Need advice on good zero turn mower??

[Mike0251]

Hi Dave, 35 years on my property here in Va. Cutting 4 acres a week. Been thru quite a few mowers including using a 1954 Ford 600 tractor and a Woods finish mower. I bought a Scag Turf Tiger 8 years ago, $9K. Best yard investment I ever made. Key word is commercial. Landscapers drive these things 8 hours a day. You and me a couple of hours a week. Should last forever. I keep mine inside too. During the last 8 years I have replaced to arm cylinders (they do wear out) $100, and one electric blade clutch last year $280. Mainly my fault as I got it wet when I washed the mower (my bad). Did the work myself. The deck belt is showing no wear. I also rotate two sets of blades during the year. Cutting time for 4 acres is less than 2 hours and I enjoy every minute of it.
ps. my neighbor was so impressed with mine he bought one..got tired of trying to keep his Cub Cadet running properly.

 

[charlie sherrill]

As mentioned above, do not buy one with a stamped deck. I got a 23 HP Gravely with a 52" deck last year and love it. I actually enjoy cutting grass now.

 

[WardenRoss]

I have a relatively inexpensive Ariens zero turn with a Kohler engine. It does have the welded deck.

Been cutting for 12 seasons with it. Absolutely no concerns or problems. Very low maintenance. Rock solid.

I would rather have a zero turn mower than a new Corvette. I'm serious.

 

[jack the toad]

I would rather have a zero turn mower than a new Corvette. I'm serious.

Until the vette comes with mower deck and zero turn... me too.

 

[WardenRoss]

Yea man. I cut my property and my rental property. Mine is a 40" cut, because of the all the obstacles (gates, fences, flower beds and trees).

It's small and really fast. Saves me hours each summer. Makes cutting grass a small thrill instead of a chore.

 

[ky wonder]

check the SLE site on my previous post
SLE Equipment: Zero Turn Mowers, Concession Trailers
they have 61" huskevarnas with brigs or Kawasaki power at the 4200 price point and they have them with a 6.5x 10' trailer packages for just over 5000

they are just outside Nashville if you are in northern AL.

 

[Ballistic147]

Ballistic147 also brought up a good point about running them in hilly terrain. We are flat as a board where I live, but I know that my Toro doesn't do ditches near as well as the conventional lawn tractor I had before my Toro. It will slide to the low side if the grass is the slightest bit damp.

I wasn't the one who originally mentioned this but it is a very true statement. I've been mowing with a zero turn for over 20 years now and for a first timer it is definitely a learning experience but once mastered you'll never own another steering wheel mower again. You will mow much faster with less effort and have fun the whole time.

My lawn has hills and a decent bank at the road and my zero handles it very well but I only mow when the grass is dry. I've spent quite a bit of time and money on my lawn and mowing wet grass is bad for it. This time of year it gets cut twice a week until the summer heat kicks in and growth slows (tall fescue lawn).

Learning to make your turns takes a little time but will lead to a happier lawn. Stopping the inside wheel while using the outside wheel only to spin the mower around will leave you with "twisty's" and damaged grass. Always keep both rear wheels turning either forwards or backwards. When mowing on the side of a bank turning up on the bank will cause the wheel on the high side to slide and damage the grass. Also, turning while going downhill can be tricky. Best method is to slowly come to a stop and then begin your turn. A heavy commercial zero turn in the hands of an inexprienced operator can do almost as much damage to the lawn as an ATV but with the correct techniques they do a very good job.

 

[gregintenn]

I too have been trying to become educated on zero turn mowers.

I mow about 6 acres, and had been happily plugging away with mu Kubota tractor and a 72" finish mower, until last year, a lady offered to give me her non running 42" Dixon zero turn.

I got it working, and haven't used the tractor for mowing since. The 42" ZTR mows the lawn as fast as the 72" mower on the tractor, and does a better job.

I'd like a 60" commercial zero turn, but 8-10k for a mower is a big decision in my view. Everyone I've asked has a different opinion and differing preferences.

I'll take the jump before long, but I'd really like to know I'll be happy with whatever mower I buy before I shell out that kind of coin.

 

[kthom]

My Gravely is smaller than Charlies', but it has been mowing a couple acres or more for about 15 years. It's flat, except for the road ditch, but some of the places I mow are rough. Mine has an 18 hp Kohler engine. I've replaced the deck drive belt once and bought new blades for it a couple times. Gravely has an excellent online source for parts.

What I like best about this mower is that it has three small blades instead of two larger (longer) blades. This have given me a much smoother cut over the years since the shorter stiffer blades do not tend to bend or warp. I bought a mower lift from Tractor Supply that allows me easier access to the underside of the deck and the blades. I carefully sharpen the blades at the beginning of each year, change the oil minimum of once a year, and religiously keep the air filter clean and replaced when needed. It starts and runs as well today as it did when new. Some other very good mowers are mentioned here. I gave more for my Gravely than any mower I've ever bought, but it has been well worth the money. Sometimes I wished for a larger mowing deck, but I bought this one so I could get through some small gates to access areas I wished to mow. My son bought a larger size Gravely about three years ago, and his mowing job is as large as mine but his mowing job is tougher due to the type of grass and the significantly larger amount of rainfall where he lives. It's especially tough if he doesn't get to mow when it would be best to do so. Grass gets taller!!! This is just my experience with the Gravely FWIW.

 

[gregintenn]

I went Saturday with the intention of buying a Kubota, but once I got to the store, I learned the Bad Boy was a lot better built mower for about the same price. Heavier, better tires, a suspension, easier to get to for maintenance, etc.

I left with a Bad Boy Outpaw XP 6100. It's like sitting in your easy chair on top of a very fast bulldozer while mowing you lawn.

I'm not saying it's the best choice for everyone, but it's way more than I expected.