Homeowner ZTR, Tractor and mower discussion thread

[phscotty]

Matt42 it's your money spend it how you want. I went overkill also and bought an x-one for just over an acre of grass. Try and get a couple of demo rides.
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[Capemay Eagle]

Originally Posted by darryl gesner

It seems that I never see mention of the Bob-Cat FastCat RZ. It's basically their commercial mower with a Briggs engine, smaller wheel motors (10 cc) and I think a different seat and maybe a few other subtle differences. I've never used one but even some of the pros around here are running them and I mean good sized well established companies. Bob-Cats are pretty popular where I am and they give a very nice cut. Worth checking out if you have a dealer near you.

http://www.bobcatturf.com/fastcat-rz...ing-mower.aspx

I mention the Fast Cat RZ all the time! Go back a few pages, I did a full post on the Bob Cat mowers!

[Capemay Eagle]

Originally Posted by matt42

so this is going to sound like overkill but i'm going to ask anyway...
first mower purchase

1/2 acre residential lawn a few landscaping things but nothing crazy yet.

I've looked at Hustler XEON, Simplicity zt4000 26/48, scag freedom Z with briggs 26 and 52 deck, simplicity zt2000 (entry level one). and the basic simplicty tractor (cheap one)

I drove a friends badboy 60" but liked the simplicity's better.

so while it may be overkill to spend in the 5000 to 6000 range for a zero turn, the pricier ones seem much better built than the $3000 ones.

The seat on the scag was like a lazy boy.

There is no such thing as overkill, unless you really go to far and get a Super Z! You have the right attitude and if you can spend a little more, you will gain allot! I really don't think you need a 52" or 60", but if your yard will allow it a 48" would be a great deck to go with. A well rounded machine for you would be a Fastrak 48" they run about $4999.00 I believe, but prices vary state to state, this was my last quote on a 2010 Fastrak with a Kawi engine and that was out of Delaware.

I have about 3/4 acre and I have a 42" Fastrak Superduty and it is perfect! I found this machine and it had been a left over from 09. I got a great deal on it and saved thousands! If you are willing to spend close to 6K, a Hustler Fastrak 42" Super duty would be a great machine for you! The new ones have a Kawasaki FX 20hp engine and ZT3100's hydrogear tranny's. This mower is built to last. These are all 2000+hour parts. My unit is a left over, it has the Kawasaki 19hp FH Kai engine, I can only imagine that the FX is even better on the 2011 models.

You also looked at the Freedom Z and that would be another good machine and it is a very popular mower around here. Many happy owners on here but again, I think a 48" with the Kawasaki engine would be the way to go.

Originally Posted by matt42

Well the way it was explained to me by the dealer was that...

the transmission in the $3000 ZTR had a lab expected lifespan of 200 hours,

I find this hard to believe and I am going to research this, but if you are referring to an EZT transmission lasting 200 hours, I am not buying it. My guess would be 500 to 1000 hours if not more!

[Pierre]

I'm also a homeowner with 39 acres and 16 of it in Timothey and Fescue.
I typically cut it all every 10 days, but this spring in montana is a very wet one and the long range forecast from the Farmer's Almanac and NOAH is for a very wet spring and summer. We're currently flooding in a lot of areas, so...........

The grass is growing much faster than the norm and it's often wet. I have this little machine I've been using to mow that acreage and its usually fast, like maybe 20 to 25 minutes per acre.



So myu question is, can I cut grass that's moderately wet without harming the grass, and will this mower have any problems with wet grass?
Thanks for any advice

Pierre

[Capemay Eagle]

Originally Posted by Pierre

I'm also a homeowner with 39 acres and 16 of it in Timothey and Fescue.
I typically cut it all every 10 days, but this spring in montana is a very wet one and the long range forecast from the Farmer's Almanac and NOAH is for a very wet spring and summer. We're currently flooding in a lot of areas, so...........

The grass is growing much faster than the norm and it's often wet. I have this little machine I've been using to mow that acreage and its usually fast, like maybe 20 to 25 minutes per acre.



So myu question is, can I cut grass that's moderately wet without harming the grass, and will this mower have any problems with wet grass?
Thanks for any advice

Pierre

Awesome machine! I have never seen one of them! Generally Walkers mowers are used by Professionals, hopefully you can get some feedback if any LCO's browse through here that have experience with your mower. There are lots of guys that own walkers and have nothing but great things to say!

Good question about damaging your grass by cutting it wet, but really the big problems with cutting wet or soaked grass is rutting and spinning out which will tear up the turf.

[Pierre]

Thanks for the reply. I posted this in the wrong forum. I re-posted it in the homeowner's forum.
Thanks

P

[avguy]

Pierre.....great looking mower! Send us some of your rain........

[Capemay Eagle]

Originally Posted by avguy

Pierre.....great looking mower! Send us some of your rain........

Yeah no kidding! I was just out for an hour and a half watering everything! All the plants and small trees are all wilting. If it is this bad now, I hate to see what July and August bring! We have been surrounded by storms for the last two days, but we just cannot get a direct hit!!

[avguy]

Same here! We did get a direct hit here tonight (1st since late May) but it came down so hard & fast there's no way it could be of real benefit........we'll take it though!

[Pierre]

Thanks, gents, and I'd love to send you as much rain as you need.
The long range NOAAH and Old Farmers Almanac shows that weird whatevertheheck it is set up off the northern west coast and we're looking at another wet summer here. Looks like I'll be mowing between storms most of it. I'm sure glad I bought that 60" deck.

Pierre