Which round hood is best for me?

[clip 185]

I'm toying with the idea of adding a round hood to the garage, but have no clue where to start my hunt. I think I'd like a 700 or 800 series, something with a small mower deck and maybe a dozer and grader blade, maybe a cutter bar or sickle option. This would take up mowing duties on and off with the GT1600, just something a little older and fun to tinker with. 

I'm sure this question will invite more opinion than fact, but which round hood would fit my needs best? Are there some with features that would be nicer to have? Which models should I be considering?

[stevasaurus 22,229]

I would look for a Kohler, electric start, 7hp...that narrows it down.    701, 702, 753, 704...    I think the 702 might win in the availability category.

See how easy that was??? 

[953 nut 51,520]

It sounds like you have ruled out the RJs and mid engine Suburbans, if you plan to use it for sickle bar mowing I think this is the coolest attachment ever; just my opinion. 

[cdsl810 181]

Sometimes I approach my Horse hunting like an NFL General Manager does a draft... Best available when it's my turn. You can almost always sell it again if it was good enough to buy in the first place, if you find you'd rather go in a different direction.

[slammer302 2,154]

i would look for a lawn ranger very fun to tinker with and even more fun to mow with and i was impressed how well the dozer blade works on these little guys! But i really haven't had a round hood i didn't like they are all very special and each one tells a story about the people that have owned them over the last 60years

[ri702bill 7,271]

Clip

Round hoods are fun, I have 2 702's (one of which has been in my wife's family since 1965), a 502, and my 854. Any will cut grass and plow snow - within limitations. There are 2 styles of gear driven rear discharge cutting decks that fit, either 32" or 36" - nothing bigger. The plow is 42" wide and even the 8HP 854 can only handle that, nothing wider. The 702's have the one piece fuel tank with removable dash plate, the 502 and the 854 have the leak prone 2 piece bolted and gasketed tank with fixed dash panel. My favorite is the 854, as it has the K181 motor, cambered front axle, and the adjustable down stop on the implement lift - great for skimming the plow over grass at the end of the driveway. I swapped the tired 4 speed in it for a good 8 speed from a C 81 - that gives the rear a wider stance for better stability on hills. Funny thing finding round hoods, they seem to find you when you are not really looking .......

Bill

Edited August 4, 2015 by ri702bill

[Jake Kuhn 1,547]

If you are planning to use it I would go with a 63 or 64 model, they have better steering than the other ones which you will want for mowing. But the 702 I have is a very nice work tractor too, i use it for plowing but I like the steering my 854 has much better. I'd look for a 753 or 854 

[Ken B 3,116]

If you want to push some snow the extra power from an 854 is the way to go...

[Pullstart 59,554]

My 502 has a K181T, now if I could only upgrade to that 63/64 steering I'd say it's the perfect round hood for the job.  Maybe because that's my only horse I've got!

[buckrancher 2,673]

if you are only going to have one make it a 854

Brian

[WheelHorse79 271]

The 854 also gets my vote.  It's the first LGT I learned to drive back in the '60's, so it has a fond place in my heart.  My 854 is the best running WH I have, I just love the K181.