Trouty56 565 #1 Posted May 10, 2013 My neighbor and I both mowed our grass....both lawns were probably 8 inches high because of the wet weather we have had recently.....my neighbor has a Deere..... Mowed with a 1 year old John Deere..... Mowed with a 40 year old Wheel Horse...... You be the judge..... 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 51,507 #2 Posted May 10, 2013 It should come as no suprise that a Deere can't out work a Horse, especialy an experianced one. I plowed and fitted my garden with my 50 year old 953, the neighbor is still waiting for dry conditions so his Deere can handle the chore, meanwhile my garden is in and sprouting! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lane Ranger 10,472 #3 Posted May 10, 2013 Remember nothing runs like a Deere and nothing mows like a Wheel Horse! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dclarke 4,011 #4 Posted May 10, 2013 Bob, were you mowing at the same time? You must have had a huge grin on your face if you were. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 36,941 #5 Posted May 10, 2013 No comparison...they saw him coming, he got took. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trouty56 565 #6 Posted May 10, 2013 Bob, were you mowing at the same time? You must have had a huge grin on your face if you were. He mowed this morning......me this afternoon. Each time I went that direction I kept thinking....I got to snap a picture. Lol 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
papaglide 541 #7 Posted May 11, 2013 Thats awesome! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
welderman85 53 #8 Posted May 11, 2013 that is great i have a new cub that my dad gave me and my 314 with a 48" sd deck is so much better at every chore its funny how much new tractors cost compared to a good hose that is so much better 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tankman 3,515 #9 Posted May 11, 2013 Neighbors can't keep up with my Stallions. Too much BIG box store junqué! Grandsons choose the Horse of the day and, they all perform! I'm not much on automatics but, the '73 12hp Kohler "No Name" Automatic is amazing! A free Bolens was delivered today. I'm goin' to play with it some. 14hp twin cylinder Briggs. Anyone experienced or opinions on the Briggs engine? My 520-8 is a 2-cyl Onan and that Horse delivers! :smile: 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevbo 80 #10 Posted May 11, 2013 I had a John Deere L100 last year and this year I have mowed the same grass with my 312-8 and 414-8. There is NO comparison in cut quality and engine power. Wheel Horse outperforms ANY box store tractor hands down! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarkPalmer 80 #11 Posted May 11, 2013 The cut quality of Deere and Cub Cadet mowers sucks- it always has. They are great for fields, but not for nice lawns. The 36" on my WH is a better cut than even the 36" on my Jacobsen, and Jacobsen got their company claim for fame mowing golf courses. -Mark- 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Don1977 604 #12 Posted May 11, 2013 I agree that Wheel Horses do a great job of mowing. Mine still mows good and the baffels are long gone. I sharpened a set of WH blades and mowed my front yard it was throwing a stream of grass six feet. Part of the difference was that he mowed with the JD while it was still wet. That was what caused the clumping. If you look at the JD forums some of there mower bases throw grass out from under the deck on the left front side. I guess the deck is not deep enough or just a bad design on that corner. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Save Old Iron 1,563 #13 Posted May 11, 2013 I submit the largest visual difference is the clumping / poor distribution of clippings while mowing a still damp lawn. In the afternoon, the sun has dried the grass and the clippings disperse more evenly without clumping. I'm betting if the neighbor followed up a lawn sweeper, you wouldn't see a dimes bit of difference. The neighbor may need a slight leveling of the deck side to side but that's not a Deere / WH comparison. I guess you would also want to know if both mowers were set at the same cutting height. Shorter clipped grass looks "better" as far as evenness of cut. Was the neighbor in a hurry to get out on a mid day trip and did a rush job at top speed while you cut at a lower speed? Did the neighbor lop off a few inches of grass due to waiting too long between cuts whereas you mow more frequently? I think there are way too many unknowns to due a legit comparison by BRAND NAME. Although I sometimes use a WH to mow, typically I use the Scotts (Deere) mower I inherited on my fathers passing. My neighbor uses WH's 100% of the time and I have 11 years of experience with my orange colored Deere. Our property is immediately adjacent to one another along a 400 foot+ side by side stretch. Where WH leaves off, JD picks up. My experience is there is a difference in final look. The Deere with a bagger looks better - hands down, every time. If we both try to sneak in an early morning cut or cut too soon after a rain, both machines produce substandard clumpy, greyish cuts. My belief are differences in cut quality seen has to do with how, when and who uses the machines more so than different brand names. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trouty56 565 #14 Posted May 11, 2013 I submit the largest visual difference is the clumping / poor distribution of clippings while mowing a still damp lawn. In the afternoon, the sun has dried the grass and the clippings disperse more evenly without clumping. I'm betting if the neighbor followed up a lawn sweeper, you wouldn't see a dimes bit of difference. The neighbor may need a slight leveling of the deck side to side but that's not a Deere / WH comparison. I guess you would also want to know if both mowers were set at the same cutting height. Shorter clipped grass looks "better" as far as evenness of cut. Was the neighbor in a hurry to get out on a mid day trip and did a rush job at top speed while you cut at a lower speed? Did the neighbor lop off a few inches of grass due to waiting too long between cuts whereas you mow more frequently? I think there are way too many unknowns to due a legit comparison by BRAND NAME. Although I sometimes use a WH to mow, typically I use the Scotts (Deere) mower I inherited on my fathers passing. My neighbor uses WH's 100% of the time and I have 11 years of experience with my orange colored Deere. Our property is immediately adjacent to one another along a 400 foot+ side by side stretch. Where WH leaves off, JD picks up. My experience is there is a difference in final look. The Deere with a bagger looks better - hands down, every time. If we both try to sneak in an early morning cut or cut too soon after a rain, both machines produce substandard clumpy, greyish cuts. My belief are differences in cut quality seen has to do with how, when and who uses the machines more so than different brand names. Meh.....so my op is a little pro-Wheel Horse...this IS is a Wheel Horse forum.....besides....it does look better!!! He used to have an older JD....that thing cut fabulous.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Save Old Iron 1,563 #15 Posted May 11, 2013 His problems are mostly technique and timing related. The deck could use an hour's worth of work in left to right leveling - either that or he a severely bent blade . He is also compounding his problem by mowing over his previous clippings and "shoveling" all the multiple layers of clippings down to the edge of the lawn. This is giving him a progressively worse cut and clumping at the edge of the lawn. Yours does look better - you took more time and have your machine adjusted properly. If you look closely, there are sections he has completely missed and the grass is about 2 - 3 inches taller than the cut. You are right and this is a Wheel Horse site. These results however are not strictly a BRAND NAME issue. Let's not confuse all the new folks joining into believing something that just isn't true. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
varosd 1,185 #16 Posted May 11, 2013 Bob, maybe you and your neighbor can come over to my lawn and do a side by side mowing,,,,say like every weekend and at the end of the season, I can proclaim the winner with my trophy from 1977 soccer camp! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WH nut 553 #17 Posted May 11, 2013 My neighbor and I both mowed our grass....both lawns were probably 8 inches high because of the wet weather we have had recently.....my neighbor has a Deere..... Mowed with a 1 year old John Deere..... 0510131623a.jpg Mowed with a 40 year old Wheel Horse...... 0510131623b.jpg You be the judge..... And there you have it, the rest of the story 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 51,507 #18 Posted May 11, 2013 I bet the neighbor's Deere is GREEN WITH ENVEY ! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,116 #19 Posted May 11, 2013 Bottom line, yours looks better! I took my 520 to my Dads house and cut his grass yesterday. It has rained a bit the past few days and the grass was pretty thick and high. I could really use a new set of blades for the 520, I'm not gonna sharpen them again. I went over the entire lawn twice, hey, I'm in no hurry. I went over it once and hauled ass over it the second time. I got to enjoy a second cigar and the neighbor who uses a scag ain't got nothing over my 520, although I did it twice! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites