What you guys think about the mower brands? Troy Built, Cub Cadet, Juan Deere? I have 2.5 acres of grass/weeds in Northern AZ and sick of pushing it. Was thinking about going 46” but have some uneven terrain in the front, would a smaller cutting deck be better?
I have a Cub Cadet 46" I bought last year and like it pretty well. I was the first one I've had with a hydrostatic (sp?) transmission and it's great and cuts mowing time down by at least 25%. If I had 2.5 acres, I'd get the biggest deck I could afford. A 46" will do it, but bigger would do it better.
I know a lot of people that look at 60 HP cab ag tractors to mow just a few acres. Biggest problem is they try to mow too fast and get a sh*tty cut and strain their equipment or they run over stuff and tear things up
What you guys think about the mower brands? Troy Built, Cub Cadet, Juan Deere? I have 2.5 acres of grass/weeds in Northern AZ and sick of pushing it. Was thinking about going 46” but have some uneven terrain in the front, would a smaller cutting deck be better?
They are all about the same......most are made by MTD with the exception of Deere, Ariens, and Husqvarna. The ones you find at Lowes and Home Depot are probably gonna have 11 gauge decks which will wear out way before the rest of the mower unless you have a pristine lawn with no bare spots where the deck gets sandblasted on a regular basis. You can beat the system if you are or know a welder who can patch the deck up for you when the time comes.....probably in about 10 years.
I think department store mowers are a decent value....you'll get 10 years out of one, more if you get the deck patched. I have a Troy Bilt that I got second hand that is about 14 years old......previous owner put it through hell. Engine is fine, transmission is getting gimpy, deck has been patched. That is not an endorsement of them.....its an MTD machine.
You'll pay more for a Deere and get absolutely nothing for it but a green paint job on the low end models.
I don't see paying up for a "commercial tractor" if all you want is to cut grass. For the coin they cost, get a zero turn.
Ariens and JD are your best choices for longevity.
They aren't all the same just because they're built by MTD. MTD builds them to a spec., different specs for different companies and different lines within a company.
Finally a thread I know more than a little about! Skip the big box schit all you are buying there are schit models...yes there are differences in dealer machines and big box machines. Lowes,Home Depot order huge amounts and American Tractor builds 99%of them under license of brand names. It may say Kohler or Kawasaki on the engine but they are built to the specs American Tractor tells them to build it to. The steel for the deck needs to be 10ga at a min. Spindle need to be cast iron not steel, pulleys need to be greaseable with zerts, etc. And do not even mention proper setups or repairs. Find a dealer for Ariens,Scag,JD and compare those to the box store models,i.e. JD L 130 or 150 are junk look at 200 and 300 series tractors. You'll always find people that say, " I can buy 3 of these for the price of 1 of them...etc. Yeah but how much do you want to be aggravated? DON'T get the idea bigger HP means better for grass even heavy wet grass a good quality 10 hp is plenty
I mow about 3 acres and use a John Deere x495 with a 54" deck. It's a great machine, has the yanmar 3 cylinder diesel that is bullet proof. Completely reliable....however, I'd like to get a zero turn at some point.
I have 3+ acres around my cabin and I have a Poulan Pro 48 inch rider (22hp) as well as a Toro Timemaster (8.75 HP) 30 inch dual blade self propelled push mower. We run both at the same time and get done pretty quick. I keep my blades razor sharp and cut it fairly low.
I mow about 3 acres and use a John Deere x495 with a 54" deck. It's a great machine, has the yanmar 3 cylinder diesel that is bullet proof. Completely reliable....however, I'd like to get a zero turn at some point.
That diesel would be sweet! I have a '10 JD X500 with the Kawasaki twin. That was a major selling point for me. 440 hours and zero problems. It is a mowing monster, even with dull blades. I can have the deck out from under it in about 5 minutes for cleaning, greasing and belt/bearing checks. I needed the bigger hydro for elevation changes. I mow a river bottom that is 27' below my yard. Hauling my big butt up the hills would kill anything less.
Ariens and JD are your best choices for longevity.
They aren't all the same just because they're built by MTD. MTD builds them to a spec., different specs for different companies and different lines within a company.
That used to be true, MTD left Troy Built and Cub Cadet alone for awhile but now their all the same cheap schit. Most major parts between the tractors are interchangeable.
Personally I wouldn't spend my money on anything new. I run all older stuff, JD 445, JD 316, JD 318, 2002 Husqvarna is the newest I own. Of course I'm capable of fixing and improving my own stuff so repairs aren't a huge factor.
Sam ...... A fugging mowing thread Last thing I would look thru for awhile.....
Hahahaha!!!!!
Gonna poison the fugg outta schitt monday or tuesday. Cut it next weekend. Then one more cut right before deer season starts the 3rd week of september. Right on my 45 to 60 day schedule......
That poison kill to the root schitt for 6 8 12 what the fugg ever months is bullschitt. Monsanto wants a test crash dummy lawn. Bring it on mofo,s .
The best section for last. That is schit eating shepards boy back yard across my deeded fence. Same fugga with the dogs that attacked khan/ wife and grand dog Brady.
I bought the cub cadet zt1 42 zero turn last year. Looks like it has a beefy frame and it has a Kohler motor but I don't think it cuts very well. Doesn't seem to have enough vacuum lift. Tire tracks pop up after cutting. Starting to sound like a rattle trap. Bogs down in thick grass and doesn't mulch well at all with the mulch kit.
The world's changing man. Used to be mowing threads with talk of what kind of cold beer in the holder and whatz yer mower gun now we've got air con cabins and desert coffee? Damn!
I had a Simplicity and it was a great mower. My yard has some incline to mow so I got a shaft drive Cub. The Simplicity does a far better cut than most IMHO.
I mow 6ish acres of uneven yard and strip around the strip pit with a skag zero turn equipped with a 29 horse feul injected kohler and 60" deck. Mows faster than you can stay in the seat and does an excellent job. My only complaint is that it gets stuck easily and it keeps me to busy to drink beer on the fly.
Ariens and JD are your best choices for longevity.
They aren't all the same just because they're built by MTD. MTD builds them to a spec., different specs for different companies and different lines within a company.
That used to be true, MTD left Troy Built and Cub Cadet alone for awhile but now their all the same cheap schit. Most major parts between the tractors are interchangeable.
Personally I wouldn't spend my money on anything new. I run all older stuff, JD 445, JD 316, JD 318, 2002 Husqvarna is the newest I own. Of course I'm capable of fixing and improving my own stuff so repairs aren't a huge factor.
I haven't kept up with the new stuff for the last 10 years or so. Used to be Cub Cadet had three different lines, The cheap ones were typical box store junk. The 2000 and 3000 series were much better. Heavier gauge decks with swiveling deck wheels, shaft drive, better engines {Kohler and kawasaki }. I used to mow 16 acres a week. Had a 2186 Cub, an X530 JD and a Wheel Horse 312. Each got about 500 hrs a year on them. The JD was the turd of the bunch. Required a lot more maintenace and repairs than the other two, despite being the most expensive of the three by far. The shaft drive Cub was pretty good in comparison. The star was the Wheel Horse 312. That thing had 1500 hours on it when we got it and 4500 when we traded it in. In all those hours of use the only thing it needed was new belts once in awhile, a new cable, oil/filter changes and grease all the fittings once in awhile. The $8000.00 JD was a cheap POS in comparison. The damned thing had way too much plastic for the price. Even had a plastic tensioner pulley for the the drive belt which routinely broke every 80-100 hrs. and JD charged 20.00 for a new one. If you didn't replace it before it broke, it would take the 80.00 drive belt with it every time and sometimes the 60.00 deck belt too.
Every where I’ve mowed grass is on a hill side or mountain side hydrostatic drive is useless in such situations and front mount motor rear wheel drive is about the same the baddest of them all is a snapper rear engine they are tanks but no longer made disconnect the seat safety switch and you can mow any thing shifting your weight
I haven't kept up with the new stuff for the last 10 years or so. Used to be Cub Cadet had three different lines, The cheap ones were typical box store junk. The 2000 and 3000 series were much better. Heavier gauge decks with swiveling deck wheels, shaft drive, better engines {Kohler and kawasaki }. I used to mow 16 acres a week. Had a 2186 Cub, an X530 JD and a Wheel Horse 312. Each got about 500 hrs a year on them. The JD was the turd of the bunch. Required a lot more maintenace and repairs than the other two, despite being the most expensive of the three by far. The shaft drive Cub was pretty good in comparison. The star was the Wheel Horse 312. That thing had 1500 hours on it when we got it and 4500 when we traded it in. In all those hours of use the only thing it needed was new belts once in awhile, a new cable, oil/filter changes and grease all the fittings once in awhile. The $8000.00 JD was a cheap POS in comparison. The damned thing had way too much plastic for the price. Even had a plastic tensioner pulley for the the drive belt which routinely broke every 80-100 hrs. and JD charged 20.00 for a new one. If you didn't replace it before it broke, it would take the 80.00 drive belt with it every time and sometimes the 60.00 deck belt too.
In the last 6 or so years things have changed big, All of MTD's stuff is about maximizing profit quality be damned. But their not alone most of the manufacturers are of the same mind, build it to get it through warranty and the rest is on the purchaser. A long time ago MTD built some pretty decent stuff but anymore it's just junk.
MTD even has done things like make their pulleys different enough to make it so a standard v-belt would not work well so the owner had to purchase MTD branded belts if he wanted them to last very long. As to the Cub Cadets you're right they made a few different series but the major parts were interchangeable. For instance the decks would be of a heavier gauge and some decks would have different wheels but the bearings in the spindles and pulleys would be the same but carry different part numbers, I always thought this and the belt thing a little shady.
Wheelhorse used to build a great tractor but it appears they only make Zero Turns now ( I just looked up their product line) I don't know what Toro was thinking, maybe the market demanded that move.
I'm surprised at the trouble you had with the JD x series, usually their rock solid, was it one of the first or second years of manufacture? A lot of manufactures, John Deere included don't do a whole lot of testing anymore they just build to known standards and let the consumer test it for them. The first couple of years are the worst for most L&G tractors.
Husqvarna used to be the top consumer grade tractor but even they have slipped into the abyss of tractor cheapness.
I'm absolutely disgusted with most stuff manufactured nowadays, that's why I run the old stuff, the new stuff just is not worth the money they want for it. I can take an old tractor and replace the engine, fix a few things neglected by the previous owner and have a much better tractor for less money.
I also do things like replace the drive pulley on the deck to speed up the blades so I can cut with a faster ground speed. I just replaced the pulley on a 300 series 50" deck. it originally came with a 7" pulley so I changed it to a 5" pulley, Lol, damn thing sounds like it's going to take off when the blades spin up but it can cut fast and it gives a really nice cut. I'll probably have to replace spindle bearings a little more often but I can handle that pretty easy.
If buying a small tractor, I'd be looking for a used 1980's-1995 garden tractor. They are built to last, are serviceable, and have decent engines with heavy gauge components. Simplicity/Allis Chalmers/Deutz/Allis Argo/Case/International/Ford etc etc all great machines that you can still find parts for and rebuild the engines if need be.
The lawn tractors today are what I call throw aways, cheaply built non serviceable junk. Most of the them have cheap carbs, OHVs, and require regular valve lash adjustments to stay running or you'll have problems with starting and running. The frames, decks, spindles, and pulleys just don't hold up and many of the transmissions are sealed and non serviceable.
If going zero turn, look for a lightly used commercial mower. If buying homeowner make sure you purchase heavy duty model as far as welded construction and look for a model with proven track record and warranty.
Whichever you buy, make sure to follow regular service intervals, keep blades sharp, deck clean/leveled. A deeper deck also provides a better cut.
any new diesel engine especially on a JD have expensive complicated computers that mess up the engine for emissions which makes them junk. another gift from the EPA. JD also tells you that you dont even own the engine the computers are theirs not yours
What you guys think about the mower brands? Troy Built, Cub Cadet, Juan Deere? I have 2.5 acres of grass/weeds in Northern AZ and sick of pushing it. Was thinking about going 46” but have some uneven terrain in the front, would a smaller cutting deck be better?
After reading this thread I have decided that there are no viable mower options for you under $12,000.
Therefore, I suggest that you fence in your 2.5 acres and establish a breeding population of goats to keep the vegetation down for you. When the herd gets too numerous, kill and eat the excess yourself or sell em to Mexicans.
I haven't kept up with the new stuff for the last 10 years or so. Used to be Cub Cadet had three different lines, The cheap ones were typical box store junk. The 2000 and 3000 series were much better. Heavier gauge decks with swiveling deck wheels, shaft drive, better engines {Kohler and kawasaki }. I used to mow 16 acres a week. Had a 2186 Cub, an X530 JD and a Wheel Horse 312. Each got about 500 hrs a year on them. The JD was the turd of the bunch. Required a lot more maintenace and repairs than the other two, despite being the most expensive of the three by far. The shaft drive Cub was pretty good in comparison. The star was the Wheel Horse 312. That thing had 1500 hours on it when we got it and 4500 when we traded it in. In all those hours of use the only thing it needed was new belts once in awhile, a new cable, oil/filter changes and grease all the fittings once in awhile. The $8000.00 JD was a cheap POS in comparison. The damned thing had way too much plastic for the price. Even had a plastic tensioner pulley for the the drive belt which routinely broke every 80-100 hrs. and JD charged 20.00 for a new one. If you didn't replace it before it broke, it would take the 80.00 drive belt with it every time and sometimes the 60.00 deck belt too.
In the last 6 or so years things have changed big, All of MTD's stuff is about maximizing profit quality be damned. But their not alone most of the manufacturers are of the same mind, build it to get it through warranty and the rest is on the purchaser. A long time ago MTD built some pretty decent stuff but anymore it's just junk.
MTD even has done things like make their pulleys different enough to make it so a standard v-belt would not work well so the owner had to purchase MTD branded belts if he wanted them to last very long. As to the Cub Cadets you're right they made a few different series but the major parts were interchangeable. For instance the decks would be of a heavier gauge and some decks would have different wheels but the bearings in the spindles and pulleys would be the same but carry different part numbers, I always thought this and the belt thing a little shady.
Wheelhorse used to build a great tractor but it appears they only make Zero Turns now ( I just looked up their product line) I don't know what Toro was thinking, maybe the market demanded that move.
I'm surprised at the trouble you had with the JD x series, usually their rock solid, was it one of the first or second years of manufacture? A lot of manufactures, John Deere included don't do a whole lot of testing anymore they just build to known standards and let the consumer test it for them. The first couple of years are the worst for most L&G tractors.
Husqvarna used to be the top consumer grade tractor but even they have slipped into the abyss of tractor cheapness.
I'm absolutely disgusted with most stuff manufactured nowadays, that's why I run the old stuff, the new stuff just is not worth the money they want for it. I can take an old tractor and replace the engine, fix a few things neglected by the previous owner and have a much better tractor for less money.
I also do things like replace the drive pulley on the deck to speed up the blades so I can cut with a faster ground speed. I just replaced the pulley on a 300 series 50" deck. it originally came with a 7" pulley so I changed it to a 5" pulley, Lol, damn thing sounds like it's going to take off when the blades spin up but it can cut fast and it gives a really nice cut. I'll probably have to replace spindle bearings a little more often but I can handle that pretty easy.
Yeah, I think the X530 was pretty new to the market when I bought mine. I remember the salesman telling me it was their new flagship model when I bought it. I was pretty disappointed in that thing knowing how tough and dependable the older JD's were. I don't know what I'd buy if I were looking today. Going on my past experience I'd probably be looking for an old 300 series Wheel Horse in good shape with low hours on it. Thankfully, I don't have to worry about it anymore as I'm only mowing about an acre and a half now and the mower I have should last a long time with that little use. When I had the other tractors mentioned I was mowing a 16 acre cemetery every week under contract with the Village and needed something durable..
What you guys think about the mower brands? Troy Built, Cub Cadet, Juan Deere? I have 2.5 acres of grass/weeds in Northern AZ and sick of pushing it. Was thinking about going 46” but have some uneven terrain in the front, would a smaller cutting deck be better?
After reading this thread I have decided that there are no viable mower options for you under $12,000.
Therefore, I suggest that you fence in your 2.5 acres and establish a breeding population of goats to keep the vegetation down for you. When the herd gets too numerous, kill and eat the excess yourself or sell em to Mexicans.
That's what BobBrown/Renegade should do with that backyard jungle/eyesore of his.
What you guys think about the mower brands? Troy Built, Cub Cadet, Juan Deere? I have 2.5 acres of grass/weeds in Northern AZ and sick of pushing it. Was thinking about going 46” but have some uneven terrain in the front, would a smaller cutting deck be better?
After reading this thread I have decided that there are no viable mower options for you under $12,000.
Therefore, I suggest that you fence in your 2.5 acres and establish a breeding population of goats to keep the vegetation down for you. When the herd gets too numerous, kill and eat the excess yourself or sell em to Mexicans.
That is actually my plan if i have a huge area to be mowed Turn that grass into meat.
I'm not much of a mechanic. Having a dealer/service center close by would be my preference.
For me, it's either Kubota or John Deere. Both places in my local get excellent reviews. So, its a matter of buying the brand/model. Which riding mower or zero turn from these two is less problematic/dependable?
I've "downsized", so I only have 1 1/4 acre to mow.
I bought this tank, I believe a 1992 GT for 400.00 of CL in 2014 or 2015, a garden tractor with a 2 speed cast iron transaxle.
The kid would not budge on the price even though it was only running at half throttle and I noticed the air cleaner housing shaking like a cheap stripper. It did go forwards and backwards and the blades would spin so I bought it. The little sh ! t text me to see how I liked it and if it was running okay confirming he knew the junk had problems.
So I replied...
"yeah, it runs like a raped ape after I tightened the two manifold to head bolts in like five minutes, thanks for a smoking deal"
It cuts grass okay but it's a better brush hog and trailer puller. The Kohler 18hp cast iron twin lopes a bit at idle and sounds good too.
I would not buy a new late model riding lawn mower, they are junk including the new 08 Chub Cadet this GT replaced.
Ariens and JD are your best choices for longevity.
Kubota for me, pricey but I take care of it and it will last. Thicker metal on the count And a Kawasaki motor. Blade RPM is higher than the competition.
Neighbor had a little John Deere riding mower that left the most uneven cut on grass I believe I've ever seen of any mower. His didn't have rollers on the cutting deck that allowed it to followed the contour of the ground. I've since noticed some other brands of riding mower don't have the rollers, either.
Neighbor had a little John Deere riding mower that left the most uneven cut on grass I believe I've ever seen of any mower. His didn't have rollers on the cutting deck that allowed it to followed the contour of the ground. I've since noticed some other brands of riding mower don't have the rollers, either.
Deck design makes a big difference in the quality of cut you'll get and hence how good your lawn will look. John Deere sucks in that regard IME with several different ones over the years. The best cutting mower I ever had was the previously mentioned Cub Cadet 2186 with 44" mulching deck.. Chopped up the clippings so fine the lawn looked like astro turf. In the fall you could mulch your leaves with it and in one pass over a 6" bed of leaves it looked like you used a vacuum cleaner to suck them up. The JD's I've had always knocked down a fair bit of grass without cutting it off cleanly, even with freshly sharpened blades, due to piss poor design with poor suction and circulation.
I bought this tank, I believe a 1992 GT for 400.00 of CL in 2014 or 2015, a garden tractor with a 2 speed cast iron transaxle.
The kid would not budge on the price even though it was only running at half throttle and I noticed the air cleaner housing shaking like a cheap stripper. It did go forwards and backwards and the blades would spin so I bought it. The little sh ! t text me to see how I liked it and if it was running okay confirming he knew the junk had problems.
So I replied...
"yeah, it runs like a raped ape after I tightened the two manifold to head bolts in like five minutes, thanks for a smoking deal"
It cuts grass okay but it's a better brush hog and trailer puller. The Kohler 18hp cast iron twin lopes a bit at idle and sounds good too.
I would not buy a new late model riding lawn mower, they are junk including the new 08 Chub Cadet this GT replaced.
That thing has a "real" Kohler engine on it......an absolute beast. It could wear out no telling how many lawnmowers, then be rebuilt and do it again.
Got tired of the low-end Sears and HD mowers and bought a 61" Scag Turf Tiger. It mows at jogging speed, and is great for keeping my target range cut as well.
I'm pretty happy with my Hustler Raptor Limited zero turn. I've put 200 hours on it in less than three seasons. I've replaced 2 spindles only because I hit stuff in the yard and wrecked them. I've also replaced the blade belt once and the drive belt once. The drive belt would have been okay but a stick popped up and threw the belt off the pulley. Before I realized what had happened the belt got rubbed pretty good by the shaft the pulley was on, so I replaced it. The motor and transmissions have held up good.
I'm mowing 4 acres with it,..most of it on a slight incline. I can do the whole place in 4 hours.
Bought my cub cadet new five years ago from the local dealer. It does what I expect. No complaints. Wanted a John Deere but their dealership here didn't want me to bother them.
Had a JD l120 tractor with 42" deck,wouldn't buy another jd mower. Last year bought a 54" huskvarna zero turn and it's great. Cuts close around trees and the best part is I can stretch my legs out.
John Deere X530 - Bot new April 2014 - 54" deck 3 blades - Has 736 hours on both - On the second set of blades - Mows eight (8) acres - regular maintenance - Tried three different zero turns, but have some hills that didn't suit them.
I have a 55” cut Bush Hog I bought used about 10 yrs ago. Cut 2.5 acres and it is a very solid machines. Had a John Deere 314 and blew two motors because I was mowing a hill and upper cylinder wasn’t getting enough oil as it wasn’t pressurized. Got a 14 hp Husky next. Tractor was great, deck a piece of [bleep]. Put $100 in it every year for 5 years and said fook it. Bit the bullet and bought the Bush Hog, totally different animal.
the various colors/flavors of MTD mowers are 10 year machines unless you are easy on stuff, which i'm not and my yard is not. i wore out a troybuilt in 10 years and am 11 years into a simplicity and it has needed a few deck parts. runs ok and tranny is still working. simplicity is middle of the road in ruggedness and cost.
Very pleased with my 42” Cub Cadet RZT-SX. I used a JD LT155 for 20 years and still use it to pull a cart around the yard. I wanted a Zero Turn with a bagger because of the pups running around the house. I’m use to a steering wheel so the Cub Cadet was a no brainer for me in the zero turn world.
Thanks for the warning about the dogs. Every healthy lawn has some weeds. No big deal. If it doesn't, it's poisoned. Your's looks great as organic and better than the sprayed ones in my neighborhood. Good soil I bet!
I warned a family member about using glyphosate/round up. Next thing I know is that our / her dog got stomach cancer from it.
Taken bout 5 mins ago. She is mowing the clippings Showed her how to put the bag on and where to dump it. I gotta be sneaky taking pics of the NA hired OCD grass cutting help. You go girl... Need a bottle of water???? Lol!!!
What you guys think about the mower brands? Troy Built, Cub Cadet, Juan Deere? I have 2.5 acres of grass/weeds in Northern AZ and sick of pushing it. Was thinking about going 46” but have some uneven terrain in the front, would a smaller cutting deck be better?
It depends on whether its more important to you to finish the lawn quicker, or to have a more even cut.
I've got a Murray from wally world about 20 years ago. Used it on about 15 acres. Its paid for itself. Hardly any issues with lots of milage and hours at full throttle. Low center of gravity. 18 horses B&S, hydrostatic tranny. There is better for sure. I thought the john dear was too much for what you get. Personal opinion. Anyone who owns it may tell you different. Wish I could get a real tractor/ brush hog right now. It would save much time.
Lol yeah Sycamore you are right and right. I pushed about two acres before I left which means the weeds gonna he waist hog when I get back. been rainin
Might go rent her ( unknowingly to her) that pressure washer for the driveway this weekend coming up. Go out and start doing it. Then she will want to do it outta OCD need in her mind. Have at it like the last time. Let me know when ya are done or need a break. Her stubbornness will make her finish it all.
Had ta pie off the corner of the house ta get this shot. And get back before she did the turn. LOL!!! Gotta get back to the "Solo" Star wars movie Hot outdoors .....
Gonna poison the fugg outta the back yard tommorow get ready for my upcoming august cut. LOL!!!
Turn it over to the History Channel and watch some schitt about Hitler, UFOs, or the Knights Templar. If you're lucky it will be about all three. If you are REALLY lucky it won't have the red-headed drag queen guy in it.
If you’re serious about zero turns Exmark, scag or hustler. I’m a believer in light commercial to full commercial grade mowers even for personal use if you like things to last. These come with Welded decks, heavy duty hydro motors, HD spindles, better engine and air cleaners. 2000+ hours is to be expected with proper maintenance. Many more hours than that possible.
Or you can buy a homeowner grade POS every 5 years
Turn it over to the History Channel and watch some schitt about Hitler, UFOs, or the Knights Templar. If you're lucky it will be about all three. If you are REALLY lucky it won't have the red-headed drag queen guy in it.
Turn it over to the History Channel and watch some schitt about Hitler, UFOs, or the Knights Templar. If you're lucky it will be about all three. If you are REALLY lucky it won't have the red-headed drag queen guy in it.
Way ahead of you. I was THAT lucky (I’m a sucker for redheads)
What you guys think about the mower brands? Troy Built, Cub Cadet, Juan Deere? I have 2.5 acres of grass/weeds in Northern AZ and sick of pushing it. Was thinking about going 46” but have some uneven terrain in the front, would a smaller cutting deck be better?
It depends on whether its more important to you to finish the lawn quicker, or to have a more even cut.
I've got a Murray from wally world about 20 years ago. Used it on about 15 acres. Its paid for itself. Hardly any issues with lots of milage and hours at full throttle. Low center of gravity. 18 horses B&S, hydrostatic tranny. There is better for sure. I thought the john dear was too much for what you get. Personal opinion. Anyone who owns it may tell you different. Wish I could get a real tractor/ brush hog right now. It would save much time.
You've been mowing 15 acres for 20 years with a Murray mower you bought at Walmart?
My mother has a Murray she uses for a ‘hover round on the farm here. Pee-paw took the rotted deck off to give her some ground clearance. LOL
I tried to keep it a secret but she came over and introduced herself to renegade50. They are close in age.
I think she likes him.
Hahahahaha!!
It was quite a scene for me when sports granny/MIL with her elbows and knees wrapped up in black nylon sports braces from walmart came rolling up on her "hoverround".
What you guys think about the mower brands? Troy Built, Cub Cadet, Juan Deere? I have 2.5 acres of grass/weeds in Northern AZ and sick of pushing it. Was thinking about going 46” but have some uneven terrain in the front, would a smaller cutting deck be better?
It depends on whether its more important to you to finish the lawn quicker, or to have a more even cut.
I've got a Murray from wally world about 20 years ago. Used it on about 15 acres. Its paid for itself. Hardly any issues with lots of milage and hours at full throttle. Low center of gravity. 18 horses B&S, hydrostatic tranny. There is better for sure. I thought the john dear was too much for what you get. Personal opinion. Anyone who owns it may tell you different. Wish I could get a real tractor/ brush hog right now. It would save much time.
You've been mowing 15 acres for 20 years with a Murray mower you bought at Walmart?
If that's a fact, it belongs in the Smithsonian.
I misspelled John Deere.
Reminds me of a joke that I told at my ex girlfriends parents. We were all having dinner and these Pennsylvania German types were pretty stoic.
It goes something like this, "My exgirlfriend left me for a tractor salesman. She sent me a John DEERE letter.
Crickets.........
Ok, it was a bad joke. Later my gf didn't hear me say "ex girlfriend" and wondered what was going on?......
1976 International 574 with a 8' vrisimo flail mower. It's more fun because you look forward to hitting [bleep] left out on the turf. Kids learn real quick to put their stuff away.
What you guys think about the mower brands? Troy Built, Cub Cadet, Juan Deere? I have 2.5 acres of grass/weeds in Northern AZ and sick of pushing it. Was thinking about going 46” but have some uneven terrain in the front, would a smaller cutting deck be better?
It depends on whether its more important to you to finish the lawn quicker, or to have a more even cut.
I've got a Murray from wally world about 20 years ago. Used it on about 15 acres. Its paid for itself. Hardly any issues with lots of milage and hours at full throttle. Low center of gravity. 18 horses B&S, hydrostatic tranny. There is better for sure. I thought the john dear was too much for what you get. Personal opinion. Anyone who owns it may tell you different. Wish I could get a real tractor/ brush hog right now. It would save much time.
1976 International 574 with a 8' vrisimo flail mower. It's more fun because you look forward to hitting [bleep] left out on the turf. Kids learn real quick to put their stuff away.
1976 International 574 with a 8' vrisimo flail mower. It's more fun because you look forward to hitting [bleep] left out on the turf. Kids learn real quick to put their stuff away.
Pics please.
That will have to wait until tomorrow. No pics on my phone. I checked. Got the tractor for a song because according to the ranchette owner who had it "the transmission was shot". 10 minute clutch adjustment and off we go. Lol
1976 International 574 with a 8' vrisimo flail mower. It's more fun because you look forward to hitting [bleep] left out on the turf. Kids learn real quick to put their stuff away.
I won't tell them about choker cables and a flail mower.
1976 International 574 with a 8' vrisimo flail mower. It's more fun because you look forward to hitting [bleep] left out on the turf. Kids learn real quick to put their stuff away.
Pics please.
That will have to wait until tomorrow. No pics on my phone. I checked. Got the tractor for a song because according to the ranchette owner who had it "the transmission was shot". 10 minute clutch adjustment and off we go. Lol
Can’t wait. We have one my grandfather bought new in 1974.
My Grandparents had one like 25 years ago. I have no idea how many hours I spent trying to watch scrambled porn when they weren't around. Nothing makes a 15 year olds heart jump like a boob showing up in the diagonal moving lines. Lol
I got a 1000 w MH Carl’s Jr (Hardees) parking lot light on a 30ft pole that have above my garden for picking beans at night. Pretty sweet when its 100F in the daylight hours.
I push mine, but my dad’s been running Grasshoppers for a little over 30 years on the farm (their house). He mows 4 acres, around our farm cabin (couple hours away) which is a couple acres, and a cemetery that’s about 5 acres. He’s done it all for 25 years. No idea how many hours have been on them. Never had a hydro break, but he keeps on top of maintenance, sharpens and balances the blades on the regular, and makes sure everything is done correctly. The first 2 were used demo models. Sold the first one to the state to mow a campground (state park), then ran the next one for about 20 years (traded it in getting $1500), and then replaced it with a new one 4 years ago.
There’s no way I could get him to change. He loves the deck that’s out front for mowing under fences and trees. I’ve run several, including the Grasshoppers, and they would be my pick as well. The only issue is they absolutely are proud of them $$$.
My Grandparents had one like 25 years ago. I have no idea how many hours I spent trying to watch scrambled porn when they weren't around. Nothing makes a 15 year olds heart jump like a boob showing up in the diagonal moving lines. Lol
My Grandparents had one like 25 years ago. I have no idea how many hours I spent trying to watch scrambled porn when they weren't around. Nothing makes a 15 year olds heart jump like a boob showing up in the diagonal moving lines. Lol
When the satellite dishes first came out, there was a local guy who got rich selling scramblers. He always said that he knew they were lying, when they said that the wife was wanting to get HBO.
2.5 acres, I wouldnt do it with nothing less than a big deck ztr. I have a 52in ztr and 1 2/3 acre takes me about 1hr15min if I'm going wide open and don't have to get off to remove something in the way. I couldn't imagine doing it with a rider, it would take forever. Skip the big box store stuff and find a outdoor power place in town, jd dealer, gravely, husquvarna, whatever....as long as they can work on them.
back around 1987 or so, we moved into a house that had one of those huge satellite dishes. Playboy channel and another porn channel were free, but what was even more interesting was the live stream of CNN and other networks before they went on the air, so you'd sit there watching a reporter telling the guy he was about to interview how he should answer questions, etc., After about 3 months the porn channel went scrambled and then the receiver blew up and we were done with it. It was fun while it lasted.
A few years after that I got a job at a shipyard in Pascagoula, MS. Someone in the shipyard was using company computers to build cable TV descramblers. My boss came to me and said I needed to "audit" the computer to find the software and delete it.
So I go down into the yard with my boss and start checking these laptops and these guys there looked like they wanted to kill me. I find the programming software and delete it. The next week I find out my boss and his boss both had bought descrambled cable boxes off those guys. Hell I would have too had I known. I had only been there about 2 months and they made me the sacrificial lamb to go down there and be the jackass that deleted their money making scheme.
The type of mower depends on the owner. That old saying about tearing up a anvil with a rubber mallet is true
Ive seen folks buy a piece of crap light duty mower and get 15-20 years out of it.
Then others buy a $7K commercial mower and destroy it in 2 years or less
Ive worked on many different brands over the last 30 years. They all can be torn up
I bought a used JD 757 6 years ago and it is a beast of a mower
This. Most people treat a lawnmower like a ball peen hammer.
Small gas motors will run forever if you change the oil once a year and clean/replace the breather often. I can't remember the ratio but they suck in many multiple gallons of air per gallon of gas. Mowing is almost always a dusty job.
You have to run a zero turn wide open to make the system work, or so I am told, but on lawn tractors, push mowers, tillers, etc matching engine speed to the load goes a long way toward getting more life outta the engine. You don't have to redline it all the time just to cut lawn grass.......unless you are Renegade!
I'm told you can count on the big box mower's drivetrain going out at 1000 hours. Calculate how long it takes you per mowing session, how many sessions per year and do the math. For me that is gonna be about 50 hours per year. So in theory a mower should last 20 years. I've got a troy bilt that is 14 years old give or take that I got used. The trans won't go into the higher speeds so its right on schedule. Like I said before the deck was patched. Cost me a bunch of okra and a gallon of shelled purple hull peas.
The type of mower depends on the owner. That old saying about tearing up a anvil with a rubber mallet is true
Ive seen folks buy a piece of crap light duty mower and get 15-20 years out of it.
Then others buy a $7K commercial mower and destroy it in 2 years or less
Ive worked on many different brands over the last 30 years. They all can be torn up
I bought a used JD 757 6 years ago and it is a beast of a mower
This. Most people treat a lawnmower like a ball peen hammer.
Small gas motors will run forever if you change the oil once a year and clean/replace the breather often. I can't remember the ratio but they suck in many multiple gallons of air per gallon of gas. Mowing is almost always a dusty job.
You have to run a zero turn wide open to make the system work, or so I am told, but on lawn tractors, push mowers, tillers, etc matching engine speed to the load goes a long way toward getting more life outta the engine. You don't have to redline it all the time just to cut lawn grass.......unless you are Renegade!
I'm told you can count on the big box mower's drivetrain going out at 1000 hours. Calculate how long it takes you per mowing session, how many sessions per year and do the math. For me that is gonna be about 50 hours per year. So in theory a mower should last 20 years. I've got a troy bilt that is 14 years old give or take that I got used. The trans won't go into the higher speeds so its right on schedule. Like I said before the deck was patched. Cost me a bunch of okra and a gallon of shelled purple hull peas.
The engine is the last thing you have to worry about with modern lawnmower of any type. They are engineered and built to run full rpm all the time, just keep the oil in proper condition and the air filter clean. It's the deck, idler pulleys, belts and the other non engine mechanical things that separate the quality of different types of lawn mowers. Even Briggs and Stratton will run forever now with a little common sense maintenance. Idling a lawnmower will only lower quality of cut, doesn't really extend life of engine.
I bought a Toro GT with a 23hp Kohler engine from a big box store. Took care of it, changed the oil yearly, cleaned the air filter. Ended up putting about 90 hours on it over 8 years and the deck rotted on me.
I took the deck off , put a ball hitch on it and I use it to pull my trailer or boat around the yard. Instead of buying a $600 deck and spindles, etc, I just bought a used dealer sold John Deere LT model. Probably if I had invested more time I could have found a mower deck that would fit off another brand, but I figured they were all thin metal crap.
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