Zero turn or tractor, 2.5 acre property

[EddieWalker]

Congratulations!!!! You are going to love how comfortable that seat is, and when it's time, how easy it is to change the blades. The trick is getting the front of the deck up high enough for the bolts to come all the way out. I bent a piece of round rod into an S shape and put it on my floor jack. It hooks under the front of the deck and I can jack it up just high enough to get the bolts out.

Right now I'm using Fusion blades on mine. I was told they hold an edge a lot longer then the other types of blades and I've found that to be true. Gator blades, and Bahia blades work fine, but they do dull pretty quick.

Have fun,
Eddie

 

[lostcreekranch]

Congratulations!!!! You are going to love how comfortable that seat is, and when it's time, how easy it is to change the blades. The trick is getting the front of the deck up high enough for the bolts to come all the way out. I bent a piece of round rod into an S shape and put it on my floor jack. It hooks under the front of the deck and I can jack it up just high enough to get the bolts out. Right now I'm using Fusion blades on mine. I was told they hold an edge a lot longer then the other types of blades and I've found that to be true. Gator blades, and Bahia blades work fine, but they do dull pretty quick. Have fun, Eddie

Eddie;

We use a lifting sling and raise the front end of our JD Z820-A with the FEL on the Kubota. Fast, simple and no crawling under it.

Rick

 

[Guesseral]

Eddie;

We use a lifting sling and raise the front end of our JD Z820-A with the FEL on the Kubota. Fast, simple and no crawling under it.

Rick

I don't have a zero turn but I got one of those electric welches from HF and mounted it on a steel rod in the garage it does like 1700 lbs and is great for lifting up the mower to get to the blades.

 

[rbtjr]

Guesseral, you will love the ztr mower. We have a 48" at our home and a 66" at a place in the country. They make mowing soooooo much easier and faster than any alternative I am familiar with. I used to mow an open flat yard of about 2 acres with a tractor and a 7 1/2" finish mower. I now mow the equivalent area with many more obstacles, turns, etc. in about half the time and much easier with the 66" ztr. And it sounds to me like you got a very good price. Get the tractor also, when you can, and you will really have some fun.

 

[iptman]

Thought a "where are they now" update might be interesting so here it goes. I've had to mow 5 times this season and it is amazing how easy and quick this thing is. What use to take 3 1/2 to 4 hours now takes only 1 hour. The quality of cut is infinitely better and there's no more visible clippings. My wife even got in to the action and has mowed the lawn the last 2 times (even though the last time she initially forgot to lower the deck to cutting height :duh. All in all I'm very happy with the decision to go with a zero turn rather than a tractor with MMM. Plus, as some one stated earlier, now I can start angling for a tractor without a MMM! Anyway, thanks for all the comments and opinions.

 

[roadhunter]

Sounds like you made the right decision. I learned the same lesson a few years ago. Now I would never buy another one of those little lawn tractors that I used to like. For mowing a few acres it's hard to beat a zero turn.

 

[Green Power]

I agree Zero Turns are hard to beat.

 

[Gary Fowler]

You made a great decision and opted for a good commercial grade mower. Anyone trying to save money and buying a cheap ($3000 or less) box store mower will regret it in a few seasons. The decks are not that great and will rust out quickly, the transmissions are cheap and if malfunctions happen which is very likely, they are throw away but will cost about $1000 per wheel to replace which basically makes the mower a use and trash mower as not much can be repaired. I bet you like that suspension seat on the Scag. I like the suspension on the Ferris and it is pretty smooth but I have been thinking of putting a suspension seat on it especially since I have one setting on the shelf in my shop. I would then have the best of both worlds in mowing.

NOW, start looking for that tractor that you wanted.

 

[iptman]

NOW, start looking for that tractor that you wanted.

Definitely!

Question for everyone... do you hose off the grass clippings after every mow or is that not necessary in a residential application of these machines?

 

[IXLR8]

I usually blow the clippings off with my leaf blower or air hose after every mowing. Once a month I will use the air line to blow out clippings from around the spindles.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I blow off the grass from top of the deck after each mowing. If I get into mud and it gets on and under the deck, I hose that off. My deck if flat on top so no danger of getting water into the spindles like on some of the pressed steel decks. I also hose out the mud from the crawfish mounds about every other mowing. I have literally hundreds of crawfish mounds that keep coming back after every mowing. I sure wish someone would tell me how to kill those suckers. Not only do they look unsightly, but they dull the blades and throw mud up under the deck.

 

[lostcreekranch]

I blow off the grass from top of the deck after each mowing. If I get into mud and it gets on and under the deck, I hose that off. My deck if flat on top so no danger of getting water into the spindles like on some of the pressed steel decks. I also hose out the mud from the crawfish mounds about every other mowing. I have literally hundreds of crawfish mounds that keep coming back after every mowing. I sure wish someone would tell me how to kill those suckers. Not only do they look unsightly, but they dull the blades and throw mud up under the deck.

Gary;

Trade you for gopher mounds? At least you can eat crawfish.

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[Deerherd]

You made a great decision and opted for a good commercial grade mower. Anyone trying to save money and buying a cheap ($3000 or less) box store mower will regret it in a few seasons. The decks are not that great and will rust out quickly, the transmissions are cheap and if malfunctions happen which is very likely, they are throw away but will cost about $1000 per wheel to replace which basically makes the mower a use and trash mower as not much can be repaired. I bet you like that suspension seat on the Scag. I like the suspension on the Ferris and it is pretty smooth but I have been thinking of putting a suspension seat on it especially since I have one setting on the shelf in my shop. I would then have the best of both worlds in mowing.

NOW, start looking for that tractor that you wanted.

I just bought a used Ferris IS3100z with 102 hrs on the clock and upgraded the seat to their suspension version and this thing rocks! The seat has adjustable tilt, lumbar and for and aft plus the suspension of course.

I have a fairly new Cub Cadet tractor that works pretty well but it's a night and day difference between the two. Talk about a time saver! Anybody need a great condition Cub Cadet?

Geez, I almost forgot it didn't really happen without pictures!!

 

[GManBart]

I just bought a used Ferris IS3100z with 102 hrs on the clock and upgraded the seat to their suspension version and this thing rocks! The seat has adjustable tilt, lumbar and for and aft plus the suspension of course.

I have a fairly new Cub Cadet tractor that works pretty well but it's a night and day difference between the two. Talk about a time saver! Anybody need a great condition Cub Cadet?

Geez, I almost forgot it didn't really happen without pictures!!

Very nice!

 

[iptman]

Anybody need a great condition Cub Cadet?

I'm keeping my Craftsman for leaf season to pull my cyclone rake and for tractor rides for the kids in the little yard trailer. But I grantee you it doesn't cut a blade of grass ever again.

 

[Deerherd]

I'm keeping my Craftsman for leaf season to pull my cyclone rake and for tractor rides for the kids in the little yard trailer. But I grantee you it doesn't cut a blade of grass ever again.

My Ferris has a hitch so the grand kids won't be missing any seat time.

Unfortunately I fear Gary Fowler has hit on the right combination. What a guy REALLY needs are a big and small tractor, one with a backhoe of course. A zero turn mower and a side by side UTV. Plus a bunch of attachments for all of course.

Man this site is expensive!!!