what are your opinions on a 72in deck

[santafe]

I am relying more on our lawn care business to meet our family living needs. I am considering ways to increase my ability to do more in a days time. will a 72in deck be able to provide a decent cut. I have been looking at dixie chopper, john deere and grasshopper.

[The Rookie]

If you cut all your lawns on the transport setting, 5 inches, the cut is nice, 4 is ok, 3 and below you leave gouge marks in the turf when you hit uneven ground.

[a plus bob]

Can you say SCALP !!The deck digs in and cuts up any uneven spots. Never owned one but tried a 72 inch grasshopper on a 14 acre cemetery and hated it.

[TimsLawnCareVA]

Buy a 60" Super Z. It will save you lots of time!

[jtkplc]

72" decks don't automatically equal scalping.

I've ran a 60" Lazer Z XS for a couple of years, then a 66" Lazer Z for another year or so, and then just bought a 72" XS last August. The 72" has it's limitations and there are obvious places you shouldn't take it. So much of using the 72" decks are operator skill. Knowing how to make the 72" deck work and knowing how to approach different situations are the biggest things to learn. I use the 72" in as many places as I can and I rarely have a scalp mark.

Now if you want a high productivity deck and no scalping worries check out a 73" Lastec. I demo'ed one this summer and the cut was great. My review of the Lastec is in my signature.

[N.TX]

Get a helper

[jbell36]

depends on the yards...if you are doing mostly residential i wouldn't go over 60" even though i still think that's too wide

[topsites]

Two things come to mind...
What's the biggest you've ever used?

Because speaking for myself, I wouldn't be for going from say a 36" straight to a 72"
However, if you've used a 60" before then it should be all right...
Otherwise I'd try a 48" and then a 60" first, as was said...

My own experience, going from a 48" to a 60" was a BIG change.
It does take practice, to be sure.

The other thing is, will a 6-foot wide deck fit in your trailer?

[MONTE]

Just about the only thing we use is 72" mowers! Do not have a problem with cut only high center them in a ditch once in awhile which can be done with a 60" as well!

Personally would stay away from Dixie that company is in trouble from the looks of things! Got a bobcat dealer up there?

[Razorblades]

Originally Posted by santafe

I am relying more on our lawn care business to meet our family living needs. I am considering ways to increase my ability to do more in a days time. will a 72in deck be able to provide a decent cut. I have been looking at dixie chopper, john deere and grasshopper.

I agree with jtkplc about the Lastec 73" mower. Check out their website to see how their articulating decks work. I have a 61" Lastec and it doesn't have hardly any of the scalping/gouging issues that the other brands can typically have in certain conditions.

I know a guy where I live that has a large estate and mows about 16 acres. He saw how my mower worked and after demo'ing a 72" model Lastec with Kubota diesel engine, bought one and parked his 72" Gravely diesel mower, after using the Lastec. He is pretty particular about the look of his grass and was alot happier with how the lastec's deck left alot more accurate cut in the uneven and contoured parts of his estate. He has been pleased with it and bought (added) another one this year.