On top of what's already been said, going from a 42" deck to a 54" in my case made a noticeable difference as well.
Talk to me about zero turn mowers
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On top of what's already been said, going from a 42" deck to a 54" in my case made a noticeable difference as well.
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Not a ZT but that's the Ingersoll brand of small tractors. In the 60s it was Case, 90s case Ingersoll, finally went to Ingersoll. Big hydraulic pump direct coupled to a single or double cylinder engine. Hydraulic motor driving the diff. They made small lawnmower size with 12 inch rear tires and Scut size with 24 inch rear tires. The were one of the first to make a dedicated TLB SCUT size tractor.
Im no expert on them but I think they tried the hydro motor driven mower deck and quickly went back to belt drive.
I have a 50" Toro with the man-card shredding steering wheel. It's a heavy-duty residential model, with a welded deck and very high blade tip speed (18,900 fpm according to the manual) so you can't outrun the blades even though it's pretty fast. Apparently no longer manufactured, nor is the analogous Exmark, but there may be some NOS leftovers out there. I think only Cub Cadet builds steering-wheel ZT's now.
My yard doesn't have a flat spot on it anywhere, and is bumpy as crap. Some of the slopes are steep, with lots of places where slopes intersect. I can ignore the slopes, and the bumps, except for trying not to scalp. I can mow a bumpy sidehill with the pedal to the metal; or be going down a steep slope at an angle, and turn around in either direction, and go back up. With ATV tires, it would be like a cat on carpet. It tracks absolutely straight through everything.
A bonus is that the front steering mechanism adds enough weight that you don't need to worry about looping it when going up hill.
My lawn is only 3/4 acre, so it c0uld be argued that I don't need such a mower; but like @vaskeet above, my weekend free time is too precious to waste in the yard. During daylight saving time, which pretty much encompasses mowing season, I can get the lawn cut before dark even if I don't get home until nearly 7pm.
my finish mower is a 72 in cut rear discharge and even as a rear discharge it did not move grass out very efficiently. I also think part of it (rough cut ) is the fact that the finish mower is riding on 4 hard mounted smaller hard wheels so it reacts more to dips and holes, The ZTH has larger wheels that ride over those holes better
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spittinfire
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This thread took off a lot more than I thought it would.
Honestly, I'm still on the fence between a decent size tractor to mow and do the rest of the work around here on the area that isn't grass or a zero turn. I really didn't want two machines but finding a tractor that will work well for everything seems to be a challenge.
Honestly, I'm still on the fence between a decent size tractor to mow and do the rest of the work around here on the area that isn't grass or a zero turn. I really didn't want two machines but finding a tractor that will work well for everything seems to be a challenge.
I've got a Cub Z60, it has a steering wheel rather than joysticks. You can steer it so you have some level of control if starts sliding. I thought that might come in handy on some of the hills around the pond. 
I bought a 7' finish mower for the fields that I use in the yard some but the zero turn is easier to use around the trees and fences.
I bought a 7' finish mower for the fields that I use in the yard some but the zero turn is easier to use around the trees and fences.
I raised the back of mine an inch and it seems to clear out better and not choke down as much.
If you're mower has an electric clutch PTO, add a fuse if it doesn't already have one!
As soon as I post that I've had no problems in 10 years, the PTO clutch shorts out and melts its wiring harness.
As soon as I post that I've had no problems in 10 years, the PTO clutch shorts out and melts its wiring harness.
Any of the brand name mowers will be good. The "best" is the opinion of the owner. I would advise (a) buy a brand name that has service local to you for easy maintenance and (b) buy a commercial grade mower from whatever manufacturer you pick. They are significantly more robust than the residential models and are built to run hundreds of hours a season instead of the 20- 30 hours most homeowners (even ones with big yards) will run. With your acreage go for one with a 60" cut. Unfortunately they cost a lot more up front than residential grade but you save in repair costs (and frustration) during ownership.
John Ciolino
John Ciolino
It’s got to be the blade tip and travel speed, along with the fast turns. My 60” JD would cut a 7 acre open field much faster, and do a MUCH better job than a bush hog or finish mower behind a 40hp NewHolland tractor.
Lots of great info in this thread. My biggest suggestion would be to get on a couple of different brands and models and try them out. Exmark are my personal favorites but I also love the feel of the new John Deere mowers.
I am also a fan of stand on and self propelled walk behind mowers. The stand on mowers are very fast and are able to mow much steeper slopes. The weight displacement really changes how they perform in the yard. Most folks are not too keen on standing up while mowing.
I am also a fan of stand on and self propelled walk behind mowers. The stand on mowers are very fast and are able to mow much steeper slopes. The weight displacement really changes how they perform in the yard. Most folks are not too keen on standing up while mowing.
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spittinfire
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I’m going to revive this thread because in my trolling I found this. Any thoughts on this style machine?
It’s a 72” deck, yanmar diesel, 4wd. It’s a heck of a lot cheaper than any zero turn I’d consider.
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It’s a 72” deck, yanmar diesel, 4wd. It’s a heck of a lot cheaper than any zero turn I’d consider.
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I am NOT an expert.....but I'd put gravely in the top 3 for brands .....I’m going to revive this thread because in my trolling I found this. Any thoughts on this style machine?
It’s a 72” deck, yanmar diesel, 4wd. It’s a heck of a lot cheaper than any zero turn I’d consider.
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1) Scag
2) Gravely
3) Hustler
I just bought a Scag Liberty...52"..23HP Kawasaki. Absolutely love it. It's my First zero turn and I'm still "learning"...but it's fantastic!
Can't go wrong with any zero turn. I mainly bought this to cut my mama's grass and I possibly will buy the property next to her if the guy sells it.
Get a zero....you won't regret it!
DS
That's what was used on golf courses except with a reel mower. for the right price you almost cou9 go wrongI’m going to revive this thread because in my trolling I found this. Any thoughts on this style machine?
It’s a 72” deck, yanmar diesel, 4wd. It’s a heck of a lot cheaper than any zero turn I’d consider.
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spittinfire
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I’m thinking the rear steer would be really close to a zero turn, like a fork lift. The 4wd could come in handy on the hill out front too. Asking price is $2k
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I tested one similar, it didn’t have the blade or travel speed of a commercial ZT. Unless I drove slow, the finish was poor. Test cut before you buy.I’m going to revive this thread because in my trolling I found this. Any thoughts on this style machine?
It’s a 72” deck, yanmar diesel, 4wd. It’s a heck of a lot cheaper than any zero turn I’d consider.
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There's no period either so he could still take back up to writing any minute!
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Parts availability and service is going to be more difficult to find for those machines.
I would recommend a zero turn that does not come from a big box store. Your local outdoor power equipment dealer is where I would start. There are many solid brands on the market, but parts and service is a key factor.
So 4.5 acres to mow... How is the terrain?What is your budget?
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spittinfire
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Terrain is basically flat but right by the road there is a fairly steep hill that feeds the drainage system. I doubt any mower could mow it all, I have to weed eat the base of it now and I doubt that will change. Budget? As little as possible. I'm not saying the machines aren't worth the money but I have a hard time spending $8-10k on lawn mower. I think if I go used I could keep it under $5k but I honestly don't really want to spend that much.
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In that price range, I like the Husqvarna MZ series that have the entry level commercial transmissions and fabricated mower deck. MZ48, MZ54, or the MZ61. You can get those mowers with a Briggs & Stratton, or they offer Kawasaki power for a couple hundred more bucks.
I have owned a couple of Toro’s.
Excellent machines.
Excellent machines.
I was looking for a new mower last year around this time and went with a bad boy 60” elite. Cut my mowing time in half and was less than 5k new. The biggest deciding factor for me was that my wife had just started a job at tractor supply and got 15% off. The mower has been great with no issues, somewhere around 90 hours on it now.
MSRP was $5400 for my Scag...
I did NOT pay MSRP! Plus I got 1.5% financing....
DS
What size is the deck? I like the lights.
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Saw a neighbor using a Ryobi electric zero turn yesterday. Super quiet.
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OP
spittinfire
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What size deck is that?
52"...and 23HP Kawasaki.
The 48" deck/ 21HP was only $200 less....so I opted for 2 more Horsepower and 4 more inches (that's what she said...lol
)DS
52"...
Lights were extra....
Also got the "transport deck mount"...it's a lever for $27 that I feel is a must. You have to pull it to push the deck lower mechanism.
DS
I mow the slope on my range with my 61" Scag Turf Tiger. The back slope is 1:1 aka a 45 degree angle. It mows just fine and no sense of trying to tip over.
CHRIS_WNC
Member
Low and wide is where it's at. I have a 60" Hustler Z that looks like a lowrider and handles hills with no issues. I think I paid just over $7k for mine about a decade ago. It was a zero percent interest Yard Card thing that I paid off fairly quickly. We were paying $210 every two weeks from spring to fall for the lawn guys to cut it.
CHRIS
Y'all inspired me to finally add lights.
After researching a bunch of options, I found yellow (the White's were 6,500K- blue/white) that mostly project in a horizontal stripe. Perfect for mowing the lawn, shooting lane, and not becoming a mobile bug light. I need to get a rectangular switch since the console already has a cut out under the plastic decal.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P43BM8T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
After researching a bunch of options, I found yellow (the White's were 6,500K- blue/white) that mostly project in a horizontal stripe. Perfect for mowing the lawn, shooting lane, and not becoming a mobile bug light. I need to get a rectangular switch since the console already has a cut out under the plastic decal.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P43BM8T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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