help with commercial ZTR choices

[mowerman-99]

I am looking for zero turn mowers to mow about 5 acres. About 1/2 of this is pasture and the rest grass and small orchard. I am interested in commercial type mowers. I have been researching several brands with either 52 or 60 inch decks. I have about 1000 ft of drain ditches to mow and about 150 feet has any real incline to mow, but these areas can stay wet.

I have been looking a small utility tractors but I think I want to go with zero turn mower at this time. I have been using Husqvarna 26 HP with 54 inch deck. That mower is basically shot. Using that mower took be 5.5 hours to mow it all once a week. Bahia grass is around the barn and orchard. Blades do not last long due to the sandy conditions.

I have been looking at Bad Boy, Ferris, Scag, Dixon, Toro. and Exmark.
Only reason the Toro brand is interesting is the 5 yr/1200 hr warranty looks to be interesting on the G3 series. I am settling in on the Bad Boy lightening with 26 LC KAW/31 KAW or AOS with 27 LC KAW/ Or the Ferris I2000z with 27/34 KAW. I favor these due to the suspension system they offer. Pasture is kind of rough and I think that would be big benefit to me.

Budget is try to stay under 10k but I still want to buy the best unit for what I need but not overkill. Mowing season starts very early in March and ends mid November.

When downloading parts/manuals from all the vendors, BB just seems to be one step ahead of the over vendors on ease of maintenance with the swing out panels, size of the pumps, amount of fluids, materials used and price. Price difference seems that the ROPS is optional on BB but not other others. ROPS would be a pain in the orchard.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Build qualify, price, and dealer support are important to me. I did not include Hustler in this list due to the dealer being too far away, over 50 miles EACH way.

Thanks

 

[westbrooklawn]

Take a look at the Hustler Super Z. Extra heavy hydraulics, suspension seat, and optional flex forks for really rough terrrain.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Ferris. Nothing else to say.

No matter what go Kawasaki. Neighbor is a commercial mower how has had Dixon, Scag, and Ferris. Now runs 72" IS3100 with the 38HP Kawasaki. Trouble free mowers and engines.

Chris

 

[toddol1971]

I have first hand experience with this question. I own a badboy lightning 52" with a 26hp liquid cooled kawi. I also mow an old pasture & the headlands of the other fields. The later is nice for taking walks with the wife & kids. The suspension is nice, but not as noticeable as I would have thought. The Michigan suspension seat is a must. I went thru this debate 2yrs ago. I went with badboy due to the over built nature of the machine & great price. A solid value & best buy for me. Believe me, this thing is tough. I'd buy another one, but doubt this one will ever wear out. Its very easy to work on also. I have no problem recommending this one.

 

[toddol1971]

One thing about suspension, If it flexes to much then it will scalp. These are very stiff suspensions, but do work to take out the shock. I mean can you imagine a spongy suspension going across the pasture bouncing up & down? Thats what your grass height would look like, up & down Take this into consideration when the ferris people tell you theres is better. More expensive doesnt make something better. I think the ferris's are more complicated. For me, when I looked at the mowers you can clearly see a difference in the badboy over the others. The more the gpm the pump the touchier the controls will be. There will be a learning curve to get used to.

 

[toddol1971]

One more thing. I would def go with the kaw. Personally I fell that the liquid cooled ones are better than air cooled. I also feel that the 26 hp has all the power I could ask for. Unless your constantly mowing wet tall grass I see no need to spend more money for a bigger motor. I went with a 52" deck cause I can get it thru the rear gate. This thing will mow at 13 mph & that is no joke. I figured I rather get the one that fit thru the gate cause it mows so fast I can still get the other mowing done hours sooner than with the rider.

 

[LQPAPPY]

Spend a couple days a week in the season on a Bush Hog ZTR and it is very heavy built. However on any slope especially wet, it is very easy to slide and get stuck. Wet ditches are almost impossible. Just a thought that no one mentioned.

 

[dodge man]

I know you said you visited a compact tractor, but why did you decide against it? Some of the things you describe sound perfect for a small compact or sub compact tractor. One big reason is it sounds like there are some hills and wet conditions, that 4wd would help on. Have you tried a zero turn on your property yet. It would be nice to try one out and see if thats what works for you.

 

[ModMech]

We have considered what to do with our CUT vs one larger tractor and a ZTR. After looking at the various brands, talking to folks that use them daily, we concluded that we would stay with the Kubota and not trade it off for a ZTR. The CUT has too much versatility for our situation, but mowing takes 2x to 3x longer than with a ZTR.

My opinion is that Hustler makes some of the best ZTRs money can buy, but they have some stiff competition. My suggestion is to carefully watch what brands the local pros use because that means the dealer network, pricing and quality must be decent for that brand, at least locally.

I like the Kubota ZTRs, but honestly, we would buy a Hustler because I don't think there is a "better" ZTR for the money.

 

[Diamondpilot]

One thing about suspension, If it flexes to much then it will scalp. These are very stiff suspensions, but do work to take out the shock. I mean can you imagine a spongy suspension going across the pasture bouncing up & down? Thats what your grass height would look like, up & down Take this into consideration when the ferris people tell you theres is better. More expensive doesnt make something better. I think the ferris's are more complicated. For me, when I looked at the mowers you can clearly see a difference in the badboy over the others. The more the gpm the pump the touchier the controls will be. There will be a learning curve to get used to.

I have never seen this and been around them for 8 years now. I do all his maintenance and the ones he has owned, 1500 series up to the 3100 series have been bullet proof. All were Kaw powered.

As for the suspension I am not sure how well it works but he is sold. All I have replaces is one ball joint in 8 years. There is a inter link between the decks and suspension so when it travels so does the deck keeping a uniform cut.

Chris

 

[toddol1971]

I have never seen this and been around them for 8 years now. I do all his maintenance and the ones he has owned, 1500 series up to the 3100 series have been bullet proof. All were Kaw powered.



Chris

I dont know what you mean? I agree about the kaw. The ferris's are great mowers no doubt.

We have considered what to do with our CUT vs one larger tractor and a ZTR. After looking at the various brands, talking to folks that use them daily, we concluded that we would stay with the Kubota and not trade it off for a ZTR. The CUT has too much versatility for our situation, but mowing takes 2x to 3x longer than with a ZTR.

I already had a tractor & couldnt cut my front & back yard without causing damage.

My opinion is that Hustler makes some of the best ZTRs money can buy, but they have some stiff competition. My suggestion is to carefully watch what brands the local pros use because that means the dealer network, pricing and quality must be decent for that brand, at least locally.

I like the Kubota ZTRs, but honestly, we would buy a Hustler because I don't think there is a "better" ZTR for the money.

My dealer sells both hustler & badboy. I drove both. I like the BB better. There is no way if compared side by side that the hustler is better built than the BB, no way! If you like them though go for it. If your not mowing for a living then you wont ever wear out any of the pro grade stuff.

If you got slopes or hills, going up/down is the best. Side hilling takes practice. I'll tell ya this, I feel more stable on my ztr than on my previous riding mower. My rear tires are 52" outside to outside. I dont have a rops & dont want one. I cant even imagine how bad one would suck on a mower trying to go around/under trees. Put it this way, if its that steep it aint getting mowed by me!

I will say I like the hustler, but theres just something about the feel of it I didnt like. I dont like the ergonomics on the badboy either. I'm 5'8 & the seat could go forward more. That is the only prob i have. Now I really like the way the JD mows, but the ride sucked. The one that fit me the best was the kubota. I just didnt want to spend 10,000 + for a mower. To each there own though. I was just letting the op know my experiences. One thing I will say that is a necessity if mowing a pasture is solid front tires. I found out the hard way. They do ride a little rougher though.

 

[coobie]

I am looking for zero turn mowers to mow about 5 acres. About 1/2 of this is pasture and the rest grass and small orchard. I am interested in commercial type mowers. I have been researching several brands with either 52 or 60 inch decks. I have about 1000 ft of drain ditches to mow and about 150 feet has any real incline to mow, but these areas can stay wet.

I have been looking a small utility tractors but I think I want to go with zero turn mower at this time. I have been using Husqvarna 26 HP with 54 inch deck. That mower is basically shot. Using that mower took be 5.5 hours to mow it all once a week. Bahia grass is around the barn and orchard. Blades do not last long due to the sandy conditions.

I have been looking at Bad Boy, Ferris, Scag, Dixon, Toro. and Exmark.
Only reason the Toro brand is interesting is the 5 yr/1200 hr warranty looks to be interesting on the G3 series. I am settling in on the Bad Boy lightening with 26 LC KAW/31 KAW or AOS with 27 LC KAW/ Or the Ferris I2000z with 27/34 KAW. I favor these due to the suspension system they offer. Pasture is kind of rough and I think that would be big benefit to me.

Budget is try to stay under 10k but I still want to buy the best unit for what I need but not overkill. Mowing season starts very early in March and ends mid November.

When downloading parts/manuals from all the vendors, BB just seems to be one step ahead of the over vendors on ease of maintenance with the swing out panels, size of the pumps, amount of fluids, materials used and price. Price difference seems that the ROPS is optional on BB but not other others. ROPS would be a pain in the orchard.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Build qualify, price, and dealer support are important to me. I did not include Hustler in this list due to the dealer being too far away, over 50 miles EACH way.

Thanks

I have owned a ferris ZTR and if you have bumpy mowing trust me the ferris suspension is great for mowing rough areas.I had no issues with mine.I would have the selling dealer bring the mowers you mentioned to your property and test drive them.I think you will see how much better the ferris handles the bumps.coobie

 

[amaxwell]

Owned an Exmark over for over 5 years. Tuff machines no problems at all. Dealers can get parts overnight if needed:got my new blades that way.
amaxwell

 

[mowerman-99]

I know you said you visited a compact tractor, but why did you decide against it? Some of the things you describe sound perfect for a small compact or sub compact tractor. One big reason is it sounds like there are some hills and wet conditions, that 4wd would help on. Have you tried a zero turn on your property yet. It would be nice to try one out and see if thats what works for you.

compact tractor has a lot more functionality if all that functionality is really needed. ZTR would cost less that a small compact tractor and reduce the amount of time needed by mowing. From what I have been reading mowing time should be reduced by 1/4 to 1/3 of the time. That would be a great benefit to save time. IF I ever needed a tractor I think or renting one or buying a used one. only reason I think I would need a tractor is gardening.

thanks for the reply

 

[Alan L.]

The only one I can comment on is Scag. I have the Wildcat with 26hp LC Kawasaki, 61", and it has been great through 2 seasons. The only complaint is that when the wind blows it can clog the radiator screen real quick, and you find your self having to clean it off. To get it properly cleaned you have to kill the engine.

But, it doesn't always do this, just certain angles and wind speeds.

I debated the 52" vs the 61" and I am SO GLAD I went with 61". The thing is much more maneuverable than I imagined - the 61" deck will get everywhere if you can get it through the gate, and it will speed up mowing the acreage.

The grass I mow is pasture grass - usually a foot or more tall, and it chews it up and leaves a carpet behind.

The blades need sharpening often - I do it usually about every 18-20 hours or so. Not hard to switch out though.

 

[mowerman-99]

I appreciate all of the replies. KAW engine in my opinion is a requirement no matter what vendor the mower I purchase. This property is not flat nor is it hilly, has some slop in parts but none if it bad except in small part of the drainage ditch. 80% of the acreage is pretty flat.

A secondary item that is not a requirement is I have to tow it betweem two properties. The second property is 3 acres but only has about 3/4 of acre that is mowed. Most of that acreage is in trees and is not mowed.

Lower profile of the ztr versus the garden tractor is appealing to me. I already have a 16 ft tandom axle low boy drive on trailer to haul it.

Hustler dealership is about twice as far as the other dealers. That faxt does not make it impossible just more difficulties long term for service. I will do my service on the mower but if I do have a problem I can not sovle, location of the dealer is important and getting the mower back quickly to me.

Any comments about Scag or Toro? Five years/1200 hours is very appealing
on the Toro on the G3 series. Do not think it is a better mower but Toro willingness to stand behind their product speaks volume to me.

Grass growes pretty fast if I have to go past 10 days --- can be 6 to 8 inches if I can not mow.

IF a mower does fail, and is out of commission for a couple of weeks... as we all know Stuff just happens sometimes. Do dealers have loaners or have something that rentable that is reasonable in this kind of case? Going more that 10 days during the prime growing season would really start to get me behind the eight ball in terms of getting the grass mowed and not having the mower.

 

[crbr]

I appreciate all of the replies. KAW engine in my opinion is a requirement no matter what vendor the mower I purchase. This property is not flat nor is it hilly, has some slop in parts but none if it bad except in small part of the drainage ditch. 80% of the acreage is pretty flat.

A secondary item that is not a requirement is I have to tow it betweem two properties. The second property is 3 acres but only has about 3/4 of acre that is mowed. Most of that acreage is in trees and is not mowed.

Lower profile of the ztr versus the garden tractor is appealing to me. I already have a 16 ft tandom axle low boy drive on trailer to haul it.

Hustler dealership is about twice as far as the other dealers. That faxt does not make it impossible just more difficulties long term for service. I will do my service on the mower but if I do have a problem I can not sovle, location of the dealer is important and getting the mower back quickly to me.

Any comments about Scag or Toro? Five years/1200 hours is very appealing
on the Toro on the G3 series. Do not think it is a better mower but Toro willingness to stand behind their product speaks volume to me.

Grass growes pretty fast if I have to go past 10 days --- can be 6 to 8 inches if I can not mow.

IF a mower does fail, and is out of commission for a couple of weeks... as we all know Stuff just happens sometimes. Do dealers have loaners or have something that rentable that is reasonable in this kind of case? Going more that 10 days during the prime growing season would really start to get me behind the eight ball in terms of getting the grass mowed and not having the mower.

Kawasaki engines are bullet-proof. Scag is top notch but the man before me testifies from experience about the BadBoy. I too have heard good things about a BadBoy machine. They are built for commercial use in mind.

If mowing is your sole objective, a ZTR is the way to go. It is an investment in your time savings.

 

[toddol1971]

I have owned a ferris ZTR and if you have bumpy mowing trust me the ferris suspension is great for mowing rough areas.I had no issues with mine.I would have the selling dealer bring the mowers you mentioned to your property and test drive them.I think you will see how much better the ferris handles the bumps.coobie

Yes i agree about the suspension being better than non suspension ztr's. How much better than my BB I dont know & really dont care cause I'm not buying another one for quite sometime. It might not be any better than the one I got. I do know that any one he gets will last a long time. There are some great mowers, but you dont have to spend 10 or 11 grand to mow homeowner grass. If op mowed for a living I'm sure like me he'd splurge.

 

[toddol1971]

I appreciate all of the replies. KAW engine in my opinion is a requirement no matter what vendor the mower I purchase. This property is not flat nor is it hilly, has some slop in parts but none if it bad except in small part of the drainage ditch. 80% of the acreage is pretty flat.

A secondary item that is not a requirement is I have to tow it betweem two properties. The second property is 3 acres but only has about 3/4 of acre that is mowed. Most of that acreage is in trees and is not mowed.

Lower profile of the ztr versus the garden tractor is appealing to me. I already have a 16 ft tandom axle low boy drive on trailer to haul it.

Hustler dealership is about twice as far as the other dealers. That faxt does not make it impossible just more difficulties long term for service. I will do my service on the mower but if I do have a problem I can not sovle, location of the dealer is important and getting the mower back quickly to me.

Any comments about Scag or Toro? Five years/1200 hours is very appealing
on the Toro on the G3 series. Do not think it is a better mower but Toro willingness to stand behind their product speaks volume to me.

Grass growes pretty fast if I have to go past 10 days --- can be 6 to 8 inches if I can not mow.

IF a mower does fail, and is out of commission for a couple of weeks... as we all know Stuff just happens sometimes. Do dealers have loaners or have something that rentable that is reasonable in this kind of case? Going more that 10 days during the prime growing season would really start to get me behind the eight ball in terms of getting the grass mowed and not having the mower.
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Good, you need a heavy trailer cause they weight 1000 to 1200 lbs

I got a 2yr warr. They may be better now. While researching I found more guys than I could count with 2000+ hrs & going strong with no break downs.

I'll tell ya what, These things have so much blade speed that it wont matter. Now its not like you can mow a 2 week growth like a 1 week one but believe me, you could bushhog with it, albeit slow! Just stay away from dixie chopper. http://www.lawnsite.com/. Read what these guys have to say. You'll find more educated answers about ztrs from the commercial users. If you do go to that site, let us know what you chose. Good luck.