What's your dream setup for mowing?

[MuskTurfKing]

Well, once again I'm sitting here late at night, thinking about mowing, and I figured I'd ask everyone what their dream setup would be for a solo op. Here's mine.

Truck: 2002 Chevy 2500 HD, diesel 4X4
Trailer: Brand new open 6X16 (maybe bigger;))
Mowers: Exmark Lazer Z XP 31HP, 72" deck. Doubles
Walker Model T, 26HP, 48" deck
Toro 32" 13HP T-Bar with flex deck.
Commercial 21" Toro with BBC. 2 cycle.
Trimmer: Echo SRM-340
Blower: Echo PB 650
Hedge trimmers: Echo - HC1600
Saw: Echo- CS8000
Edger: Echo - PE310

Misc. hand tools, sprayers, spreaders, trimmer and blower traps. I'm sure there's a lot more I could add.

:D

I might think of some other stuff later.

Hank

[LAWNGODFATHER]

All that crap mean nothing unless you can find quality employees to run it.

All I wish for is responcable, dependable quality people to run my stuff.

BTW Hank a 73 1/2" wide mower on a 72" wide trailer?

[MuskTurfKing]

He he he, that quality employee would be me. ;)

Hank

[65hoss]

I think I want to be there when you put the mower on the trailer. :p

I would rather spend the money on equipment if it will save me on employee cost and increase profit.

My dream setup is paid for equipment, low maintenance costs, no truck note, and effecient and profitable route. 1st 2 are done, the 2nd 2 are close to being done.

[MuskTurfKing]

Haha, I agree that there is no way that this would work, too much equipment, but it would be fun to have it all to play with.

Hank

[vipermanz]

hustler superZ 60''
hustler wb 37''
yellow f-250
yellow enclosed trailer
redmax;eb7000,trimmers,edgers,sweepers,chainsaws
ryan or bluebird wb aerator

not much but adequate for my areas of interest

[David Haggerty]

* Toro 580-D 16' bat wing mower
* Toro 325-D 72" with side discharge deck
* 36" WB with a big engine.
* Cummins diesel to pull it alll with.
* Getting someone to help with trimming.


65Hoss has my vote, spend the money on equipment not payroll.


I have 2 problems, working here in Ohio.

#1 Good employees are impossible to hire at any price.
#2 Mowing season is very short, only about 26 weeks long.


That gives me 2 big limitations.

(A) Do most of the work myself.
(B) Work as efficently as possible to earn a living in only 6 months.


I just spent my second full day mowing with the "dream team" in place.
We're so effective it's confusing. We mowed a 14 acre factory in an hour and a half.
I had to add more customers to that days' schedule.

We've spent more time on litter pick up than on mowing some of the lawns.
(Because of all the trash accumulated over the winter.)

I used to think I had a full schedule.
But now I'm going to need more customers. :blob2:

Dave

[johndeere455]

1990 Chevy Z-71
2002 23Kaw 60inch laserz
1998 John Deere 455/MC519 bagger
2000 Sabre 23koh 54inch
2-Homelite trimmers
1-Craftsman blower
1-7x16 open trailer with ramp gate
1-3500lb pressure washer

Me and my 61 year old mom runs the mowing business, that's the only one that I trust and she can mow just as good as me.

The Wright-Way Lawn&Landscape

[Brickman]

Why any body would use homeowner trimmers and blowers is beyond me.

The only thing that I need to add to my dream set up is an enclosed trailer. And then of course have it all paid for.
Muskturfking, you might consider an enclosed trialer. The sun beating down on your equipment paint is pretty brutal, and can fade that nice shiny paint quick. And then you have a lockable garage where ever you go.

My set up is as follows.

Walker 25 hp ZTR
JD 21" WBs
Redmax trimmers, blowers
trimmer trap
blower trap
hand tools
16' trailer
and always have one of these, F 250 PS diesel, mine is a dark green that depending on how the sun hits it, can look blue, it always gets a lot of comments

[HOMER]

Everything I already have---------- paid for----------------that's good enough fer me.:)

As for people................I'd love to have somebody come in when I get done and clean everything, service, sharpen blades, clean the truck inside and out. Everyday would be a good day knowing I didn't have that to worry about.

Can't stand a dirty truck!:blob2:
Can't stand dull blades.:blob1:

I guess this is doable.........just need to find that right somebody willing to do it!

[stslawncare]

my dream setup....
well i would have 1 or two helpers. i would have a stakbe bed truck along with a 3/4 ton. i would have a 16' enclosed and a 14' open. i would have two ztrs and 3 walkbehinds, also 2 push mowers. i would keep both ztrs, 2 walkbehinds and 1 push mower on the trailer, rest would be at the shop.

[Doc Pete]

You're living in the dark ages, if you even consider the HC 1600's. Go for the Echo pole trimmers, you'll save your back, arms and make another $10/hours. I run one at the "2100" length" and the other at the "2400" length with the chainsaw extension. The "super 2400" is over 7 ft. tall.
Pete O'

[awm]

new lazer, hustler ,or dixie.new echo blower trimmer etc,028 stihl saw,echo 3000 saw. shindawa heavy brush cutter.new truck with heavy duty springs.heck just thinking about it ,except for the
new pt i got all this. hmm

[Tyner Lawn Service]

I'm thinking maybe a couple of girls that look like Brittney Spears would do just fine running the equipment!!!

[johnhenry]

Everything I have is paid for. Its all under two years old. And if I would expand any bigger I would need a helper.. Just like the rest of you. Its awful hard to try and get anyone who you can depend on. They want the monet but not the time. Two things I might consider later in the year would be a new Dodge Truck and maybe a new walker mower.

[SIG]

(2) 60" Exmark Lazers
(2) Shindaiwa Trimmers
(2) Shindaiwa Blowers
(1) Toro 52" Walk-behind
1999 F350 Super Duty Bright Red w/ 8' Western Plow
1990 F150 XLT w/ 7.5' Western Plow
Brown Bed Edger
16' Landscape Trailer
52'x 30'x 14' Pole Building- Starting 4/26/02
Last but not least (1) reliable employee

And I am just a part-time operation.

[Runner]

This reminds me of that post that this one person made of all the "equipment" that he owned. It was like three and four of everything, but had no one to even run it. They also had models of equipment documented that were brand new models released just this year, but yet, THEY had owned them for the past few years.:rolleyes: In all seriousness though, my dream setup? You can ditto Homer's thread. That's me.:cool:

[Joe W.]

Finding dependable help in any line of work is the hardest part of running a buisness. Sometimes the more you pay the less they work.

[The Lawn Choupique]

It would have to be a topless lawn service. You know like the topless carwash girls or the topless maid services. Of course they do not actually wash your car or clean your house. I have the business plan and the girls lined up but have not as of yet been able to secure a permit from the city. For some reason I have been meeting with resistance from our city leaders. Oh well, maybe there will be a change in the administration and more enlightened leaders will see the wisdom in my business model.

[65hoss]

Originally posted by The Lawn Choupique
It would have to be a topless lawn service. You know like the topless carwash girls or the topless maid services. Of course they do not actually wash your car or clean your house. I have the business plan and the girls lined up but have not as of yet been able to secure a permit from the city. For some reason I have been meeting with resistance from our city leaders. Oh well, maybe there will be a change in the administration and more enlightened leaders will see the wisdom in my business model.


You get some Cajun's daughter out there and you may never be seen again. :cry:

[BerksLawn]

-2003 Dodge 3500 hd crew cab dump with 9ft v plow and v spreader
-2003 Dodge 3500 hd Crew cab 18ft cab over
-6.5x16ft dump trailer with gate
-Dixie Chopper 72" with 50hp deisel
- Scagg 72" with 21 hp with dual wheels like Brickman has
-Walker 48" with 26 EFI
-Wright 48" Stander
-2 32" Exmark hydros with 2x velky and flex deck
- everything else Redmax
-2 helpers beside me and my dad
HMMM...I think we have to come along way to get there

[summitgroundskeeping]

I'll get my dream setup after I graduate from Purdue, but for now I want my same equipment and maybe 1 more w/b, but I want...

The perfect customers that pay on time, don't have dumb complains, tip, and are as nice to me as my favorite customers are. If I could have that setup, I would be the happiest guy on earth.

[crew]

Counter rotating 150's on a black fin 26 footer. cell phone, Visa card, cuban cigar with a Penn 50 and no land in sight.

[Brickman]

I like the topless plan. But the only thing that I would change is to have every thing paid for and a topless secretary for when I get home from a long days work.
I could handle the work then.

[coldbrook landscapin]

my equipment list :

1 1989 chevy 4x4 fisher plow
1 1993 chevy diesel 4x4 9ft fisher plow
1 1995 Gmc 1 ton diesel dump 9 ft fisher plow
1 1995 Gmc cabover 16ft box with ramp (for mowing equipment)
1 16 ft landscaping trailer
1 toro 54 walkbehind with sullie
1 toro 44 walkbehind
1 toro 21 mower 2 cycle
2 stihl trimmers
1 stihl backpacker blower
1 stihl hedge trimmer
1 shindaiwa power broom
1 kubota gf 1800 4x4 diesel with 54 mower deck with bagger
1 billy goat lawn vacumn
1 bsc rototiller and sweeper

[Jusmowin]

My dream set up:
3 3500 4 door short bed 4x4 chevy duramax trucks
2 7x20 gooseneck enclosed trailers
1 6x12 dump trailer
2 z350 toro front mount mowers
2 z250 toro mid mount mowers(62/26 efi)
4 toro commercial 21 inch mowers
4 ryan lawnair 5 aeraators
4 billy goats sp vacs
2 little wonder (9hp honda)push blowers
1 955 John Deere tractor w/ front loader and 5ft befco grooming mower
all STIHL 2cycle equipment ...trimmers,edgers,blowers, pole pruners,hedge trimmers ect ect .
100 to 120 full service year round residental accounts
6 good employees WHO DONT whine,run late,steal or are lazy and only do top quality work all the time .......but remember this is just a DREAM.

[jeffex]

Power Ball LOTTERY Winner!!!
Forrest Gump Retirement Plan without the snapper mower
Exmark lazer z 72 Gold Plated
Exmark lazer zhp 52 silver plated
trimming crew shindiawa or kawasaki equiped
32" toro w/ flexdeck platinum plated
21" lawnboy w/dupont spectrum paint job like jeff gordon had yrs ago for the WINSTON
Stihl br520 bikini clad blower crew
2k2 Silverado heavy duty
beer meister equiped landscape trailer

[dlandscaping]

2002 f550 xlt dump wit grain style body, 4*4 8.5 ft fisher v plow
2002 f350 xlt extended cab stake dump body 4*4 8.5 ft fisher v plow tool boxes under beds
2002 f350 xlt reg cab 4*4 with 8.5 fisher v plow
2002 f250 xlt ended cab 8ft bed 8ft fisher plow
wells cargo 8'*20' enclosed trailer
wells cargo 8*16 enclosed
8*16 ft open trailer all with trimmer traps for tools, blowers trimmers
2002 exmark lazer zhp52 peco vac
2002 60 inch lazer eps peco vac
2002 48inch tthp with elec start ecs trac vac
2002 36 inch tthp trac vac
2002 z350 (2)
2002 z250 62 with efi engine rear pto baggers
2002 toro hydro 52 with old style deck and trac vac
2002 toro 36 hydro elec start with trac vac
4 21 inch toro proline with suzuki engines
10 stihl weed wackers the new fs 250?? series
4 quick tach stihl weedwackers with pole trimmer, hedge trimmer articulated, edger and sweeper
3 stihl sweepers
2 stihl longreach trimmers
5 push blowers bg 1004
10 stilh 420s and 5 echo 605 for fall and spring
6 bluebird aerators and dethatchers
a sprayer rig
clip software
kubota tractor with attachments
853 bobcat
trailers for those
ill add more later

[Garry]

As a landscape specialist that does almost everything except mow.

I find I'm not too particular as long as it's done properly and it isn't me doing the mowing.

You know,.....................you'll never make a mistake and never have any mower problems..........................when you're not in charge of mowing.

I feel for you, my brothers.....................for I have mown many a lawn.

Has anyone ever used a *fly-mower*?..............................Now that's mowing! (man, you actually have fun.............for awhile anyway)

We had this huge, steep, nasty bank that had to be "cleaned up*.............(every 2 weeks during the heavy growth season). One day they bring in this cheap-looking thing that kind of looked like a mower................................little, tiny-ass engine......................no blades, but, a weed-wacker head. (heavy, heavy, line)

Start the engine, Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnggggggggg.......this bag on the bottom, fills with air........................and what do you know,......................the s.o.b. floats!

We used to tie a rope around the handle and send it 40 feet down area you could barely traverse. (Although, I will deny that story to anyone even remotely connected to OSHA)

But, when it comes to tough-ass mowing................Nothing beats sitting on a National for 12 straight hours.............stopping only for gas and the ass-chewing the superintendent always seemed to have about your mowing preformance.

To this day.............................everytime I tie my shoes, I smile.

Because, I've got both my feet and all my toes!

[AndyL]

One of the big outfits I saw last year, had a SWEET rig, I'd kill for it...

It was a CrewCab GM Topkick flatdeck/dump, with a side ramp (to passenger side) held a trio of walkers, push mowers normal LM equipment, but the sweet part was the side dumping Dump Box, the walkers would just drive up the ramp, back up to the very front of the deck part, and could dump straight into the dump box...

Talk about time savings!

Saw it at the dump too, where it took me a few minutes to unhook the trailer, back in, dump. He just pulled along side the dumpground, never even had to get out of the truck, Up the dump box went, out went the grass, off he drove!

Andy