Lawn mower recommendations
- Thread starter Strycnine
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I use a Bad Boy Elite 60 on the farm and a Troy Bilt Mustang 42 at the second house. The first house gets a front steer tractor style.
FWIW, the Mustang was bought for the first house. It has the smallest yard, but the yard is on a hill. I could not keep the zero turn straight, a rear wheel would lose traction and gravity will cause the front castor's to turn. Reminded me of the Foghat song Free Ride! Instructions call for riding across the hill rather than up and down it. Still, it would go into a skid a couple of times every time I mowed.
I would of still bought the Mustang for the 2nd house, but I would of bought the 54" deck. I actually like the Troy Bilt better than the Bad Boy. The Bad Boy is the better mower, the price reflects that, but the Troy Bilt has a better horse power to cutting width power ratio.
FWIW, the Mustang was bought for the first house. It has the smallest yard, but the yard is on a hill. I could not keep the zero turn straight, a rear wheel would lose traction and gravity will cause the front castor's to turn. Reminded me of the Foghat song Free Ride! Instructions call for riding across the hill rather than up and down it. Still, it would go into a skid a couple of times every time I mowed.
I would of still bought the Mustang for the 2nd house, but I would of bought the 54" deck. I actually like the Troy Bilt better than the Bad Boy. The Bad Boy is the better mower, the price reflects that, but the Troy Bilt has a better horse power to cutting width power ratio.
The most reliable lawn-care equipment I've found looks like this:
I have always despised riding lawnmowers because next to a copy-machine, nothing tears-up as much.
Never have bought one and have survived with 20-year-old hand me downs from my in-laws since forever.
Sorry I'm absolutely no help but my shopping usually stops when I say: "show me one that doesn't have a single m*****k**g fanbelt!". And done:wink:.
See above pic--- no fanbelts
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I have always despised riding lawnmowers because next to a copy-machine, nothing tears-up as much.
Never have bought one and have survived with 20-year-old hand me downs from my in-laws since forever.
Sorry I'm absolutely no help but my shopping usually stops when I say: "show me one that doesn't have a single m*****k**g fanbelt!". And done:wink:.
See above pic--- no fanbelts
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- Nov 25, 2017
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The Gravely Z models are really nice. That's if you want a Zero Turn. Seems they are doing a 0 down o interest thing right now too.... This is right down the road from me....
https://www.gotmowers.com/inventory...gww0GJd33yPeUoLIfRkMuAy1-t7HkamAaAiC6EALw_wcB
https://www.gotmowers.com/inventory...gww0GJd33yPeUoLIfRkMuAy1-t7HkamAaAiC6EALw_wcB
I use a Simplicity Broadmoor 18hp 44" cut lawn tractor.
IF you do get one be sure and buy from a JD dealer. My neighbor bought a JD rider from one of the big box stores and has regretted it due to the warranty, something about it isn't a JD warranty.
I own 3 zero turns, one walk behind with a sulky and two riders. One is a Gravely 60" zero turn, and the other is a Toro Z Master 60" cut zero turn. Both have their pluses and minuses, but I usually gravitate to the Toro. I abused that mower for 6 years commercially as well as doing my own property and I have to tell ya that Toro is one heck of a machine.
Once you run a zero turn you'll throw rocks at any mower with a steering wheel.
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You get the Michelin X- Tweels on it?
I got the regular tires. I did see some of those fancy ones, but that other machine was out our budget.
If you read the fine print on Home Depot's website they specify that it has to be taken to the local JD dealer to be PDI'd (pre-delivery inspection) and the paperwork submitted to 'start' the warranty.
We have to do that when an out-of-state Yale dealer ships a unit into our area directly to the customer.
Since they can't do warranty work hundreds of miles away, they pay us to track it down, do the PDI, and become the servicing dealer.
Ones that never get PDI'd only have what the selling dealer is willing to eat to keep the customer's business. No 'factory' warranty.
Edit: This can be significant if you're talking about one of these:
...and the transmission is $18,000
.($4000 labor to replace it sold separately
)
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They are good tractors. We have a 950 at work.
We found out that after running it at full throttle for a few hours, you have to let it sit on low idle for 10 minutes before you turn it off. If you just turn it off after full throttle, there will still be a lot of gas in the carburetor.
Thats what the JD service guy told us when they where out replacing the fouled spark plugs.
If you dont, the next time you start it up it will back fire and sooner or later it will foul up the spark plugs bad.
Thanks for that info.
This is my JD Z925A. It has a 25 hp Kawasaki twin motor and a 60" deck. I bought it in 2011. The only problem I had was one spark coil failed and had to be replaced (not by the dealer). I replace the 3 blades every year. I change the filters regularly. I am still using the original deck belt. I mow about 8 hours a week during the growing season. Most of that is mowing fields surrounding the house and barn to keep a fire break from the tall grass, but I mow the yard with it also. I got it for $8,000, which was a $4,000 discount, from the local JD dealer but I think I could get one just as good, but cheaper, in another brand, in today's market. It serves me well and I have no plans to get rid of it. The fields shown in the photo are part of what I mow. I don't mow until the wildflowers have bloomed and gone to seed.
On forum topic: that is a S&W 642 on the seat
On forum topic: that is a S&W 642 on the seat
This is my JD Z925A. It has a 25 hp Kawasaki twin motor and a 60" deck. I bought it in 2011. The only problem I had was one spark coil failed and had to be replaced (not by the dealer). I replace the 3 blades every year. I change the filters regularly. I am still using the original deck belt. I mow about 8 hours a week during the growing season. Most of that is mowing fields surrounding the house and barn to keep a fire break from the tall grass, but I mow the yard with it also. I got it for $8,000, which was a $4,000 discount, from the local JD dealer but I think I could get one just as good, but cheaper, in another brand, in today's market. It serves me well and I have no plans to get rid of it. The fields shown in the photo are part of what I mow. I don't mow until the wildflowers have bloomed and gone to seed.
On forum topic: that is a S&W 642 on the seat
Hope I get good service life on this one like you have on yours.
The photo above is about 3 years old. It looks about the same, except better today. Its clean now....lol.
I was just out in the barn and checked the hourmeter while I was out there. It shows 206 hours. That's not too bad for 5-1/2 years (actually, being bedridden, I could not mow in 2012 or much of 2013) of mowing so it is really about 3-1/2 years. The only complaint I have is not with the mower - its with my land. The only smooth ground / dirt I have is directly in front of the house. The rest of the property is bumpy to very bumpy. It is all sand and dust. It makes for a very harsh ride.
I was just out in the barn and checked the hourmeter while I was out there. It shows 206 hours. That's not too bad for 5-1/2 years (actually, being bedridden, I could not mow in 2012 or much of 2013) of mowing so it is really about 3-1/2 years. The only complaint I have is not with the mower - its with my land. The only smooth ground / dirt I have is directly in front of the house. The rest of the property is bumpy to very bumpy. It is all sand and dust. It makes for a very harsh ride.
Did I mention that the 20-year-olds that I have been using all these years have all been John Deeres?
They are well designed and made with quality materials for the long run.
The el-cheapo's have basically a 5-year life span.
If you do the math, it's cheaper in the long run to hire someone to mow verses buying one of them.
@Retired1 : Not that I have been a professional mechanic for 35 years
, but you have it dialed in.Dull blades over-stress every part of the machine. With the cheap price of new blades, trying to sharpening them makes zero sense.
It's impossible for them to come out balanced, and the resulting vibration eats spindle bearings and stress fractures the deck metal across the bolt holes.
You'll end up needing 10-times the money you saved, trying to keep the deck together.
If you take blades off, throw them away.
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I went with Woods......
I can't mow our yard with the rotary mower and tractor. To many dang trees.
ETA: I have a John Deere 4052m with a 4 foot mower...lol. It was the mower I had with the 3025e, but it was paid for so I kept it.
I gotta disagree here, blades aren't cheap. I just bought new ones yesterday for my Toro, 70 bucks for three blades.
I usually run them 2 seasons at least, and I sharpen them a couple times during the mowing season.
No issues here getting them balanced at all.
Yeah, I didn't think about that. I never had a mower that had more than one blade; which is why I couldn't offer much for a recommendation other than I hate riding mowers.
When I retire in October, already in my budget is money for the guy to mow the lawn.
Hiring me to do it is just too expensive when you add in the equipment and upkeep
(and I don't do a very good job):lol:
I know a lot of guys find cutting grass engaging, satisfying and relaxing but I'd rather be sentenced to writing liberal Op-Ed pieces for the New York Times
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LMAO! Mix up a Jack and Coke in a large insulated cup with a lid, stick it in the cup holder, don the radio ear protection headset and crank up the rock 'n' roll !!
Werks fer me.......
I'll tweak that a little... V.O. and Coke, sitting on the back patio, with rock&roll blaring in earbuds, watching a team of recently-employed Mexicans mowing, swinging weed-eaters, sweating their asses off, while I think about the $4,000 I didn't spend on a stinkin' mower and all the extra room I have in the garage!LMAO! Mix up a Jack and Coke in a large insulated cup with a lid, stick it in the cup holder, don the radio ear protection headset and crank up the rock 'n' roll !!
Werks fer me.......
(I'm sorry, I am absolutely no help for this thread:bang Head
"Time to change the oil, we need gas, and the blades are dull" :flip:
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