max power Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 I have 2 acres of sloped yard, not super steep, but definitely hillside. Not too many trees but some.I started researching commercial zero turn mower's and wanted to know what you guys that have them run and why?What size deck do you find ideal?How many hours do things last?Such as, engines, hydros, decks etc.If I look at used, what parts should I be inspecting closely? What do I want to stay away from?If you are just going to mention what you have and that it's the greatest, please tell me why you think so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidgetTodd Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Go commercial grade, Exmark, Bunton, Bobcat etc. They run heavy steel welded decks not thin stamped ones like residential. They run HD greasable spindles and bearings too. Buy one used from a landscape company in the winter. They'll be cheap and have a couple thousand hours or less but have been maintained and will out last you with just regular maintenance. Commercial ones will be 50" or bigger. Mine was a 50" Bunton. Bought it with 2500 hours off EBay from a SC landscape company for $1500 shipped. Used it at the house on the hill I had you out to for 4 years with nothing but a yearly oil change. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmh_sprint Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Agree with everthing MT stated. I went through this last year. I ended up buying a new Exmark. Compare a residential grade to comercial grade side by side and you'll see the difference. From an engine perspective Kawasaki is seen as a better option over Kohler. A good used mower will fit your needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madcat6183 Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 What he said, also toss in Gravely, they also used welded decks and also have 4 mounting mounts for the deck, which is important. You don't want one that only attaches in 2 spots, front middle and rear middle, you want to be able to "level" the deck. Also, may wanna consider suspension options, which Ferris offers, but $$. Chumley has a JD Commercial 8 Iron I believe, upgraded soft ride seat, and he had some serious issues on it last season and not many hours. I think he told me less than 1,500 total and it was out of work for 2 weeks, twice. I had my small Gravely when I was in Groveport and just going from a 33 walk behind to a 36 zero turn cut my time down another 20 minutes ore more. But what MT said is correct and I agree with his statements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokey Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Didn't you already have a similar posting like this earlier last year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max power Posted January 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Well, as I originally stated, I'm only looking at commercial grade mowers. There is a Ferris that is in my price range, but it has a briggs motor on it which I'm not interested in.If I can find one with a 52 inch deck and a Kawasaki commercial engine on it, that will probably be the one, if it's in my price range. Going to the power show this weekend to look at all the new models, but I'd rather find a lightly used commercial unit, meaning, under 1000 hrs.Preferably owned by some meticulous old man.I did find a woods front mount unit with a Kabota diesel motor on it for $3000 with 1200 hrs. But it is a 1997 model. And doesn't have the power lift front deck which would be handy for cleaning and maintenance and it's a little too old to be dropping three grand on I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max power Posted January 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Should I be looking for a deck suspended by chains or brackets? The concept for chains seems to be that the deck will float over the terrain but doesn't seem as sturdy as the bracket mounted decks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoblick Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 i have a residential cub cadet 50" i mow 5 acres with it, got it off my buddy who owned it since new. it has the kawi 675 motor on it. cant remember the hours it has on it now, but i havent had any problems with it in the 2 years of mowing my yard with it, and my buddy never had issues either. all ive done to it was change the oil , air filter, spark plug, fuel filter, grease all fittings, and either sharpen blades or put new ones on. id like to eventually get a 60" commercial grade, but ill probably just run this till it dies before that happens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max power Posted January 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 How long does it take you to move that big ass patch of grass with the 50 inch, Hob? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidgetTodd Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Mine was 18hp Kawi. Chains not brackets, rigidity causes damage Suspension seat is just as mower suspension for a fraction of the price. Few people unload a commercial grade mower with 1000 or less hours and the price will represent that. Nothing wrong with 2000 hrs on a commercial unit and you will add little to that with only 2 acres. You'll mow that in 30 min Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YSR_Racer_99 Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Had a Cub Cadet RZT50 to mow 1.25 acres. Bought it new, owned it for eight years, and sold it when we moved in 2014. Wouldn't buy another one. Impossible to run straight lines. I'd pay the extra for a striper, just 'cuz. Had a Kaw engine which was okay. No major issues with the mower overall. They made changes to that model a year or so after I bought mine (2006?). Bigger front wheels and some other small tweaks made it a better machine. Yeah, commercial is probably the way to go. Borrowed a couple of neighbors mowers as mine sold before we actually left the property. One was a Deere lawn tractor and the other was an old commercial skulky mower. Borrowing those did reinforce to me that if I ever have a lawn large enough for a riding mower again, I'll def buy a zero turn again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max power Posted January 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 (edited) Mine was 18hp Kawi. Chains not brackets, rigidity causes damage Suspension seat is just as mower suspension for a fraction of the price. Few people unload a commercial grade mower with 1000 or less hours and the price will represent that. Nothing wrong with 2000 hrs on a commercial unit and you will add little to that with only 2 acres. You'll mow that in 30 minTrue, it's the age of the woods mower that scares me. That and the fact that you can't get the hydros anymore. If one of the pumps or wheel motors goes out it's a paperweight. Edited January 26, 2015 by max power Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max power Posted January 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 What exactly is a striper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidgetTodd Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 A roller that leaves the stripe pattern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmh_sprint Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 How long does it take you to move that big ass patch of grass with the 50 inch, Hob?i can do 5 + acres and my trails in 2.5 - 3 hours. It used to take 6 + with my 60" PTO pull behind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadyone Posted January 27, 2015 Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 Dads got the 60" Dixxie Chopper.. Its really aggressive, has a 26 Hp motor and suspension seat. Very nice.. Grandpa bought a Exmark 60" last year its about 2 Grand cheaper new and has lots of plastic where the Dixxie is Metal. Both are hard to keep straight over long distances but cut the grass very quickly. Dad can do 1.75 acres in about 1.5 Hours. Grandpa uses his as a woods mower and his only complaint is its louder than his 46" simplicity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gump Posted January 27, 2015 Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 Cast decks can have spindles with grease fittings. My Cub Cadet 50" 23hp Z Force has them all over including the spindles. I pull a Swisher 44" rear discharge behind the zero turn so I don't have to go back over anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madcat6183 Posted January 27, 2015 Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 Mine was 18hp Kawi.Chains not brackets, rigidity causes damageSuspension seat is just as mower suspension for a fraction of the price.Few people unload a commercial grade mower with 1000 or less hours and the price will represent that. Nothing wrong with 2000 hrs on a commercial unit and you will add little to that with only 2 acres. You'll mow that in 30 minYep this, chains for something that big, much more rigid and their life is much longer than backets with welds. And yes, the Ferris I was referring to with full suspension is coil over suspension and uber pricey, just add a suspension seat way cheaper and easier. I had the Kawi engine on my zero turn and it was nasty, where as I had a briggs and stratton on my cub cadet wide walk behind and it sucked. Batter was dead EVERY TIME, even if I had just charged it the day before, not kidding. No wasn't the battery, I had it tested over and over, that mower sucked balls. And yes, as you already know grease fittings all over are good, not bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max power Posted January 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 The ferris IS700 is no more expensive than the comparable Hustler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted January 27, 2015 Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 (edited) I'll loan you my mower service, he works for M&Ms... ..all you have to do is kick back on the porch swing and supervise with some cold ones. Edited January 28, 2015 by 2talltim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted January 28, 2015 Report Share Posted January 28, 2015 (edited) I that old POS Huskey in the pics above i bought used 10 years ago for $400 and put maybe $200 into it since ive owned it. I bought it with the intentions of getting by with it till it took a crap them i would upgrade, well it keeps going and going and going. It's a 21HP B&S, 46" cut, gear driven. I (er HE) mows 1.7 acres every week and takes a couple hours. Edited January 28, 2015 by 2talltim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max power Posted January 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2015 That's why I want a zero. I don't have a couple hours a week to mow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max power Posted January 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2015 (edited) Looked at this one last Saturday. Well cared for and diesel Kubota, just not sure I wanna drop 3 k on a 17 yr old unit.http://columbus.craigslist.org/grd/4850035478.html Edited January 28, 2015 by max power Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmh_sprint Posted January 28, 2015 Report Share Posted January 28, 2015 Looks clean for 17 y/o. Most of that $3k is due to the fact that it's a diesel. I thing to keep in mind is that diesels are heavier than gas mowers. If your yard is wet or soft spot t will rut it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gump Posted January 28, 2015 Report Share Posted January 28, 2015 You know if you found a kid to cut it for $50 a cut you probably wouldn't have to screw with anything for 3-5 years for $3000. Not counting the expense of oil, tires, pieces parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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