Riding Mower/Lawn Tractor

My JD came from the local JD dealer. Home Depot carried the identical model. I'm pretty sure my Home Depot get's their inventory from that dealer. I know for certain the JD dealer does all the warranty and service for the Home Depot units. Have a 30hp New Holland tractor and wouldn't want to mow with that. My riding mower is way more maneuverable and way more fun. And it has a great drink holder.
 
I suggest not trying to ride them..

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Stewartb said:
My JD came from the local JD dealer. Home Depot carried the identical model. I'm pretty sure my Home Depot get's their inventory from that dealer. I know for certain the JD dealer does all the warranty and service for the Home Depot units. Have a 30hp New Holland tractor and wouldn't want to mow with that. My riding mower is way more maneuverable and way more fun. And it has a great drink holder.
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You need some drink holders for the NH, lol. We have cup holders on the Kubota L3130 (32HP), Kubota 7100 (17HP), and the Bad Boy ZTR 60. Mowing with the L would be a pain in tight quarters with such a large tractor, but the B7100 is fantastic with the mid-mount belly mower.


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Another thing to consider---especially if mowing around a lot of obstacles like grass runway cones and/or lights---is that you can mow with far more speed and precision with the deck out in front of you or under you than you can with one attached to a three point behind you. Three point mowers are the kings of damage.
 
Get a zero turn if you have allot of short runs and obstacles. Get a tractor with a belly mower if you have long runs but still need to cut close to objects. If you just have to run up and down the runway then a tractor with a pull behind will do the job the fastest.

On the box store mowers...no matter what the color or claims, they are probably made by a company called MTD in Ohio. Never heard of them, they may more mowers then anybody in the world.
 
cgrab said:
If you just have to run up and down the runway then a tractor with a pull behind will do the job the fastest.
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If this was the gong show you would have just been gonged!

It's all about tip speed of the blades and the speed of the machine. When I helped manage The Marble Hill Airport, I had a 5' bush hog ZTR. The City had a 6' Woods behind a 50 horsepower tractor. I could out cut them two to one because I was twice as fast and had far more control.

Now I have a 6' bush hog ZTR that cuts at 14 mph (as long as the surface is smooth enough not to beat the sh*t out of me.). That's 10 acres per hour... 9 if you take into account a 6" overlap.

You just can't do that with a tractor, at least none I've ever seen. Tractors are sloooooooooooooow.

The ONLY reason I would ever go back to a tractor is so I can have a beer while I was cutting grass! :) Every ZTR that I have owned takes both hands.
 
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FWIW, the beginning of this video from John Deere says their E180 model (one I’m still considering) is built in Greenville, TN.

 
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Stewartb said:
My JD came from the local JD dealer. Home Depot carried the identical model. I'm pretty sure my Home Depot get's their inventory from that dealer. I know for certain the JD dealer does all the warranty and service for the Home Depot units. Have a 30hp New Holland tractor and wouldn't want to mow with that. My riding mower is way more maneuverable and way more fun. And it has a great drink holder.
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I was unclear. The equipment dealer has models Home Depot doesn't. They are heavier duty and you can get 54" decks on them.
 
I hate to cut grass. Weed and brush killers are my best friends. When it's absolutely necessary, which seems to always be 8 or 9 months of the year, I have several sheep, a JD LA175, a Poulan 50, a Poulan 38, and a 40 hp Massey bucket tractor with a 6 ft shredder for the ditches and fields. Funny to hear all the talk about how this, or that, lawn mower is better or worse. I also heard somebody sing the praises for the MTD mowers.

When we bought this place nearly 25 years ago, I had an old Ford 8N with a shredder, and a 38 inch Murray rider. My better half would flat go through a Murray on average within a couple years or less. To keep one going, I was always welding something on a deck, or welding whatever, or replacing a spindle, or belts, or blades, or a steering gear, or fixing tires, whatever. I learned to always keep a spare around the place. I lost count of the number of wore out MTD hulks I've parted out or given away throughout the years.

Then..... I thought I'd go to the JD dealer and get a good lawn tractor once and for all. Wrong. I spent a bunch of money on the JD finish mower that the salesman had recommended. Turns out, the finish mower uses a cogged belt to drive the blades. I was constantly replacing belts. And the blades are indeed better, but they bend too. Long story short, it lasted about three years before the plastic hood rotted, and the frame rusted, and eventually it was a piece of junk like all the others. I sold the motor.

Fast forward, and I went back to the JD dealer and bought a LA175. Going on nearly 5 years now and I've replaced one set of belts, one spindle, one pulley, one steering gear, and one set of blades. Amazing! It has a lot of rust, and the bumper is beat half off, but it still runs and cuts well. A couple years ago I bought the used Poulans, and they seem to be a little better than average, but still need regular parts and repairs like all the rest.

Moral to the story? I don't think any of the home use mowers are really worth a crap. When my current stock finally wears out, I think my next one will be a commercial zero turn something or the other. Probably would have saved money in the long run if I'd have bit the bullet long ago.
 
timwinters said:
If this was the gong show you would have just been gonged!

It's all about tip speed of the blades and the speed of the machine. When I helped manage The Marble Hill Airport, I had a 5' bush hog ZTR. The City had a 6' Woods behind a 50 horsepower tractor. I could out cut them two to one because I was twice as fast and had far more control.

Now I have a 6' bush hog ZTR that cuts at 14 mph (as long as the surface is smooth enough not to beat the sh*t out of me.). That's 10 acres per hour... 9 if you take into account a 6" overlap.

You just can't do that with a tractor, at least none I've ever seen. Tractors are sloooooooooooooow.

The ONLY reason I would ever go back to a tractor is so I can have a beer while I was cutting grass! Every ZTR that I have owned takes both hands.
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All fun and games until they show up with a 10’ mower or 15’ batwing lol. All in the cab while in air conditioning and out of the sun.


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Agree with Denver's advice to buy a gently used commercial mower if you want something that will last and is priced less than a decent used car.

Big box stuff lasts a few years, and needs to be rebuilt. have done that too. Fortunately, plenty of junked hulks on craigslist to part out for a hundred bucks if you go that path and have the time. For those who think there is much of a difference with the consumer brand mowers, MTD has bought just about everyone out. Their current brand list is:

Bolens, Columbia, Cub Cadet, Cub Cadet Commercial, Cub Cadet Yanmar (joint with Yanmar), Farm King, GardenWay, Gold Series, Gutbrod, Gutbrod-Kehrer, Lawnflite, Mastercut, Mow Master, Mow Master Mastercut, MTD, MTD Black Edition, MTD Silver Edition, MTD Gold, MTD Mowmaster, MTD Platinum Pro, MTD Platinum SD, MTD Pro, MTD Super, MTD Taral, MTD Tradesman, MTD Turbomax, MTD 2000 Elite, Novotrac, Ranch King, Rasentrac, Remington, Ryobi (sold to TTI), Troy-Bilt, Ventzki, Ventzki MTD, White Outdoor, Yard Machines, Yard-Man, Yard-Man Elite, Yard-Man Select, YardWorks

Many parts are interchangeable in the above.

https://todaysmower.com/riding-mower-brands/
 
For the light stuff I have an older Murray riding mower but they’re crap now that Briggs owns them. At least the deck is solid and not lightweight.

It has an older Briggs engine that’s also still in the “made well” days for Briggs and everything is belt driven so belt replacement is regular but easy and if you tag a huge rock and drop everything, nothing breaks but the belt.

The brakes have failed on mine and I haven’t figured out exactly why, but there’s no panic stops on that thing. Have to pay attention to where you’re going on it, for sure. Ha. Makes mowing a grade easier though. Run up it... roll backward... run up it again... hahaha.
 
Deere (even the stuff sold at the dealers) aren't what they used to be. They succumbed to losing touch with their customer base and turned into a "car manufacturer wannabe." Don't even get me started on the heavier equipment stuff. Nothing like having your construction job come screeching to a halt because your JD equipment decides it's maintenance time and you're waiting for the mobile service unit to show up.
 
SoonerAviator said:
All fun and games until they show up with a 10’ mower or 15’ batwing lol. All in the cab while in air conditioning and out of the sun.
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And when they get done doing the easy stuff, you still must go back and trim, edge. It's easier to do a quick weed wack edger, then get the rest with a Zero Turn, unless of course you have a 100ac of open grass.
 
Walker 0 turn. They made a few miles from here. The owner has an ultralight trike and grass strip at the factory. Friends in the landscape business says they are the best.
 
ejensen said:
Walker 0 turn. They made a few miles from here. The owner has an ultralight trike and grass strip at the factory. Friends in the landscape business says they are the best.
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Eh, they’re all honestly about the same at that level. Most commercial ZTRs use the same lineup of Kohler, B&S, or Kawasaki Pro engines in the low-to-mid 20HP range. Same goes for the hydraulic pumps and such. Most all of them use suspension seats and welded steel decks, with nicer models having additional frame suspension and quick-access for blade changes and such. Highest priced models usually include a diesel option as well.

Exmark, Dixie Chopper, Kubota, Bad Boy, Toro, Walker, Yazoo, etc all have great ZTRs and you’d be hard-pressed to find on to be “better” than another.


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ejensen said:
Walker 0 turn. They made a few miles from here. The owner has an ultralight trike and grass strip at the factory. Friends in the landscape business says they are the best.
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Helping others aviation addictions is always a good use of money. LOL.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Eh, they’re all honestly about the same at that level. Most commercial ZTRs use the same lineup of Kohler, B&S, or Kawasaki Pro engines in the low-to-mid 20HP range. Same goes for the hydraulic pumps and such. Most all of them use suspension seats and welded steel decks, with nicer models having additional frame suspension and quick-access for blade changes and such. Highest priced models usually include a diesel option as well.

Exmark, Dixie Chopper, Kubota, Bad Boy, Toro, Walker, Yazoo, etc all have great ZTRs and you’d be hard-pressed to find on to be “better” than another.


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Could say the same of many mechanical things. Perception of differences is why more than one brand sells. So local and aviation is a fair reason to differentiate
 
ejensen said:
Could say the same of many mechanical things. Perception of differences is why more than one brand sells. So local and aviation is a fair reason to differentiate
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Absolutely. Along with that, having a good dealer/service location to get parts from is as important as the brand if you need something fixed in a hurry.


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Here's another data point.... about 10 years ago I bought my first home, that home had a very large flat open yard. I bought a basic craftsman rider with the biggest deck(54") I could find. I mowed that yard for a good 6+ years full throttle and full speed most of the time. It worked great, it was a cheap mower and it cut the grass which was all I asked of it. I did snow removal using other means... initially a 4 wheeler then going up to a small tractor which was a lot nicer. Point is this cheap mower did the job more than well enough that I couldn't see any point in spending more for a higher-end one.

Fast forward to now, I moved to another location... yard is big-ish but not as huge. It is in contrast VERY hilly with lots of obstacles and that is absolutely eating up my cheap Craftsman that worked so well in the other yard. I've installed upgraded high-traction tires on it so it can climb some the hills. The frame is so light you can feel it flex which is, I believe, the reason I'm eating up a deck belt every year or more. I've already broken off one of the deck mounts and had to weld it. Once this thing dies... if it does... I want something heavier duty and maybe not with as wide of a deck for certain areas.

So yeah there may be a difference... but you may not get anything of value from that difference. Any mower will mow a flat open lawn perfectly fine.

Another thing, if you enjoy tinkering with older stuff an old tractor like some of the ones posted above and a finish mower would be a great way to go. I'd do it here but on the hill in my backyard a tractor with no ROPS is a fatal accident just waiting to happen. There's something very relaxing about running an ancient tractor up and down the rows though, I highly recommend it.
 
@cowman I fully concur. Despite my father having several heavy duty mowing options, I’m running a 1994 Yard Man w/42” deck and a 15HP Kohler. My .75ac yard is on a hill with tons of obstacles that cause a good bit of flex. However, this mower spent the first 20yrs of its life mowing a few acres that were golf course smooth. I’d upgrade but it just won’t die! I’m also fairly certain that the drive belt is original, lol. She ain’t pretty but she gets the job done.


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Half Fast said:
Eddie, this would be the place for your Moors story..... :)
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I’m amazed you remember that. I mention it on occasion to show how unexpected radio transmissions can be hard to decipher.

I was listening to the ATIS at Opa Locka. In ended with the remark, “Moors operating south of runway 9R/27L”.

Weird. I had just been to Morocco, so was picturing these guys:

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I asked ground control to clarify, and they again said “Moors”. I asked again and the controller said “MOWERS! They’re MOWING the grass!”

d’oh!

I guess the southern accent got me. Like the time a neighbor kid rode his bicycle over and asked if I had “ire”.
As in “ire for his tars”. Once I figured it out, yes, I did have air for his tires!
 
Spent nearly all day mowing...

...from the ridiculous...

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...to the sublime...

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The latter did the whole runway at Big T.

Admittedly, I did have some help:

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Closing in on a decision on a new mower. Probably ready to commit Monday.
 
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FastEddieB said:
Spent nearly all day mowing...

...from the ridiculous...

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...to the sublime...





Closing in on a decision on a new mower. Probably ready to commit Monday.
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.

That mower looks like a modern version of one I've seen somewhere before. :D

If you compare the two, some of the stampings used are the same on both mowers. Technology crawls on, LOL.

.


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Still nursing along my 20+ year old Weedeater 42” lawn tractor. Just did some work on the mower deck and put a new deck belt on it. I did put a new engine in it several years ago. It keeps right on cutting.
 
Eddie, if you'd prefer a riding weed-eater, I'll be glad to send you a couple...



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I’m going on 24 years with the 42” Yardman, lol. Original engine and likely original drive belt/rear tires. Front tires are new as of last year, along with steering gear and deck spindles. Fires up every time. She ain’t pretty as the plastics are cracked/missing, but the 15HP Kohler keeps on spinning.


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Pic of me on it in 1994 (grandfather bought it)
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Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Yup, my last lawn tractor - From either Sears or Wards - was made by MTD. Beat the crap out of that thing and it just kept going.
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Been looking or a rider myself lately, told the wife about the Montgomery Ward riding mower my grandma had that I used growing up, that thing was bullet proof. Just parallel grooves on the front tires. Her reply "what is Montgomery Wards?" ....
 
FastEddieB said:
Eventually we want to get a full-sized tractor, or at least a compact one like this:

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Nice, but about $16,500. A bit rich right now, even at 0% for 60 months and splitting with a friend.
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Well, after consulting with my friend, we did spring for that John Deere 1025R subcompact tractor with 60” mower deck and front loader. Getting delivered Friday. Will be under $150/month each, which we can swing easier than a bunch of cash up front.

We realize it’s not a “real” tractor, but should suit most of our needs, and we have access to the airport owner’s big Kubota for bigger jobs if we need it.

Thanks again for all the advice - much appreciated even if we couldn’t follow it all!
 
'New tractor day' is almost better than ''new plane day'.

Make sure it's covered for theft under some policy. The finance company may have required you to do so already as homeowners policies have limits on expensivr single items.
 
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