Zero turn, small compact or an economy rider?

[Soundguy]

That's funny.. I've never 'NOT' seen one on a lawn tractor...

We're talking huskie, sears, muray, cub cadet..snapper.. etc right?

Soundguy

 

[Moon]

Like others here I just went through a similar decision process. Our old Simplicity wore out and I considered all the same options your looking at.
I went with the ZTR. I got one of the commercial units, a Scag Wildcat with a 61" deck. I can mow our 4 acres in a little over 2 hours. The best time I did with our Kubota L3010 with a 72" RFM was 2 1/2 hours. I only have a couple of patches where I can go full speed. Most of the time I'm at 1/2 to 3/4 speed. Our yard used to be a tomato field, and looks level, but looks can be deceiving.
I like the way the ZTR makes it so easy to trim around trees and flower beds. I've turned all the mowing duties over to the ZTR and keep the rotary cutter or box blade on the L3010. It's great having the Kubota dedicated to the heavier work.
I found the price of the Commercial gas ZTR (27hp gas Kohler engine) to be around 7500. While something like a Bx2200 was a couple thousand more (a used one that was for sale in my area). I was hoping to get by spending 6k, but ended up in the mid 7's. We've had the ZTR about 45 days now. It's still fun to mow. My wife uses it and enjoys mowing with it. We've named the ZTR Matilda, because mowing is like dancing and the song 'Waltzing Matilda' came to mind. It's worth the extra bucks for a bigger ZTR. They ride better and mow better. Stripe-ing is easy, gives the lawn a professional look, and it does it so much quicker than anything else could.
I'll attach a pic.
Enjoy the Hunt.
Moon of Ohio

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( That's funny.. I've never 'NOT' seen one on a lawn tractor... )</font>
I have to agree, Soundguy. I have NEVER seen a riding mower, or for that matter a push/self propelled mower that did not have the notch for operating speed. They are designed to work at optimum at that speed. Just as an aside, it's best to idle the mower down from that notch a few moments before shutting down as well. John

 

[Zoomie]

My 4 year old Craftsman has no notch on the throttle... my 10 year old Murray does, but above the notch on that one is the choke position, while Big Green has a separate pull out choke.

None of my push mowers, tiller or trimmer has any such notch.

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( My 4 year old Craftsman has no notch on the throttle... my 10 year old Murray does, but above the notch on that one is the choke position, while Big Green has a separate pull out choke.)</font>
Is there no type of indicator as to where you should run the Craftsman? I have a 4 yo Pulan made by the same people, and it has a notch. Strange. John

 

[Zoomie]

John,

Nope... but the book says run it at full throttle, so I do... lever all the way up... engine is a Kohler V-twin.

 

[cedarman]

I have a JD 620ztrak with collection/dumping system that I bought 5 yrs ago to mow with and love it. Much faster than my old 316. Gives a great mow job and as I have many obsticles in the yard (trees etc) I wouldn't be without a ztr. That being said, they are rough riding if the ground isn't smooth as you sit right over the steering wheels. Would not consider it for rough type mowing. Also, you need to approach hill mowing straight up and down as side hill mowing on steep angles WILL NOT work. Also, stopping while going up a steep hill can be hard to get going again without spinning tires and pivoting and going back down. If hills are involved consider something else-look into Bob's recommendation of ventrac-he seems to be particular and does great research without bias.

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Nope... but the book says run it at full throttle, so I do... lever all the way up... engine is a Kohler V-twin.)</font>
If that Kohler is as good as the one on my late grandmother's old Snapper, you'll still be using it in 30 years! Interesting about the no notch. Everything I've owned for years has had one. Thanks, John

 

[Bob_Skurka]

My Cub Cadet 1862 (now about 12 years old?) has a Kohler twin opposing cylinder engine, I run it at full throttle for mowing, and always have. The spark plug get changed about every other year, ditto with the oil. Needed a new battery once. Other than that, the engine has never been serviced. And there is NO "notch" to indicate where to run the throttle when mowing, but as I have a couple steep hills, the tractor needs full throttle to make it up the slopes.

I have been told years ago, that running at full throttle is better than running it lower because it reduces the chances of the engine bogging down when the grass gets heavy, etc. Again, don't know if its true or not, but was told that the engine will sustaing more potential damage when it bogs down than by running at full throttle. Can't say if there is any truth to any of that, but I know that my engine never has needed to be repaired. I do the same with my JD push mower and its Kawasaki motor, run it at full and that thing is 15+ years old, it gets a new spark plug about every 5 or 6 years??? Starts up and runs perfectly, and always at full throttle.

 

[fishman]

I also run my mower at max rpm because that's what I was told to do, no other reason. Makes sense because higher blade tip speed results in a cleaner cut and higher vacuum.

My Kubota t1670 doesn't have a throttle notch and neither did my second-hand Husky from TSC. All of the Lawn Boys I've used had a setting for about 3/4 throttle or full throttle and I always ran them at max. Still didn't have enough power in many instances.