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LawnTractorvsZeroturn

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rpelleschi
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 56 Spotsylvania, Va
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2005-12-04          120353


I am torn between a conventional lawn tractor and a good quality Zero turn. Can anyone shed some light on this dilema? I want to purchase in January if possible. I have approx 3 acres with lots of trees around the edge and a few good size oaks in the yard. Will the pull behind chip/vac work on a zero turn? I've been reading up on both and I am still torn as I have not really had a good comparison from someone who has owned and operated both on my size property. Is a Z-turn worth buying for 3+ acers? I see the Z's have collection systems. Do they work well for leaves?
Thanks for any and all input.




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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2005-12-05          120480


You didn't say how much you want to spend as to the quality of the units to compare. A zero turn will or should be able to mow faster then any tractor because of the manuverablity. The tractor is more flexible and offers more attachments for different jobs. ....


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dkheckmanl
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 134 Middleton, ID
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2005-12-05          120485


I bought a Grasshopper brand Zero turn this year after using a lawn tractor for a number of years. I have a collection system(with a blower) and it works great for collecting leaves. The Zturn cut my mowing time down to about a 1/3 what it use to take with the lawn tractor. I have lots of trees and a lot of curvy curb and the Z turn is great for that. The down side of most Z turns is you cannot tow much if any with them and they do not do as well as a lawn tractor in steep areas. The better ones also cost a good deal more than a lawn tractor. Of course since I got rid of the lawn tractor I had an excuse to buy an ATV to tow my little utility trailer around. My Z turn never plugged up one time this year regardless of how wet the grass was. I used to spend hours unplugging the bag system on my lawn tractor. Every once in a while I think about the money I spent on the Z turn but when I think about all the mowing time I saved this summer I have no regrets. Best of Luck with which ever way you go. ....


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rpelleschi
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 56 Spotsylvania, Va
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2005-12-06          120487


thanks for the input so far. I do not want to spend more than $5k on either. I do know however that my time is worth something and if I can cun my grass cutting time at least in half it will be worth the investment. I have an ATV for pulling carts and such. Is there any one Z turn that stands out as far as value, reliability for the money. I see the high end comercial ones at $6k to $8k for the size I would like. I read an article about the Hustler. Is that a good machine or the harry homeowner type. I know nothing built well is cheap, but I was hoping to get a happy medium I guess...... Thanks ....


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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2005-12-06          120488


We purchased a home owner model of Bushhog brand z turn 52" with I think 20 hp Kohler last year for about $4500. It is faster for us that a 27 HP CUT with 72" RFM (both mowers same brand and same finsih cut).

The z turn saves me about 25% to 33% in cutting time on machine. It also saved trimming time.

The z turn is not as easy to use on slopes as other machines due to front wheels free turning. Stay off of wet grass on slopes.

Only problem is now my wife is using the z turn (even with one slide down a 3 foot drop off, go head first not sideways, again stay off of wet slopes with z turns) and I am back to the tractor.

My brother purchased the same brand in a larger deck and motor in their comerical mower. It does run faster but really will not cut faster in heavy wet grass.

An advantage to the homeowner version I found was the lower height. I clear limbs much easier then if on some of the commercial models. Might as well be on a tractor.

In looking, there is wide variance in deck strength and such. Look, look again. Someone else had a discusion at Tractor point on about this same topic a week or two ago, look back it it. ....


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