Anyone used both a front mount riding mower and a zero turn mower to compare them?

[Tom M King]

I understand about going under some low shrubbery. I'm hoping I can take care of that with the 72" deck, that sticks out the sides some. Since I'm doing it all myself, I'm not doing nearly as much trimming as we used to have done.

A zero turn will tear up less in a tight turn, since you can keep the two rear tires turning at different speeds. Just have to get a feel for it, which I'm not that good at yet either, but getting better.

[Brian Elfert]

I'm probably going to go with the Grasshopper, but I have to make a few calls tomorrow. A Grasshopper with similar specs to the Kubota probably isn't quite as heavy duty as the Kubota, but I will be lucky to put more than 1,000 hours on a new mower. I think it will last just fine. There is a guy on Youtube who claims he has 14,000 hours on a 1998 Grasshopper.

The Grasshopper will also handle a snow blower which a zero turn will not. I can get the Grasshopper mower and the snow blower for the same price as the Kubota mower alone. I found a leftover 2019 Grasshopper that is worth driving to go get. I can't believe the dealer still has it considering there are no 2021 models at any nearby dealers.

[Tom M King]

Good luck with it. Sounds like it's a lucky find. Should last for several decades cutting that yard. I saw one on some news show cutting the grass at the White House.

[Jim Becker]

Brian, I tend to use tuck into the tree with the deck and then back up technique to get close...kinda like a bunch of k-turns. If I don't rush, there's little or no turf damage and I can get darn close in most cases. The issue with circling at the extremes of steering, regardless of machine type, is the outer anti-scalp guides sometimes digging in and causing a visible circle in addition to any drive wheel damage from a tight turn. This risk is reduced if you're cutting at 4" or similar, but increased the shorter you prefer to cut. I run 3.5" normally and sometimes 4" in the spring.

[Brian Elfert]

I thought about going with a service, but over ten years I could easily pay for a Grasshopper mower, repairs, and fuel. I bet it would be $100 per week or more for a service for my large lot. Yes, I would free up two hours or more per week, but I have the time.

[Tom M King]

I would think you can get three acres down to one hour.

I'm in the process today of building a topsoil leveling drag specifically for smoothing out some of the larger grass areas, so I can cut it faster without jarring my brains out.

[Brian Elfert]

I am going to buy a used 2019 Grasshopper diesel with 160 hours on it for $12,000. I just got a call that the unit is available again as the buyer found something closer. I could get a new 2019 for $14,400, but I have to drive 1,700 miles round trip versus 450 miles round trip for the used one. The closest new 2021 units are four to eight hours round trip and they sell for just over $17,000. Nobody local has a new unit in stock.

[Ronald Blue]

Brian I don't know the model you are looking at but here is a good tool to shop with. Just plug your zip code in. You can search for the specific model or family of models.
https://www.tractorhouse.com/listing...9852&zip=55401

[Brian Elfert]

Yes, I used Tractorhouse along with other sites to find a mower. There are a number of similar sites to Tractorhouse.

[Brian Elfert]

I got my new used mower home late this morning. I was too tired to do anything today with the mower other than unload it from the trailer. I drove my big motorhome so it takes a little longer to get places.

It was quite the ordeal leaving at midday Friday afternoon and not getting home until this morning. I had no issues making the trip from Minneapolis to Waterloo, Iowa in about four hours and got the mower in the trailer just fine. I planned to drive from there to Big Rock, Illinois to get a snow blower attachment which was about four hours. One of my trailer tires picked up a screw and started leaking. I stopped at three different Pilot truck stops and all three had failed air compressors so no air. I forgot to grab my spare tire for the trailer so I had to park my trailer and drive 45 minutes round trip to get a plug kit at Walmart. I wanted a permanent patch instead of plug so I spent the night at a Discount Tire. They wouldn't fix a plugged tire so I drove on to pick up my snow blower attachment. I was so tired I only drove an hour or so from there and stopped a couple of hours for a nap. I had less than four hours to go to get home, but I got tired again after two more hours and stopped for the night.

The moral of this long post is to always remember a spare tire. I probably would have been home at least half a day earlier if I had a spare tire. Luckily, I had no reason to be home at any particular time. Total trip distance was just over 900 miles all told.