Gravely Pro turn ?

[paulfun9]

Posting on here under my husbands log on to get an Idea of what reaction to expect when he returns home.
Basically he is out of the country due to a very sick family member that needs assistance, this leaves me home with more chores than one can imagine. So I started to try and minimize them and maximize efficiency for what was left.
For this particular chore grass and field mowing I decided to stop cutting the field which drops me down to about 5 acres of yard around the house. Seems to me using the tractor and that huge rear attach mower is great for everything but without the big field it seemed a little excessive and cumbersome just cutting the yard. After talking with him on the phone he suggested that I do some research and buy a “decent quality” zero turn and use it till he gets back which for now is undetermined.
Anyway this leads to my concern as I am not nearly as mechanically inclined or as savvy at decifering the things that make one machine better than the next and balancing the cost into this type of decision.

So after looking at a few different mowers I settled on a Gravely Pro Turn with a 60 inch cutting deck, a Kawasaki engine that seemed to be built fairly well. It just looked like it was built a bit better than the others I looked at and when getting on or off nothing seemed to wobble, bend or shake like many of the others did. It also had some options that I thought would make life better like a suspension seat and I feel more confident having the roll over bar as this thing isn’t like steering any of our tractors. There is more that made my sister ( she went along and tried to help decipher and decide) and I decide to buy this one over the others we looked at but the question I have here is for the cost, performance and build quality will I be getting the look of “what the hell did you buy” or the “ wow honey you picked a real good mower” when he finally gets back home?


Thanks
Janet

 

[Rdrcr]

The ZT market is flooded with many good and some poor mowers. While I’m not personally familiar with your ZT, you chose wise options and that mower will serve you well for years to come. I too chose the Kawasaki engine, suspension seat and roll bar on my ZT.

And, ultimately, you made the best decision…leave the tractor to perform tractor duties and a mower to cut the grass.

I think you did very well!

Mike

 

[DK35vince]

I'm not familiar with the Gravely Pro turns, so I looked it up.
Seems they have several different models/specs of the PRO turn line. Not sure which one it is.
Zero Turn Lawn Mowers | Gravely Lawn Mowers

 

[stevem5215]

My guess is she is looking at the entry level one. It uses the ZT3100 transmissions which is a good thing. Gravely around these parts has a excellent reputation and is a very durable machine. The fact they sell one for $6599 bucks is amazing to me and a good thing for her. Her husband would be happy with it. I would be too. The lack of a suspension seat could be a factor if the yard is very bumpy. But some "jiggling" is expected on anything used to cut acres of grass. Buy it.

 

[paulfun9]

It is a ZX with the 23.5 horse power engine, 60 inch deck and if I am understanding the dealer correctly it has the 3200 transmissions and an industrial air filter to help with our very rural area and lots of possible filtration issues. The salesman seemed to listen to my concern about having a better transmission and assured me this was about the best I could get without buying, a as he put it fully loaded professional grade machine and getting into the 10,000 and over price tag.

Don’t get me wrong about the tractor, it mowed very well but if not doing all the field along with the yard it is more time consuming to atttach the mower and then seems senseless just doing yard.

Thanks for the feedback so far. My husband won’t ever get mad at a mistake but he is cursed with one flaw when it comes to dealing with my impulsive or lack of research when buying things. That is his facial expressions, He is a bad lier because he has never been able to hide his facial expressions when he tries to pass something off as no big deal when he really has a concern. He absolutely sucks at anything that requires a bluff, no poker face as they say. This may sound kind of silly but I just don’t like seeing the concerned look and would rather take it back and trade up than see it after the stress he is dealing with now.

Thanks again
Janet

 

[stevem5215]

A good choice. I went from a Ford 1900 Diesel Tractor with a 72" mower deck to a Simplicity Citation XL with a 61" mower deck with full suspension front and rear for my bumpy 4 acres of cutting. It's faster, cuts better and uses the same amount of fuel at 2.5gals for the whole place.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

5 acres, 60” at a time, also seems like an arduous task. That’s a lot of grass. I’d buy a commercial type mower, which will not be found at a big box store. 27hp and up… preferrably up. 72” and larger deck.

My Hustler X-One has been a great 72” mower, and is full commercial duty, with serviceable, self contained drive units. Not cheap, but runs circles around anything at a big box store, with longevity to spare.

 

[DK35vince]

5 acres, 60” at a time, also seems like an arduous task. That’s a lot of grass. I’d buy a commercial type mower, which will not be found at a big box store. 27hp and up… preferrably up. 72” and larger deck.

My Hustler X-One has been a great 72” mower, and is full commercial duty, with serviceable, self contained drive units. Not cheap, but runs circles around anything at a big box store, with longevity to spare.

Problem is that puts you in the $10,000 and over price tag they didn't want to do.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Problem is that puts you in the $10,000 and over price tag they didn't want to do.

Depends on how many hours it has on it.

 

[paulfun9]

Assuming you mean places like Lowe’s, tractor supply and maybe home depo by big box stores. I didn’t shop anyplace like that! I shopped the places I see my husband shop when he buys things. All but one of the places I shopped also sell a full line of tractors and all the attachments. The place I decided to buy at also sells New Holland tractors and I remember going there to pick up a tractor and then a rear blade years ago.
I have heard the comments he makes when others start telling him about things they purchased at places like Lowe’s. That’s why I went out of my way to avoid them.

Anyway providing no one can point out any dreadful fault in the one I purchased, I think it will do fine providing I can get a handle on controlling it. Just took it off the trailer and actually cut some grass with it. Must have spun myself in a circle a hundred times before I got it to go in a straight line. Well almost straight!

Felt better after watching my sister attemp driving it. She would still be going in circles if I didn’t think to tell her to just shut it off.

Thanks again
Janet

 

[Fixastuff]

It's a good mower.

 

[paulfun9]

Almost forgot. By serviceable do you mean the type with a replaceable filter and something you would rebuild or fix rather than throw away? I did remember to ask for one with filters but didn’t remember to use the word “serviceable”. I was told this model has individual filters so I am hoping that they are also serviceable?

Reading the owners manual and it does indeed have 3200 transmissions or as they call them transaxels. Are they serviceable?

Thanks
Janet

 

[paulfun9]

This is the one I purchased

Pro-Turn ZX Zero Turn Lawn Mower | Gravely

The Pro Turn ZX provides the performance commercial applications demand while keeping costs in check.

www.gravely.com

 

[DK35vince]

I think you did fine.

And yes the 3200 hydro gear transmissions are serviceable

 

[WVH1977]

This is the one I purchased

Pro-Turn ZX Zero Turn Lawn Mower | Gravely

The Pro Turn ZX provides the performance commercial applications demand while keeping costs in check.

www.gravely.com

I almost bought this model. I ended up with the pro-turn 152 due to the seat upgrade and a few other features. Got mine on sale for 9,000. That was last year. It was the next step up from the one you bought. You will like this mower. Gravely makes great mowers. One thing they did on your model was the front suspension forks to help the ride. I really think that was a good move on their part to help when hitting rough areas.

If my wife got me something like this while I was away, I would be tickled pink!!! You made a very good choice. That mower will bring years of cutting grass without issue. My previous Gravely before this one never gave me a problem other than regular maintenance (had it 11 years). My cousin has it now and still cutting with it.

 

[paulfun9]

Thank you for the feedback. I am really starting to feel good about this now. I was able to cut the front part of the yard after some practice. I was really starting to question if I would ever get the hang of it but found once you start going a little faster and look ahead not down right in front, you start to get a feel for it.

 

[DK35vince]

You will get the hang of it.
My wife hated a zero turn at first, now she mows fast as it will go and has fun mowing.

 

[paulfun9]

I almost bought this model. I ended up with the pro-turn 152 due to the seat upgrade and a few other features. Got mine on sale for 9,000. That was last year. It was the next step up from the one you bought. You will like this mower. Gravely makes great mowers. One thing they did on your model was the front suspension forks to help the ride. I really think that was a good move on their part to help when hitting rough areas.

If my wife got me something like this while I was away, I would be tickled pink!!! You made a very good choice. That mower will bring years of cutting grass without issue. My previous Gravely before this one never gave me a problem other than regular maintenance (had it 11 years). My cousin has it now and still cutting with it.View attachment 748282

Just how much of a difference between that seat and the one I got?

Finished the back yard today and am starting to go close to full speed and finding the ride is much different then when on the tractor.
Wondering if it’s worth ordering the upgraded seat from the dealership.
Have you had a chance to compare them while operating?

Thank You again
Janet

 

[Fixastuff]

The seat on the 100 and up series proturns is one of the best I've ridden on.

Just how much of a difference between that seat and the one I got?

Finished the back yard today and am starting to go close to full speed and finding the ride is much different then when on the tractor.
Wondering if it’s worth ordering the upgraded seat from the dealership.
Have you had a chance to compare them while operating?

Thank You again
Janet

 

[DK35vince]

You have a suspension seat. First thing I would do is check your tire pressure (to high will make for a rougher ride)
I run my zero turn tires at 8 or 9 PSI to help the ride.