Need some advice in purchasing a riding lawnmower

[steppinthrax]

So I just bought a house, it’s sitting roughly on a 1 Ac lot. The front (largest section) is mostly flat, while the rear is hilly. I would like to know the difference between brands (MTD, Lawn Boy, Scotts, Yard Machines, Toro, John Deer, etc&#8230. I’m pretty good with my hands (overhauled small engines, work on cars) so I’m think of getting something used. I understand most of the engines are Briggs and Stratton. How do they compare with Kohler and Tecumseh. Also is a oil filter really worth it? Also what's a good deck size? Is the bigger the better?

 

[steppinthrax]

bump

 

[jupiter57]

FYI: ALL Riding Mowers in the United States are manufactured by ONE Company, MTD.
While some are built to better specs than others, they are basically pretty much the same.
What to look for:
Heavier Sheet metal, heavier plastic parts, one big plus is a Cast Iron front axle, if they have that, then most likely they are of the better build (It will cost more, but you get better quality).

As for engines, Briggs & Stratton are the highest quality engine on the market.
Kohler & Tecumseh have more torque, but they will not last nearly as long as B&S engines. They tend to burn oil & develop leaks sooner also.
(Long story short, Get the B&S Engine with more HP, you will be glad you did in the long run).

Yes, an oil filter is a big plus, if you change oil & filter regularly, the engine will outlast the rest of the machine. The filter helps tremendously vs. No filter.

Over the past 40 years I have owned (possibly) every brand of Riding Mower sold, the best bang for the buck I can recall was a Huskee mower from Tractor Supply. Cost was mid-range, it had a 24 HP B&S engine with a 42" cut, had Hydrostatic (automatic) transaxle and a Cup holder!

In my area, people swear by John Deere.
They typically cost around double the exact same model in the store brand (new).
JD used to build their own mowers years ago, used Kohler & Tecumseh engines. They were rock solid, heavy duty mowers (though engines were "meh"), they started cheaping out before finally ceasing production.

As for deck size, get as big a deck as you can, makes for a smoother cut over a large area. (Just make sure you have enough HP to pull it!)
For 1 acre, you should go with no less than 38".

(I was "given" an older John Deere rider, 15 HP Kohler, 38" deck, in almost new condition, only had 100 hours on it. It works, but even the 15 HP is weak for the 38" deck. Uses 1/2 quart of oil every 2 mowings (~4 acres).

 

[brandonb]

I can't really offer any advice, but, last year I bought a Husqvarna 42 inch deck, 18 hp Briggs engine, and it has suited me fine. It had an oil filter. The only issue is that the oil doesn't come out very clean out of the machine. THe drainage plug is on the side of the engine and the axle is there so its hard to get an oil pan in a good location to drain it. Same with the oil filter. I usually end up with oil on the floor every time I change it. Maybe take a look for that when searching to see where the filter/oil plug is in relation to the axle and such but maybe there won't be a big difference between manufacturers.

 

[stinkynathan]

FYI: ALL Riding Mowers in the United States are manufactured by ONE Company, MTD.
While some are built to better specs than others, they are basically pretty much the same.
What to look for:
Heavier Sheet metal, heavier plastic parts, one big plus is a Cast Iron front axle, if they have that, then most likely they are of the better build (It will cost more, but you get better quality).

According to what I've been told by a few sales people, this isn't true (but they could be wrong). According to them there are a total of four manufacturers of all snowblowers and lawn equipment: Ariens, Toro, Simplicity, and MTD. Ariens, Toro, and Simplicity do everything themselves and drop a B&S motor on top. MTD makes makes every other brands' platform and they stick either a B&S or a Chinese motor on top.

 

[Raizinman]

All riding mowers in the US are NOT built by MTD. MTD makes quite a few like Bolens, Yard Machines, Yard-Man, Remington, MTD Pro and others. I live on 4 acres and started with a John Deere 54 inch cut. Mowing took about 2.5 hours. I then upgraded to a Gravely commercial 72 inch cut and mowing now takes 1 hour, mainly due to the ground speed and slightly wider cut. I decided on a commercial mower as it is designed more for harder work and built heavier duty for constant daily use. I depend on my mower and don't like down time. The commercial mowers tend to give a better cut and are usually easier to maintain. Check out Home Depot or Lowes for their sales. They will normally match competitiors coupons.

 

[steppinthrax]

FYI: ALL Riding Mowers in the United States are manufactured by ONE Company, MTD.
While some are built to better specs than others, they are basically pretty much the same.
What to look for:
Heavier Sheet metal, heavier plastic parts, one big plus is a Cast Iron front axle, if they have that, then most likely they are of the better build (It will cost more, but you get better quality).

As for engines, Briggs & Stratton are the highest quality engine on the market.
Kohler & Tecumseh have more torque, but they will not last nearly as long as B&S engines. They tend to burn oil & develop leaks sooner also.
(Long story short, Get the B&S Engine with more HP, you will be glad you did in the long run).

Yes, an oil filter is a big plus, if you change oil & filter regularly, the engine will outlast the rest of the machine. The filter helps tremendously vs. No filter.

Over the past 40 years I have owned (possibly) every brand of Riding Mower sold, the best bang for the buck I can recall was a Huskee mower from Tractor Supply. Cost was mid-range, it had a 24 HP B&S engine with a 42" cut, had Hydrostatic (automatic) transaxle and a Cup holder!

In my area, people swear by John Deere.
They typically cost around double the exact same model in the store brand (new).
JD used to build their own mowers years ago, used Kohler & Tecumseh engines. They were rock solid, heavy duty mowers (though engines were "meh"), they started cheaping out before finally ceasing production.

As for deck size, get as big a deck as you can, makes for a smoother cut over a large area. (Just make sure you have enough HP to pull it!)
For 1 acre, you should go with no less than 38".

(I was "given" an older John Deere rider, 15 HP Kohler, 38" deck, in almost new condition, only had 100 hours on it. It works, but even the 15 HP is weak for the 38" deck. Uses 1/2 quart of oil every 2 mowings (~4 acres).

Thanks, you seem to know your stuff. I was told a large deck is not good for hilly land as it will "scalp" the top of the hill as it rides up. Is this true?

 

[EagleKeeper]

The scalping will happen when the vehicle is at the crest of the hill running along the ridge-line. One side is lower than the other and you end up with a scraping action.

This can be avoided by moving along the slope to the top and then mowing the top itself.

Going up/down the slope will have the same results at the lip.

Similar to a flat-top haircut.

 

[Loop2kil]

The John Deere you buy from HD/Lowes is not the same John Deere that you can get at JD dealerships. The quality difference is night and day. If you can afford it get a zero turn you can thank me later. I've had my JD 737 ZT 60" for 7 years and have only had to do the normal maintenance to it. I cut ~3 acres of grass with hills and it cuts it very well...my Craftsman lawn tractor did NOT!!

 

[EagleKeeper]

JD Model D100(series) is what they sell at Lowes.

When you get to the 200 series you get better quality.

The X### series is where the sheet metal vs plastic starts appearing.

Best thing is go to a John Deere dealer and kick some tires.

You will pay and extra $500 for the unit compared to some of the other brands; but once you get out of the low end range; you have the quality to last.

 

[SearchMaster]

I have a ~10 year old Craftsman, I hate this thing with a passion. The engine (B&S) is solid but everything else has been problematic.

In looking at replacing it, I've been looking at ZTR but they're so damned expensive. We talked to some landscaper friends and they both recommended getting a used commercial mower, so that's what we've been looking for.

 

[Sluggo]

If you can afford it get a zero turn you can thank me later.

This. Just buy a ZTR now, or you will be back shopping in a year or so and kicking yourself for not buying one to start with.

For the last 5 years I have been mowing my 2.5 acres with a Kubota G5200 diesel lawn tractor. It belongs to my Brother In Law who has no use for it, nor anywhere to store it currently. When/if he takes it back I will buy a ZTR to replace it.

I see my neighbors whipping along on a ZTR mowing in half the time it takes me.

 

[Loop2kil]

This. Just buy a ZTR now, or you will be back shopping in a year or so and kicking yourself for not buying one to start with.

For the last 5 years I have been mowing my 2.5 acres with a Kubota G5200 diesel lawn tractor. It belongs to my Brother In Law who has no use for it, nor anywhere to store it currently. When/if he takes it back I will buy a ZTR to replace it.

I see my neighbors whipping along on a ZTR mowing in half the time it takes me.

Yep...takes me about 1.5 hrs to cut my hill ridden 3 acres.

 

[Lemon law]

Another vote for a ZTR design, but it still depends on the lot. If your lot has no trees or obstacles to mow around, just a conventional lawn tractor will do fine, but on my 1.25 acre lot, a ZTR mower will run rings around a conventional designed riding lawn mower.

The secret is never having to slow down, take multiple passes, you are always moving forward and never reversing, and on my lot, I can mow twice the acreage in unit time with a ZTR twin hydrostatic transmission. I bought my Dixon 15 years ago on the used market, its basically stayed out of the repair shop, and has outlasted every conventionally designed mower I ever had. If I ever have to buy another ZTR, I don't know if I would buy a Dixon, so many very good ZTR mowers on the market now.

 

[sleep]

just get a pushing lawnmower, it will make a man out of you.

 

[velillen]

hmmm not to go totally away from the OP but im sort of in the same boat. I just bought a .7 acre lot. Its nice and flat. Easy to mow for the most part. I'll need ot get a mower (closing by end of august) and figured end of summer would be a perfect time for good deals.

The only issue would be the more front and "side" yard. These areas have the septic stuff. The side part especially as it has the three covers for the tank and such. The front yard just has 3 small white....things.

Anyways heres a nice picture of the back yard and the front (you can sort see the white thing

So what sort would you guys recommend? The ZTR just seems like overkill

 

[DrPizza]

Well, first of all velillen, I'd recommend getting that small gap under the porch blocked off. Else, you're going to have a family of skunks/feral cats/etc. moving in.

I think most of the stuff was covered - you want the mowing deck to be HEAVY. Otherwise, the thing is going to rust through eventually. (my mowing deck is around 40 years old & solid.)

One thing I dispute that was mentioned in the thread - someone said the more horsepower, the better. WTF for? Mine is 12HP and is capable of operating a plow, a rototiller attachment, a snowblower attachment, etc. Higher horsepower models of riding mowers are like megapixels in cameras. People believe that higher is necessarily better. What they're overlooking is that they're making a lot of the other components cheaper to compensate on the total cost. "Well, brand A has a 20HP for $1999, and brand B has a 24HP for $1989. Brand B is clearly the better bargain." Wrong, but that's how people shop. 12HP is plenty for a 48" deck. A real tractor, one capable of operating a brush hog and doing multiple acres in very little time, can be as low as 24HP. 24 in a riding mower is overkill.

 

[CaptnKirk]

Goats, goats, goats, and more goats.
What more do you need?
just don't scare them or they lay down on the job.

Here, I'll help both of you guys out.

 

[Vic Vega]

MTD makes quite a few lawn tractors in the US but not all of them.

While owning an exspensive lawn tractor is nice, consider how much lawn service $3,000-4,000 will buy. $1,000 will buy a durable, reliable unit which will last for years.

 

[vi edit]

So what sort would you guys recommend? The ZTR just seems like overkill

Ever considered one of the larger walk behind models?
http://www.google.com/products/cata...t0k7TsinBsaRgQetvejPBg&sqi=2&ved=0CJ0BEPMCMAI#

At 34" that's a decent sized mowing deck. .7 acre is just to the point where traditional push mower is undersized but a rider is too big. Walk behind is a good compromise.

 

[DrPizza]

Here, I'll help both of you guys out.

That's kinda funny - I've only mowed twice this year. The rest of the time I've just let the goats out. In fact tonight, along the side of my driveway it was getting a little tall & weedy, so I let two of the boys have a snack.


eh, I thought about it for a few minutes. I wasn't thinking. Maybe you do need a little more horsepower. A Ford 9N or 2N from 1941 (23 horsepower) will easily pull a 2 bottom plow across a field. Hook that plow up to a 25 horsepower lawn tractor of today, and it's an anchor that will keep it from moving.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnrZ0mfD66Y <--- you don't need that kind of power just to mow a lawn.

 

[Sluggo]

While owning an exspensive lawn tractor is nice, consider how much lawn service $3,000-4,000 will buy. $1,000 will buy a durable, reliable unit which will last for years.

I have had quotes from $125-$175 a week to mow what I mow at my house. We have a lot of flat space plus a lot of hand mowing around the pool and front of the house as well as lots of edging around the circle drive, so a full season of having someone else do the work could easily be in the three to four thousand range.

I do a nicer job than the lawn companies anyway.

 

[Vic Vega]

Ever considered one of the larger walk behind models?
http://www.google.com/products/cata...t0k7TsinBsaRgQetvejPBg&sqi=2&ved=0CJ0BEPMCMAI#

At 34" that's a decent sized mowing deck. .7 acre is just to the point where traditional push mower is undersized but a rider is too big. Walk behind is a good compromise.

I rider is certainly not too big for just shy of an acre... The OP doesn't need a 60" $7,500 professional rider.

Besides, the rider can handle other duties, like pulling a garden trailer.

 

[Vic Vega]

I have had quotes from $125-$175 a week to mow what I mow at my house. We have a lot of flat space plus a lot of hand mowing around the pool and front of the house as well as lots of edging around the circle drive, so a full season of having someone else do the work could easily be in the three to four thousand range.

I do a nicer job than the lawn companies anyway.

For you the choice is simple then, a no brainer.

 

[boomhower]

I am a fan of Kohler engines. I am also a huge fan of Gravely's. Yeah, they are expensive but you get what you pay for. Spend the money now and have a reliable mower for years or don't and a something you are constantly working on.