So what do you reccommend for a tractor lawn mower?

[SwampDonkey]

I have my eye on the John Deere LA150, but it may not be rugged enough for my 1.5 acres of 'rough' lawn.


John Deere X340 looks nice ;D


What do you think? I was first thinking of a Troy Bilt, but they are just a renamed MTD product and I don't like their designs to well.

[DanG]

I may catch some flak here from the tool snobs, but I've been very pleased with my Craftsman.  It is a '98 model, 16hp, 42", built by AYP.  It has suffered through a rough yard/barnyard, keeping up with whatever comes up on about 2½ acres, and has endured my paltry "maintenance program."  Last year while I was at the piggy roast, a tree fell on it, but it is still going strong.  It has the single cylinder B&S I/C engine.  I've had to do some work on the deck, mostly because of the pine roots that grow on the surface around here, but it has been otherwise trouble free.  Cost was about a Grand.

BTW, if you get one, go ahead and pick up a set of Gator blades at the same time.  The originals may not make it through the first cutting. : :D

[Tom]

My neighbor bought a Troy Built hoping that the name would make it last.  It didn't.  Same thin metal as most of the other mowers.

I'll not try to talk you into a craftsman.  I did it and won't again.  Nothing but trouble from the 20 horse Kohler.  The Deck's bearings go pretty regularly and the deck itself is the same thin metal as most of the other mowers.  This is our third deck.  Life is about 3 years.

One of the most durable mowers around here seems to be the old Snapper rear engine mowers.  You see used ones for sale one the side of the road that are 15 and more years old and still going.  

[sawguy21]

Is the ground quite rough or do you mean heavy coarse grass? The lower priced machines will shake themselves apart after a few years on rough terrain. The X340 would definitely last longer with good maintenance.
You are right about the Troybilt, it is a re badged MTD, same as the Toro and low end Cub Cadet. I don't like the controls at all. Most of the manufacturers are catering to the high volume box stores and there are not a lot of quality brands to choose from any more.
Was just gonna hit 'post' and saw DanG's reply. We sell the Husqvarna, same manufacturer, which stands up well for it's intended use but but generally does not take kindly to rough terrain cutting. How many of the aluminum blade mandrels have you replaced?

[SwampDonkey]

Well most of my lawn was just 'ram pasture', as mother puts it. I have some sloping ground around my driveway and the ditch and the odd ant hill that gets scalped off, might even hit the odd rock that surfaces from frost heaves. Sometimes I mow around the raspberries with the deck up high because the sod clumps can make mounds it seems. I don't want to pay more than $6000 with taxes. I will be looking the models and brands over well before slapping the coin down. Trouble with Deere right now is there is no dealer, since last fall. The one dealer who had shops all over NB went belly up and the padlocks are on the doors and vehicles blocking the driveways. Must have had a visit from the county sheriff, but no need to go into that.  : I need a mower with at least 22 HP, I've had smaller B&S motor driven mowers and they over heat. The Deere X320 sure has my eye, the 340 is too pricey.

No real hurry, just window shopping.

[DanG]

I agree the deck is the weak point on the Craftsman.  Once it gets bent on the edge, it will deteriorate rapidly.  I added some steel around the bottom of mine and it seems to be holding ok.  I'm still on the original deck after over 8 seasons.  I have had to replace the mandrels a couple of times.  I haven't had much trouble with that since switching to the Gator blades.

Regardless of brand, there are a couple of things to look for when you're shopping around.  Stay away from electric clutches for blade engagement.  They break, and are expensive to replace.  I don't have a problem using a lever instead of a switch for that function.  I also don't care for hydrastatic drives for the same reasons.  Keep it simple, then you can fix it instead of replacing it.  Also, look at the front end/steering mechanism.  My Dad bought a Lowe's(MTD) at the same time I got my Craftsman, and it has been sitting in my junk pile for 3 years now.  The front-end is completely shot!  The Briggs engine on it is still good, though.

Tom, your deck problems(thin metal) may be because of your sandy soil.  I had that trouble at a previous home.  The sand would eat right through a deck in just a couple of years.

Sawguy, I've only replaced one of the aluminum mandrel housings, but have had to buy several mandrel shafts.  Most of them fail at the bottom end where that stoopid "star-shaped" attachment is.  A couple have failed at the top, where the splines for the pulley are too shallow.  ALL of my deck problems have come when I hit those DanG pine roots! >:(

SWAMPDONKEY!!  Six Grand?   For that, I could get a new mower AND a bass boat!

[SwampDonkey]

Dang, our old Kubota was around $6500 and is now over 20 years old, it's diesel and been a good motor. The deck has had some work and she's getting hard on mower belts.

I might have to stick to the push mower.  :

[Tom]

DanG, I'm sure that the sandy soil is the worst culprit.  The second worst culprit is the operator who continues to attempt to mow sand.  :D

Swamp Donkey!! $6000!!    I'd be looking for a small hydraulic tractor with three point hitch for that.   Ford's 1000 line of tractors was what I bought.  The largest was a 1900, 1910 or 1920 depending on the year and was around 28 drawbar horsepower and diesel.  The smallest one was about the size of a yard tractor but designed like a utility tractor with Power take-off and three point hitch.  It was diesel too and about 15 horse.   The little Shibaura engines are tough.

You can find them, used, all day long.

If you want new, John Deere has a line like that and so does New Holland.

Massey Ferguson even has a line.

Now this is going to be topping out your budget, but it will provide you with a lot of longivity, power and versitility.  You can even use it in your business.  

[sawguy21]

Six g's buys a decent tractor here but not the top of the line.  :(

[pigman]

Being the lazy sort, I like my hydrastatic drive mower with the elictric clutch. ;) ;D

Lazy Bob

[Fla._Deadheader]

Farmall Cub with Belly Mower  8) 8)

[caz]

Anything Johndeere except the big box junk

[beenthere]

Box store Deere is same as what goes to the Deere dealer. Just ya don't get the same potential care from the B store, that you can expect from the dealer. The low $$ tractors are sold at the box stores, but still the same.

I like the hydrastatic, PTO driven deck, electric clutch, tilt steering, diff. lock, cruise control, hydraulics, and the all-wheel steer.  ;D ;D 

[SwampDonkey]

You have the X324? Tell me more. ;D

[Mooseherder]

Don't know if you considered a zero turn mower but Ferris makes a machine within that budget. I have had mine a few years and saves alot of time. This is the kinda machine that will last the rest of your time here on earth.  It came to Maine with me last year and mowed 10 acres of field grass/weed that I usually bush-hogged years previous. It was alot faster than Bush-hogging even in places where I had to make 2 passes cause it was high!

[beenthere]

Not exactly.
But have a 2003 year model X485 w/54" deck. There is now a replacement model (not sure what it is off the top of my head) that takes the 48", 54", or 62" deck. Comes 4wd but not in the all-wheel steer model. Gas or diesel (which is at the same price/gal now  ).

[pineywoods]

Mooseherder got it right. for about the same money, you can get a ferris, made for commercial use. the deck is 1/4 inch steel plate and that's re-inforced at the corners. the spindles and idlers have grease fittings. Independent suspension on all 4 wheels makes a big difference in rough ground. engine is kawasaki minium 22 hp gasburner up to 35 hp diesel.
Mine replaced a massey-ferguson 135 tractor with a 5 foot bush-hog. the ferris will cut twice as much grass in the same length of time. Yea it's zero-turn but the hydraulic components are off-the shelf commercial parts readily available.

[Don P]

We've got an 82 c85 Wheel Horse that was my BIL's till about 93, then we got it. It's been mowing about 5 ac of tough mountain land since, on my "tall grass is ok" program  :D. Kinda ticked me off to spend ~$300 this spring, new tires (first time),filters, wheel bearings etc. pto clutch is manual, still fine, new brake band last year when the rivets rusted out of the old one. The deck is about shot, the blades are now welded on, she don't owe me a thing and will need replacing sometime in the next decade or so, but it hasn't been too bad.

[Chris Burchfield]

Been married 29 years. Three box store 42 - 44" name brands. Problem withem are you bump the deck or hit a root and she'll cut where wife won't let me use it on the front yard no more. I won't push the back yard with three dogs fenced in. I'll buy one more, next year when I retire. It'll be a commercial zero turn not from a box store and about 5G+/- plus taxes. Scag, Dixie Chopper, Walker or Bad Boy Mowers maybe a couple of more. I've been window shopping too. Problem with a tractor type mower is stopping and backing up till you get your rounded corners made. You can not imagine the time savings of the zero turn. I don't want to spend the rest of my life cutting grass. But before long I'll have at least 5 yards 10,000 sq, up to 4 acres I'll have to mow as mothers and aunt get older. These have serious metal in the decks, 2 and 3 bearings on the blade shafts. 3/8" thick blades. Engines recognized here in the U.S. as commercial grade. Now, you can go up in price and get a diesel engine. Good luck.

[johnjbc]

Got my Wheelhourse 520H about 1990. Its been mowing 2 acres  plus about a 1 mile walking path for 17 years and still going strong. Had a wiring problem last year that I thought was the voltage regulator. Just had to bypass a disconnect plug and good to go.
The 60" mower is made of 1/8 plate and weights 325.
Picked up a small TORO for my mom at an auction and an MTD for camp at a garage sale. They are both jerky to start and the MTD steering is bad. Good thing they were cheap. Saw a nice Kubota zero turn with 429 hours on it sell at an auction yesterday, went for $7200   

[Polly]

 8) 8)  most of the o turn mowers are made by yazoo keeys their is one on e bay 27hp 61 inch cut commercial listed for 6900.00  i have got a 1969 model yazoo still running if you ant yazoon you are not mowing :D :D :D

[Ironwood]

I have tried several, including the under powered slow blade speed of a Cub Lowboy. Bad choice, sorry FDH.

My now deceased, old timer neighbor had a JD 140. cira.1970. Hyrostatic, w/ a three way hydraulic blade on the front. Electric front PTO to the deck. I called it his little dozer. Guys would dump triaxe loads of dug up (not ground up) asphalt at his place, ALL day he would chisel away at those huge piles, I could hear it for hours and  hours. So, I found one just like his. I bought a new muffler for mine and gave him my "old one", things in the neighborhood got quieter after that kind gesture.  ;D This was the lawn/ garden tractor that set the standard in those days (Cub Cadet still is copying the design!). I still use it. the weakness is no power steering. The 318 and 420 /425 have it. If I had it to do again I would have bought a 425 /420, I think the 455 is the diesel version.

            Reid

[Don_Papenburg]

I have an old 430 JD diesel with a 60" deck still cutting but on retirement sortof as it only has to cut a half acre now .  I got a 595 JD 4x4 diesel with a 62" deck . It came with a 50 inch rototiller and a pushing blade.  It was five years old when I got it with only 450 Hours I have over 600 on it now .  (one year) We use it for every thing snow blowing . tilling  , mowing  , hauling firewood, ATV, Gator  ,spraying weeds , and bugs .  We mow about 6 acres at the farm.
And it has hydro and electro hydraulic pto  But it does have a leaver to engage the front wheels. 
DanG  I have never had a problem with a hydro unit in a mower yet    I used to think that a hydro was not needed to mow ,and it isn't , but it saves a lot of time .My brother always brings up how he never needed a 4wheel drive mower yet to get his grass cut , But I sure would not give mine up now that I have used it.   

[Handy Andy]

  I bought a used Xmark zero turn radius about 4 years ago.  Had about 600 hours on the meter, and the fellow who sold it to me is a friend, said the life is about 3000 hours.  The thing has a 26 hp Kohler, just like my mill engine, and takes a 72" cut.  My wife is the mowing person and she loves it.  Goes about 10 mph and can mow the 3 acres here in about 2 hours. And not much tirimming either. 

[limbrat]

I cant say for mowers i picked up a used 46" mtd six yrs. it ago has gived no problems.
Now blades, I have sandy soil and it eats blades as fast as you like,not so much on the cutting face but it will cut the wing off the back in three cuttings.
Now the first thing i do with a new set of blades is put some sacrifical meat on them. I take a .5" strap like is used on huricane fences cut 1.5" pieces and weld them to the wing face on the blade were they normaly get worn off. If one gets worn off it throughs it out of balance so i take it in and put new pieces on. now one set of blades last all summer from march to the end of november instead of 3or 4 sets at $30. a set. I found my best price on blades at ASC Agri Supply.

[sawguy21]

Do the blades require more power to engage and do they make more noise?

[limbrat]

No they are no more trouble to engage, dont seen to wear the belts any more but it does make more noise sounds like hi vac blades and blowes cuttings farther.

[a old timberjack]

ok, i will keep it short and sweet,  3 years ago i purchased a john deere LT 160 hydro 16 hp kolher 42 in deck with a bagger paid around 3,100.00$ from my local dealer i mow about 1.5 acres a week . i wanted a 2 blade deck cause i personally like the cut a 2 blade deck gives compared to the 3 blade my lawn is my hobby i am anal about it.( did i mention i wash my lawn tractor after every use?? ) i did alot of reserch on mowers and the best bang for your buck  is the jd. the L series you buy at the box stores is rated a 3 year mower  the i am not good with the new series #'s but the LT series and  up is rated a 15 to 20 year mower with normal maintanince. my old man has a 1982 jd 216 and it looks like he just bought it to this day. with deere, parts and service are always there the others it is hit or miss or they are no longer in buisiness ... thats my opinion. everybody is different. it is  your choice, happy shopping .......Brandon   

[Raider Bill]

I bought a Ariens zero turn last year mostly due to having used my Dad's Arien mower and snow blower while growing up. I'm now sorry I did. Both side consoles have broken off, the Hydro units are going south fast, belt changing is a day long process.
My suggestion is get a Zero turn model, dixie chopper, feris, or scag. My old mower was a scag. I wish I still had it.

[beenthere]

If ya go with a zero turn, think about mowing a lot with both hands always on the two levers that control the hyd motors in each wheel. Mowed with a Dixie, and did not care for having to hang on to those levers ALL the time.

I much prefer the steering wheel, one hand to control, a foot for forward/reverse direction and a hand free to itch, swat a bug, push a limb to the side, raise/lower the deck, and hang on when on a hillside.
Also a tractor-type can be used for more 'tractor-type' work than being dedicated to mowing grass.

Just a lot to think about and consider, as I see it. (and 'a old timberjack' said a lot der, bout dem Deere's    ). Each to their own joys.

[john_boylan]

I hate your Deere dealer has gone belly-up, 'cause there are lots of Deere products I could recommend.  But the older Toro Wheelhorse is quite a machine as well, and would probably be my choice if a Deere dealer wasn't available.  The old hydraulic Ingersolls are another tough tractor, but hard to find.

You might want to look at some older front-decks from Toro and Kubota with a real steering wheel and foot controls.  Many have a 72" deck and diesel engines and the original owners just about have to give them away when it comes time to sell.  One of my buddies is mulling over a $4,000 purchase of a 76" JD 935 right now that won't need more than $250 in repairs to be just about perfect--it already runs great and is complete, needs only a new front driveshaft ($150 at the local rebuilder) and an $80 carrier bearing.  That mower sold new for around $14,000 twelve years ago, and only has slightly over 1,000 hours on it.

But the zero-steers are the real grass cutting machines: wish there was one in my shed right now.  They can be had used as well.  Good luck.

[woody1]

I have a 25hp simplicity and love it. Tilt steering wheel, adj. seat, cup holder, cruise control.

[Chris Burchfield]

Yes, I've seen the ones that allow hand or foot steering. This would allow for one bad habit in each hand.  :D

[Tom]

That would propose a real dilemma for me.  I can't keep my foot out of my mouth and I'm afraid that I would find myself with a wrecked mower and two vices all over me.  :D

[Chris Burchfield]

Tom, my mouth has had to accomodate both feet on more than one occasion.

[DanG]

Each to their own joys.

My joy is getting 10 years out of a "three year machine" for under a thousand bucks. ;D

[Dave Shepard]

Well, if the Cub hasn't got enough power, then how 'bout an H?



Model: Farmall H
HP: 28
Cut: 6'
Acres per hour: Lots


Dave

[DWM II]

Today I returned a Troy-Built form the bbs and picked up a Husky in its place. Its got to be a better mower than the T-B. I had the T-B for about 30 days and cut grass three times with it and had to work on it each time :-\. I hope to have better luck with the Husky. My 2 cents- dont buy a Troy -Built. :

[pigman]

Dave, If  all I had to mow the grass with that H, I would fence in the yard and turn in the bovines. smiley_bull_stomp

Bob

[Dave Shepard]

I don't run it. ;) I used my Scag, but I sold it, now my father mows with it. I used that tractor to maintain about ten acres@once per month before I bought this:



It needs a bath though, been wallowin' in the muc with it! ;D


Dave

[Raider Bill]

Troy built used to make good equiptment. It's a shame that they have resorted to infieror crap. Another sellout.

[DanG]

Yep, it is a DanG shame.  That's the way things are done in big biz, these days.  A big company will buy out a smaller one with a great reputation, then milk that reputation until it is ruined.  Ya used to be able to depend on certain brand names for quality, but it looks like those days are gone. >:(

[sawguy21]

Unfortunately, Gardenway/Troybilt went bankrupt and MTD bought rights to the name. They did the same thing with White, Bolens, and Cub Cadet which were formerly well respected brands. Now all these makes are similar units with different paint and decals to suit which ever big box store sells them. Cub Cadet does have higher end tractors that only full service dealers sell but the entry level series is generic.

[Polly]

 8) 8) 8)   points to consider no 1 their are more used john deere mowers listed in sale papers then enything else wonder why  no 2 if you got all day and just fooling around you defininately want a mower with a steering wheel 4 wheels cigar liter and head lites  no 5 if you been sawing all week and wife wants yard mowed saturday morning befofe you go fishing  talk to some of people that are mowing for a living and then go buy a good o turn several good brands out their x mark huskivarner dixie chopper bush hog  yazoo keys  personally i think if you are not yazoon you are not mowing :D :D 8) 8)

[DanG]

So, Polly, what do you think about Yazoo mowers? ;) :D :D :D

[thecfarm]

Those zero steers one are nice,I or really the wife could use one,but we just cannot have something just sitting there waiting for the grass to get tall.That's why we have a 18hp 4WD mower.We have one backen that is really steep.Wife can put a trailer on the back and go gardening,pick up brush,leaves,etc.Than in the winter it's used to blow out the driveway.That little tractor is always on the move.We use it for all sorts of things.

[OneWithWood]

You said tractor in the title.  Check out the compact tractors made by John Deere, Ford/New Holland, Kubota and others.  You get much more versatility.  The douwn side is it takes a bit longer to mow because the deck rpms are a bit slower.  But the option of an FEL and 3 point hitch are indespensible.

[ohsoloco]

I've never used one of those zero turn mowers with the two drive levers, but I've mowed a lot of grass with a Ferris and Gravely "relatively zero turn" mower...the ones with a third wheel on the back with the seat over top of it.  The steering bar is right in front of you, and you don't have to constantly apply pressure with your arms to drive (they have the foot operated hydrostatic drive).  Nice machines, and they cut like nobody's business 

Those articulating Steiners are nice too, but it's easy to get hung up around a post on a hill.  Not that I've ever done that  :D

[Polly]

 8) 8) 8) i volunteered polly to mow the property at our church around seven acres they have a dixie chopper and she has a yazoo she said getting off the dixie chopper and getting on the yazoo is like going from a go cart to a lemo counting going around the preachers house and frute trees takes us about one and one half hours and almost five gallons of gas but you are going to do yard work mulching dirt moving and moving the sawmill around the place a little four wheel drive would be hard to beet one neighbor has a orange one and other neighbor has a pretty green one about four grand higher but that green paint is pretty  :D :D :D 8) 8)  anyway they are all good until they break down  :( :(

[Polly]

 8) 8) i just rembered the local city here is located along the river and they had to use a back hoe to get the dixie chopper out of the river they were mowing the dirt flood wall and it took off of course the yazoo is no better i was mowing around  a lake last week and when i got stopped one side was in athe water i thought i was going swimming :D :D :D 8) 8) 8)

[sawguy21]

ohsoloco, I don't like those machines with the seat over the third wheel. I felt like a rock on the end of a string in turns, a seat belt would have helped.

[Mooseherder]

Swampdonkey......dat grass growing yet?
What you gonna buy eh? :D

[ohsoloco]

Sawguy, I really like mowing on them, but you definitely have to be careful on turns...I've almost thrown myself off of them a few times  :-\  The snow blowers on them work nice as well if you've got a set of chains for the tires, and you can spin some mean donuts  ;D

[SwampDonkey]

Similar to this one.

Craftsman 26 HP

I think they have one for $1999 until June 1. I decided I can make do without burning a hole in my wallet.  :

[Weekend_Sawyer]

I mow my place with a 52 ford 8N with a 5' 3 point hitch mower. Love it. I used various Farmall Cubs for many years. The older ones were only rated 9HP! but could mow alot of grass.

My next mower is going to be a Farmal Super A with 5' woods belly mower. The rear deck works ok but I like belly mowers better.

Jon

[beenthere]

The Crapsman just keep burnin that little hole in yer wallet, and it never heals.
Also, the resale value of a good mower investment helps heal over that wallet-hole too.

I've heard too many real horror stories from Crapsman owners. However, there are those who just keep them runnin and runnin.....so I don't look down on those who put their money into them (no offense, SD and wish you good luck with yours).

[SwampDonkey]

Dad has had a 22 HP Craftsman for 6 years now with no troubles. It depends a lot on the operator, I have a brother that would probably trash it in a couple years ramming and tearing around and running into stuff. I think 10 or 12 years is a good lifespan for those cheapie mowers. We'll see. ;)

[DanG]

That cast iron front axle on the one you're considering looks just like mine.  That pore thing has had a rough way to go, and has given no problems.  The stamped steel one with plastic bushings on my Dad's old one was a constant aggravation.

[joelmar10]

Disclaimer:  The following opinion is my own and is not necessarily the opinion of the Forestry Forum or its sponsors:

If you're willing to buy a tractor every three years...

MTD:  My Tractor is Disposable

Unless you insist on keeping it running yourself then...

MTD:  Mostly Tore Down

However if you let a shop do your repairs, they will name it...

MTD:  My Timeshare Downpayment

smiley_dozy_bored

[sawmilllawyer]

Been window shopping for a mower since my 1991 MTD Garden tractor transmission went out. (high/low/reverse) 14 speeds, mowing 1 1/2 acres for years. looked at used Wheelhorse tractors 520-H model, good ones located to far away. Talked to a bunch of people and for going around trees and obstacles they all  recommended a zero turn mower, over a small lawn tractor,in terms of manuverability, cutting speed, durability, and fuel economy.

Seems like everyone is making a zero turn mower this year. Looked at Scag, Wildcat  pro model w/ 60" deck which is three layers and a full 1/2" thick. Had a comerical Kawa motor and the  heaviest spindle bearing set up I have seen;  but pricey. Dealer had a demo from last year would be in your price range; and it would probably out last me (that's good). Scag also has a homeowners line this year w/ either B&S or Kawa power. Hustler brand seemed well built heavy duty mower. Cub Cadet has a range of zero turn mowers form homeowner to commerical.  A new brand out of Arkansas called Bad Boy Mowers seems pretty well built have'nt seen one in person. Even the JD dealer had homeowner or commerical lines.

Lot of coin for just a mower, IMO. Wanted kinda of a do all set up myself w/ mower, loader, three point hitch, but really, really pricey new, especially w/ diesel power. Good used one, near by hard to find. Still looking.     

[ScottAR]

Bad Boys pack a lotta bang for the buck.  See lots of em on the
landscaping trucks around.  They  use mostly generic parts so replacements
are somewhat economical.

Give an Arkie a job!!   :D

They build em about an hour from me in Batesville. 

[SwampDonkey]

How 'bout this one?  ;D

[sawguy21]

Certainly inexpensive, but looks light duty. It is probably made by AYP. The entry level z-turns generally do not have dampened control levers so speed changes tend to be abrupt. They can be hard to control on rough ground.

[DWM II]

I'm pleased so far with the Husky from the blue box store. Just got finished cutting 2 1/2 acres this morning in under 2 hrs. The ride is comfortable and the hydrastatic trans. works real well and the 16'' turning radius is pretty tight. I was able to cut wet grass wide open at the 3'' setting, it seems the only things that slow it down are pine bale string my wife throws out in the yard with the weeds from the flower beds and the lack of smoothness of my yard. : So far it gets an A for an economy lawn tractor.

[SwampDonkey]

Yeah I think Z-turn is out for me. Too expensive, and I like my hands on a wheel. I'd be afraid of the steering lever mechanism not holding up too well. I think you'd need a bigger wheel than what I see pictured on the front end as well for my rough lawn. Dad says no, even though it's my $$.  ;D  :D

[bitternut]

I have been searching for a new lawn mower also. Seems like there are a bunch of them with different paint schemes for $1700 to $2000. Cub Cadet has a zero turn on a normal tractor type mower that might be worth looking at if you want a tight turning radius.

Looked at the Kubota T series lawn tractors that seem nice but they run about a grand more than the pack sold by the big retailers. Not sure if they are worth more money but at least they are serviced by a dealer. Going to have to make a decision soon, the grass is getting higher every day. ;D

[SwampDonkey]

Yeah, I had to mow today. The old dead grass mixed with the new sure is hard pushing through.  :

[SwampDonkey]

This will be my new mower. Going to take delivery of it in a couple weeks.

[ScottAR]

The old Toro was pronouced dead today so I might have to take my
own advice as much as I don't need another payment to make.

Trans clutch is wore out after only 22 yrs. Part not available.

DanG!!

Craftsmans keep me in a paycheck selling belts... 

[DWM II]

I've got the model under that one Donk, I think you'll be pleased. The reason I went with that one was I liked the Kohler a little better than the
B/S and it fits on my small trailer, the 48'' cut wouldnt.

[SwampDonkey]

Dad's neighbor got the Kawasaki model and it blew apart with oil going everywhere. Something wasn't assembled properly and the motor was replaced without incident. The Kawasaki model is about $600 more with bigger tires, different trans and 42" deck. It's suppose to be a quieter engine. B&S are good motors, last for years when taken care of. I never had any trouble with them and have several. Well I take that back we had a MF with an underpowered B&S motor on the mower and it would over heat. It was meant for a small lawn, not a hey field. My brother decided one day to make bike trails with it in dad's wheat field.  :

[Paul_H]

We have this old used Cushman with a 2 cyl liquid cooled diesel.The engine is due for a rebuild but it still chugs along pretty good.
The zero turn is a good thing for us because of all the fruit trees in the front yard.





We also have a ugly old(14 years old) 12 horse Craftsman tractor that will not die.My son parked it to close to the fire a few years ago and the fenders melted,the seat is deteriorated and the starter sounds like a hen laying an egg.
She's a keeper!  ;)

[jackpine]

Paul-H

I agree, some old mowers will not die. I have a 1976 Ford, made by Jacobsen, that I retired as a mower in 2000 after 24 years of cutting almost 2 acres. Removed the deck and use it now to pull a cart moving firewood ,dirt , gravel etc. The 12 hp Kohler smokes a little but I think the tractor, with it's cast iron rear end and front axle  could go on forever :D They don't make them like that any more because if they did no one would buy them, they would be too expensive.

ps. This is the LT model (light tractor) and they also had a GT model (Garden tractor) that was built even heavier. Jacobsen replaced the LT in the early 1980's because of cost.

[sawguy21]

Those Jake built Fords were tough tractors. J-D and Ingersoll have products with similar quality but the prices are outta sight.

[DanG]

They don't make them like that any more because if they did no one would buy them, they would be too expensive.

Jackpine, you're right that nobody would buy them, but not because of the price.  They just wouldn't need a new one every few years.  I had one of those LT-12s, back in the early 80s.  That was a fine little mowing machine!  If I'da knowed then what I know now, I'd still have the DanG thing!

[thurlow]

I've been following this thread with interest, knowing I was going to need a mower in the near future.  My Poulan (typical big-box store model/12 and a half horse/42 inch cut) is 10 or 12 years old; uses lots of oil (doesn't really concern me, if that were the only problem) and the hydrostat is on its last legs.  Mow nearly 3 acres and takes me about 2 1/2 hours.  Really like the concept of a zero-turn and have been looking at them for months.  Finally bit the bullet and ordered  this one from Amazon (actually, it's a 2660 model; only difference is one more HP).  Free shipping and no sales tax.  If you know anything bad about Swisher, I don't need to hear it; it's a done deal.   ;D

[Sid]

Snapper the best for the money but they are slow!
I now have a yazoo zero turn, it six years old and haven't had any trouble. I will agree that it mows a lot better with gator blades.