Zero Turn Mowers- Good, Bad, Expensive....

[Gots_a_sol]

Picked up a basic cub cadet 42" last fall from HD with 2 years no interest payments. Only used it a few times before winter but seems solid. It is a little big for my current property but now we are looking at 22 acres so then it'll be a bit small there

Definitely want to look in to an air or suspension seat for it.

 

[[486]]

It is a little big for my current property but now we are looking at 22 acres so then it'll be a bit small there

scavenge the deck off a junked out steering-wheel type of riding mower
power it with an 8-12hp riding mower engine, hang it off the side of that guy, hinged for flex and sitting on casters like are off the front of your machine

 

[TrailTamer]

Just picked up a Scag Cheetah II with Kawa 38HP FX engine.

Ready to mow but its fucking raining all day so gonna hit up waffle house and mow some waffles instead. Did get to mow some dog shit and and huge ant piles in the yard yesterday when I got it home. Felt pretty solid.

You southern guys mow in February?

 

[87manche]

mother in law has a similar scag machine.
kawasaki failed at 1600 hours.
hydro pump spit a bearing out the bottom at about 1700.

kaw got replaced by a vanguard.
hydro pumps cost a whopping $100 to rebuild both of them with new bearings/wear plates.

An update as well.
Vanguard now has 500 hours on it. Still doesn't use or leak any oil. Haven't done anything other than change oil and air filters. Maybe I should do plugs this year.

Hydro pumps I rebuilt haven't shit their bearings and seals out either, so I guess I did that right too.
Old scag keeps trucking along 100 hours a year.

 

[Animalmother]

You southern guys mow in February?

Well yeah didnt you read? Yesterday I mowed ant beds and dog turds. But we are 3 days from March and the grass is starting to grow. Dont be jelly

 

[Animalmother]

Also to any vets out there Scag is giving 15% off their machines which is awesome

 

[rugburn]

Pulled the trigger on a new Grasshopper yesterday.
🤠🇺🇸👊🏼
Amazing cut quality

 

[Crawl Away]

I bought a Hustler Raptor XD 54” on Friday to replace my 10 year old 42” Hustler. It should be delivered tomorrow or Tuesaday.

 

[grumpy356]

Pulled the trigger on a new Grasshopper yesterday.
🤠🇺🇸👊🏼
Amazing cut quality

That’s the baddest boy on the street right now

 

[rugburn]

 

[bgaidan]

Pulled the trigger on a new Grasshopper yesterday.
🤠🇺🇸👊🏼
Amazing cut quality

Cadillac.

My clapped out 721d sat all winter and fired right up for it's first mow of the season a couple weeks ago. Smokes a bit on a cold start, but clears right up when she's warm.

 

[87manche]

Baller

 

[Blacksheep10]

Got a 54” scag for free.99 from a buddy the other day. Broken fame in like 10 spots, seems solid otherwise.

 

[Austin]

Pulled the trigger on a new Grasshopper yesterday.
🤠🇺🇸👊🏼
Amazing cut quality

Nice!

I really want to test a stand-up. Won't work for my yard but like the compactness of them.

Just got mine back from a winter checkup. $800 later I got a tune up, new rear tire, a new seal for the door of the bagger, some new springs and an air dam kit.

I may have committed to buying a broom for the front as well.

oh and a new hat. They are brown this year ... I like the red and gray ones better

'Merica

 

[rugburn]

I did the research and went with what I consider the best bang for my money 🇺🇸🤠

 

[Wades_76_cj7]

Edit to add pics. Scag Cheetah 2

38hp EFI Kawi, 61v deck. damn thing cost almost as much as my RZR but damn I don't hate mowing anymore.

 

[TRINDU]

I've been tasked with selecting a zero turn for my old man. His ariens lawn tractor has made it 20+ years but hes tired of adding oil, fogging mosquitoes, jumping the battery because cables are corroded, and airing up tires every time he needs to mow. Deck is still in good condition.

After spending way too much time downloading manuals and driving around...

All mowers under <$4k have 'sealed' ZT2200 hydros. Theres a variance in casting numbers but sealed none the less. Service life is 600 hours, but people are sucking/replacing fluid from top to extend
The Kohler isnt bad, but the Kawasaki reign supreme. Avoid B&S.

Have to step up to high 4s, depending on brand, to get serviceable ZT2800 hydros.
He refuses to spend more than $4k on a mower and I dont blame him.

The one difference I saw is JD mounts their hydro 180° from everyon else. JD has the pulley/fan at the ass of the machine, others have the tucked up under the seat/bulkhead/deck.

I'm leaning JD 320M, its ~$3600, Kawasaki, and theres a dealer every 30 miles down here. He likes the cub cadet because he can adjust the controls.

He mows ~1ac of flat coastal/weeds around the house. Every so often he'll mow the ditch out to the CR which is probably another acre or so all together.

 

[grumpy356]

I've been tasked with selecting a zero turn for my old man. His ariens lawn tractor has made it 20+ years but hes tired of adding oil, fogging mosquitoes, jumping the battery because cables are corroded, and airing up tires every time he needs to mow. Deck is still in good condition.

After spending way too much time downloading manuals and driving around...

All mowers under <$4k have 'sealed' ZT2200 hydros. Theres a variance in casting numbers but sealed none the less. Service life is 600 hours, but people are sucking/replacing fluid from top to extend
The Kohler isnt bad, but the Kawasaki reign supreme. Avoid B&S.

Have to step up to high 4s, depending on brand, to get serviceable ZT2800 hydros.
He refuses to spend more than $4k on a mower and I dont blame him.

The one difference I saw is JD mounts their hydro 180° from everyon else. JD has the pulley/fan at the ass of the machine, others have the tucked up under the seat/bulkhead/deck.

I'm leaning JD 320M, its ~$3600, Kawasaki, and theres a dealer every 30 miles down here. He likes the cub cadet because he can adjust the controls.

He mows ~1ac of flat coastal/weeds around the house. Every so often he'll mow the ditch out to the CR which is probably another acre or so all together.

Grasshopper

Find Grasshopper Mowers Dealers Near Me | Grasshopper Mowers Dealer Locator

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www.grasshopperdealers.com

And I think you’re looking at John Deere due to nostalgia.

They are trading on a reputation that they haven’t deserved in 25 years

 

[FleshEater]

Look at the residential level Hustlers. Good stuff for what little he’s doing.

 

[Ransil]

I've been tasked with selecting a zero turn for my old man. His ariens lawn tractor has made it 20+ years but hes tired of adding oil, fogging mosquitoes, jumping the battery because cables are corroded, and airing up tires every time he needs to mow. Deck is still in good condition.

After spending way too much time downloading manuals and driving around...

All mowers under <$4k have 'sealed' ZT2200 hydros. Theres a variance in casting numbers but sealed none the less. Service life is 600 hours, but people are sucking/replacing fluid from top to extend
The Kohler isnt bad, but the Kawasaki reign supreme. Avoid B&S.

Have to step up to high 4s, depending on brand, to get serviceable ZT2800 hydros.
He refuses to spend more than $4k on a mower and I dont blame him.

The one difference I saw is JD mounts their hydro 180° from everyon else. JD has the pulley/fan at the ass of the machine, others have the tucked up under the seat/bulkhead/deck.

I'm leaning JD 320M, its ~$3600, Kawasaki, and theres a dealer every 30 miles down here. He likes the cub cadet because he can adjust the controls.

He mows ~1ac of flat coastal/weeds around the house. Every so often he'll mow the ditch out to the CR which is probably another acre or so all together.

buy a used commercial mower

 

[Firstram]

I've been tasked with selecting a zero turn for my old man. His ariens lawn tractor has made it 20+ years but hes tired of adding oil, fogging mosquitoes, jumping the battery because cables are corroded, and airing up tires every time he needs to mow. Deck is still in good condition.

Make him want to use the one he has!

 

[TRINDU]

Grasshopper


And I think you’re looking at John Deere due to nostalgia.

They are trading on a reputation that they haven’t deserved in 25 years

I'm looking at JD because its the same consumer level parts as everyone else for that price point. grasshopper seemed to start out $7k+

Look at the residential level Hustlers. Good stuff for what little he’s doing.

I did give them some research, still $1000 more than JD for the same engine, diff, and deck size.

buy a used commercial mower

I gave that a thought, $5k+ that some meskin abused day in and out because it wasn't his, isn't my idea of well taken care of equipment. That, and Id have to scour CL/FB as this time of year as flippers are foaming at the mouth for them. So that option doesn't exist.

cub cadet makes 2 models comparable to JD. Need to call dealers tomorrow instead of box stores and get the real price/inventory.

 

[[486]]

get you a used assgroper

 

[Mikenike]

I gave that a thought, $5k+ that some meskin abused day in and out because it wasn't his, isn't my idea of well taken care of equipment. That, and Id have to scour CL/FB as this time of year as flippers are foaming at the mouth for them. So that option doesn't exist.

Not entirely accurate. And not all commercial mowers are actually used commercially. I bought my brand new husky mzt 61 five years ago for 5800 with a commercial saw back pack blower and two commercial trimmers. Husqvarna "fleet deal". I'd say you could probably find one of those used by someone with a big yard privately for somewhere between 4 to 5. Well maintained and plenty big and tough for you. They also made a smaller version of it with a 54"deck

 

[WTF?]

I gave that a thought, $5k+ that some meskin abused day in and out because it wasn't his, isn't my idea of well taken care of equipment. That, and Id have to scour CL/FB as this time of year as flippers are foaming at the mouth for them. So that option doesn't exist.
.

Last year I found my 1 yr old Ferris with~60 hrs for half msrp from a guy who lost his job and had to sell his McMansion. So there are deals to be had out there.

 

[Jhjones84]

I picked up a used older toro z master 62” deck a few years ago for 2k. Was bought new and just used to mow a couple acres of flat yard a week. Guy had records from day one of everything he ever did to it. All fluids and filters changed every year etc. really nice shape for being a 20 year old mower but only had 900 hours on it when I got it. Only reason the guy was selling it was to get a Ferris with the suspension.

 

[bgaidan]

I bought a well used diesel Grasshopper 2 seasons ago. The hour meter was broken around 1,000 and I'm guessing it it has many thousands on it now.

No question, I'd take it long before anything from a box store. I still have my 60" Cub as a backup and had to use it for 1 mow last year when the grasshopper blew a radiator hose. It was miserable and that thing just beats the shit out of me. The grasshopper just floats over everything.

 

[FleshEater]

Ferris, Ariens, Hustler, Kubota, Simplicity, ExMark, those are brands that will hold together for a loooooooooong time.

JD and Cub Cadet and anything else sold at the big box store probably won’t.

I bought a Cub Cadet XT3 7 years ago and last year or year before I replaced it with a Hustler. The Cub is fucking junk at 400 hours.

 

[kmkommes]

I've been tasked with selecting a zero turn for my old man.

There are good deals on commercial machines out there.
I have a Gravely Prostance with 1 hour on it I'd sell for $7500.
Best deal at the dealer I've seen is $8500 plus tax.
Normally is a $10,000+ machine.

Most machines under $4,000 are all the same. Pick your color. Expecting a $4000 mower to last 20 years is a big ask.

Ariens Ikon 42" for $3900.
Gravely ZTX 42" for $4500
Both should have the ZT-2200 EZT which now have drain and fill plugs

EZT® - Residential Integrated Transaxle - Hydro-Gear

The EZT® is a proven performer and our most popular, residential-grade integrated transaxle unit.

www.hydro-gear.com

Both new machines for this year.
I "think" the only major difference is the color. Built on teh same line. The orange one you can buy at Lowes and the red is dealer only. Think Chevrolet and GMC.

I am an Engineer here.

 

[87manche]

There are good deals on commercial machines out there.
I have a Gravely Prostance with 1 hour on it I'd sell for $7500.
Best deal at the dealer I've seen is $8500 plus tax.
Normally is a $10,000+ machine.

Most machines under $4,000 are all the same. Pick your color. Expecting a $4000 mower to last 20 years is a big ask.

Ariens Ikon 42" for $3900.
Gravely ZTX 42" for $4500
Both should have the ZT-2200 EZT which now have drain and fill plugs

EZT® - Residential Integrated Transaxle - Hydro-Gear

The EZT® is a proven performer and our most popular, residential-grade integrated transaxle unit.

www.hydro-gear.com

Both new machines for this year.
I "think" the only major difference is the color. Built on teh same line. The orange one you can buy at Lowes and the red is dealer only. Think Chevrolet and GMC.

I am an Engineer here.

like MTD building about a half a dozen different color mowers that are all the same with different paint.