How many hours on your primary mower?

[Stonewall]

I have 1470 hours on my Scag Turf Tiger after 3 seasons. The last few months, I've spent a lot of money on it: new engine, Amsoil bypass filter setup, 2 hydro pumps, drive shaft, upgraded the standard deck to an Advantage. I think it's in pretty good shape now and it was all cheaper than a new ride. I'm curious at what point guys trade in their old ones to get a new one. It would be nice to think I'm be ready to go another 3 years after all this has been done, but who knows. I may relegate it to a backup mower in a year or two.

[Highpoint]

1993 Walker Mower, 3486 hours. Replaced the motor 2 times, 1 hydro pump, numerous gear boxes, PTO boxes, deck drive shafts, 1 seat, several saftey switches, 14 ingitions swithches (finally upgraded to the new style this year!) Complete wiring harness, several misc. pittly parts. Still going strong. Painted it red to match all my Exmark stuff. Looks good Red! I'll just keep fixing this machine. Looking for at least 10 more years on her!! I have only traded off 2 machines in 17 years. Only then because they were upgrades. Decided to just run em till they die, then sell them for parts or junk. I plan to run all my other equipment till it pukes! Walk behinds require little more than a new motor to run another 2000 hours. Hydros are supposed to last 3000 + hours.

[Eric ELM]

1995 XW2400 Chopper 60" deck, 22hp Kohler bought in 1994 has 3,295 hours on it. Original motor, pumps, and wheel motors. I did replace the seat for a better ride, replaced the muffler, 2 of the modules in the motor, the intake manifold gasket and the bearings on one spindle. Even thought I did replace this stuff, it was running when I took it in for repairs, so it hasn't missed a days work yet. It's been a good one. :)

I did replace the 1993 Chopper last summer with a 2001 diesel 60", but it only has close to 400 hours on it so far. To early to tell about this one, but I hope to run it til I quit mowing.

[accuratelawn]

1100 hours on the Lazer. This is the start of the third season. So far belts,blades,bottom seat cushion, and tires. I see spending some money at the end of the year to keep it going for a while.

[Fine Lines Lawn]

1996 Dixie XW2200 60: 3500 hours
Replaced gear box once in addition to routine stuff, mufflers, tires, etc. Converted to VTC hydrolics in 2001.


1997 Dixie X2200 50: 2000 hours
Only routine, nothing major. Converted to VTC in 2001.


2001 Dixie XF2400 60: 69 hours

[WILSON BROS.]

Over 1000 hrs. on the 99 Hopper, and nearly 700 on the 2000 Bobcat. belts, blades and tires. Parts are cheaper than the machine.

[Mark]

I have a Snapper 52" walkbehind with over 4000hrs i purchased it new in 93 it was my number 1 mower for yrs. Ive never done anything on the engine,replace a regulator and muffler and 2belts,never changed a spindle bearing yet.Now that i use a Z-Master 62" i don't use it as much,but i have a lot of hilly yds which i can't run the Master. I have a friend who has been doing this for over twenty yrs,and usually puts over 4000hr every two yrs on his Scags its the only mowers he buys. He has one helper and does over 150 cuts per week but ive watched him work a hes does good.... Marks Mowing Service

[Eric ELM]

I have never heard of anyone putting that many hours on a mower in 2 years. That is an average of 67 hours a week if this person lives in Indiana, based on 30 weeks a year. WOW

Can you explain how he puts that many hours on a mower?

[bdemir]

How in the heck can you put that many hours in two years. I cant even put that on in four years if i try. I cant see how he does it.



Bedros

[Mark]

Eric he has over 150 accounts. If he spent 30min on each account that would be over 75hrs per week, Last season i was over at his house and i ask Joe how many hrs do you have on your truf-tiger he said over 4000hr i looked and he was right.At the end of last season he brought a new tiger. Also you have to add in the leaf work and we get well over 30cuts. Marks Mowing Service ps also thats a 6 day week.

[bdemir]

If he cuts 75 hours per week thats a lot of cutting for one mower. I cant even see how he does that. Thats like an oil change every 5 days. One person would not be able to do that for shure. Even if you had two people trading off thats 35 hours each a week on a mower. You would be tired at the end of the week. Im sure its possible but thats a lot of mowing.


BEdros

[Eric ELM]

Mark, but still, that is 12 hours a day on that mower. There has to be 1 day a week he can not work due to rain or something. I'm figuring if he worked 6 days a week, that is 12 hours of running time a day. He would have to put in 18 hour days to do that unless he starts it up in the morning and leaves it running all day. I know a guy that put in some long days last season and his season starts long before yours and he put on close to 1000 hours. It almost killed him. If you saw the hour meter, it has to be true, but it still seems impossible. This is almost like the 70 degree hill. ;)

[John DiMartino]

I have to wonder myself-4000hrs is almost impossible.the most i run any one machine in a season is 400 hrs,at the golf course-I consider this a lot.I am friends with other superintendents that run as much as 1500-2000 hrs a season on a Jacobsen 11 ft rotarty,but he has 2 or 3 guys switching off on it all season.

[AB Lawn Care]

I've put 1000hrs on the walker in 2 years,and my great little scag walkbehind mow in the 550hr range.Both are running great with no problems.

[Mark]

Eric thats not really 12hr per day you have to add on the oct,nov, and 1/2 December for leaf mulching. That adds up to many hrs with all his accounts. Marks Mowing Service PS just like last yr in Dec,after the snow was gone i was out doing leaves untill the first of Feb.

[GREG R]

trouble started on our two walkbehind at
1700 hrs and 1800hrs, I can't afford downtime
so I trade them before I pump to much money in
them.
And for concern of the hours on the machine,
We run our mowers from march to dec (sometime into
Jan if weather promitts) and I'm in ohio
and that guy might leave his mowers running on the
trailer from job to job, thats the only way I see
to put that many hours on a machine, or he might do
some night mowing (commercail properties)

[edward hedrick]

I have 525 hrs on Sthm Scag. I added a HusQ baffle kit &
a Scag turbo baffle. Instead of a new machine. Had coils
replaced on warranty. Changed caster bolts from hex head
to carriage to help with grass flow. Replaced the seat twice the current one is thicker with different springs
from scag.