ZTR Mowers - which one? **UPDATING THE UPDATE**

[hamerhead]

My 15-year-old John Deere garden tractor has served me very well. Still runs like a top, but yesterday it chewed up the 2nd drive pulley in less than a year, this time taking the splines on the shaft with it. I'll probably get it fixed and keep it as a back-up, but I see a Zero Turn in my future.

Any recommendations or things to avoid?

[murkat]

When Judy and I bought our 2.5 acre estate 5 years ago, we got a husq 48" rider.

Not knowing, un educated of what real requirement really needed, I beat that thing up.

It has about 244 hours on it, broken splines, blades, flat tires, bent tie rod ends, etc.

It still runs, motor is solid, chassi and mechanics are very tired. takes about 4 hours to

completely maintain the 2.5 acres with the husq.

We had to go shopping for a real mower. After I got my education on, and comparisons,

I chose the Dixon ZTR Ultra 61. It is a new model for Dixon, this year.

Made in USA, heavy duty, built like a tank, fast (10 mph) sips gas, yard done within 2 hours.

I'm happy with it. The estate looks like a well groomed park. Judy marvels at the back yard,

how good it looks. Big difference.

That's my take.

[Boomerang~Junkie]

We also have about two acres to mow and weedeat. ^ ^ Yes, Dixon makes a bad-ass, high quality commercial grade mower ^ ^. I looked at them too but bought a used commercial, Scag ZT instead (got a great deal). We got a used commercial Scag 48" ZT that had a brand new motor on it when I got it. The mower was only a few years old then. It was just out of warranty for the previous owner who got HUA and never changed the oil or maintenanced the motor - one really expensive WTF for him. The 19 HP Kawasaki V-twins on them are over $2K to replace. The rest of the mower looked and functioned as almost new.

Scag's are also built like a brick sh!t-house and will mow taller/thicker grass forever. Most of the residential ZT's out there are OK but they have cut serious corners on quality to save money. After a few years, they fall apart and break and will nickel and dime you to death right after the warranty expires. My neighbors $4K residential grade ZT just went to crap a few weeks ago and it not even three years old yet. He's going to buy a new or used commercial mower now.

The commercial grade ZT are admittedly over built for residential use but will last forever in that role, but a newer, used unit is about what one of the new residential ZT's cost. I don't know what you are looking at but Dixon or Scag would easily get it done for you.

Shop around - good luck.

[murkat]

Agreed.

Mowers here,

are like

snow blowers there.

we have a long green season.

And is a huge side line job here in the south.

Used ZTR's, here.... well...

Beat to shyte, high mileage / hours, etc.

and even then, owners do not let go of them...

They pay for them selves fast around these parts.

So, we had to go new, and gladly.

There are some nice 0% financing at the moment with rebates, fwiw.

[velorush]

+1 on the Commercial Dixon.

Years ago my dad retired and how did he celebrate? He bought a brand new Dixon ZTR Commercial mower. Why? Because he could.

However, that said, he lives on a 1/4 acre lot with a house and an additional single-car garage. He can't even mow his yard. He's brought it over to my house a few times (1 acre, smaller house, no additional garage). The thing flies! The only problem is (and this is kind of funny): I don't weigh enough to keep the seat down running at full speed. Hitting the many bumps across the back yard at full speed results in the kill switch engaging for half a second about every ten feet. Maybe I should put a couple of bricks in my pockets!

Unbelievably well built and the commercial version has large capacity oil reservoirs / filtering so it should work for the long haul.

[Jakeboy]

I have about 3/4 acre to mow in Missouri where we have a long mowing season as well. Just down the street is a. Dixon dealer. When my POS Murray croaked after 10 faithful years, but ugly cuts for those 10 years, I wanted a ZTR. Bought a used Dixon from my dealer.

This is my 2nd season with it and I will never own anything else. Cuts fabulously and is fast. I will buy another after I wear this one out.

[hamerhead]

Well an update is in order:

I stumbled into town to the local Husquevarna/Bad Boy dealer, and bought this:

Bad Boy ZT Elite 30HP, 60" deck.

Built like a tank, cuts great on flat ground, goes like hell.

But......as nice as it is on flat ground, it's equally crappy on any kind of slope. Which, living on a hill, I have plenty of. After a half dozen attempts at mowing the yard - and sliding out of control at least twice each time - I threw in the towel. I'm generally not a quitter, but a 900 pound machine with rotating blades sliding down an embankment with no brakes or steering - and me hanging on for the ride - lacks a certain amount of........fun, IMHO. So I contacted the dealer, who was kind enough to take it back minus $25 per hour of use. Pretty fair, I thought. Great Machine, just not at my house.

I've always had a lawn or garden tractor, so that's what I went back to. This one, in fact:

JD X739, 25HP, 54" deck, 4-wheel-steering, 4-wheel-drive. Got a snowblower attachment as well. For a garden tractor it's pretty big. The 4WS will turn on a dime - not quite as good as a ZTR, but without scuffing. And the smaller 54" deck won't scalp as bad as the 60". The 4WD means I won't be sliding ANYWHERE, which is a nice feature. Plus I can add attachments as needed (3-pt hitch, brush mower, tiller, etc.) which you can't do with a ZTR. I like tractors.

Should be delivered mid-week. I look forward to not scaring the sh!t outta myself the next time I mow.

[Tres Aardvarks]

We just built our house a year ago on 3 acres of hay field / meadow. Due to being stretched thin with the house purchase, we picked up a used 42" Craftsman Lawn Tractor for pretty cheap. Given that it takes me about 4 hours to mow the freaking yard, I'm really looking forward to something bigger down the road...that and using up a lot of our yard planting lavender, a carriage house, and other lawn-removing devices!!!

[hamerhead]

If it's flat, a ZTR is the way to go. You'll have it done in an hour and it'll look good.

[aknapp]

JD X739, 25HP, 54" deck, 4-wheel-steering, 4-wheel-drive. Got a snowblower attachment as well. For a garden tractor it's pretty big. The 4WS will turn on a dime - not quite as good as a ZTR, but without scuffing. And the smaller 54" deck won't scalp as bad as the 60". The 4WD means I won't be sliding ANYWHERE, which is a nice feature. Plus I can add attachments as needed (3-pt hitch, brush mower, tiller, etc.) which you can't do with a ZTR. I like tractors.

Should be delivered mid-week. I look forward to not scaring the sh!t outta myself the next time I mow.

That's a bad ass tractor right there. Lots of flexibility. Kinda makes me wish I needed one.

[Boomerang~Junkie]

Holy crap ~ I know you dropped some serious jack on that JD mower (actually both of them). That 4x4 JD easily cost more than my first car, but is truly bad to the bone. Awesome lawn toy - you win.

[hamerhead]

First car?!? HA! More than my first 10 combined. And about the same as my current one.

They are stupid expensive, but it should be around still in 20 years (longer than me!).

[Tres Aardvarks]

If it's flat, a ZTR is the way to go. You'll have it done in an hour and it'll look good.

Decidedly not flat. Lots slopes from road to back considerably, and also the back right corner is the lowest on the lot. Our neighbor has a Toro ZTR for his lot which is flatter and he FLIES around it.

[hamerhead]

Update: First mow.

I'm pretty sure I'm in love. Smooth ride, excellent cut, usable cup holder, zero sliding off the hill, and a turning circle of about 12" with NO SCUFFING.

If it had boobs the wife would be gone.

[murkat]

you win.