Lawn Tractor vs Zero Turn

   / Lawn Tractor vs Zero Turn #181  
A big motor working easy is better than a little motor working hard.

Someone said the other day their shop said they never had parts for Kawasaki and didn't even know how to work on them - because they never HAD to work on them.

The Grasshopper mowers are known as excellent mowers and their Vanguard engines are well regarded. I follow a Grasshopper owners group because I've been considering a Grasshopper and don't see complaints about the Briggs Vanguard over there. But lack of having the choice has given me some pause about buying a Grasshopper. I had made the dealer an offer on a Grasshopper Stand On mower with the Vanguard and he came down a good bit. We were only $500 apart. I was surprised he could get that close but there was a couple new Stihl Z turns sitting there too. And when I found out Stihl was coming out with a Stand On with a Kawasaki I hesitated. I'm between a JD and a Grasshopper now.
Mine has the Vanguard motor. If you are going to be mowing rough ground, the 4 wheel suspension is a much appreciated feature on the Stihl.
 
   / Lawn Tractor vs Zero Turn #183  

Attachments

  • IMG_0204.jpeg
    IMG_0204.jpeg
    1.9 MB · Views: 141
   / Lawn Tractor vs Zero Turn #184  
Get the best of both worlds: Buy a cheaper ZTR and put a aftermarket suspension seat on it. My Deere 930M has a adjustable suspension seat on it. Love that seat.
 
   / Lawn Tractor vs Zero Turn #185  
Stihl mower is a Ferris
 
   / Lawn Tractor vs Zero Turn
  • Thread Starter
#186  
Get the best of both worlds: Buy a cheaper ZTR and put a aftermarket suspension seat on it. My Deere 930M has a adjustable suspension seat on it. Love that seat.

Sounds good in theory, but suspension seats (if just buying the parts) seem to be $1k+. At least that was the answer I got (actually $1200) for the Cub Cadet I bought.
 
   / Lawn Tractor vs Zero Turn #188  
Ferris was owned by B&S, then was sold to a venture cap firm and they make all the mowers Simplicity-Ferris-Stihl mowers.

Bottom line the basic machines are good ZT - $4-7K for residential units, but to get the best of the suspension system the commercial units are the one to buy, and those will be $7-15K range.
 

Tractor & Equipment Auctions

2007 WABASH 53FT DRY VAN TRAILER (A51222)
2007 WABASH 53FT...
2006 INTERNATIONAL 7600 T/A DUMP TRUCK (A51406)
2006 INTERNATIONAL...
3-Point Hitch Root Grubber - Heavy-Duty Tree and Stump Puller for Tractors (A51039)
3-Point Hitch Root...
2018 PETERBILT 579 SLEEPER (A51222)
2018 PETERBILT 579...
2021 CATERPILLAR 953 CRAWLER LOADER (A51242)
2021 CATERPILLAR...
2013 MACK CHU613 (A50854)
2013 MACK CHU613...
 
Top