How's this John Deere Z655 stack up (gravely,ferris,Snapper Pro)

mdchambe

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  • / How's this John Deere Z655 stack up (gravely,ferris,Snapper Pro)
Hi everyone,

New member seeking the asking the same old question I suppose. I'm looking to upgrade from my Deere 318 garden tractor (46 inch deck) to a zero turn. I cut maybe 2 acres of grass and it currently takes about 2 1/4 hours on my tractor. The ground is pretty rough, so I dont go nearly as fast as the tractor would run.

Anyway, I wasnt giving much thought to deere zero turns until I started thinking about long term parts availability should i keep this mower 10 years or longer. The deere model I would consider would be the Z655. $6,150, 54 inch deck, briggs motor.

Until now I had been thinking about:

Entyr Commercial?
Gravely Pro Turn
Snapper Pro S150
Ferris 500 or 700

High End Residential:
Gravely HD
Scag Freedom Z
Kubota Kommander (afraid of the three recalls)
Husq m-zt-52

Making a decision here is hard! Like most other homeowners I can im looking at a lower price point but quickly find that escalating. I'd like to pay as little as possible, but will pay a bit more for some additional quality.

I was thinking primarily about the gravely pro turn but then happened upon the Snapper Pro. FX kawa motor and zt-5400 hydros. Seems like the best of all I'm looking at, but I'm not sure about the brand? Is this a quality machine?

Sure wish I could go with one of the high end residential units of it I'd be better served by one of the commercial level units I'm looking at.

I'd sure appreciate any feedback!
 

SCMCG

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  • / How's this John Deere Z655 stack up (gravely,ferris,Snapper Pro)
I just bought the Gravely zt60hd and it is plenty machine to cut the 3+ acres i cut with it. I have no doubt it will last me 20 years easily. I have very rough ground and this thing handles it like a champ. Parts will be available on all those machines i would think as long as you would need them. Bang 4 buck I say go with the gravely HD series. Sure the others are a little nicer, but IMHO a waste to pay that much more. If you are near central Ia. go see Dan at CNM in Indianola. Tell him Scott at Noble ford sent ya!
 

Jehelam

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  • / How's this John Deere Z655 stack up (gravely,ferris,Snapper Pro)
I was just about to post a similar question about this JD. I'm surprised there isn't more discussion on it. There is an excellent review of it here at lawnsite.

It uses the same 7-iron deck of the commercial machines, only at 9-gauge instead of 7. This appears to be one of the most highly regarded deck designs for both wet and dry conditions, along with the Gravely X-Factor (which is on the HD and up).

The JD also has one of the best tire-to-weight ratios I've seen... 23x10.5 for 755 lbs. The Gravely's (and others) have less tire with more weight. Some folks like more weight as a sign of greater build strength, but I live in a wet climate and have moist turf and mud frequently, so more traction and less weight is key for me.

It also seems to have one of the best warranties at 4-yr 500 hrs. Gravely is only 3 years, Kubota Kommander is 300 hrs.

The main thing I'm worried about is the hydros. Everyone else uses the Hydro-Gear commercial series and I never read any complaints. I can't find much info on these Tuff Torq units in the JD. When I look at the specs they seem to have less torque (182 Nm) than the ZT3100 (217-270 Nm continuous). But another spec that caught my eye was the 1000 lb max weight limit for machine + operator + attachments. I can't help but think that a 755 lb mower plus me after a hearty meal plus potentially a bagger could surpass that. I think I would prefer to be well within such limits rather than pushing the envelope.
 

mdchambe

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  • / How's this John Deere Z655 stack up (gravely,ferris,Snapper Pro)
Yeah, I like the idea of more weight thinking it equates to build quality. Its another thing that points me in the direction of the snapper pro. However, maybe this is misguided and any compaction as it relates to additional weight is more of a detractor. I dunno!
 

LakeRat1

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  • / How's this John Deere Z655 stack up (gravely,ferris,Snapper Pro)
Mdchambe, if I were you I would go for the Gravely, they have about the tallest front tire as any, this will help on ruff ground, we just bought a new ZTR mower & if there would have been a Gravely Dealer nearer we would have gone with the Gravely, we wound up getting a Toro 3000 series, with 52 in. deck, just had it delivered yesterday, I wonder why we don't see more JD ZTR mowers, I see a Lot od Farmers that run JD have JD ZTR mowers, but not many of the pro grass cutters, they look hard to service to me, I was watching a guy changing is oil & filter, it was hard to get at, don't know what model it was, that 1 of the things I was looking at, where is the oil filter, how easy is it to get to the belts, all things that we will have to do at some point,

Rat
 

SCMCG

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  • / How's this John Deere Z655 stack up (gravely,ferris,Snapper Pro)
Mdchambe, if I were you I would go for the Gravely, they have about the tallest front tire as any, this will help on ruff ground, we just bought a new ZTR mower & if there would have been a Gravely Dealer nearer we would have gone with the Gravely, we wound up getting a Toro 3000 series, with 52 in. deck, just had it delivered yesterday, I wonder why we don't see more JD ZTR mowers, I see a Lot od Farmers that run JD have JD ZTR mowers, but not many of the pro grass cutters, they look hard to service to me, I was watching a guy changing is oil & filter, it was hard to get at, don't know what model it was, that 1 of the things I was looking at, where is the oil filter, how easy is it to get to the belts, all things that we will have to do at some point,

Rat
I work 4 a ford dealership and our owner has always had grasshoppers. He bought a big JD zt because the local dealer boiught a truck or 2. A short time later he decided to get another mower just cuz. We have a couple guys who work with me who have Gravely's and they talked him into buying one. Now the grasshoppers and the new JD SIT! He (our owner) only wants to run the Gravely. He says it is hands down twice the machine the Deere is. Not sure what model but it was about 10-11k and the Gravely I think about 8k. I also heard JD was going to quit building ZT and only make tractors-not sure how true that is though.
 

LakeRat1

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  • / How's this John Deere Z655 stack up (gravely,ferris,Snapper Pro)
SCMCG, I have about the same opinion as You about JD, mowers, to tell the truth I don't think JD gives a Rats +++ about what people think of there Mowers, They Know that the Ones that Bleed Green will buy what every they have for sell, I am the owner of 2 JD Lawn tractors, 1 is a JD LT 166 bought new in 99 the other is a JD LT 445 bought new in 2001, they are both still going, but the Bitch I have with then is the Plastic Body Parts, Both Mowers look to be 30 years OLD, hood on both Mowers all cracked & broke up, some one said to keep them out of the Sun, Now get that, Most Grass that I know grows in the Sun, I kind of wonder about all the Plastic on there new Combines,

Rat
 

RatRacer

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  • / How's this John Deere Z655 stack up (gravely,ferris,Snapper Pro)
I have a weld/fab shop as a neighbor at work. He has been cutting the grass on our mutual vacant lot that my company owns to keep up the road visual exposure for his biz. Usually he does it with a Cub Cadet ZT, but last week he used a JD ZTrak 9XX mower. I wandered over to ask him for help on some tree trimming (he has 2 mongo all terrain forklifts), and I asked him about the JD. It belongs to the county, and this is the third time in for it for welding patches on the deck. The stamped deck is totally worn thru on a Z9XX series from sand and debris wearing it away. A stamped deck for that money is laughable. It was 2 years old.
 

mdchambe

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  • / How's this John Deere Z655 stack up (gravely,ferris,Snapper Pro)
well, sounds like I'll pass on the deere. Theyve got a 655 with 6 hours I could probably get for around 5,500 and I like the warranty, but if the machine isn't up to par then why get it!

Ive shortened my list to:

SCAG freedom z
Gravely HD or Pro Turn
Snapper Pro S150

I'm leaning to one of the gravely, I just need to get the chance to drive one.
 

mdchambe

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  • / How's this John Deere Z655 stack up (gravely,ferris,Snapper Pro)
Well, I decided on the Gravely pro turn, but neither dealer in the area was willing to deal at all. Guess I'll just let them sit for a while or maybe consider the scag.
 
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