Looking at the Hustler Fastrak SDX with the 3400 drives. $7000 in Ga plus tax. Anything better for the money?

Yeah, a lawn service.....

Wait a month and it will be 6,000

I don’t know about better..... but, Grasshopper is one you may look at! I love the hydraulic driven deck, which can be yearned vertical, for cleaning, maintenance, and storage! memtb

Hustler fast track should be good heavy duty residential mower. Not quite commercial, but better than most homeowner grade machines. My dad has one and it’s been good to him for several years.

I’m looking to buy two more commercial mowers soon, so I’ve been shopping around and looking at various model lately. Best deal on a new mower I’ve seen would be Scag Tiger Cat 2 52” for $8950 promo price, the 61” is $9350. These are true commercial mowers with a great deck, heavy duty spindles, and a good engine. A little more money but quite a bit more machine than any residential class mower.

https://www.scag.com/tigercatII.html

If you’re stuck on Hustlers at least price an Xone, they are good commercial machines as well.

Deere should have some close to that range

If you have some acres to mow, I’m a believer in buying a commercial mower if you can swing it. Properly maintained they’ll last you literally forever and are worth something if you sell down the road.

That said, if you like the fast track and are mowing a couple hours a week I’m sure it’d last you a long time as well

I’ve owned 2 hustlers and both were great. First was a Xone and my current mower is a fastrak. Fantastic mowers!

I've got a Land Pride which might be irrelevant now that Kubota bought them.

In the day the twin hydraulic systems were the berries. Smooth controls & a huge warranty.

Just last week I changed Hyd. fluid & got an air lock. Thought I'd lost a pump, a new one is $700 & I've got 2 of em.

After looking a pump prices, then wheel motor prices, I'm not sure I should own one at all. But, my machine is 13 years old & now going strong. So maybe it will all e OK.

I have a 2006 Ex-Mark Laser Z with 550 hours still looks and runs like new......still running the original belts and blades....

I agree 100% It's not about how much it costs, it's about how much is too much for my next toy. Should fool the little wifey, though, by talking about doing your own lawn care.

I am sure enjoying my 61” Bad Boy commercial mower. I don’t know that it is superior to other brands, but it is a fine mower. The Kawasaki engine runs great.

I bought a used 2004 Exmark LazerZ from a buddy retiring from the commercial business. Had 700 hours on it in 2010. I’ve beat the hell out of it since then. 2 hours a week for 6 months. Any issues have been self induced.

One of my engineering buddies from college was an engineer at LandPride for a few years, now at Hustler. A few years ago he told me to never let my friends or family buy a Land Pride. He said he’d buy a BadBoy before he bought a LandPride. Maybe he was jaded from his work experience, but he was pretty emphatic about it.

Coworkers both have Skags and love them. Along with the city parks department. One of those guys bleeds green but bought the Skag anyway.

I'm on my third season of flogging 4 hilly acres with a residential grade Hustler Raptor Limited. At this point, I'm curious about how much it will take before it comes apart. It will definitely mow 4 acres efficiently. I don't know for how long. But I'm starting to get the idea that the manufacturers tend to understate the potential of their lower priced residential grade machines in order to get people to buy the big monster mowers.

The first this thing usually goes on the residential grade mowers is the deck , if you have a welded deck instead of stamped it will last a lot longer .

I keep 3.2 acres moved around my place mowed with the Scag tiger cat 52 inch deck 23hp kawasaki . Takes about 2 hours to mow . I haul the mower up tp my place in NW Arkansas about twice each summer . Paid $8800 for it 5 years ago . Change the oil every 30 hours and I have had to replace the belts once . Keep the blades sharp and balanced . Average running about 75 hours a season so this should last me.

Yes sir, Exmark lazer Zs are really good commercial mowers. My personal mower at home is a ‘16 Lazer Z 52”. At work I have a ‘07 model lazer 52” that has close to 2000hrs on it, and a ‘17 60” with 700 hrs on it. Along with several Exmark walk behinds. Exmark absolutely makes a great commercial mower. Don’t know anything about their residential line though

Pretty much all of the name brand zero turn mowers have welded steel decks, these days. I think everything on the mower would go for a long time if it wasn't abused. The transmissions are the question mark. There's not much one can do about the 2200 series transmissions. When they're done, they're done. But I'm starting to think that they're fairly decent pieces of work. They won't hold up like the bigger models. But they're not bad, either.

My Z-820 JD was about in that price range. It’s commercial grade; I use it residential. Should last a very long time. They make an optional easy ride seat that is a must.

DF

Kubota

Move to SW Arizona..........Problem solved.

I've had great luck with my Gravely. This will be season #11 and still runs strong.

Had a 60in SuperZ Hustler and a Bush Hog TC220 at the old place. The BH is now about 23 years old and still going great, it has draw backs but lots of good points. It has a front deck that I can run under things that the others can't get into. The Hustler was a great grass cutter, gave it to my brother in law as I didn't need it at the new place and they have 5 or 6 acres. He was using a Toro commercial at the time that stayed broke down. When the old BH dies I'm getting another Hustler.

We have one of those cheap Cub Cadets with a stamped deck, my wife loves to run it, she's afraid of the Bush Hog. It does cut really good but it has thin blades that don't last long and the scalping wheels wear out quick.

I've always said its impossible to have too many grass cutters because without fail one of them will have some issue or the other and you need one to ride while waiting on parts for the other.

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.