Riding mower/tractor

[Cochese]

As a treat to myself in a couple of years I'm going to finally buy myself a riding lawn mower/tractor.

I'm way out of my league here. Brands, style, power...I'm better with cars than tractors. The only thing I know is I prefer the look (and that's as deep as that goes) of the style that has the motor in front of the driver with the hood. Would prefer something I can attach a dump cart to the back, or leaf sweepers or product dispersal. I doubt I would have a need for a plow or something similar.

My yard is a typical suburban yard but it's on a hill that's moderate, but there's one section in my back yard that's fairly steep, but that can be worked around. Zero turn isn't something that would be deciding factor.

I have no preference to brand. However this is going to be my treat for being completely debt free, so I don't want to splurge too much.

[Skaning]

Ive got about two acres more or less to mow. Bought the place about 6 years ago and started out trying to mow with a 42" Murray tractor. Tried it with a small 14 HP Cat 1 tractor but the maneuverability was an issue and I had to finish out with the Murray. I finally sprung for a used 60 inch cut Kubota zero turn.

MAJOR IMPROVEMENT. Cutting time went to about half, manuverability much better. You can tow small stuff with it, I modified an Agrifab vac to work with it. You do have to take it easy with that since the 60" cut can overwhelm the vac in high grass. With the ability to adjust to a 5" cut, light bushhogging is possible.

Short statement I am convinced that zero turn is the right way to go if mowing grass is the job.

[sweensdv]

I have a Craftsman Lawn Tractor........don't buy one! I really can't recommend any particular mfg but one suggestion I have is that you do your homework about how easy or hard it is to pull maintenance on whatever brand you look at. Make the dealer show you what is involved in doing the usual oil change/tune-up stuff but also what is involved in brake adjustment and mower height tweaking. All that stuff looks easy in the manual but in reality sometimes you need to be a contortionist in order to do the task. Ease of maintenance would be a big selling point to me.

As a "How the hello did this happen" side note; I was at HD the other week and was looking at the new John Deere lawn tractors they sell. Their hoods were made out of plastic! Cmon John Deere, you know better than that.

[leehljp]

I have a 12 year old Sears LT1000 42" mower and it is holding up great for the age it is. I have about an acre of land total, including the house and driveway. But, If I were doing it again, I would look at a something that mows smoother. (I have tried different blades and calibrating the height for each side - but that is not the problem). Most all riding tractor mowers have a suspended deck and wheels that keep it level. However, not all mowers cut equally on slightly un-level ground. The LT is one that doesn't cut as smooth on grades as some others do. I can't for the life of me figure out why.

If I were to do it again, I would check reviews of "cuts evenly on uneven and slopes". I have to go back over a couple of areas twice to get the high areas. Not a major problem but something I will look out for if I ever get another riding mower. IF a company designs the mower to cut smoothly on level as well as slopes, the rest of it is probably going to be just as good.

FIRST Suggestion: Don't go cheap and get a mower that lasts just 5 to 7 years. Get one that will last 10 to 20 years or more with good upkeep. And if you are going to get one that doesn't have to be replaced, make sure it cuts well! In the long run, these are cheaper! The internet is your friend. Look at reviews and comments. ( But, even the BEST products will have people who can tear them up!)

A second suggestion, One of the MOST handy options that I have for this tractor is a good lawn cart to pull behind. I have used this as much almost as much as using the mower for cutting grass. I bought the flat bed cart and I added sides to it.

[sailor55330]

I have a Hustler Sport and I love it.

Not cheap, but very well built and cuts great.

[greenacres2]

I also have about 2 acres to cut. First tractor was an old cast-iron Gravely with a cast Koehler engine. Ugly, but it was a tank until the garage fire in 1996. Replaced that with a Cub Cadet garden tractor (learn the difference between "lawn tractor" and "garden tractor"--garden is heavier, but you may not need that). The Cub ran a 48" or 50" deck, front mounted snow blower in the winter. Good machine, even with the plastic hood.

About 6 years ago i bought a Dixie Chopper Silver Eagle. Cut my mowing time from right at 3 hours to 65 or 70 minutes. Doesn't pull a cart well though it can be done if you don't turn too tight. Other than oil changes, and keeping sharp blades on it--not a problem.

If you're not likely to use the cart thing often, don't overlook the ZTR machines. With the increase in manueverability you save enough time to maybe get away with a slightly smaller deck. And when it is time to park, i slide mine sideways into a spot that is less than a foot longer than the machine--i'd guess 8 or 9 inches. I'd say that i'm not at half-life on this mower yet, and i'd buy another.

For ZTR's with no attachment point for a cart--eaxy to fabricate. And they have all the power you need to pull a full cart as long as you're not trying to mow at the same time. I can't back mine up with the cart, but haven't really needed to. Good luck!!
earl

[atgcpaul]

As a "How the hello did this happen" side note; I was at HD the other week and was looking at the new John Deere lawn tractors they sell. Their hoods were made out of plastic! Cmon John Deere, you know better than that.

I don't know if this is a new thing or an especially bad thing. My dad had a Deere lawn tractor he got in 1990. I'm fairly certain that hood was plastic/fiberglass. He sold it in 2005 or so when he downsized houses. The overall finish was still nice and green.

[JimD]

I bought it from Sears but I have a MTD Yard man lawn bug. It has a rear engine and a grass catcher under the seat. The width of cut is 28 inches. It is compact for storage but it doesn't cut well - it scalps - and it is not quicker than a self propelled walk behind for me. You also have to turn the mower off to back up which I needed to do a lot on my lawn. I wore out the first cable that actuated the mower and the replacement wasn't cheap. I took that switch out of service when I replaced the cable. Batteries, garage stowed, also only last about 2 years. I haven't used it in several years but keep it around in case I get too decrepit to use the walk behind.

If I was to do it again, I would get something with zero turning radius. For my lawn (legally .6 acre but that doesn't count the 300 foot along the street so more like .75 acre) it makes a big difference. I can mow it in 45 minutes to an hour with a walk behind and about the same with the rider I have. With a zero turn of reasonable size I'm guessing less than half an hour. The exercise is a good thing for me so I just use a walk behind (Toro which I really like).

Jim

[tommyt654]

Chris I was in lawn care and landscaping for well over 20 yrs with Post properties and other local companys before starting my own business. 2 deciding factors should be how large your yard is and whats expected of the mower. Do you want it to p/u leaves in the fall or simply mulch them, You say the grade is not bad any idea of what it is,Most riders are not really built for much more than 20 degree's at best, anymore than that and you might consider it unsafe unless you know how to shifty your weight to the one side.I got rid of a rider and purchased a walk-behind Scag with a sulky for really large yards and walked the smaller as these types of mower really turn on a dime They are not however inexpensive new ,but a used one can be had for less than $13-1800 in most case's and last forever. If you are convinced a rider is what you want John Deere's are hard to beat,plastic and all

[Cochese]

I sincerely appreciate all the responses so far. I knew going in I would have to do a lot of research, and do it for a long time.

I don't expect anything I buy to last the rest of my life (hopefully), but 20 years would be good in my book. I definitely want a cart, it's in part why I want a riding. I have a couple of trees on my property that constantly drop sticks, so I want a way to move them and other items like mulch bags around easily.

I'm not sure the total size of the yard, but know combined it's under an acre. Probably more like a half acre. The elevation change in front isn't bad, I can easily push my current walk behind up and across it without power assistance. There's only one trouble spot in the whole yard that would be tricky, but even then it's at the very rear of my property and can be cut or managed by other means. I might even choose that spot to put in a custom playset.

I've only really checked out the ones at Sears, as they have the most models on display and it's real easy to kill some time there. I noticed at least one of them had the spin-on automotive style oil filter, that seemed intriguing.

When I was talking about ZTR before, I only mentioned that it wasn't a must if it had it. It would certainly be nice to have. I was thinking about putting mulch beds around the bases of my trees, and I would still keep my push behind for tight spots. (I want to say it's a Scott's convertible mulcher - hand-me-down and it's not in the best shape)

For leaves, I've been simply mulching them as there's entirely too many in the fall to bag. I'd say I have more weeds than actual grass in my yard (something I'm slowly working on) and in the heart of summer I should really be out there at least once a week. The exercise was fine when I cut it the other day, but when it's 98 and 90% humidity I'd rather be sitting on my butt with a big glass of water doing it.

[leehljp]

I also appreciate this thread and other people's input. I have been thinking of selling my well running 12 year old Sears 1000 while it has value, and getting a better cutting one. Mine does "ok" but I hate the about 20% that I have to go over twice. And since we returned from overseas, LOML has had me plant nearly a dozen dogwood and redbud trees in addition to me planting a dozen fruit trees. Now I NEED a ZTR mower. Our yard will look like a forest in three or four years!

I don't know how well the Cub Cadet "steering wheel" ZTR mower will work, but I like the idea of ZTR AND a steering wheel!

[Russianwolf]

murray, Huskee, Lawnman, craftsman, etc. etc. etc.

All made by MTD.

I have a Huskee 42 inch with hydrostatic trans and 18hp B&S. Been running it for 6 years and as long as we don't run over something that bends a blade, its all good.

I do recommend the hydrostatic trans as you don't have to worry about gears and such (wife has no excuses).

[dbhost]

Too bad your land isn't larger. A friend of mine has 10 acres, and mows with an ATV with a mower attachment. Specifically a Honda Rancher 4x4 ATV. Not sure how he stays out of the throttle, but he manages...

[Skaning]

One of the reasons I went with a used semi commercial machine was the hydrostatic system and the power deck lift. Cost was a bit more than a new homeowner model but I've really been satisfied. Biggest expense has been a new set of rear tires. Prior owner must have been mowing briar patches with it. By the way, learning to use the two handle system rather than a steering wheel is a non issue functionally. Learning curve is something on the order of 3 minutes.

[twistsol]

I don't know if this is a new thing or an especially bad thing. My dad had a Deere lawn tractor he got in 1990. I'm fairly certain that hood was plastic/fiberglass. He sold it in 2005 or so when he downsized houses. The overall finish was still nice and green.

I had a 2004 Deere L118 from home depot. It turns out it was a relabeled Scott's tractor. It worked well when we lived in the burbs, but when we moved out to the country the hills did it in. I went through three transmissions in six years. other problems were mower deck spindles and welds. Leaking fuel system, stripped steering gears, and bad bearings in the snow blower. The last year I had it I didn't mow twice in a row without a a major breakdown. The plastic hood still looked good though.

Be careful with the low end Deere especially on hills.