So, I need To Buy A Riding Mower..

[bassJAM]

Where are you getting all the wheel weights? How do they attach?

If you have trouble finding wheel weights, a lot of people use Rim Guard, which is basically beet juice pumped into your tires. Windshield washing fluid or RV antifreeze is another option, but these might start corroding your wheels while Rim Guard is more environmentally friendly (To both the earth, and your wheels). I just put 2 gallons of windshield washing fluid in both front tires of my Wheel Horse for snow plowing this winter, and an debating adding some to the rears as well. You can never have too much weight pushing snow!

 

[WiscWoody]

Where are you getting all the wheel weights? How do they attach?

I see wheel weights on CL often for cheap. My neighbor has a set for $10 each but I have a set now and I won't run two sets but I could, I do have the longer bolts. Here's my 2002 GT3000 I picked up in July. It came with a two stage snow thrower, box scraper/grader, spreader, plow and dethatcher. It has 440 hours on it and has a Kohler Command 23 in it. I gave him $900 and my MTD 10 horse snow thrower for it. It came with the weights, snow cab and chains front and back. I found a new seat on eBay for not much. I have a 800' drive so the snowthrower will be nice to have on top on the ATV plow.

 

[hoot]

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I see wheel weights on CL often for cheap. My neighbor has a set for $10 each but I have a set now and I won't run two sets but I could, I do have the longer bolts. Here's my 2002 GT3000 I picked up in July. It came with a two stage snow thrower, box scraper/grader, spreader, plow and dethatcher. It has 440 hours on it and has a Kohler Command 23 in it. I gave him $900 and my MTD 10 horse snow thrower for it. It came with the weights, snow can and chains also. I found a new seat on eBay for not much. I have a 800' drive so the snowthrower will be nice to have on top on the ATV plow.

I think the thrower is the way to go. Plows on small lawn tractors are ineffective over a few inches.... especially wet stuff. i also have a long driveway about the same. I use a plow on my truck.

Lawn tractor might balk at this...

 

[Ashful]

My wife is allergic to pollen, grass, etc., so no mowing for her no matter what. However, she did try to move the ztr one day last year while we were stacking wood and it was comical. Luckily, she did not hurt herself or anybody else and there was no property damage.

I'm very allergic to grass, as well. Ironic, as I have a 4 acre lawn that I must mow every 4th day in spring, and every weekend the rest of the summer. Grass pollens are only an issue during the month or June, or more accurately, Memorial day to July 4. I wear a class 100 particulate respirator (fancy dust mask) for mowing those 5 weeks, and then ditch it for the rest of the season. I also make it a point to shower and change my clothes immediately after mowing and trimming. Even my severe allergies handle that pretty well, so there's always a way to get it done.

I have made my wife hop on the zero turn to move it on two occasions... very comical. I just make sure she's well away from buildings and garden fixtures. I still remember driving it out of the garage on my first week in the house (prior owner left the mower for me), and I guess I wasn't much better, but got the hang of it after a few minutes. Now, it's like ballet on a 1200 lb. machine.

 

[bassJAM]

I guess my wife isn't THAT bad then, she's just not confident in herself. When I first bought my ZTR we were dating, and she asked if she could drive my new toy around the yard. I reluctantly agreed, and she actually did fine. I'm sure she could mow if she really wanted to, but when I start explaining how to turn the key to start it with some choke, give it some throttle, release the parking break, drop the mower deck, turn on the blades, and max out the throttle she tunes me out. She just wants to hop on and go after it's all set up.

 

[hoot]

Push mowed for years, on an acre, about 2/3 is mowable.

Last year, a buddy moved out of his live in GFs, and needed to store his power equipment. I bartered storage for use He's buying a house, closing in a few weeks.

I have checked Craigslist, and used needs blades, tune ups, etc. For around $500 -$750 or so, before I put the repairs into them. Not happy about that.

How reliable are the less expensive Toro's, Murrays, etc that Lowe's or Home Boy Depot puts on sale for $700 - $1000 or so? I understand new ='s warranty, and all that.

I would not touch the Toro cheapies. I had one and the design was horrible. That was about 7 years ago though. Murray I believe is just a super cheap MTD. A little too cheap for me. Look at the Deere, Husky and Ariens cheapies.

 

[Ashful]

I think the thrower is the way to go. Plows on small lawn tractors are ineffective over a few inches.... especially wet stuff. i also have a long driveway about the same. I use a plow on my truck.

Lawn tractor might balk at this...

 

[WiscWoody]

I think the thrower is the way to go. Plows on small lawn tractors are ineffective over a few inches.... especially wet stuff. i also have a long driveway about the same. I use a plow on my truck.

Lawn tractor might balk at this...

Yes. I just sold the tractor plow that came with the rig I bought. My ATV plow does ok but last year we got 130" of snow and the driveway got pretty narrow! I'd think the thrower with the garden tractor and the ATV plow will make a good combination. joful- you don't fool around do you?? That attachment costs $4,000 with tax alone. Bring it on hu? Lol

 

[clemsonfor]

Mtd are cheap bit they still last and parts are everywhere. They have their place.

Every 4 days! I dont care about my yard that much!

I have windshield washer fluid in my Yanmar rears so I know that trick

 

[velvetfoot]

I got weights for my Ariens lawn tractor, which is made by Husky, at Sears, new. Craftsman.

 

[fabsroman]

I'm very allergic to grass, as well. Ironic, as I have a 4 acre lawn that I must mow every 4th day in spring, and every weekend the rest of the summer. Grass pollens are only an issue during the month or June, or more accurately, Labor day to July 4. I wear a class 100 particulate respirator (fancy dust mask) for mowing those 5 weeks, and then ditch it for the rest of the season. I also make it a point to shower and change my clothes immediately after mowing and trimming. Even my severe allergies handle that pretty well, so there's always a way to get it done.

I have made my wife hop on the zero turn to move it on two occasions... very comical. I just make sure she's well away from buildings and garden fixtures. I still remember driving it out of the garage on my first week in the house (prior owner left the mower for me), and I guess I wasn't much better, but got the hang of it after a few minutes. Now, it's like ballet on a 1200 lb. machine.

I let you figure out why that is ironic and hilarious. lol

 

[Ashful]

I let you figure out why that is ironic and hilarious. lol

Doh... meant Memorial Day. I'll go back and fix my post to limit confusion.

 

[BEConklin]

I'm very allergic to grass, as well. Ironic, as I have a 4 acre lawn that I must mow every 4th day in spring, and every weekend the rest of the summer. Grass pollens are only an issue during the month or June, or more accurately, Memorial day to July 4. I wear a class 100 particulate respirator (fancy dust mask) for mowing those 5 weeks, and then ditch it for the rest of the season. I also make it a point to shower and change my clothes immediately after mowing and trimming. Even my severe allergies handle that pretty well, so there's always a way to get it done.

I have made my wife hop on the zero turn to move it on two occasions... very comical. I just make sure she's well away from buildings and garden fixtures. I still remember driving it out of the garage on my first week in the house (prior owner left the mower for me), and I guess I wasn't much better, but got the hang of it after a few minutes. Now, it's like ballet on a 1200 lb. machine.

The first time I ever drove my Zero Turn was to back it out of the bed of my F150 down two 8 foot wooden ramps onto the lawn. Talk about SCARY

 

[mass_burner]

My '89 JD 170 has gotta be one of the best values I've realized. $400 three years ago, with double bagger and metal 15 cu ft cart. Its reliable, easy to work on and practically indestructible, at least for my humble needs.

 

[duramaxman05]

I told my wife after we sold our kubota g1800 mower, I was gonna buy 1 mower and its gonna last us. So I went and ordered a grasshopper 223 with 52in rear discharge deck. I've had 3 years. Money well spent. They even had 0% financing for 3yrs when I got it

 

[Canadave]

I retired from the corporate world in Toronto 16 years ago and moved to a lakefront property in cottage country north of the St. Lawrence river. Being a city boy that knew squat about country stuff and needing a lawn tractor I found an excellent forum on tractors that gave good advice. Since my needs was to cut about 4 acres it was highly recommended that I consider a Simplicity Conquest with the commercial grade Vanguard Briggs & Stratten 18 HP engine. I have since learned from other sources and the locals that Simplicity makes an excellent tractor and I have no regrets. I learned the hard way that mice like to spend their winters in tractors and their nest resulted in overheating that cooked the motor which was not the fault of Simplicity. The website that recommended Simplicity suggested that I contact Small Engine Warehouse where I bought a 20 HP Briggs saving literally hundreds of dollars. I've learned that you get what you pay for and to stay away from the cheapies like Murray etc. I've kept my Simplicity looking like new by blowing all the grass away with a leaf blower after every use and to keep the deck clean and dry to prevent rusting by removing and cleaning all the grass and crud off at least twice a year and also to keep the deck off over the winter to clean ity and to prevent rust. Also I put socks full of mothballs around the engine after every use to keep the mice away. Over the long winter months I also put Bounce laundry sheets around the engine. Apparently only Bounce works so avoid other brands. I also wash and wax the tactor at least twice a year. I recently had the tractor over at a local handy man friend's place to replace a PTO switch. I guy who was there said it was a shame to have my new tractor in for servicing when it was in fact 10 years old

 

[clemsonfor]

You wash and wax your lawnmower

 

[TreePointer]

I mud and crud my lawnmowers. I don't want to mention what I do to my brush hog.

 

[clemsonfor]

Yea I put the bush hog I just bought though the places this weekend. I bought a twisted trashed Bush hog razorback 60. I beat it back straight and welded skids onto it and plated up the rips and tears in the deck. And Bush hogged 4 acres or so and then hit some small sweet gums about 2"s handles them much better than my light duty 4ft j bar. Poked a hole in a front tire and had a hole the size of my thumb in the rubber. The tube was buldging out but it got me through with all I really wanted to do anyway this weekend. Not to buy another tire...the old one was dry rotted and worn out. This was the second place the tube was poking out

 

[TreePointer]

I know it well. I sold our 30 year old Bush Hog RZ60 about five years ago. It got to the point that It needed a good deal of welding and my regular welder retired due to health issues. Since then I've taken up welding (AC/DC stick and MIG) and probably would have enjoyed repairing it.

 

[clemsonfor]

This one is easily 25 if not 30.

From google pics I have seen they all get tears in those front corners? It was letting it flap. I think he caught the corner on a tree. It crabs along or dog tracks behind me a bit as the a frame on one side it twisted still. The skids were totally gone and about 1.5"s of side was ground off!

 

[clemsonfor]

That is not my welding by the way. That was a previous attempt that might of had 3 spots stick.

Trying to put up more pics but the app is not working g with me

 

[clemsonfor]

The pic of the underside is that bad corner . I plated the top and bottom for extra strength. The pic of the top plate was where that awful splatter weld job was. I also stitched up the bottom of that splatter job on the deck.

 

[Canadave]

You wash and wax your lawnmower

Yep although I've been neglectful this year so far. I'm waiting for a rainless day so I can do one more cut and then do a thorough blow, wash and wax and mothball the tractor for the winter. I better hurry up cuz I have to get the foot valve out of the lake which serves the hose for the gardens including tractor washing before freeze up. What a horrible thought that winter's sneaking up fast but at least we head down to Gulf Shores Alabama on December 27 to escape the Canadian winter. We get back home around the end of the first week of April in time to see the ice thaw around the dock which means that winter is over. If I get around to it I'll take a picture of my next to new looking tractor that's now 10 years old. That is if I can figure out how to upload pictures. I'm too old to keep up with all these new electro dodads that seem to come out on a weekly basis. Sometimes I yearn for the good ol' days of communicating with two tin cans and a string.