Whatever you feel like thread.

[CloverKnollFarms]

My battery issues have not been losing endurance, so much as it has been they failed completely one day. One 2AH battery is almost $200.

 

[MossRoad]

We got another douse of rain here yesterday and will be mowing again today. Need to get trailers and vehicles out of the yard! Its strangely nice to mow with little noise.

I hardly notice my neighbor using his.

 

[ArlyA]

Very little noise, no fuel to haul, no engine or belt maintenance* and the neighbor kid can operate it.

*our last two riding mowers the engines were failing.

 

[FPGT72]

The ego mowers have been around a few years, maybe 5? And batteries are easily replaced and aftermarket ones being sold today.

True, but in my line of thinking you should not have to do that. For me to move to another platform the new thing must have big plusses. I don't see what the battery mower brings to the table.

The guy that bought the push mower could not keep a gas mower running for over a year, that tends to happen when you leave gas in it and don't know how to take care of your equipment past hosing it down. So for him it was a valid option. It also brings being much more quiet to the table. I don't have really a small mower anymore, I do have a couple 42" for around the house and I am sure I could go electric for those, but with everything else being gas or diesel why have an odd duck.

I do have an electric pole saw, and an electric weed wacker, those are handy. I still have gas versions of each, and only really use the gas weed wacker in the very heavy stuff around my range. The electric just poops out quickly when in the tough stuff I don't do all that often.

I think people see the sticker shock of that one time buy of the batteries where as paying for gas every few weeks is a little less painful. Same with the oil change, once a season if the person takes care of it and that is it. Not a lot of money, but the batteries, and the name brand batteries are.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

So I spend $200/yr on fuel to mow. That's a lot. But I also mow 2.7 acres, 4x per month, that's 8-12" tall in many cases. That's with a 72" mower. So I've priced a 72" electric ZTR. It makes $200/yr in fuel seem affordable.

For smaller yards, electric is probably the way to go for people not wanting to do any maintenance.

 

[Duds13]

No offense but I just don't see these Ego mowers lasting very long. For the price they look like they are cheaply built. I'm sure they serve a purpose for some people though.

 

[Fixastuff]

It’s difficult to understand but just because you or I “need” a diesel commercial quality mower does not mean everyone else does.

 

[Eagle1]

The point is a 100*300 foot yard does not need (or want) the same tools I want for 10+ of campground and another 80 of woods and pasture. I can mow for 8+ hours if I feel like it.

 

[Duds13]

It’s difficult to understand but just because you or I “need” a diesel commercial quality mower does not mean everyone else does.

That's why I said I'm sure they serve a purpose for some people, lol

 

[Duds13]

The point is a 100*300 foot yard does not need (or want) the same tools I want for 10+ of campground and another 80 of woods and pasture. I can mow for 8+ hours if I feel like it.

I get that. Doesn't change the fact that they look cheaply built to me

 

[Fixastuff]

That's why I said I'm sure they serve a purpose for some people, lol

It wasn’t directed at you just more the general thread sentiment of “Me need big mower! Me man!” lol.

 

[Eagle1]

I get that. Doesn't change the fact that they look cheaply built to me

Most reasonable priced stuff looks like that to me..... I tend to gravitate to the old tanks and make run again.

 

[Duds13]

It wasn’t directed at you just more the general thread sentiment of “Me need big mower! Me man!” lol.

All good here!

 

[WinterDeere]

For me to move to another platform the new thing must have big plusses. I don't see what the battery mower brings to the table.

Umm... did you read the post immediately before yours?

Very little noise, no fuel to haul, no engine or belt maintenance* and the neighbor kid can operate it.

 

[WinterDeere]

It wasn’t directed at you just more the general thread sentiment of “Me need big mower! Me man!” lol.

Size matters, but so does speed. One gripe I have against many/most of the e-mowers is that their top speed is a good 25% slower than comparable gassers. As much as a normal 11 mph ZT feels fast, when you first transition from lawn tractor to ZT, it starts feeling awful slow by late in each season.

 

[FPGT72]

Umm... did you read the post immediately before yours?

You know how often I have changed the belts on that craftsman in the past 25 years, NEVER. I just replaced the deck belt on a 1984 Ford YT16 two weeks ago. Yea that belt drive is a real game changer.

 

[Fixastuff]

Size matters, but so does speed. One gripe I have against many/most of the e-mowers is that their top speed is a good 25% slower than comparable gassers. As much as a normal 11 mph ZT feels fast, when you first transition from lawn tractor to ZT, it starts feeling awful slow by late in each season.

72” zturn good suspension seat @ 13mph or you not doing anything. lol.

 

[WinterDeere]

You know how often I have changed the belts on that craftsman in the past 25 years, NEVER. I just replaced the deck belt on a 1984 Ford YT16 two weeks ago. Yea that belt drive is a real game changer.

I agree, direct drive vs. belt drive is a non-issue. Belts work fine, most of the time.

That said, I've never kept a belt 25 years. Usually they're looking ratty enough after 10-12 years, that I just replace them to avoid the down time. I keep the old set as backup, so I can avoid downtime due to a failed belt. Still, at 10 years... who cares?

The only legitimate problem I've ever had with belts was when I went thru three OEM mule drive belts in two years on my 60" deck. Damn heavy duty aftermarket PTO clutch was locking up so fast on cold belts, it'd snap them on first engagement (cold). Went to Kevlar belts, which seem to be holding, so far.

 

[WinterDeere]

72” zturn good suspension seat @ 13mph or you not doing anything. lol.

I had a 72" for awhile, but actually found I liked the 60" deck better, given some of the bumps and dips in my hilly yard. The 72" was awesome for the wide open spaces, but so much more likely to have issues with raised areas around tree buttress roots, swales, etc.

Current rig is 60" and something just shy of 12 mph. I always wish it were faster, near the end of each season as it's getting f'ing cold and my knuckles are freezing, but it's honestly a pretty good speed for imperfect terrain.

 

[ArlyA]

Our mower is just 42" wide and out testing in taller weeds today. I had a tape in the grass but i can't locate the photo now. Its tops was 2ft or more tall,