Thinking about a riding mower

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PPC1052

Final Approach
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PPC
Yard size: 0.667 acres
Lot Location: central Indiana
Lot description: flat with several very mature trees-- probably about 15 trees, give or take.

What brand and model do you recommend? New or used will be considered. I don't want to break the bank, but I would pay a little extra for quality and ease of use. Thanks.
 
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Only a mower? Or will you use other "attachments"?
 
What are you mowing it with now and how long does it take?
 
Badger said:
Only a mower? Or will you use other "attachments"?
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Not sure on attachments yet. I have thought about maybe using it to clear snow from the drive. But I don't intend to be doing any kind of plowing or anything like that.
 
Craig said:
What are you mowing it with now and how long does it take?
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I don't know yet how long it takes yet. It's a new to me property. But I can anticipate that it would take me a while using my current self propelled Toro walk behind mower that I use at my current property.
 
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I usually don’t recommend zero turn mowers but with that many trees you will be better off with one. The Hustler Raptor is a really good mower for the money. They are all pretty much the same these days. Visit your local power equipment stores and see which will offer the best price and service. Don’t buy something from Lowe’s or HD.
 
I'd go zero turn if I were choosing for flat ground. Just don't buy the big box store junk, Bad Boy/Hustler/etc. make some great equipment that you can often find good deals on them used with only a few hundred hours on it at most. I have the same layout 3/4 acre with about 15 oak trees, but I bought a used Kubota G1800S. Thing is a beast with a 52" deck, but my yard isn't very smooth and is almost entirely on a slight grade so I chose the tractor-style rather than the ZT. I don't have to mow around most of my trees since they're on the perimeter so the ZT wouldn't save me much time. I picked my used Kubota up w/900hrs (diesel) for $1,700 and it looks new. My father runs a Bad Boy 60" ZT to mow 3 of his acres around the house and it's been a great machine for 8 years.

Also, you might look into a leaf vac like the cyclone rake if you are going to be gathering up all of the leaves that fall each year. I spend a few days dragging a 10x20 tarp across the yard/uphill to pile them all up in order to burn them off. This year I'm buying a Cyclone Rake to tow behind the mower and pick up the leaves instead.
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Check out a Gravely walk behind with a Sulky. Cheaper than a zero turn and works the same. You can also get a snow blower for it.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Also, you might look into a leaf vac like the cyclone rake if you are going to be gathering up all of the leaves that fall each year. I spend a few days dragging a 10x20 tarp across the yard/uphill to pile them all up in order to burn them off. This year I'm buying a Cyclone Rake to tow behind the mower and pick up the leaves instead.
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Yeah, I think that is in my future, too. The adjacent lot is completely wooded, so I anticipate that the leaves from that lot will creep over, too. My wife's father had a similar unit for his John Deere riding lawnmower that I used to help clean up their yard after he died. It certainly made for relatively quick work of the leaves in their pretty sizeable wooded yard.
 
cgrab said:
Check out a Gravely walk behind with a Sulky. Cheaper than a zero turn and works the same. You can also get a snow blower for it.
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Interesting. I'll check into that, too. Thanks.
 
Will you be the sole user, or do you have one or more kids who will soon be using it for you?

-Skip

nb: I have two girls. I couldn't get either one interested in yard maintenance....
 
cgrab said:
Check out a Gravely walk behind with a Sulky. Cheaper than a zero turn and works the same.
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Maybe I am not looking at the correct models, but the Gravely walk behinds look to be way more expensive than a residential ZTR riding mower.
 
Skip Miller said:
Will you be the sole user, or do you have one or more kids who will soon be using it for you?

-Skip

nb: I have two girls. I couldn't get either one interested in yard maintenance....
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We have a boy. He just turned 7.
 
PPC1052 said:
When you say, "etc.", who specifically are you referring to?
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Non big-box store zero-turn manufacturers. Bad Boy, Kubota, Hustler, Dixie Chopper, Gravely, Scag, Exmark and the like. Primary difference with most of them is going to be the quality of the hydrostatic drives, pro series engines, and fabricated mowing decks with thicker steel frames versus the stamped decks of HD/Lowes models. I wouldn't touch a John Deere from a big box store, so if you wanted JD I'd go to a dealership. During college I ran a lawn/landscape crew for a couple of years, and we used Exmark and Scag for the ZTs and they were pretty stout and never gave us much issue being banged around apartment complexes and rough ground. I've only been on a Kubota ZT a few times, but it was a solid machine (just like every piece of Kubota equipment I've ever used), too. Bad Boy/Hustler tend to be pretty good values in the Pro-sumer category with upgraded components, but not getting into the $8K+ territory like Kubota/Scag/Exmark. I believe it's better to get a nice mower than costs more than to end up 8yrs down the road with a mower deck that keeps bending and fighting cheap manufacturing issues. I think my father's Bad Boy ZT60 was $5K out the door new, which is $1,500-2K more than the lowes models, but it still looks/runs like new 300+hrs later.
 
skier said:
why not?
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For starters they are absurdly expensive for an average home owner. They tend to be less reliable than traditional tractor style, when they do break they are very expensive to fix, and in the hands of an amateur they are tough on a yard.
 
for my small 18000 sq ft lot, I'm perfectly happy with my consumer-grade John Deere riding mower. I went with a 42" deck because of the gate it needs to go through.

I actually got it in 2005 when my Dad said he'd mow the lawn if I got a riding mower... turns out my lawn is just a little too uneven for his back to take using the mower.

I bought the mower from a local power equipment company rather than home cheapo or blowes.

edit: with my walk-behind it would take me about an hours to mow the lawn (no bagging). With the rider it takes less than 45 minutes.
 
Nothing wrong with consumer grade for residential. Just support local. Not only will you usually get a better price but you will also get better service should you want or need it.
 
Zero turns are obnoxiously expensive, unless one is doing this for a living or mowing multiple acres I can't see dropping that kind of cash just to cut grass. I'd just go out and buy a basic rider... craftsman/mtd/etc. No they're not as well put together as the expensive brands but with basic maintenance(change the oil, grease the fittings, sharpen/replace the blades) they'll cut for a long long time.

Some of the premium brands and zero turns approach or surpass the $10k mark.... how fancy does your grass cutting really need to be? 2/3 of an acre really isn't too bad...
 
SoonerAviator said:
I believe it's better to get a nice mower than costs more than to end up 8yrs down the road with a mower deck that keeps bending and fighting cheap manufacturing issues.
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Me, too. Thanks for the suggestions on the manufacturers. I honestly don't know who the manufacturers are, so that's why I asked-- so I can start researching quality and features and price checking.
 
cowman said:
Zero turns are obnoxiously expensive, unless one is doing this for a living or mowing multiple acres I can't see dropping that kind of cash just to cut grass. I'd just go out and buy a basic rider... craftsman/mtd/etc. No they're not as well put together as the expensive brands but with basic maintenance(change the oil, grease the fittings, sharpen/replace the blades) they'll cut for a long long time.

Some of the premium brands and zero turns approach or surpass the $10k mark.... how fancy does your grass cutting really need to be? 2/3 of an acre really isn't too bad...
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I agree- I am not paying 8-10k for a mower.
 
Exmark!
My lot is 6 acres, and I probably cut about 5.5, takes about 1.5 hours
 
I had been looking at mowers a while back, and came close to buying one of these Husqvarna tractors. For the price, they seemed to be the best built. Anything less than that is built by MTD and sold under JD, Cub Cadet, Craftsman, etc., names, but is the same cheap machine. The next step up was the JD X series, but those got expensive quick.

Ultimately my wife agreed we needed more of a tractor than a lawn mower, so I ended up with a Kubota BX subcompact tractor to mow and manage our 3 acre "estate". Yeah, it costs a lot more than a mower, but it has a loader and 3 point hitch and has earned its keep with other projects I've done, while still doing a nice job cutting grass.
 
I’m a huge fan of used commercial walk behinds. Faster and cheaper than a lawn tractor, much cheaper than a zero-turn, and easy to work on. Since they’re made to run 50 hours a week in season, using them 30 hours a year on a residential lawn is unlikely to break anything, and if anything does break it’s likely to be an easily-replaced v-belt-no need to trailer it in to a shop.
Keep an eye out for Bobcats or Skags on Craigslist.
 
If my yard wasn't basically one giant hill/rollover hazard I'd probably get one of these


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Wildly impractical? perhaps, but old tractors are cool.
 
cowman said:
Zero turns are obnoxiously expensive, unless one is doing this for a living or mowing multiple acres I can't see dropping that kind of cash just to cut grass. I'd just go out and buy a basic rider... craftsman/mtd/etc. No they're not as well put together as the expensive brands but with basic maintenance(change the oil, grease the fittings, sharpen/replace the blades) they'll cut for a long long time.

Some of the premium brands and zero turns approach or surpass the $10k mark.... how fancy does your grass cutting really need to be? 2/3 of an acre really isn't too bad...
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As with anything, ones person's version of too expensive is different from another's. Most of the big box store models don't have much of anything to grease, because they tend to use "lifetime" sealed bearings with no grease zerk. I'd be surprised if anything with the stamped deck at Lowe's/HD even had a grease-able spindles on the mower deck. They use plastic wheel bushings instead of roller bearings in the front wheels. Stamped metal front axle/truss tends to get tweaked if you drop a front wheel into a hole or hit a tree root hard, not to mention the front wheel spindles are normally pretty puny and bend under those same circumstances. There's a reason some of those things cost more on the "expensive mowers". Now, some of that price is also name recognition and lower economies of scale. I don't see anything outlandish about spending $5K pro-sumer zero turn, but I'd think buying the top of the line Scag for $12K+ in order to mow a few acres each week is overkill.

For $10K+, I'm doing like @midwestpa24 did and getting a BX or B-series Kubota with a mid-mount mower and a FEL/3-pt to handle other chores. It still won't cut as fast or leave as nice of a cut as most zero-turns will, but everyone has their own priorities.
 
cowman said:
If my yard wasn't basically one giant hill/rollover hazard I'd probably get one of these


340708_opt.jpg
340708_opt.jpg

Wildly impractical? perhaps, but old tractors are cool.
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Lol, many anything with a live-PTO makes me a bit nervous. I do love the look of some of the old Farmalls and Ford 8/9Ns.
 
All this makes me like our yard even more. 10,000+ square foot lot on the side of a hill and not a square inch of lawn. Gave out last lawnmower away 15 or more years ago. :)
 
JD, with that many trees zero turn would help
 
PPC1052 said:
Maybe I am not looking at the correct models, but the Gravely walk behinds look to be way more expensive than a residential ZTR riding mower.
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Not sure what your limit is but a Pro-QXT goes for a couple of AMU's for a 48 inch model. Add another AMU for accessories and it will last a life time.
 
cgrab said:
Not sure what your limit is but a Pro-QXT goes for a couple of AMU's for a 48 inch model.
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Are you sure about that price? I'm seeing 6500 (hard to tell, because most dealers on this brand require you to call for the price), plus accessories. Maybe it's 2k for just the mowing attachment.
 
Just bought a Huskvarna 54" ZT from Lowes $2999.99. Seemed like the best option in the price range. Heavier deck than the others. Mow about 3 acres (people area) around the house and barn.
So far, so good...
 
I'm watching garage sales and the like for a good deal on a rider. I bought a used JD LX-172 about 16 years ago (got it cheap too) and, despite my best efforts, it is beginning to show its age. I figure it could expire any time in the next few years. I use it to mow and bag about 1/3 acre. I push another 1/5 acre or thereabouts in the back yard because it is too hilly/convoluted to use a rider...
 
cowman said:
If my yard wasn't basically one giant hill/rollover hazard I'd probably get one of these


340708_opt.jpg
340708_opt.jpg

Wildly impractical? perhaps, but old tractors are cool.
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Nope, Easy to work on. Parts still available. Look at the next size up Farmall B, has an extended axle can work hills easily. Tricycle wheels, left and right brakes. Can circle right around a tree. Has the same belly mower as in your Cub pics. Get the turf tires if you care about scuffing up the lawn. Those lug tires tear up soft soils. Be careful, old tractors are almost as addictive as airplanes!!
 
I have only owned 2 lawn mowers, both JD but not the Home Depot kind. The first one was 32yrs old when I sold it for $500. Paid $800 for it when it was 10yrs old and put another 22yrs on it. That had a 46" 3 bladed deck and I really liked that size for 1/2 acre.

A year ago when I sold the 185 I picked up a X500 which is the bottom of their x500 series. It has a 48" 3 blade deck and it is awesome. Unless I get behind on the lawn it takes only 25min because it goes so fast compared to the old one!

It also had a snowblower which is awesome and it has a foot pedal locking rear differential if you mow hill sides while turning or on the snow going up hills while blowing.

If I could do it again I would have went for an AWS (all wheel steer). They are not zero turn but if you have big trees it might be just as good. I would recommend a JD x5xx that has AWS and has power steering and power deck lift. My brother upgraded from the 500 series AWS to the 700 series and liked them both but wanted a 60" deck and even bigger snow blower.

I would think Cub Cadet would have something similar.

Also, some people are not happy with the JD 2 bladed mower decks. They can leave a small uncut strip where the 3 bladed decks leave perfect cuts.

A Home Depot JD will probably be fine for many years. But the JD (dealership) 2xx, 3xx, 4xx,5xx series tend to have heavier duty hydrostatic transmissions, more rigid mower decks and frames. You don't have to buy new either. Find something with less than 500hrs and under 10yrs old and you have a mower thats barely been worked hard.
 
Mimicking what Sinistar said, an all wheel steering JD is going to be the bees knees for you. You don’t even need the 500 series. Find yourself a 2006-2012 X304 or 324 (the 4 indicates all wheel steering). Spend less than a grand. Grease label spindles, it’s the entry level JD dealer machine that has a heavier gauge deck and hardware. If you look at local dealer sites you should find one that was traded for a ZTR.
 
Sinistar said:
I have only owned 2 lawn mowers, both JD but not the Home Depot kind. The first one was 32yrs old when I sold it for $500. Paid $800 for it when it was 10yrs old and put another 22yrs on it. That had a 46" 3 bladed deck and I really liked that size for 1/2 acre.

A year ago when I sold the 185 I picked up a X500 which is the bottom of their x500 series. It has a 48" 3 blade deck and it is awesome. Unless I get behind on the lawn it takes only 25min because it goes so fast compared to the old one!

It also had a snowblower which is awesome and it has a foot pedal locking rear differential if you mow hill sides while turning or on the snow going up hills while blowing.

If I could do it again I would have went for an AWS (all wheel steer). They are not zero turn but if you have big trees it might be just as good. I would recommend a JD x5xx that has AWS and has power steering and power deck lift. My brother upgraded from the 500 series AWS to the 700 series and liked them both but wanted a 60" deck and even bigger snow blower.

I would think Cub Cadet would have something similar.

Also, some people are not happy with the JD 2 bladed mower decks. They can leave a small uncut strip where the 3 bladed decks leave perfect cuts.

A Home Depot JD will probably be fine for many years. But the JD (dealership) 2xx, 3xx, 4xx,5xx series tend to have heavier duty hydrostatic transmissions, more rigid mower decks and frames. You don't have to buy new either. Find something with less than 500hrs and under 10yrs old and you have a mower thats barely been worked hard.
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I looked at some used JD X300 series when I was searching for a new rider a month ago or so. They still had the stamped deck and no differential lock in that level, so I wouldn't go less than the x500 series, personally. The 500hr rule is probably good for the gas models, but they make a diesel version in the x500/x700 which should go 3,000hrs without issue.

The Kubota G1800s that I ended up with has the all-wheel steer and it's nice to have almost-ZT like turning radius. The diesel is stout and doesn't bog down in the slightest when getting into thicker/taller stuff. The other thing I like is that it has a metal hood and grill, where JD went with plastic on the x-series and they seem to have a lot of issues with cracking as they age.
 
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