Buying Advice 1.5 acre DIYer

[gilb3rt04]

We are about to close on our new home that is a blank slate as far as landscaping goes. It has a drainage ditch/creek which has a pretty decent supply of water. It eventually turns into a river a few miles down the way. I'm also considering buying the 1.5 acre plot next door which also has the same creek. I'm considering either a zero turn or a sub compact. I'm leaning toward the subcompact as I'd like to do the majority of my own land maintenance. This will include creek bed maintenance, numerous trees being planted, mowing, light grading initially, fence building, yearly landscaping. I currently have a John Deere 212 with a straight blade but that will only do so much. I almost feel like I should sell it, buy an inexpensive zero turn to perform quicker weekly mowing duties and buy a subcompact as well. How does everyone feel their subcompact does in comparison to a zero turn when it comes to mowing? Am I over estimating my needs for a subcompact? Maybe I'd be better off renting one for weekend projects and just keeping my old JD and a new zero turn?? Kinda lost...

 

[jeff9366]

A Zero Turn is definitely superior to a sub-compact tractor for mowing; however mowing is about all a Zero Turn will do.

Will you have enough covered, preferably humidity controlled storage, for both a dedicated mower and a sub-compact tractor?

Tractor implements, except cutting implements, can be stored outside, under cotton tarpaulins.

Do you have to deal with snow on your driveway and road?

When considering sub-compact tractor be sure to select one with a full Category 1 Three Point Hitch, not a Limited Category 1.

How does everyone feel their subcompact does in comparison to a zero turn when it comes to mowing?

Here is a Tractor vs Zero Turn LINK to the T-B-N archive:

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=Zero+Vs+tractor+site:tractorbynet.com

 

[gilb3rt04]

I have a two and a half car garage that is very deep but have always parked one car outside so if I had to do that to accommodate both, I would. I'm not overly concerned with snow issues but we do get it. I lived in outlying areas similar to this growing up and we never really had any issues having to move snow outside of what our JD lawn mower and the township could do.

 

[ShowroomShine]

I was in the same situation, had a zero turn and sold it because it could only do one job. Purchased a Kioti CS2410 with mower and loader for just shy of $13,000 and couldnt be happier.

Does it cut as well as the zero turn? Yes. Is it as fast as a zero turn? Not even close. In a straight line its just as fast, but obviously turning around is where you will loose ground.

Inexpensive zero turns will just leave you dissapointed.

 

[whistlepig]

If you are moving to a new place be concerned with snow. We moved 35 miles in the same state to flat farm country. Where we used to live two inches of snow was just two inches of snow. Here two inches of snow and 20 MPH + wind gusts means two feet of snow around the house and outbuildings. We learned this the hard way.

 

[chim]

Had the same feelings as ShowroomShine with regard to the one trick pony zero turn. There are too many times it's handy to have a loader and various 3-point implements. We have two small tractors. Not that we need both, but the old Ford is nice to have around with a second implement when doing projects. I've had a quick hitch for over a year and never got around to installing it. It couldn't be as fast as hopping from one tractor to the other.

We had a little over 2 acres here when we built, and recently added the property next to us to make it 3-1/2 acres total. There's a small creek, trees, sheds, bridge, etc. to mow around. We built in '89 and until the L3200 followed me home the mowing was done with 5' decks (belly mower for the first 2 years and then RFM's). With the L3200 I also bought a 6' rear discharge Landpride RFM. Great combo. I can do the 3-1/2 acres in 1-1/4 hours and it looks fine to me.

 

[scoutcub]

Agree with the general consensus. The ZTR's are great....for mowing. The SCUT is great for mowing...and loader work....and 3 pt work....and everything else. The biggest issue as I see it is if you can keep the mower deck on while doing the other tasks you desire.....(if you want the MMM) because it turns into a pain removing/installing implements. I have a ZTT (zero turn tractor) and a SCUT, for different purposes. The SCUT I use for plowing snow in the winter, landscaping all year long, dragging a rake, bagging leaves, etc. I live a bit NE of you near Canton, but we get similar amounts of snow....something to consider.

 

[jeff9366]

The biggest issue as I see it is if you can keep the mower deck on while doing the other tasks you desire.....(if you want the MMM) because it turns into a pain removing/installing implements.

I have read in several T-B-N posts that new John Deere mid mount mowers (MMMs) for sub-compact tractors are drive-on, drive-off. This is one convenient feature in which John Deere brand apparently leads Kubota and other brands.

If I need correction by the readership, please do. I do not have personal experience with either Deere or Kubota MMMs.

 

[deerseeker001]

Welcome from Wisconsin

 

[scoutcub]

Good point on the drive-over decks... JD does have one, Yanmar also makes a model with a drive over deck, not sure about others, but I would think??

I think it's still some effort to hook it up, the PTO shaft is usually a bear to get connected, the big savings is not having to manually drag the deck under the tractor. Depending on what type of other implements the poster might want to use, and the type of terrain, he may be able to keep the mmm on....

 

[Gary Fowler]

For those of you who sold your zero turns to opt for just a tractor, you obviously have none or few obstacles (trees, shrubs, rocks etc) to mow around. I watched my BIL mow a small patch of his yard with his tractor type lawnmower and it seemed he was mowing the same area a dozen times in an effort to mow up close to several trees and shrubs. It took him 45 minutes to mow an area I could have mowed with my ZTR in 15 minutes or less.
If you have the budget, I would suggest getting a small CUT for your landscaping activities AND a ZTR mower for mowing. Be prepared to spend in the neighborhood of $7K for a good commercial entry level mower. I wouldn't get anything less than that. Also that is not an additional $7K outlay compared to tractor with belly mower. I believe them (belly mowers) to cost around $4K or more so you are really just outlaying an additional $3K to get a more useful mower which will completely free up your tractor to do other chores while the wife is mowing the yard (HA HA, like that might happen-NOT WITH MY WIFE)

If you don't have trees or such to mow around, then a tractor with belly mower will work fine. If your wife is like mine, you will soon have many things to mow around even if you don't have any now. Then you will be spending lot of time on the tractor to mow, and then a few hours with a weed eater to get the grass close to the trees that you just cant get with a tractor. Sure, there is some grass around objects that cant be mowed even with a ZTR but I find that I can let it go for many mowing cycles before I need to weed eat around them.

 

[paulfun9]

My JD755 came equipped with a drive over deck. I used it for all my projects for many years here at home. After switching to the 3 point finish mower we purchased for the new Kioti DK40 I promise one thing- I will never again buy a belly mower for a tractor unless it is a designated lawn mower and the mower will never be taken off.

At first they seem wonderfull and everything works right but as time goes on you realize they become harder and harder to take off (especially the mid PTO shaft ). In fact it is much quicker to hook up the trail mower and I don't have to drag it out of the way to get at other attachments which due to a full garage are stored behind the tractors parking space. The rear mount actually takes up about the same amount of floor space when not in use as the belly mower did, you see they can also be a bear to drive over when you have attachments on and depending on the surface they sometimes actually move as you try to drive on to them so just leaving them sit isn't an option.
As far as cutting time the trail mower with rear discharge it is much faster and it can handle a lot taller grass than a side discharge as well it dosnt leave windrows forcing me to rake each time. I can also cut closer to things simply by backing towards them which at first I thought would slow me down but in hind sight it is actually faster than the amount of swipes required to get everything cut with the belly mower.
Maint on a belly mower is a pain unless you take the added steps to remove the deck before hand so if you leave the mower on all summer like some folks that must be considered as compared to walking up to the machine and simply greasing and checking the belts and oil level without having to do anything more than turning the pto shaft to get at the grease fittings.

My suggestions based on my experience with the JD and the 2 years that I also had a dedicated lawn mower would be that a ZERO turn in addition to the tractor would be best and if your yard isn't too tight to maneuver with a trail mower it is the second best with the mid mount being last.

Good luck with your decisions.

 

[jives]

I did all those tasks you listed, plus more, on my 7 ac property (2 - 3 ac mowed) with a couple of 25 year old Wheel Horse garden tractors, 48" deck, dirt/snow plow blade, home made drags, several trailers, and tiller. I brush-hogged, leveled about 1.5 ac with the dirt blade and homemade drag, pull a homemade ripper/harrow to re-do the gravel driveway, pulled 1000 lb in a trailer, snow plow the 150' driveway, you name it. Most of this was a one-shot or one time per year deal. What I really need is a faster mower. So, how much are you really going to mow? That is where you will spend your time and effort. How much money are you willing to spend? As for me, I have a budget of about $1000. I thought about purchasing an old, but reasonably low hour, Exmark 60" deck walkbehind with sulky. Opted not. I'm having the engine rebuilt on my old Deutz-Allis 1920 (Simplicity Sunstar clone) with a 60" deck. With turning brakes it has a turning radius of about 24". Should be able to lower my mowing time by about 50% simply due to mowing faster and the bigger deck.

In your shoes? If money was an object I'd get a used commercial grade zero turn. Around here a Ferris or Scag or Exmark with 1000 hours can be had for about $4K. The 3-wheeled beasts about $2-4K. Keep the JD 212 for the landscape work. Or a high end new residential zero turn for the same amount. Money no object? Add in a used SCUT for about $6K more. Money even less an object? Get both new.

Jeff

 

[Tractorrr]

It seems like you are already leaning towards the subcompact so this is probably a good way to go especially if you were to buy the other 1.5 acre lot. I think the subcompact should be good for lawn mowing. The zero turn could cut a little quicker and get around trees and obstacles faster (the SCUT can probably do the same just takes longer) but I wouldn't think that would be much of a reason to have both which seems like overkill for 1.5 - 3 acres.

When you use the SCUT for non lawn mowing purposes I think you will be happy you got.

 

[oldpilgrim]

I have read in several T-B-N posts that new John Deere mid mount mowers (MMMs) for sub-compact tractors are drive-on, drive-off. This is one convenient feature in which John Deere brand apparently leads kubota and other brands.

Mahindra has drive over decks.