Help with Size and Type of Deck ?

k9luvr

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I'm a homeowner wanting to purchase a small riding mower for my under 1/2 acre yard that has slopes, hills, fences, and lots of obstacles. It must have a bagging attachment available.
I've been mowing with a 21" Toro self propelled. I'm getting too old to push it in the July and August heat.

I have an old snapper (30") rear engine rider that has passed its prime (over 25 yrs old) and need to get something new. The new Snapper rear engine riders are not an option since the local dealer stopped selling the rear engine riders. (He said they are junk)

I've narrowed my choices to several mowers:
  1. Cub Cadet CC 30 H - rear engine rider with 30" fixed deck and 382cc engine and Hydro trans.
  2. Toro SS4225 ZTR with 42" deck and 22 HP Toro engine

My concern is the difference in decks and HP

I prefer a smaller deck for maneuverability. But I read that the smaller (30", 32") fixed deck mowers like the Snapper and Cub Cadet listed above and the Toro SS3225 ZTR (32" deck) don't mow as evenly and are more prone to scalping the yard.
I've also read that the floating deck mowers like the 42" Toro ZTR with anti scalping wheels mow more evenly.

I've owned the Snapper 30" fixed deck and it has never mowed that evenly. (use it mostly for bagging leaves in the fall)
But I've never owned a larger rider with a floating deck design before and don't know how much better they will mow.

What is your opinion?

I'm also concerned that the Cub Cadet CC 30 H with the 382 cc engine might be under powered on my hilly lawn with a bagger installed.
After taking a demo ride on the Toro 22 HP ZTR I feel sure it has plenty of power but am wondering if it is overkill for my yard.

What are your thoughts ?
 
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Darryl G

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In general you will get a more even cut with a smaller deck. The problem with a larger deck is that the grade of a lawn will vary more the further the areas under the deck are from each other. So across a 30 inch area of lawn there's not likely to be much of a variation in grade, but over a larger area there is. A floating deck mower hangs the deck from the frame and provides anti-scalp deck wheels so that on uneven surfaces the deck wheels will hit the ground and lift the deck to avoid scalping. But in reality, for a mower in that size range they provide little benefit in my opinion. As a mower operator you likely know by now how not to scalp a lawn, such as not straddling a mound, not sending an edge of the deck into a ditch, etc. I operate 52 inch Zero-Turn mowers and run them with the anti-scalp wheels all the way up and out of the way, basically defeating them. I find that all they do is dig in on turns and I'm an experienced operator and know how to avoid scalping. The floating decks are not ground-hugging decks running on rollers, they basically just allow for what I consider to be operator error.

I don't know how steep your hills are, but Zero-Turn mowers, especially small/light ones, aren't the best choice for hilly terrain and require different mowing techniques than a lawn tractor. I've gone into more detail regarding that in this post: http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/showthread.php/46882-Zero-Turn-Mower-Operation-and-Safety

What's the rated horse power on that Cub engine? I couldn't find it with a quick search.
 

k9luvr

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They don't actually list HP on that Cub. It is 382 CC which translates to about 12 - 13 Hp.
 

Darryl G

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Yeah that sounds to be marginally powered. What kind of slopes are you talking about. Mellow, moderate or steep?
 

k9luvr

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Yeah that sounds to be marginally powered. What kind of slopes are you talking about. Mellow, moderate or steep?

Most slopes are moderate and not very long going up, maybe 5 - 6 ft up from level ground. I have a short bank that is maybe 20 degrees slope up from my ditch but it only rises 4 - 5 feet.
 

Darryl G

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Maybe a Zero-Turn is the way to go then. They're pretty cool machines, just dicey going down steep slopes. Mowing slopes with one requires different techniques than you're used to and 20 degrees is above their recommended maximum, but I think that goes for most riding mowers. But you can't shift your weight much on a Zero-Turn.
 
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