Belt drives vs. Hydrostatic - pros & cons

[Budman]

Question - are belt drives more difficult to manuever, about the same, or less difficult than hydros? I have a bunch of trees to mow around. Which setup would be better for me? Would I save much mowing time with a 48" versus a 36"?

Thanks!

[shannonslc]

hydro's are faster,easier to control.started out with a 36 belt now run a 36 hydro. much nicer much more expensive to buy.
:blob3: :blob4: :blob1:

[Richard Martin]

I don't know if a hydro is really faster especially if both mower travel the same speed. I would get a hydro if I used one more than I do. I only put 7 to 10 hours a week on my walkbehind and since the hydros are almost double the cost of beltdrives I couldn't justify the cost. I choose instead to spend the big bucks on a first class ZTR.

[A.U.steve]

Hydros kill belt drives for ease of operation, l had a 37'' belt drive and upgraded to 44'' Hydro both with rider sulkies, a lot faster, no belt slippage and heaps less maintenance twice the price and twice the machine.

Steve

[Budman]

Thanks for the replies! Cost is not really a factor, because I would be buying either one of them used. Probably have about the same wrapped up in either one. Of course, the hydro would be more expensive to repair.

Does the 48" vs. 36" cut make that much of a difference? The belt drive is 48", hydro is 36". I will be cutting around a lot of trees, so manueverability is an issue.

Keep the info coming!

[TJLC]

I personally prefer the 48" over the 36" for the offset deck. I had a 36" and it was tough getting close to things, IMO. The 48" has a nice offset which really helps to get a close cut, also IMO. All my mowers are Exmarks and hydros. I use my w/b alot so it was worth the extra $ to me for the hydro drive. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with a belt drive, I guess it depends on your individual situation. Good luck.

[TLS]

If your cutting around a lot of trees, get the 48". This is due to the deck offset like TJLC said. With a 36" when you go around a mulched tree ring, the rear trim tire will be riding all over the mulch! I would go with the 48" belt. I only use mine about 4 hrs a week!, so belt has always been fine for me! Just too much maintenance with the hydros, and if theres a problem with a hydro, its BIG $$$. When there's a problem with a belt drive, its fixed (usually by yourself) for under $50. They are real simple to work on.

Do you do this commercially or is this just for your home yard?

[sunrise]

a reverse that works

[goodbeus]

yea, go with the hydro....if the lawn is wet, the belts will slip on the belt driven system...with a hydro, you can still cut grass while it's raining, but you can't with a belt system....

[tlcservices]

there is no compaision for the owner/ operator. a fleet would be different. belts ground speed is faster and who cares if they have to make wide turns

[Shadetree Ltd]

IMO, I would opt for the 36" hydro. All of our Turf Tracers are hydro and I would not ever get a belt. I think you would be getting a better machine with the 36. We have 2 36" and a 48" and even though the 48 is much nicer to use around bed edges, I would still opt for the hydro. I just priced out a new 48" deck to replace one of our 36" and it was only $1500 CDN for the larger deck. You could always just get the 36 with the better drivetrain now and upgrade to a larger deck in the future. I know I will be upgrading deck sizes for less than 20% of a new machine.

Scott

[fastrunner]

all belt drives suck, all hydros rule

[rodfather]

I can't offer any comparitive advice here cause we have ever owned are hydros...humm, I wonder why?

hydros kick a## and take names.

[edward hedrick]

Try a belt drive Toro with an offset deck. Easiy to trim with. The T

Bar is easy to use. I just bought a 52 Toro used w 18 Koh. has about 10 in offset. Look at a 52 " instead of 48 if possible more

offset

[naturescape]

I never had a problem with my belt drive ExM HP slipping, even in bad conditions. But I switched to hydros. The instant reverse is a must for me, makes all the difference in the world. Buy an Exmark or Scag hydro.

[Budman]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies!

Can you still get the Zero Turn with the belt drive? It doesn't sound like if from your responses, but I'm not sure.

Hell, I might just buy both of them, and then sell the one that I like the least. They're both priced right - I can get the 36 hydro for around $400, probably get the 48 belt drive (with sit-doen sulky) for $500 - $700. Both of these are older machines - 7 to 10 years old.

[goodbeus]

Can you still get the Zero Turn with the belt drive? It doesn't sound like if from your responses, but I'm not sure.


No, you can't do a zero turn with a belt drive...the belt drives have a reverse-assist set-up...

[edward hedrick]

Can you z turn a belt drive? Yes! When mowing along a hillside

you power the down hill wheel and let the uphill wheel free-wheel
result a zero turn. On flat ground power the outside wheel, pull

back on the other side A zero turn. Only powering one wheel

forward and the other backward is not possible. I own a

52 Lesco with a Toro T bar, and a 52 Toro. On Hydro mowers the

pumps are belt driven.

[totallpm]

:blob3: HYDRO :blob4: HYDRO :blob1: HYDRO

I am sorry did I tell you Hydro ?

Kevin Total Landscaping

[wxmn6]

Hydro rule! :cool:

[leprechaun_50]

I have owned a Snapper ZTR, with a 60" deck and currently own a Snapper Z-Rider with a front mount 61" deck. Both had hydros with the single joystick control. I mow about 10 acres with a large shelterbelt, and believe me the Snappers are super for mowing around trees.