X500?

[rekees4300]

I am considering the X530 over the X500 because my wife and I are over 70 and I think the hydraulics and power steering of the X530 would be a plus for us....especially my wife.

That's a valid reason to upgrade, I have X500 with 54" deck. It does take moderate effort to manually raise it.

How maneuverable is the X500 series with a 54 inch deck? I will regularly be mowing about an acre but it is cluttered with lots of plantings...trees, shrubs and flower beds. How difficult is it to clean and maintain that huge deck? Does rinsing it off after every mowing work? What about blade removal for sharpening? The dealers that I have talked to want a bunch to service these machines.

My X500 is very maneuverable (turn radius is 22") but you will still need that push mower to do the close trimming around your plants, etc.

I clean the top of the deck with an air compressor. Underneath I first clean a couple build up spots with a paint scrapper then clean the rest with the hose hookup while running the mower for 1 minute. If you want to DIY blade sharping I'd recommend buying one of these --> Pro-Lift Heavy Duty Lawn Mower Lift - Tractor Supply Co.

By the way for the past twenty years, I have used a 21 inch walk behind mower and the 1070 and shredder to maintain my yard. It's time to spoil myself with a riding mower.

EXACTLY ... couldn't agree more. You and wifey will love your X530.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

We all have different abilities @ 70 years and variable resources ($$$) for lawn care. I'm sure you would like the power steering / hydraulic lift feature. In my opinion the 54" deck might have a slightly higher tendency to scalp, but will give a smaller uncut circle and help reduce backing up. My previous Craftsman rider was 54" and I would say reasonably maneuverable, but had an uncut circle around 24" if I recall.

If you have a FEL on the 1070 or even a chain hoist you could raise the front of the X534 enough to reach under with a ratchet or air gun to remove the blades for sharpening - probably easier than taking off the deck. Could also power wash while lifted.

At age 70, if cash $$$ or monthly payments of maybe $200 allow, take a look at the X739. Power steering etc, drive over deck, AWS / AWD, 6" uncut circle with 60" deck. The 6" is great for "outside" circles, but even with that some "inside" circles will still require hand trimming or modification of the landscaping. No diesel in that configuration, but again @ 70 you will never wear out the gas engine.
Lots of accessories to allow for spending even more $$$$.

 

[tguil]

Thanks much for all of the suggestions. The X700 series is a bit more than I'm ready to pay for a a mower. However, I did look at one. Before I buy anything, I need to check on the slope of one major areas of the yard that I need to mow....the largest area. I think the slope might be mostly about 15 -20 degrees The way it's laid out I would have to mow across the slope. If I can't use the 530 on this large part of the yard, I might as well stick with my walk behind. Sure wish the dealers around here would let me try one at my place. Don't think that's going to happen.

 

[RKJeepXJ]

Congrats and enjoy! I just rolled 400h on my X500 and it's still mows like new. Worth every penny IMO.

 

[rekees4300]

I need to check on the slope of one major areas of the yard that I need to mow....the largest area. I think the slope might be mostly about 15 -20 degrees The way it's laid out I would have to mow across the slope. If I can't use the 530 on this large part of the yard, I might as well stick with my walk behind.

My X500 owners manual says not to mow on slopes more than 11 degrees. I think some JD lawyer wrote than because I mow across part of my yard which is 18 degrees without any problem. I do, however, recommend not exceeding 20 degrees. Always go slooow on all slopes regardless of degrees.