Belt vs Hydro

[guntruck]

I did a search and didnt really find anything about the comparisons but was just wondering what you guys prefer. I am getting ready to buy my second walk behind its a toro 52" belt with the handle bar. Its really not in my budget to get a new hydro and i dont think im gonna find a really good used one for the price of the two year old toro (1600.00). What do you guys prefer??????????

[landscaper3]

We have the Toro Proline with a 52" full floating deck and belt drive works good, demoed a hydo unit at least 2mph faster and cuts alot-alot better in the wet. Go for the hydro!!!

[bob]

Try to get a hydro. Beside being faster, you wont have any belts to slip. Morning dew and light rain will not be a problem with a hydro.

[LoneStarLawn]

It all depends alot on your area..here down in the south the belt will do fine, but as the others have said (who are more northern) the hydro will fit better due to dew and rainy weather slippage.

[jeffex]

hey guntruck!! in this business its hard to
resist the new "toys" . I came very close to
buying a ztr but couldn't justify the expence
based on profit it would bring in. I'm part-time
so I think I will do better having helpers using
my belt drive wbs. In your case if you can do
more lawns or take on work you couldn't do with
belt drives the expence is justified. For $7000
I can buy another trailer, 2 wbs belt drive and a
trimmer to start a second crew!!!!

[MOW ED]

I would not even consider a belt. I have a Proline Hydro w/44" deck and its great. T-Bar steering is excellent. Speed adjustment, handling, turning and reverse are instant. If you can demo one, you'll wonder why the even make belts.

[TJLC]

I've owned one belt model. Traded it in on an Exmark hydro. Now I have two Exmark hydro's. No comparision. Hydro all the way.

[lawman]

I have a 48inch hydro wb and love the thing. No slipping and the cut is great even in wet grass. I belive it is worth the extra money and time saved.

[osc]

If your belts are tightened properly, slippage is not a problem even when wet. I really think this is a non-issue with belt driven units when the hydros have a belt underneath the mower that runs from the crank on the engine to the hydro pumps. If you are mowing wet green soup then you have a chance of the main drive belt slipping if it's not tight enough. As far as the wheel drive belts on a belt drive machine, they will pull wet if the tension is right.

With that said, I still will not have a belt driven machine because of how they operate. You cannot go in reverse on the fly which is badly needed in my opinion. Also you have run-away going down hills and sloppy handling on slopes in general. I improved productivity many times over when I went all hydro.

I guess everyone has opinions.

[lawrence stone]

Rich what kind and size of engine does that 52" have?

[CandJ]

After having owned both a belt and now a hydro, I would never go back to belt. Your increase in productivity in being able to reverse on the fly is alone worth the added expense.