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How come large commercial landscape companies use belt driven walk behinds?

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MooseMan89

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hi guys,

I noticed the vast majority of really large landscape maintenance companies around here use Toro Belt driven walk behinds with floating decks.
To be exact... They use the Toro 52" walk behind with T bar handles and 18 hp Kawasaki and a floating deck.
My question is, why do these large companies that maintain large warehouses, churches, fields, schools, etc use these machines? Why would they use a belt drive? A hydro is far more efficient. They clearly are not going with the belt drive because of price. I inquired about this model at the local Toro dealer and I was quoted with $6,400 plus tax!!! For a belt drive!!! Scag has the same features plus HYDRO for only $300 more around here!!! And you can get the toro Z master with the 52 deck for $7,200!!!

This is what they use.. And they put a sulky behind it..

http://media.toro.com/PublishingImages/ProductCatalog440X510/30079lce_30079_md30099_34r_193520.jpg
 
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#2 ·
Its far more costly to repair a hydro than belt drive after some of the boneheads they have working for them use them.
 
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#4 ·
You would be shocked at how many landscapers have never used hydro walkbehinds. I had one just last weekend looking at my scag hydro 52. He had never used one! There are many who believe hydro's cost more to maintain and run. But its simply not true. A belt drive has many more moving parts and a transmission. All of which are more problematic. I have over 3500 hours on one of my scag hydro's with original pumps and motors. Not to mention the hydro's are much easier on the body and have a true reverse.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#5 ·
Yeah my Walk behinds aren't the newest...Just Maintained well... Havent purchased a new one in over 5 years..
Cheaper i say... You can replace the whole belt drive system in 2 hours for less than what one hydro pump replacement will cost. If a wheel motor goes bad you need a complete whole new system most of the time. If something goes wrong in the field the crew leader SHOULD be able to fix with the common replacement parts/ tools in the trailer.
We have 4 WB's all Exmarks.. 3 of them have to have over 1500 hours on them...Never replaced anything..ORIGINAL belts. (Now watch they're going to burst tomorrow)
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
We have 4 WB's all Exmarks.. 3 of them have to have over 1500 hours on them...Never replaced anything..ORIGINAL belts. (Now watch they're going to burst tomorrow)[/QUOTE]

HAHAHAHA :laugh:!!! This is hilarious! But I know what you mean!!
 
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#7 ·
i love how people are always so quick to slam hydros because of how expensive they are to repair. while this may be true, how often do they really fail? I have both a Z and Hydro WB, and never even change the filter on it (maybe been 3 years or so, knock on wood). They have been in service for nearly 6 years and get hammered hard. Before I got the hydro wb, I had a belt drive metro. Talk about a nightmare, belt drives are garbage compared to hydros...
 
#10 ·
MooseMan89 said:
We have 4 WB's all Exmarks.. 3 of them have to have over 1500 hours on them...Never replaced anything..ORIGINAL belts. (Now watch they're going to burst tomorrow)
Click to expand...
HAHAHAHA :laugh:!!! This is hilarious! But I know what you mean!![/QUOTE]

I think we are hearing about a miracle if you can go 1500hrs and not have any problems. What engine do they have on them?
 
#11 ·
They do cost more to repair if you hire bozo's to operate them.
That said, I have more problems with my belt drives and they only get used sporadically.
My hydro WB's never give me any trouble.
A belt drive WB is a big pain in the forearms.
I remember an old timer telling me to stick to belt drives when I first started.
Just goes to show you gotta be careful who you take advice from.
A TRUE reverse is worth it's weight in GOLD.
Now for my opinion........
All hydro WB's should be 36", just to get into back yards.
Anything over that and the Z will take over and be much faster.
 
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#12 ·
Hydro should last longer without problems. You couldn't pay me to use a belt drive.
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#13 ·
cgaengineer said:
Hydro should last longer without problems. You couldn't pay me to use a belt drive.
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I've never used a belt drive, but after buying my hydro and being able to "back and forth" it around obstacles as quickly and easily as if using a 21" push mower, I shudder to think about using something that merely "assists" you in backing up.

Eff that.

As to the OP's question, I'd guess it has more to do with use by "workers", as opposed to owner/operators.
 
#15 ·
Kkane97 said:
Not to hijack your thread, but everyone always says that a hydro has "true" reverse... What is the difference between a hydros reverse and a belt drives reverse? I have never driven a complete belt drive just 2 different gear drives
Click to expand...
A belt drive does not have reverse. You either have to physically pull the mower backwards, or you can slide the speed selector into R, but it still requires you to pull on the mower.

Hydro is instantaneous, and requires no physical effort to go in reverse.
 
#16 ·
Jeez, I couldnt imagine fighting a 52" beltdrive around here. I have a 36" beltdrive and I hate using the damn thing. I cannot Imagine why those companies would go beltdrive.
 
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#17 ·
I cant saay i have the brightest guys on the crew....Maybe thats why i have belt drivens(?)

When ever i use Walk behind i NEVER shift into reverse...Not even when coming off the trailer. (unless im being REALLLYYY lazy) Once on the lawn i always feel its easier/ quicker to just pull the machine opposed to shifting back and forth.. Even when im on the jungle wheels.
 
Discussion starter · #18 ·
I guess I should have worded my question better.. I wasn't asking why these companies were using belt drives in general... But more so, why are they using THIS particular belt drive (The Toro Proline 52" w/ floating deck)? What's so great about this machine that they're willing to spend on it just as much as they would on a hydro, yet it's belt driven.. It just doesn't make sense.. They can buy a Snapper Pro or Ferris 52 hydro with floating deck with the same money they're putting on the Toro belt drive..

If maintenance is the reason (like what you guys have been saying) then why wouldn't they use other brands like Bobcat, Scag, or Exmark? They can get a belt drive walk behind from any of these brands and it would cost far less than a Toro (Toros are extremely overpriced in GA).
 
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#19 ·
Hawkshot99 said:
A belt drive does not have reverse. You either have to physically pull the mower backwards, or you can slide the speed selector into R, but it still requires you to pull on the mower.

Hydro is instantaneous, and requires no physical effort to go in reverse.
Click to expand...
Oh wow I never knew that While looking for the mower I have now I was looking at a few belt drives glad I didnt get one, I always use reverse of my JD but its gear driven ( tranny to wheels) only belt to go forwards is off the motor to tranny. Learn something everyday!
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Discussion starter · #20 ·
Kkane97 said:
Oh wow I never knew that While looking for the mower I have now I was looking at a few belt drives glad I didnt get one, I always use reverse of my JD but its gear driven ( tranny to wheels) only belt to go forwards is off the motor to tranny. Learn something everyday!
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Yours isn't gear driven then.. It's a hydro.. Belt drive and gear drive are the same thing.. What you have is hydro with transaxle.. It doesn't have a hydro pump and a wheel motor.. It has a unitized transaxle where the hydro pump and wheel motor are built together.. That's how my John Deere is, and that's how many newer hydro machines are being made..
 
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