36" VS 48" Walk Behind

[Smartgene]

Should i purchase a 36 or 48 inch walk behind? Pros and cons of both. My initial thinking is that I want the 48 for the productivity. However, I'm wondering if a 48 will fit into a back yard through a standard gate?

[rkbrown]

Where I am, a 36" won't fit through a standard gate. I've gotta go with a 32". If you can fit a 48 through a standard gate, I envy you.

[wesLESCO48]

I remember reading an older post where a guy can
jockey a 48'' walk through a narrow gate, but i think
the gate opening would have to be 40'' or bigger
because I've tried this on a 36'' gate and despite my
efforts i could not make it through. Try doing a search
with (48 gate) and i think you will find the post.
As far as the 36 vs. 48 i would think the 48 would
save time due to the larger cutting path as well as
it's ability to trim around trees easier because of
the deck width compared to the wheel base.
One thing good about a 36 is it can fit in alot
of spaces a 48 cannot. If your decide you can use
a 48 you may also want to look into 52 because
every little bit helps. You may also want to look
into a 32 or 36 and get a flex deck installed on it
this would give you a 50 or 54 inch deck with
18'' that will fold up to get through gates.
Do a search on flex deck i think you will find
it's a neat invention.

[geogunn]

if your market requires that you fit through gates of 32 or 36 inches, then the mower you choose will forever be handicapped in terms of production on every property that doesn't have a narrow gate.

it is possible to wiggle a 48 through a slightly smaller gate depending on whether there are other obstructions on either side of the gate opening. I used to do a property where if I pulled the gate I could get in and I could pull the gate in about a minute.

GEO

[Turf Technologies]

Yeah I jockey my 48 inch in narrow gates.Here what i do, back the machine in the gate.Have you left back wheel behind the left metal pole and your right front wheel infront of the right pole.Then push down on the machine, the front wheel will now come behind the left pole then slowly hold the right trigger in and back it up.Same idea to get it out.The idea is to have the rear tires on the side where the gate fits on to the pole.


Another idea is to slide the fence down by unscrewing it from the pole then ride right under.

[Scotlawncare]

smartgene,

IS this mower going to be your first commercial mower? I do know that standart gates around here is 36" I would start out with a 36" and then save up and get a 52" next. I currently run a 48" exmark metro and have probs with gates on a few properties. I have to carry a push mower to handle those untill i can pay cash for a 36" mower.

bit of advice, Pay cash for what ever you buy. If you cant do that at first, make due with what you have till you can pay cash for it. A inexpensive commercial mower like these will not take long to save the money to buy. 2200 for the 36" and 26-2900 for the 48 new.

Scot

[Smartgene]

Hi Scot,

Yes, this will be my first commercial mower and I'm so anxious to buy it. I've had to turn down several large jobs because I can't handle them with 21's. In fact, I just did an estimate on a large property yesterday. If they accept the bid, I'm going to work my rear end off trying to cut it with the 21's. I guess that's the price I have to pay until I save more. Why are you so anti-financing? The payment estimater on the 36" is like $40 a month?

[Tony Harrell]

Cash is the best policy, especially just starting out. I know it's a catch 22, but you never know what may happen and if your equipment is paid for, it won't matter much what does happen. If you're like me, I had all kinds of notions about this business and how it would happen, until I found this website (I've learned through the mistakes of others). Even still, the experience I've gained since starting is invaluable. Your situation will dictate if financing is a viable option. Just be very careful and don't get in over your head.

[AielLandscaping]

i too had to struggle with the decision of 32" vs 36" because of gates... so what i did was took a piece of pvc pipe, cut it down to 36" and made a mark at 32" on it.. then i carried my pipe with me to all the houses that i do and tried to touch both sides of the gate with the pipe.. i got the measurements for all of my houses and found that i could get a 36" mower into all but about 5 gates so odds of 70-5 the other gates that a 36 couldn't get into, only 2 would let a 32" in and not a 36" , so for me a 36" and a 21" seems the best way to go... so measure your properties you might be surprised:eek:

[Scotlawncare]

Originally posted by Smartgene
Hi Scot,

If they accept the bid, I'm going to work my rear end off trying to cut it with the 21's. I guess that's the price I have to pay until I save more. Why are you so anti-financing? The payment estimater on the 36" is like $40 a month?

That is exactly what i did at first when i started out. worked my butt off cutting yards with two 21's. one of the yards was an 1 1/2 acre yard.

I'm dead set against financing esp on a mower that only costs 2-3000 is because in this type of business you can make that in one month easy. i cut 6 small yards today before i went to my reg job and billed out 170 bucks. All my equipment is paid for. so this is either money in my pocket or money towards more equipment. why pay someone else a finance rate when you can save the money and pay cash which makes the equipment cheaper in the long run. plus you get the full price of the mower as a tax right off. 40 a month is one yard a month. on a mower that cost 2000 that's paying on it for like 5 years. that mower will end up costing you about 3 thousand. hmm if you would have paid cash, that extra thousand could have bought a stihl blower, 400, a stihl weedeater 300, and almost a stihl stick edger 350. Now do you see my point.

Sorry i got long winded.
Scot

[scottb]

I would save up for the 52" but thats my opinon. I use a Toro Proline 48". I have no compliants with this mower it is durable but I wish I had a 52" I think the 52" makes a nicer stripe. But as too your question at the least pick the 48 you should be able to demo one of each and as you will learn time is everything in this business.

[Doogiegh]

For me, I bought a $1.99 or $2.99 small metal tape measure that attaches to my key chain from Home Depot. There are in their "Tape Measure" Section. I put it on the key chain and when estimating a big, it's real easy to measure the gate width to make sure everything is gonna be oky doky.

Gary

[PWM]

Just to give you fellows a heads up, we will have a 48" WB that will fit through a true 34" gate available by the end of the year and if development goes as planned you will be able to check it out at the OPEI show in Louisville. Stop by and let me know what you think of it.

Paul
Hustler Turf Equip.

[Tony Harrell]

Paul!!! Get off this board and get to work!!! Just kidding, LOL. I'm looking forward to seeing the new mower. Something like that would seem to be in demand if it were available and engineered well.

[Smartgene]

Thanks for all the great responses. Scott, I do know what you are saying about the extra 1k in interest. However, I could probalby bring in a lot more work, and subsequently money, if I had the bigger mower. I think the added productivity would more than pay for 1 k in interest over 48 months. However, I'm going to ponder quite a lot more.
Let me ask if the floating deck is a lot better than the fixed. Seems to cost about $500 more.

[rkbrown]

Paul, that would be tremendous.

[Scotlawncare]

Originally posted by Smartgene
However, I could probalby bring in a lot more work, and subsequently money, if I had the bigger mower. I think the added productivity would more than pay for 1 k in interest over 48 months.

What happens if you don't get those yards? you still have to pay that note. A bigger mower will add to your productivity but man that 1000 in interest you will pay will not be worth giving to a bank or loan company. give it to a dealer for more equipment. look for a good cheaper used mower if you have to but man don't finance a walkbehind if you don't have to.



Originally posted by Smartgene
Let me ask if the floating deck is a lot better than the fixed. Seems to cost about $500 more.

on a 48" or bigger deck mower a floating deck IS alot better than the fixed. on a 36" your wasting your money on a floating deck. I have a fixed 48" and often wish it was floating going over some yards that have bumps or other areas that my mower tends to scalp or leave grass tall.

You did state that this would be your first mower. depending on your size of yards i would buy a 36" to start with. belt drive fixed deck exmark metro would be good. some areas have a special for this mower for 2k. check your dealer. if you go bigger and finance it :cry: then get a 52" or 48" exmark turf tracer hydro floating deck with ECS. EXCELENT MOWER.

Shoot me an email if you have anyother questions

Scot

[Smartgene]

Hey Scot,

I don't get this boards email hookup. Will you send me an email and I'll respond.


smartgene@aol.com

[Smartgene]

Lately I'm leaning toward the 36 because it is cheaper and will get into the backyards. Most of my accounts are of the back yard gate type. I'd love to have a 52 so I felf comfortable taking on the large jobs, but a 36 will get them done too, right? I'll go with fixed deck as Scott suggested - advanced steering or pistols?

[scottb]

Go with the advanced steering. I dont know if you could call T-Bar steering advanced but I sure perfer it over pistols,it is one of the easiest to learn and very safe to operate in my opinon any way. You number one thing to do is demo as many as possible and find one your comfortable with.

[Scotlawncare]

Originally posted by Smartgene
Lately I'm leaning toward the 36 because it is cheaper and will get into the backyards. Most of my accounts are of the back yard gate type. I'd love to have a 52 so I felf comfortable taking on the large jobs, but a 36 will get them done too, right? I'll go with fixed deck as Scott suggested - advanced steering or pistols?

Yes the 36 will get them done but will take you just a few mins longer. which is no big deal. On the pistol grips vers ECS on Exmark. go with ECS. Pistols will kill your wrists after time. If you can demo an exmark with ECS. If you can DEMO any unit before you buy it.

Scot