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MarkS

Best mower for 10 acres?

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Skipper

toro 4000d ;-)

 

I mow flat nice grass with a 60" WH, and that is about 3 acres an hour in perfect conditions. You do the math :-)

Edited by Skipper
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CasualObserver
15 minutes ago, Skipper said:

toro 4000d ;-)

 

:lol:  right!?!?   What's the price tag on one of those... $30-40 thousand?  @TT would probably know.

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Skipper
51 minutes ago, CasualObserver said:

 

:lol:  right!?!?   What's the price tag on one of those... $30-40 thousand?  @TT would probably know.

 

I have seen used in fair condition as low as 6000 so if the choice is a new plastic zeroturn or this, I know what I go for ................ :-)

 

Also, I think it is a bit hasty to put all ZT´s into one glorified basket. Some are true pro/commercial mowers, some are not, and wont mow more per time unit than anything else with the same size deck. The true commercial ZT's are also really expensive. A good hint is that anything that should be able to mow as a commercial, will need at least 5-6hp per foot of deck. For instance a 60" will need at least 25-30 hp, for the deck alone.

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Lane Ranger

Are Sheep Better Lawn Mowers Than Goats?

By Monica Kim on July 25, 2014

grazingsheep.jpg

With the doubling of Amazon Japan's goat force last month, it felt safe to assume that our hoofed friends have won some market share in eco-friendly lawn care. But a recent dispatch from Texas has us confronting a new, heretofore unconsidered possibility: Could sheep be even more effective than goats in solving your landscaping needs?

For the past three months, a solar farm in northeast San Antonio has employed about 90 Barbados-cross sheep to graze on 45 acres of greenery, according to Government Technology. As previous animals-as-lawn-mowers literature has explained, this tactic is an easy, adorable way to keep costs down and pastures clean, and OCI Solar Power has used it to great effect.

Their friendly flock has not yet destroyed any solar panels or cables with eager mouths and jumpy hooves, as goats are prone to do.

The company is not the first to choose sheep over goats, though. Last year, eco-friendly Parisians caught on to the trend, and sheep were trimming lawns in Ohio all the way back in 2011. Still, OCI may have found a new, tech-specific benefit to their choice. Namely, their friendly flock has not yet destroyed any solar panels or cables with eager mouths and jumpy hooves, as goats are prone to do. Perhaps it’s not surprising, then, that other solar companies, like First Solar in Arizona, seem to prefer this fluffier, less mischievous type of landscaper.

One drawback, however, may come in the efficiency department. According to this highly scientific animal mowers calculator, which we unquestioningly trust, 38 goats could mow 50,000 square feet of grass in one day. It would take 83 sheep to do the same, in part because goats are less scrupulous in the amount and quality of grass that they eat. According to the calculator, however, the most efficient animal is the cow — seven of them could easily demolish that area in a day — while the least efficient is, shockingly, the guinea pig, for which you’ll need 2,000.

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CasualObserver
2 hours ago, FatJackDurham said:

When you say 60", I assume that means a tow behind? I didn't know they made a 60" that goes under the tractor, or if they do, it probably would crack the frame after a while.

 

This is the Wheel Horse 60" for those who haven't seen it before. (pics snagged from a local CL ad)

 

Capture.JPG

 

Capture2.JPG

 

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TT

Our current mower at work (golf course):
Lastec 4520ZT
45hp Kubota turbo diesel
120" width of cut
14mph transport / 9mph mow speed
+/- $43K
20160407_115539.jpg

http://lastec.com/en/

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MarkS

Lots of great information! Thanks everyone!:woohoo:

I know very very little about zero turn mowers. Where should I start to look? I would probably be looking at a semi-commercial model pricewise... Any recommendations?

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johnnymag3

Kubota makes a lot of very nice Zero Turn mowers

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cschannuth

My Husqvarna ZT mows my 2 acres smooth as glass at 12 mph. It takes about 40 minutes. 

Edited by cschannuth
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rjg854

Ferris, Scag, Ex mark are all good makes

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Marv

At the nursing home property where my wife is they use the XMark. They move much faster than I would normally think about mowing. I have been impressed with the quality of cut. I am not aware of them having any problems with them.

Marv

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johnnymag3

I often wonder if they are cutting the grass or SCARING it.....:o:USA:

 

John

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emdmat1981

For 10 acres you need professional equipment.  Otherwise you will be cutting grass most of your adult life.

 

In looking for a good ZT, as most properties are bumpy and not perfectly level you probably want something with at either a really good suspension seat or even a full suspension chassis.  Here are some options I would consider with avg used prices for low hour machines (under 500) in good shape.   

  • Ferris 3100 / 3200z ZT - full suspension on all 4 corners. Rides like a Caddy.  Around $7,000- $9,000 used.
  • Toro 5000 or 6000 Series My Ride ZT - suspension platform is supposed to ride pretty well.  It is a Toro so that should work for most folks on the forum.  Around $7,000- $9,000 used.
  • Toro Groundsmaster 328D - 4 wheeled out front mower with rear steering.   Heavy duty machine with Kubota diesel engine that if properly maintained run for a long time.  As these are usually older units they are not easy to find used with low hours unless privately owned.  $6,000-$8000 used.  Note:  even though this machine was the most expensive of the bunch new it no longer can compete with the speed and maneuverability of the newer ZT's.   

 

All 3 can get be outfitted with 72" or 60/61" decks.  Most landscape pro's say unless you are mowing a football field you can cut faster with the 60/61 as you don't have to slow down for fear of scalping the lawn with the bigger 72" deck.  But everyone's property is different so you may want to evaluate those options and see what would be best for you.

 

Lastly .. if it were me .. I'd keep my eyes out over the winter for someone needing holiday cash and getting out of the landscape business.  That would be the time to buy.  :-)

 

Good Luck !

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Cvans

The only thing I can add to the post pfrederi  made is if there is side hill mowing to be done make sure your small tractor has a wide front end for better stability. Otherwise the narrow front end will turn sharper for you. 

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rjg854

I mowed 16 acres with a Ferris 22 hp Kohler engine. It had the out front 61" deck.  Took about 13 hours, lots of trees, flowerbeds, buildings to maneuver around.  Most of the  property was on an incline because it was close to the lake.  The out front deck was nice because you could get under things better than you can with a belly mower. As has been stated there are a lot of good mowers on the market, if that is all you're looking for.  A garden tractor is a whole nother animal.

Edited by rjg854
proof reading
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MalMac

farmer had the best idea. That’s what my neighbor just did. Plus he gets some of the income from the hay. If your set on mowing it then you need to drop the Wheel Horse idea and get something that is designed to take care of that amount of mowing. If not your just wasting time, fuel, wearing out equipment, but if that’s what you want go for it. I don’t see any laws that states you can’t use a Wheel Horse. Do what’s best for you.

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Retired Wrencher

Mark how about some pictures of the are you are mowing to help us out. Just my:twocents-02cents:

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Tractor boy

A friend cuts about 75 yards a week. He runs a 60 inch scag turf tiger and a 48 inch v ride for the smaller stuff. 

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clueless
15 hours ago, MarkS said:

Lots of great information! Thanks everyone!:woohoo:

I know very very little about zero turn mowers. Where should I start to look? I would probably be looking at a semi-commercial model pricewise... Any recommendations?

New, used? What's your price range? We can make better recommendations then.

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MarkS

I would probably be looking at a used one. And i think around $3,000 would be reasonable. But that would be the very top of the budget.

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Pullstart

I picked up a Scag Freedom Z 52” 24 hp ZTR a few weeks ago and boy what a difference in lawn quality!  My 5 hrs mowing 3 acres with the 42” RD deck on the C-101 is down to about 45 minutes.  Thanks for the idea, Mrs. Pullstart!

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Sarge

My buddy has always had Grasshoppers, probably owned at least 6 by now. The current model is the 25hp diesel, 72" deck and blows through his 6 acres in less than 3.5hrs total with a lot of stuff to trim around. Not sure what the ground speed is rated at, but I have no idea how the heck he can turn around that fast without leaving skid marks. He's mowed here for me when my equipment was down, last time he did the entire 1-acre property, including trimming in 20 minutes flat - that was embarrassing to my old Horse and it's 48" deck. I'm looking more and more at ZTR's just for the time savings and keep the extra stress of mowing hilly/rough acreage off the old Horses - I spend far too much of my time maintaining and mowing with the old tractors, time I really don't have. 

 

Need to figure your purchase by mostly the terrain you're going to mow - if it's rough you need to consider equipment that is more geared to the farm market, it's built to handle it a lot better. Running a ZTR on rough ground is not just hard on you, but will destroy even the most expensive machines. Farm equipment is made for this stuff, and there are plenty of options for high-quality finish mowers off the pto systems that will leave a very nice cut. If it's a truly smooth property - go for the biggest zero turn you can afford and I'd highly recommend a diesel for the longevity and fuel savings. To each his own on brand, they are all pretty equal these days and each has it's own drawbacks/issues, just like anything else.


Sarge

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boovuc

Started taking care of my family member's 5 acre flat lawn/orchard this Spring. About 12 apple and pear trees plus ornamental trees, bushes, etc.

Total time to mow ALL of it WELL on my 48" 417-8 speed was 3.5+ hours and that was without trimming afterwards. (Needing to slow down on the turns and not go too fast without leaving grass and clover strips that the front wheels knock down).

I've had a 520 with the 60" belly and it would have cut down "some" of the time but still not mow well and get close to objects. (Plus having the d@#% Onan suck all the chafe into the flywheel air intake cover plugging it every 10 minutes).

My answer was a 60" 2005 Dixon with a little over 500 hours on it.

Total time to mow the same area is now 1.3 hours and I could do it quicker if needed. The cut is much better than the 417 could do and I use less fuel. (24HP Honda running 1.3 hours verses 17HP Kohler running 3.5 hours).

Honda has an oil cooler and carries 11 gallons of fuel on-board. DON'T buy a Dixon though. They were bought by Husqvarna Group and then they dropped the Dixon line altogether so parts etc will be hard to find. (Plus they have their fuel delivery demons I have been working on since Spring). Do go look at used commercial mowers. Many homeowners bought commercial units so their hours will be low when traded. Exmark, Scag, Kubota, etc with a 60" fabricated deck and twin hydro pumps will make short work out of your mowing. I never though I would ever own a zero-turn mower. But if you value your time and equipment, they are the absolute way to go if all you need to do is mow! Let the horses chew grass on small pastures and perform Garden Tractor chores.

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