Recommendations please!

I’m looking at smaller mowers with a 42” deck, since our yard is under an acre. We have a bit of a slope on the side and back yards, so a conventional riding mower is out.

I’ve researched John Deere, Husqvarna, Ariens, Hustler, Bad Boy and Cub Cadet. I’m leaning towards a Kohler or Kawasaki engine and have almost ruled out Husqvarna mowers. Husky’s seem well made, but I’ve read a number of reports of oil leaks and wiring problems.

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"I also cook."

My neighbor with a Hustler says the only thing he does not like about it is mowing slopes and hills. Says even the slightest bit of dew or other moisture and gravity takes over.

No personal experience here, just what the neighbor says. His side hustle is mowing about a dozen yards.

How much of a slope? IMO, a ZTR is no better on a hill than a "conventional" riding mower. If the hill is too steep for a conventional, it'll be the same for a ZTR. The track width may be a bit wider, offering less rollover danger, but mowing crossways on the hill, it's more difficult to keep from "wandering", unless it's a bigger model, and up and down a steep hill you can have issues with a light front end going up, and tendency to slide going down, if you try to stop suddenly, same as with a conventional unless it is 4WD. And like conventionals, maybe even more, smaller ones have a harder ride.

Also, do you ever have a need for doing other than mowing with a lawn machine? A medium size lawn tractor can tow better. I may be a bit biased towards tractor-style mowers, they are what I use and prefer, and I do have a couple of hills steep enough that I get slightly uncomfortable on if the ground is wet, but a ZT would be no advantage. FWIW, I have used a ZTR a few times, but never could warm up to it. They are best for large, open ground where speed (time consumption) is an advantage.

Whichever one you go with, you should investigate what transmission is used on it. Many of the lower end LT and ZT mowers have transmissions not well suited to heavy use on hills.

Overall, I'm a Deere fan and would look first at them, but some of the "specialty" makers (Like Hustler and Bad Boy) that only do zero-turn mowers are worth looking at, too. Toro's commercial line is also a good one, they seem pretty popular around my area. Ferris seems to be top of the heap for ZTR's, coil spring and shocks suspensions, but I don't think you're looking for something at that level.

I mow about 5.5 acres at my home and next-door rental property, and a bit over a half acre at my Mother's house. My three mowers:

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I had a cub cadet tractor for 10 yrs w kohler engine and got great service but have had recommendations from friends that prefer kawasaki. I currently have a Ferris sero turn. I cut 3+ ac of lot that is more field grade than yard and got it due to ability to handle rougher terrain. A few pointers on zero turns. They are not great on slopes and I agree w previous post. Can be very difficult to stay on slope and you cannot shift your own weight like you can on tractor mower. Also zero turns can easily spin tires and chew up grass if you turn too fast or its damp. I’d recommend you look for a fabricated deck over pressed steel deck for durability. If you have low hanging trees be cognizant of the ROPS as they can hang on branches. Get one w folding ROPS. I speak from experience here. Zero turns will not tow so pulling aerator or trailer won’t likely work. Have a Friend who just bought a JD 370 w very similar yard as you described. He tried both types. Settled on the JD tractor over zero turn. I’d say you’d likely do better w tractor type. They aren’t as fast but for your size yard it won’t make much time difference. Hope this helps.

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Keith Davis
SWCA 3049

You might want to look at TORO. They may be a little more expensive but worth the money. I have 2 of their zero turns and have never had any problems. One is a 54" that I use around trees and such. The other is a 72" commercial as I have a lot to mow.

The 54" is 6 years old and the 72 is 5.

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US Veteran 1970-1974

Dave—I have learned three immutable rules that apply to equipment purchases from buying heavy equipment to work a pipeline project to a push mower for postage stamp yard. These are in order of importance.

1. Buy the DEALER. The brand logo and colors will fade. Anything made by the hands of man will break. The dealer and his proximity to you is the single most important factor in a purchase.

2. Buy his service department. Proximity to you, friendliness, availability by email/text. (I can’t count the number of times it has been critical to text a picture with “this hose is leaking.” “This seal is blown,” “The engine has a hitch in it’s get-a-long, watch this video we took of how it’s acting.”).

3. Take the biggest machine you EVER think in your wildest plans you will use, then DOUBLE that. (You will thank me later for this recommendation). And talk to the dealer about your needs. This will give you an initial, and good way to analyze if they are right for you. Are they pawning you off on some kid, or are you treated like an important customer? Are they just trying to upsale you or are they listening and trying to help.

John

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No school like the old school.

Currently in the process of getting a Ariens 42" Ikon XD with a Kawasaki
18hp motor.... on sale for $2999/ $3550 list. They own Gravely and Gravely used to sell rebranded Ariens mowers.

Ariens is a family owned American built Co., which has been building outdoor equpt. since 1933. Highly rated over the decades by Popular Mechanics.

I have just over an acre, flat by the lake and road with a slight slope (1 to 12) between the flats.

I getting it from the same shop that been supplying my Stihl equpt. and doing repair work for me and my Dad for 20+ years. In Zero turns they sell the Ariens and bigger Gravely's.

A few of the neighbors at the lake have had them for 3 or 4 years and are very happy with them.

Edit: everyone says get one with a fabricated deck avoid stamped decks

Take a look at the Scag. Manufactured in Wisconsin. Very good equipment. Although 48" is their smallest deck size.

Our gun club bought an $18,000 Bad Boy Zero Turn Mower about three years ago. I will not say it is junk but we have had a lot of problems with it. We are very careful on who can use it and that has helped to keep it running but we are still having problems, not with the power train but with everything else.
Welds have broke, and it reminds me of an old BSA motorcycle I had. You ride it for two hours then tighten nuts and bolts for 4 hours.

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NRA Range Safety Officer

I loved my zero turn but on damp grass the slope of the yard took it into the fence too much. got tired of using the Gator to pull it away from the fence.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

I have a Cub Cadet 54 " RZTL Zero turn that I've had for about 4 years. It has a 24 HP Kohler motor which has plenty of power. The only thing I have an issue with it is it develops an oil leak from the valve cover on one side. I hear this is not uncommon. I believe the Kawasaki motor may be a little better motor, but I believe this option costs you about $200 more.
Like others have said, the Zero turns have a tendency to gravitate downhill while you mow on a slope. I have a friend that has the same basic mower, except he has the model with the steering wheel. He says he doesn't have this problem with his. He also says he likes his better because it doesn't take both hands to steer it. That's pretty handy if you want to drink a beverage while mowing. His girlfriend likes the steering wheel better too.
I believe my mower was around $2800 on sale. The ones with the steering wheel was a little more. I think my mower had a 3 year warranty. My dealer is only several miles away from me and they delivered. Win, Win.

John Deere make some real tanks when it comes to mowers, but they also make some that aren't. I hear it's not wise to buy the ones in the Big Box stores. They're not the same as the ones you buy at a John Deere dealership, but they carry some super light weight Zero turns too. I was surprised to see that they made anything like some of the smaller ones I saw.

Toro/ExMark - Our cut crews beat he heck out of them and they still run like new. I prefer Kohler over Kawasaki engines. If you're not going 'Commercial Grade', check out the 'Time Saver' machines from Toro. I use this one on my property, but it runs around $14k.

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SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS

I've had my 60 inch Exmark for over ten years now and other than oil changes and one new battery there has been little maintenance needed.
It has the Kohler engine as does my whole house generator and can't say anything bad about it.
I would buy another one but this one will probably out last me. The new ones have really upgraded the comfort of the seats.

My 42-in Murray tractor does well on slopes, both vertically and horizontally on slopes I probably should not be trying. The commercial mowers use the zero turns, and I watch them mowing the "privacy berms" and their lines are not very straight.

I think the tractors are a better "utility" choice if that is one of your needs.

Chad,

I have a Husqvarna and I am very happy with it, I also have a sloped lawn and the best that I can recommend is to put AG type tires on the drive wheels. They do not tare up the grass any more than the turf tires, but give you much better control, you just have to take it easy. By the way going to a ZT was the best decision I've made in a long time.

Best of luck,

Gary

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GARY
SWCA #2897, SWHF #436

My needs are for a strong utility trailer puller in the spring & fall, a lawnmower in summer, and a snowblower in winter. I have had John Deere (grossly over-priced), Craftsman Yard tractor which was not built for country living or rough terrain, and now have a Cub Cadet XT3 with a 54" welded deck. The best thing about both the Craftsman and the Cub Cadet is the Kohler engines. Both tractors had twin cylinder 25 HP engines and both are still running like new. For 8 years I used the Craftsman for everything. 54" mower deck, snowblower, and hauled more wood, brush, and leaves than most anyone else. It is still running and now mows at our local shooting club.

My Cub Cadet with locking rear differential is a great tractor, so far superior to the Craftsman Yard tractor. Does anything I need to do with my yard and standard maintenance is all it has needed so far. I mow a couple acres full of trees and buildings and still beat the neighbor that is using a zero turn mower. I thnk that is because the Cub Cadet has power steering, which makes a big difference for me. Zero turn mowers look great in the ads, but rarely is an owner skilled enough to make any meaningful difference in time saving over a standard tractor mower.

My John Deere was fine, but I was never really impressed with it. Nothing special and cost way more than it should and I mean way more! Everything is expensive about owning a John Deere, including even standard maintenance parts. I would not have thought that a Cub Cadet XT3 would run circles around the JD, but it does it with ease.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

I have the Bad Boy with the Kawasaki motor and my wife won't let me drive it. Pay a little more for a better seat. They crank on the first turn and the oil filter is easy and no mess. It has a cut out for easy drain. Belts are replaceable from the top. All the bearings are sealed so all you do is change oil and keep air in the tires. It is so easy I cant believe it. It has a picture of Willie Nelson on the deckbut you don't have to look at him.

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I've been buying John Deere's for almost 20 years now. I like to trade out just before they go out of warrantly. I use a local dealer who treats me fairly. I get at least half my money back in the trade; sometimes more.



I've finally settled on the X738. It is a fine mower and I now have snowblower for it during the winter. Handles my four acres, with over 70 trees and my over 200 feet of driveways just fine.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

Bad Boy 42" MZ .

I have a Gravely zero turn, never had a problem with it. It's 4 years old. My son has a Hustler zero turn about 3 years old. If my Gravely ever gives out I'll be getting a Hustler. Hustler are very well built mowers. I have a little slope in my front yard and the zero turn mower slides on it. First time I used it on the slope it flip on it's side. I've used my sons and it did the same. I still have my push mower and use it on the slope part of my yard. Than I finish the rest with the zero turn. Zero turn don't do well on slopes.

I've been a member of Lawnsite Forum since 2000 and have had about 2 doz ztrs, this said to establish my street cred. The reason I've had so many is it's ez to make walking around money buying and selling them on craigslist. I've never had a bad mower. Some better than others but none unserviceable. I'm a good buyer but most all commercial mowers are built stout and go 1000+ hours. Most startup lawn companys fold before 200 hours and you buy mowers in the late summer/fall.

Buy a Hustler 48" is my advice but a ztr is no better on slopes than a regular rider, maybe worse. If a 42" is enough I'd get a Hustler Trimstar and put a velke behind it. that will hold hills.

A few pictures that I have handy:

model year 2000 Dixie Chopper bought new


2008 Grasshopper bought new


2013 Bobcat 61" bought new 1000cc Kaw 37hp DFI


2013 Big Dog bought new - same as a Hustler just red. My all time favorite lawn mower. still use it. 48" cut 21 hp Kawasaki fr651, same steering and throttle as a trimstar. One of the most successful businessmen in my area died because he was mowing with a Scag Turf Tiger paralell to his lake, the mower slid sideways into the lake and the lapbars held him in. He drowned. Won't happen on this mower.


Hustler Trimstar trade bait


Hustler One trade bait


Hustler Raptor trade bait


Great Dane trade bait


Hustler ZeeOne trade bait

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God spelled backwards is dog.

Check out Exmark.

Spend the extra and get a commercial; not a cheap one at a bog box store. Brand doesn’t seem to be that important.

I love my 61” Bad Boy!

I had the loan of a zero turn mower for about 18 months. I learned a few things.

1. Going in a straight line without always playing with the directional levers requires playing with tire pressures on the drive wheels. BTW, this was per the manual that came with it. Once you get it running straight, write the tire pressures down or paint them on the frame/fender.

2. The hydraulic systems are generally dealer maintenance only. I looked at doing the suggested oil change (curiousity, not need) and the thing needed to be on a lift to drain the motors at the drive wheels. Might not be an issue for you depending upon how much you use it/how long you keep it.

3. If you have to pull the deck on a big one to change blades etc, you'd best have some good friends. Large, good friends.

4. At least in my rather limited experience, fuel consumption sucked.

5. Agree with the wheel spin comments. Yes, going up hills can get scary.

Followed the zero turn with a 42 in Cub Cadet lawn tractor. I'm happy-except for having to pull the deck to change blades, but I'm working on that.

Very late added edit: If you're not doing a lot of fussy trimming, the big difference between zero turn mowers and higher end lawn tractors over the AMF/Murray big box store varieties are engine power and hydrostatic transmissions. The hydrostatic tranny allows instant change in mowing speed to meet grass conditions. The higher power engine allows faster mowing/bigger decks (sometimes both). So you don't necessarily have to go zero turn to mow faster.

I went from a 12 hp/multi speed manual tranny no name lawn tractor with a 40 inch deck to a ~20 hp hydrostatic tranny Cub Cadet with a 42 inch deck and more than cut my mowing time in half. Yeah, the fuel consumption is a bit more, but with the higher HP engine I don't need to run it wide open all the time.

We bought a Cub Cadet with a steering wheel. I had trouble getting on a zero turn with the handles, due to my physical infirmities, and the one with the steering wheel is much easier for me to get on and off of it.
We have the dealer winterize it and do the maintenance on it, like sharpening the blades, changing oil, etc. The Kawasaki 21.5 hp engine is a work horse too.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Walker mowers. They are pricey but tough as nails. I've spent a lot of hours on one on flat and on slopes, take the slopes straight on rather than parallel. I've been looking at possibly buying used. They have a lot of features that make them easy to maintain.

I have a Bobcat ZT and what I mow has a hill. The first time I used it and went down the hill the wheels slid and it ran away. I talked to a professional mower and he laughed and told me when going down a hill to knock it out of gear and coast. It worked! I mow the sides of my driveway by driving sideways and if the sides were any steeper I would turn over. The ZT is a bunch faster than a regular mower and also more fun too drive. Larry

The Deere machines you see at the big box stores are just as good (maybe better) as the others you'd buy at a big box store. Those machines are built to comparative price points in order to compete with the other brands. Deere dealers also sell them now, but they also have the higher-end stuff the box stores don't get. The box store models are built in Greenville, Tennessee; all the other models are built in Horicon, Wisconsin.

I had the diesel version, the X748, for 11 years. Those X7 machines are beasts, they punch well above their weight. I had the rear lift and pto, plus the loader.

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I bought a 52" Ariens Apex a month ago after seeing my nephew's and using it some. So far it does the job just fine. I cut about 5 acres mostly flat. It has the Kawasaki engine. My shoulders hurt too much steering the old one.

My old mower and my new mower. (The old one is for sale BTW).

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You've already received some good feedback but I'll reiterate that a zero turn handles no better than a conventional mower on damp grass and slopes, and actually handles poorly on slopes with damp grass.

As for brands, I'm a Kubota fan. I currently have three orange machines and one John Deere lawn tractor, which is my smallest mower, that I use for trim work.

My Kubota zero turn is a commercial 27 HP with Kubota gas engine with 54 inch deck. Probably bigger than you need but it gets the mowing done at my place, although I never use it when the grass is damp or the ground is soggy because it just doesn't work well.

I have a 48 inch finish mower for my small tractor and a 60 inch finish mower for my larger tractor that do very good mowing work when I don't use the zero turn, but if the ground is dry the zero turn will do the job at my place (about 6 acres of yard) in almost half the time of a conventional mower or my tractor/finish mower combo.

I recommend Kubota zero turns if you've not looked at them, they have smaller units than mine.

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- Change it back -

I taught Horticulture until retirement. I was talked into helping take care of the 22 acre campus until the grounds work was contracted out. 5 years later am still cutting grass. We had Scags and now Exmarks, both good zero turns to me. We have a few slopes , some on the steep side and the mowers will cut them. Usually cut across the slope, you must drive slowly. Normally not a problem, sometimes a slide but even with dew on grass I usually stay on track.

I got a Gravely zero turn with a 42'' deck and it has the Kawasaki motor. had it for 7yrs. now without any problems. As with any lawn mower, cutting wet grass can cause issues. but the biggest plus is that it cut my mowing time in half from tractor

All these big yards and expensive mowers sure make me glad when we moved 8 years ago we substituted trees and woods for grass and big lawns and mowers. Much easier to maintain.

For dealing with slopes you might consider the Kubota Kommander series. They have a lower center of gravity than most.

Kubota Expands Popular "Kommander” Residential Zero-Turn Mower Line with All-New Z122R

We bought a 52" Gravely ZT XL with a Kohler 27HP motor and both the wife and I love it and have had no problems with it in the first 3 years of using it. We mow approximately 3 acres of lawn every week and sometimes 3 times in 2 weeks. We were going to buy a 60" but there are too many places I can't get a 60" deck through that I can the 52". It took our mowing time down from 2½ hours to 1½ hours. Our yard is everything from flat to about 20% grade and it handles it all and we don't mow the slopes when it is wet for the reasons mentioned in many of the previous posts.

The main reason I bought over Toro or Bad Boy is Gravely drives carry a longer warranty and than other zero turns that I looked at.

We paid $3k at zero interest.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Love that old Workmaster. First tractor I ever drove was a Powermaster of the same generation.

Another vote for Kubota. But what ever your choice is make sure it has a roll bar so you can add a fan. Helps keep you clean from dust and debris
Down-Draft ROPS Mounted Fan For Vertical 2" X 2" Roll Bar

[QUOTE=Mike1647;141123322

My old mower and my new mower. (The old one is for sale BTW).[/QUOTE]

I mowed my yard for about 12 yrs. with my tractor and a 6 ft. finishing mower and decided that was an expensive way too mow. I bought the 52 in. ZT and can now mow in less time, less expense and more fun. Larry

How does your mower work on a slope? My friend has one and he says it works great. The seat on your mower is a lot better than the one I have on my RZTL. What was the price on your mower?

Several months ago I was in the market for a Zero turn mower and all I looked at had good reviews/features. I settled on a Toro 42" (fabricated deck). I put a mulching kit on it and it works great. I have a sloped yard and I've never noticed it slipping or anything, maybe lighter weight than a large one.
I purchased mine directly from Toro and they shipped it to an authorized Toro dealer near me. Dealer delivered it (full tank of gas) and went over everything about the mower with me. Even instructions on operating it watched me operate it giving me suggestions.

Problem with the zero turn is that you can't hold your beer while cutting. I like a steering wheel on my mower, just like old blue. One hand on the wheel and one hand for the beer
ANother confession, I have a piece of string that I use to hold the handle in the on position for my push mower so I cna stop to move stuff without having to restart the mower. If God forbid I have an accident, my instructions are to get rid of the string-then call the ambulance

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Forum consigliere

I’ve worked at one of your major home improvement stores in lawn and garden. I can for certain in my area say your claim is false. The John Deere garden tractors and zero turns were brought in, supplied and assembled for the store from the local JD dealer.

I had always used lawn tractors until three years ago. I bought some property adjoining mine which added about three more acres to mow. I bought a Zero Turn Gravely 52" with a 23 HP Kawasaki. I've had zero trouble with it and can mow in about half the time that the 42" lawn tractor did. The Gravely has a cup holder but it is useless. Put an open beer in it and the vibrations will cause it to spew like a geyser. As Caje mentioned earlier, you can't mow and imbibe because it takes two hands to run the ZT.

I have a coaster with a small rope you can hang around your neck and holds 2 beers. That way it doesn't go flat or spill.

No slopes, except for a small part in the front yard by the road, so I'm just careful there and have no problems. Okay. I just pulled the receipt for our mower. It is a ZF S 54 with a 25hp Koihler 7000 Pro V-twin engine and fabricated deck. We paid $4,699.00 with tax. I had a 3 bag grass/leaf catcher added this year, and when it goes back to the dealer in the fall I'm going to have a 2nd gas tank installed.

Oh, contrire mon frere. You sure can...if you're good! I can hold both control arms in one hand, and still operate my Z Turn with no problem. Just move my wrist to the L/R to control the direction.




Tip 1: Get some of those can covers that clip onto the top of your can. Won't spill that way, and you can drink on the fly without spilling all down your chin. It also keeps the grass clippings, and bugs out of the can!




Tip 2: Buy bottled beer! Put it in a koozie so it stays in the cup holder.



But then again, I'm a 'Professional'....LOL

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SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS

I use a velcro ONE-Wrap cable tie....... the one with a slit in one end on the handle..... only need to wrap the velcro around the "deadman" (shut off) when needed!

They also work well for rolling up extension cords!!!!!

As I wait for my ZT to be delivered...... can someone tell my why the control arms have a 12-15 inches range of movement when you only move the arms an inch or two???????