Once again:Choice of zero turn,not commercial

redtom

Well-known Member
Every spring I toy with the idea of a zero turn. I've been driving a Cub Cadet lawn tractor of some sort for 40 yrs. Ive got trees and junk on a 1 acre yard plus my folks next door. All I do is turn and back up (and the weakest point on a cadet is the steering box). I want a ZT. which one? from what I see, all the entry level, say, 3,500$ and lower are the same. Just different colors and probably come from MTD. I DONT need 60"" or 72"! My current 782D is 50" and that's plenty. Width is not my need, but maneuvering is. A 48" would be ideal. Neighbor has a SCAG but $7,000 is a little over the top. Please don't recommend a diesel mega awesome pro model of something. Obviously a $10,000 unit is better than a $5,000 model. I'd be open to slightly used too. I was thinking in the $4,000 range. My biggest fear is the tiny front wheels and my bumpy yard. The cheaper ones are not true "hydrostats" are they? Whats you guys ideas?
 
Not yet this year. What it seems is, as quality goes up, width goes up. and vice versa, with all brands. I would like a little better one but not so wide. A local guy that mows for hire says "only Exmark" and "never Cub Cadet", but that's just one opinion.
 
Find a used Deines. They have lots of deck widths and have true hydros. They are commercial quality but you can get a very nice one for $3000. I have two and didn't pay over $500 for either. They needed a few things but no big items. One is a 40" and one is a 60" cutting width and both are from the mid 80's. If they are still everyday dependable after that many years you know they are well made. This farm wasn't set up for a five foot mower, so I end up using both when I mow. The thing I like most is that the deck is not part of the frame and rides up front on its own wheels like a three point finish mower. The tractor portion is three wheeled so you only have one wheel hitting any given bump. They are a smooth ride and follow yard contours better than machines where the deck is a part of the frame (JD Z track).
 
I can't praise a Hustler mower enough. To this day its the mower every one else is trying to copy but build cheaper.
You can't build cheaper and not loose quality. I've owned four of them so far. All bought used, and never spent money on a repair not counting normal maintenance, belts or blades. Yes they are expensive but with the internet you can find them used for half the money. I use a big dealer who sells 100s of Hustler, Scag and a few others. I buy trade ins from him that have gone through his shop and they've had every inch looked at and all oils and filters changed, parts updated or replaced as needed etc. In other words, used isn't bad if its been taken care of. Especially when its a solid well built machine to begin with.

I'll tell you a little story.
Neighbor has a Cub Cadet ZT. Wanted my kids to mow his yard for him with his Cub while he was away for a few weeks. Didn't take long and my kids were bitc...complaining about having to use his mower. Second time they were to go over to mow they had a big argument about it. It had to get done and the grass was growing fast. I decided I'd take my two Hustlers over and get the job done faster with three mowers if I run one to. Like me he has acres and acres to mow. Them darn kids unloaded the Hustlers and took off a mowing, leaving me standing there looking at the Cub. Looked like a nice machine. Found out quick what was wrong with it. Rough riding, under powered, herky jerky hydro levers but the worst part was the handles were so far forward from my body, I soon got a back ache having to drive with my arms fully extended in front of me. It was sooo uncomfortable to drive. After a half hour I parked the machine and let the kids finish. The third time we mowed I brought my own mowers again and never even started his up. Again, its a zero turn and it looks cool BUT IT AIN'T A HUSTLER! I'm sure there will be others on here defend their Cubs but I'm convinced they just haven't had a good mower and don't know the difference.
 
You'll want a mower with a welded deck. For your budget, Cub Cadet makes a ZTR with a welded deck. But for a little bit more money you can get into something commercial-grade. As far as I know, all the ZTRs are hydrostatics, but only the high-end commercial units use separate pumps and motors. The mid-range machines all use dual transaxles, and they pretty much all use units made by Hydro-Gear. You can get a rough idea how mowers from different manufacturers compare just by seeing which model Hydro-Gear transaxle they use: ZT-3100s are better than ZT-2800s and so forth.

I bought a Ferris IS700Z a year ago and I've been really happy with my purchase. It is an amazing time saver; it has cut my mowing time down to about a third what it used to take. Ferris mowers are unique in that they have an independent suspension that helps soften the ride. For a consumer-grade mower, check out Simplicity; Simplicity and Ferris are both owned by Briggs and Stratton and both have independent suspensions. For the difference in price, I think Ferris is a better deal.

You're right that you don't need a real wide mower. Mine has a 52 inch deck, which doesn't sound very wide, but the mowing speed is so fast it covers the ground quickly. Don't buy a deck wider than the smallest gap you need to squeeze through.
 
I did some trading with a customer, and have been cutting with a used, 60 inch cut, Great Dane Golden Chariot for about 6 years now. having several customer that do commercial work, and having seen their mowers, I can say mine is as good, or better, than any of the ones the have.

I know one of the commercial mowers has a hydrostatic drive assembly that's all part of the rear axel. I've heard of quite a few of them having to be rebuilt/replaced, and all I can say is it's not cheap. The Great Dane has a hydrostatic pump, and then two drive motors, so they can be rebuilt/replaced individually if necessary, rather than having to do everything like you do with the drive axel assembly.

That said, I traded the mower for a $1500 debt, so I think I did pretty good for what I got.
 
Bought a 50" Exmark with 250 hours on it for $4000. It has been a great mower. In 8 years I've only had one issue when a safety switch went bad and wouldn't let me start it, otherwise it's been flawless.
 
Go ahead and get a zero-turn but before you do you should try an all-wheel-steer. I've had them both. and like the aws much better for going around trees. Mine is a John Deere but there may be others that make them.
 
I have a Cub Cadet 1042i that is a zero turn with a regular steering wheel. I love the thing. Have about a half acre to mow, but lots of obstacles. It's done the job well for 5 years now. I bought it late in the summer and talked the Home Depot guys down to $2400. Love the hydrostat drive, too.
 

Pretty hard to beat a New Dixon...

Have had the ole ones for 20 tears and they have been GOOD...

Have an XMark Comm and that is flawless...(Commercial), but Heavy...

My old Bolens QT 17's have been Tough (we raised and sold Christmas trees)...

NOT a fan of "Cub Cadet", they have been too light and definitely not as well made (Aluminum vs Cast Iron trans and front axle..

Ron..
 
I have a 7 year old "Bad Boy". It was a very good purchase for the dollars.
60" cut, 26 HP Briggs, Welded Deck
It has been very reliable. I would buy one again in a second, but this one is
ready to attack a lot more acres.
 
A couple of years ago the boss bought his wife a Hustler. I mowed with it once, never again, worse than riding a bucking horse. Always broke down or won't start or the battery is dead. Cheap plastic headlights fell off from vibration, seat is about rotted off, underneath of deck is always plugged with grass after mowing a few minutes. I think they paid somewhere around seven thousand dollars for it. Told them they should have saved the money. If I needed a mower it certainly wouldn't be a Hustler.
 
I asked the same question here a few years back. Bought a Bad Boy 60" when they went on sale ($4900 out the door taxes and all) and have been very happy with it. Got a deal on a suspension seat that I put on it. Nice clean cut at break neck speeds. What used to take me 6 hours now only takes 1 hour and 45 minutes.
 
Another vote for Hustler here. I bought a 60" Fastrak with the Kawasaki engine and can't praise it enough. My yard is probably one of the toughest you'll have to mow. (rocks, tree's, wire, STEEP hill) 3 years now with no problems what so ever. Probably be due for blades next year.
 
A zero turn isn't the only option.

Do you have a Husqvarna dealer close to you? If so give a good look to their articulated mowers.

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/riders/husqvarna-riders-for-homeowners/

An articulated will ride a lot better than the zero turns and is almost as nimble. They also are more versatile as they can handle attachments like snow blowers, front blades, etc.

I have the 'original articulated', a Bolens Estate Keeper, and for tight quarters they are hard to beat.


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(quoted from post at 18:23:26 04/13/15) Every spring I toy with the idea of a zero turn. I've been driving a Cub Cadet lawn tractor of some sort for 40 yrs. Ive got trees and junk on a 1 acre yard plus my folks next door. All I do is turn and back up (and the weakest point on a cadet is the steering box). I want a ZT. which one? from what I see, all the entry level, say, 3,500$ and lower are the same. Just different colors and probably come from MTD. I DONT need 60"" or 72"! My current 782D is 50" and that's plenty. Width is not my need, but maneuvering is. A 48" would be ideal. Neighbor has a SCAG but $7,000 is a little over the top. Please don't recommend a diesel mega awesome pro model of something. Obviously a $10,000 unit is better than a $5,000 model. I'd be open to slightly used too. I was thinking in the $4,000 range. My biggest fear is the tiny front wheels and my bumpy yard. The cheaper ones are not true "hydrostats" are they? Whats you guys ideas?

I bought a brand new "Country Clipper" 42" cut late last summer. About $4,200 with tax, out the door. So far I am happy with it. I got the lower priced model with the stand up deck and joy-stick steering.
 
I've had a Bush Hog ZT for about 10 years now. I mow about 3 acres a week. Belts,blades,oil changes,and finally 2 front tires this year have been the only expenses.

My buddy is on his 2nd JD ZT. Their residential line just doesn't hold up. He spent a lot of money on repairs before he gave up on it.

Spend the money on commercial grade and you'll never have to buy another.
 
I have a Country Clipper Jazee Pro. 52" welded deck with the joystick operation. The joystick is great. Just point it where you want to go and that's where it goes. Only thing I wish is it was bigger. Maybe next year I'll trade up for a bigger one.
 

I bought a used Ferris few years ago. it was owned by a local small city for their waste water dept. and got used two days a week. I think that your best bet is a lightly used, as in under 500 hours, true commercial unit. Ferris, Scag, Exmark, Walker, they will all last five times as long as most homeowner models. What I would really like is one of those old Bolens Estate keepers like Old Buzzard has, but they are very rare.
 


got a 16 year old toro time saver., or time cutter zero turn.. its the first model and a little under horsepowered with a single cyl engine and two blades.. unless you mow weekly. However it cuts perfect and is very comfortable.

Have a 12 year old cubcadet.. bigger, faster, 3 blades instead of two. rough riding, not as perfect, but has tons of hp and now on the 3rd set of blades. did replace one blade spindle and the stupid plastic ring gear on the flywheel.

The cub will mow heavy, fast but leave uneven surface and will beat you up a bit.

The toro will mow perfect, keep you in a better position, and you must mow every two weeks or your in trouble..

Since I mow about 5 acres every two weeks we use both, the toro around the house and it looks like a golf course, the cub cadet on the remaining 4 acres and it looks ok.
 
A commercial mower is worth the money. If $4000 is your limit, then you should be able to work with that. Find a Deere with a green deck. If it has a yellow deck, walk away. Not that they're a terrible mower, just not a commercial mower. If you wait it out, you'll be able to find a good used commercial mower for around $4000
Edit- If you've only had consumer grade lawn mowers before, a commercial mower will change your perception of lawn mowers. It's night and day. The only similarity is that they both cut grass.
 

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