Riding Lawn Mowers

[/dev/null]

Now that I have a house, I'm going to have to start mowing the lawn

 

I have kind of a big lawn, over 1/3 of an acre and am thinking of getting a riding mower. Anyone have suggestions or recommendations?

[ACor58]

Now that I have a house, I'm going to have to start mowing the lawn

 

I have kind of a big lawn, over 1/3 of an acre and am thinking of getting a riding mower. Anyone have suggestions or recommendations?

 

You have a few options here. John Deere, Toro, and Cub Cadet continue to make their own product. The rest are made buy American Yard Products - Craftsman, MTD, Poulan, Husqvarna, Ariens (at Home Depot), etc.

 

My suggestion is to go with the Deer, Toro, or Cub Cadet. I have an Ariens from Home Depot and I don't love it.

[mead107]

Cub cadet.

[BUFFALOKIE]

Don't get a mulching blade. Make sure the drink holder will accomodate your koozie. Buy American.

Edited August 5, 2011 by Stranger in a Strange Land

[mead107]

I like the mulching blades.

[BuffaloBill]

[BuffaloBillsForever]

I have both a vintage John Deere (30 years old or so) and a Toro Zero Turn Radius riding lawn mower that is just a little over a year old.

 

After using a zero turn riding lawn mower I could never go back to standard riding mower. I just LOVE that thing. Been very happy with it.

 

As for brands and models I don't think you can go wrong with buying either John Deere, Toro or Cub Cadet.

[Alaska Darin]

I have a Craftsman which is made by Husqvarna. I like it for a variety of reasons:

 

1. It has the biggest engine in its class. Engine size is important if you have hills or plan on using your mower for things besides moving (towing a trailer, aerating, thatching, plowing, etc).

2. EVERY part is available online and they're easy to find. You can go to Sears' website and put in your model number. It brings up every schematic drawing for every assembly in an exploded view. Every part number is listed. There are numerous websites (including Sears) that have the parts and will deliver them to your house, so if you're handy, you can replace the things that break or wear out.

 

For example, I've had my mower for six years and needed to replace a bearing on the blade shaft. Took five minutes and cost six bucks. My buddy basically rebuilt his entire electrical system because he caught the damn mower on fire mulching leaves (not the mower's fault, my buddy is an idiot). He'd probably have had to buy a new mower for the price to repair it if Sears didn't make it so easy.

 

3. The Craftsman Husq's seem to be far more refined than comparably priced models from other manufacturers.

 

I don't think anyone makes bad mowers anymore - the market is too competitive. I probably wouldn't buy one of the "residential" zero turns because they're built out of far lower quality parts than the commercial equivalents and you could pick up a serious ZTR with really low hours for close to the same money as a new JD/CC/Toro/Snapper/Husq zero turn and it'll last 10 times longer.

[BuffaloBillsForever]

Zero Turn Radius come in really handy if you have a lot of trees and property like I have. I cut up to about 3-4 acres with the ZTR (rest with a larger tractor) and cut small patches with the old John Deere every once in a while just to keep it running. ZTR's are super fast and efficient because you are not going over the same cut grass twice. I also have hundreds of small trees so the advantages of the ZTR is tremendous with its trimming abilities.

 

If you don't have a lot of trees and only 1/3 acre the advantages of them are not so great. But hell they are just damn fun to drive.

Edited August 5, 2011 by BuffaloBillsForever

[BUFFALOKIE]

 

There is a mechanic here at work who, no kidding, built a lawnmower out of a geo metro. He is out of town right now, else I'd post a pic.

[plenzmd1]

Now that I have a house, I'm going to have to start mowing the lawn

 

I have kind of a big lawn, over 1/3 of an acre and am thinking of getting a riding mower. Anyone have suggestions or recommendations?

e now

 

Not trying to be a smart ass here..but 1/3 of an acre and a riding mower do not mix in my mind. I have a 1/2 acre now, and it only takes 35-40 minutes to cut the grass. I think a ridng mower would double that at least on a small lot.

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

e now

 

Not trying to be a smart ass here..but 1/3 of an acre and a riding mower do not mix in my mind. I have a 1/2 acre now, and it only takes 35-40 minutes to cut the grass. I think a ridng mower would double that at least on a small lot.

 

You forget, dev is a lazy fat-a$$.

 

[UConn James]

Here's a nice model.

 

Link

[/dev/null]

e now

 

Not trying to be a smart ass here..but 1/3 of an acre and a riding mower do not mix in my mind. I have a 1/2 acre now, and it only takes 35-40 minutes to cut the grass. I think a ridng mower would double that at least on a small lot.

 

I was going to start out with a self propelled and move up if need be, but everybody I've had over tells me to get a riding mower because my yard is so big. When I bought the house the yard was listed at a little over 1/3 of an acre but my visitors tell me it's more like 1/2.

[kegtapr]

I was going to start out with a self propelled and move up if need be, but everybody I've had over tells me to get a riding mower because my yard is so big. When I bought the house the yard was listed at a little over 1/3 of an acre but my visitors tell me it's more like 1/2.

 

I have 0.4 acres. Used a self-propelled for 3 years, took about an hour and a half per mowing. People are right when they say it can easily be pushed, but for me it came down to the time invested in doing it. I'd rather be spending that time with my son and not doing yardwork. Picked up a rider this year and haven't regretted it.

 

This is the one I picked. http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_12602_07128851000P?vName=Lawn+%26+Garden&cName=Lawn+Mowers+%26+Tractors&sName=Lawn+Tractors&prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=L3

 

Go with a hydrostatic, I debated but am glad I did. Changing speed on the fly is great. This model is made by Husqvarna. I beleive the lower model Craftsmans are made by MTD. The turn tight is great too, I have a lot of trees so it really comes in handy.

 

My neighbor picked up a base model John Deere this year for $100 more than I paid and doesn't have the hydrostatic or near the turning radius I do. Takes him about 15 minutes longer to mow the same size lot.

[Just Jack]

Personally, for that small of a lawn, I'd go with a push mower for the exercise. When I was young, our lawn was 2 acres, and we'd do the entire thing with push mowers. Took all day. Of course, now that it's just my parents at home, they have a rider, they did go with one from Sears, not sure on the model though.

[plenzmd1]

I have 0.4 acres. Used a self-propelled for 3 years, took about an hour and a half per mowing. People are right when they say it can easily be pushed, but for me it came down to the time invested in doing it. I'd rather be spending that time with my son and not doing yardwork. Picked up a rider this year and haven't regretted it.

 

This is the one I picked. http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_12602_07128851000P?vName=Lawn+%26+Garden&cName=Lawn+Mowers+%26+Tractors&sName=Lawn+Tractors&prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=L3

 

Go with a hydrostatic, I debated but am glad I did. Changing speed on the fly is great. This model is made by Husqvarna. I beleive the lower model Craftsmans are made by MTD. The turn tight is great too, I have a lot of trees so it really comes in handy.

 

My neighbor picked up a base model John Deere this year for $100 more than I paid and doesn't have the hydrostatic or near the turning radius I do. Takes him about 15 minutes longer to mow the same size lot.

Are you including the trimming etc? Either I walk really fast or my self propelled goes really quick, but my half acre is no more than 40 minutes walking. Maybe if you have a zero turn mower and no tress or beds etc etc in your yard a riding mower could faster, I just have a hard time seeing it. I had an acre last house, bought a Sabre that I was happy with, so I have to much experience both walking and riding LOL. Truly theu best is a lawn service!

[BuffaloBillsForever]

With the Toro ZTR (or any ZTR) I can get somewhat of a baseball field pattern effect on the lawn (cutting straight up and down on a dime). You have so much control with a ZTR. Now if I had a small roller on the back while I cut the pattern on the lawn would really pop.

Edited August 6, 2011 by BuffaloBillsForever

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

/dev/null with his new riding mower:

 

http://blogs.discovery.com/.a/6a00d8341bf67c53ef011570e9cbc5970b-pi

[kegtapr]

Are you including the trimming etc? Either I walk really fast or my self propelled goes really quick, but my half acre is no more than 40 minutes walking. Maybe if you have a zero turn mower and no tress or beds etc etc in your yard a riding mower could faster, I just have a hard time seeing it. I had an acre last house, bought a Sabre that I was happy with, so I have to much experience both walking and riding LOL. Truly theu best is a lawn service!

 

Trimming is factored into the overall time, but the rider cut the actual mow time in half. I also have a hilly lawn so the self propelled went quick one direction, but was kind of brutal the other. The turn tight mower helps cut the time over a regular rider, like I said my neighbor picked one up and takes longer to mow, but even his time is quicker.