Anybody having zero turn mower?

Patrice Bousquet · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 3:36 am

Anybody having one of those zero turn mower? which brand? what you like, dislike? any other comment?

I'm in Germany and the Lawn tractor decided to crap out back home.... it work fine before I left but now they cannot have it run .
The neighbor came to help they try to jump it, but it still didn't work. They had a small click that 's it. I'm thinking the starter or wiring since it doesn't crank.
They ended up borrowing the neighbor mower. I will check it out when I'm back.

I was thinking about a new mower, a zero turn one, but now I might need to buy one sooner than expected.

Chuck Branscomb · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 7:56 am

We just recently bought a Toro Z4235. So far we like everything about it. My wife really enjoys it compared to our old traditional Deere tractor. Mowing time is easily down 30-40%, and it is much more enjoyable to use. It is much faster than our lawn tractor -- think it goes about 7mph, and it cuts very well at speed. So far no complaints or problems. I think it has 7-8 mows on it. The maneuverability is fantastic. It is extremely easy to drop right down from full speed and do tight detail work around something.

Well, I guess I do have one complaint. I bought the mulching kit which consists of two different design blades and a baffle you install in the deck. It mulches great, as least as good as the Deere did, and has plenty of power to mulch up thick grass, etc. However, even after using the water hose attachment (you pop it onto a fitting on the deck to clean it out with the blades running) to clean it, enough grass is caught in the baffles to create the wonderful decaying-grass-in-the-garage odor.

You're welcome to come over and cut some grass if you want to try it out.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 8:24 am

talk to these guys. price was well below what everyone else was selling for. http://www.holderandsonsequipment.com/

research Gravely

http://www.gravely.com/Pages/default.aspx

i have a 36" commercial walk behind, it has about 50 hours on it over two seasons. might cost a bit more than a John Deere but should last long enough to pass it on to the next generation.

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 8:24 am

Chuck,
How much grass (acres) are you mowing? We have a Toro Wheel Horse that we've had for over 10 years that just keeps on going. We mow over 5 acres with it about every 4-5 days during the Summer. Sometimes it does double duty since the newer Toro (not a wheel horse) I bought for the kennel, 5 acres of grass there too, isn't always up to the task. It's currently in the shop again with bent pulleys.

We have a Husquvarna (spelling?) zero turn for our yard, 1 acre, in Beaufort. We've not been overly happy with it. It's fun to drive, but will tear up the grass if you turn too quickly.

Chuck Branscomb · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 8:45 am

We have a bit over 1 acre lot but maybe 1/2 or bit more of that is grass, so nothing like you're mowing Gwen. Recently it has needed mowing every 3-4 days (and we've had the sprinkler system off since summer of 07). I'm hoping this Toro zero turn mower will be reliable as the Deere it replaced just ran and ran for 8 years without any issues other than a battery and blade replacement. We gave it to my sister-in-law, so it's still running fine.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 8:50 am

i have a buddy that works for JD and he also does lawns on the side. i think his zero-turn is a Toro. unless JDs are now red.

Stacy King · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 9:19 am

We (my parents) had one of the early Dixons back in the day... loved that thing.

Saw one for sale here in New Bern in someone's yard near my house one morning... went back that afternoon to find out how much they wanted and it was gone.

Bernie Baake · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 9:25 am

If you want a real machine check out Dixie Chopper on google. Once you've seen and driven one of these it'll make ALL the rest seem like tinker toys. But be prepared for sticker shock, they don't come cheap.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 9:40 am

Bernie Baake wrote:

If you want a real machine check out Dixie Chopper on google. Once you've seen and driven one of these it'll make ALL the rest seem like tinker toys. But be prepared for sticker shock, they don't come cheap.

For the price of the Dixie Chopper Silver Eagle model, I could have my 1-acre yard mowed, weed-eated, and cleaned-up 160 times with zero effort on my part

Yes, I'm a lazy b@stard.

Bernie Baake · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 10:03 am

As I said they don't come cheap. But if we're talking about a machine that will last a lifetime it deserves a look. I'm too old to get my moneys worth out of one. But with more than ten acres to mow every five days, If I had ten more years of this I'd get one.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 10:19 am

Bernie Baake wrote:

...with more than ten acres to mow every five days, If I had ten more years of this I'd get one.

Just the thought of doing that makes me tired. Bernie, you are one tough old bird!

Richard Casto · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 3:36 pm

steve remchak wrote:

research Gravely

Ah... Gravely. That brings back the memories. I grew up just outside of Charleston, WV (where Gravely was started). My Grandfather was a Gravely man, my Dad was a Gravely man, I guess if I had the money I would be as well. We had and used (this would have been in the late 1970s, 80s) some Gravely machinery that I know had to have been built back in the 1950's.

In fact the first time I tore down an engine (to replace some piston rings) was on a Gravely. The machine in question was a walk behind that had a changeable front end on it with a PTO. You could put a single large blade rotary mower, sickle bar mower or even a cultivator on it. You had a fabric strap (hook on one end and handle on the other) that you would wind around a crank pulley to start the thing. Unlike a regular pull mower of today that retracts the pull cord, on this you would wind, wind, wind, pull! If it didn't start, you had to do it all over again. We also had a traditional Gravely riding mower with an electric starter. It was the Cadillac of our fleet.

Oh, by the way, I know nothing about zero turn mowers.

(Edit)

Google Image search is my friend. Here it is... A Model L with the pull start strap hanging in the usual place from the handle bar and with the rotary mower attachment!

Patrice Bousquet · **Posted:** Wed Jun 23, 2010 4:22 am

Thanks to all for the information. When I'm back I will research it more, but at the moment the Toro Z4235 is at the top of the list.

Pete Guthrie · **Posted:** Thu Nov 04, 2010 4:41 pm

i have a self propelled push mower. it is turn on dime capable. mulching too.

Patrice Bousquet · **Posted:** Fri Nov 05, 2010 8:49 am

Since someone bring that tread back, I ended up buying a Toro Z4235, the only add on I choose where the arm rest and the hour meter.
Took me a few time to get used to it, but now I'm zipping around, so much that the wife said I should wear an helmet.........
The only point is since our lot is not flat when going downhill you have to almost stop before turning, otherwise the inside wheel will lock up or
even turn reverse and make some nice track on the grass. Will buy the same again.

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Anybody having zero turn mower?

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