Buying a riding lawnmower, need advice.

[OGRE]

I"m closing on 2 acres on friday and will be in desparate need of a riding mower.

with the property size i'm looking at a 48" deck minimum but would like more. My driveway is about 200' long so i think i would like something i can attack a snowthrower too, so no zero-turns. Also i don't want to spend more than $2K

 

so far i have these 2 in mind, fell free to include something different or vote for either one.

 

Cub cadet LTX 1050

http://www.cubcadet.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10051_14101_540253_33810_-1_600000_33810

 

Husqvarna YTH24V54

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/landowner/products/garden-tractors/yth24v54/

[Nitrousbird]

Avoid the Husqvarna like the plague. I have an 05 w/ a 54" deck - fucking POS. Rides like hell, cheaply built...right now the transmission is on the work bench, as it decided to eat the low-speed gear, which took out the low gear and reverse. You know how hard it is to mow without reverse? Luckily I got the mower for a great price used, otherwise I'd be really pissed.

 

Why is a zero turn out? They make snow removal attachments for zero turns (at least for commercial-style units). I have 2 acres, and it takes about an hour and a half to mow with my mower, as same size zero turn would cut that in about 1/2 the time. Of course they are far more expensive too, and worth it.

[dakotart]

I bought a cub cadet SLTX1054 2 weeks ago from All Power Equipment in Lancaster. It mows great and I love the 12" turning radius.

 

It is however in their shop for repairs after 3.5 hours (cutting time, 1.5 weeks owned) because the drive belt came off and sheared the transmission cooling fan off.

[smokin5s]

I own 3.5 acres of land.... here is my advice...

 

Zero Turn is worth EVERY PENNY!!!! Get that, nothing else.

 

Avoid Craftsman tractors like the plague.... I own a Craftsman "heavy duty" lawn tractor with a 54 inch mowing deck (3 blades) (2006 model) and EVERY TIME I mow, something is broken on it.... the last thing to let go is one of the welds on the mower deck where the belt tensioner is and it allows the tensioner to flex not allowing the belt to tighten thus no spinning blades. I guess if you own a welder and are handy with it, you could probably own one of these and be happy as long as you don't mind pulling the deck off after every mow.

 

John Deer is the mower of choice for most people.... and there's a reason for it, my father inlaw owns one and using it is night and day, it doesn't have the rattles while driving through the field, everything just feels more solid.... but with that being said, the price tag would push you more in the direction of a zero turn.

 

So, with that being all said, go get yourself a zero turn or you will not be happy with your tractor choice.

[Buckeye1647545503]

this is the type the neighbor has for a grand but it has the pad you stand on. if you are interested in it pm me I give you his number

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.planopower.com/scag/images/scag_swz.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.planopower.com/scag/swz.html&usg=__pv13J9mCd3d883a0EsbPUQbHyck=&h=289&w=331&sz=9&hl=en&start=9&itbs=1&tbnid=glAqnhnfyVp5SM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=119&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dscag%2Bmower%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1

[JaSSon]

Joel, zero turn FTW. Avoid Bowlins and Troy-Bilt. They are basically the same, and basically crap. At your price range I'd look at Cub Cadet, Husqvarna, and John Deere. Despite what Joe says, I haven't seen any trouble with them. Then again, I've been out of the Power Equipment business for 5 years.

[FormulaMatt]

Joel, zero turn FTW. Avoid Bowlins and Troy-Bilt. They are basically the same, and basically crap. At your price range I'd look at Cub Cadet, Husqvarna, and John Deere. Despite what Joe says, I haven't seen any trouble with them. Then again, I've been out of the Power Equipment business for 5 years.

 

Forgive my ignorance on this, but I had heard that John Deere isn't what it used to be since they are no longer made by John Deere. Any truth to this? I grew up using my parents John Deere, powered by a Kohler engine, several times a week for ~2 acres+, and it never skipped a beat. To this day actually, the person we sold it to (family friend) said he had only changed the oil and the plugs. No problems, and it is 20+ years old now.

 

For what its worth, I have a early 2000's Ranch King (Made by MTD) that has a Kohler in it. I have had NO issues with it. It sees considerably less ride time then you are talking though. Maybe Kohler just kicks ass? Not sure, but it will probably be in my next one too given my good luck.

[oh8sti]

PM me i have a John Deere rider for sale thats low hours in great shape that i will make you a killer deal on. I need it gone. Im talking less than a grand.

 

Its a 68 hour, LT160

 

i just gonna post a forsale thread tomorrow, but i saw this.

[spankis]

Speaking of the Kohler engines, my parent's mower (and the one I mowed their lawn with when I lived there) was a Craftsmen with a 42" deck and an 18hp Kohler. They've had it for 10+ years without an issue. The only issue we ever had with it was broken tie-rod ends. They were made of plastic, and when one broke for the second time I made my own tie rods out of 1/2" all-thread and some Grainger tractor tie-rod ends. Lasted for the last 8 years without issues. Just that, belt replacements, and a blade safety relay have been all it's ever needed.

[RyM3rC]

Yeah, the Kohler engines are generally pretty solid. I have two wheel-horses that are older than dirt, beat to hell, and both motors run great. Mowing with a new John Deer is very nice though, even one of the cheaper ones. The hydrostatic drives are nice for ease of mowing, but in my experience they don't like towing heavy stuff like the old gear-tranny mowers do.

[smokin5s]

my craftsman has a Kohler engine which other than starting a little hard has had no issues.... the mower deck on the other hand is absolute crap as well as I'm about to start dubbing it "the belt eater" and at 40 dollars a belt (NAPA doesn't sell a generic belt for it) it's just not worth it.

[HAOLE]

I have had a Craftsman for 7 years now. No issues besides flat tires. For 6 years I plowed my driveway that is VERY steep with the mower, until I bought a 4 wheeler.

[silverhatch]

We have that exact Cub Cadet you are looking at. We have owned it for 3 years now with no problems. We bought the snow blade attachment for it last winter, also no problems that I'm aware of. I don't do the maintenance on it but I didn't hear him cuss too much, so it must not have been too bad.

[OGRE]

Thanks for your help guys, i'm really leaning toward the Cub cadet with the kawasaki motor, I would own a kohler powered tractoer as well. But i've heard way too many people not liking B&S. this is if i buy new. The current owners have a john deere garden tractor they may be willing to sell, that will depend on the details of it. Renob i'll defiantly research your offer a bit. I'm not above buying used at all as long as it's solid.

any other information is great you can never have to many opinions, I typically ask probibly 100 people stuff about everything involving a big purchase.

 

why no zero-turn? Requirements:

-$2k-ish - pretty much rules out a zero-turn

-snow removal - rules out a zero turn

-big enough to mow 2 acres in a reasonable amount of time. - zero would be sweet.

-dont want to buy a zero-turn and a walk behind thrower because the drive is over 200' long.

 

I grew up in knox county, so i know what you guys go though in the winter. I can say from expierience that i have never seen the drifting like what happends in the flat land northwest of marysville. Everyone around here tells me to skip the blade and get the snowthrower, i'm apt to believe them, but i will hold off this winter. This winter i'll get someone to use thier truck to plow my drive, but i need something that can equip either the blade or the blower most likely for the winter after that.

 

Parker and I went to hilliard lawn and garden today,I talked to a mower mechanic and he said the same thing you guys did about the Husq. I'm not going to touch one.

[Dave1647545494]

call smithco equipment in pataskala ask for ermal smith (owner) tell him I told you to call and see if he's got something in your price range he does mostly commercial mowers and tractors, but he may have a nice low hour trade in or even a new rider in your price range good luck

[CRAWDAD]

This won't take 1.5hr to mow with this! $1800

 

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss289/swmoracer/026.jpg

 

The motor

arc brass crank weights

arc billet rod

avs piston

precision 246 cam

billet lifters

duel valve springs

billet retainers

arc billet flywheel

28 ci

The chassis

Murry Wide Body

acme front axle

1 1/4 chrome moly rear axle

billet EC pulleys

billet EC clutch

8x8 douglas rear wheels with turf pros

6x6 tru roll front with turf masters

700-023 peerless trans from EC

 

 

 

 

http://vid584.photobucket.com/albums/ss289/swmoracer/th_011.jpg

 

 

but seriously look in to a JD too. They are comparable in price with the Cub Cadet.

[AJ]

Cub Cadet FTW. i've had mine over a year and my dad has had his since 04' and neither one has ever had a problem.

[oh8sti]

okay my bad, its a L118 Automatic, 22hp V-twin with 68 light hours on it. Its in great condition, battery is dead cause i never use it. I think $700 is a deal on this thing considering its like new.

[nurkvinny]

I have 2.01 acres (yep, .01 ). Bought a 54" Cub (SLT1554 I think) in 05. 100% recommend it. Zero turns are nice for mowing, but I use the tractor for mowing, pulling a wagon, moving my car trailer, and for 4 years - plowing a ~350' driveway.

 

Sounds like you're in a very similar situation and you can't go wrong with the bigger Cub. I would suggest staying away from 48"; you'll appreciate that extra .5' of cut every path with the 54".

 

EDIT - and if you end up with a cub, I have a soft roof-shade-thingy for one.

[Tractor]

You can look for tractors on craigslist. I always see them for around or under $2K. I got my Ford 9N with a 60" 3point finish mower for $2K, then I picked up a snow blade from tractor supply pretty cheap.

[BDHG940]

Buy a used zero turn

[Nitrousbird]

As for the John Deere, there are two kinds - the piece of crap ones they sell at Lowes, and the good, high dollar ones they sell at the John Deere stores. The good ones cost a lot for a reason.

 

Again, DO NOT buy a Husquvarna. I just finished ordering $200 to get my tranny back together. Sadly, $115 of it was for a new axle and hub, as they decided to fuse themselves together. The rest was for the 3 damaged gears inside. Me = not happy. It is a shitty mower, and I hate it. I will one day trade up for a used commercial Zero-turn.

[OGRE]

My realtor said that the sellers are interested in getting rid of thier Deere, i think it's a 300 series (correct me if i'm wrong) garden tractor. which are not cheap.

really like the idea of a cub cadet, but i wont have one with a B&S engine.

 

I found a website, mowers direct or somethign like that, costs $50 delivery fee and no taxes since they are not in state? prices seem equal to a dealer, what you guys think, ik could upgrade to a better mower in what i save in not paying taxes.

[Spidey2721]

why no zero-turn? Requirements:

 

-snow removal - rules out a zero turn

 

 

http://dixiechopper.com/media/accessories/snowplow.html

[TA In Progress]

I know this is a few days old, but I thought I'd give my 2 cents. I was skeptical about buying a zero turn for my 3 acre lot until actually mowing it with one and seeing how much faster they really are. I always liked a having a tractor (snow removal, hauling a cart, pulling bushes, etc) but I didn't like the 4-5 hours it took to mow my yard. It still takes 2-2:30 start to finish. I bought a Cub Cadet Z Force (commercial) with a 50 inch deck and a 23 hp Kohler from All Power in Lancaster for 2995.00. I did, however, already have a Wheel Horse for snow plowing and grunt work. I don't like having 2machines, but I also like doing other stuff besides mowing grass, lol. They do make a snow blade for the Cub, but that thing is worthless on wet grass so I can't imagine pushing snow with it.