Zero Turn for 4 acres?

[dalola]

As others have said, is this something you WANT to do? Financially, it makes way more sense to buy the equipment & do it yourself. However, if you don't like to/want to, do this kind of work, and you have the financial means to hire it out, then you should keep doing that. Pretty simple, really.

If you do decide to get your own equipment, get quality commercial grade stuff. Will cost more upfront, but pay off in the end. Many good brands already mentioned here, go out and sample each, and buy what you like best. But beware, you will not get any decent 60"+ commercial ZTR for under $5K (new). I'm approaching 700 hrs on my commercial ZTR, haven't even replaced a belt yet. In the ZTR world, you truly get what you pay for.

 

[aczlan]

You might also get a couple of other quotes, see if anyone else will have a better price for comparable quality...

Aaron Z

 

[Creamer]

I would get a front deck Zero Turn (Grasshopper, Woods, Deines) that is very robust and get as big a deck as you can imagine using. I have a 60" but I wouldn't mind having a 72". Front decks are easier to service and easier to maneuver around trees for less trimming without you getting brushed during the mowing. 72" decks reach further than 60" to keep you further out of the trees and bushes. If you have 4 acres nothing smaller than 60".

As somebody said scalping isn't a problem if you just let it scalp a few times and then you won't. A few extra rollers on the deck help as well. Handles not steering wheel - my wife is about as much a city girl as you can possibly imagine and she took to the handles within five minutes and loves them.

The big thing as been said a few times is it what you want to do? Most of us find it enjoyable but if you don't then hire it done.

 

[lexluther]

61" mower deck is about right for 4 acres.

Use mulch and/or roundup around your trees, fences, etc and never worry about running a string trimmer again. I havent ran one in probably 8 years. If my 61" mower cant mow it....I spray it

This! ^^^
I used the trimmer once, and since every thing that needed trimmed is sprayed by valentine's day. You could also try a sheep or goats, they are actually kind of fun.

 

[bdog]

If it truly takes you 8 hours a week and you mow weekly $600 a month is a bargain. That is $18.75 an hour. I am sure your time is worth more than that not to mention the equipment cost. That being said I think it could be done much faster with the right equipment. I mowed about 3 acres today in a couple hours with a 60" zero turn.

 

[Tomtint]

I mow about 4 acres a week with my Walker GHS 48" deck. Takes me about 2.5 / 3 hrs total. As someone said a quality 60" ZTM will run quite a bit more than 5k but a nice used one may be found for just a bit more than that.

 

[Turbys_1700]

61" mower deck is about right for 4 acres.

Use mulch and/or roundup around your trees, fences, etc and never worry about running a string trimmer again. I havent ran one in probably 8 years. If my 61" mower cant mow it....I spray it

This...
400 times over...

 

[DennisX495]

This would be a no brainer for me, I would head down to the local John Deere store and buy a X750 mower or a Z997R zero turn, I would have them throw in a Stihl Sg20 Backpack Sprayer.

Roundup is your friend.

 

[Lockport]

This would be a no brainer for me, I would head down to the local John Deere store and buy a X750 mower or a Z997R zero turn, I would have them throw in a Stihl Sg20 Backpack Sprayer.

Roundup is your friend.

A backpack sprayer for 4 acres? I've a 25gal with 10' of fold down beams with two jets on each. That's for an acre of manicured. The other 4 are really only cut for weed control as per the municipality regs. I've a 48" Bush hog but all the rocks are gone and I've used the 72" FM with the only risk being ant hills. Still, seems to me that a gang mower would be most efficient if one was maintaining that amount of manicured acreage with any regulatory.

Sent from my LON-L29 using TractorByNet mobile app

 

[DennisX495]

A backpack sprayer for 4 acres? I've a 25gal with 10' of fold down beams with two jets on each. That's for an acre of manicured. The other 4 are really only cut for weed control as per the municipality regs. I've a 48" Bush hog but all the rocks are gone and I've used the 72" FM with the only risk being ant hills. Still, seems to me that a gang mower would be most efficient if one was maintaining that amount of manicured acreage with any regulatory.

Sent from my LON-L29 using TractorByNet mobile app

I didn't want to get carried away, I too have a 40 Gal 3-PT sprayer w/ wand and booms I use to put down Amine 2-4-D and liquid fertilizer. I use my backpack sprayer around the house, carport and shed. I'm cutting 5 AC total, 2.5 weekly with a X495 w/ 54" deck (2hr), 2.5 bi-monthly with Frontier 72" finish mower (1.5hr).

Between mowing, edging and weed eating I spend about 3-4 hrs during the week on the 2.5 and about 6 hrs every other week. I try to do this after work on Wed and Thur so I'm not a slave to the yard on the weekends.

No way I could justify paying someone to do this.

 

[Lockport]

I used to have a Kubota BX with a 60" deck but I'm away most of the time nowadays. I've a 35HP Bobcat (Kioti) with R4 tires and the 72 FM. It's taken its toll on my lawn. Sometimes I'm home but it rains and I can't cut. 5 years like that. Last fall I made an 80" 3PH lawn dethatcher from an Agrifab 40" tow behind I used to use religiously behind the BX each spring by adding another 40" panel with tines from the manufacturer and done angle iron for the frame. The FM which was Bobcat branded turned backwards and as I've always used Gatorblades for mulching (shaft reducers on the BX deck at the time) I finally got around to reversing the gearbox on the 72FM and am able to mulch again. I'm hoping over time theses are the causes of the diminished health of my lawn and therefore the solution to a healthy rejuvenating.

Sent from my LON-L29 using TractorByNet mobile app

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Unfortunately, $4,000 - $5,000 won't buy much of a zero turn mower these days. I believe in the "Buy Once, Cry Once" theory. Spend the money on a commercial grade zero turn mower and you'll never be sorry. Buy some cheapo mower and you'll remember the money you saved every time you use it.

 

[rbtjr]

+ 1 for the ZTM. We mow about 2 acres. For several years we used a commercial eXmark 66" with a conventional seat-front deck arrangement. We mow some steep areas including a pond dam with a 5-1 slope. Last year we sold the eXmark and bought a 61" commercial Wright Sport X mower, which you can operate by either standing up on a platform in the rear of the mower or by riding on a seat that folds up when not used but when used extends to the rear of the mower. We like this mower for all of our applications, especially mowing on slopes because we have the option of standing up on the platform on the rear of the mower and just stepping off if something bad is about to happen. The Wright was expensive but it is a great mower, is extremely maneuverable, and has cut our mowing and trimming time.

 

[KBP]

I mow with a Ferris 3200Z mower with a 61" deck. My lawn is about 2 acres My lawn is rough and the suspension saves my back. It takes me 1 hour and 10 minutes to mow it all. After that I trim for about 15 or 20 minutes. I have a bad back and have tried other zero turn mowers and they punish you much more. The shocks and springs on the Ferris are amazing. The 37 HP engine breezes thru the lawn like a ATV. Its so good, I actually look forward to mowing the lawn. Its way better than blowing snow in the winter! Four acres on the 3200 would maybe take 2-3 hours depending on how smooth your lawn is , what you have to mow around and how high you let your grass get. I never cut more than 1/3 the height of the grass so I don't have to bag or rake up anything.

 

[Automobilist]

Thanks for all the advice & opinions...

After looking at all the locally available choices, we chose a Gravely ZT 60HD.

It was a clear and easy choice, as the Gravely is very well built, has a Kawasaki 24hp motor, and seems much more solid than the competition.

It's cut our mowing time by more than half, and handles our property's hills, etc, with ease.

I vastly prefer to be out on our boat fishing & relaxing, so this mower is a huge plus.