Lawn mowers

[Jaybird1980]

My JD hydro is not serviceable. I asked about it, and nope, "Don't touch it" is basically what I was told.

Yep lots of them are sealed, some are even plastic.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Still have the button, but it is for aesthetics only!

Oh man. You still have the orange throttle handle on yours. I'm jealous! I either leave it on high, or keep a screwdriver next to me in the cup holder.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Yep lots of them are sealed, some are even plastic.

I think mine is metal? I did get mine from a JD dealer and not a box store if that makes a difference. It's a 125.

 

[Kozaturf]

It all depends on what you have to deal with. Trees, lots of turning around, tight spots, do you want straight lines like a ball field? Then ZT will save time. Otherwise the cost might not be worth it. I know when we first moved in to our current place I was using a 42" Cub Cadet garden tractor to mow 5 acres. I had it down to as much of a science as it could be and it still took Saturday...all...day...Saturday. Between trimming and mowing it was an all day event.

We moved in at the beginning of the summer and thankfully the week before Halloween the Cub died. Excellent excuse to Trick-or-Treat on over to the local Gravely dealer. They delivered a 60" commercial Zero-Turn right before taking the kids out candy hunting. My mow time went from all day to a leisurely 2 to 3 hours, usually closer to 3 hours on purpose. Headphones in, a beverage and nobody bothers dad for 3 wonderfully peaceful hours.

I have a lot of trees but not many "stand alones" to go around, a couple of groups I just mow the perimeter of until Fall then the Cyclone Rake gets attached. For me it was the speed of being able to get done quick if a storm was coming and I had been slacking.

 

[maxwelhse]

FWIW, my hydro is servicable but the interval is hilarious anyhow. The manual says something like change the filter every 300 hours and top off the oil as needed (but never change it). 300 hours for a typical residential customer is a 10 year lifespan. A lot of people will kill them in less time than that by not even changing the engine oil. Giving them another fluid and filter to ignore wouldn't improve the machine anyhow.

I am disappointed that any Deere that came from a garden shop is a sealed unit though. I've been disappointed with a handful of things on my Dad's Deere CT too. They may not be what they once were.

 

[Jaybird1980]

I think mine is metal? I did get mine from a JD dealer and not a box store if that makes a difference. It's a 125.

Doesn't matter the lower end stuff is the same whether its at the JD dealer or big box store. Our dealer even supplies and services for one of the box stores

 

[Brandon]

FWIW, my hydro is servicable but the interval is hilarious anyhow. The manual says something like change the filter every 300 hours and top off the oil as needed (but never change it). 300 hours for a typical residential customer is a 10 year lifespan. A lot of people will kill them in less time than that by not even changing the engine oil. Giving them another fluid and filter to ignore wouldn't improve the machine anyhow.

I am disappointed that any Deere that came from a garden shop is a sealed unit though. I've been disappointed with a handful of things on my Dad's Deere CT too. They may not be what they once were.

I've been reading online that it may be serviceable on my S240, but I have yet to look. She only has 50 hours on the clock. I change the hustlers every spring and maybe later in the summer depending on use.

Back to the JD, ive read to leave it alone and take it to the shop if i suspect a problem. But ive found others change the filter and fluid. This next couple of weeks when i have some time off I will see if it is serviceable.

 

[HoughMade]

A Farmall (or whatever brand you have) would definitely be overkill for a .66 acre lot.

Allis Chalmers- and I agree.

I’m still traumatized by the last zero turn thread...and I’ve never had one.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

It all depends on what you have to deal with. Trees, lots of turning around, tight spots, do you want straight lines like a ball field? Then ZT will save time. Otherwise the cost might not be worth it. I know when we first moved in to our current place I was using a 42" Cub Cadet garden tractor to mow 5 acres. I had it down to as much of a science as it could be and it still took Saturday...all...day...Saturday. Between trimming and mowing it was an all day event.

We moved in at the beginning of the summer and thankfully the week before Halloween the Cub died. Excellent excuse to Trick-or-Treat on over to the local Gravely dealer. They delivered a 60" commercial Zero-Turn right before taking the kids out candy hunting. My mow time went from all day to a leisurely 2 to 3 hours, usually closer to 3 hours on purpose. Headphones in, a beverage and nobody bothers dad for 3 wonderfully peaceful hours.

I have a lot of trees but not many "stand alones" to go around, a couple of groups I just mow the perimeter of until Fall then the Cyclone Rake gets attached. For me it was the speed of being able to get done quick if a storm was coming and I had been slacking.

Now see, you have a legitimate excuse to have really cool stuff. A lot of the guys on INGO do. I haz a sad for me.

 

[HoughMade]

Doesn't matter the lower end stuff is the same whether its at the JD dealer or big box store. Our dealer even supplies and services for one of the box stores

No. JD dealer tractors have a frame and Kawasaki engines. Big box are stamped steel “uni-bodies” with Briggs or other non-Kawasaki engines.

The exception is the S-240 is a dealer only tractor that is stamped steel like the big box, but a Kawasaki engine.

Yes, the dealers assemble and service the big box tractors, but that is a deal struck with JD so the dealers don’t sue over infringement on their franchises.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Allis Chalmers- and I agree.

I’m still traumatized by the last zero turn thread...and I’ve never had one.

I would probably find an excuse just to ride that AC around. Maybe even (not so) quick trips to the store.

 

[maxwelhse]

I've been reading online that it may be serviceable on my S240, but I have yet to look. She only has 50 hours on the clock. I change the hustlers every spring and maybe later in the summer depending on use.

Back to the JD, ive read to leave it alone and take it to the shop if i suspect a problem. But ive found others change the filter and fluid. This next couple of weeks when i have some time off I will see if it is serviceable.

They only reason I can think of not to change the hydro oil is if its a poorly designed system that will air lock if you don't do it in some oddly specific way. Personally, I spin a new filter on to mine every year and change the oil every-other year. The oil mine calls for is stupidly expensive and I'm not even close to the interval by doing it every second year. Mine might get 50 hours a year on it.

 

[femurphy77]

I service mine and family members.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Doesn't matter the lower end stuff is the same whether its at the JD dealer or big box store. Our dealer even supplies and services for one of the box stores

It makes me sad to think that my $1500 tractor (back in 2006!) is considered "lower end". Eh, I'm a cheap bastard, so to me that sounds like a lot of money for a lawnmower. But for what it's worth, I'm still loving it. And it does have a Briggs & Stratton in it. But I'm a huge fan of Briggs & Stratton. They just work.

 

[Jaybird1980]

Doesn't matter the lower end stuff is the same whether its at the JD dealer or big box store. Our dealer even supplies and services for one of the box stores

No. JD dealer tractors have a frame and Kawasaki engines. Big box are stamped steel “uni-bodies” with Briggs or other non-Kawasaki engines.

The exception is the S-240 is a dealer only tractor that is stamped steel like the big box, but a Kawasaki engine.

Yes, the dealers assemble and service the big box tractors, but that is a deal struck with JD so the dealers don’t sue over infringement on their franchises.

I highlighted the difference in our post. You can buy the same cheap stuff at the dealer that you can at the box store. Only difference is the price.

 

[chocktaw2]

You Sir, are not right.

 

[maxwelhse]

It makes me sad to think that my $1500 tractor (back in 2006!) is considered "lower end". Eh, I'm a cheap bastard, so to me that sounds like a lot of money for a lawnmower. But for what it's worth, I'm still loving it.

I was still working at Home Depot in 2006 as I was just finishing school and I think $1500 was the cheapest Deere we had. On the flip side, back in the 70s my Cub was like $3000. I can't believe they even sold one of them, let alone the hundreds of thousands of them that they did.

My Dad bought a full loaded GMC 4x4 1500 in 1974 and the receipt is $4600...

 

[kickbacked]

I cant speak for your lawn but the zero turn will be better for the lawn IMO. IDK how you mow but the fastest method using a traditional mower is driving around the perimeter in circles. With a zero turn everything is fast so you can change the direction you mow weekly to prevent ruts. Also when people use google maps my yard looks freaking amazing. I like to think my straight edge line boosts astronauts morale when they pass over it in the space station. Am I a hero? Maybe. Everything a traditional mower can do a zero turn can. You can put a hitch on it and pull stuff, you can put a blade on it and plow (i wouldnt). You can even drive at a snails pace if your heart desires. What limits all mowers is the drive belt. My zero turn has a 750cc engine on it, it can push, pull fine but the belt will slip eventually.

 

[maxwelhse]

I cant speak for your lawn but the zero turn will be better for the lawn IMO. IDK how you mow but the fastest method using a traditional mower is driving around the perimeter in circles. With a zero turn everything is fast so you can change the direction you mow weekly to prevent ruts.

I prevent that by chunking the lawn into different rectangles and altering which proportion I do each week. So, 1/3 is a rectangle one week, and then the next week I switch it up so a different 1/3 is a new rectangle. I basically have 3 patterns that I rotate through.

I can't argue with your other points. ZTR lawns do look spiffy when done artistically.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I was still working at Home Depot in 2006 as I was just finishing school and I think $1500 was the cheapest Deere we had. On the flip side, back in the 70s my Cub was like $3000. I can't believe they even sold one of them, let alone the hundreds of thousands of them that they did.

My Dad bought a full loaded GMC 4x4 1500 in 1974 and the receipt is $4600...

I actually just checked the receipt and it was 1799, but with some other stuff came to just over 1900 OTD. But it's still a Briggs motor.