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So what do you reccommend for a tractor lawn mower?

Started by SwampDonkey, April 29, 2007, 10:15:30 AM

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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.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

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
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

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?
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

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.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

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? :o  For that, I could get a new mower AND a bass boat!
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

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.  ::)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

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.  :(
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

pigman

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

Lazy Bob
Things turn out best for people who make the best of how things turn out.

Fla._Deadheader

All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

caz


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 
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

SwampDonkey

"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

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  :) ).
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

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.
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

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.
Woodmizer LT40SH W/Command Control; 51HP Cat, Memphis TN.

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   
LT40HDG24, Case VAC, Kubota L48, Case 580B, Cat 977H, Bobcat 773

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
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

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.   
Frick saw mill  '58   820 John Deere power. Diamond T trucks

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. 
My name's Jim, I like wood.

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.
ben

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