Lady needs help-advice for 4 wheel drive riding lawn mower

[lisa6801]

Looking at getting 4wheel drive riding mower, JD looks to $$$$ for X758. I had a cub cadet compact tractor with bucket, pull behind mower and bush hog but do not need anymore and sold. Looking at spending about $5,500 max.Does anyone know or have experience with the Husquvarna 322T AWT or another model. I am not a big fan of zero turns, but open minded. I have 10 acres--5 for mowing and have a good size hill at one end. Also some rough terrain but I have used my small 42" riding cubcadet when my compact tractor was down, on the bottom land and on the lower end of the hill.
thanks ahead and I am brand new to forum
Lisa

 

[newbury]

Welcome aboard.
There's a lawn and garden sub-forum.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/lawn-garden/
Good luck!

 

[Maxify55]

With that kind of money to spend you'll be way ahead buying a used "Commercial" ZTR. Anything less and you'll just be feeding the big box stores.
That machine is for an urban property. Can it cut the kind of turf you're looking to mow? Yeah but for only one year....maybe two.
After that you'll be putting as much money into it in maintenance (parts and labor) as you'd spend on a whole new machine.
It's a vicious cycle that people play year in and year out.

My Z is a Ferris and was produced in 2003. It currently has <1000 hrs on the clock and is scheduled to last for 3X that many hours.
I paid $4500 for it 7 yrs ago in '07.

That being said, I maintain an elderly lady's mower a few farms down the road.
I bought it for her with her money years ago.
It's a high end Simplicity lawn tractor and should last her a while BUT her 5 acres just beats that thing into the dirt.
She's well passed 70 and is out there every 5 days in 100+ temps cutting that Bahia grass with a mower meant to cut some rich guy's Argentinian lawn in town.
(Why every 5 days? Because if the grass gets any higher the mower won't cut it. They're residential machines!)

Lady, you can buy whatever mower you've a mind to buy but you're going to work it (and someone else) a whole lot harder than either of them would or should be doing.
And, for sure, neither of them will be doing it for very long.

I'll step back away from the soap box and let someone else try to tell you what you don't want to hear.

 

[lisa6801]

I REALLY APPRECIATE your honest comments and will reconsider ZTR. I was just hesitant as I saw one go into my good lod boys mower shop and it was going to cost ove a $1,000 for a part. He could only turn one way. Thank you!!!!!

With that kind of money to spend you'll be way ahead buying a used "Commercial" ZTR. Anything less and you'll just be feeding the big box stores.
That machine is for an urban property. Can it cut the kind of turf you're looking to mow? Yeah but for only one year....maybe two.
After that you'll be putting as much money into it in maintenance (parts and labor) as you'd spend on a whole new machine.
It's a vicious cycle that people play year in and year out.

My Z is a Ferris and was produced in 2003. It currently has <1000 hrs on the clock and is scheduled to last for 3X that many hours.
I paid $4500 for it 7 yrs ago in '07.

That being said, I maintain an elderly lady's mower a few farms down the road.
I bought it for her with her money years ago.
It's a high end Simplicity lawn tractor and should last her a while BUT her 5 acres just beats that thing into the dirt.
She's well passed 70 and is out there every 5 days in 100+ temps cutting that Bahia grass with a mower meant to cut some rich guy's Argentinian lawn in town.
(Why every 5 days? Because if the grass gets any higher the mower won't cut it. They're residential machines!)

Lady, you can buy whatever mower you've a mind to buy but you're going to work it (and someone else) a whole lot harder than either of them would or should be doing.
And, for sure, neither of them will be doing it for very long.

I'll step back away from the soap box and let someone else try to tell you what you don't want to hear.

 

[paulfun9]

Looking at getting 4wheel drive riding mower, JD looks to $$$$ for X758. I had a cub cadet compact tractor with bucket, pull behind mower and bush hog but do not need anymore and sold.Lisa

first welcome to the forum!

Second why did you sell the compact as without going the ZTR route the compact with the pull behind mower is about as good as it gets for cutting grass!

I have to agree with most big box store mowers not being up to the task of longevity when big fields are concerned. I have watched many in my family go threw a new machine every few years and the same complaints just before each purchase of they don't build anything to last these days!
Problem isn't always how its built but sometimes what it is built for?

My suggestion is a good compact with a rear discharge finish mower or a ZTR bordering on the edge of commercial built unit for longevity

 

[tcreeley]

The Husquvarna 322T AWT looks like a nice unit. Research it and read all of the reviews you can find on it. I find reviews the best way to go. I didn't know these existed until you posted.
HUSQVARNA R 322T AWD - Riders
The guys on this site are stuck on their tractors, but there are some very knowledgeable people.
I used to put chains on my lawn tractor when it slipped in wet grass or muddy spots. For the money you would like to spend, your choices are limited. Kubota, John Deere make some nice small tractors, but they are pricey. The commercial ztrs is one way to go- and they are easy to handle once you spend a couple of hours mowing.
One approach if you buy new is to get a maintenance agreement - then as a unit needs the work- it is covered.

Good luck- I think you know what you are looking for and are headed there. (wider cutting width the better- fewer passes)

Here is another forum- smaller tractors/mowers- knowledgeable as well.
http://www.tractorforum.com/

 

[mddorange]

:welcome:
To the forum. How much area do you have to mow? Are there a lot of things to go around?

 

[MESSMAKER]

The Husquvarna 322T AWT looks like a nice unit. Research it and read all of the reviews you can find on it. I find reviews the best way to go. I didn't know these existed until you posted.
HUSQVARNA R 322T AWD - Riders
The guys on this site are stuck on their tractors, but there are some very knowledgeable people.
I used to put chains on my lawn tractor when it slipped in wet grass or muddy spots. For the money you would like to spend, your choices are limited. Kubota, John Deere make some nice small tractors, but they are pricey. The commercial ztrs is one way to go- and they are easy to handle once you spend a couple of hours mowing.
One approach if you buy new is to get a maintenance agreement - then as a unit needs the work- it is covered.

Good luck- I think you know what you are looking for and are headed there. (wider cutting width the better- fewer passes)

Here is another forum- smaller tractors/mowers- knowledgeable as well.
http://www.tractorforum.com/

Good or bad , It would take forever to mow your property with a mower this small. You need a fast HD mower with a big deck. ZTR would be faster but a tractor like the John Deere would provide much better traction on hills. If your hill is so steep that you can't mow it with a zero turn, You probably need to think long and hard about mowing it. You may be better off having someone come bushog it a few times a year and leave it at that.

 

[Gary Fowler]

My Ferris IS700Z has no problem pulling up a hill that is so steep that my tractor style mower wont climb it. I think ZTR mowers have better traction than tractor style mowers. I can speak to the 4 WD models though.
You could get a near commercial grade Ferris for just a few hundred more than you budget.

When looking at any mower, check the engine brand that they offer. I think the Kawasaki engines are best especially if you get the commercial grade engine

 

[DHD]

Looking at getting 4wheel drive riding mower, JD looks to $$$$ for X758. I had a cub cadet compact tractor with bucket, pull behind mower and bush hog but do not need anymore and sold. Looking at spending about $5,500 max.Does anyone know or have experience with the Husquvarna 322T AWT or another model. I am not a big fan of zero turns, but open minded. I have 10 acres--5 for mowing and have a good size hill at one end. Also some rough terrain but I have used my small 42" riding cubcadet when my compact tractor was down, on the bottom land and on the lower end of the hill.
thanks ahead and I am brand new to forum
Lisa

Welcome to the forum.
There are some great folks here.

I have had two of those Husqvarna R322T AWD one for about 10 months, and the other for about 8 months.
Both are equipped with the 42" deck (Combi 103), there is an available 48" side discharge deck. There is also an available flail mower attachment.
The R322T are really great on sloping terrain and very nibble around objects. I've used mine on some 19 degree slopes, it has plenty of power and unbelievable traction.
Probably more agile than your Cub Cadet w/42" deck. I use to have two Wheel Horse GT with a 42" deck, probably very similar to your Cub Cadet, and the R322T will out cut the WH because of it's articulating steering, plus the quality of cut is better with the Husqvarna.
Because the engine is in the rear on the R322T, it's does not seem as loud as the WH and you don't ever drive through the engine exhaust.
I really like front mounted the flip up mower deck,for cleaning out grass clippings and changing out mower blades.

Here is a link for another forum that has over 1000 posts about the R322T
Some great folks there too. A few of those folks have had their R322T since 2012.
We should be able to answer any questions you may have about the R322T

Good luck in your search.
http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=250230