Walkbehinds only

[scottb]

How many of you choose to use walkbehinds only and what is the largest property that you mow with it. I dont want this to be a war of Walks and ZTR's just want to know. I want to purchase a new mower I want a 52" hydro toro T-Bar and of coures the kid in me want's a 60" Lazer. I like the walkbehinds for there over all use and the excerise aspect. I realize the speed of a lazer is awesome but even riding a velkie or sulky is more excerise than a rider.
Please no war's my doctor said lose 40 pounds I have 20 to go and if I have to excerise I figure I might as well do somthing productive while Im at it. Please tell me how you guy,s feel. And I proably will always be a partimer if that make a difference.

[scottb]

I know this is an old topic but does anybody have an opinon.

[Guido]

You basically answered your own question. If it were my choice and I didn't care about exercise at work, I would go with a ZTR. If you need the exercise and want it of course, and your properties aren't large enough for you to justify the lazer, then stay with the walkbehinds.

Good Luck with your last 20!

[TJLC]

I personally use only w/b's, BUT that dosn't mean I don't care to have a rider. I also need the exercise and a w/b does it for me. I do have one property that I could use a ztr on but for now I'll hoof it. I feel the perfect setup is (in my opinion) is a hydro 36" w/b and a 60" ztr. I'm sure opinions will differ. Good luck.

[EROSS17]

I have both ZTR's and walkbehinds. To be honest with you, I absolutely hate when I have to use the walkbehinds. Call it lazy or whatever but if I can sit down and cut, I'm sitting. I do 120 lawns a week, I'd say I use the walkbehinds on about 30 of them because of gates or ditches. But in your case (part-time), I wouldn't spend the big $ on ZTR.

[Toroguy]

I see no need for a ZTR in my current scenario. I have lost ten pounds in four weeks since getting back to work. I should drop another twelve pounds if history repeats.

Fatigue...
I do lots 2 acres and less. The two acre lot has pasture and isnt all maintained. I have several areas where I do three lots at one stop. I feel more fatigued from trimming with a T-230 than I do after using the WB.

The WB is cheaper and you will get alot more exercise. If your really hard core use a 21" push mower, really cheap and a real calorie burner!

You can calculate a calorie per dollar figure, or calorie per profit dollar.

[dmk395]

I would love to have a ZTR but it seems that for me to spend 7-9k, I would have to be cutting an unbelievable amount of grass.

[George777]

On days like today I would have loved to have a ztr. I was soaking wet with sweat from 8:30 am until 5:00. It felt good to get out of those wet cloths. I can't justify a ztr @ this time. Once my partner and I get more cash flow we may consider. It feels good to have the whole rig paid for. For now that 48" lesco will do a fine job cutting grass. The only thing I dislike about it is changing the deck height.

[Chip]

When I first started out I used wb's then after about4 years bought an outfront rider gained a good 10 lbs. and never lost it. Over the winters I would gain 10 and lose 10 after getting back to work. This year I gained 15 bought a ztr and haven't lost a lb. Maybe I should get off my butt and do some walking.
I do have about 10 lawns where a walkbehind is more practicle. Maybe I should get more lawns like that for my health.:blob3:

[scottb]

Thank's for you'r replies. Im still not sure exactly what I will do as the price of the 52 (hydro)wb and ztr are very close.But if I will keep the 48 way either and my brother works cheap so maybe it will be the wb.

[MATTHEW]

One thing I never hear you riders talk about is the
repair bills on these things. Unless you can afford to
replace them every 3 years, you may be lookin' at
putting in some serious benjamins to keep it going.

[leeslawncare]

Walk behind a walk behind?If it wasn't for my ol buddy "jungle jim" i don't know what i would do .but if you need to shed some lbs. go for it .

[sheppard]

As another post stated, you may have answered your own question. If you want to loose some weight get a WB. If you want off the scale production get a JD 655 !

Sheppard

[awm]

if i were 25 an trainig for a fight or other endurance
event,i dont know of a better way to really get in
cardiovascular condition than following a walk behind 6-8 hrs a day

[SMB]

A Textron Bob-Cat ZTR (61") cost about $6000-6500.
They're not the prices you'd think they are, and I don't forsee any expensive repair bills with our 48" Bob-Cat, it's very simple, and once the warranty's out, we'll do most of the work ourselves.


Why on earth would a repair bill be much higher for a ZTR than a WB?

[lawrence stone]

Your best all around machine is a 52" Toro hydro with a HD 2 wheel non pivoting sulky. There might be issues with the 2001 models so stay tuned.

Sitting all day w/o suspension is a back breaker. If you stand on a sulky you can get a solid 5 mph avg ground speed. Any bumps in the lawn are not transfered to your tailbone.

The 52" walkbehind is 14" offset to the left so this machine trims better than any 52" ztr. If you have a real hilly area you can unhook the sulky or just walk along to the side of the machine.

Standing on a mower all day keeps your body (esp. legs) in shape.

[scottb]

I too like the the 52 Hydro. I have the Proline 48" belt drive and really like it. I have been looking and the best price so far is 4999.00. The Exmark version was 5100.00 both with 17hp kaw.
Lawerence what problems are you talking about the so I will know. Also does the caster style sulky work as good as they say.
Thanks all of you for you'r replies.

[AltaLawnCare]

ScottB,
I believe "the Stoner" was refering to my little dilemma:

:(

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?threadid=16363

[scottb]

Is the Hydro having the same problem?

[AB Lawn Care]

As far as cost goes.........YES!!!!!A walkbehind is much cheaper in the long run!Hydro units usually last longer then a ZTR and fewer parts to break on a W/B.We use both and I can't decided which is better!

[Scag48]

Well, lets see...I dunno, I'd hate to walk behind a mower for acre + lots. Like somebody said here, lose weight or production. You could use Stone's idea and get a stand on sulky to get your legs in shape, then take it off if you had hills. But what happens when you lose 20 pounds? Are you gonna sell the W/B to get a ZTR? I'd go to a gym or something to lose your weight and buy a Lazer. I like my Groundsmaster just fine for mowing 2 + acre lots. Only problem with it is I've put alot into it so far. I will agree that riders will need work, but no more than a W/B will need. Here's what I've put into my Groundsmaster in 3 weeks: Hydro Cooler fan belt $20, New tire and tube $40, time into fixing a faulty selinoid on the starter 2 hrs, broken blower belt (gonna buy that), selinoid still faulty, replace for $30. I guess that's what I get for buying a used machine. I'm a little pissed off because every time I go to use it, something goes wrong and I end up working on it. If you buy a ZTR, buy one new! It's just not worth all the D@mn work you gotta put into 'em. Most of the guys here have had good luck with their machines and I've already put a fair amount of money in a mower that was supposed to be ready to go, not to mention the labor I've had to put into it to get it running again. When it starts and the d@mn belts don't break and my tire isn't flat, it hauls grass! Buckle up and hold on. I figure I'm doing 5 MPH on ROUGH ground with it bucking everywhere. Not bad for a little mower. Lift the deck up and hit a bump and the rear end reaches for the sky. It can be fun to ride sometimes. I got a new sales pitch for Toro, TEJUTR=Tail End Jumps Up Turning Radius. It actually helps. Get at the end of a pass and let off the hydro pedal and turn. Then end is up the in the air the whole time while you turn. No scuffs either! LOL.

[scottb]

Unless I start doing over 15 accounts I dont think I will be purchasing a ZTR anytime soon. I am already a member of a gym but that is boring and like I said if I have to excerise I might as well be doing somthing productive. Scag48 sorry to hear about your problems hope you get it where you want it soon.