Trying to figure out what I need?

[crash1369]

I just bought a house and I've got roughly 2 acres or so I will need to mow. It's very thick grass and it grows unbelievably fast, I should probably cut it twice a week but that simply isn't possible (I can only do it on the weekends, and if we're being honest I can't be bothered) Hank Hill would be very disappointed but cutting grass is a chore that I want to get over with a quickly as possible.
My yard is relatively flat, but there are some bumps and decent sized holes to be mindful off. The entire yard is pitched as well, it's not steep but I had a guy come cut it for me with his brand new Husqvarna "Professional" Zero-Turn and I saw him sliding occasionally so I guess it's sloped enough. I'm not sure specifically what he got but he said it was 27HP and was not very happy that it was struggling to cut the grass. It was one of the first times he used it some maybe there was something wrong but he had to go back to his old mower.

Based on that I'm not sure a Zero-Turn is a realistic option as I'm assuming I would need Diesel torque and that comes with a very high price tag as far as I can tell?

Maybe some kind of tractor would be a better choice, I know a good one will still be expensive but at least it can do more than just cut grass. Is there a reasonably priced tractor that can mow at a decent speed and still be powerful enough to do whatever crazy yard work projects my wife finds on Facebook...

I realize this is all very broad but I'm hoping people with more experience can help me narrow down what I actually need. I'm willing to spend what I need to in order to get the right equipment, but realistically there has to be a limit and I've had a lot of big unexpected expenses already surprise me with this house.

Thanks for the help!

 

[bertsmobile1]

Lawn tractors => yard tractors => sub compact tractors => compact tractors => Small HP tractors
In increasing size & price
A small deck on a powerful mower will cut a lot faster than a big deck will.
The cutting rates quoted are all BS and are usually the maximum speed x deck width , so you can virtually 1/2 most of them .
Bigger diameter wheels slip less than small ones
Lots of old sub compact tractors around there second hand .
Look for ones that have horizontal shaft engines, they are head & shoulders above vertical shaft mowers
Do not buy any Husqvarna "garden tractors " as they are just a lawn tractor pressed out of the next size up plate and are prone to breaking in 1/2 .
Diesels always come with big decks and big decks choke on tall grass which means you have to mow really slowly regardless of the power of the engine .
If you can find an old Troybuilt Dura Force that would be a good starting point
The old 2000 & 3000 series Cub Cadets are magic but the spindles are no longer made , however having proper bearings ( tapered rollers ) if kept greased they should run forever if you remove the grass that accumulates around the blade & wears the bottom away .
Grass Hoppers are also really good .
There is no such things as the universally best mower
You are looking for the right mower for you, your life style, your terrain & your grass
So be preparred to try a dozen or so til you find the one that works for you
So buy some used ones ( two would be a good idea ) and use them for while.
Sell the one that does the worst job & buy another different one .
When you have found what suits you best then look at the current equivalent , if there is one .

Every one will chime in with their favourite mower that they found works for THEM but they are not YOU .
If you are not particularly lawn proud then look at sub compact / compact tractors with a rear PTO deck
Flail mowers are good for long grass that is cut infrequently as they cut it well and distribute the clippings fairly evenly across the full deck width so you don't end up with a lawn full of clipping turds that will sit around for months .

 

[crash1369]

Lawn tractors => yard tractors => sub compact tractors => compact tractors => Small HP tractors
In increasing size & price
A small deck on a powerful mower will cut a lot faster than a big deck will.
The cutting rates quoted are all BS and are usually the maximum speed x deck width , so you can virtually 1/2 most of them .
Bigger diameter wheels slip less than small ones
Lots of old sub compact tractors around there second hand .
Look for ones that have horizontal shaft engines, they are head & shoulders above vertical shaft mowers
Do not buy any Husqvarna "garden tractors " as they are just a lawn tractor pressed out of the next size up plate and are prone to breaking in 1/2 .
Diesels always come with big decks and big decks choke on tall grass which means you have to mow really slowly regardless of the power of the engine .
If you can find an old Troybuilt Dura Force that would be a good starting point
The old 2000 & 3000 series Cub Cadets are magic but the spindles are no longer made , however having proper bearings ( tapered rollers ) if kept greased they should run forever if you remove the grass that accumulates around the blade & wears the bottom away .
Grass Hoppers are also really good .
There is no such things as the universally best mower
You are looking for the right mower for you, your life style, your terrain & your grass
So be preparred to try a dozen or so til you find the one that works for you
So buy some used ones ( two would be a good idea ) and use them for while.
Sell the one that does the worst job & buy another different one .
When you have found what suits you best then look at the current equivalent , if there is one .

Every one will chime in with their favourite mower that they found works for THEM but they are not YOU .
If you are not particularly lawn proud then look at sub compact / compact tractors with a rear PTO deck
Flail mowers are good for long grass that is cut infrequently as they cut it well and distribute the clippings fairly evenly across the full deck width so you don't end up with a lawn full of clipping turds that will sit around for months .

Thank you very much! I was wondering if a flail mower was actually a reasonable choice. I don't have a farm or huge hay fields or anything but the most reliable option I can count on would be best. Pretty soon my kid is going to start playing in the yard too so that is my real concern over the appearance, I don't want him to be covered in grass but I assume however you cut it you'll end up with the same amount of clippings since you're cutting the same grass?

I hadn't considered a smaller deck could have any advantage besides price. What size do you think I should be looking at, 48", or is 60" still considered small enough to be easy on the mower?

I'll start looking at tractors more closely but is the shaft orientation listed as a common feature they advertise or is that something burried in the specs that you need to know to look for? I assume it determines how the attachments connect and horizontal is better because it hooks up directly vs the vertical that requires extra parts to transfer the rotation?

I understand everyone has their favorite, and I am interested to hear what people like best, and particularly why, so I don't have to jump in blind but I do realize a lot of is just preference.

Thanks again

 

[MParr]

Roughly 2 acres? 48” deck would be a minimum and 54” deck would be maximum.
Determine the slope of your yard.
Compact tractors with towed finish mowers will be expensive. Some compact tractors can be equipped with belly mowers.
Talk with dealers and professionals in your area, they can help with advice. Look at what the professionals have on their trailers. The professionals will have better advice. Dealers want to make a sale.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Well to rain on your parade , the landlord has a stack of 2000 series Cubs
The fastest one is the 2130 and that has a 38" deck with a 15 Hp Command
the 2145 42" deck with 19hp Command is slightly slower
Both of them will mow the pasture in about 1/2 the time that the
2160 will do the same sized paddock and that has a 48" deck

I can cut a lot faster with a better cut on the 34" fast cut than I can with any 42 mower
Bigger decks usually requite a slower cutting speed particularly if cutting lush growth as the volumes of clippings overwhelms the capacity of the deck to discharge and Crash has already said the grass needs mowing twice a week but he will be pushed to cut it once so he needs decks that can handle very high discharge rates .
And that virtually rules out any 3 blade deck
The commercial operator with his 27 Hp ZTR was struggeling to get through the grass so he needs a two blade deck with a wide discharge chute or a flail.
Depending upon where Crash is he might even be able to get his hands on an old 20 Hp to 40 Hp farm tractor from a farm that has been gobbled up by urban sprawl
We just bought 2 more Internationals , one with a blade & the other with a PTO driven rear deck for $ 1500 ( Aus ) each
Both diesel with variable stroke pumps so dead simple to use ( PIA to start ) & having no electronics will run for decades despite being models from the 60's

No use looking at new till he works out what works for him

 

[slomo]

If you have no time to cut the grass, hire a lawn crew. Problem solved. Sit on the couch watching the game.

Won't have to buy gas for it. No blades to buy and sharpen. No oil and filter changes. No storing that huge item sitting outside. No machine to buy. No decision about a machine to buy. Yard will look professionally mowed. Wife won't be one your azz about cutting the grass. Dude, win win all around.

 

[crash1369]

Thanks everyone. Does bagging have any impact on performance? I could never be bothered to empty a bag before, but if it's big enough to do the whole yard it wouldn't be a big deal, I've always mulched in the past but I know that creates more work for the mower too.

 

[slomo]

If you want the best looking yard on the block then bag it up. Gets rid of weeds and their seeds too.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Thanks everyone. Does bagging have any impact on performance? I could never be bothered to empty a bag before, but if it's big enough to do the whole yard it wouldn't be a big deal, I've always mulched in the past but I know that creates more work for the mower too.

On 2 acres, assuming that you are only mowing an acre the clippings will fill a 2 ton truck ,
That is a big bagger for a single empty
Hire a crew to cut & bag to confirm this
A one acre yard will fill at least one pallet bag ( pallet size cubed ) strait off the mower
The crew will get in & stomp it down a couple of times till it weighs 1/2 ton

 

[slomo]

The finer blade grass like Tifway Bermuda will even compound what Bert said. When I scalp mine, I get tons of clippings. City cans full. Mound after mound in the backyard......