Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Best $8,000 zero turn 60” mower

Son was in the market for a new mower, and he'd decided to buy a Woods with the front mount deck. Was within a day of buying a new one, and saw a Facebook ad for a used one with a diesel engine. He called and turns out it was a mower with 37 hours on it, listed new at $14,000, and the guy was needing money in a hurry. He drove about 3 hours to get it, paid $8,000 cash for it. Mower is like new, and he got a bargain.

I'm a Fastrack owner, but just the 48" deck. I paid too much. Wish I'd bought a John Deere for 1/3 the price. Guys I know that have JDs don't seem to have any trouble with them.

Maybe you paid too much, but you couldn’t have gotten a comparable Deere for 1/3 price. Fastrack is a heavy duty residential mower. Some of the lower tier Deere’s along with Dixon’s, cub cadet, Husqavarnas and others that are sold at big box stores are very light duty, and IMO not worth owning if you put any hours at all on one.

I’m sure Deere makes something similar to the fastrack, but it ain’t gonna be half the price if we’re comparing models fairly

I've had the same Grasshopper front deck since '98 IIRC (it's a '91 model). It's of the old pump and motor drivetrain design and not as fast (ground and blade) as the newer models, but It's hell for stout and has several more seasons left in her......IF I can resist a new model. Test drove a 725D (diesel) last year and I'm smitten! Except for the price. $12K is a hard pill to swallow so I'm keeping my eyes open for a low hour used one. I'd be willing to trade a couple hundred hours for a 3 or 4 grand savings.

I mentioned the Grasshopper.....which may be our next one. However, we’ve had a Dixon Ram 44 ( sorta between residential and commercial) since 2004. It’s been a great mower.....replaced the 18hp Briggs “single” with a 21 hp Briggs “single”. Other than the engine, a few pulley bearings and belts. During our mowing season ( May through September) , the wife mows our 2 + acre lawn, about once every 5 days.

However, Dixon was bought out by Husqvarna....and I question their quality! The old Dixon’s were great mowers ! memtb

Check out Husqvarna comercial grade. Mine is a PZ60 with the big Kawasaki engine. The thing is made like a tank and easy to do maintenance on. Its built so you can easily get to everything and they picked the best components. I researched a bunch and was down to the Deere and Husqvarna. I went with the Husky because I mow over 8 acres a week and some rough ground too. The frame is strong and its easier to blow all that grass out of the belt covers, deck and engine. I used to build race cars and street rods and when I looked at it as if I built a zero turn it would be just like the Husky. They also had some great deals and warranties when I got mine.

Good to hear that about the Husky! I’m always concerned when someone buys out a company that has developed a great name over the years.....Troy-Bill being a good example! I know that Husky built a great motorcycle back in the ‘70’s and are now back as a true competitor in MotoCross/SuperCross! memtb

Hearing all of the good and bad of each mower, does anyone suggest Gravely? Around here I mainly see three or four options. Walker, JD, Gravely or ExMark. I’ve owned my Gravely for five years. I’m now looking to add another for my sons yard business. Walkers are the standard around here because of the bagger and floating deck. I hear they are a maintenance nightmare though. Still debating on another Gravely or JD.

If you read about Husqvarna it has a long history. I replaced my Stihl weedeater with a Husqvarna and will not go back. I am a doubter by nature but it starts everytime, lighter, and idles for ever. I think the mowers are made in Georgia or Carolina, down South somewhere. One true pleasures in life is having things that work and you can count on them.

I know up here Purdue University has Ex-Marks in use for grounds keeping.

For commercial use, I’d shop the dealers as much as brand. Support may be important for warranty work and parts even if he does his own maintenance.

I believe JD come with 3 year warranty, Exmark 5. But warranty is only good if the dealer can provide service when needed.

I know from personal experience that Exmark makes a good commercial machine, and I’m currently looking hard at JD as well. I’ve heard of Gravely and walker but have never been around either. Whenever you narrow down your choices See if he can demo a couple, it’s always nice to try before you buy. Productivity and efficiency is key to profitability in the lawn maintenance business so I’d buy the best I could afford and go to work.

I bought a Hustler 60" FasTrak super duty about 8 or 9 years ago. It has 382 hours on it now. Other than the usual oil and filter changes for the engine and Hydro gears and off course blades I've only had to change a bottom o-ring gasket on a Hydro-drive last year. I also had to add a new relay and hot wire to get my starter to engage. This wiring problem is in several brands of mowers, they probably all bought the harnesses from the same vendor.

In retrospect because I mow massive bahia grass I should have purchased a more powerful 60" mower. The engine is a Kawi. FX730 heavy duty. about a 26 HP. I still am using the original air filter. It's the same size inner and outer filter as is on a lot of tractors.

Only about 30-hours per year. Flat level ground. I don't run into trees or over logs. Not sure why "light duty" would not have worked for me. Bad choice on my part.

I have a Gravely that my parents bought close to 20 years ago. It is a beast and has had no major repairs other than routine maintenance. The lawn is about 4 acres and it can be done in 2-3 hours. Handles really well.

I just bought a 4k JD for a smaller property about 1.25 acres. I have only cut it once. It does not handle near as well as the Gravely. My hope is that I will get 15-20 years out of it at about 1 hour per mow.

The first mowing season with my Raptor I put 96 hours on it. We broke the all time record for rainfall here that year and the grass was literally growing an inch a day.

Last spring/summer was more typical and I only put 60 hours on it.

I hit a small tree stump and stripped the pulley on a spindle,..which in turn broke the belt. That's the only problem it's given me in 170 hours and it was my fault that it happened.

It's got a 52" cut and a 23 HP Kawasaki motor.

In deference to the 2200 series transmissions, I only cut for about 1.5 hours before allowing them to cool down. (I'm ready for a break after 1.5 hours, anyway.)

I'd like to get 500 hours on it before a transmission craps out.

We'll see.