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What mower do you use? Do you use it because of the price? Quality? Comfort? I'm currently window shopping for a new mower and I would just like to know everyone's mower of preference.:smile:

ReggieDeere said:

What mower do you use? Do you use it because of the price? Quality? Comfort? I'm currently window shopping for a new mower and I would just like to know everyone's mower of preference.:smile:

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Are you considering riders or walk behinds?

I use a Dixon ztr 4516 50 inch cut.
I bought it because it was what I could afford at the time and it has been a pretty good mower. Befre I got my tractor with the rotary cutter it put in some
pretty hard duty.
Hopefully this year I will buy a new Ferris 60 inch ztr mower. I am looking forward to the smoother ride.

An 8 year old 48" cut 26hp Craftsman rider -- I can't go any wider, too may flower beds and trees to squeeze between. Also a cheap 26" rear bag mower for the spots I can't get to with the rider. (and a big Kubota for my bush hogging the pasture)

I will not tell a lie :laughing: right now I pay someone to take care of our yard as we both tend to work too much and besides not having a place to store it (we have a small cubbie under the house) we just do not have the space for it. :frown:

I use a Lawn Boy 2 stroke for my hills and trim work and when I finish that job I jump on my Simplicity Conquest. I have a little more than 1/2 acre but I need a tractor with a locker to pull my hills when I am using my core aerator. The Lawn Boy in steep inclines works great and never have to worry about oil draining out through the carb.

I have a Snapper rear engine mower from the 2001-2003 period. Cannot recall the model number, but I know it has a B & S 14 HP engine and a 33" cut. I previously owned a old Snapper Comet and I have found these mowers to be near indestructible.

I am picking up a Bolens garden tractor tomorrow. It was made in approx 1980(?) I like the early garden tractors because of the way they are made... pto...rototiller...hydraulic deck... heavy duty... nostalgic!:thumbsup:

Mark

Good Day all, I use a Kubota 15 hp diesel, 4 wheel steer- to do 1 acre. Still waiting for snow to leave and green to appear.

I have a 3 year old Cub Cadet Commercial M 72 Tank. I mow almost 10 acres and this seems to work great for what I do.

I have a nine year old Encore ProLine 48" ZTR. I looked at all the ones the local parks and rec were using and chose the Encore mainly because of a local dealer. The eXmark dealer was a real so-n-so and the other dealers were too far to travel. I have had goosd luck with the unit. I have serviced it regualr and stored it in the garage. I mow 5 or 6 acres with it.

I use a Dixie Chopper, 60" mower for the 3-acres around the house and a John Deere 175 Hydro with front blade for lightweight dirt/snow work.

I have had many mowers and wouldn't trade the 2001 Dixie Chopper for any new mower on the market.

Honda HRC 216 Commercial. Cost, $1000.

I was going thru a new Costco Mower (Generic-cost about $300) every year and a half. I asked my Kubota dealer what the difference was between a commercial mower and a home owner version and also what usually breaks first?

I now have lots of experience and know his answers were honest and accurate but the may surprise 'normal people' when you first get the response....

"A home owner will use his mower 75 times a year-max. Your average lawn service business will use them for at least 50 lawns a week."

When I asked him how things break, with no hesitation he said "loading the mowers on and off the trucks or trailers is about 95% of the failure mode of a modern (commercial) walk behind lawn mower." The crews are dead tired? totally understand.

I have now had my Honda HRC 216 for about 5 years and zero problems no matter how hard I am on it. I do maintain it perfectly and store in next to my Kubota/Stihl equipment so it is pampered...


This is my WB, I have JD and Kubotas for the big stuff.

I have a JD X540 due to contracts that we have - 54" deck, 26HP (If i remember correctly!).
Couldnt go for a bigger tractor because the contracts are smaller areas on large estates so would have problems with access etc.
Great machine - extremely good quality cut and relatively quick too.
We use JD walk behinds (C52) as the build quality is second to none - bullet proof!
Great finish from them too.
We have a billy goat zero turn walk behind finishing mower too - not great though as it's belt driven rather than hydro and doesnt have much grunt behind it in longer grass.

Kubota G21 48" cut 21hp diesel engine the best!!!!!!

Husqvarna PF 21 AWD

Bought for speed of cut, mulching ability and quality of ride.

Kubota L3600GST w/72" LandPride rear discharge grooming deck; '02 Craftsman 42" 18Hp w/hydrostatic variable; '10 Craftsman 46" 21 hp; AgriFab Mow-N-Vac; Echo string trimmer; 21" rotary.

I have a 15 acre place with a lot of fully developed pasture/lawn. I like the GST (glide shift transmission) Kubota with the 6" 3 blade rear discharge grooming deck behind which allows me to easily stab under trees and landscape features in the big areas, and the rear discharge scatters the cut grass nicely for good thatch. Up closer to the house I am using the Craftsman lawn tractors. I got a new one this year. This is my 4th Craftsman Lawn Tractor in 20 years and I'm very happy with them. I am hard on mowers - really hard on them. It takes me a little over 10 hours to fully cut this place one time so everything here works for a living including lawn tractors. I have a pool and the mow-n-vac cart behind the Craftsman lawn tractor leaves the area around the house and pool totally cuttings free so nothing tracks in either the house or pool - ever. Those things are worth their weight in gold to me. Fall cleanup for leaves also is a breeze because of that vacuum cart and I can't say enough good about it for me and my situation.

Fortunately, because I'm heavily involved in antique vehicles, I have a full shop with all the fixins to properly maintain the fleet.

2008 CC M72KW Tank. Used on 6 very rough acres & does the job excellent. The big block kawi motors have a great sound also...
Joe

Mid 80's era, John Deere F525, 48". Because it tears up the yard less than the Bush Hog Zero Turn I've used for the last 9 years! ~~ grnspot110

Bush Trimmer said:

Are you considering riders or walk behinds?

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I have about 5-6 acres total to mow so I am definitely looking for a riding lawn mower. If I used a push mower for that much land I'd have a heart attack.:ashamed:

John Deere 4100 4wd with 52" deck. (Because it's Green!)

Mow 4 1/2 acres, looking to add a trail mower offset behind the JD, probably a Swisher 60", w/ Briggs and Stratton, about $1,500., wish I could affort the Honda engine, about $2,300.

JD L130. We have 1.5 acres to cut. The 48" deck takes care of the job easily. 23 HP is pleanty to cut taller grass and pull a Poly cart around the yard for cleanup and hauling dirt.

I have a cub cadet gt 2550. Got it for shaft drive and strong transmission. Use it summer and winter.
Like the kohler command engine sound at idle.

ReggieDeere said:

What mower do you use? Do you use it because of the price? Quality? Comfort? I'm currently window shopping for a new mower and I would just like to know everyone's mower of preference.:smile:

Click to expand...

Hi

I run a various amount of mowers, I have a 1995 Agco Allis 1614H( Simplicity Built) with 38" deck, Kohler
14hp engine, really does a nice job cutting, also have a 96 Agco Allis 1920H with 48" deck, with 20hp Kohler
Command Engine, Good machine but is Semi -Retired as its climbing in hrs and is a little hard on gas.. Mainly r
runs my Power Broom.

I also have a 1995 John Deere 455 Diesel with All Wheel Steer, has a 60" deck, 22hp Yanmar Diesel and
in my opnion only does a great job cutting grass, also have the Hydrolic Dump MCS for Leafs. All Wheel Steer
really makes the tractor manuvaerable. One of my main tractors I maintain my properties with.

I also Bought a 2002-03 Kubota F2560 Front Mower with heated Cab and 60" rear discharge Deck. Going to be
my new Snow Removal Unit for the winter months. I like the Front Decks for close triming and manuverablity.
Will never be like a ZTR, but turns pretty dang close and has 4X4.

The Kubota replaces a Deere F1145 Front Mower. Nothing against the Deere F1145, it cuts great has 4X4,
Only Reason for replacing it with the Kubota is because I could not find a CAB or Snow Blower for it.
We will see how the Kubota works out, its in the Shop for some unexpected repairs.

May end up with an X744 or X749 AWS Deere a couple years down the road.

I am not a Big Zero Turn Fan, nothing against ZTRs, but I like owning a piece of equipment that you can do more
then one task with. Only ZTR, I would serious consider is a Walker with the MCS system or one of the Walker
"Super B's". I think Walker has the best ZTR on the market in my opnion only. Take Care Jason B

My primary mower is a Toro Z Master, 52" deck. I got that beacause I mow 4.5 acres between two properties on a regular basis, I liked the machine, and the local Toro dealer is a friend and gave me a great deal.
I also have a 5' RFM for my Kubota B2620. My plumber sold that to me for a good price because he upgraded to a 6' model.
I have a Toro Super Recycler that has been retired since I bought the Z.
Will

For riders, I've been a Simplicity owner for 18 years. I bought my first one (LTH 12.5 38" Hydro) in 1992 and ran it for 15 years, finally selling it to a co-worker for $400. Not bad for a $2000 purchase whose only problem was a nylon starter gear and an arbor shaft on the deck in all that time! It used the B&S Vanguard engine which was rock solid. I beat that mower - it was as much a brush cutter as it was a mower since we had just built a house in a rough forest clearing.

So I bought another one from the same local dealer our family has used for 40 years. This one was the Conquest model with PosiTrac and differential lock, hydro, 23 HP B&S Vanguard, 50" deck, turbo vac. What a difference! I have very hilly areas as well as very wet areas. The PosiTrac handles most of the issues without my having to think of anything. What it doesnt handle, stepping on the DiffLock does. Where I used to get stuck once every other mowing with the first tractor, I have never gotten this one stuck. It has the controls on the floor so froward and reverse are foot controlled. I didn't know if I would like this arrangement but I would never go back now!

As for the push mower, I bought a Honda HR214 self-propelled in 1985 and still use it. What an incredible machine. Someone using it hit a stone hard in the mid-90's so I had to replace the crankshaft but other than that it has been great. It is now relegated to mowing the edge of the pond, brook and steepest roughest slopes since the rider handles the rest of the 2 acres. I beat the snot out of that mower and it starts on the first or second pull every year. Although it was expensive, I certainly got my moneys worth.

I have a Poulan 16.5hp, 42" cut I bought last spring on sale at HomeDepot. I love it!!

Everride Warrior. Tough machine. Tall pasture grass even no problem.

Kubota BX 2200 ,I can do 3 acres and only use a little more then a 1/4 tank .

I use a Kubota Bx2230, hydrostat 4WD with front end loader and 60" deck. I don't really need this big of a mower for my 3/4 acre, but the Kubota is the son I never had when I need extra muscle to move, dig, or level something. I cannot tell you how satisfying it is to move an 800 pound piece of machinery in the basement without running up the white flag and calling for help.:thumbsup:

I mow close to 2 acres. I have a 1995 JD 445 W/ liquid cooled Kowasaki. I use a Toro 21" you push. and a Weed eater string whip. My JD is also my snowplow W54" blade. It been a great pc. of equipment and very reliable. Just repainted JD so it looks like new again. About 1100 hrs. still runniiing strong:drink:

I used to mow with my Yanmar pulling a first choice finish mower,then I got ahold of an old J.D.111.It was ok but I mow around 2 acres and don't think it would last more than a few seasons.I just bought a nice used 928d Grasshopper.what a machine.that 28hp Kubota diesel with the front mount 61" deck is just what I need.now my Yanmar is used for "tractor" stuff and I even look foward to "mowing" day. russ

I have an almost new Cub LT2180 that was given to me because the previous owner had rolled it over while cutting grass along a creek.

The next time it was cranked it shook and shuddered and expelled large clouds of smoke. The owner thinking it was ruined and with deeper pockets than mine, parked it and bought a new mower. The little Cub sat for years unattended until the owner decided to throw it away.

For once I happened to be in the right place at the right time. With some fresh gas and a jump start I was able to crank the mower and drive it onto my trailer. I took it home and changed out all fluids, filters and plugs. Then I put in a new battery and changed belts and installed a new set of blades. I now have a fine mower for the cost of the materials that I have in it.

That's why I have a Cub Cadet LT2180.

Rip

Cub Cadet LT50.
Had a JD 173 for 10 years, blew the tranny.
Looked around some and the closest JD could get to the specs of the Cub was $1000 too high.
Took the chance on the Cub and I must say it is a fine machine. Nice wide cut, very even. Engine is easy to care for. My only complaint and it is true of all these kind of mowers is that the mower deck is so hard to take off. I have gone to raising the front end on a hoist so I can clean out under the deck, greese the zerts or service the blades. They all say they are easy but they are a pain you know where.

I have a commercial grade Gravely that must be at least 20 years old. It was a hand me down from my father-in-law. The mower deck is out front followed by the two drive wheels. At the back end you sit over the one back wheel that is turned by a U shaped "stick". It sounds kind of weird but actually works really well. However; I am 60 years old and turning the stick is getting hard on my old arthritic hands. :confused2:

Kubota 2360 with a 60 ' mower deck and a Troy Built gx 20 with a 48' mower deck both great tractors