Tuco69
Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Whatever you get, do not get one with a stamped deck.
Mopower58
No reservations about no reservations
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
John Deere ZT here with a 54" pwdercoated stamped steel deck. Over 700 hours,many belts and blades and no problem.
ohanacreek
My EcoBoost has I4WD
Moderator
Lifetime Member
If you have a perfectly level yard no roots or stick. You’re ok. If not you’re right you want a fabbed deck.
always think the smallest tool for the job is normally the best, for someone who is not a professional the monster ones dont really make sense, its alot more fuel and maintenance cost when they break especially the diesel stuff. the lack of break downs is obviously worth it if you use it to make money, but not really if you dont. for the ten years i had the mtd which was the same as all the hd jd and husky 17.5 briggs all i ever put into it was belts and 20 bucks a years for oil and plug, when it went it was plastic gear they have for timing and i sold it for 500 after using it ten years and buying it for 1k, some of them have bad head gaskets, my moms paid hundred or 150 to get it done though and and has had her jd for quite a while now too after. she has like half the yard and i change that $20 every other year, my pull behind is the same 20 bucks a year for 2-3 hrs a week 6-7 months a year, the kohler is about 40-50 but that is oem filters and they are the size of car ones.
zt vs gt alot of that depends on your yard too mine is wet most of the year and pretty open, i purposely make the edges and flower beds easy to do with the tractor, though the newer tractors have a ton better turning one of the reasons i went with that specific craftsman was the turning is very tight and the speed is really fast, tractors handle the wet better
really like utv and trucks they make so many because people like different things
zt vs gt alot of that depends on your yard too mine is wet most of the year and pretty open, i purposely make the edges and flower beds easy to do with the tractor, though the newer tractors have a ton better turning one of the reasons i went with that specific craftsman was the turning is very tight and the speed is really fast, tractors handle the wet better
really like utv and trucks they make so many because people like different things
VaHillbilly
NTC immigrant gardner
Supporting Member
X2!!! It depends if you wanna get done quick and look bad*ss get a zt. But if you want to take your time & drink beer buy a pull behind for the sxs. That would be pretty fun I think to have a roof, cupholders, 4wd if needed
the problem with the cheap stuff is the front tires sink and you end up stuck on the deck all the time, what ever you get make sure its got big tires, one of the bigger zt's they have pretty big tires for flotation and being able to do it when its wet or raining, the same goes for why the real garden tractor big tires and traditional steering and power to do it whenever and pull stuff without sinking. the turning specs on the new gts are normally 16in troy built, cub, craftsman sold by lowes, any of the hd tsc or lowes ones are all made by the same place, so just find the best deal, was looking at the troy built bronco xl same everything as my 26h,5.5mph, 16in turn, big tires, 3300 at home depot
L2R
Understanding women Vol. 1
Lifetime Member
If you buy from a big box store, you are probably buying an MTD unit with base parts.
What is important is that the spindles and other wear parts are the same on 1000 mowers as the $3000 mowers- including zero turns.
And MTD builds most of them.
If you buy a residential mower ($3000 and below) you can mow 3 acres with it but if you run it fast, those spindles will wear fast especially in tall or heavy grass.
Jumping up to the $5-6 range (commercial mowers) get you upgraded parts that allow you to run at a higher speed without premature wear.
If 3k is your limit and you enjoy mowing, it will last so long as you don't push it too hard.
If you hate mowing and will push your mower to it's limits, then get a better mower or a used finish mower.
I have a cub cadet 54" zero turn and mow 1 1/2 acres. I don't run it wide open and happy with it but if I had twice that, I probably would do something different if I could afford it.
What is important is that the spindles and other wear parts are the same on 1000 mowers as the $3000 mowers- including zero turns.
And MTD builds most of them.
If you buy a residential mower ($3000 and below) you can mow 3 acres with it but if you run it fast, those spindles will wear fast especially in tall or heavy grass.
Jumping up to the $5-6 range (commercial mowers) get you upgraded parts that allow you to run at a higher speed without premature wear.
If 3k is your limit and you enjoy mowing, it will last so long as you don't push it too hard.
If you hate mowing and will push your mower to it's limits, then get a better mower or a used finish mower.
I have a cub cadet 54" zero turn and mow 1 1/2 acres. I don't run it wide open and happy with it but if I had twice that, I probably would do something different if I could afford it.
GPR1500SC
Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
It would be a little tuff getting around all my wife's flower beds
J
JTW
Guest
Trust me, it'll go right through those flower beds!
GPR1500SC
Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
My wife has two basic hobbies Gardening/flowers in the summer sewing in the winter She has more invested in the sewing room than I have in the Pioneer.
She is good at both!
Just don't mess with either of them.
She is good at both!
Just don't mess with either of them.
Mopower58
No reservations about no reservations
Lifetime Member
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HOME
2017 Who Makes What? – All Zero-Turn, Lawn And Garden Tractor Manufacturers
2017 Who Makes What? – All Zero-Turn, Lawn And Garden Tractor Manufacturers
This page is out of date – Go here to see the complete list of manufacturers currently producing riding mowers, tractors and zero turns: Riding Mower Brands – The Complete list
There is still a lot of confusion and misinformation about who makes the current lawn and garden tractors so I am going to list the information again differently so more of you can find the right info. This list will also include the non-zero turn riders and multi-purpose tractors like the Husqvarna Articulated and Ventrac.
American homeowners have mowed lawns and tilled garden with these since the 50’s. The love affair for the tractor style mower has always been a mystery to the manufactures because there are so many more efficient ways to mow your lawn and maintain your garden. But the desire still lives on. Today’s lawn tractors mow faster, are more fuel efficient and in general cost much less than the ones built in the 60’s and 70’s. If the price of a lawn tractor kept up with inflation a typical one today would cost over $25,000! They are one of the best consumer bargains on the planet.
The 1975 36 inch, 10 hp Craftsman lawn tractor sold for $1099 in the catalog. The 16 hp Sears Garden Tractor was $1969 plus $484 for the 48-inch deck. You could buy a 1975 Ford F-150 truck for about the same price, $2778.90 or $2200 out the door. House: $42,600. Gas: $0.57. Bread: $0.28. Gallon of Milk: $1.40. Stamp: 13 cents. Every other area of the economy except lawn tractors and computers now cost 10 times as much. (1976 Apple computer sold for $666.)
This article lists:
1. All manufacturers currently producing lawn tractors, yard tractors and garden tractors for sale in the United States.
2. What brands names are used by these manufacturers
3. I will list many of the brands no longer being made.
I’ve included multi-purpose riding mowers and tractors in this article but it does not include the dedicated mowers like zero-turns. Go here to see the complete manufactures currently riding mowers, tractors and zero turns: Riding Mower Brands
1. Current Manufactures:
These manufacturers make all of the lawn tractors, yard tractors or garden tractors. They all have assembly plants here in the U.S. and except where noted all of the tractors you will find at your local dealer, Sears, Home Depot, Lowes, and Tractor Supply are made here in the U.S.
MTD: All lawn tractors, garden tractors, and zero-turns are assembled in various locations around the U.S. I’m not sure where the assembly of the rider takes place.
Husqvarna: All riders, lawn tractors, garden tractors, and zero-turns are made at their assembly plant in South Carolina. The Articulated Rider is made in Europe.
John Deere: All riders, lawn tractors, garden tractors, and zero-turns are made at their assembly plants in Greenville, TN and Horicon, WI
2017 Who Makes What? – All Zero-Turn, Lawn And Garden Tractor Manufacturers
2017 Who Makes What? – All Zero-Turn, Lawn And Garden Tractor Manufacturers
This page is out of date – Go here to see the complete list of manufacturers currently producing riding mowers, tractors and zero turns: Riding Mower Brands – The Complete list
There is still a lot of confusion and misinformation about who makes the current lawn and garden tractors so I am going to list the information again differently so more of you can find the right info. This list will also include the non-zero turn riders and multi-purpose tractors like the Husqvarna Articulated and Ventrac.
American homeowners have mowed lawns and tilled garden with these since the 50’s. The love affair for the tractor style mower has always been a mystery to the manufactures because there are so many more efficient ways to mow your lawn and maintain your garden. But the desire still lives on. Today’s lawn tractors mow faster, are more fuel efficient and in general cost much less than the ones built in the 60’s and 70’s. If the price of a lawn tractor kept up with inflation a typical one today would cost over $25,000! They are one of the best consumer bargains on the planet.
The 1975 36 inch, 10 hp Craftsman lawn tractor sold for $1099 in the catalog. The 16 hp Sears Garden Tractor was $1969 plus $484 for the 48-inch deck. You could buy a 1975 Ford F-150 truck for about the same price, $2778.90 or $2200 out the door. House: $42,600. Gas: $0.57. Bread: $0.28. Gallon of Milk: $1.40. Stamp: 13 cents. Every other area of the economy except lawn tractors and computers now cost 10 times as much. (1976 Apple computer sold for $666.)
This article lists:
1. All manufacturers currently producing lawn tractors, yard tractors and garden tractors for sale in the United States.
2. What brands names are used by these manufacturers
3. I will list many of the brands no longer being made.
I’ve included multi-purpose riding mowers and tractors in this article but it does not include the dedicated mowers like zero-turns. Go here to see the complete manufactures currently riding mowers, tractors and zero turns: Riding Mower Brands
1. Current Manufactures:
These manufacturers make all of the lawn tractors, yard tractors or garden tractors. They all have assembly plants here in the U.S. and except where noted all of the tractors you will find at your local dealer, Sears, Home Depot, Lowes, and Tractor Supply are made here in the U.S.
MTD: All lawn tractors, garden tractors, and zero-turns are assembled in various locations around the U.S. I’m not sure where the assembly of the rider takes place.
Husqvarna: All riders, lawn tractors, garden tractors, and zero-turns are made at their assembly plant in South Carolina. The Articulated Rider is made in Europe.
John Deere: All riders, lawn tractors, garden tractors, and zero-turns are made at their assembly plants in Greenville, TN and Horicon, WI
Mopower58
No reservations about no reservations
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
You guys have convinced me to consider maybe spending more. I may change my mind yet as I haven’t mowed the lawn with the existing mower yet.
Considering the following
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Ariens-Iko...ing-Capability-Kit-Sold-Separately/1000354339
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Ariens-Iko...ing-Capability-Kit-Sold-Separately/1000354363
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Ariens-APE...ing-Capability-Kit-Sold-Separately/1000373261
Or the following used
Toro Groundsmaster 228D 72 inch cut
HUSTLER 72" MOWER
Which way would you go?
How many hours are too many on a mower?
Considering the following
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Ariens-Iko...ing-Capability-Kit-Sold-Separately/1000354339
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Ariens-Iko...ing-Capability-Kit-Sold-Separately/1000354363
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Ariens-APE...ing-Capability-Kit-Sold-Separately/1000373261
Or the following used
Toro Groundsmaster 228D 72 inch cut
HUSTLER 72" MOWER
Which way would you go?
How many hours are too many on a mower?
Tuco69
Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
VaHillbilly
NTC immigrant gardner
Supporting Member
On that Toro, you wouldn't wear it out in your lifetime. It should be good for twice that many hours! The engine may outlast everything else. But it looks to be in good shape, I would check the deck for rust top & bottom and grab each blade to check for play in spindles. Kinda like wheel bearing or ball joint play in a car . It should hold a bank better and ride better overall than the hustler
VaHillbilly
NTC immigrant gardner
Supporting Member
If nothing else, this website will certainly do that!
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