Riding mower recommendations?

[AikiDale]

I have a Cub Cadet I've abused for 2 years. A neighbor has a Simplicity which I've borrowed when the Cub was in the shop. The Simplicity is better. That said, when the Cub dies I'm going to buy a Kubota. Neighbor agrees, but I'll probably get mine for less because I'll buy sooner.

c

Can't comment on the Scag, haven't heard of them until this thread but if Blue Edge likes 'em I'd give 'em a hard look, I suspect he knows whereof he speaks.

On the other hand, with trimming in mind, if you keep the push mower you get a great workout and save a bunch of cash for bullets. Did you record your times with the push mower? Record you progress in your progress analysis journal. You do keep an analysis journal for mowing don't you? You can't trim what you don't measure. How tall is the grass when you decide to mow? How tall is the grass when you finish? How many feet do you mow before you make a turn? How long does it take to turn? Record the time of day when you start, how many breaks you take, how long each break is, what you eat or drink during each break and when you finish. Do you keep a separate section for trimming around the landscaping or just lump it all together? Remember to note when you begin and end edging and how deep and wide each edging trench is. You would be amazed at how much time you can pick up by just allowing your attention to focus on the edge. Most importantly remember to seed what you need to seed.

[Chris Keen]

• Goats don't need much in the way of maintenance
  
• They don't use high-priced gasoline
  
• Neighbors never ask to borrow them & then not return them
  

[AikiDale]

• Goats don't need much in the way of maintenance
  
• They don't use high-priced gasoline
  
• Neighbors never ask to borrow them & then not return them
  

I nearly seconded your goat suggestion Chris, but by the time you need to grill the goat the wife won't go for it because she named it and bonded with it. Couple of kids in the Spring and a barbecue in the Fall is the way to go!

[HSMITH]

md, Kohler has not been bought out and quality is as good or better than ever. I have done a couple projects for them this year in the engine plant and will do more this year. I have also done work for Briggs at my last job, and feel qualified to compare the two.

[wide45]

Ferris

Suspension means you will cut faster.

[AikiDale]

Ferris

Suspension means you will cut faster.

Couldn't find a price list on that site but I like it!

Is there an optional nut picker attachment to replace the cutting blades on the IS5100Z? If so it would double as a great 3 Gun Kart/brass picker....

[boz1911]

• Goats don't need much in the way of maintenance
  
• They don't use high-priced gasoline
  
• Neighbors never ask to borrow them & then not return them
  

I nearly seconded your goat suggestion Chris, but by the time you need to grill the goat the wife won't go for it because she named it and bonded with it. Couple of kids in the Spring and a barbecue in the Fall is the way to go!

Grill first , answer questions later.......

[tightloop]

Get a lawn crew let them burn up their machine.....

[PJ BAD]

Get a lawn crew let them burn up their machine.....

I bought a John Deere with a 42" deck to cut my 1.5 acres. Wished I bought a bigger machine because it still took a long time to mow. I solve the problem by hiring a service. Unless you really like cutting your lawn instead of shooting, HIRE THE SERVICE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[waxman]

No doubt in my mind. get a Deere, with a Kawasaki in it. I have 185 hydro that I have used for over 10 years, and it was used when I got it. Before that, I bought a brand new Murry that only made it 2 years. My dad has bought a new Torro, and a Dixon ZTR since I bought my Deere. Both are in the landfill now. 2 years ago, he bought a Deere. The funny thing about this, is he likes it so much, he is now starting a mowing service. I do agree with what was said earlier though, get one at a implement, or small engine place.

[tightloop]

Get a lawn crew let them burn up their machine.....

I bought a John Deere with a 42" deck to cut my 1.5 acres. Wished I bought a bigger machine because it still took a long time to mow. I solve the problem by hiring a service. Unless you really like cutting your lawn instead of shooting, HIRE THE SERVICE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was not kidding when I said to get a service.....I have 2/3rds of an acre, not as much as most of you on this thread, but lots for an old guy like me to keep up...for the first year my Deere with a 38 in cut worked ok, but it still took over 1.5 hours because of the flower beds and trees, and the maintanence is the same if you have 2/3 acre or 5 acres...

Now I have a service which cuts it for 55 bucks, edges it with a string cutter and goes around all the beds and trees too...usually 5 or 6 of them swarm the yard and are done in about 35 minutes...You can't beat it with a stick...

I have it cut every other week except when I really want it to look good...still lots less than one of the big yard tractors...works for me.

[Jim Norman]

I have friends that hire out to get their lawns cut. I hire out for my business.

Problem one is that they cut on their schedule, not on mine. I will cut or not as my lawn needs it, not eery week or two weeks.

And there is one real benefit: I put on my dust mask and my earmuffs. I start the tractor and I mow. For the next 1-1/2 hours or so, I AM OR OF TOUCH WITH THE WORLD! THis is one time that no one will interupt me and no one will bother me. It is a lot like doing the dishes after a big party at a rescue squad or fire company. NO ONE BOTHERS THE DISHWASHER! because no one else wants the job.

Now, that said, If I were going away for a couple weeks, I would hire a service to mow so that my lawn looked cared for and the house didn't look like no one was home.

Now mind you, I don't edge my gardens ecvery time. I string trim down to bare ground around the trees about three times a year and edge the walks and gardens about the same.

I live in a home, not at a golf course.

And I really would rather be doing a lot of other things. But since this has to be done, It isn't too big a deal to just do it.

Jim

[wooddog]

Having run a landscape co. for 23 years now I suggest finding

a used commercial walk behind such as a scag or ransomes. (riding mowers are for FOG's) (fat old guys) Go to a local commercial dealer and see what you find. They are in general better than a box store and will have knowledge of the particular machine. This way parts a available. These mowers are built to mow more in a day than you will mow in a year, a good used one will last your lifetime. Make sure it has a Koler or Kawaski engine. One of the scags I own has been with me for over 10 years, and while I do not use it every week, it fires and mows anytime I need a back up.

...my .02

[Flexmoney]

Lots of good response. Thanks everybody.

We looked into a service. For us, a year of the service is about the cost of the riding mower. Gas and justifying my labor pushes the break-even time out a bit. So, that is factored in.

Consumer Reports on reliability says JD, Kabuta, then Craftsman (followed by the others). The Craftsman was a best buy, and just in our price range.

[Front Man]

I would look at used commercial mowers.

(If I were looking.)

Lawn mowing in my area is so price competitive you can't afford to do it yourself.

(Labor, cost of the machine, storage and upkeep.)

FM

[STInky]

We just bought a new Husquvarna 23hp, 48" deck with the foot-controlled hydrostatic transmission for our 1.5 acres. It works great, turns really tight for such a big mower. It replaced a 25 year old John Deere 18hp (Kohler) with a 46" deck and hand controlled hydro trans.

There is no way this new mower will last 25 years like the JD, but it is more user friendly. I like the fact that you can keep both hands on the wheel with the foot pedal controls.

[blue edge]

Get a lawn crew let them burn up their machine.....

I bought a John Deere with a 42" deck to cut my 1.5 acres. Wished I bought a bigger machine because it still took a long time to mow. I solve the problem by hiring a service. Unless you really like cutting your lawn instead of shooting, HIRE THE SERVICE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was not kidding when I said to get a service.....I have 2/3rds of an acre, not as much as most of you on this thread, but lots for an old guy like me to keep up...for the first year my Deere with a 38 in cut worked ok, but it still took over 1.5 hours because of the flower beds and trees, and the maintanence is the same if you have 2/3 acre or 5 acres...

Now I have a service which cuts it for 55 bucks, edges it with a string cutter and goes around all the beds and trees too...usually 5 or 6 of them swarm the yard and are done in about 35 minutes...You can't beat it with a stick...

I have it cut every other week except when I really want it to look good...still lots less than one of the big yard tractors...works for me.

I Cut,Trim edges flower beds driveways walkways and use a blower on all concrete and Both decks. 1/2 Acre 35 Minutes MYSELF

[tightloop]

Get a lawn crew let them burn up their machine.....

I bought a John Deere with a 42" deck to cut my 1.5 acres. Wished I bought a bigger machine because it still took a long time to mow. I solve the problem by hiring a service. Unless you really like cutting your lawn instead of shooting, HIRE THE SERVICE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was not kidding when I said to get a service.....I have 2/3rds of an acre, not as much as most of you on this thread, but lots for an old guy like me to keep up...for the first year my Deere with a 38 in cut worked ok, but it still took over 1.5 hours because of the flower beds and trees, and the maintanence is the same if you have 2/3 acre or 5 acres...

Now I have a service which cuts it for 55 bucks, edges it with a string cutter and goes around all the beds and trees too...usually 5 or 6 of them swarm the yard and are done in about 35 minutes...You can't beat it with a stick...

I have it cut every other week except when I really want it to look good...still lots less than one of the big yard tractors...works for me.

I Cut,Trim edges flower beds driveways walkways and use a blower on all concrete and Both decks. 1/2 Acre 35 Minutes MYSELF

You trying to make me feel bad intentionally?...Just saying that it takes ME 1.5 hours, glad if you can do it 3.5x faster than I can..for me it was worth having a service....and not trying to compare you by yourself to my service which has 5 or 6 guys, but if you both can cut the same sized lawn in 35 minutes, can you do 20 lawns in a day...my service can...

[John Dunn]

One thing to consider on the zero turn units is that they do not turn well on hills, especially if the grass is dewy. On fairly level surfaces they are great.

[Front Man]

One thing to consider on the zero turn units is that they do not turn well on hills, especially if the grass is dewy. On fairly level surfaces they are great.

Mr Dunn is absolutley correct; any steep inclines like trimming grader ditches are not what ZTR's are made for.

Also you won't pull fertilizer spreaders, and sprayers with a ZTR.

A lawn tractor with a PTO shaft is nice to have too.

You might have to use it to power a generator someday.

FM

[Bill Nesbitt]

I have it cut every other week except when I really want it to look good

Grass must grow a lot slower in Texas. I have to mow mine every 5 days in the spring if I don't want to rake.

[tightloop]

Bill mine is bermuda, not san augustine...it does get kind of bushy sometimes...but then relief is just a phone call away....LOL

[robomanusa]

Here is what my dad bought for my stepmom right before he passed away, she has about 3 acres to mow and does it in about 45 minutes with the 66"

http://www.exmark.com/lazerz.htm

there not cheap, it was like 10,000.00, but dad figured she would not need the regular tractor for farm use like he did, so sold it when he got diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. makes her life alot easier to not have to spend half the day mowing

[JKSNIPER]

I have a little less than 3/4 of an acre and a LOT of lawn to mow.

I have a John Deere LT133 and it does good.

A bigger model might not be able to manuver around the flower beds and stuff in the yard.

It was not cheap as I brought it new but I do the maint. every year myself, keep it filled with stabilized gas so when the winter hits it can sit for a while without worry, sharpen the blades on a grinding wheel, not too much else to do other than that.

I have owned craftsman mowers and I recommend the John Deere. Nothing bad about craftsman but the Deere runs good without problems.

I keep it in my shed in the backyard so its out of the rain.

Good luck with your search.

JK

[mdstihl]

md, Kohler has not been bought out and quality is as good or better than ever. I have done a couple projects for them this year in the engine plant and will do more this year. I have also done work for Briggs at my last job, and feel qualified to compare the two.

Sounds like you're up close and personal. I was just going by what 3 different mechanics have told me, as in the new ones aren't what they used to be. But, no matter. I run second hand mowers that are considered worn out anyway, before I get 'em.