zero turns

Dave 2N · Jun 20, 2008

Anyone know anything about SCAG zero turns?
Thanks.

jlmtractor · Jun 20, 2008

in my opinion one of the best there is.....

but price is just so durn high so if you dont have work for them i dont think there that great of an investment!!! any other zero turn will do the job just as well.....

Mark - IN. · Jun 20, 2008

The only thing that I hear about Zero-turns is that they're said to be the cat's meow and look like they are. But know a fella down the road with some of the hugest Deeres who said I don't need no stinkin demonstration, just deliver it to my place...and they did. He zero turned it into his pond first cut. I guess they're great and sure do look like it, but take some getting used to. I've got enough problems getting on different tractors and grabbing for different levers that aint where they were on the last one. Well, at least I aint got a pond, only trees.

Which ever model you decide on, have fun...and drain the pond first. Grin.

Mark

IaGary · Jun 20, 2008

My wife had never been on one either.

She got on and I left.

Within 30 minutes she was flying.

Surprised they can still sell garden tractor mowers.

Gary

John T · Jun 20, 2008

Dave, Ive owned both tractor style and zero turns for years and can testify if you have a lot of obstacles n treees n twists n turns to maneuver around a tractor style cant pack water to the ZTR and once you have used one you will throw rocks at and never use a tractor style ever again. However they are not great on hillsides and if you just had a big rectangular lot to mow n not many turns the tractor can be just as fast.

The fellows around here like their Scags and Dixie Choppers, I have a Husquavarna 61 inch deck ZTR that I wouldnt trade for either. Its a grass eatin machine woooooooo hooooooooo

John T

Kirk Grau · Jun 20, 2008

Walked into my local TSC over the weekend and parked right in front was a Bad Boy ZTM. Looked like a big step up from typical consumer stuff, but not the big price tag of a SCAG or other ZTM. If I had the check book with me, it might have followed me home (one reason I try not to carry it or a card.)

Looking for opinions and Thanks,

Kirk

MarkinMO · Jun 20, 2008

I've had one for 5 or 6 years. Very solid, well built machine. Only trouble I've had was self induced - I messed up the carb with contaminated gas. My only wish is that the deck was easier to remove.

JT · Jun 20, 2008

Scag makes a decent zero turn, they are pricey, and depending on where you are, the dealer support system can be a little sparce. They don't have a big dealer netowrk. The fellow that said something about a Bad Boy, he is right, they "look" heavy. I have one in my lot that came from a TSC I do work for, the machien itslef is not bad, the transmissions are the weak link, they don't use a transmission that is comparable to the rest of the unit, it has a hydro transaxle, where a true commercail unit has individual pumps and wheel motors. As for the best, Everide is a real nice mower, again a little pricey, Dixie Chopper is a real good amchine, reasonably priced unless you go with the real big machines. As I tell my customer, you can buy the best machine in the world, but without dealer support, you might as well buy it from a box store.
Jim

CWL · Jun 20, 2008

I bought a Deere Z425 with a 54" deck this spring. It has a true hydro drive system and was $3,999. So far I'm very pleased with it.

sammy the RED · Jun 20, 2008

Scags are a good machine, but, so are Hustler, Grasshopper, Toro, eXmark, Everride and John Deere.

Like any machine, the lower priced ones are priced low for a reason.

The John Deere New 800 Series are having a bunch of problem.
They have stopped selling one of the models. (The 820)

Make sure you have good dealer support on what ever make you buy.

The John Deere 700 Series are very good.

The three I like best are Hustler, Grasshopper and JD 700 Series. 8)

JBMac · Jun 20, 2008

We have a Hustler "estate model" with a 54" deck I think. Has a honda 20 hp. It broke the camshaft within two hours of use. Honda and Hustler said thay had never seen it happen. They replaced the motor and I haven't had a single problem in 100 hrs. My wife loves it, so I don't get to mow anymore (what a shame...)

krm · Jun 20, 2008

We have a friend that mows the cemetary near our house and he had a ZTR loaner while his tractor type mower was being worked on and as I was leaving home one day he was mowing the cemetary
and I waved at him as I went by,he raised his hand from one handle and waved back and run into fence and caught mower deck in fence.I had to help him get mower removed from fence after I quit laughing.

tlak · Jun 20, 2008

Drive before you buy. Noticed on a test drive the cheapee had less sensitive hydraulics in the steering.

The Whiners have it...

thurlow · Jun 20, 2008

Bought a (60 inch) Swisher in May of last year; they're made in Warrensburg, MO. Absolutely love it; not as heavy as the (twice the price) true commercial mowers, but the deck is much heavier than the Toros/John Deeres, etc sold at the big box stores. Check out Amazon; they sell lots of brands..........
Amazon.com

Spritzer · Jun 20, 2008

If you have lots of trees to avoid, just TRY an AWS (all wheel steer). The one I have (JD, LX 277), the deck will go right around a 5-gal. bucket on a tight turn.

Brian Jasper co. Ia · Jun 20, 2008

I worked for a landscaping/mowing co one summer and can say that there was little, make that no comparison in quality of cut between eXmark and John Deere. The only reason they had JD stuff is they mowed JD's credit building and were required by them to use green stuff. The eXmark machines were tougher, faster, and cut better than the JD's. Same with snow removal. Back then JD's commercial mowing machines were Bunton's. eXmark makes Toro's zero turn commercial mowers, but not the decks.

IH2444 · Jun 20, 2008

You might want to check out Bad Boy ZTR's.

Built like a tank.

Dave 2N · Jun 20, 2008

Looked at one today at Tractor Supply; but that's what put me off about it--Tractor Supply!

Dave 2N · Jun 20, 2008

I noticed that the JD zero turns weren't even in the same ball park with the serious zero turns.

Dave 2N · Jun 20, 2008

Been researching this for a few months and what little hair I have left is starting to fall out!! Tired of looking at them.
I have great dealer support in the area on eXmark, SCAG, Dixie Chopper, and Hustler. I do have trees and "wifey-landscaping" issues and a large front yard (uncluttered) and a couple of hills. I've been using a Kubota 1860G for 10 years and it's been a good machine but I'm kind of looking around. My son will buy the Kubota. Having said all of this, I occasionally think that maybe a ZT isn't the answer for me after all. I can move right along with the Kubota. But-if I decide not to get the ZT, that means researching the tractor styles.
Thanks for the info.

Dave 2N · Jun 20, 2008

If I get it near my pond, it will be quite a feat since my pond is on the other side of the woods!!

Dave 2N · Jun 20, 2008

Thanks for the input, guys.

Rick Kr · Jun 20, 2008

Dave,
I mow 8 acres. I test drove the following (all 72" decks):

Kubota (diesel) $12K. great cut, power, speed.

Exmark $9,200. great cut, power, speed, right seemed stiff.

Ferris 5100(Cat diesel) $14800. great cut, huge power. best of all, ride is untouched. SMOOTH.

SCAG: never got around to driving it after experiencing the suspension on the Ferris. It appeared to be the heavist built. But also expensive.

After riding the Ferris with 4 wheel suspension. I knew thats what I was getting. I really needed the suspension. Took a bad fall and the tailbone can't handle lots of bouncing.

Any dealer that is serious about selling should let you test them. All around me let me mow my entire lawn (8 acres). They even drop them off and picked them up.

Ended up getting a Ferris 3100 (32hp gas). Lighter built than the 5100. But still nice.

Good luck.
Rick

dhermesc · Jun 20, 2008

"Surprised they can still sell garden tractor mowers."

Zero turns are great mowers but can they till a garden and push a snow plow? If they get those attachments working good they will eat the garden tractor's lunch.

OliverGuy · Jun 20, 2008

I think Scag is a good product. I used to see a lot of them, but it"s getting less and less for some reason. I have 8 Toro Z"s for my business. They may be one to look at also if you have a dealer nearby. I can get one with a 60" deck for around $8k. They go at least 2500 hrs and they"re still mowing today for me. I think the weak link is the Kohler engine. I think Kubota is another good one to look at-a lot more bells and whistles though.

IaGary · Jun 20, 2008

Grasshopper has those attachments for their zero turns.

Don't know about the others.

Gary

Old Ford Mechanic · Jun 20, 2008

Ditto on the Ferris.The patented indepentent suspension system they have makes for a smooth ride and a great cut.

john *.?-!.* cub owner · Jun 20, 2008

I have a Simplicity ZTR (same as Ferris, just a different sticker on it), and agree, with my arthritis and replacement hip it is the only way to go. The ride is great.

sammy the RED · Jun 20, 2008

Zero turns are great mowers but can they till a garden and push a snow plow? If they get those attachments working good they will eat the garden tractor's lunch.

zero turns

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