Zero Turn Mower Questions

[tradosaurus]

Exmark, specifically the Lazer Z series, is widely considered the top brand used by professional lawn services. Other top brands frequently used by commercial landscaping crews include Scag, Toro, Ferris, and John Deere (Z900R series).

 

[John0829]

If you don't mind, what model Woods finish mower are you using?? Thanks!

Woods RD 8400

 

[CH4Ohio]

Woods RD 8400

Thanks!! My neighbor has one of those buried in the back of his barn. He's not much for maintaining equipment so I never gave it much thought. But since he couldn't keep his tractor running, maybe it didn't get much use. I'll check it out!!

 

[GrandpaSmurf825]

One bit of information. Stihl is selling the identical Ferris machine with suspension. It is simply a rebadged and repainted Ferris, but there are more Stihl dealerships than Ferris. The suspension is a game changer and I wouldn’t own a machine without it.
View attachment 5681955View attachment 5681956

They dropped the Simplicity version of the Ferris to start making these for Stihl. My dealer wasn't happy about it. He is a Simplicity dealer. I'm very happy with my Simplicity Cobalt. People think that if they buy a specific brand they are automatically getting better hydraulic motors and pumps. There aren't that many options in drive systems. Yes, there are cheap systems and then once you move in to higher level mowers there are a lot of brands running the same basic system. So forget the drive system and look at the other features and mowing quality.

This link is to a good comparison chart of ZT mowers.

Zero Turn Mower Comparison Chart(For All Brands + Models) | Mowers Web

Zero Turn Mower Comparison Chart: Compare top ZTR models by engine, deck size, speed, and price. Find the best zero turn mower for your lawn care needs.

mowersweb.com

I have also found that Gator blades are a game changer. Plus their hardened cutting edge stays sharp longer.

 

[dirtdonkey]

Bought used Ferris IS5100Z 72RD with Cat 1.5 diesel. Needed a little work but have used it for 5 years and nothing I've seen compares to it's performance and ride quality. I mow 10 acres very hilly in 4 hours. You can't go wrong with any of the diesel zero turns. The motor will outlast you. Buy kevlar belts and you can just mow and mow and mow. I live in Florida where temperatures get past 95 in the summer and being water cooled it just keeps running with no problems. New they're crazy expensive but I got mine for $6300 with 1200 hours on it. That's just broke in for the Cat diesel is should run close to 8-10K hours before needing any rebuild and I wont be here then so good to go.

 

[JTKub]

All I will say about going from a 3 point finish mower to a ZT is that unless the ground is reasonably smooth a ZT, EVEN WITH SUSPENSION, will beat you to death.

I mow old horse pasture with dips and sways and washed out mole runs and switched to using my ExMark with the best suspension seat they offered to "speed" things up. After one year I was back to using the tractor, bought a wider cut finish mower and I can cut as fast using the tractor on the field as I can with the ZT and still stay in the seat. On smooth ground the ZT will win for speed of cut but big tires equal better ride over un-smooth ground.

And for the record the Woods finish mower leaves just as nice a cut as the ZT. I have made side by side cuts and other than width of track you could not tell which cut belonged to which mower. This from my SIL who is picky about mowing.

I couldn't agree more. This is why I always recommend someone new to ZTRs that you try a ZTR on your property before you shop for one. My Cub Z-force had a really nice gel seat and good sized wheels/tires for what it was. It was a rough ride on the type of mowing I had at the time. You may have a preference for the type of controls, being it lap bars, steering wheel, etc. I remember swatting a huge horse fly off my forehead and let go of a lap bar in the process. Almost flung myself right off the machine in the process.

 

[dirtdonkey]

I have a 6' finish mower for my tractor but if you're not mowing just a straight field the time it took me to cut around the trees was ridiculous. That's why I went to the zero turns. If your yard is not flat you need to use a tractor and correct that problem first but after that you can't beat a zero turn if you're anything like my situation. I must have 75 oak and pine trees on my property and mowing around them with a tractor is near impossible. Good luck in your search

 

[John0829]

if you're not mowing just a straight field the time it took me to cut around the trees was ridiculous.

That is why I take the ZT and make a quick zip around the trees and obstacles so that it is not a hassle to mow with the finish mower

 

[RayIN]

I have a zd21 kubota with 60" deck. It's genuinely fuel sipping. The suspension is in the seat and it's a really good feeling seat. I don't feel anything. For the smooth bits I can mow flat out at 11mph, then turn on a dime and do it again.

My father bought a cub cadet zero turn, and it's transmission is jerky and doesn't feel good.

Two different classes of machines, I know. But they are deeply different from each other. I've been running my kubota for 5+ years now and plan to keep it going for another 20. I couldn't imagine that cub cadet zero turn lasting that long, nor would I want it to. Such an unpleasant thing to mow on.

That's about how my Hustler ZTR works. I change the little transmissions gear oil every spring. It calls for 10W30 motor oil. I use 15W40 oil now that the transmissions are 24 yrs old. They had began slipping with the 10W30.
Two new transmissions now cost more than what I bought the Hustler for in 2002, so gotta take good care of them it they are to last as long as I.
As to cheap, instead of the homeowner model, buy the commercial model. You'll be glad you did after a few years. The money evens out sooner than you think.

 

[Yander]

Wow, you will save a lot of time. I have a 72" commercial Hustler and I can mow 3.5 acres very leisurely in 2 hours!

You could mow that leisurely in one hour with that Hustler. We have a 60" commercial Hustler, and my wife mows 4 acres in just a little over an hour.

 

[fatjay]

That's about how my Hustler ZTR works. I change the little transmissions gear oil every spring. It calls for 10W30 motor oil. I use 15W40 oil now that the transmissions are 24 yrs old. They had began slipping with the 10W30.
Two new transmissions now cost more than what I bought the Hustler for in 2002, so gotta take good care of them it they are to last as long as I.
As to cheap, instead of the homeowner model, buy the commercial model. You'll be glad you did after a few years. The money evens out sooner than you think.

Mine has a central hydro resivour, each hydro for movement is one piece. I bought it with a bad hydro motor for $500, rebuilt that for $600, and have had a fully functional machine ever since.

The central hydro resivour has a down side. if you're mowing on slopes, one side can be starved for fluid and kill hte motor. I keep it overfull, and generally avoid slopes sideways.

 

[Richard001]

I rent out 5 acers of land, the renter harvest hay off of it. Why would you spend time and money cutting in down when you can make some money on it?

 

[fatjay]

I rent out 5 acers of land, the renter harvest hay off of it. Why would you spend time and money cutting in down when you can make some money on it?

 

[bigtiller]

You could mow that leisurely in one hour with that Hustler. We have a 60" commercial Hustler, and my wife mows 4 acres in just a little over an hour.

I'm sure it could be accomplished, but my definition of leisurely mowing would be closer to 3 hours.

AI overview;

Time Estimates for 4 Acres:

• Fast (Open field/fast ZTR): \(\sim \)1 hour 15 mins to 1 hour 30 mins.
• Average (Some trees/slopes): \(\sim \)1 hour 45 mins to 2 hours 15 mins.
• Slow (Many obstacles/tall grass): 2.5 hours+ [1]

 

[kozal01]

I picked up this 48" Exmark Radius last year used. It has the suspension platform and its smooth and comfortable. Its also fast and cuts amazingly well. While I don't need more than a 48-52" for my own property I do maintain several properties with it including my parents 3 acre lawn/ field and I can mow that in about 1-1.5 hours depending on conditions.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

I rent out 5 acers of land, the renter harvest hay off of it. Why would you spend time and money cutting in down when you can make some money on it?

Well ... I didn't rent out my 6 acres front hay field, but had two different neighbors do it on shares, and I ended up selling them my share ...

Three years ... Lost on average $1,000.00 per year, yup I actually paid them to take it away after all my expenses were figured in ...

My poor little tractor couldn't lift the bales, so I couldn't load them for someone else who might have paid me more ...

It was beautiful thick nutritious grass/hay, it should be ... As I did soil samples, lime, fertilizer, and herbicide, which are all expensive!

And there cows were very happy!

They didn't want to rent, nor go halves on the growing expenses, and I don't really like people on my property, nor the look of tall grass, especially if it's "weedy"...

So ... I cut down my 14+ acres of fields to make ME Happy!

The Z-turn did the job, but my CUT is much more comfortable, and that also makes me Happy!

My back field ...

Tractor time makes me Happy!

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I'm sure it could be accomplished, but my definition of leisurely mowing would be closer to 3 hours.

AI overview;

Time Estimates for 4 Acres:

• Fast (Open field/fast ZTR): \(\sim \)1 hour 15 mins to 1 hour 30 mins.
• Average (Some trees/slopes): \(\sim \)1 hour 45 mins to 2 hours 15 mins.
• Slow (Many obstacles/tall grass): 2.5 hours+ [1]

My grass is often nearly 12" tall. Numerous trees, and a couple buildings. So yeah, leisurely is about 60 mins per acre.

 

[WinterDeere]

Short answer - you are on the right track.
Ride:
- Ferris is the better/best of the pack for ride/suspension
- A suspension seat will make most machines comfortable - and you can easily add these too.
- A larger machine like Kubota diesels are reported to have a good ride over rougher ground but are $$$
- machines with larger tires are smoother

Hydraulics:
- The parker wheel motor and hydro gear pumps as separate units were the "standard" for commercial units for years. And IMO are better than "all in one" but that's subjective.
- These setups usually have a oil tank and filter setup and you can smell the oil - if its burnt smelling that's not good
- As you have noted correctly HydroGear 3200 and higher are more commercial all in one, and with care last a while.

Age and Hours:
- 600 hrs and under agree is a good number, and I like Kawasaki engines on these machines, but the Briggs commercial big block with the oil system seem to work good - but ai have no first hand experience.
- Brands - Scag, Exmark, Toro, Ferris, Kubota all make excellent commercial machines most lawn care co's run the scag/exmark. Personal use of these commercial machines is common for larger properties and they can be found with low hours - 2-400 - and 10 years old.

Overall I would expect you can find a very good commercial ZT for $4-6K range. What's your budget or target ?

Carl's post is great, really covers just about everything. I'll just note that commonality of brands varies locally. I remember spending a lot of time watching landscaper's trailers, when I bought my own ZTR 15 years ago, and they were nearly all Exmark and Deere, with Exmark being slightly more popular.

But I see very few Exmark mowers being hauled around by local landscapers lately, with Deere mowers being on more than half the trailers I pass, and orange (Hustler) being the one I see second-most. This might be more about the local dealers than the brands themselves, maybe our local Exmark dealer is an a$$hole.

That said, I've never seen a Ferris mower on a pro landscaper's trailer, for whatever reason. Never. And believe me, I've been watching, as that suspension looks awful nice to this guy who likes to mow too fast over lump terrain. Thankfully, the OEM suspension on the seat of my Deere 757z is half decent.

I have seen Ferris on a few homeowner lots, and talked to one who absolutely loves his mower. But he'd never owned any other ZTR, so no basis for comparison, and the thing was still too new to have any clue as to how reliable it would be... as if a sample size of one random homeowner would even matter, there.

Agreed with Carl, I'd favor separate pump and motors. If you have a combo pump-motor, there's two major components that could fail in that single assembly = twice the failure rate. That said, unless you're frequently pushing heavy implements with it, the lifespan of nearly all these gasoline V-twin gasser mowers is the engine, not the pump or wheel motors.

I had to do a rebuild of my own Kawi V-twin around 1200 hours. My local Deere dealer said they'd just pull the motor and re-power the mower, if it were in their own shop, since cost to rebuild (hours + parts) is as much as a new engine. But my time is free, and I was already elbows deep in it before that conversation ever came up, so I ended up doing a whole new top end + crankcase breather + coils. Should be good for another 1000+ hours, most put the max lifespan of these engines in the 2k - 2.5k hours range.


I've driven an old Scag, but too old to make a useful comparison to anything made today. I've driven Toros, and never been impressed, they were all lightweight toys compared to my JD 757z or my neighbor's Exmark. Comparing my own Deere to my neighbors Exmark, and I've heard this repeated by landscapers at the lawnsite forum, the Deere's have a stiffer frame and ride, making the Exmarks more comfortable for all-day commercial use. Both are as reliable as ZTR's come.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

You could mow that leisurely in one hour with that Hustler. We have a 60" commercial Hustler, and my wife mows 4 acres in just a little over an hour.

I’d have to be running over 6mph. When I say leisurely, I mean 3+.

 

[Duds13]

Carl's post is great, really covers just about everything. I'll just note that commonality of brands varies locally. I remember spending a lot of time watching landscaper's trailers, when I bought my own ZTR 15 years ago, and they were nearly all Exmark and Deere, with Exmark being slightly more popular.

But I see very few Exmark mowers being hauled around by local landscapers lately, with Deere mowers being on more than half the trailers I pass, and orange (Hustler) being the one I see second-most. This might be more about the local dealers than the brands themselves, maybe our local Exmark dealer is an a$$hole.

That said, I've never seen a Ferris mower on a pro landscaper's trailer, for whatever reason. Never. And believe me, I've been watching, as that suspension looks awful nice to this guy who likes to mow too fast over lump terrain. Thankfully, the OEM suspension on my Deere 757z is half decent.

I have seen Ferris on a few homeowner lots, and talked to one who absolutely loves his mower. But he'd never owned any other ZTR, so no basis for comparison, and the thing was still too new to have any clue as to how reliable it would be... as if a sample size of one random homeowner would even matter, there.

Agreed with Carl, I'd favor separate pump and motors. If you have a combo pump-motor, there's two major components that could fail in that single assembly = twice the failure rate. That said, unless you're frequently pushing heavy implements with it, the lifespan of nearly all these gasoline V-twin gasser mowers is the engine, not the pump or wheel motors.

I had to do a rebuild of my own Kawi V-twin around 1200 hours. My local Deere dealer said they'd just pull the motor and re-power the mower, if it were in their own shop, since cost to rebuild (hours + parts) is as much as a new engine. But my time is free, and I was already elbows deep in it before that conversation ever came up, so I ended up doing a whole new top end + crankcase breather + coils. Should be good for another 1000+ hours, most put the max lifespan of these engines in the 2k - 2.5k hours range.


I've driven an old Scag, but too old to make a useful comparison to anything made today. I've driven Toros, and never been impressed, they were all lightweight toys compared to my JD 757z or my neighbor's Exmark. Comparing my own Deere to my neighbors Exmark, and I've heard this repeated by landscapers at the lawnsite forum, the Deere's have a stiffer frame and ride, making the Exmarks more comfortable for all-day commercial use. Both are as reliable as ZTR's come.

I think the reason for lack of Ferris on landscaping trailers is their older models suffered in the cut quality department. They redesigned the deck and that seems to have solved the issue. Homeowners, for the most part can live with some grass stragglers. People paying a landscaper to mow for them want the cleanest cut possible.

In my neck of the woods, it's mostly Scag then I would say Exmark.

I almost bought a John Deere. The 7-iron deck is known for probably the best cut quality, but I really wanted the full suspension of the Ferris. I am quite picky about cut quality and I am sastified with my Ferris that has the older deck on it.