Ground Maintenance and Mower Recommendations

Dano762

Dano762

PR Addict
I currently mow about 17 acres. I use a combination of a 35 year old tractor with a pull behind 60" finish mower and an Exmark Vantage stand on mower with a 52" deck.

The tractor is not the most reliable but I also use it to drag stuff, till, and bush hog. Start to finish takes about 7-8 hours when the tractor is running. A pull behind mower is not fast or very efficient. Mowing all of it standing up on the Exmark beats my knees and wrists up a lot but is faster.

I can't afford a new tractor that is as big as the old Massey Ferguson - more than $30K.

The Exmark is just a few years old and I would sell it to buy a big Zero turn to mow everything.

Questions
  • Recommendations for a 60" deck versus 72" - have heard pros and cons.
  • How is a zero turn when cutting high/thick grass?
  • Any brand recommentations - looking at another Exmark, a John Deere, or a SCAG.
  • Does anyone have experience with the smaler class tractor 28-30HP with a mid-mount mower and a front loader - not sure how useful a small front loader will be. I think the zero turn will be much more productive than a tractor with a mid-mount mower and is at least 40% less money.
Thanks

Dan
 
for that kind of acreage i would be going zero turn for sure. they are pretty much only good for cutting grass though so don't expect to be able to do much else with it.

i have a simplicity legacy xl w/ 60" (mid mount) deck and the FEL they make for it is a joke. $4k and 500lb lifting capacity.. i'd rather buy a dedicated machine for that $$.
 
Bill480 said:
for that kind of acreage i would be going zero turn for sure. they are pretty much only good for cutting grass though so don't expect to be able to do much else with it.

i have a simplicity legacy xl w/ 60" (mid mount) deck and the FEL they make for it is a joke. $4k and 500lb lifting capacity.. i'd rather buy a dedicated machine for that $$.
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Thanks - that is the way i am leaning. I looked at some of the FEL loaders in the small tractors - nice for cleaning out stables and hauling mulch around but more of a power wheelbarrow than anything else.

I would keep the old tractor for bush hogging and other stuff.
 
What kind of land is the 17 acres...ever think about leasing the 17 acres to a hay farmer or something? My fiances dad does that for his back 20 acres....works out for him because he gets some money and they cut it a few times a year.
 
We started with a 52" Ferris, and now we have a 72" Ferris too.......no question, bigger is better, like twice as fast. I should have bought the big one first. Better seat, better suspension, and runs way better. We mow around same area roughly, used to take a few evenings. I can mow it all in an evening. Seems like about 3-4 hours pending how tall I let it get, or if its damp/wet. My gues is that the 60" is probably 1.5 times fast than the 48-52" category mower if the 72" is twice as fast as the 48-52". Just my thoughts on it.
 
Old file photos...
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I've had the 25 HP Boomer for 15 years now. Once you get a loader you'll wonder how you survived without it. The tractor is a hydrostat and did well with a 6' rear finish mower. I also towed a 5' Swisher powered mower behind to give over 10' total. But the first time out on the 5' Ferris zero turn and I cut my mowing time in half. The Ferris with a 27 HP Kawasaki cuts well but it's a finish mower and no bush hog. It'll cut too tall field stuff if it's real dry but with moisture the deck can clog, stop and burn a belt. Tall lawn grass will cut just fine wet. If I didn't have so many tight spaces around and between things, I'd have a 6' zero turn to save even more time. And get hitch for the mower to tote stuff around. But it's a slow way to get to the races!
 
I mow 30 acres of old corn field. Not real level, a lot of old row humps. I use to pull a 84" woods finish mower. Way to slow! Now I have a Country Clipper Zero Turn, Joy Stick operated ,72" Deck, 38HP Kawasaki. Max speed 11 mph.
 
GeorgiePorgie said:
What kind of land is the 17 acres...ever think about leasing the 17 acres to a hay farmer or something? My fiances dad does that for his back 20 acres....works out for him because he gets some money and they cut it a few times a year.
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I've done that before and worked out pretty good. I let them cut hay for free. Last few years I have just been cutting it and using to ride and walk the hounds on.

I actually really like cutting grass. It is kinda my time to zone out from work and other stuff.
 
BriarcliffMx said:
We started with a 52" Ferris, and now we have a 72" Ferris too.......no question, bigger is better, like twice as fast. I should have bought the big one first. Better seat, better suspension, and runs way better. We mow around same area roughly, used to take a few evenings. I can mow it all in an evening. Seems like about 3-4 hours pending how tall I let it get, or if its damp/wet. My gues is that the 60" is probably 1.5 times fast than the 48-52" category mower if the 72" is twice as fast as the 48-52". Just my thoughts on it.
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Perfect thanks. This is the way I plan to go. A couple of dealers told me to stay away from the 72" because of scalping but I am knocking down grass and not perfecting a lawn.

Thanks for the answers everyone.
 
Ferris makes a great ZT mower. I have the 61" deck and it blitzes my 5+ acres and a zillion trees and a pond to navigate. The suspension is nice on the old back too! My Kubota with a mid-mount takes TWICE as long and it's a real PITA around the trees.

Plus, my wife would never ride the tractor to mow my place. Got the Ferris and she lives to mow....now I am sitting back, sipping a cold beer and watching her pretty things bounce as she does the lawn in a bikini to catch a tan. Winning!!!
 
Exmark is the way to go. We get the fleet pricing and run a dozen or so. The 72 is underpowered unless you get diesel power. The 60 EFI is way more versatile. It will cut like a champ and not be underpowered. You can buy an aftermarket chute to avoid clippings where you don't want them. Otherwise just let it fly.
You can also get an awesome cut for the high profile areas. Believe it or not the 60 will gobble grass as fast as the 72 because you always run into wet, long or thick grass and have to slow down with the 72. Unless you get the diesel,
 
Dano762

I believe of all zero turn mowers, the 72" still uses the same motor as the 60". So it somewhat becomes a horsepower thing. In your original post you were concerned with tall grass, and by getting more deck footage the 72 would be underpowered as compared to the 60. At work we demo'ed nearly every make and ended up with the Hustler because it had the most stout/well built deck and front wheel design. Most companies all utilize the Kawasaki motor. Not 100% sure on the pumps, though. Zero turns are even made with fold up wings now...something like 104"?
 
Why are you mowing that much acreage? Plant trees, they're cheap from the local extension
agent most counties. Cut them down every 15-20 years for firewood, lumber.
 
I have a low hour turf tiger with a 61" deck and 25 hp Kawasaki .
Bought a riding mower cause the kid wants to cut grass. Don't want him on the zero turn yet.

I will come up with a price. I paid 12,500.90?
 
MX099 said:
I mow 30 acres of old corn field. Not real level, a lot of old row humps. I use to pull a 84" woods finish mower. Way to slow! Now I have a Country Clipper Zero Turn, Joy Stick operated ,72" Deck, 38HP Kawasaki. Max speed 11 mph.
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I can fix you 30 acres of field. Let me stop by with my dozer,
If you cut the grass just below the root line and then put it in piles spaced out around your yard. Ride motocross on them. You do not have to cut them.

I went from 5 acres of grass to about 2. Less than an hour on turf tiger.
 
GeorgiePorgie said:
That's what it takes me to do 1.2 acres. Weed trimming and all.

That's some efficiency you got going on there!!!
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With my zero turn, I have almost eliminated weed trimming. .....almost...but I have a chemical solution for a good portion that I would normally need to trim with a weed trimmer.
 
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