Lawn Tractors

[Lighting Up]

I have both 16 year old JD and 5 year old ZT Cub....Have to say they are both good mechines I give the Jd the higher edge. To me it's the engine that matters both have the Kawaski 22 hp...great engine.
md

 

[Ashful]

I'd love to see photos of that spreader mounted to a lawn tractor. That thing is made for a CUT which is not what the OP is looking to buy.

Yeah... guess we drifted off track. I do use it on a CUT, not a lawn tractor (or a ZTR!).

 

[begreen]

I've got an HD version Cub Cadet that will be 7 years young this spring. I've had no problems with it other than one of the belt tension springs on the deck that's broken once or twice over the years.

I like the Kohler motor the Cubs come with. I love the twist off oil filter, side mounted. I think the JD's may get the same motorl? I've been pleased with Cub Cadet. I'll probably buy one again the next time. If you're going to buy a big box tractor (John Deer, Cub Cadet, Craftsmam, Toro, etc) they are all going to be about the same quality in my opinion. MTD builds them all overseas. If you want something US made with a little more quality you're going to spend a lot more than $1,500 if you want a new one.

I have the exact same setup on my 6 yr old Craftsman. There are only a few factories making these mowers these days. When I replace this one, I want a mower with hydraulics. 4wd would also be nice. We have a hilly property.

 

[MasterMech]

When I replace this one, I want a mower with hydraulics. 4wd would also be nice. We have a hilly property.

That narrows the field down quite a bit. Only 2 manufacturers make 4WD garden tractors with hydraulics. Deere (X700 series) and Simplicity (Legacy XL).

If you can do without the hydraulics, and are just looking to cut grass for the most part (not plow/till the garden, push heavy snow, no loader work, etc) then take a look at Husqvarna's Swedish Riders. They are supposed to be billy goats on slopes thanks to the AWD. Much easier on turf compared to a 4WD garden tractor too.

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/riders/r-322t-awd/

 

[Ashful]

I keep seeing ads for the Deere "one series" sub-compacts, which look pretty neat, if shopping on the garden/sub-comp range. I think they even make a backhoe for that little thing!

 

[MasterMech]

I think they even make a backhoe for that little thing!

Yup. But a little big to mow a lawn if you have any tight areas you want to use it on. They don't manuever as well as the X700 series and are more suited for Loader and 3 pt hitch work than being a giant mower.

 

[jeff_t]

It doesn't take much of a stump to stop a much larger tractor. The owner in this photo apparently failed Physics 101.

I bet he's thinking he should set it back down and bury that post hole digger in the ground

 

[nate379]

Honda doesn't anymore?

We used to have one at work, had a 15ish hp diesel motor, 4x4, power steering, pto, etc. Had a 4ish foot belly mower on it and it worked great.

That narrows the field down quite a bit. Only 2 manufacturers make 4WD garden tractors with hydraulics. Deere (X700 series) and Simplicity (Legacy XL).

If you can do without the hydraulics, and are just looking to cut grass for the most part (not plow/till the garden, push heavy snow, no loader work, etc) then take a look at Husqvarna's Swedish Riders. They are supposed to be billy goats on slopes thanks to the AWD. Much easier on turf compared to a 4WD garden tractor too.

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/riders/r-322t-awd/

 

[begreen]

Nope. Honda 6522?

 

[MasterMech]

Honda doesn't anymore?

We used to have one at work, had a 15ish hp diesel motor, 4x4, power steering, pto, etc. Had a 4ish foot belly mower on it and it worked great.

I don't think Honda has built any riding equipment for a few years now.

 

[Ashful]

Yup. But a little big to mow a lawn if you have any tight areas you want to use it on. They don't manuever as well as the X700 series and are more suited for Loader and 3 pt hitch work than being a giant mower.

Hah... just noticed that. The X700 has a killer tight turning radius. 25 inches??? Almost impossible to believe. The 1025R has a turning radius of 7.4 feet, which seems pretty normal for a MFWD machine. One page on their site also states you can mount a 60" 7-iron deck under the X700... mighty impressive! Of course, the $10k starting price puts it WAY out of reach for the OP, looking for a $1500 tractor.

 

[MasterMech]

The X700 has a killer tight turning radius. 25 inches???

Is that spec for a 4-Wheel-Steer machine?

Almost impossible to believe.

Believe it. I've seen, from the seat , an X324 trim perfect circles around a 5 gallon bucket with zero turf scuffing. And yeah, the X7's with 4WS are much more agile than you'd expect for a machine that size. If you have a hilly, or obstacle course of a yard (or both!) then 4WS trumps a Zero-Turn IMO. ZTR's make time on open ground with ground speed and quick end-row turns that mimic a 3 pt turn. Try whipping around trees (you can't always make a tree fall in between two passes, which is ideal for conventional tractors or ZTR's) or round beds and you will end up with bare doughnuts from the tire scuffing. Even some contoured bed edges with tight convex curves are a challenge (especially if lined with stone like belgian block) unless you have a lot of deck sticking out the side.

Of course, the $10k starting price puts it WAY out of reach for the OP, looking for a $1500 tractor.

It's Begreen that's out for the billy goat mower (rather than the OP) and me thinks his budget might be a tad over $1500 when he gets to that point.

X7 series machines are the kind that get purchased, run for 40+ years and handed down to the kids. Also the kind of machine I wouldn't hesitate to buy with 1000+ hours on it (given that it has been taken care of) for half price.

 

[ironpony]

My 1984 JD 425's turning radius is something like 25 inches also, they called it the first zero turn because with a 60" deck it would turn back on the cut

 

[ironpony]

I bet he's thinking he should set it back down and bury that post hole digger in the ground

he is thinking I need another beer, or maybe I have had one to many

 

[MasterMech]

1984 JD 425's

Maybe a '94? First 425's were rolled out in 1993 I believe.

 

[ironpony]

Maybe a '94? First 425's were rolled out in 1993 I believe.

its in the 80's might be 87 and DUH it's a 420 sorry about that

 

[begreen]

It's Begreen that's out for the billy goat mower (rather than the OP) and me thinks his budget might be a tad over $1500 when he gets to that point.

X7 series machines are the kind that get purchased, run for 40+ years and handed down to the kids. Also the kind of machine I wouldn't hesitate to buy with 1000+ hours on it (given that it has been taken care of) for half price.

Ya, didn't mean to barge in on the OP's needs. I certainly expect a full hydraulics mower to cost a lot more, especially if diesel equipped and optioned out.

 

[ironpony]

Ya, didn't mean to barge in on the OP's needs. I certainly expect a full hydraulics mower to cost a lot more, especially if diesel equipped and optioned out.

you did not really think this thread would stay on track did you???
tractors and beer what could go wrong?

 

[begreen]

I see a tractor pull coming up.

 

[Jags]

I see a tractor pull coming up.

If its for lawn mowers, I'm in.

 

[Ashful]

I think Jags avatar could out-pull any lawn tractor.

If shopping mowers, I guess I'd have to check out that x700. I have the hilly and tree-laden lawn of which you speak, MasterMech. My 757 ZTrak makes great time in the open parts of the yard, but as you mention, doing donuts around trees slows me down, and yes... I do have a bare ring of dirt around some of them by the end of the season.

I find any curb (eg. Belgian blocks) around gardens are not desirable with a zero turn. Much better off just edging the beds and then mulching, as it's far easier to just hang the edge of the deck over the edging as you round the beds, than coming back with a string trimmer to trim along the curb. I must have about 4 miles of beds to trim along... no way I'm string-trimming all of that every week!

 

[lukem]

I do have a bare ring of dirt around some of them by the end of the season.

That's pretty standard for any ZTR. Doesn't bother me...less trimming .


ZTR can't compare to a 4wd machine. A lightweight ZTR is about as terrible on hills as you can get. A big heavy one is pretty dang good as long as you can keep the nose pointed up hill slightly. As soon as you point the nose downhill there's no turning back....you can't back up and you can't turn back uphill without spinning the @$$ end around (which has a certain pucker factor on steep hills).

 

[Ashful]

That's pretty standard for any ZTR. Doesn't bother me...less trimming .


ZTR can't compare to a 4wd machine. A lightweight ZTR is about as terrible on hills as you can get. A big heavy one is pretty dang good as long as you can keep the nose pointed up hill slightly. As soon as you point the nose downhill there's no turning back....you can't back up and you can't turn back uphill without spinning the @$$ end around (which has a certain pucker factor on steep hills).

Yep... got both, and the ZTR is REAL fun when heading down hill and trying to turn up. Nothing like a high speed slide toward a stone wall on a 1200 lb. machine to wake you up quick on a Saturday morning. All end-of-row K-turns are always made UP hill, when mowing across the slope of the yard, but certain tree roundings near the house must be made heading down hill.

 

[nate379]

Something that really helped mine out was filling the drive drives with liquid. I cut my neighbors property as well and their back yard is almost all a slope. First time I did it when the grass was damp I had to go get the tractor to pull it out of the woods, slide right down at not exactly a slow speed.



Got used to it though, at work we mow the tops of our underground igloos (store bombs, ammo, etc) and they are probably at 45-50* and up down. It takes a pretty skilled operator to be able to sort of control the wheelie or slide without getting hurt or breaking the equipment! Spin out going up hill and you just pull a 180 and run it back down. Do it fast enough and it doesn't stay off camber long enough to roll it over.

That's pretty standard for any ZTR. Doesn't bother me...less trimming .


ZTR can't compare to a 4wd machine. A lightweight ZTR is about as terrible on hills as you can get. A big heavy one is pretty dang good as long as you can keep the nose pointed up hill slightly. As soon as you point the nose downhill there's no turning back....you can't back up and you can't turn back uphill without spinning the @$$ end around (which has a certain pucker factor on steep hills).

 

[lukem]

Something that really helped mine out was filling the drive drives with liquid. I cut my neighbors property as well and their back yard is almost all a slope. First time I did it when the grass was damp I had to go get the tractor to pull it out of the woods, slide right down at not exactly a slow speed.

Got used to it though, at work we mow the tops of our underground igloos (store bombs, ammo, etc) and they are probably at 45-50* and up down. It takes a pretty skilled operator to be able to sort of control the wheelie or slide without getting hurt or breaking the equipment! Spin out going up hill and you just pull a 180 and run it back down. Do it fast enough and it doesn't stay off camber long enough to roll it over.

It already weighs about 1500lbs wet with me on it. With the large rim/tire ratio I wouldn't get more than 50-100 lbs of extra weight in both rear tires...not enough to make a difference.