New from Alabama

csmlet

Active Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2011
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Hello everyone and thanks for allowing me to join. I am your typical homeowner, retired military with no time on my hands. I have never owned a zero turn but have decided that will be my next mower. Soon I hope. Currently have a John Deere rider I bought in 2009 and have never been satisfied with the cut, always cuts uneven. Before you recommend things to do I feel I have already did them. Tires are perfect (digital gauge), deck is not warped, new spindles, new blades, leveled numerous time and numerous ways. Anyway, am tired of messing with it and will give it to my son who is not as particular with his yard. Now to my question. I don't want to spend the money for a commercial mower and don't need it anyway. Like getting an 18 wheeler to haul my golf cart around. I will probably go with a 42-46 inch cut and have been looking at Toro, Husqvarna, Troy-bilt, and John Deere. What are your recommendations, all are in the right price range and have heard the good and bad on all of them. Thanks
 

deck~dragger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2016
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Cub Cadet had a total redesign of their riders for 2015, may want to look at the XT2 models, youtube, epinions, Cub website.

During the holidays you may find some good deals on whatever mower you choose. On the other hand, some manufacturers have demo days, dealer days etc. in the spring.

Some manufacturers have engine options on some of their models. Briggs or Kohler, Kawasaki.

Take your time.
 

BlazNT

Lawn Pro
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
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6,973
I will explain how I made my decision on what mower to buy. First I figured out what size I wanted. 54" was my decision. Next I looked at engine. I decided I did not want a Briggs because of the extra maintenance and failure rate among the consumer line. I always planned on working my mower a little harder than a regular consumer. I then looked a warranties. Hours and years. Years more important than hours in my situation. Most home owners will not touch the hours till long after years. Once I had this info I started looking at what was offered in that range of mowers. Most HP and cleanest cut. HP does help a lot is cut quality. I then looked at the places I could buy from. I went to every dealer in my area (50 mile radius). Not a single one was nice or attentive once they found out I wanted residential. I then shopped price at big box stores. What I found in 2007 that Husqvarna offered the best built, biggest HP and nicest cut for the lowest price. I was set to purchase at the best of the worst dealers that had the Husqvarna in stock. Walked in with money in hand. and could not get a sales person to even talk to me. Went to cashier to just purchase without a sales person. They informed me a sales person had to right it up. I walked out the door and started calling big box stores to find who had one in stock. Small lumber yard called Southerland had one in stock and gave me a small yard trailer for free. I purchased it and have never looked back.

Once you decide what size mower you want it is easy to narrow it down to the best of the group. Go sit on them. Test drive if you can. Looks are nice but feel is much more important. You should not have any frame flex in a new mower. If you do, do not buy.
 

Catherine

LawnWorld Support
Staff member
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Jun 13, 2015
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:welcome:

Welcome to the forum!

I'm going to move this thread over to our buying and pricing section to help you find the perfect mower. :smile:
 

bertsmobile1

Lawn Royalty
Joined
Nov 29, 2014
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24,647
I rather like the JD's, designed for the benefit of the owner, not the mower company.
Only 2 sized bolts on the mower,captive nuts where it is hard to get behind them , spannar built into the deck level stop, proper adjustments on the lap bars, just little things but worth while.
Deck size will depend upon our yard.

I have trouble with the Toro's.
While it is not totally the fault of the mower if you like green painted dirt ( mowed less than 2" ) the Toro deck will drop off the mounting bar, if it hits a bump while going backwards
The deck floats left right on the same hanger which causes problems.
The bolts are difficult t get at and the electric brakes are a real PIA.

Husqvarna use the same flimsey spindle mount that they put on the riders & I am forever replacing them as they will crank at the slightest provocation.
If you yard is flat or even with nothing to give the blades a good wack then it might be OK.

OTOH no ZTR other than Walkers or Grasshoppers give a really good close cut.
The best cut will be from a a Husqvarna Rider Pro , Johnsored ( from which the Husky was copied ) or the Stiga Park.
All these are up front articulated mowers and give a cut comprible with a reel ( fairway ) mower and the mulching decks are near perfect.

Engine size is insignificant unless you regularly cut grass 10" tall or live on a mountain side.
Big engines just encourage you to mow too fast and mowing fast gives a rubbish cut.
If you like to tow a cart of firewood or two, check the capacity of the hydro drives, the bottom end ones are really weak.
 

RudyP

Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2015
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26
Hello neighbor and welcome to the forum. My mowing acreage dropped from 4 to 2 after sale of our old home place but my 13 year old 42" cut shaft drive Cub kept them both up with little to no effort, although it took a little longer with the narrow deck. My yard is rough and I prefer a tractor style so when replacing I may choose the Cub XT3 lawn tractor, besides it fits my wallet better than a JD X500 series or X700 series tractor. Of course either of those JD's will accommodate a hitch and plows which the XT3 Cub will not. I ruled out the XT2 or JD X300 series because of the weaker K46 tranny under them. Good luck on your quest and keep us posted.:thumbsup:
 

csmlet

Active Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2011
Threads
10
Messages
50
Has anyone got any thoughts on the Hustler raptor 42 inch with Kohler engine. I see it has a fabricated deck and have gotten a lot of pros and cons on a fabricated deck. Most of the pros I talked to around here like them for their durability but not for their cut. Smooth cut is more important to me as I don;t have any trees, rocks, etc. in my yard and I will be the only one to use it. In my many years of cutting grass I have never had a deck to rust or warp or bend on me. Maybe i just been lucky?
 
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