NOT a professional here. Mow for free !!! [Archive] - LawnSite.com™

saxambc2

09-22-2010, 08:23 PM

Gents,
(and ladies)
First off, as printed above, I am not a professional landscaper. However, I DO take care of a rather large lot at a volunteer fire company in Western Pennsylvania. I mow between 12 and 15 acres of a parking lot and a large open grass field. (actually more weeds than grass) That being said my company is concidering replacing the equipment we mow with. Currently we utilize a 30 h.p. New Holland tractor with a 72" belly mower and a front end loader. We also use a 12' flex wing mower that was made during the mesazoic period. Seriously there isn't even a brand or model on the thing. What I am looking for is opinions on what brand of tractor you guys (and girls...not trying to be gender biased) use day in and dayout with no problems. I have no complaints about the N.H. other than the fact it is too small to run the equipment I am looking at. ( a 15' rotary cutter). Also, what brand of attatchments, Woods, J.D. etc... do you use. Any info or experience you may have will be helpful. Thanks in advance.
Eric

DitchDr

09-24-2010, 05:37 PM

Why not look into a toolcat by bob cat. You can get a 7ft mower for the front, even has A/C and heat.

georgiagrass

09-25-2010, 11:32 PM

Use day in and day out ... "with no problems?" Hahahahahahahaha

johnroscoe

09-27-2010, 03:26 PM

I'd stick with a tractor available locally- your always going to have some level of service, even if it's just PM, look for someone that can keep you in parts and do the work if you need it.

I'm a big fan of Woods rotary cutters- check out the DS1260. It's marketed as a rough cut mower, but we use it on athletic fields just fine. Very little maintenance and very little to break. I'd stay away from the triple decks if you're worried about maintenance. Too much upfront cost and not worth it to take care of.

LibertyFarmLandscaping

09-27-2010, 10:06 PM

Gents,
(and ladies)
First off, as printed above, I am not a professional landscaper. However, I DO take care of a rather large lot at a volunteer fire company in Western Pennsylvania. I mow between 12 and 15 acres of a parking lot and a large open grass field. (actually more weeds than grass) That being said my company is concidering replacing the equipment we mow with. Currently we utilize a 30 h.p. New Holland tractor with a 72" belly mower and a front end loader. We also use a 12' flex wing mower that was made during the mesazoic period. Seriously there isn't even a brand or model on the thing. What I am looking for is opinions on what brand of tractor you guys (and girls...not trying to be gender biased) use day in and dayout with no problems. I have no complaints about the N.H. other than the fact it is too small to run the equipment I am looking at. ( a 15' rotary cutter). Also, what brand of attatchments, Woods, J.D. etc... do you use. Any info or experience you may have will be helpful. Thanks in advance.
Eric

You might want to consider a demo of a 72" Zero Turn mower if you are mowing the property routinely and is relatively flat. Ex: every 2 to 3 weeks. Unless you are looking to use a tractor for other projects you could probably buy the ZTR cheaper and get the job done faster.

If the property is rough I would recommend demoing a Badboy Lightning or a Ferris both with suspension to give a smoother ride.

White Gardens

09-28-2010, 08:22 AM

I know simplicity now makes a very smalll utility tractor that has a belly mower on it, a bucket, and a three point hitch.

Might be something to consider.

I agree with the above post though, a dedicated 72inch zero turn would be a good investment time wise.

Dixie Chopper makes front springer forks, and a suspension seat for their mowers. That makes a huge difference on ride in rough terrain.