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Regent & Broadmoor LT Owners - Question re/ Roller


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I'm convinced that Simplicity is the Lawn Tractor I'd like to own, except for one minor detail that I'm hoping Regent & Broadmoor owners can clear up from your own experiences. A dealer in my area (also a Cub Cadet dealer) says you can't beat Simplicity for level ground cutting. Rougher ground he says to go with the Cubs (which is not my second choice). I'm not blessed with level ground - but long grades, a few moles, and well, pretty rough in spots. I'm so intent on getting a Regent that I'm going to try to work out most of these problems before next spring, by "rolling & grub killing", etc. However, the ground is so uneven in some spots that I know I'll never get it the way I'd like. The dealer claims the rollers on the cutting deck have caused his customers problems on rough ground (he didn't say which model & I didn't ask). I only mow about an acre, which is why I'd like the Regent but if neccessary I'd go with a heavier duty Broadmoor. Still, the "rollers" are my main concern. Any owners out there have rugged terrain that your Regent or Broadmoor has handled suitably? Do the rollers cause any problems?
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I don't have a Regent or Broadmoor, but I think this almost total "bunk." The Simplicity decks will give a MUCH BETTER LOOKING cut on a rough lawn with the antiscalp rollers and full width rear rollers -- I know that one from personal experience on mine. My back yard (see below) is so rough that I hope to till the entire thing up next spring, bring in more topsoil, and start all over. It is so rough that I'd scalp spots with my 21" Snapper trim mower, but the 42" deck on this old Landlord-equivalent AC doesn't scalp at all. It also has spots so steep that I couldn't go up them without adding extra weight to keep from spinning with turf tires (not these lugs)... I've occasionally caught the end of the roller assembly (rod) on things such as the landscaping timbers around flower bed, but I've also caught the deck guide wheels of other brands on things too.... I think the rollers, if anything are more durable and less likely to bend or break than guide wheels. Only one complaint with these rollers -- I'll occasionally get a small rock or walnut (lots of walnut trees and lots of walnuts on the ground in the fall) temporarily caught up between the rollers and the deck. It'll then sometimes drag a groove in the yard for a few feet before dislodging and coming out.... The rear driveline (transmission & rear axle) of the heavy duty Cub Cadets MAY be a tougher setup than a Simplicity, but that's the ONLY thing on a Cub that I would rate over a Simplicity. This certainly is nothing related to mowing, and is more related to durability when pushing or pulling heavy loads.... My two cents and worth what you paid for it -- nothing! http://www.simpletractors.com/images/bucket/dumping_depth.jpg
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Hi. I too am not a Regent/Broadmore owner. I own a Sovereign, but as far as the roller issue is concerned, was your dealer at all specific in his reasons? I mow 2.5 acres of "not very well landscaped" yard, and I certainly have no complaints about the rollers on the mower. In fact, the 317JD I used to have wouldn't even come close to the job this thing makes. At any rate, get your dealer to explain his reasoning. Then get back to this site. I'm sure there's a lot of interested people out here. Like Kent says...my 2cents worth GordU
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I used my B-1 to "level" my yard many long years ago. A couple of years ago I had a 1976 Cub Cadet I used for one summer. The Cub almost ruined my lawn by scalping anything that wasn't already perfectly level. I think your dealer is nuts regarding Cub Cadets and their mower deck. The Cub mehtod of hanging the deck (sissors mechanism) is terrible. The Cub tractor was also a nightmare to work on compared to a Simplicity. I don't know how they give Cubs away much less sell them for money. Also, by hanging the mower deck on the front axle a Simplicity will mow just about anything you can drive over. I drive over over curbs and other obstructions while mowing without harm. The only thing you have to watch for is something like a stump that will get into the blades before the rear rollers will support the deck (so it won't drop onto the projection). Just my 2 cents worth and you know how that is. Roy
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I have a 1993 Landlord 50". (For anyone keeping score, I have posted various guess as to the year, but finally found out it is a 93). Anyway... My yard is in the same shape as yours. Before I forget, get a "mole trap", it's much more direct and productive than fighting grubs. You can email me for tips on how to use it effectively. Good bye moles. Forget all the home remedies etc. Kill em. Now as to the basic question, this is based on my experience only this spring with my new property and new used Landlord. There are indeed times I can catch the outer-most deck roller on some root or bump. It probably happens once per mowing, and is more likely to happen in reverse. It has been harmless so far. At first I was bothered by the roller/rough lawn question enough that I was planning to sell it and buy a Deere. Now every time I mow I like the tractor and deck better. The cut is fantastic. There are times I see a bump coming and I expect it to scalp, I even wince, waiting for that "gah-runch" noice when the blades hit the dirt. But it NEVER happens. It is amazing. The cut is just fantastic, it looks like I used a push mower. I have never seen a riding mower/tractor leave a cut this good. At this point I can see getting a different Simplicity but I cannot see getting another brand. I do not have the soft spot in my heart that the rest of these guys have for Simplicitys. It is just a tool to me, but I highly recommend it. -Don
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PS: Rolling a lawn can do more harm than good by compacting the soil. Especially true if the soil is clayish. You'd be best to at least core aerate it to combat the compaction of using a roller. Your mileage may vary. -Don
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Don, I have concerns about your perceptions. Most people say my soft spot is in my head -- not my heart... I notice that we both used the term "yard" instead of "lawn"... I have one small spot of "lawn" in the very front -- the sides and back are "yards" at best, if not more accurately called "fields" or "roughs" or something like that.... 8o) Kent
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This dealer carries more inventory of Cubs than Simplicity so maybe he's just pushing them more, I don't know. I know by looking in his surrounding area there are a lot of "striped" lawns so he must be selling some. But I also noticed these are on pretty level ground. The dealer said that something on the deck either bends or gets off balance as the result of the rollers catching on holes, ruts etc. I only stopped in briefly to get a brochure and then went to JD for one. There's another dealer pretty close to my area as well so before I commit naturally I'll inquire more thoroughly. Just want to get a better idea from owners first. My ground doesn't look any rougher than Kent's (no offense Kent) but then I'm not lookin' to invest in a Landlord either. It's a pretty bumpy ride, so I need a tough tractor. But I'd still like to have the Simplicity cut. It's "simply" the best.....
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Kent, Yes, my reference to "yard" was intentional. If you had said "lawn" I would have really had to give it to you. I too hope to have a "lawn" someday. :-) :-) :-) -Don M
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We mow a guys lawn, a little over an acre. We use an Allis 616 which is a Simp. 5216 in orange paint. He tells us that we literally "fly" over his uneven ground, and his lawn has never looked nicer. For what it's worth... Tom
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  • 11 months later...
Update re/ rollers on cutting deck... The day finally arrived that I was able to get a quality Lawn Tractor. I had narrowed my choice to Kubota, Deere, & Simplicity. Quality of cut was the biggest isssue for me even though, as described earlier, my yard is pretty rugged. I couldn't find a Kubota dealer who even knew the kind of cut that their T-TG Series would produce (you could see it on their faces) and most admitted as much. I've seen some pretty nice yards cut by JD machines (most in my area are JD) so I test drove an LT-160. I was impressed and liked the design but I really wanted to give the Regent a try on my yard so I went to my Simplicity Dealer and he delivered one with a 16-HP Kohler, 38" deck. I really wanted one with the new Honda twin to lower the engine noise level but they were too close in price to the Broadmoor, which was a little out of my budget range right now. Was still apprehensive about the rollers but you guys were right. This thing is built like a small tank. Concerning the rollers; I don't even realize they're on the deck until I see what they've done to my yard. This thing even makes my yard look good. I don't know what the other dealer was talking about either, concerning deck damage. I'd have to take a sledge hammer to tear up this deck, and I can't see any way my yard (rough as it is) will be able to stand up against it. I think the Broadmoor (which is really what I wanted) is "overkill" for my yard, and that sums up the quality of these tractors. Thanks for your input, it helped me to hurdle the "rollers issue", which I reiterate "is a non issue".
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