Buying Advice Tractor vs zero turn

[Diggin It]

Gophers are the least of my worries. The various portals to the underworld, well ....

 

[dragoneggs]

Gophers are the least of my worries. The various portals to the underworld, well ....

I've got mountain beavers... at least they leave my mowed areas alone.

 

[riptides]

I'm mowing the lawn, not the field.

I have a big lawn. LOL. My kidneys still ache from yesterdays new hole.

I go throttle max and max speed. When this ZTR goes, I'll be looking at anything spinning close to 18k and moving over 12mph.

 

[EddieWalker]

My speed while mowing is determined by the smoothness of the ground, the number of obstacles that I have to go around, and most importantly, the sharpness of my blades. I have never mowed with my zero turn at full speed. I have mowed with it at such a slow speed that I'm barely moving forward. I'm not in a rush to finish, I like to have a nice looking lawn when I'm done. I had asked my son in law to mow one time and he did such a horrible job that I never asked again, and ended up mowing it right after he left. His mom wanted me to include him in doing stuff, but that was a bad idea. I also have Bahia grass, and the stalks are very abrasive on a mower blade. The only other type of mower that could do my yard and area around my house would be a push mower. I had a Craftsman riding mower before the zero turn and there where areas that I just couldn't get to, or out of, so I did a lot of weed eating. A tractor just isn't an option around the house.

Out on the land, mowing my walking trails with the zero turn is also at a moderate speed. It's not as smooth as around the house, but it's more fun because I'm out on the land and wondering through the woods and along the edge of my pastures and across the top of my dam. It's really kind of fun mowing those areas. I go over those trails twice. All the way in one direction, then turn around and mow it wider in the other direction. 60 inch deck and I'm maintaining at least 9 feet wide of well mowed, easy to see snakes, type of walking trails. My guess is that it's a mile and half each way.

 

[kthompson]

Well, that's just flat out not right! We're talking pea shooters, and you show up with a tank. :shocked:

But he can get between or under my trees either. lol

On serious note I was in the hay growing for a while an 8mph if fast enough for me on a tractor. Our fields we smooth at that.

 

[kthompson]

Eddie Walker, on your son in law. My oldest grand son use to ride my leg when he was up to about five years old. Learned to steer on my tractor. Went about 11 years and this year wanted back on one. Just had gotten a new Kubota L with cab and offset flail mower. Worst looking tractor I have now due to limbs scratching it and him not understanding stay away from the LIMBS. Yet it has been worth it all for the bonding been able to do and the experiences I hope he remembers for his life time.

BTW, do we have the same son in law? lol

 

[cdaigle430]

I read on this site before that sub compacts are too heave for normal mowing. After a period of time they compact the soil so much only dandelions will grow. I can understand that I guess.

 

[dodge man]

I’ve been mowing with a subcompact or a compact for about 12 years and unless the ground is really wet, compaction is not a problem.

 

[Diggin It]

The areas I mow with the SCUT are areas that I don't really care if they have grass or just something green. All I ask for are roots substantial enough to deter erosion.

 

[JoelT]

I've been mowing 5ish acres and some trails with a brush hog behind my jd4310....and a push mower around the house. We did some thinning and there's more to mow now but the brushhog can't maneuver what's needed. I'm told I can't buy a mid mount for a 2004 tractor anymore unless it's used and I can't find a used one. Everybody say go for a zero turn but I'm concerned about getting stuck on ruts, bumps, some hills and some not terribly smooth terrain. How stable are these zeroturn mowers anyway? Just how "flat" does the ground have to be to avoid getting stuck, sliding or even more fun...rolling?

 

[two_bit_score]

I've been mowing 5ish acres and some trails with a brush hog behind my jd4310....and a push mower around the house. We did some thinning and there's more to mow now but the brushhog can't maneuver what's needed. I'm told I can't buy a mid mount for a 2004 tractor anymore unless it's used and I can't find a used one. Everybody say go for a zero turn but I'm concerned about getting stuck on ruts, bumps, some hills and some not terribly smooth terrain. How stable are these zeroturn mowers anyway? Just how "flat" does the ground have to be to avoid getting stuck, sliding or even more fun...rolling?

Pick any Zero Turn mower and go to the online reference for the Owner's Manual/Operating Manuel for that mower and you will get an education on the slope that they warn you to avoid.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Just how "flat" does the ground have to be to avoid getting stuck, sliding or even more fun...rolling?

Doesn't have to be flat at all, IF you are on a front deck Grasshopper!

SR

 

[BoylermanCT]

You can go up and down pretty steep hills. Going across hills not so much. Change the wheels from turf to AT101's and you will never get stuck. Well almost never! Best upgrade I made to my machine was the AT101 tires.

 

[4570Man]

You can go up and down pretty steep hills. Going across hills not so much. Change the wheels from turf to AT101's and you will never get stuck. Well almost never! Best upgrade I made to my machine was the AT101 tires.

A big ZT with AT101s will side hill a slope that will flip a small tractor. A light ZT not so much.

 

[JoelT]

Doesn't have to be flat at all, IF you are on a front deck Grasshopper!

SR

I hadn't noticed that difference before. Seems that you can poke the mower into some tight spots better maybe but how's it help the handling?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I hadn't noticed that difference before. Seems that you can poke the mower into some tight spots better maybe but how's it help the handling?

It hinges at the back of the deck, so you get a much better ride and with the deck out front, it puts a lot more weight on those drive wheels.

SR

 

[4570Man]

It hinges at the back of the deck, so you get a much better ride and with the deck out front, it puts a lot more weight on those drive wheels.

SR

You’re wrong about the weight distribution. My Grasshopper mid mount carries almost all of the weight on the drive wheels plus it poses less chance of getting stuck over a ditch with the drive wheels hung up in the middle. The front decks have quite a bit of weight over the rear non driving wheels. If the deck is sitting on the gauge wheels it’s even worse. A front deck will outperform a mid mount on a side hill because the deck counter balances it for sliding down as bad.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

A front deck GH has an adjustment for how much weight the deck puts of the drive wheels, mine side hills better than any zero turn I've ever used.

SR

 

[dragoneggs]

It hinges at the back of the deck, so you get a much better ride and with the deck out front, it puts a lot more weight on those drive wheels.

SR

I have some wicked slopes that I try to mow with my Z turn. Certain areas I avoid when wet... other areas I avoid all together. I have one short but steep grade that I have to go up to get to a patch above a retaining wall. I have to lean as far forward as I can to keep the front wheels on the ground. Not for the faint of heart or sphincter.

I have been looking for a good hunk of steel to stumble on, that I could attach to the front edge. I am convince that 50lbs forward and low would be a huge improvement on my little Z.

 

[4570Man]

You could foam the front tires. I think mine added 30 pounds each after I did that.