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Zero Turn Mowers


dcw06

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Due to my father in laws health,the amount of the yard work around here has tripled.So we have been thinking about a zero-turn to help free up some time.I have four different dealers with in 10 miles of home.Simplicity-Toro,Dixie Chopper,Grasshopper and Ferris.Not looking to due any more mowing than our own yards with it.Also I really dont want to go as large as a 60" deck.Checked them all out on line.Interested in the Consumer Z with a 50" deck from Simplicity.Yesterday I stopped at the Simplicty dealer to pick up a new starter belt and talked to him for awhile.They have a couple of last years model in stock,at a reduced price.He also told me the frame work was built by Ferris,which he said Simplicity owns? It seems well built and in the right price range.But I have not had any experience with a zero turn of any brand.So if anybody has any advice,etc.I'm listening.
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Hello - I am on a commercial lawn crew so I'll try to help - How many acres? - Flat or hilly? We use "bobcat" and "Ex-mark" mowers of all sizes from 36" walk behind to 61" zero turns and all sizes between - On all zero turns, whoever makes them there are different grades - kind of like homeowner to heavy duty - That is why I ask how much useage - we bought a 52" "homeowner type" W/23hp kawi- engine, Toro(which many Ex-mark parts fit) and buried it within a season - engine is still good but the mower and deck disintigrated, if we ran it for a couple hours a week it would have been fine - The Bobcat w/ 23 hp kawi - 3000 hrs+ and still going strong - The run times range from a 10min lawn to a 6 hr straight running condo unit, once a week all season. I would say lean toward the toro/simplicity or the ferris - the others just seemed to be (go-carts to us)just my thoughts - If you are going to run for more than a couple hours straight make sure you get a hydro-fluid cooler - It help in the long run - Chris
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Ferris is owned by Simplicity. I have run a grasshoper with 52" deck for many years. It did cut the mowing time by about half vs the AC 716 with a 48" deck. The big savings was harding any trimming as if you couldn't get it with the 'hopper only s string trimmer would fit. That grasshopper is 15 years old now and has had more engine problems than the rest of the unit. They also tend to be more pricey when comparing models, but have yet to see much plastic in even the new models.
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The 4041 with the mowing deck can cut tight circles and is way faster than my 7016H with its 48" deck. The 4041 can use all kinds of attachments and is built like a brick [img]/club2//attach/UCD/censored.gif[/img] house. It's one tough baby. For my $$ its the best machine on the market. (Even it it is old.) The few repairs I've had to make have been minor. I'd buy one again it a heartbeat. It can cut a couple of acreas in zip time.
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This mower will be used on about 3 1/2 to 4 acres of the yard.far the most part level,goes down hill to their house.No big hills.Just a lot of flower beds and other things in the yard to trim around.The other 3-4 acres gets mowed with an 8N with a Woods belly mower.Wide open area,very little trimming.The hills we do have,are beside a creek that runs the full distance of the property,and I mow what I can with the riders.The string trimmer gets the rest.So i'm thinking that this model should handle the job,and not be over worked.
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I have checked them out also and I think that the model you bought will work fine. I am in the situation you are, mowing three yards since my father in law is getting up there/ His property is about a acre and flat. I bought an older Hustler 52" cut. It's a comercial unit and works real well a lot faster that my 48" AC 914 H. Just remember that they are pretty heavy and will really tear up a wet area, more so than a GT. Mike
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Sounds right - I do not know what size engine, but if all it is used for is mowing, It should last a lifetime - I know a 52" with a 23hp engine will do 6 acres in more or less 2 hours(flat,hills,around waterways,etc.)says it should do 10+ mph mowing full throttle - Just find a place that has good service and parts - Good luck and enjoy the flying/mowing of a zero-turn - Chris
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Last year i mowed over 25 acers of yard in about 7 comersial yards and 5 or 6 residentials, all large yards. I got the yard because people saw the good job i was doing with my AC 416 with a pull behind, totaling 80"cut, and moving as fast as it would run (I spead up the blades some). Had a small problem the the AC416 so I went to check out a Dixie Chopper. Long story short, I got a 23hp, 60" cut, use for not very much money. And I love it to death. Its so easy to operate, they brag aout it being the "worlds fasted mower" and it is. Many time I would drive it across town faster than i could put it on the trailer and park/unload. I kind of made my Simpicity guy ticked at me, he wanted to sell me a new ZTR but this deal was just to good. A mower friend of mine was using DC and last year went to Bobcat, he and I both are not happy with the cut it has compaired to DC. I say try them all out for a test drive. The kind of money you will be spending you need a mower you like.
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Hi, We sell quite a few zero turns. We sell mostly Gravely, also Grasshopper and some Simplicity. We sold Gravely several years before Simplicity decided to get in that market by buying Ferris. I have to many Gravelys out to drop them and go with Simplicity. The Simplicitys that have the independent suspension are very good mowers, and it takes a lot of the abuse out of mowing. We still sell quite a few tractors. We will not sell a ZT to someone that has not used one, without them mowing their yard with it first. We had an older customer that came in and wanted to buy a ZT we had in stock. I said, Bob let us drop it off and you mow YOUR yard with it first. He said, Everybody tells me this is what I need. I said. I'll drop it off and you mow your 4 acres and I'll pick it up the first of the week if you decide not to keep it. He chose not to give up the tractor. He was basing his buying decision on what other people were telling him he needed and would have been an unhappy customer. No ZT does as good a job of mowing as the Simplicity tractors with the floating roller deck. Tractors also are better for mowing hills and banks. The low side tire compression on side hills with zts causes uneven cutting as it does with tractors that suspend the deck from the frame. If you are doing open mowing in a large area the time saved over a tractor is not all that significant. If you have a lot of stuff to mow around, the ZT saves a lot of time. We sold the city a new Legacy and 2 new commercial ZTs last year. They had been mowing with 445 John Deeres. They are going to sell one of the ZTs and buy another Legacy, because they mow so many hills and banks. My advice is to mow your yard with what you are looking at first. It is a lot easier to not buy it than to buy one and discover that had you known this or that about it, you would never have bought it. It is very hard to take a mower back that has been registered. This is why we have the policy we have. It is important that we be able to live happily with you for a long time. If your dealer won't let you demo it no strings attached, I would look for another dealer. Grasshoppers are a very good mower and they mow very well in the front cut models and mow under evergreen trees, picnic tables etc. The mid-mounts are like any other ZT. The only drawback to the Grasshoppers is the cost on the front mount units. TDhey are a typically a thousand or more than the mid mounts. They do have a deck that power folds up to vertical for service. Neat. The commercial Gravelys are available with hydraulic deck lift and a jack that works off the hyd lift to service the deck. Goes on with 1 pin. Also in the 200 series have an adjustable eZ ride seat that is excellent. They are built like a sherman tank. My thoughts. Al Eden
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I tried both a Gravely and a Grasshopper from my local dealer. For my lawn I chose the 25hp 60" front deck Grasshopper. Seemed to mow alot better on uneven ground than the mid deck Gravely. The front deck floats independent of the power unit to do a more even job of mowing. It is also nice to be able to flip the deck up for working on the blades. I have about 400 hours on the mower with no problems and would buy another. Mark
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The ferris are built as good as any Simplicity tractor as Al,stated and the grasshopper would be my other choice,as they sell alot of them around here.My brother in law has a 21 hp grasshopper Diesel and can mow his 3 or 4 acres all day and still have fuel left.I tried it out a few yrs ago and was amazed at how well they mow.I have seen the Dixie Choppers and they seem like them would mow very well.We have the Kubotas around here and they seem like a good mower also.
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Thanks for all your input.We still have plenty of time to check them all out and talk to the other dealers,before it is time to start cutting grass again.Just wanted to check out the orange ones first.They are great people and they did offer to bring one out to the house to try.And this model has a full floating deck with roller across the rear.I would love a diesel,been around diesels all my life.I drive a 1986 Jetta Diesel,still going and going.Problem is,my wife can't stand the diesel smell,gives her a headache.But so do I and she kept me for 25 yrs.So I will give the other brands a look and go from there.Thanks.
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