Would you buy a 54" or 60" deck?

   / Would you buy a 54" or 60" deck? #41  
54" cuts better and fits in more spaces.
 
   / Would you buy a 54" or 60" deck? #42  
The smaller the deck, the better a cut you will get. It just follows the ground contour better. Get more decks rather than a bigger single deck if you want to overcome this.

ALSO, don't forget that you need that overlap, say conservatively 6 inches. So 54" VS 60" is really 48" VS 54". When you have a forteen foot wing mower, the 6" becomes meaningless!
 
   / Would you buy a 54" or 60" deck? #43  
I got no response on my last post so will try this.

I am buying a ZT. Two acres, two dozen trees and a few other items to trim around.

There is only a $200 difference in price between a 54" and 60" deck. Which one would you get and why?

Thanks,
Bought a 52" last year. Up from. 48" lawn tractor. My time on the lawn is down by 2/3. I have some tighter spots so I figured the 52" would be a better option. Once you get used to it, the speed at which you can run the zt is going to be more of a factor than a few more inches of deck.
 
   / Would you buy a 54" or 60" deck? #44  
I have 5 acres to cut with my 54'' Husqvarna with the Kawasaki engine. It does the job well. I can do it in one afternoon and often do but I'm retired so I'm not in a hurry.

A 60'' deck is faster but with 2 acres or less..... Gimme a break. Plus, the 60'' doesn't get as close to things and in between things as well. They're good to have, any ZT is better than ANY mid-mount mower.

I'm just saying I have the 54'' and I'm not looking for bigger any time soon. If I do, it will be a pull-type finish mower.
 
   / Would you buy a 54" or 60" deck? #45  
A 60'' deck is faster but with 2 acres or less..... Gimme a break. Plus, the 60'' doesn't get as close to things and in between things as well. They're good to have, any ZT is better than ANY mid-mount mower.

I guess that depends on the equipment a person has. But on a garden tractor, a 60" deck will get you closer to things during a turn/circle/radius because it stick out further from the tractor. So, the inner radius of a 60" deck is closer to the center of a turn than a 54" deck is.

Definitely the width can be a problem if you have things close together to get between.
 
   / Would you buy a 54" or 60" deck? #46  
I guess that depends on the equipment a person has. But on a garden tractor, a 60" deck will get you closer to things during a turn/circle/radius because it stick out further from the tractor. So, the inner radius of a 60" deck is closer to the center of a turn than a 54" deck is.

Definitely the width can be a problem if you have things close together to get between.

I don't think there's enough difference to get excited about on 2 acres. I'd pay more attention to which engine is on the unit.

Kawasaki is the engine I'd recommend. The others are okay but Kawasaki kinda rules.
 
   / Would you buy a 54" or 60" deck? #47  
I don't think there's enough difference to get excited about on 2 acres. I'd pay more attention to which engine is on the unit.

Kawasaki is the engine I'd recommend. The others are okay but Kawasaki kinda rules.
My reply earlier in the thread addresses what I think the benefits and issues are. Not advocating it or opposing it. I'm just pointing out that a 60" deck does NOT make it hard to get close to things.
 
   / Would you buy a 54" or 60" deck? #48  
Hi Folks-I do not post much due to my schedule, but saw this thread and do have personal experience with this issue. I mow 2 acres + of lawn with several tight landscaped areas, trees, walls, a split rail fence, etc. I used to mow with my JD 2520 and a 62" heavy duty belly deck. The cut was good, but I needed to collect clippings with a tracvac system because so much grass wood form in rows. I also had a lot of trim work. Total cut/trim time was about 4 hours or so.

About a year or so ago, I picked up a Ferris zero turn with a 52" deck. I actually lost sleep thinking I made a mistake going with the 52"--I had always used 62" but it would not fit on my trailer. Well the 52" fits my trailer; it cut the mowing time down to about 1 and 1/2 hours; it maneuvers where my 62" could not and thereby reduced trimming time; and it is a heck of a lot of fun to cut grass now. The JD takes care of everything else on the property.

Now I know that "bigger is better" for many things in life, but a 52" will get the job done and if you have features to your property that require some tight maneuvering, you will be happy in the end. Note, I am not knocking 60" or 62" decks for those who have the property and want to cut mowing time. I cut with them for close to 20 years. As others have posted, you can trim as close as any deck as long as you have the ability to turn around the object without the chute side of the deck hitting obstructions. In fact, for my split rail fence, the longer extension of the 62" deck from the wheel base did allow the deck to get further beneath the bottom rail. So the 62" does have its advantages. My land is rolling in character and I kept the 62" pretty much fully raised to avoid scalping.

I think each property has its unique characteristics, so either way you go you will make it work. Have fun with whichever you decide on.
 
   / Would you buy a 54" or 60" deck? #49  
Plus, the 60'' doesn't get as close to things and in between things as well.
???
A wider deck may not fit between things as well, but not sure where the "can't get as close" comes from.
I've owned a Z turn with 54" deck and currently have a 72" deck.
The 72" with get every bit as close as I could with the 54", and do it just as easily .
 
   / Would you buy a 54" or 60" deck? #50  
???
A wider deck may not fit between things as well, but not sure where the "can't get as close" comes from.
I've owned a Z turn with 54" deck and currently have a 72" deck.
The 72" with get every bit as close as I could with the 54", and do it just as easily .

I'm talking about getting down into things like a swale while trying to get around a culvert, doing S turns between trees, figure 8's. Not talking two-dimensional thinking here. Of course you can get just as close to a building with a 30 foot mower as you can with a 4 foot mower. In a straight line.

And if that's all you're gonna be doing, go for it. But for those of us that have a lot of obstacles......

The 54'' works well for me. Tried my buddy's 60'' Ariens, didn't care for it. Not the make, but the way it handled. The piece of equipment itself was sweet. I just spent too much time trying to get around everything. I hate catalpa trees.

And the discharge chute? That thing would be gone about 5 minutes after I get it home. Put a 'mulching kit' on it. Not looking to bale hay here, guys. Seen enough windrows in my life, thank you.

Everybody has different needs and different likes. I'm okay with mine. Like I said, if I move up (possibility in a year or two) it will be to a 72'' pull behind finish mower. I want one that doesn't make my beer foam up.....
 
 
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