ZTR or Rider?

[CaptFerd]

Please dont buy that SX 54.

 

[Brily Farms]

I purchased the Cub Cadet XT2 rider with 50" deck after considerable shopping. Paid $3300 at the Cub Cadet dealership. Very pleased with the purchase. 14" turning radius goes around trees nicely. I also have hills and the XT2 goes up (and down) them very easily. Much less money the Cub Cadet zero turn with steering wheel.

 

[Oaktree]

I just put these tires on my Deere Z900 and LOVE them:

Versa Turf Tire

Versa Turf Tire is a radial construction for improved flotation, maximizing traction, superior mud-shedding performance. The tire to have in snow and ice.

www.carlislebrandtires.com

A great compromise between turfs and bar tires. Also they are radial so you can run them at lower psi so they are easy on your turf and give you a smoother ride at the same time.

It does look like a good compromise. A bit pricey though, and a quick check didn't show any dealers within 25 mi of me.

 

[Pixguy]

It does look like a good compromise. A bit pricey though, and a quick check didn't show any dealers within 25 mi of me.

There's not much of anything within 25 miles of you.

 

[bjr]

My lawn company dropped me two weeks ago due to losing employees to a competitor and I've been mowing my 1 acre lawn with lots of buildings and berms with my heavy duty 20yo Cub Cadet rider.
My lawn specs.
Very hilly 12' hills with steep grade, which I've mowed across but lean way over and have puckered a few times to get ready to roll. I've mowed up and down but can't control speed coming down with road at bottom and I spin tires going up if damp at all.

Lots of trees, flower berms, patio etc.

I don't mind spending up to 6k but I'd like some advice. ZTR with steering wheel as one dealer advised? 4wd rider?

Okay, I don't know a lot of your personal details. AAAnnd I hate to be "That Guy" but, maybe the time has come to down size and relocate. I mean we all face "that time". Property maintenance is a ongoing expense. Maybe invest in a more suitable location. Your the one to make that call.

 

[Pixguy]

We just built this house 2 years ago so moving in the next 5 years isn't happening. It's not that I can't mow it myself, it's that I don't want to be tied down to do it weekly especially with an older machine.

So..... the guy that mows a neighbor agreed to mow it at the same $75 the last crew did so for now I'm good.

 

[MoKelly]

We just built this house 2 years ago so moving in the next 5 years isn't happening. It's not that I can't mow it myself, it's that I don't want to be tied down to do it weekly especially with an older machine.

So..... the guy that mows a neighbor agreed to mow it at the same $75 the last crew did so for now I'm good.

This was interesting.

In STL the yard service/landscaping companies are advertising mowing jobs at $22.50/hour. They then charge the customer $45/hour to do work.

There appears to be great demand for the work but companies are still advertising hard for workers.

MoKelly

 

[Pixguy]

Around here the small guys are locals who mow in the summer and and plow in winter and can make a good living because they match the big guys who do the many million dollar properties around the lakes and mostly employ immigrants or first generation guys and charge high.

 

[Oaktree]

There's not much of anything within 25 miles of you.

Good point.

 

[metalbender]

View attachment 706042
$17,000+ solution above.
I have a CC Z force SZ 60, a residential model. Under 300 hours and I work on it ALL THE TIME, The mechanical nightmare steering system requires several alignment pins and expensive jigs to adjust and it hoards grass clippings in-between the frame and floor pan (I'm just cutting the lawn, not fields), jamming up the steering HW , requiring disassembly of steering, accel, brake levers, etc to access.... I keep it clean but still accumulates. If steering is not PERFECTLY alligned, it fights btw L and R trans. My 7 MPH is around 3 MPH as I can't get it perfect. I have welded the 1 inch steel pin back on the caster 3 times now. My dealer is 2 months backed up. It worked great the first 200 hours. If you can't justify a commercial grade.....
I would go with the competition lawn care for now.

Saw that steering mess before I bought my Toro. Had looked at them at the dealer, a little you tube time educated me quickly.