What type of ride-on lawn mower?

[CountryWannabe]

My old lawn mower is on life-support and about to kick the bucket. I am not saddened by this - it has been a major pain for the last couple of years. So now I need advice on what to get next.

I am mowing around 1.5 acres, relatively flat, a few slopes, a few large oak trees. I do not need this area to look like a golf course, but I do want it to look neat and tidy and at least the half acre around the house has to be kept low as a fire prevention measure.

I had considered fencing off some of it as an area for the lambs or goat kids, but getting water to them would be difficult, so I am left with mowing.

I am considering a Husqvarna 50" tractor-style ride on, a Husqvarna 50" ZTR, and the Cub Cadet equivalents. The major con to the ZTR that I see is the $$$. The pros I have heard is that they are a lot easier to ride (I am short and the current JD tractor-style is NOT comfortable for me) and that they cut mowing time considerably.

Before I spend such a large amount I wanted to ask you good folks for input - how the two types compare, whether or not the ZTR is worth the extra, if anyone has any other brands/models to recommend.

My JD is a 46" and I would prefer a wider deck. I also want something that most places can work on if necessary - I have to haul the JD 50 miles to the dealership any time it needs anything, as they keep a tight hold on parts and charts.

Thanks for any information you care to share

Mary

[Nancy]

For me it's hands down, a Grasshopper. We have a 52" deck. We mow about the same as you. Love, love, love the zero turning radius.

[jwal10]

A zero turn takes a little getting used to, different controls to drive. Also a Z-turn is a 1 purpose machine. A lawn "tractor" is a small, light duty machine with a light deck. A "tractor" is built more heavy duty, can do many different things, If the right model, you can blow snow, run a post hole auger, pull other implements, trailer, dirt working equipment, tiller, loader, finish mower, brush hog, to name a few. Very useful around a homestead. Both are good, just different....James

[MO_cows]

What's more important to you, time or money? You can mow the same area faster with a zero-turn, but the machine will cost a lot more than the same engine size/deck width on a standard tractor type chassis.

Maybe rent a zero-turn for one mowing and see how impressed you are?

[starjj]

I love my 50" Cub Cadet lawn tractor. It has more pulling power, beefer frame, more attachments choices, and larger tires than just a lawn mower. My dream would be a CC zero turn with a steering wheel but at around $7K out of my price range

[lazyBum]

I have a 46" husqvarna and I'm not overly impressed by it. I wish I would've bought something older and heavy duty. I'm not sure if the 50" is built heavier. Mine isn't very good on side slopes. The frame can flex enough that it's hard to keep both drive wheels on the ground. And the reverse seems to be slowed way down for safety. I can hear a relief valve chattering in reverse, and it gets worse after the oil gets hot.

Most mowers sold in box stores are made by the same companies. If you look close the frames and decks are identical. The only difference is the hood, fenders and engine brand. Find one you like, then shop around for the cheapest clone.

[ChickadeeL]

We have a 7 year old Cub Cadet lawn tractor, purchased new at the time. Husband says it was the biggest mistake he ever made. We have had nothing but problems with it and have replaced multiple parts right from the get go.

For what it cost we did NOT get our money's worth.

Your mileage may vary.

[Bellyman]

If it's JUST for mowing, the zero turn is the bees knees. I've had several different styles of mowers over the years and the one I'd mow with any day of the week is the zero turn.

Mine only has a 48" deck, which was a bit of an oddball. As such, I got it at a fairly deep discount a few years back. They're going for $1k+ more than what I paid for mine now. I actually like the narrower deck because I can get in between things better than I could with the wider deck. It might not matter to you.

It's fast. I can mow an acre of ground in minutes, not hours, if it's pretty open. Of course, trees, swings, flower beds, that kind of thing, can slow things down. It's hard to beat the maneuverability of these zero turn mowers, though. I don't even bother weedeating every week.

That said, the zero turn isn't really worth much otherwise. It's not a tiller. It's not a plow. It's not an excavator. It's not a snowblower. But it does a heck of a job of mowing.

[Sawmill Jim]

I got a 40 year old Yazzo one of the first built O turn .It has a 60'' deck and is plenty fast for me . Still runs like a new mower .

[Chuck R.]

As the others said, it depends on how much your time is worth and your budget. A ZTR is pretty much a one trick pony (although mine has a trailer hitch), but they do that one trick extremely well and will save you time.

My wife thought I was "slightly" nuts spending 9K on a lawnmower, but she's since seen the light (or pretends she has). My "Bad Boy" Outlaw XP with it's 850CC V-Twin probably cut my mowing time by more than a 3rd. The maneuverability is key, not to mention the speed. Due to the floating deck, shocks and anti-scalp rollers it does a great job on un-even ground.

Between my yard, around the pond and trails, I'm probably mowing around 10 acres, 5 of it with the ZTR.

Big plus; great cup holder, the paint matches my Kubota, and it's got a spoiler

Chuck

[Tricky Grama]

We have a pretty John Deere. Was great for several yrs til rats ate the wiring.

[Rustaholic]

My mother bought a Yard Tractor at Sears about four years ago and it has been a dream to run. It is one step up from a Lawn Tractor and one step down from a Garden Tractor. 21 HP with a commercial B&S engine. The engine has an oil filter and I am heading over to her place in an hour to mow an acre. There is a LOT of stuff to mow around but I really like the 52" mower.
Seems like it was about $1750. It is a sweet ride and seems to be holding up well. It is hard mowing there. The yard is rough and the grass is thick. It already took out a bearing in one of the deck hubs but you do not have to change the whole assembly. In no time at all I had it apart and I was very happy to find it was easy to get the bad bearing out and next time through town I bought a new one at a bearing supply place in town. A very easy single repair.

[Deni08]

I think a 42" deck would be plenty for your 1.5 acres. And I have a hussler raptor sd and it is great! You have to keep in mind gates and shed doors. You don't want a mower that won't fit where you need to go. Do your own research for your own needs and budget. What works best for me, may not be the best fit for you. But husslers are pretty good. :-)
Oh and buy from a dealer rather then a store.

[brosil]

We mow about an acre. The wife bought a Gravely about 7 yrs ago and it's been great. It's built like a tank, has hydraulic drive to the wheels and is a ZTR. I think she paid about $1700 back then. I love it. There have been few repairs and they were all minor.

[maddy]

I've never used a zero turn, but my experience with a heavy-duty Husqvarna (cast iron deck) garden tractor is that it is not especially useful for anything other than mowing. First off, the mowing deck is not easily removed. (Some other brands, namely John Deere, have a "quick remove" feature.) Because removing and reinstalling the deck is such a chore, using the machine for mowing one day and tilling for another really isn't practical. Also, as another poster observed, the reverse on a Husky is ridiculously under-powered. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten stuck in a corner and unable to back out against the resistance of 8-inch-high grass. My one experience pulling a cart was cut short when I couldn't back out of the area where I had loaded. Snow plowing? I don't think so.

In short, my experience is that it would be better to buy a mower that does that one thing well rather than compromise in the hope of having a multi-purpose machine.

[Wolf mom]

Like Tricky, I really like my old John Deere. I have a plow attachment for the snow in the winter. That only does a fair job - but it's better than nothing. For short people, the seat slides...

Glad to see this thread as I'm debating about selling it and buying new or moving it 2000 miles with me .

[ronbre]

have an old zero turn timecutter and love it.

[Ozarks Tom]

I have a Yazoo-Kees (same machine as Husqvarna, just red) 52" ZTR and love it. I mow about 3 acres with 95 trees in around 2 hours. I fashioned a hitch, just a piece of angle iron with a hole in it bolted to the read guard, and it pulls the cart easily. It takes less than 5 minutes to get used to a ZTR steering. 10 years now, and still going strong.

[Tricky Grama]

Thinking back when I mowed w/"Lil' Dear", I can see how a zero turn mower would be great.

[ClubMike]

I picked up a 1974 Cub Cadet 129 with a 44 inch deck and I just love it. It looks good, it runs good, it is very solid. I am confident it will run for a long time to come. No more big box lawn tractors for me.