So lost, I need help

[sld]

Personally, I would suggest getting a decent ZTR for mowing. You will mow much faster and save a lot of time.

Then, get a good used tractor for the hard work like snow removal, bush hogging when the grass gets out of hand, utility trailer, etc...

Believe me, you will find enough needs for the tractor to justify it but I would leave the mowing to a dedicated ZTR. You will save a bunch of time.

Just my .02.

 

[renegade13]

Personally, I would suggest getting a decent ZTR for mowing. You will mow much faster and save a lot of time.

This may be a dumb question but why is the ZTR so much faster? Is it only because it can go around obstacles faster or will it also cut a wide open, flat piece of lawn faster than a sub-compact?

The reason I'm asking is that the majority of my lawn is quite devoid of obstacles so I'm wondering if a ZTR would be beneficial.

Thanks.

 

[Gittyup]

All of the suggestions are good ones. Just a few more things to consider:

ZTR is not only faster due to turn radius but because you can drive at much higher speeds and still get good results. This, of course, assumes your ground is smooth enough to do so.

For snow removal. How much snow? You can use a plow blade or a blower. Blade is fastest as long as snow is not too deep. The large garden tractors like the JD X700 series would work for you. Or simplicity legacy. Some are only 2WD but will push snow very effectively if equipped with chains. Some have all wheel steer, which you probably don't need because it is all open grass. But, this feature makes them more like the ZTR in terms of time to cut grass (where obstacles are concerned), and the AWS is great when plowing and operating on hills. The smaller garden tractors equipped with a tiller will be much easier to negotiate in your garden. But for that size garden, I'd consider a standard walk behind rear-tine tiller. You'll need this anyway when your crops start to grow, unless you are spacing REAL wide.

However, quality GTs cost nearly as much (maybe more than some) as subcuts. The subcuts will give you a lot more tractor and versatility. The loader is a great attachment, but not good for snow. But if you get one with a QA attachment you can take the loader bucket off and put on a blade. Or just use a blade or blower on the back. Subcuts get you into limited CAT1 implements, which are far more plentiful than CAT0, especially on the used market. Some models have better designs than others for their implements and how they attach. So look closely at them from this perspective. All the subcuts are good. So get the one you like best or saves you the most money; hard to go wrong.

 

[RalphVa]

I question why you're mowing 3.5 acres. In my mind, if you're mowing more than you need a walk behind for, you're mowing too much. Just brush hog it (could hire it done or rent) about once every couple years to knock down undesirable trees, etc. You'd be surprised what nice native plants and flowers will appear if you quit mowing.

For not much mowing and a little garden work and fairly level land, you could go with a 2 wheel tractor like the BCS or a used Gravely. They push snow very well with their 4' plows (I had one on my Gravely) and run tillers and brush hogs very well. On my Gravely, I also had a cart that worked very well as a motorized wheel barrow (in back of the tractor). These will eat your lunch (or build your biceps) on hilly land though but are more maneuverable on that hilly land in tight spaces.

If your property is very hilly, you'll want a small tractor with a FEL to haul stuff around and to push snow. A cheap back blade will push the snow even quicker. My property is VERY hilly, I went with a taller version of the 2305 called a 4010 but is almost identical in weight. I have the FEL that I use A LOT, back blade for snow, soil ripper and disc hiller for the garden, MacKissic shredder/chipper to make mulch, carryall to haul mulch and stuff to the mulch pile to be mulched AND a 4' brush hog for mowing my trails and occasional brush hogging. If I'd have gone with something like the 2305, I would have long ago ripped away its underneath hydraulic cooling fan. The hydraulic cooler on the 4010 is in front of the radiator where it ought to be.

For your uses, JD used to make a mowing tractor kinda in between the 2305 and 2320. Think it was the X585 or something like that. There are versions of it with gas and with diesel engines. It has a limited FEL and 3ph capability.

Ralph

 

[renegade13]

The loader is a great attachment, but not good for snow.

Why is the FEL not good for snow?

 

[john_bud]

Why is the FEL not good for snow?

It does not sluff off to the side, just straight forward. The snow also sticks in the bucket. No "trip" springs, so when you hit something it is going to break. (Either the hittee or the hittor)

 

[woodlandfarms]

Maybe you might want to think out of the box. The PT line is quite nice, a great tractor if you are not tilling earth. Look at the 425.

Versatile Tractors,Compact Tractors,Trailer Packages,Landscaping,Utility Vehicle Rentals,Mowers-Power Trac

 

[putt_putt_green]

If you plan to get an ATV someday, they work great for plowing, and you can get a drag behind 60" mower for less than $2000 which works great in wide open spaces. This is my setup. Then one your done, you can joy ride. I also have a tractor, but don't use it for snow removal or mowing.

The ride on an ATV is very comfortable (big cushy tires). I mow at about 4mph.

 

[Soundguy]

I question why you're mowing 3.5 acres. In my mind, if you're mowing more than you need a walk behind for, you're mowing too much. Just brush hog it Ralph

Ditto that 1000%... finish mow the strip right around the house.. rough cut everything else..

soundguy

 

[Bob_Young]

Why do you need an FEL??
-Do you own heavy objects that sometimes need to be lifted and moved?
-Are you getting older?
-Do you have a back?
If you answer yes to these three questions, you need an FEL. If it saves you one serious back injury, it's paid for itself.

As for tractor, I'd favor a small BX with FEL for your work. Maybe a BX1500, if you can find one, or a BX1850/1860/orwhateverthenumberisnow. It should be capable of handling a 60" mower minimum. Going a little bigger would be better, especially if you go to bush hogging and less finish mowing.

A ZTR is too single purpose for my liking. Better to get a good solid,if somewhat small, tractor that'll handle all your tasks than to spend money on a ZTR, be forced into a cheap tractor, and then have to keep buying tractors every few years. A SCUT tractor with a good 3 point hitch and a standard rear PTO will give you more flexibility than you can now imagine.

I got sick of the riding mower merry-go-round. Even some of the best are only stamped metal and an air-cooled gas engine. How long can you expect something like that to last under hard service? The cheapest approach in the long run is to get something built for the long run to begin with. The fact that a good tractor will come with some serious hydraulic muscle, is gravy.
FWIW
Bob