? I realize that may be difficult or impossible.

On the grass clumps issue. I have removed the plastic baffle on the ZD321 (I know, I'm a menace to the neighborhood!) and it DOES throw moderate to light clippings into a nice easily absorbable spray for recomposting. Heavier grass, not as good.

I would like to see the "clumpyness" of the rear-discharge on the F series. That would be important to me.

I don't like how on breezy days I often get a "clippings shower" on turns with the ZD.

So if anyone knows how I go about getting a "test drive" let me know.

Thanks!

I can tell you how you can test drive a F2680E 60" rear discharge and a F3080 72" rear discharge on short, medium and high grass and on hills, gullies, mountain sides or just flat lands. Bring your check book or cash and come on over for a vacation and F model testing. I mowed the flat land today but it will be back up in a couple of weeks and I mowed the hillside last week so it can be ready at almost any time.
To me the rear discharge lays the grass down spread out more evenly on the ground than the side discharge and I'm talking from actual many years of experience with both.