Choose ONE!!! All-in-one SCUT or zero turn + 40hp tractor w/ FEL?

[DrFast1]

HI Guys and Gals,

I have been reading this forum for a while and was in need of some advice.

I am in the market for a new (or used) machine to be used primarily for mowing.

Here are my needs:
90% Mowing 2 acres (many mature trees)
5% - rototilling garden (50ft by 30ft), plowing snow (paved driveway)
remaining 5% - building a raised flower bed, spreading gravel and mulch

Which option would you choose and why?


Option 1. A slightly used all-in-one SCUT with a 60" mid mount mower, FEL, blade, and tiller (like a JD 2305, or Kubota BX 2350) Cost around $10-15K

Option 2. A used zero turn (48 to 60 inch) and a used "real" 35-50 hp tractor with FEL, blade and tiller. (Like a Kubota "L" series, Case DX series, ect)



Any input is appreciated!

 

[Egon]

The first option looks good Lots of choices in that range.

On two acres the real need for a 50 HP tractor would appear very limited unless you wish to excavate large amounts of dirt or needlessly run equipment that's too large for the acreage.

 

[davitk]

option #1

The "real" tractor will be large and heavy and the ROPS will conflict with your tree branches. The SCUT would do all of what you describe well. A used zero turn could be a bundle of problems, from what I understand the hydro pumps when they go are $$$.

 

[flusher]

HI Guys and Gals,

I have been reading this forum for a while and was in need of some advice.

I am in the market for a new (or used) machine to be used primarily for mowing.

Here are my needs:
90% Mowing 2 acres (many mature trees)
5% - rototilling garden (50ft by 30ft), plowing snow (paved driveway)
remaining 5% - building a raised flower bed, spreading gravel and mulch

Which option would you choose and why?


Option 1. A slightly used all-in-one SCUT with a 60" mid mount mower, FEL, blade, and tiller (like a JD 2305, or Kubota BX 2350) Cost around $10-15K

Option 2. A used zero turn (48 to 60 inch) and a used "real" 35-50 hp tractor with FEL, blade and tiller. (Like a Kubota "L" series, Case DX series, ect)



Any input is appreciated!

Option #1 is the way to go. My first tractor was a new 2005 Kubota B7510HST (21 hp engine, 17 hp pto, 4WD, power steering) with the LA302 FEL (4-ft bucket). I used it on my 10 acre spread for all the jobs you mentioned (except show removal--no snow here on the floor of the North Sacramento Valley). All the manufacturers have 20-25 hp machines that would handle your tasks.

 

[john_bud]

Can I go off menu?

Option #3. Buy a lawn mower, either a box store cheapie or a used name brand. You can put a front blade or even a front blower on. Typically, this time of year you should be able to find a 5 year old Deere with a blower for $2-3000. With this economy, low ball.

Then buy a rear tine walk behind tiller new for $6-800 or used for 1/3 of that.

For 2 acres, you can do the listed tasks a lot cheaper. You could even just contract out the tilling to a neighbor or a pro for a hundred bucks a year and go 5-15 years for the same money....

 

[davitk]

Good advice JB, but may I caution against a "cheapie" lawn mower, they just don't hold up to 2 acres. I had a Husqavarna that kept losing parts and bending blades, final straw was the deck bent it and never cut well after that. I bought a used Kubota lawn/garden tractor with a mower and snowblower for 2300.00 on Fleabay a few years ago and couldn't be happier.

 

[lcisled]

#2
Got two CUTs(20 & 35 hp) with mowers, bought a zero turn this spring for 10 acres, only 3 of which is lawn.
Got sick of putting the decks on and off. When I want to mow, I go mow. Anything else - get on the tractor and go do it. With the size you are looking at you will have plenty of tractor. Wish I would have saved the money on the MMM and bought a dedicated mower. Would have been way ahead in the long run.

 

[jk96]

Option #2 gets my vote.

I was exactly where you are. I didn't buy a larger CUT due to size and my desire to mow with it. I bought a DX24 and mid mount mower. I very quickly became aware that I didn't have nearly enough tractor for the tasks at hand. Next bought a DX33 for the larger work load but was still underpowered and not happy about constantly taking off the loader or taking on or off the mower deck. Fast forward.....

This spring I purchased a DX45 and a used grasshopper 932 zero turn. I can now leave the loader on the tractor and rarely take it off, let alone messing with the mid mount deck. As far as mowing, I have about 3 acres that I mow with probably 60+ trees to mow around. The grasshopper literally cut my mowing time in half compared to the scut/cut. There is a reason that all commercial mowers use zero turns.

jk

 

[LBrown59]

#2
Got two CUTs(20 & 35 hp) with mowers, bought a zero turn this spring for 10 acres, only 3 of which is lawn.
Got sick of putting the decks on and off. When I want to mow, I go mow. Anything else - get on the tractor and go do it. With the size you are looking at you will have plenty of tractor. Wish I would have saved the money on the MMM and bought a dedicated mower. Would have been way ahead in the long run.

I have a BX23 and a BX 1500 with MMMs .
I leve them on the tractors 24/7 so there is no putting the decks on and off.
When I want to mow, I go mow.
With the attachments I have on the 2 BX1500s and the BX23 i can pretty much get on which ever tractor tractor and just go do it.

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

this is bascially my plan...

bought my tc45 for bush hogging, snow, backhoe, you name it (good deals are out there!)

i've been looking for a used zero turn.......there's a nice looking dixie chopper, yanmar diesel, 60" cut, 800 hours on craigs list that he has been dropping the price on....he's down to 4900.......if you go gas, they are little cheaper

whatever, buy nice, used of both and you can afford other things

Option #2 gets my vote.

I was exactly where you are. I didn't buy a larger CUT due to size and my desire to mow with it. I bought a DX24 and mid mount mower. I very quickly became aware that I didn't have nearly enough tractor for the tasks at hand. Next bought a DX33 for the larger work load but was still underpowered and not happy about constantly taking off the loader or taking on or off the mower deck. Fast forward.....

This spring I purchased a DX45 and a used grasshopper 932 zero turn. I can now leave the loader on the tractor and rarely take it off, let alone messing with the mid mount deck. As far as mowing, I have about 3 acres that I mow with probably 60+ trees to mow around. The grasshopper literally cut my mowing time in half compared to the scut/cut. There is a reason that all commercial mowers use zero turns.

jk

 

[jcaledon]

I was in the same boat as you are, a few months back. Bought a Kubota B2620 for a little over two acres. The compact Kubota is great at doing everything, but is a little big for trimming around small trees. The foldable rops are a big advantage over the BX for me since I have a lot of low hanging fruit trees. A ZTR would be great, but I can't justify the cost of another machine, and I can't spare the storage space. A great compromise for me was purchasing a used commercial walk behind mower. They are as maneuverable as a zero turn, are almost as fast, and are much more stable on hills. Plus, you can get a sulky and ride it. I use the walk behind to mow those parts of my lot that are too steep or too tight for me to feel comfortable mowing on the Kubota. A viable option to consider if you are budget and space conscious.

 

[Gittyup]

What about a third combination: used GT (like a JD455) and the 40hp tractor. GT's are more versatile than zero turns, and if you get one with 4 wheel steer it'll cut just about as fast as a zero turn. The GT can be equipped with tillers, plows, garden cart, etc., and fit into places the bigger tractors cannot.

I have a JD 425 AWS and a Kioti CK25 TLB. I use the CK for heavy lifting, serious ground engagement. I use the 425 GT for mowing, snow plowing, and light garden towing. I like the GT better for snow plowing due to tight spaces around cars, buildings, etc., and I can push sideways in an 11 foot wide driveway; can't do that with the CK. The CK stays off the lawn almost entirely to prevent rutting and compaction.

Of course, for similar money a used SCUT is equally as versatile. My view of SCUTS: Not the ideal mower or ideal earth mover, but is a do-all machine, if you really need for just one machine to do it all.

Basically, it depends on your topography and exact uses. Tight spaces and a lot of low hanging branches points to a GT/zero turn. The more open your space the more usable a bigger tractor becomes. The big tractors require more space and are hard on your lawn especially for mowing, and the little tractors struggle to move much dirt. On the other hand, if you don't need a great big tiller, and don't have many other earth engagement projects, then perhaps a high end GT is all you need. A good used JD455 (and similar) can be had for under $5K, and there are many very effective, high quality attachments for it.

The zero turn or a commercial walk behind are excellent choices for mowing, as long as other "garden tasks" aren't needed and your land conditions allow for such machines.

But to your original question, I'd opt for the latter. It's just much more capable.

 

[DavidVT]

If the two acres will always be just two acres, then the big tractor hardly seems worth it.

I have a L3430 on 12 acres. 2 acres with house and lawn, 10 acres across the road with a rental mobile home, my horses and their pasture/woods.

We mow with a 22hp garden tractor (Husq is working at the moment). A slightly older sears 22hp garden tractor waits in the back of the barn as backup.....

The larger kubota tractor was justified for snow removal first and everthing else second.....

We just paid off the Kubota and at this point we have a backhoe, brush hog, forks and hope to get a nice grapple next summer.

I've mowed the yard with the brush hog when the cheapo mowers are down but the wife really hates it...

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I would never get a zero turn for my property but that is just a choice thing. Hills and near water just is not good on one of those in my humble opinion.

If budget was no limit, I would like a nice kubota 4wd diesel garden tractor to replace the sears and husq. we have.

 

[LBrown59]

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If budget was no limit, I would like a nice kubota 4wd diesel garden tractor to replace the sears and husq. we have.

The Kubota BX1500 is nicer than a kubota 4wd diesel garden tractor yet cost about the same.

 

[davitk]

The Kubota BX1500 is nicer than a kubota 4wd diesel garden tractor yet cost about the same.

as an added bonus you are automatically enrolled in the LBrown fan club