Whatever you feel like thread.

[Eagle1]

You're making an awful lot of assumptions. I suspect a lot more thought went into developing a standardized battery platform for these $10k+ mowers, given the average lifespan of a ZT mower, than your $100 portable drills. While I think it's reasonable to believe the OEM may not offer replacement batteries by the time the mower deck reaches end of life, as I stated previously, I do believe there will be aftermarket options available for many years after the OEM has moved on to newer tech.


Probably has more to do with usage pattern. Some have the free time and schedule flexibility to never have to mow damp grass, while some of us seem to be almost always mowing damp grass in early morning or well past sunset. Put a mower away wet 20x per year for 20 years, and it's not going to last anywhere near as long as the guy who only mows his lawn at 3pm on sunny days.

Add climate and growing season, down south it can be cutting season all year long no sitting around during that thing you guys call winter.

 

[ArlyA]

Probably has more to do with usage pattern. Some have the free time and schedule flexibility to never have to mow damp grass, while some of us seem to be almost always mowing damp grass in early morning or well past sunset. Put a mower away wet 20x per year for 20 years, and it's not going to last anywhere near as long as the guy who only mows his lawn at 3pm on sunny days.

We commonly mow damp. Gets warm-n-dry here in the late summer but mowing slows down. I'd guess we mow far lass than most folks.

 

[WinterDeere]

We commonly mow damp. Rarely gets warm-n-dry here.

It's great that you're seeing 20 years out of other decks, but you do know there's no way the thin deck on an Ego is going to last anywhere near as long as a typical 7-gauge deck, under those conditions.

My "7-Iron" deck is about 17 years old, and I'd put its current condition around 50% life, depending on how far you're willing to push an old deck, or how much you like welding.

 

[dodge man]

I just read this thread, interesting to see all the comments.

Mowing speed? I’ve never had a yard I could mow very fast so that seems like a meaningless number. 5mph in my yard would beat you to death.

Fuel cost? $20 a month for gas or diesel doesn’t seem like much but over the life of a mower but that will add up to maybe as much as $2000 or more over the life of the mower.

I looked at them on line. I can’t tell how big the batteries are? The size of your fist or a little bigger?

 

[5030]

I've always wondered why all the new mowers have lights on them? If you mow in the dark, the grass has dew on it and makes cud and clogs the deck. I've never mowed in the dark, always in the afternoon when the grass is dry.

Having said that, My Kubota F2880 has a headlight but it's burned out and I'll probably never replace the bulb anyway.

 

[Duds13]

I just read this thread, interesting to see all the comments.

Mowing speed? I’ve never had a yard I could mow very fast so that seems like a meaningless number. 5mph in my yard would beat you to death.

Fuel cost? $20 a month for gas or diesel doesn’t seem like much but over the life of a mower but that will add up to maybe as much as $2000 or more over the life of the mower.

I looked at them on line. I can’t tell how big the batteries are? The size of your fist or a little bigger?

no one is mowing at top speeds of 11-12 mph that zero turns can reach. If they say they are, I challenge their honesty

 

[5030]

So do I. At that speed, you butt would be airborne more than in the seat and the OPC would kill the engine anyway, not to mention the ragged cut. Even with my F288 front mount diesel Kubota, I always mow in low range on the hydrostat. It has a high range I never use and my seat is air ride too boot.

 

[Eagle1]

How about the 1/4 to 1/2 mile transit to and from different sections? Not everyone with a Z turn cuts a little lot. My park is scattered on 90+ ac and the shop is on one end. The private gravel roads are smooth as can make them.

 

[5030]

All well and good but you ain't mowing, your are transiting. My 2880 in high range will do just under 12mph, way too fast to mow anything.

 

[ArlyA]

I just read this thread, interesting to see all the comments.

Mowing speed? I’ve never had a yard I could mow very fast so that seems like a meaningless number. 5mph in my yard would beat you to death.

Fuel cost? $20 a month for gas or diesel doesn’t seem like much but over the life of a mower but that will add up to maybe as much as $2000 or more over the life of the mower.

I looked at them on line. I can’t tell how big the batteries are? The size of your fist or a little bigger?

Above is a photo pf a battery. They might be two fists tall. As others have stated, top speed is for ferrying them, not mowing.

 

[WinterDeere]

no one is mowing at top speeds of 11-12 mph that zero turns can reach. If they say they are, I challenge their honesty

Bull. My levers are full-forward all the time, unless I'm stopping and turning. My lawn isn't a putting green, but it's at least as flat as the average fairway.

 

[5030]

I suspect not many can mow at warp speed, maybe you can but I'd say you are a distinct minority and I bet you cut looks like h ell too.

 

[WinterDeere]

I suspect not many can mow at warp speed, maybe you can but I'd say you are a distinct minority

Maybe, at least for a forum of more rural tractor owners. On a farm, a "lawn" is anything green that you mow.

I bet you cut looks like h ell too.

Not at all. ZT's are made to cut at full speed, it's how their blade tip speed is set, by design. Honestly, if you're not cutting at full speed, you wasted your money, could've saved on a slower machine.

Some of the road tech's for the local turf products company actually send customers to see my lawn, when they want to advertise what a residential lawn can look like, when properly cared for.

I once had a guy walking by while I was spreading product, stop to compliment me on the yard. He said he is a groundskeeper at a local golf course, and wished all of their course looked as good as my lawn.

It's not hard, it's just science.

 

[5030]

Not in my wheelhouse but then so long as it's green, I'm good with it.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I'll admit, I'm not mowing full speed on my X One. I'll have to GPS my speed next week. I don't think I wasted money on it though. 72" deck and the ability to change direction much quicker and navigate obstacles.

 

[Duds13]

Maybe, at least for a forum of more rural tractor owners. On a farm, a "lawn" is anything green that you mow.


Not at all. ZT's are made to cut at full speed, it's how their blade tip speed is set, by design. Honestly, if you're not cutting at full speed, you wasted your money, could've saved on a slower machine.

Some of the road tech's for the local turf products company actually send customers to see my lawn, when they want to advertise what a residential lawn can look like, when properly cared for.

I once had a guy walking by while I was spreading product, stop to compliment me on the yard. He said he is a groundskeeper at a local golf course, and wished all of their course looked as good as my lawn.

It's not hard, it's just science.

View attachment 873941

Nice lookin lawn for 12 MPH!

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

My Hustler would not mow at 11mph. The tip speed is insufficient when the lawn is 8" tall being cut to 4". I get to mow once every 7 days, so the height of the grass is out of my control

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I too am a fellow "full sticks" mower. My dumb Spartan doesn't play along unless it's perfect grass. But, when I had my lawn service I had a John Deere 737 and I almost never mowed less than full stick. That thing properly maintained on good lawns would fly and leave the grass looking like carpet.

 

[MossRoad]

Our last two mowers were Ariens and Husky rider types and both only seen very occasional under deck cleaning. Each were ran 20 or more years but neither rusted out. Different grass acidity here?

You don't use salt on your lawn in winter?

I'm the poster boy for not washing under my mower decks. About once a year I'll use a putty knife to knock off the dried clumps. I've never had a deck rust out. Push mowers, riders, etc..

 

[MossRoad]

I've always wondered why all the new mowers have lights on them? If you mow in the dark, the grass has dew on it and makes cud and clogs the deck. I've never mowed in the dark, always in the afternoon when the grass is dry.

Having said that, My Kubota F2880 has a headlight but it's burned out and I'll probably never replace the bulb anyway.

It starts to gets dark here at 5pm in the spring and fall due to DST. Many dark evenings in the fall spent riding the mower doing leaves just after dinner. Not so much in the spring.