While you wait for somebody with experience specific to the Liberty Z, here's a little something to chew on. If your conditions are already bumpy, those casters in the front aren't going to do you any favors. However, I've mowed about 4 acres with a JD mower for years (and it was far inferior to yours, by the way). Well, that and a tractor with a finish mower, but that doesn't even count for the purpose of this discussion. That said, I've just recently joined the crowd who shout out about how much time you save with a ZTR, regardless of bells and whistles. It's all about not having to loop around all your turns at the end of your runs, not to mention obstacles. You can do the math however you want but at the end of the day, nearly any ZTR buys you time for other chores. Oh, hills; my ZTR handles hills about the same as my old, traditional mower so far. It appears to want to wander a little more but it has a lower center of gravity, so I'm not really worried about it. Unrelated - not looking over a hood is a nice plus. Good luck.
