Mower

[bluedog225]

I have about 3-4 acres out at the place I‘d like to keep cleared. I’m done trying with the push mower.

Temped to go pick up a used tractor and pto operated mower. And a loader would be helpful around the place. I think I can pick up something that I can keep running for about $10 grand. Another option is a zero turn. Or a lawn tractor With a deck mower.

Most of the place looks like this. Tall grass and some brush. I can clear the remaining mesquite by hand. And I can keep killing it over time with herbicide.

What do you guys think? These zero turns look pretty capable. Will it beat me up riding around on uneven ground? I’m thinking with at lawn tractor/deck mower, or even the full sized tractor, I’ll have a more comfortable ride.

A $40,000 Kubota or Deere setup is probably off the table.

What’s the smart move here?

Thanks

 

[mike93lx]

I think a residential grade ztr is going to beat the **** out of you and not last long. How often do you let it get that tall?

 

[JimH74]

I have an older Scag Tiger Cat 48" that I mow about two acres with. I've had it for 16 seasons. I live in the hill country, and the Scag does a good job. Wish it was a larger deck, something you might keep in mind. I replaced the seat with an aftermarket suspension seat, and with all the rocks and uneven terrain, it still jars my teeth. Also have a Kubota B series compact tractor with a brush hog. It jars my teeth more-no suspension seat. To start with, you might consider having your property brush hogged, to see what your'e working with. If you don't have a lot of rocks or rough surface, a zero turn is the way to go. I don't know much about Cub Cadet, but I think as tall as that is, you'd have a rough time getting through it the first time. Most people in my area use commercial mowers or have their grass mowed. The ones that I know have lower quality mowers seem to have them serviced frequently.

 

[bluedog225]

I think a residential grade ztr is going to beat the **** out of you there and not last long. How often do you let it get that tall?

It’s been about 20 years un-mowed. Some places closer to 30.

My friend convinced me to start knocking down the stuff around the shop.

 

[JeepYJ]

Small tractor with a three point flail mower would be my first choice for getting and keeping that somewhat maintained.

 

[bluedog225]

I have an older Scag Tiger Cat 48" that I mow about two acres with. I've had it for 16 seasons. I live in the hill country, and the Scag does a good job. Wish it was a larger deck, something you might keep in mind. I replaced the seat with an aftermarket suspension seat, and with all the rocks and uneven terrain, it still jars my teeth. Also have a Kubota B series compact tractor with a brush hog. It jars my teeth more-no suspension seat. To start with, you might consider having your property brush hogged, to see what your'e working with. If you don't have a lot of rocks or rough surface, a zero turn is the way to go. I don't know much about Cub Cadet, but I think as tall as that is, you'd have a rough time getting through it the first time. Most people in my area use commercial mowers or have their grass mowed. The ones that I know have lower quality mowers seem to have them serviced frequently.

Agreed. That’s been on my mind as the best way to start. Then I want to keep up with it.

 

[mike93lx]

It’s been about 20 years un-mowed. Some places closer to 30.

My friend convinced me to start knocking down the stuff around the shop.

I agree with starting with a brush hogging, at least.

If you want it grass, finding someone with a skid steer and a landscape rake would get it smoothed out well.

 

[bluedog225]

Looks like we’re not allowed to have stuff like this yet.

 

[whateg01]

My friend convinced me to start knocking down the stuff around the shop.

I love my ego push mower, but maybe this isn't the right application for it!

 

[PCustoms]

$10k for a basketcase tractor for a remote property to mow 3-4 acres seems like a bad move IMHO...

How many acres total?

Paying someone 1-2 times to brush and then getting a rider might be a better option, but no way to tell how rough the "lawn" will be.

 

[bluedog225]

28 acres total. Mostly wooded. Some natural pasture.

These guys are the same age as my next wife…..

 

[Snapped-off]

I picked up my used diesel Grasshopper ZT for 4k. Don't rule out a used one.

 

[carlaisle]

What is the going rate to have someone else mow the areas you want mowed with their equipment twice per year?

 

[finn]

Small tractor with a three point flail mower would be my first choice for getting and keeping that somewhat maintained.

This.

And remember there are other brands out there than Kubota and Deere. Just find something with a local dealer. A 25-26 hp used tractor with a flail and front end loader, like the Kioti CK 2610 will probably run more than your budget, but at least take a look around. Get something that’s not too old, though. Stick with a compact rather than a subcompact, and stay away from anything without rear PTO and hydraulics or a skid steer plate mounted front end loader.

 

[MushCreek]

I bought a '65 Ford 3000 for $2500, and it does everything I need it to do. It's tired, but it keeps on chuggin'. I've used it to plow, disc, rake, spread, mow, and run my wood chipper. That stuff looks way to rough and heavy for a zero turn. Now that I have my field groomed, I mow it with the ZT. Either pay someone to whip it into shape, or get a tractor with a bush hog. If you buy a used tractor, check the tires ($$$) and wheels (people fill them with water and they rust out). If it starts easy and runs well, and everything functions without a dozen fluid leaks, a used machine should be fine.

 

[Wrench97]

A buddy has the JD loader and found mowing with it a pain, it bounces, leaves ruts and is hard to mow around trees, houses, sheds etc.
He picked up a used Ferris zero turn with a Kawasaki motor for $2500 it has a suspension system and rides very nice.

 

[mike93lx]

28 acres total. Mostly wooded. Some natural pasture.

These guys are the same age as my next wife…..

27 years old is the goal, not 41!

 

[jack stand]

It’s been about 20 years un-mowed. Some places closer to 30

Find a guy to hit it once a year and push mow the immediate area around the building as you please.
Keeping the mentioned mowers operating with such infrequent use is going to cause reliability issues not to mention it taking up a lot of space for a couple of hours of use per year.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Find a guy to hit it once a year and push mow the immediate area around the building as you please.
Keeping the mentioned mowers operating with such infrequent use is going to cause reliability issues not to mention it taking up a lot of space for a couple of hours of use per year.

I agree. It’s like me owning a forklift these days. It has become more of an enduring 21 year friend than a needed tool. I am 73 and the overhead hoist, pallet jack, and renting a drop deck trailer would clear all the machinery out of the shop when I am gone. The drop deck trailers are a game changer in moving ton weight level machines. Roll on, roll off.

 

[jblnut]

….and stay away from anything without rear PTO and hydraulics or a skid steer plate mounted front end loader.

I purchased a Deere 2038r and this was a big concern for me at first as I have three skid loaders and a few dozen attachments already. That being said, most of the buckets and things I’d think of using on the 2038r weigh more than half of its rated lift capacity rendering them almost useless once attached. If you don’t already have a really small skiddy with a ton of attachments you’ll be buying attachments anyway. Just buy them for what you will put them on. I have a bucket and pallet forks and haven’t felt the need for any other loader mounted stuff in 150+hrs of use.

OP - Most companies have financing of sorts to get you into a new machine. I financed my 2038r for 0% interest for 6yrs. It made buying new a whole lot easier and I don’t regret it one bit.

I’d find a tractor you like and stick a flail mower or brush mower behind it and have fun. Having a loader with a bucket on front would be nice so you can run it close to the ground to tip the brush over so it’s not quite as hard on the underside of the tractor.

 

[Yankeefarmer]

A buddy has the JD loader and found mowing with it a pain, it bounces, leaves ruts and is hard to mow around trees, houses, sheds etc.
He picked up a used Ferris zero turn with a Kawasaki motor for $2500 it has a suspension system and rides very nice.

This will happen when mowing with a mid-mount mower and no rear ballast on the 3 point. Simple solution is to detach the loader when mowing. Takes less than one minute on my JD 755.

 

[Rst277]

Old farm tractors are cheap, durable, reliable and easy to fix. Lots of tractors at farm auctions that will run a 6' mower and they can go for peanuts. Stick to the big brands and don't worry about it sitting for a month or two. I bought a Ford 861 with a 6' finishing mower almost 20 years ago. It has a zillion hours on it, I rebuilt the carb 2 years ago, otherwise nothing but oil changes. Last years gas, it doesn't care, drop a battery in it and it starts.

 

[bassJAM]

That cub is a residential mower that will both beat you up and won't last very long. But like other's have said, you really need a bush hog for that. My dad is still maintaining his 36 acres with a Ford 8n from the 40's that he bought in 95, that old stuff can last a very long time and parts are still available.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Your location is Texas, and the photo looks like a pretty dry part of the state. How often is mowing required? I suspect that if you knock it down to regular lawn height it's going to be just brown dust for a good part of the year.

 

[finn]

I purchased a Deere 2038r and this was a big concern for me at first as I have three skid loaders and a few dozen attachments already. That being said, most of the buckets and things I’d think of using on the 2038r weigh more than half of its rated lift capacity rendering them almost useless once attached. If you don’t already have a really small skiddy with a ton of attachments you’ll be buying attachments anyway. Just buy them for what you will put them on. I have a bucket and pallet forks and haven’t felt the need for any other loader mounted stuff in 150+hrs of use.

OP - Most companies have financing of sorts to get you into a new machine. I financed my 2038r for 0% interest for 6yrs. It made buying new a whole lot easier and I don’t regret it one bit.

I’d find a tractor you like and stick a flail mower or brush mower behind it and have fun. Having a loader with a bucket on front would be nice so you can run it close to the ground to tip the brush over so it’s not quite as hard on the underside of the tractor.

Not sure, but I think Deere may be the only manufacturer clinging to a proprietary loader mounting system, although someone told me that the universal SS mount is an option on many models.

You’re correct that a SCUT isn’t going to handle a grapple well, but a CUT will do well with a moderately sized grapple, as long as you don’t go with the full GJ “Bigger is Better” mantra.

Once you have a loader, forks are the next step. I’m using the skid steer forks that came with my old Deere skid steer on my Kioti ck4010 CUT, and while they are bulletproof and work well, a lighter set would do the job. Clamp on forks sometimes damage the bucket when used with too much exuberance.

My flail is some sort of Chinese import that I found on marketplace for a grand. I only use it a couple times a year in spring and early summer to beat back the wilderness and deal with fallen oak tree limbs. Later in the grass season I switch to riding mower to get closer to the trees and get a finer cut. The lawn tractor was getting torn up doing the early mowing, and a rotary cutter, aka Bush Hog was difficult to maneuver around the mature oaks. The rotary cutter was better for taming the wilderness at first. It seemed bulletproof, but the flail gives a neater cut. Every year the shop yard looks a little more civilized and perhaps a ZTR will handle it some day. Not yet, though.

 

[TriumphFan]

I have a "grey market" Yanmar 2000 BD tractor that is cheap, reliable and built to last. It has a PTO and 4WD but no loader. I keep 5 acres but use a lawn tractor on the lawn part of it.

 

[bluedog225]

That cub is a residential mower that will both beat you up and won't last very long. But like other's have said, you really need a bush hog for that. My dad is still maintaining his 36 acres with a Ford 8n from the 40's that he bought in 95, that old stuff can last a very long time and parts are still available.

Same here. I learned to drive on an 8N. If my place were flat, I’d be tempted.

 

[bluedog225]

Your location is Texas, and the photo looks like a pretty dry part of the state. How often is mowing required? I suspect that if you knock it down to regular lawn height it's going to be just brown dust for a good part of the year.

What you see will mostly die down and fall over by March. Then grow again in the spring. I wouldn’t imagine mowing more than 3-4 times a year. And leaving it a little tall for the summer.

 

[bluedog225]

I have a "grey market" Yanmar 2000 BD tractor that is cheap, reliable and built to last. It has a PTO and 4WD but no loader. I keep 5 acres but use a lawn tractor on the lawn part of it.

Cheap and reliable is the goal. Nothing fancy. What grey market is this?

 

[JeepYJ]

Not sure, but I think Deere may be the only manufacturer clinging to a proprietary loader mounting system, although someone told me that the universal SS mount is an option on many models.

The JDQA design is superior to the SSQA on small tractors. You can get all the FEL attachments you want with JDQA and can buy the plates to weld on older used attachments if you want or adapters (although they add weight which you don’t want with lower lift capacities). I don’t think that’s a showstopper that would take a JD out of consideration.

 

[JeepYJ]

What grey market is this?

Grey (gray) market refers to imports, usually from Asia or Eastern Europe, that don’t really have dealer support in NA or are no longer manufactured. Yanmar isn’t really a gray market tractor. They built Deere compacts for years and supply engines to many of the small tractor manufacturers. You can buy new Yanmars from dealers in the USA Today.

 

[bluedog225]

27 years old is the goal, not 41!

Not sure I need all the modern features.

 

[Hank11]

I think paying someone to mow the bulk of it several times a year is a great solution. The hardest thing you have to do is write him a check. And it’s probably gonna be cheaper than anything you can buy.

 

[finn]

The JDQA design is superior to the SSQA on small tractors. You can get all the FEL attachments you want with JDQA and can buy the plates to weld on older used attachments if you want or adapters (although they add weight which you don’t want with lower lift capacities). I don’t think that’s a showstopper that would take a JD out of consideration.

Like you say, the Deere system works, but you’re pretty much limited to overpriced and rare Deere attachments unless you’re up to dicking around modifying commonly available industry standard attachments to fit.

At one time several manufacturers had their own oddball/ unique mounting systems, but they have gradually been standardizing on the universal SSQA design over the past twenty years.

On grey market tractors, they’re usually fairly bulletproof, except possibly for some of the obscure Eastern European and Chinese models. All it takes is one unavailable part to put a tractor out of service, though, although that’s always a risk with older equipment. Even Deere seems to be backing away from their vaulted lifetime parts availability on smaller tractors, and parts for some of the Japanese sourced/Ford branded tractors are getting scarce, per the guys on the tractor forums I used to haunt.

Kubota for one wouldn’t even allow dealers to order parts for tractors not imported through their agents and certified to US standards. I don’t know if that’s still true, though.

 

[JeepYJ]

you’re pretty much limited to overpriced and rare Deere attachments unless you’re up to dicking around modifying commonly available industry standard attachments to fit.

JDQA attachments aren’t rare and they’re usually the same price as the SSQA counterparts when buying new. I haven’t found this mythical source of cheap plentiful SSQA attachments that’s always mentioned on Internet forums.
The JDQA is lighter weight, no moving parts and faster to use than SSQA which makes it perfect for compact and utility tractors.

 

[jblnut]

Not sure, but I think Deere may be the only manufacturer clinging to a proprietary loader mounting system, although someone told me that the universal SS mount is an option on many models.

I’m also fairly certain Deere is the only one with their own at this point. My dealer asked me if I wanted the SSQA on my machine and I said Nope. I figured I’d get into trouble with it up there and then needed to purchase a properly sized bucket instead of an additional set of pallet forks. My 5,000lb skiddy forks weigh 500lbs or so vs the 200ish for the Deere pin on ones I got. The SSQA on these small machines isn’t a major selling point when you really boil it down. Nice, sure but you need properly sized attachments anyway so you’re gonna be buying more stuff most likely.

That being said. The SSQA is more robust in every single way so there is that but the Deere pin on style comes on machines up to a 5-Series for some reason so these little machines we’re talking about should never destroy the pin on system.

 

[BombShelter]

I've never ridden a low-rider, but I love riding high on my Ford LGT 165, I actually enjoy mowing, although trees are a pain, which seem to be no problem for zero-turns. I bought my tractor from 1978, it came with a plow, snow plow, tiller and mower deck, and it was well taken care of. The Kohler Engine is rebuildable and keeps chugging along.

I'd be jumping on something like the JD you pictured but with more accessories, you'll be loving having a front bucket and the ability to hook attachments to the back. Grading the yard, moving rocks or mulch all are easy with a tractor plus they tend to hold their value for a long time.

 

[Fixr]

The Cub Cadet ZT1 series is a light-duty entry level residential mower with essentially non-serviceable hydros. Not even close to being durable enough for that property. I agree with having someone do the initial mowing with a substantial tractor mounted brush hog or rough-cut flail mower.

 

[bluedog225]

If I go used, I’ll run it through basic functions. Look for leaks. Shifting. Etc.

But what tests would you recommend? Even if I have to pay for them. Compression, other? Is there a way to test the hydraulics other than just observing operation?

 

[jblnut]

Like you say, the Deere system works, but you’re pretty much limited to overpriced and rare Deere attachments unless you’re up to dicking around modifying commonly available industry standard attachments to fit.

I looked on four popular little tractor websites and every attachment I looked at has JDQA and SSQA as an option and no one had an up charge for the JDQA. A few had an up charge for the SSQA for some reason.

I paid $890 for my Frontier forks from the dealer. I wouldn’t call that overpriced or hard to find.

The JDQA has been around for a long time and as such is considered one of the “industry standards”. If it wasn’t there would be no 3rd party companies making them. I even found a few other QA styles on a few sites like the old Yanmar style.