Suggestions for Mower for 91-year old?

[RSKY]

My mother is 91-years old and loves mowing her yard. She mows a little less than four acres a week. Her old mower is a 10-year old Husqvarna. It is worn out. Needs new tires, left front axle and assembly (mowed 10 acres with a wheel bearing out) and many other things. Cost more to fix than the mower is worth. She has a bad right knee and I know it hurts her to push the pedal to make it go. It rides rough, steers hard, and uses a lot of gas.

I need a mower with power steering that does not require the legs to be stretched out to drive. An easy riding one would be great. It cannot be complicated, simple controls a must.

Any suggestions.

RSKY

 

[tcartwri]

That's awesome.

 

[4570Man]

My Grandpa is 93 and his favorite mower is his ZTR. It's low and open on the front so it's easy to get on, and doesn't require the use of your legs. Easy on gas? Not so much.

 

[RSKY]

Mom needs something that is not complicated. A ZTR would not work for her because of her shoulders. I need a lower priced mower that has power steering. Engine size or deck size does not matter. She mowed for years with a Snapper with a 30" deck. So far the only one I can find with power steering is a John Deere for $3950. Is there anything cheaper out there?

 

[tcartwri]

You might be able to find a nearly new Simplicity Conquest. Pwr steering and suspension.

 

[4570Man]

My F2560 has power steering and the ZTR still takes less effort.

 

[TractorGuy]

Kudos to your mom for wanting to keep going. Hope I am mowing at her age.

Not sure why you need power steering. Standard lawn tractors are not difficult to steer. My last lawn tractor I gave to my daughter was a Craftsman LT1000. The only pedal served as a clutch and brake and was on the left side. The steering was very light and turning radius was tight. You could plan on 4 hours to mow a couple of acres with the 38" deck though. The regular price on that mower was around $1000. I got it for half because it was last years model and had been sitting out back with the seat switch dangling. Took me 15 minutes to put it in operating condition.

My wife will not even try to operate the zero turn I replaced the lawn tractor with. I consider myself pretty coordinated and it took some getting use to for me to learn how to operate the zero without tearing up the grass on turns.

 

[RSKY]

Better be glad your wife won't try the ZTR. Mine nearly cried when I bought my first one, said she would never learn how to use it. She mowed once and made a mess, second time was better, now she races me to get on it first. She can mow our lot faster than me and do a better job while gazing around and apparently daydreaming.

 

[RSKY]

Mom is 91, has bad shoulders, a bad knee, and is slowly loosing the ability to figure things out. I need simple, easy to operate (power steering and electric blade clutch), comfortable, and familiar in operation to what she has.

This may be the last year she mows. Next year will definitely be the last year. She is just getting to be physically not able. But she enjoys it and I want her to do it as long as possible.

 

[ultrarunner]

A little off topic...

Mom is 83 and does everything around her yard...

For Mother's day a few years back I bought her a brand new Honda Commercial walk behind mower with aluminum deck and it is the kind where the motor keeps running without having to restart if you let go of the safety...

I took a lot of grief all around on this EXCEPT mom loves it... she said it is so easy to start and mows just right...

My friends said if I was any kind of a son I would do it or pay for garden service... even family was put off... they simply don't understand that she takes pride in doing for herself and having someone else doing for her would just kill her...

I think it's great you are listening to what she wants!

 

[coralhead]

Go ahead and get her the Deere and then sell it when she is no longer able to mow. If she is 91 and enjoys cutting grass then get something that works for her, life is too short to worry over the cost of a lawnmower. It should hold a good value for resell.

 

[teejk]

Better be glad your wife won't try the ZTR. Mine nearly cried when I bought my first one, said she would never learn how to use it. She mowed once and made a mess, second time was better, now she races me to get on it first. She can mow our lot faster than me and do a better job while gazing around and apparently daydreaming.

Regardless of brand, that zero turn thing will take her back to her youth if she ever drove a go-cart! I bought the "Hustler" 42" largely because they have a solid welded deck as opposed to the tinny stamped deck that doesn't last long in sand country...my wife figured it out immediately...took me a little longer but I got it! Think about it...feet never come into the mowing operation. The levers are adjustable and don't require much shoulder movement at all. OP says she has a few acres which would be perfect to practice on...I'd say borrow one and let her try it...I have a hunch that she'll be mowing more often than she needs to.

 

[STx]

I would agree with these guys on the ZTR. I hear your concerns but, I've used riding mowers, walk-behind, stand on, brush hogs and ZTR's. By far, the easiest to operate is the ZTR. I would suggest that before you rule it out, you take her to a dealer and let her test drive one on a couple of different occasions. If she doesn't like it, get what she wants. I think you, and she, might be surprised at how much easier they are to operate than a lawn tractor and how much faster she'll be able to get the job done, which will translate into less wear on her body and less fuel burned (2 of your original criteria).

 

[teejk]

I would agree with these guys on the ZTR. I hear your concerns but, I've used riding mowers, walk-behind, stand on, brush hogs and ZTR's. By far, the easiest to operate is the ZTR. I would suggest that before you rule it out, you take her to a dealer and let her test drive one on a couple of different occasions. If she doesn't like it, get what she wants. I think you, and she, might be surprised at how much easier they are to operate than a lawn tractor and how much faster she'll be able to get the job done, which will translate into less wear on her body and less fuel burned (2 of your original criteria).

And she has a lot of ground to practice on...like I said, it took me a while to figure it out but that was simply me...eye/hand/left brain/right brain thing (my wife took it for a spin and she came back to ask what the problem was) but I have it now and wouldn't go back to anything else for mowing lawns. Biggest drawback for me is that I do sit low and it can be a problem defining my lines...but for a 91 year old, that should be a plus...doesn't take much to get in or out of one of those.

 

[Deere Dude]

I would get something that is close to what she has now. I wouldn't get a Z turn even though the younger and more adventurist type find them nice, although I like them.

KISS
The little John Deeres' and maybe some others are super easy to drive and are noted for the ergonomic value. Some may have very comfortable seats. Get power steering, hydrostatic trans and deck lift, and I would suggest foot peddle operation. But They are comfortable sitting and driving. I would stay away from gear shift and clutch if just for resale value.

Personally for me I wouldn't ever get a big box store lawn tractor JD because they are not rugged enough for my needs. I don't know the mower lift setup on those, hydro or not, but she won't need rugged or expensive so going that route might be the best.

 

[teejk]

I would get something that is close to what she has now. I wouldn't get a Z turn even though the younger and more adventurist type find them nice, although I like them.

KISS
The little John Deeres' and maybe some others are super easy to drive and are noted for the ergonomic value. Some may have very comfortable seats. Get power steering, hydrostatic trans and deck lift, and I would suggest foot peddle operation. But They are comfortable sitting and driving. I would stay away from gear shift and clutch if just for resale value.

Personally for me I wouldn't ever get a big box store lawn tractor JD because they are not rugged enough for my needs. I don't know the mower lift setup on those, hydro or not, but she won't need rugged or expensive so going that route might be the best.

That JD green paint never comes cheap on anything. A lot of the zero turns are now offered with a wheel instead of the sticks but OP has a set price in mind and I doubt power steering will meet the requirements. Tough decision. As an aside, my MIL (88) recently moved into a house not far from here. I bought a trailer to haul my Hustler over there for the big yard and sides. She does the back and trim work with an old Toro (that she just wrecked...told her to not try to mow around the culvert but it bothered her I guess). Somehow I think if we took yard work away from her she would simply die.

 

[4570Man]

I think you should try a ZTR before you write them off. IMO they are much easier to use for a semi disabled person over a steering wheel machine.

 

[RSKY]

She has had the same car for nine years but cannot turn the air conditioner on. She does NOT need a ZTR to figure out! She would get hurt on one. I am looking at price here for the cheapest mower with power steering.

A few years ago I got her a battery powered weedeater and leaf blower. It was perfect for her. Weedeat until the battery went down. Then sit in the shade while it was charging. Takes her all week to mow and do a little weedeating. Ticks her off when my sister and I come and do the heavy trimming about once a month.

K.I.S.S.

 

[EddieWalker]

Before buying my zero turn, I had a riding mower that I really enjoyed. The riding mower was relaxing and fun to mow with. It was slow, and it couldn't handle side slopes very well, but I always looked forward to having a beer on the fender when on it. My zero turn is all work. It beats you up, it doesn't alloy you to enjoy a beverage and it's not relaxing. My 79 year old dad refuses to get on it after trying it for ten minutes.

Power steering is where you have me struggling to give advice. I don't know of any riding mowers with power steering unless you go to a diesel sub compact tractor with a mid mower deck. That would be really nice and easy to operate, but also super expensive.

Have you looked at something like the Snapper riding mowers? I borrowed one once and enjoyed it.

 

[ultrarunner]

Would it make sense to put the money into the one she is comfortable?