54" with MyRide vs 60" without?

[drew_351]

I currently have a JD 2305 with a 62" deck that I mow my lawn with. Overall I consider it a decent machine but I have heard that I could potentially mow my lawn in up to half the time I do right now with a zero turn. If this is true, I really want to consider getting one! My current rider is a little rough on myself so I wanted to also look at something that could be a little more gentle on my back as some areas of my yard are a little bumpy. I mow about 3 acres, a little wavey terrain, not completely flat.

I am not really familiar with brands but was considering a Toro. They have the MyRide suspension on their residential models for up to 54", but then to get the MyRide on a 60" you have to upgrade to their Titan model and the price goes up about $2000. I wasn't too sure I needed that big of an upgrade for the machine as it looks like it has the same motor, probably a better transmission and pumps but still. I could also consider the 60" without MyRide, but didn't know if I would be disappointed with the ride experience. Is the MyRide is worth it? Does some other brand offer something with comfort and a great ride I should consider? Is the extra 6" width for the 60" model worth the extra money? I guess even if the option is a more expensive machine I would consider a used machine. Any help is appreciated.

 

[drew_351]

Seems like several dealers have sales from manufacturers going on right now and claim it is the best pricing. So figured it was a good time to consider buying one.

 

[tom3]

No personal experience but that Ferris ZT with suspension and a deck control seems real interesting. Worth a look. Do you mow around a lot of stuff? Stopping and turning is where the time difference is mostly.

 

[drew_351]

No personal experience but that Ferris ZT with suspension and a deck control seems real interesting. Worth a look. Do you mow around a lot of stuff? Stopping and turning is where the time difference is mostly.

There is probably about 1.5 acres where I move around trees gardens and such a bit.

 

[tom3]

That John Deere is a heck of a machine and with those big tires should give a pretty decent ride, but mowing around stuff would be pretty time consuming. . I'd look for the new mower to have those big rear tires for at least equal ride, and the suspension seat would be a big improvement. And look for a hydro drive that can be serviced. Take a test drive on a couple, I have and the ZT is not for me. I kind of enjoy riding the big mower, but I'm not mowing three acres either.

 

[7394]

Another thing is, does your lawn roll & have dips & variations in the grade. Sometimes a super big deck is too big & can't mow the rolls & dips. So more time push mowing. To me that is not an advantage. Just saying.

 

[Heinz W]

Good point by 7394, and the main reason I went with a 48" deck for my 3 acres. Even so, there are some dips that are still left higher. My yard is bumpy as well as uneven, so suspension or a suspension seat were necessary. Ended up with a JD 740R since there is a very good dealer nearby. It has cut my time nearly in half, love it.

OP, I think that even with the slightly smaller 54" deck you would still improve your cutting time with a ZTR. Make sure you at least get a suspension seat on your machine, it helps.

 

[drew_351]

That John Deere is a heck of a machine and with those big tires should give a pretty decent ride, but mowing around stuff would be pretty time consuming. . I'd look for the new mower to have those big rear tires for at least equal ride, and the suspension seat would be a big improvement. And look for a hydro drive that can be serviced. Take a test drive on a couple, I have and the ZT is not for me. I kind of enjoy riding the big mower, but I'm not mowing three acres either.

I agree, my JD 2305 is one heck of a machine. I love having it and does some increadible work around my yard. I have been mowing grass with it for years and it has worked, but if I am really moving on it my yard takes me about 2.5 hours to mow, and that is probably the fastest I have ever done it. When I hear about people doing 3 acres in almost half that time, that really sparks my interest. My time to do other things with my family is worth it.

 

[drew_351]

Well I am leaning towards getting last years model of the Toro Timecutter HD MyRide 60".

 

[bertsmobile1]

The speed of cutting depends upon the driver and the lay out of the yard, particularly obstacles like fences & trees.
I have a customer who uses a tractor style mower and he cuts a lot faster than others using ZTR's .
It is all about knowing how to get the best out of your machine
Little things like cutting around a tree in reverse on a tractor & doing 3 point turns .

There are lot of things you can do to cut down the amount of time you spend doing yard maintenance .
Do you actually need all that grass ?
Are you using it or just gazing out over the estate ?
Converting a large yard to shrubs trimmed clean a foot off the ground then heavily mulched means that you will only need to spray it 3 times a year with round up ( or similar ).
Mounting a sprayer on your mower will knock hours off spraying on foot if you border spray