Advice please

[shooterdon]

I have about 1.5 acres of grass to mow. I currently use a Husqvarna 48" rider and it takes me 1.5 hrs to complete the job, I have about 2 dozen trees, a 55x75 pond, and a short fence line to deal with. I believe with a ZT I could cut my mowing time in half. I mow about 16 times a year. I am in my late sixties so I need something that will last 15 years. Based on my expected 12 hours of mowing per year, one of the cheap ($3000?) ZT's might be OK. I have a guy who will cut my lawn for $70. Over 15 years that would cost me over $15k. (I assume that any price increases in the mowing service are going to be about equal to the cost to maintain a ZT) Looks like a no brainer to buy a ZT. Hours saved per year, 12...hours saved over 15 years, 180. The first question is which one? The second, is it worth spending another $1000-1500 to get a better one? BTW, I got a 60" mmm when I bought my JD855 but it is too large to fit in a couple of places and not easy to put on or remove.


I have a lot of leaves to deal with. Too many for the rear bagger to deal with effectively. I started using a commercial backpack blower to blow the leaves but that is nearly a five hour job each time and I need do it twice each fall. I was able to get an old 8HP walk behind leaf blower at an auction but it takes almost as long as the backpack blower. I thought about making a "pusher" that would fit on the FEL to move the piles of leaves as I have an area to move them onto (100 yard shooting range) The pusher would not need to be 100% effective as I could bag, mulch or blow what little leaves remained. See idea below...Would likely use a frame with wire or plastic netting (deer fence) instead of plywood and HDPE plastic skids.

leaf pusher - Bing video

On another thread, I saw the Cyclone Rake. With the number of trees to deal with, I wonder if it will be a PITA to use? If it would work, It should reduce my leaf pickup chores from 10 hours a year to 2 hours a year. Figure a Commander model at $1600. Time saved over 15 years 120 hours. The other advantage of the Cyclone Rake is I would blow fewer leaves into the pond.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

 

[windcatcher]

Shooterdon: Here's something to throw out in your way: I know you're trying to cut your mowing time down and certainly a zero turn would do that. However, zero turns do not like slopes that are usually found around pond areas - like those of pond dams. I live on country property that has a pond, and I have given up on the idea of a zero turn. There are tractor type lawn mowers that move very quickly these days. I'd expect your Husqvarna isn't of the garden tractor variety, and if it was, it should be able to have some mobility (quickness) about it.

I have a sub-compact tractor (Massey Ferguson GC1715) that I purchased a Woods 54 inch rear discharge mower for. It's not that difficult to attach to my tractor and it readily uses the 540 rpm your tractor should have too. I still use my 50 inch cutting deck Simplicity to do the trim work, but once the trim work is done, it's Woods time. With the speed of the GC1715 and the width of the Woods mower, I can make short work of my mowing out around the pond. I use the Woods mower during the fall to help round up the leaves, then rake them into the garden where I then mulch them with the mower. I too am looking at a leaf vacuum system to help me with the unrelenting leaves that fall on my property from my neighbor's property.

Perhaps this may give you some ideas to help you keep your property up. Oh yeah, I also have a John Deere 322 garden tractor with full hydraulics front and rear where I have mounted an old Haban 5 ft sickle mower on the rear. It really helps to keep the pond trimmed around the edges.

 

[shooterdon]

Windcatcher, the pond is of no concern. There is no slope into it. I have a two foot lip where the liner sits and gravel on the rubber. No danger of fallling in unless I do something really careless.

 

[windcatcher]

Whups. We have different definitions of a pond. Mine is an earthen dam type of pond. Your pond is made of man made materials. They both hold water, but have very different characteristics.

 

[RandyT]

I would suggest a zt more in the $5000-6000 range due to better features mainly heavier drive unit which would be more likely to last several years over the entry level consumer mowers. You could also use the deck to blow/mulch the leaves into piles that would be easier to handle or even push with your tractor. There may also be an option for a bagger unit for the ZT which you could collect leaves and then dump them where ever you want them.

 

[MossRoad]

My employer has several leaf plows. They are all similar to these. Works pretty darn well. But I'd rather bag them with a cyclone rake type device then blow and push, blow and push....

I'v also seen baggers on ZTRs. My wife's church had one. That worked great, too.

 

[MossRoad]

Something like this grasshopper with a bagger....

 

[4570Man]

My vote is the Grasshopper with the bagger. You could probably have a used one for 4K. I have a Dixie chopper with a bagger and I wish the bagger was on my Grasshopper. Reason one the Dixie chopper is short on power to run the blower and the Grasshopper has loads of power. Reason 2 I like my Grasshopper a lot better. I could probably cut that yard in 30 minuets on my Grasshopper assuming there’s not a lot of obstacles.

 

[tjkubota93]

Walker ghs zero turn with a big hard bagger tank on back. Guy I worked for had one.

I have a cyclone rake with my bx1860 and 48" mmm. Works GREAT. Only complaint- get the biggest capacity available if it's for leaves. It fills fast. Grass doesn't fill it as fast, but I keep mine trimmed well. Stupid zoysia gets a fungus if I don't bag.

 

[4570Man]

I can cut the first picture in 8 minuets and the second picture in 30 minuets.

 

[RSKY]

I have about the same situation as you do, 1.1 acres but without a pond. There are between 30 and 40 obstacles I must mow around including trees, buildings, flower beds, etc.. In the fall it is covered with many leaves. We had a tractor type rider that took 2:30 to mow. First ZTR had a 40" deck and cut the time to 1:30 at the most. New ZTR has ten more hp and a 54" deck and my wife can mow the entire yard, getting close around the obstacles, in 55 minutes. I take slightly longer. We have many leaves and the past two years a neighbor has used his yard vacuum to get them up and dump them in the back where I would burn them in a barrel. He is in bad health and didn't do it this year and I am glad. I purchased a set of Gator type blades and just mulched the leaves. Took less time to do that than burning them all. Since we are spending your money and everything I am going to make some suggestions based on our similar situations. What I have done has worked for me. I bought a Bad Boy mower with a Kawasaki engine. Originally it was supposed to have a Kohler and a 60" deck but the shop owner's very, very attractive blond daughter caught me when her dad wasn't around and gave me some good advice. (She graduated with the youngest daughter and has spent the night with her at our house. Guys in shop can't understand why she spends so much time talking to that old man.) She said to get the smaller deck and the Kawasaki because the wider deck stuck out past the wheels too far and tended to scalp the yards. And she said they never worked on the Kawasaki engines and, "all the high hour commercial users get them". The mower is now six or seven years old and I have replaced a started solenoid and a belt, broke a few things hitting objects, and bent blades hitting other things. I couldn't be more pleased with the performance of the mower. BUT, I would suggest you research what shops sell in your area and get what people seem to be using. All the big name brand mowers are good and having a good shop that stands behind the machine is more important that the brand. Besides the shop the main thing that sold me on the Bad Boy was the electric deck lift. my wife is short and had trouble raising the deck on the old, smaller ZTR. Now she just pushes a rocker switch. Something to consider as we all are getting older.

My father in law has a 'residential' type ZTR that he mows around three acres a week with. It is about ten years old and has had few problems but is getting close to being worn out. It also has a Kawasaki engine. My lower end commercial/high end residential mower mows from 1.1 to 12 acres a week depending on what the daughters/parents/friends need. I seem to be the go to person for help. It is much heavier built than the F-I-L's. It rides better, handles better, mows faster, doesn't slow down much in wet grass, and has much better traction. Ah yes, traction. The old mower had small tires on the drives wheels. It would get stuck on dew covered grass, would slide sideways on slopes, and rode rough. The new one has large tires and has none of those shortcomings.

After beating around the bush for all this typing I will get to the point. There is no need to get a huge $6000 commercial type mower for what you will be doing. That is just throwing money away for no good purpose. Get a higher end residential type or a smaller low end commercial type mower. $4-5000 at the most should get what you need. Don't get the widest deck available on that model. Get what will fit between your obstacles. Look for the biggest rear tires possible for traction and ride. Shop for a dealer that has been in business for a while. And get a Kawasaki engine if possible. Get a set of mulching blades and the mulching kit for your mower and forget about raking/blowing leaves. You might have to make three passes over the yard in a day to chop the leaves up but it works for me and we have many trees. And you will only use your trimmer once a month instead of each time you mow.

So, in conclusion, for between $3500 and $5000 you can get a ZTR with all the accessories you need that will last you for years until you are too old to mow. Well, my mother is 94 and mowed every week last year. Father in law is 91 and mowed his weekly until he hurt his back. But you understand what I am trying to say.

Good luck.

RSKY

 

[nybirdman]

Look at Simplicty Z turns;made the same place as Ferris.My SIL has one;nice machine and he could break an anvil.I do not rake leaves;mulch them in place;good for the lawn.

 

[shooterdon]

RSKY,
Thank you sir for taking the time to share your experience. You make a lot of sense.

 

[BoylermanCT]

I mowed my property in 4.5 hours with a 46" Craftsman rider. Bought a Hustler 54" Raptor SD zero turn and cut it down to 2.5 hours. Used the RSD for 2 years and then upgraded to a Hustler 60" X-One and cut it down to 1.5 hours. Traction can be an issue on wet slopes. I may upgrade my tires to AT101 tires. The reviews say they solve the traction problems.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005O5NLOS/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza

I highly recommend the Raptor SD. It costs $3800 or so. If you want to mow faster, you will have to pay more.

 

[4570Man]

Those look like the tires I have on my Grasshopper and it’s a going machine now. I’ve had it stuck a few times by trying to cross a ditch and leaving the wheels hanging in air but they’ve never failed me traction wise. I’ve came out of mud holes pushing mud with the deck.

 

[DK35vince]

I mowed my property in 4.5 hours with a 46" Craftsman rider. Bought a Hustler 54" Raptor SD zero turn and cut it down to 2.5 hours. Used the RSD for 2 years and then upgraded to a Hustler 60" X-One and cut it down to 1.5 hours. Traction can be an issue on wet slopes. I may upgrade my tires to AT101 tires. The reviews say they solve the traction problems.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005O5NLOS/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza

I put the AT 101's on my Hustler Super Z.
Made a huge traction difference over the turfs (the stock turfs were horrible on wet slopes)
The hills I always had problems on with the turfs are no problem at all now.

 

[BoylermanCT]

I put the AT 101's on my Hustler Super Z.
Made a huge traction difference over the turfs (the stock turfs were horrible on wet slopes)
The hills I always had problems on with the turfs are no problem at all now.

Plus they look awesome!

 

[oosik]

I have 2.5 acres of field grass that's been mowed for 37+ years. Looks like a lawn until mid summer when it dies and turns tan. I use a JD G100 riding mower. Takes around three hours + to mow. I don't bag anything. In the fall, its pine needles - no leaves. After several year of raking - pine needles can be "mowed' into wind-rows for easy collection.

Out here there are only two animals that ever see my "lawns". Me & the neighbors cows. Both feel the lawns & maintenance are adequate.

 

[groundcover]

Another idea is to buy the best machine you can find, love it and run it for fifteen years and sell it for darn near what you spent on it. I got a diesel Kubota zero turn and smile every time I climb on. Added a JRCO blower buggy with a 13hp Honda ,Skag blower.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have a Ferris IS700 with 54" deck and it is adequate for my 6 acres that I mow in about 2-2.5 hours. If you have any slopes or uneven parts to your lawn, I wouldn't get anything wider than a 54" due to scalping.
Also as others have recommended, get the commercial duty Kawasaki engine with at least 3400 series Hydro-gear drive motors. These are at the bottom end of commercial units but way better than residential drive units. These do require yearly oil/filter changes but that makes them last much longer which is why you get the commercial grade mower.
Lots of other makers of ZTR mowers like Grasshopper, Bad Boy, Exmark, Dixie Chopper etc. and I think all of them make good mowers if you get their higher end commercial mower. You just need to shop the dealers near you. It seems all have a unique feature that another mower wont have-for instance I seem to recall that the Grasshopper has a tilt up deck so you can clean it and change the blades which is a good feature. Other mowers might also have something that makes mowing easier, but it seems none of them have all the good features so you have to choose which feature suits you best.
The commercial mowers will have fully serviceable drive units, better air filtration on the engine (nothing but Kawasaki engine-no exception), larger tires for more traction and less harsh ride. I got the Ferris because of the coil spring over shocks on each wheel which really makes a huge difference in ride quality. The 23 HP Kawasaki engine burns less fuel and seems to have more power than my Briggs and Stratton 26 HP. I can cut my 6 acres with half a tank (4.5 gallon tank) of gas.
IF I were to get a different brand of mower without the suspension shocks, I would spring for an air ride suspension seat which would really soften the bumps.

By the way, I never rake or bag leaves. I run over them several times to chop them to a powder and leave them to rot on the lawn which enriches the soil.