[Kustrud]

Alright, so I sold my house and we close on a house next month on 1.6 acres. I previously reel mowed my 7k square foot lawn but am not going to have the time to do that here so the Tru-Cut is going up for sale.

I would love a commercial grade unit, I am familiar with the various hydro trans-axles and the differences between consumer/commercial - but I literally just need something that cuts quick and cuts nicely so don't want to spend a ton of money.

I know I can buy used commercial, but I don't want to spend $2k-$3k or more on something with 900 hours that looks like hell if a brand new residential unit will serve me just as well.

It'll be an hour of cutting 1-2 times a week on a pretty flat yard, one mild hill.

So, the John Deere z345m has some great reviews and feels good. Any thoughts on that one, or anyone with particular experience? Husqvarna or Cub have any other offerings? Are there any residential models around $2,600 that do not have the EZT hydros and have something more robust?

Any help is appreciated!

 

[Kustrud]

Or maybe a good commercial walk behind 30"??

 

[MasterMech]

Do you really want to ditch reels altogether? (Say it ain't so! :lol.

There are riding solutions to reel mowing.

 

[Kustrud]

Do you really want to ditch reels altogether? (Say it ain't so! :lol.

There are riding solutions to reel mowing.

No, I don't haha! But I don't want to cut grass every three days anymore with a yard this big. I'll miss it for sure, but I have a lot more home stuff and yard stuff to spend time on as well now.

I'd love a riding reel, but that's some serious $$$!!

 

[social port]

I see a lot of pros using Gravely, but Gravely also has models for residential consumers.
If you haven't looked into that option, you might want to - if nothing else you can compare with JD in terms of price and features.

 

[TigerinFL]

I had a Bobcat Predator 61" I bought on line from a dealer up north. even with shipping I saved thousands. Had a 33hp Generac engine and I cut 5 acres per week with it. Zero problems and it came with a 5 year warranty.

 

[Paul]

Take a look at the Bad boy brand zero turns. I have experience with the MZ model. It's marketed as a home owner model. The fully welded deck is thicker than the stamped decks. If your new yard is sandy, this might be something you want to consider. Tractor Supply carries the brand here in SC as well as some other dealers.

 

[Rackhouse Mayor]

I recently went through the same thing and settled on a Kubota. I love it.

 

[Kustrud]

I see a lot of pros using Gravely, but Gravely also has models for residential consumers.
If you haven't looked into that option, you might want to - if nothing else you can compare with JD in terms of price and features.

Gravely's are nice - but more than I want to spend!

 

[Kustrud]

I had a Bobcat Predator 61" I bought on line from a dealer up north. even with shipping I saved thousands. Had a 33hp Generac engine and I cut 5 acres per week with it. Zero problems and it came with a 5 year warranty.

Thank you! That s way more mower than I need though!

 

[Kustrud]

Take a look at the Bad boy brand zero turns. I have experience with the MZ model. It's marketed as a home owner model. The fully welded deck is thicker than the stamped decks. If your new yard is sandy, this might be something you want to consider. Tractor Supply carries the brand here in SC as well as some other dealers.

https://www.badboymowers.com/bad-boy-shop/zero-turn-mowers/mz-lawn-mower

This is the closest to my budget, but after a little reading has the same hydros that the HD/Lowes JD units have. That's my main concern with them, but I guess if Bad Boy uses them in their mowers they cannot be THAT bad for residential use.

 

[Kustrud]

I recently went through the same thing and settled on a Kubota. I love it.

Yes, Kubotas are very nice - I need to do some reading on their offerings.

 

[Kustrud]

I think after some reading and what I'll be using this for I have it narrowed down:

1. JD z345
2. Toro TimeCutter 42" with the larger engine
3. Bad Boy MZ
4. Cub Cadet RZTL 42 in. 23 HP (looks like best bang for the buck)

They all use the same transmission, comes down to price/features.

Thoughts?

 

[Kustrud]

Alright, going with this one!

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Cub-Cadet-RZT-L-42-in-23-HP-Kohler-V-Twin-Gas-Dual-Hydrostatic-Zero-Turn-Riding-Mower-RZT-L-42/300214687

Has outstanding reviews and I learned I can rebuild the EZT hydros if I ever need to. Will do a full review once I purchase!

 

[J_nick]

My parents just bought a Hustler Raptor SD 48". That thing seriously impressed me. I used to run an old Dixon 5022 and the Hustler puts it to shame. I borrowed it this weekend to mow a property I take care of and the grass was probably a bit to high and I was cutting a bit to low but the thing never even bogged down and did a great job dispersing the clippings.

The Hustler dealers around here will finance 0% down and 0% interest for 48 months.

 

[Rackhouse Mayor]

Alright, going with this one!

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Cub-Cadet-RZT-L-42-in-23-HP-Kohler-V-Twin-Gas-Dual-Hydrostatic-Zero-Turn-Riding-Mower-RZT-L-42/300214687

Has outstanding reviews and I learned I can rebuild the EZT hydros if I ever need to. Will do a full review once I purchase!

I would buy a used commercial deck before I bought a new mower from a big box store. The mowers at big box stores are often made by the same place (MTD) and different branding stuck on it. The most important things to consider in a ZTR, IMO, are motor/hydros, thickness and type of deck (welded/fab'd), and warranty. Not that warranties mean a lot to some, but they can give you insight in to estimated reliability. Trust me, these companies put a lot of math in to their warranties. The Kubota I purchased was 4 year/300 hour and the equivalent JD was 2 year/120 hour. It just gave me peace of mind.

Another thing I considered when buying a mower was repair return time. Some dealers around here have the bulk of their repair business as tractors. As a result, a residential mower isn't top priority when an $85k tractor comes in and a farmer is out of work until it's fixed. Next thing you know you're waiting weeks.

Don't get caught up in features. Those should be an after thought.

 

[ericgautier]

2. Toro TimeCutter 42" with the larger engine

Thoughts?

Not sure what TimeCutter model you had it mind, but I would consider the 42" TimeCutter® MX4200 (74766). It has a 10-gauge fabricated deck.

 

[windycityrider]

I am in a similar situation. I have narrowed down my decision to two models:
Toro Timecutter MX4250 or the Scag Liberty Z 48.

 

[PHXCobra]

If I've been paying attention to his videos lately @wardconnor uses a combination of mowers at different heights for his yard.

Would it be feasible for you and your budget to not sell the reel mower, do a smaller part of your yard (say the front) reel low, and the zero turn for the majority?

 

[wardconnor]

Different mowers for different things. A rotary mower is a must for vacuuming or cutting tall(er).