Are ZTR's worth the $$$

[Bird]

Re: Are ZTR\'s worth the $$$

EddieW, different models do have different blade tip speed and it's my opinion that the higher the blade tip speed (and the sharper the blades), the cleaner the cut will be and the faster you can travel. As to your question though, I really have no idea. Horsepower ratings alone can be deceiving. Naturally as you get a bigger, heavier machine, it takes more power to move it, and a wider cut (bigger blades) take more power, but things such as gearing also enter into the equation. Sorry I can't be much help. And we did get over .9" of rain this morning with the possibility of more tonight and tomorrow, for which we are most grateful./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bird

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Are ZTR\'s worth the $$$

Just discussing it helps. I suspect I will get a 6 foot finish mower and see how that works. It is cheaper and maybe the tractor won't tear my lawn up or compress it too badly. The time I spend on my yard doesn't bother me as much as the sorry cut I am getting. Everybody seems to be fairly happy with the results they get with finish mowers. I can always sell it if it doesn't work.

 

[Bird]

Re: Are ZTR\'s worth the $$$

EddieW, I went from a 38" Cub Cadet riding mower to the 60" rear discharge, 3-point, Bush Hog finish mower behind my B2710 and sure makes the mowing faster and easier. I've been very pleased with it so far (just got it last August).

Bird

 

[rja]

Re: Are ZTR\'s worth the $$$

Paul, I had the same type of decision to make. Three acres of lawn and three acres of pasture. It took me 5+ hrs on a Gravely 2wheel tractor w/ a 50in deck. I bought a 61in deck Scag mower and droped that time down to 1.5+ hrs. The biggest timesaver is in the ability to reverse your cutting direction almost on the fly. The machine can also get very close to anything so the trimming was also drastically reduced. I would not take the Scag into the pasture however due to the amount of unknowns. (I use a 6ft brush hog on a L3000 Kubota for this.) It is a lot of money but this year I have put on around 40 hrs. These machines are built to have 200+ hrs put on in a season. At my usage rate, the machine will rust out before it wares out. (and since I touch up any rust/scratches after each use, my daughters will definitly inherit this machine!). Just to share my pain, when I first moved into this house, I cheeped out and spent over $2000 on used Gravely equipment, (power unit, snowblower, 30in brush hog, finish deck, riding sulky). After spending countless hrs fixing up and refixing up this quipment, the only stuff that I can use is the power unit and the 30 in hog. The blower busted on the gravel driveway, the mower deck and sulky are still and forever for sale. The moral of this for me is; buy new, buy comercial and as big as afforadable and you will have more time with your family.

 

[cityboy]

Re: Are ZTR\'s worth the $$$

I know this thred is old, but I just bought the Exmark Lazer Z, and I must tell everyone what their missing! It has the 60" deck and 25hp. kohler. It took me 5-6 hours to mow my four lots with my 42' craftsmen. So far I've cut my lawn twice and my friends lawn (a little bigger then mine but less obstructions) and I have 6.2 hours on the meter! Also know this is fall and I cut the leafs a couple of times and took the boy for multible rides. Ordered the multching kit two days ago. Hope it gets here before the snow. Payed way to much for the mower, but after selling the vette, I have the room and the need for a new toy! Thats the story the wife got anyway!!! Looked hard at the BX, but my local dealer was such a jerk I didn't give him a dime! So if I couldn't get the best tractor, I wanted the best mower, and I believe this is it!!!
PS. If you have any hills, don't buy a ZTR.
No brakes, and no steering wheel, can pucker your butt a bit

Rock'in on Maple Hill.