So, I need To Buy A Riding Mower..

[Bret Chase]

I used to have an 1987 diesel Kubota F2000 with a 60" front deck like the one pictured below. While it was a little large for my 1.5 acres that I mow, I LOVED having a diesel. I put 10 gallons in the tank at the beginning of the summer, and still had fuel left when I put it away. Unfortunately it had a stamped deck that was disintegrating and I couldn't find a replacement at a reasonable price so I've picked a Dixie Chopper 50" with a 22hp Kawasaki. It runs faster, taking my mowing time from an hour to 45 minutes, but gosh it gulps fuel!! I'm starting to think in the long run I would have been better off paying for a new fabricated deck on the Kubota!

I have noticed this as well, not in a mower, but in scissor lifts.... take the exact same lift, one will have a Kubota 3 cyl diesel, the other having a 4cyl ford gas engine. in the same use, the Kubota will go through 10 gallons a month.... the Ford... nearly 5 gallons a day... I really can't complain too much about my mower's 20hp Briggs V-twin... my rider has a tiny 1.25 gallon tank, but it will mow my acre of lawn (2.08 total) and putter around for another 3 hours or so on that tank.

 

[Bret Chase]

Mine too:

View attachment 134200

64" Woods snow blower... really moves some snow!

that would do my relatively short driveway in 2 swipes... it would be a bit ungainly for the rest of the paths and such I have to keep clear each snowfall.

 

[Dix]

Maybe your friend can sell you the one you are using and he can upgrade when he gets his new house?

Thank you for that.

I'm going to ask him. I'll see him over the weekend,

 

[clemsonfor]

To the guy mowing a big one acre yard. Thats not that big???

As to the fuel usage issue...I have a 42" Mrs I got free with issues. Got it running cheap and it will use 4 gallons or so to mow around 2-2.5 acres. My Yanmar 35 year old tractor with a 6ft finish mower uses just a bit over 1 gallon of diesel to do the same.

 

[Ashful]

that would do my relatively short driveway in 2 swipes... it would be a bit ungainly for the rest of the paths and such I have to keep clear each snowfall.

Yep, which is why I keep my old Ariens 824 around. Most of the time I actually do all the walks by hand (only 4 ft wide by maybe 200 ft long), but when it's real deep or heavy, I get out the Ariens for the walks. It's also handy for plowing a racetrack into the back yard for the two rodents we call our dogs.

 

[Hogwildz]

I have an old Gilson with 30" cut you're welcome to have for free if you want to come pick it up.
It has a tire that has a slow leak( I would just fill it up prior to use) and could use a new steering bushing, but still works decent.
I used to mow about 3 acres with it. Its a workhorse for an old gal. 8 HP motor I believe.

 

[Ashful]

... and if you keep it around long enough, you can have that leaky front tire tubed real cheap at any tractor dealer.

Nice!

 

[mass_burner]

'89 JD 170 bought for $400, with 15 cu ft (metal) cart and dual rear bagger included. its been 3 years now, no issues. at the end of mowing season this year, i'll take it in for a tune and checkup. i mow 1/2 acre in about 30-45 minutes. only use the bagger for mulched autumn leaves. thing is tough, simple, and reliable.

 

[clemsonfor]

... and if you keep it around long enough, you can have that leaky front tire tubed real cheap at any tractor dealer.

Nice!

Yep my mtd has tubes in both fronts. Cost me $10 each at my local tire shop to tube it

 

[lindnova]

You want cheap? Get Dixie to pull this...

View attachment 134170

And hows that working for him? Looks like there would be gaps. I did something like that for the fun of it with two old lawnboys, some rope and a 2x4 when I was 13. I put one on each side of the old John Deere 110 to widen the cut. It worked, but hardly worth the hassle and gaps when turning.

 

[dougand3]

Looks like there would be gaps.

Yeah, he'd have (2) 2" mohawks in each pass. Wheels should be inside each other.

Yep my mtd has tubes in both fronts. Cost me $10 each at my local tire shop to tube it

That's dang cheap. I've done it myself and it takes 6 slotted screwdrivers and 4 hands. And I learned you can pop the tube if you leave the compressor at 120 PSI Crank it down to 20-30 PSI.

 

[Dix]

I have an old Gilson with 30" cut you're welcome to have for free if you want to come pick it up.
It has a tire that has a slow leak( I would just fill it up prior to use) and could use a new steering bushing, but still works decent.
I used to mow about 3 acres with it. Its a workhorse for an old gal. 8 HP motor I believe.

Sorry Hogz, just saw this. Thank you so much for the offer !

 

[Dix]

Update (Dix was dancing in the street !! )

Buddy closed on his house, lot is postage stamp sized.

Dix retains custody of the mower, for a bit

And the snow blower, the rototiller, and assorted other elements of destruction. Hell, I even have his splitter back!

Don't take much to make me happy

 

[TreePointer]

Score!

 

[ironspider]

I had an LT1000 for years that i used to cut 3/4 acre and plow snow, it did fine until it was destroyed by Sandy. Now i use a YT4000 that is a total workhorse, she does everything from hauling splits in the little trailer and logs in the bigger trailer. I plow snow with her and of course mow. I have had only one problem which was a worn pulley from getting snow or ice stuck in there. It's a 24hp Briggs and 46" deck.

 

[clemsonfor]

Nice wheel weights.

 

[clemsonfor]

I had to put some work into the old farm mower I got for free. It was a bit neglected.

New tie rod..old one was bent from an impact with a fence.
new hydro belt and blade belt. New wheel bushings on both wheels. Took the not so bad wheel bushings and put them in the king pins in the axle for axle bushings. Painted the deck with the only paint I had massey Ferguson red as it was so rusty. 2 new spindles 2 new blades all new hardware to hold it down. Rebuilt and cleaned the carb, oil change. Oh put 2 new plastic such wheels and bolts on it.

It didnt have a hood when I got it free 4 yrs ago. Apparently thats a common thing with the plastic MTD hoods. I think they either fall onto muffler and start melting as this one did or they crack. Also has no electronics either. Have to jump it off every time you use it.

Yea I put about $150 into a mower thats barely worth that but if I get another used one half that stuff would needs to be done anyhow.
I think thats all?

 

[Ashful]

Glad you get to keep your toys, Dix!

On another "old mower" tangent, I know the location of one of the old hit-and-miss powered reel mowers used to mow Connie Mac stadium field. Debating asking if I can have it, but it will definitely take a chunk out of my garage space.

 

[clemsonfor]

Id take it joyful!! Hit n miss!

 

[Ashful]

I forgot to mention, it's a walk-behind, but nearly the size of a VW Beetle.

 

[clemsonfor]

DANG Id build a lean too off my shed for it...maybe sell it for a profit or strip the hit n miss

 

[Dix]

Update ...

I can have the splitter & the mower for $1500 .... payment plan acceptable.

 

[clemsonfor]

What kind of splitter and mower again??? Seems high if the stuff is several years old??

 

[JTRock]

Love my Husqvarna YT 46 LS with a bagger.

The best part was opening a husqvarna credit account and getting 0% 48 months. It's free money

 

[Dix]

Splitter is a Troy Built 22 ton, vert / horiz 3 years old with maybe a dozen cords through it.. I've had it here for 1 year.

Mower is a Craftsman 42" deck, Briggs & Stratton, 3 years old. I've also had it here for 1 year and have been using it.

Happy with both of them.

New mower $1000 - $1500

New splitter $1200 - $1500