Buying Advice What Zero Turn?

[jagyzf]

Ferris IMO is the best, but costs a lot more.

I bought a Snapper Pro, in my case a huge walk behind. Ferris and Snapper are both owned by Briggs and are very similar machines made in the same factory. Ferris is by far the nicer machine, but the decks, motors and many other parts are basically the same between the 2 products. Yet the Snapper Pro series can be thousands less.

If I mowed for a living it would be Ferris, but just for the 2 lawns I do, Snapper is great for me.

 

[Sportsman762]

I would look at what dealers are in your area and go test drive some mowers. When we purchased our z-turn in 2006 we were leaning towards cub cadet, but after test driving lots of mower we determined that the Gravely was the nicest for our needs. I needed a solid front axle because I mow the creek banks by hanging the front wheel over the edge.
I would look at the following:
Bad Boy
Cub Cadet
Exmark
Ferris
Gravely
Grass hopper
Hustler
Husquavarne
Kubota
Snapper
Toro

 

[Carl_NH]

I needed a solid front axle because I mow the creek banks by hanging the front wheel over the edge.

Sportsman I am having a hard time visualizing hanging the front wheel over the edge to cut a creek bank - are you saying you run one wheel in the air with the mower at an angle to the creek?

 

[Roadbuilder6]

Hustler Makes a good Zero turn. I have a 48in Fastrak. Grasshoppers are excellent but expensive. I also have a deere 54in and thats good but the others are better. I used to have a toro and was also good, but some parts don't last long like belts etc. scag is an excellent machine along with exmark. I don't know enough about the ferris to say but they do look pretty good. But I would say scag is a very good option

 

[Sportsman762]

Sportsman I am having a hard time visualizing hanging the front wheel over the edge to cut a creek bank - are you saying you run one wheel in the air with the mower at an angle to the creek?

I pull up the the creek at a 45 degree angle and hang a wheel over the creek. This lets me put the deck over the creek so I do not have to string trim it. The one wheel does end up in the air.

 

[Carl_NH]

OK - I understand now - thanks - many of the ZTR have the center pivot point on the front and my Ferris has the independent suspension on the front and that would not work with these machines but I see some Gravely have solid/fixed wheels on the front so that would work. Just have to watch out for undercut creek banks I suppose or you could get wet!

 

[gmccall]

IMO after dealing with my two year old Scag Tiger Cat 52" gasoline repairs I can not recommend Scag mowers.
My mower has been on the shop for one repair or another for most of the last 8 months. Its back in the shop waiting on a starter now. Been 3 weeks.
See my posts on the mower. Scag does not support their mowers where I live in Texas. If they did I would have a mower today.

 

[coobie]

Thank you for the reply. I would like to stay around $6K. Used is fine. I have read a few threads about Craigs list and ebay. What ZTM do you like for us?

Thanks,

Steve 18643

Ferris ZTR would be my choice in that price range.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I like my IS700Z Ferris with the Kawasaki engine. I mow about 6 acres with at least 100 trees and shrubs to mow around and I can do it in 2.5 hours without pushing it hard. My outer yard is really rough and even with the spring suspension, I have to slow down from the 9.8 MPH max speed to be comfortable and not have the front wheels coming off the ground from a pot hole. I keep saying I am going to mark those rascals and fill them in but can never find them after I finish mowing. The tank from empty (when I bought it) to full holds 4 gallons and I will have 1/4-3/8th of a tank of fuel when I finish mowing. I think it does very well on miserly fuel consumption. It is a carburetor engine rather than fuel injected but it starts very easily and even with the 23 HP rating it has plenty of power for the 52" cut. Only in wet grass over 6" high with the mower set at 2" does it stall a bit so I have to slow down. I have never stalled it in dry grass and it will fling the clippings at least 10 feet from the mower.

 

[DMDunster]

I purchased the Ferris IS2000 about 18 months ago purely for the suspension all round. I have about 105 hours on the machine so far. Only cut my property, about 40 acres of reasonable paddock but quite hilly. It has worked out very well for speed. Quite often find myself flat out just feathering one stick or the other for contours. Plenty of power in the 30hp petrol Briggs. It uses about 5.5lts unleaded per hour running time. Each tank is a bit over 20lts, so about 7 hours between fills. I'm usually knackered by then anyway.

Gives a very good finish with sharp blades and the blades stand up well to small tree branches, gravel strikes, occasional rocks.

I had to remove the ROPS bar that is behind the drivers head after the second time I hooked an overhead tree branch and lifted the front wheels way up in the air. Quite a surprise. The machine would also wheelstand accelerating up hill with the ROPS on. Yeh I know, slow down idiot.

I have followed the recommended service regime and have had nil problems other than a flat battery last weekend as I had not used the mower for some months.

The area I am covering is probably not appropriate for the Ferris, particularly the open sections. I am researching 3mtr flail mulchers at present as a more comfortable alternative. Gotta love an airconditioned cabin with radio.

 

[Capricious]

From what I have heard, there appear to be a very limited number of manufacturers of the hydrostat drive trains used in zero-turns, and that some of the drivetrains have a poor reputation. I have heard of one model where the left side always has problems, for example.

If i were buying a zero turn, i would concentrate on the drive train; who makes it, what model drive is it, and what kind of comments about that drivetrain can one find on it on the internet. The brand of the engine and the brand of the mower itself would be secondary considerations. A drain plug to drain the fluid from the hyd motor so the fluid can be changed is a good sign; the lack of a drain plug is a bad sign.

 

[Gary Fowler]

The Ferris IS 700Z and higher models I know for sure have to have the oil changed in the HST, they use 20W-50 motor oil. Mine has the 3800 series drive units and I think the 2000 uses a more robust unit, all are serviceable. I think the IS700 is the lowest model for a commercial grade machine.
Simplicity is the same mower design as they bought Ferris a while back so if you cant find Ferris, look for Simplicity.

 

[big bubba]

hydrogear & parker are the big names for hyd pumps & motors. they do make different grades from consumer to commercial.... seems they recommend 15/50 syn oil (namely mobil 1) rather than 20/50 conventional, but of course follow manu recom. ferris suspension seems intriguing, fortunately am able to keep up w/my zero heavy duty model despite pockmarked areas (wild hog). could never go back to the conventional rider....also have a zero turn 36' walk behind for the slopes around ponds. way cool! to the OP: good luck on purchase!

 

[J_J]

What Zero turn?

Ride as many as you can and determine if you can fix it, afford it and confident that you can operate it .

 

[MoKelly]

What Zero turn?

Ride as many as you can and determine if you can fix it, afford it and confident that you can operate it .

This is smart advise. I would also add to get the machine from a dealer who is close by and you trust and has a good reputation since, if you are like me, there may be things that happen that you cannot fix on your own. At least the first time.

Good luck.

MoKelly

 

[big bubba]

"the lack of a drain plug is a bad sign". capricious many models don't have hyd reservoir drain plugs on zero turns, just the removal of the filter for draining. yours is good advice on serviceability of hyd oil...as others have mentioned, would steer clear of consumer grade zero turns, commercial is way to go for this kind of investment.

 

[CentralNC]

I just went through this same process earlier this year. I mow 3-4 acres every week and more grass that I only mow every couple of weeks. Some on slope and some under trees and around lots of shrubs. I tested and looked at a lot of mowers. I ended up buying a Toro ZMaster 3000, but I came to the realization that there are lots of mowers that will cut grass well and last for 2000+ hrs. I think the key issue is to be careful when using them (no rocks, roots or hitting stumps) and then keeping the mower clean and serviced. Toro, Exmark, Scag, JD, Ferris, Hustler .... they are all good mowers and will last a long time

One more thought ... we are getting toward the end of grass cutting season. There might be some good deals out there for a drop in price or really good finance terms to move inventory.