0 turn mowers

[tigmusky]

Hi all

Looking at buying a new mower. This is the line so far.
1. hustler
2. bad boy
3. swisher

something a round 46'' to 60'' deck zero turn
all the mowers have about the same motors Kaw. briggs or koherls

I have about 2 mowable acers. I just want it done now! so I can play in the garage.

Any insite would be great .
Thanks, Daye

 

[ossaguy]

I know it's not on your list,but a Scag Tiger Cub is a great unit that you might want to chk out.

Steve

 

[lauver]

Tig,

With 2 acres to mow, you'll probably want and need the 60" deck.

I'm not familier with Swisher or Bad Boy mowers. But Hustler makes some nice ZTR machines.

 

[monstergarage87]

I second the tiger cub.. built like a tank. Probably the last mower you'll have to buy. My parents just bought one for their new house but using it at the old one for now. I can mow the 2 acres here in about 15-20min. Much better than the hour it used to take me with the push mower

 

[nate379]

I know it's not on your list, but Toro is another.

My Dad bought one a couple years ago, 72" deck. They have around 3.5 acres to cut between 2 properties

I believe it's this one, but I don't remember for sure.

http://www.toro.com/professional/lce/zmaster/z550/74273.html

What would take 3hrs on a CMan 46" deck tractor takes about 45 mins with that Toro!

 

[Paumanok]

We have a gravely 31hp diesel 72" deck with hydraulic deck height adjustment. Its a beast. I would recomend gravely or scag for a zero turn. And I will echo what nate said - we have almost 5 acres of nice lawn to cut, and with an old lawn tractor it took like 3 plus hrs. With this beast its just under an hr. The nice big difference comes from the stronger motors + and the ability to zero turn.

 

[nate379]

My Dad was saying the only complaints he has is that it doesn't sidehill very well and if you aren't careful and turn while going too fast it will tear up the lawn. (this is compared to the C Man tractor)

The Toro he has had a bunch of attachements you can get as well. Plow, snowblower, yard rake, etc. He has a 35hp 4x4 diesel tractor for snow removal but it is an option if you can only get 1 machine.

 

[Bo Heck]

Dixie Chopper, Scag, Toro, Hustler

 

[Underdog]

Dixie Chopper, Scag, +1

 

[trackwelder]

Around here Toro or Scag. I have worked on them all and Toro is the best for getting parts.

 

[Treeman]

You need to find out what "good" dealers are nearby, and then post your choices. Nearly any commercial mower used for homeowner use will last you forever. What's important is to have a good dealer for service, if that ever is required (they are complicated, but dependable machines).

A wider deck is not always best. I "think" that 60" is one of the most common for the commercial users. Wider than that on uneven ground, and scalping/less even cut becomes more of an issue. A smaller deck will ride over uneven ground better.

On two acres, the difference between a smaller deck and a larger one will amount to about 15 minutes of time.

If you have lots of trimming and/or tight spots, a smaller mower will reduce or eliminate the use of a hand mower. So, a smaller mower could be quicker in some instances.....think about it. At my workplace with dozens of trees to trim around, our Exmark 56" HP with wide overhang on the left side eliminates most hand trimming.

At lawnsite.com, Bad Boy is getting a lot of positive attention for its quality build and low prices. They are relatively new and are trying to meet the established competition. The newest John Deere models seem to be getting lots of negative feedback.

Again, choosing a good dealer is as important (or more so) than the brand. In our area, Skag is the predominant brand used commercially, followed by Exmark. Finally, I find that mowing on our Exmark is both fun and relaxing. You don't want that to end too fast!

 

[ryan_289]

Ill agree about the deck size being important. I sell John Deere mowers and while the commercial guys like the 60" decks, most homeowners like 54" or smaller. The smaller the cut width the better the cut unless your yard is perfectly smooth and straight.

 

[kbs2244]

Treeman has is down pretty good.
Get the one with the best local support.
And you can go too wide.

One of the big differences I have seen is not that they are wider or that they turn faster, it is that since they are almost always higher powered you can drive faster.
That is why they are popular even for large clear areas.

Although I like and use a lot of B&S engines, if all else is equal go with one of the K engines.

 

[baucom]

One mower I haven't seen mentioned yet--Ferris. They have a suspension to smooth the ride over rough ground. I haven't personally used one and can't comment on how much better their suspension is than a good suspension seat, but the guy who used to mow the yard across the street from us used 1 and had nothing but good to say about it.

Start by looking at commercial mowers that are represented by good local dealers and narrow down from there. Any commercial grade mower will last a very long time for a homeowner, so long as it's well maintained. Also, IMO, unless you need a smaller deck to fit in tight spaces, I haven't been impressed with decks <52" on ztrs--they tend not to stick out far enough on the trim side to get really close to shrubs, etc.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Treeman is correct. There are dozens of decent brands of commercial mowers, but you need to buy one with a long standing dealer near you who can get you service and parts when you need them.

If you have a real flat yard, a 60" would be OK, if it is lumpy or uneven in any way, a 60" will be too much and start scalping. Remember, the bigger the deck, the more horsepower it consumes.

I have a 52" Great Dane Chariot with a 25 hp Kohler.

The Scag Turf Tiger has some design features I really like. The crankshaft is horizontal, The belts are on the very rear, the hydraulic pumps are mounted horizontal outboard of and below the engine, thus the belts are very accessible. One of the pulleys drives a shaft with U-joints that runs forward to the deck to drive it. Eliminates the long deck drive belt that constantly runs in mis-alignment due to the deck being adjusted up or down and the deck and drive pulleys in a belt drive system not aligning. This is the cats meow, but you do pay dearly for it.

My Great Dane cost $7000 in year 2000. Some of these mowers can get up to $10,000, 12,000 depending on the engine and deck size. It is and will be the last mower you will ever need to buy, so shop carefully.

Scag
Toro
Grashopper
Dixie Chopper
Hustler
John Deere
ExMark
Country Clipper
Land Pride
Simplicity
Swisher
Ferris
Kubota
Massey Ferguson
Bob-Cat
Yard Shark
Husqvarna
Snapper
Bunton
Bad Boy
Great Dane (designed by Mr. Dane Scag, inventor of the Scag mowers)
...............................



Charles

 

[jlenander]

If you want to bag, I highly suggest looking at Walker. They are, in my opinion, the best designed and constructed bagging/ride-on available. I love mine!

 

[rhandwor]

Look for grease fittings on mower deck and other critical areas.

 

[Bo Heck]

I forgot about Kubota and Walker, lots of guys give those big thumbs up too