Riding Lawn Mower
Riding Lawn Mower
Have seen threads about outsourcing lawn care…but not about a good riding mower!
Have heard some pretty decent things about Husqvarna. Some not so great things about John Deer.
I’m looking for a lawn tractor that can also handle pulling a trailer wheelbarrow type attachment for hauling fire wood and mulch, and a mulching and bagging system for spreading clippings and helping with leaves.
Anyone have any recommendations?
We have about 3/4 acre with lots of open space and only a few trees/obstacles that aren’t on the outskirts of the hard. Some marginal slopes to the land as well.
Have heard some pretty decent things about Husqvarna. Some not so great things about John Deer.
I’m looking for a lawn tractor that can also handle pulling a trailer wheelbarrow type attachment for hauling fire wood and mulch, and a mulching and bagging system for spreading clippings and helping with leaves.
Anyone have any recommendations?
We have about 3/4 acre with lots of open space and only a few trees/obstacles that aren’t on the outskirts of the hard. Some marginal slopes to the land as well.
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
my john deere works good....e200
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
If this is your first one I'd suggest seeing what is available in used. My experience around here is that people buy brand new ones, decide they really didn't want to insource this work and then sell them in the late summer or fall, lightly used. Typical minimum lot size here is 2 acres with many larger so scale may be a differentiator. Lawn/landscaping service is low cost of entry so there are typically a lot of providers locally.
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
Don't buy a cheap one.
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
I bought a John Deere E130 for my 3/4 acre yard. It's worked well for me, and has all the functions you list (although I have not done the wheelbarrow type attachment myself)guitarguy wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 1:32 pm Have seen threads about outsourcing lawn care…but not about a good riding mower!
Have heard some pretty decent things about Husqvarna. Some not so great things about John Deer.
I’m looking for a lawn tractor that can also handle pulling a trailer wheelbarrow type attachment for hauling fire wood and mulch, and a mulching and bagging system for spreading clippings and helping with leaves.
Anyone have any recommendations?
We have about 3/4 acre with lots of open space and only a few trees/obstacles that aren’t on the outskirts of the hard. Some marginal slopes to the land as well.
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
Any mower should be fine pulling a lightweight trailer like you're proposing. I'm a convert to ZTR mowers. For 3/4 acre a mid-level ZTR like a Toro will last you 15 or so years. A step up without going to full commercial quality is a Hustler. A full commercial level mower will last your lifetime but is pretty spendy. I think a Toro Timecutter is a good compromise in cost vs. quality but the Hustler isn't too much more if you like quality stuff.
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
I purchased a house on a 1-acre lot in 2014. I bought the cheapest tractor-type riding mower I could find; back then it was an Ariens 42”, 17.5HP. Bought it a new, as the lawn was getting long and I needed to knock down the weeds quickly.
After a few years, I upgraded to a 54” zero-turn. It’s a Craftsman-branded one, but is an MTD model (same as Cub Cadet). Bought it used. I love the more powerful engine, wider deck, and more maneuverability in general. It sped up mowing from 1hr 15min to about 50 minutes.
My yard is very rectangular, so I used the Zamboni method on my old tractor one. The new zero turn is just better all-around.
My advice - don’t skimp!
After a few years, I upgraded to a 54” zero-turn. It’s a Craftsman-branded one, but is an MTD model (same as Cub Cadet). Bought it used. I love the more powerful engine, wider deck, and more maneuverability in general. It sped up mowing from 1hr 15min to about 50 minutes.
My yard is very rectangular, so I used the Zamboni method on my old tractor one. The new zero turn is just better all-around.
My advice - don’t skimp!
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
if your .75ac has more than 1 tree, another vote for the zero turn. and any size mower will pull a little dump trailer no problem.
And another vote for the local used market. you may not find a bargain, but in my area there's enough of them on CL and FB marketplace that dismissing the idea summarily would be shortsighted.
And another vote for the local used market. you may not find a bargain, but in my area there's enough of them on CL and FB marketplace that dismissing the idea summarily would be shortsighted.
If your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep will be your downfall
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
Curious. What is the maintenance cost to get it to 15 years? Let’s assume that other than putting gas in it and topping off the oil, I won’t be doing any maintenance myself.punkinhead wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 1:47 pm Any mower should be fine pulling a lightweight trailer like you're proposing. I'm a convert to ZTR mowers. For 3/4 acre a mid-level ZTR like a Toro will last you 15 or so years. A step up without going to full commercial quality is a Hustler. A full commercial level mower will last your lifetime but is pretty spendy. I think a Toro Timecutter is a good compromise in cost vs. quality but the Hustler isn't too much more if you like quality stuff.
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
I love my Ryobi electric zero turn and trailer. No noise. No fumes. No maintenance. The newest ones have a joy stick which makes it possible to drive one-handed. $7999 at Home Depot.
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
In your planning be sure to figure out where you will store the lawn mower and trailer before you buy it since they can take up a lot of space. You may not be able to fit them and your cars in your garage at the same time.
If you need to put up a shed for it that will add to the cost and there may be things like HOA or county building restrictions.
In my area humidity is a big issue that impacts how you can store things like that and an inexpensive metal shed might not work well here because of the humidity.
If you do put up a shed then make sure that there is plenty of clearance so that you you will not hit your head when either riding the lawn mower into the shed. Just because you can squeeze into a tight fit by ducking a bit 99 times out 100 you that is not good enough. Don't ask how I know this. (no stitches were involved. )
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
+1 to the storage issueWatty wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 2:38 pmIn your planning be sure to figure out where you will store the lawn mower and trailer before you buy it since they can take up a lot of space. You may not be able to fit them and your cars in your garage at the same time.
If you need to put up a shed for it that will add to the cost and there may be things like HOA or county building restrictions.
In my area humidity is a big issue that impacts how you can store things like that and an inexpensive metal shed might not work well here because of the humidity.
If you do put up a shed then make sure that there is plenty of clearance so that you you will not hit your head when either riding the lawn mower into the shed. Just because you can squeeze into a tight fit by ducking a bit 99 times out 100 you that is not good enough. Don't ask how I know this. (no stitches were involved. )
When we had such a trailer we just kept it propped up against a big oak in the back yard out of sight. Worked fine until a limb fell on it. Gave it to a neighbor to use for spare parts on his identical trailer.
In addition, be sure you want such a trailer. Our lot is 1.5 acres. We used the trailer a good bit when we first got it as we had a lot of larger, heavier pieces of wood to move at the time. As our "supply" of wood that size dwindled, we rarely used the trailer. We found that a hand-pulled trailer was much easier and more convenient for hauling mulch, dirt, and smaller limbs.
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
I bought a John Deere because our community has a local dealer that sells and services them meaning there are always parts around should it break down which is pretty important in spring time when the grass is growing at a very fast pace. I've been burned in the past by buying stuff like this from big box stores that don't service the equipment. Parts inevitably take weeks to obtain meaning you have to find someone on short notice to mow your lawn or take weeks to whack it back down and get it looking nice instead of like a field of freshly mowed hay.
To me, this is way more important than brand.
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
You mention a riding mower, and a lawn tractor. These are 2 different categories, with some overlap. In general, a riding mower can do some tractor type work such as pulling a small trailer, and a lawn tractor is a heavier duty model (most of the time), and can come equipped with a mowing deck. I chose a lawn tractor due to it having larger tires and a locking differential which is helpful on slopes and when pulling loaded trailers.
While I have a Husqvarna lawn tractor, there are good John Deer models as well. In general, the less expensive John Deer/Cub Cadet mowers sold at home improvement type stores are the ones that fuel bad reviews and reputations. It depends upon how you use the machine. When I chose my lawn tractor, it was due it being substantially stouter than a home improvement store model, the heavy duty transmission/locking differential, and its ability to pull implements. While it has a mowing deck, it is not as efficient at just mowing as a zero turn mower. Since mine is not a manicured lawn, I found this tradeoff acceptable.
For your web surfing pleasure, you may want to check out https://www.mowersdirect.com/lawn/ridin ... owers.html
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
We live on 1 acre and had a John Deere for years - a "real" one purchased not at a big-box hardware store. Did the job. Then life got in the way and I outsourced our lawn care. Then life got out of the way and I purchased a used Craftsman from a neighbor who was retiring and downsizing - This mower is actually a grey painted Husqvarna with Craftsman stickers. I fear it doesn't have much left on it, and I'm once again approaching a crossroads of getting a new lawn tractor, outsourcing, downsizing.... We shall see....
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
Once a year sharpen the blades, change the oil, and replace the air filter. Maybe change the spark plugs and replace a belt every 5 years or so. Depending on how you treat it a battery can last from 2 to 7 years. I keep mine on a maintainer and tend to get 5-7 years out of a battery. My neighbor uses a service that picks up his mower every Fall and does any required maintenance then stores it inside for the winter and brings it back to him in the spring ready to go. I don't remember what he pays, but he told me once and I recall thinking it was reasonable.Train2bogle wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 2:12 pm [
Curious. What is the maintenance cost to get it to 15 years? Let’s assume that other than putting gas in it and topping off the oil, I won’t be doing any maintenance myself.
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
Echo makes an electric zero turn, ad says will do up to 2 acres on a single charge. Saw Lowe's sells them for $5,000. I've been pleased with Echo leaf blowers and weed wackers, waiting to hear some reviews before I pull the trigger.
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
Can't beat my 38-year-old Wheel Horse. Red rocks!!
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
To OP:guitarguy wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 1:32 pm Have seen threads about outsourcing lawn care…but not about a good riding mower!
Have heard some pretty decent things about Husqvarna. Some not so great things about John Deer.
I’m looking for a lawn tractor that can also handle pulling a trailer wheelbarrow type attachment for hauling fire wood and mulch, and a mulching and bagging system for spreading clippings and helping with leaves.
Anyone have any recommendations?
We have about 3/4 acre with lots of open space and only a few trees/obstacles that aren’t on the outskirts of the hard. Some marginal slopes to the land as well.
There is the perspective that whatever mows very well is not particularly suited to being a lawn "tractor" to pull things, carry things, etc. And, a machine that makes compromises on either, might not suit you.
But, there are a zillion owners of riding mowers, zero turn mowers, lawn tractors, etc, that are happy with what they have because it fits "what they need it for on "their property" for their needs, etc".
So. . consider:
1. What are you going to mow (fine grass or brush, keeping the weeds down to 6 inches on open areas, or . . . mowing a putting green lawn. . and how big an area, and around buildings and trees?
2. What are you going to need a "mini tractor" for that perhaps something that's also multi purpose, might work for you and be less inexpensive overall for "stuff", ie: golf cart with a hitch in back, small UTV with a dump bed (very cool) (Honda Pioneer 1000 if money is not a concern and in limitless supply. . avoid Polaris)., etc.
3. And, what are you going to be doing on "no lawn" areas?
I hope this helps.
j
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
For the moving mulch and firewood and pulling a cart, my tractor with ag tires would work well if mowing was included. It's a Kubota BX series. These are called compact tractors. They are 4 wheel drive with a locking rear diff and has front and rear power take off so if you wanted a snow blower in the front, you could do that. Mine has a front bucket loader and I use it for moving lots of firewood, some snow moving and bringing the trash barrels down my 800 foot driveway. They have a mower available for it. With only a few trees, that shouldn't be an issue, I'd think. I don't know, my lawn is only 6000 sq feet so I use a self propelled Honda push mower. The Kubota's a 3 cylinder diesel so is really good on fuel use and unlike gas, it can sit in the tank for years without problems.
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
We have a yard of a similar size and I use a John Deere S120 which works quite well.
I also support the idea of getting from a dealer as opposed to a big box store.
I also support the idea of getting from a dealer as opposed to a big box store.
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
In 2002, I bought a John Deere LT 160 from a local dealer. I mow a half acre, flat lot. I also mowed my daughter's yard for a couple years. It has served me well. I hope it lasts another five or six years.
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
Thanks so much everyone for the replies!!!
After really sitting back and seeing how many obstacles I have…I think a ZRT is going to be the right choice. From thinking about the hauling firewood and mulch…I can prob do that for a number of years yet with a good manual wheelbarrow before I age out (or want out) of the heavy lifting.
I really like the idea of buying from a dealer and not a big box store…so will definitely be going that route! Will look at the Toro. I think something mid range would be about right for our use case in terms of bells and whistles, but don’t want to sacrifice quality or longevity.
Re: storage, we have no HOA and tons of room for a shed. Definitely planning on a large shed for storing all my lawn gear, maybe some outdoor tools and even some kid crap for the winter. Not sure what size to buy yet but will be going pretty big on the shed to free up the garage. Can anyone recommend a size or a brand of shed? Where to shop for one?
After really sitting back and seeing how many obstacles I have…I think a ZRT is going to be the right choice. From thinking about the hauling firewood and mulch…I can prob do that for a number of years yet with a good manual wheelbarrow before I age out (or want out) of the heavy lifting.
I really like the idea of buying from a dealer and not a big box store…so will definitely be going that route! Will look at the Toro. I think something mid range would be about right for our use case in terms of bells and whistles, but don’t want to sacrifice quality or longevity.
Re: storage, we have no HOA and tons of room for a shed. Definitely planning on a large shed for storing all my lawn gear, maybe some outdoor tools and even some kid crap for the winter. Not sure what size to buy yet but will be going pretty big on the shed to free up the garage. Can anyone recommend a size or a brand of shed? Where to shop for one?
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
Hopefully supplies are better than when I replaced my mowers in 2021. After a couple years of hemming and hawing I finally decided on a Honda push mower and a Hustler zero turn. From the time I placed the order with my local outdoor equipment dealer the Honda took about 5 months to come in and the Hustler about a year.
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
I also winterize the battery -- take it out of the cold garage and set it up with a recharger/maintainer.punkinhead wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 6:13 pmOnce a year sharpen the blades, change the oil, and replace the air filter. Maybe change the spark plugs and replace a belt every 5 years or so. Depending on how you treat it a battery can last from 2 to 7 years. I keep mine on a maintainer and tend to get 5-7 years out of a battery. My neighbor uses a service that picks up his mower every Fall and does any required maintenance then stores it inside for the winter and brings it back to him in the spring ready to go. I don't remember what he pays, but he told me once and I recall thinking it was reasonable.Train2bogle wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 2:12 pm [
Curious. What is the maintenance cost to get it to 15 years? Let’s assume that other than putting gas in it and topping off the oil, I won’t be doing any maintenance myself.
The e130 is pretty easy/great for oil changes -- just a canister you can switch out.
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
If you are leaning to a zero turn, the main things are the engine and the hydro static transmission. Commercial tier ones will be far more robust and depending on your area you may find a used one in nice shape. I personally have a husqvarna 61" commercial with a ZT3400 hydro-gear transmission that i got used. A welded deck is much more resistant to damage than a stamped one fwiw. Bobcat's and wright's are popular with the landscapers by us but go with what a dealer by you carries/can fix and even deliver if you are not capable of trailering. You can watch a few videos to see how various mowers cut as some bend the grass a more appealing way to certain people (but you can add rollers behind if you care about a certain look too.) I'm not hip on what motor's have issues in the current models but worth researching before you spend the cash. At the time I was looking i remember the deere's having a lot of proprietary parts at the time and some hydro issues on the more box store grade versions. Enjoy the quest!
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
Buy a older Garden Tractor with a strong transmission. I went through 3 cheap riders before investing in a low hour Cub Cadet GT 2000 several years ago. My other mowers were more like toys compared to the commercial GT mower. Cheaper mowers are not built to pull things or even mow on steep inclines.
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
I don't have a ZTR, in part because I routinely tow firewood and soil, but as far as I know, some of them them do have a hitch and can be used for lighter duty towing. Looking at John Deere, for example, most of their ZTR's indicate a 250 lb towing capacity, compared to 500 lbs for their smallest lawn tractors.guitarguy wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 4:45 pm After really sitting back and seeing how many obstacles I have…I think a ZRT is going to be the right choice. From thinking about the hauling firewood and mulch…I can prob do that for a number of years yet with a good manual wheelbarrow before I age out (or want out) of the heavy lifting.
That seems like it would be fine for moving mulch or small firewood loads.
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
Our vote is for a Deere lawn tractor, but not one from a big box store. Buy from a Deere dealer or look for a gently used model carried by same.
The LX172 we bought in 1991 is still going strong for the folks who bought a previous home of ours and negotiated the inclusion of that lawn tractor.
We now have an x570 because we have 1.5 acres of mowable area with some decent slope in the back. It tows our cart and the weighted plug aerator easily.
The LX172 we bought in 1991 is still going strong for the folks who bought a previous home of ours and negotiated the inclusion of that lawn tractor.
We now have an x570 because we have 1.5 acres of mowable area with some decent slope in the back. It tows our cart and the weighted plug aerator easily.
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
john deeere s240. have had it a few years now easy to maintain, bags and is perfect for what you want.guitarguy wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 1:32 pm Have seen threads about outsourcing lawn care…but not about a good riding mower!
Have heard some pretty decent things about Husqvarna. Some not so great things about John Deer.
I’m looking for a lawn tractor that can also handle pulling a trailer wheelbarrow type attachment for hauling fire wood and mulch, and a mulching and bagging system for spreading clippings and helping with leaves.
Anyone have any recommendations?
We have about 3/4 acre with lots of open space and only a few trees/obstacles that aren’t on the outskirts of the hard. Some marginal slopes to the land as well.
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
The S-series John Deere riders sold at Lowes are also sold at the Deere dealers around here - James River Equipment has dozens of locations in 3 states. They primarily sell the ag and forestry stuff, but have the homeowner line too.
I have a 2016 48" Deere X-380 w/22hp Kawasaki and a 2015 Toro MX-5050 Timecutter.
The 50" Toro has a 24 hp Kohler 7000, Hydro-Gear ZT-2800 transmissions (top of their residential line), welded deck, armrests, larger tires, etc. BUT - the standard hitch is limited to pulling 80 pounds and that includes the weight of the trailer. Will it pull more? Sure. But there will be long term damage to the 2800s. A zero turn with 2200 or 2300 hydros probably shouldn't tow anything.
In other news, I've been repeatedly stunned at the soaring prices on the mowers lined up at Lowes and HD.
I have a 2016 48" Deere X-380 w/22hp Kawasaki and a 2015 Toro MX-5050 Timecutter.
The 50" Toro has a 24 hp Kohler 7000, Hydro-Gear ZT-2800 transmissions (top of their residential line), welded deck, armrests, larger tires, etc. BUT - the standard hitch is limited to pulling 80 pounds and that includes the weight of the trailer. Will it pull more? Sure. But there will be long term damage to the 2800s. A zero turn with 2200 or 2300 hydros probably shouldn't tow anything.
In other news, I've been repeatedly stunned at the soaring prices on the mowers lined up at Lowes and HD.
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
As this poster noted, really be sure to check the tow specs for your model. They can be shockingly low on some models even though the mower may look robust. An old garden tractor is where its at for towing. I have a 80s (i think?) Deere 214 that I pushed home a mile and got running. That thing will keep pulling as long as you can keep traction to the wheels! I've pulled 2k+ with it (with some incline/decline) without even needing the creeper gear.andypanda wrote: ↑Wed Mar 22, 2023 9:14 am The S-series John Deere riders sold at Lowes are also sold at the Deere dealers around here - James River Equipment has dozens of locations in 3 states. They primarily sell the ag and forestry stuff, but have the homeowner line too.
I have a 2016 48" Deere X-380 w/22hp Kawasaki and a 2015 Toro MX-5050 Timecutter.
The 50" Toro has a 24 hp Kohler 7000, Hydro-Gear ZT-2800 transmissions (top of their residential line), welded deck, armrests, larger tires, etc. BUT - the standard hitch is limited to pulling 80 pounds and that includes the weight of the trailer. Will it pull more? Sure. But there will be long term damage to the 2800s. A zero turn with 2200 or 2300 hydros probably shouldn't tow anything.
In other news, I've been repeatedly stunned at the soaring prices on the mowers lined up at Lowes and HD.
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
Bought an E140 a few years ago from Lowes - it was "assembled" by a local dealer who is happy to service it. I'm not sure the cannister oil change is the greatest idea since less than half the oil gets changed and the cannister goes for about $40, but you can convert to the old filter method quite easily. I went out to start it yesterday after sitting in my outdoor shed all winter in CT. Fired right up. I pull a Cyclone Rake Leaf vac with it and both have served me wellChadnudj wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 5:01 pmI also winterize the battery -- take it out of the cold garage and set it up with a recharger/maintainer.punkinhead wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 6:13 pmOnce a year sharpen the blades, change the oil, and replace the air filter. Maybe change the spark plugs and replace a belt every 5 years or so. Depending on how you treat it a battery can last from 2 to 7 years. I keep mine on a maintainer and tend to get 5-7 years out of a battery. My neighbor uses a service that picks up his mower every Fall and does any required maintenance then stores it inside for the winter and brings it back to him in the spring ready to go. I don't remember what he pays, but he told me once and I recall thinking it was reasonable.Train2bogle wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 2:12 pm [
Curious. What is the maintenance cost to get it to 15 years? Let’s assume that other than putting gas in it and topping off the oil, I won’t be doing any maintenance myself.
The e130 is pretty easy/great for oil changes -- just a canister you can switch out.
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
A husqvarna is really cheaply made, but you can certainly mow with it. They made the green Craftsman mowers as well. I have had two and just bought a third this afternoon. The second one is fabulously worn out after 777 hours and 10 years. It’s on its third transaxle in that short time, but of course husqvarna doesn’t make that, they just buy it. I have welded on the deck quite a lot. They had a few ugly design problems with the size mower I have, but they sold millions of them and they do address those sometimes. I would have been horribly disappointed if I paid somebody to fix it. Bad enough buying transaxle.
You sorta get what you pay for, really. With the “good” brands selling cheapie box store mowers, you don’t have much to go on but price. I would not want to spend for anything “complex” unless it mows by itself. The cub cadet ZTR with steering wheel comes to mind. Better to have something a blacksmith can understand.
You sorta get what you pay for, really. With the “good” brands selling cheapie box store mowers, you don’t have much to go on but price. I would not want to spend for anything “complex” unless it mows by itself. The cub cadet ZTR with steering wheel comes to mind. Better to have something a blacksmith can understand.
This time is the same
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
If you only have a few trees, have you considered nixing the bagger altogether and just using mulching blades and let them fly?
It will mulch those leaves and clippings up so small that you won't see them.
Pros:
Sends clippings back to the lawn which is more nutrients and better for the lawn
Less expensive without a bagger
Easier to maneuver around obstacles and for storage
Less time not having to empty the clippings
Cons:
With mulch blades, they do not have the hi lift so you cannot use them with bag collection. That requires specific blades for the bagger so its either one or the other.
Your grass may grow little more frequent, but that is probably because your lawn will be healthier.
I think if you tried it, you won't look back.
If you are going to go used, pay attention to the model numbers sold at big box stores for john deere. I am not familiar as have only bought new.
My suggestion would be Dealer bought Deere or Toro.
It will mulch those leaves and clippings up so small that you won't see them.
Pros:
Sends clippings back to the lawn which is more nutrients and better for the lawn
Less expensive without a bagger
Easier to maneuver around obstacles and for storage
Less time not having to empty the clippings
Cons:
With mulch blades, they do not have the hi lift so you cannot use them with bag collection. That requires specific blades for the bagger so its either one or the other.
Your grass may grow little more frequent, but that is probably because your lawn will be healthier.
I think if you tried it, you won't look back.
If you are going to go used, pay attention to the model numbers sold at big box stores for john deere. I am not familiar as have only bought new.
My suggestion would be Dealer bought Deere or Toro.
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
I bought a John Deere tractor in 1985 and it is still doing the job for me.I love the bagger system for sucking up leaves so I do not have to rake. John Deere mowers from a dealer are different from the big box stores. Buy once, cry once. I bought new but if I have to buy again I will look at the used market.
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
I spent $1500 on a Craftsman 24hp 46” deck lawn tractor in 2008. I thought then if it lasted 10 years I’d be happy. Well, it’s still running with no issues in 2023 so I’m not sure dropping big money on a lawn tractor is necessary.
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Re: Riding Lawn Mower
Life of a tractor depends on a number of factors including how much weekly use, size / condition of the propery, the terrain, maintenance, and how much the owner cares. A good name tractor will be junk if its overused, kept outside, driven only on terrible rocky, dusty terrain and never maintained vs a tractor used solely on a smaller lot with a manicured lawn, kept inside, with frequent maintenance.
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
"with a good manual wheelbarrow"
I have one. Had it for decades. Then I bought one those cheap garden wagons with the fold down mesh sides and pneumatic tires. It's just about the only thing I use anymore.
Fwiw, I also have one of the metal 10 cu.ft. trailers that belonged to my wife's late husband. It was good for moving the 10 cubic yards of topsoil I had dumped in the driveway.
I see Northern Tool has a $90 wagon that will haul 400 pounds and a larger version for $180 that's rated for 1,000.
I have one. Had it for decades. Then I bought one those cheap garden wagons with the fold down mesh sides and pneumatic tires. It's just about the only thing I use anymore.
Fwiw, I also have one of the metal 10 cu.ft. trailers that belonged to my wife's late husband. It was good for moving the 10 cubic yards of topsoil I had dumped in the driveway.
I see Northern Tool has a $90 wagon that will haul 400 pounds and a larger version for $180 that's rated for 1,000.
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- Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2014 2:23 pm
Re: Riding Lawn Mower
Got a D100 from Home Depot 10 years ago and the thing is bulletproof. I've got neighbors with commercial grade zero turns mowers that cost twice as much that break at least once a season.