Zero turn vs. 4X4 tractor for mowing

[dodge man]

Are you going to wish you had a tractor with a FEL long term. Your Ford is probably 30 years old and mid mount mowers have improved. You probably don’t have a lot of money to burn either since your building a house.

I also get why you’re not getting a farmer to hay any of it, to many odd shaped areas. People post answers though and haven’t seen that shaded area you posted.

 

[ETD66SS]

Are you going to wish you had a tractor with a FEL long term. Your Ford is probably 30 years old and mid mount mowers have improved. You probably don’t have a lot of money to burn either since your building a house.

I also get why you’re not getting a farmer to hay any of it, to many odd shaped areas. People post answers though and haven’t seen that shaded area you posted.

I do want to add a New Holland 2120 4X4 with FEL to my collection someday. But that would not be for mowing. I like to buy older tractors pre-computer & pre-DEF.

I agree that likley two machines for mowing might be the long term soultion.

Also, I do like that my 1620 is likely a lot less $ in diesel fuel vs. a ZTR with gas engine.

 

[ETD66SS]

I have a Scag 60 inch zero turn. When it starts, it's a beast at mowing and the results are impressive. I bought it new in 2010 and for the first 4 years, it was flawless. Then I started having electrical issues with the saftey switches. Then other electrical issues that resulted in everything being replaced over time to get it to start. Finally it started blowing 20 amp fuses after running it for awhile and I just pulled every wire on it and rewired it for just the basics. Now I'm having fuel issues with it and on my third fuel pump. Hopefully that will get it going this weekend.

I'm all for having a zero turn, or a riding mower to do the areas around the house. 7 acres is too much to mow with either one. I do my dog runs, around the house, and along my driveway. The rest is done with my batwing. I also have a 7-foot finish mower that gives a better cut then the batwing, but when I keep everything mowed, the batwing gives me a nice-looking mowed area that's a few inches taller than the zero turn areas.

I think you need two mowers. If you try to mow 7 acres with a zero turn, you will be in pain before you are done and it will be a torture session. Scag had one of the very nicest seats that I saw on any zero turn at the time I bought mine. Now they have cheapened the seat and I'm not sure if it's any good. A suspension zero turn might help, but I doubt it for 7 acres.

Figure out were you can change your mowing to have taller areas like a golf course. Putting green around the house and not everywhere.

I was hoping a ZTR with suspension would be more comfortable. The HST pedal on my 1620 really beats up on my right knee after ~5 hrs of mowing. And the seat cushion is so compressed now that my backside is in pain when done as well. Probably retofitting my current seat with a new one with some kind of suspension would help a lot...

 

[Deanes]

After more than one "incident" I changed the turf tires to deep rib mud tires on my Bad Boy zero turn. No more slipping where I don't want to go. I highly recommend them.
I had a Ford 4 whd diesel mower with 72" front deck. The Bad Boy with 61" deck does any job faster and much safer. But for 7 acres, - I would use a tractor and rear mower.

 

[WinterDeere]

Yes, ZTR's are thirsty. Figure a gallon per acre if running a gasser, but still usually cheaper lifetime cost of ownership over diesel, for anyone not mowing everyday. We already had the "diesel vs. gasoline ZTR" argument once this week, so you can see perspectives on that.

And although hodge has good experience with his equipment, his zero turn is too tiny to really make his experience on a 48" unit relevant for your situation. Those 48" zero turns are usually only 19 hp, and maybe 8 mph, versus the 30+ hp 72" units you'd be shopping, which mostly do 11+ mph.

I've mowed with both 72" MMM on a CUT and a 60" on an 11mph commercial ZTR, and the 60" ZTR is way faster (and also less frustrating) than the 72" MMM. Of course big batwings are even faster in wide open spaces, and we can only guess at your trail widths and accessibility, but it doesn't look like you have the big open spaces that would yield a big advantage with a huge batwing deck.

 

[ning]

Yes, ZTR's are thirsty. Figure a gallon per acre if running a gasser, but still usually cheaper lifetime cost of ownership over diesel, for anyone not mowing everyday. We already had the "diesel vs. gasoline ZTR" argument once this week, so you can see perspectives on that.

And although hodge has good experience with his equipment, his zero turn is too tiny to really make his experience on a 48" unit relevant for your situation. Those 48" zero turns are usually only 19 hp, and maybe 8 mph, versus the 30+ hp 72" units you'd be shopping, which mostly do 11+ mph.

I've mowed with both 72" MMM on a CUT and a 60" on an 11mph commercial ZTR, and the 60" ZTR is way faster (and also less frustrating) than the 72" MMM. Of course big batwings are even faster in wide open spaces, and we can only guess at your trail widths and accessibility, but it doesn't look like you have the big open spaces that would yield a big advantage with a huge batwing deck.

His 7 acres hardly sound like manicured lawn; would you be doing 11mph - or even half that - on a ZTR in a reclaimed-forest-that-got-bush-hogged? Doesn't sound particularly smooth.

The HST pedal on my 1620 really beats up on my right knee

You need "cruise control" with that HST. It's basically a big electromagnet that temporarily locks the HST pedal in one position.

 

[ETD66SS]

His 7 acres hardly sound like manicured lawn; would you be doing 11mph - or even half that - on a ZTR in a reclaimed-forest-that-got-bush-hogged? Doesn't sound particularly smooth.


You need "cruise control" with that HST. It's basically a big electromagnet that temporarily locks the HST pedal in one position.

The vast majority of the lawn I landscaped with a land plane, so most of it is pretty flat, but not flat enough that I don't bounce around on my 1620, suspension would be nice.

I do have cruise control on my HST but do not use it, as I am not mowing a huge rectange where I can make efficient use of it.

 

[2manyrocks]

The nearest machine to a tractor with both the power to mow a large width on hillsides while having good turning ability might just be a front mount kubota or john deere 4x4. Not cheap, but what is your time worth?

 

[raftgyde]

For the past ~10 years I have been using my Ford 1620 HST 4x4 with 60" 914 deck to mow about 7 acres. I'm at the point now where I don't look forward to mowing due to many mower deck breakdowns (tractor is great) along with the the time required to mow all 7 acres. It basically kills one whole day of my weekend. I think the top speed of the 1620 in MED gear (fastest I can go due to blade speed and cutting) is something like 1.5 mph.

I have been hesitant to get a zero turn due to the fact I have a decent strech of mowing along ditches & pond banks (~1200ft of pond banks, ~ 1000ft of ditches), where sometimes it can be a bit wet. I have never gotten my 1620 stuck to the point I needed another piece of equipment to pull it out. The rest of the mowing is very flat.

I have been looking at thie Ferris mower: Ferris 5902073

I assume my cutting time will decrease, but it also seems like I am going to not be able to cut some areas, especially on the steep ditches?

I have the same model Ferris as the one you're looking at except mine is fuel injected instead of carbaurated and a year and a half old.. I like the fuel injection a lot. Really easy starting. I told my dealer I wanted an 800. He asked if I wanted a Briggs or Kawasaki. I said Kawaski. He called when they came in, gave me a price, I liked it and it showed up with the fuel-injected model.

As far as mowing, I don't think you'll find a more comfortable mower. I went with Ferris specifically because of the suspension. My back is in terrible shape and the surgeons say they can't do anything to help me. I mow 5 acres less the house, driveway and pool. It was a horse pasture, still not real smooth, and I used to mow about 4 1/2 acres with a CUT and 6' finish mower then trimmed the other 1/2 acre with a 48" JD lawn tractor. Took 5 to 6 hours depending on how tall the grass was. Checked the time last weekend after doing the whole yard without taking a break. Under 3 hours... and I fly on some parts, slowing down where I know there are ruts or holes.

The best part is when I get off the mower, I can walk and stand up straight pretty easily.

Let us know what you end up doing and if you have any questions about Ferris, just yell.

 

[ETD66SS]

The best part is when I get off the mower, I can walk and stand up straight pretty easily.

That's good information to have!