Who Makes a Trouble-Free 60" Diesel Zero-Turn?

[Will S]

I can't complain about my mower. It's a 1997 Woods Mow'n Machine, 61" deck, Kubota 3 cyl diesel. I've done all of my maintenance, and the few repairs that were needed. Replaced tires, blades, V-belts on the mower deck (replaced just last year), one idler pulley bearing went bad so I replaced both, also last year. Other than that, everything else is original. Mower is kept in mower garage when not in use. Roughly 800-850 hrs (haven't looked; might be more). Ah, just remembered; I also replaced the fuel shutoff solenoid earlier this year.

Woods machines are pretty much the same as Grasshopper. Not the slickest, or the fastest, but solid reliability, in my experience.

 

[Creamer]

I can't complain about my mower. It's a 1997 Woods Mow'n Machine, 61" deck, Kubota 3 cyl diesel. I've done all of my maintenance, and the few repairs that were needed. Replaced tires, blades, V-belts on the mower deck (replaced just last year), one idler pulley bearing went bad so I replaced both, also last year. Other than that, everything else is original. Mower is kept in mower garage when not in use. Roughly 800-850 hrs (haven't looked; might be more). Ah, just remembered; I also replaced the fuel shutoff solenoid earlier this year.

Woods machines are pretty much the same as Grasshopper. Not the slickest, or the fastest, but solid reliability, in my experience.

Your Woods was probably built by Grasshopper. I know they have broken up the relationship since then but back in that time Grasshopper was the manufacturer and two machines were virtually the same.

 

[Richard]

Just a meandering comment...

I bought a JD 430 used. Fixed a couple issues (new blades, had to grind the nuts off to remove them), new belt, did fluid change....

It's been a workhorse for me. I use it to cut the fairly flat field in front of house and also my yard. I DO agree that they're proud of their parts, as I expect most any would be.

Yesterday, I cut the field that I normally use the 430 for.... took me 20 minutes but I was using my 15' flexwing. I had let the grass get up to almost knee height so wanted to be sure I'd not bog things or leave a lot of windrows.

I've enjoyed mine thus far. (not knocking you, I'm brand agnostic....actually I'm more empathetic to what you're experiencing. Even had thought flash through mind.... would it be worth buying it (yours) so I'd have a full parts machine, specifically mower deck!)

 

[Yander]

When I bought this thing, I looked up sharpening, and I read that you're supposed to leave the edges of blades flat. I guess that advice didn't come from a person who had bahia.

Maybe I should listen to you and actually sharpen the blades, but getting to them is not much fun. The deck weighs something like 340 pounds, and taking it off is very difficult.

I have never taken a deck off to put blades on. drive it up a couple car ramps, jack it up with an old bumper jack (Junkyard) or buy a mower jack (Block after jacking up). I have all three and all three work. IF you have a landscape trailer drive it up one side of the ramp leaving the other front tire off the ramp, block that side before going underneath.

Lots of options.

 

[Yander]

I tend to agree with 5030, this thread is not in any way about 60" diesel mowers that are trouble free. It seems to be a rant thread of all the OP's peaves. I'm also done here.