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DiyDave 
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 Topic: Think I found my new lawnmower...
Posted: 13 Dec 2018 at 8:17pm |
Sure looks good... Prolly won't need the tracks, next year, as the action of buyin it would change the weather patterns, to make the next coupla years the driest in decades!
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FloydKS
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Posted: 13 Dec 2018 at 9:27pm |
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my first thought is, how much will those tracks tear up my lawn on turns
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Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die
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DiyDave
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Posted: 14 Dec 2018 at 4:56am |
I test drove the larger model, the 660i, in DE, Tuesday. Went through an area with 3-4" of standing water/ice. The answer is, a lot less damage, than a stuck ZT with wheels... 
Edited by DiyDave - 14 Dec 2018 at 4:58am
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jaybmiller
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Posted: 14 Dec 2018 at 6:29am |
I don't understand 2 things... 1) why they don't use hydraulic motors on the blades and get RID of the belts and springs and PITA problems......ALL ZT's are overpriced for what they are BTW.
2) why spend BIG bux to cut grass fast ? If you HATE cutting grass, pay the kid next door..he'll do it until you die for less than the new ride. seems to me 33HP is over the top, too.
neighbour cross the road has a fancy ZT. Does 2 acres in 22 minutes..zip,zip,zip. Me , I figure if I'm cutting grass, I postpone doing 27 other jobs for an hour of 2....
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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farmboy520
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Posted: 14 Dec 2018 at 11:21am |
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Jay, how would you build your perfect mower?
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jaybmiller
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Posted: 14 Dec 2018 at 11:46am |
'perfect'....depends on the person but....
one solution, quite easy to implement, is an autonomus hovercraft based unit. simple really. program for say 4" grass height, push 'go' button. Onboard GPS knows the area to cut, sensors locate obstacles,height is adjusted dynamically based upon the ground and 'cut' required. I get a daily barrage of autonomus car electronics so repurposing them into a grass cutter is easy. There's maybe $300 worth of electronics involved including a $5 'chip' to maintain balance.Add another $20 to get realtime video to your smart device.
BTW there was a 'hoverfly' or similar grass cutter DECADES ago, though YOU had to move it, it did cut level.
Jay
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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Stan IL&TN
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Posted: 14 Dec 2018 at 4:57pm |
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My SIL who is still wet behind the ears is bound and determined to get a zero turn. They just purchased a new home and it has maybe 1/2 acre and he thinks he needs one. He has my old Murry with a 12 hp engine and a 38" deck. Might take him a hour if he cuts real slow. He wanted me to get my trailer and go with him to look at a used one but was able to talk him out of it telling him to just wait until they move for crying out loud because I didn't want to move it twice.
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1957 WD45 dad's first AC
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DMiller
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Posted: 14 Dec 2018 at 5:21pm |
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Bought the wife a nice little FWA riding mower tractor with loader and three point, do NOT need a zero turn, do NOT need all the 'Innovation' just need to cut the grass and trim. Tractor is handy as smaller than a Utility Tractor but near as versatile.
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DiyDave
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Posted: 14 Dec 2018 at 6:45pm |
 jaybmiller wrote:
I don't understand 2 things... 1) why they don't use hydraulic motors on the blades and get RID of the belts and springs and PITA problems......ALL ZT's are overpriced for what they are BTW.
2) why spend BIG bux to cut grass fast ? If you HATE cutting grass, pay the kid next door..he'll do it until you die for less than the new ride. seems to me 33HP is over the top, too.
neighbour cross the road has a fancy ZT. Does 2 acres in 22 minutes..zip,zip,zip. Me , I figure if I'm cutting grass, I postpone doing 27 other jobs for an hour of 2....
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Jay, I mow for a living, so its simple economics. Currently have a Dixie Chopper, 27 HP EFI kohler, 60"deck. Its 12 years old, and approaching 3000 hrs. Sometimes it seems that's too little HP, for the job. The motor in the Altoz is the same Kohler family of motors, so I know its a Good 'un. I don't want anything over 60", cause the bigger the deck, the bigger the scalp potential. Got the DC stuck twice, this wet year, so that's kinda why I posted the video... By the way, the price ($14,200) wouldn't bother me, the DC was 10 large, 12 years ago...
As to hydraulic drive for the spindles, wouldn't be too efficient, compared to belts... the PC police are saying the market is going to be electric or propane power, in the future. I don't believe that, for an instant!
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Dave H
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Posted: 14 Dec 2018 at 7:05pm |
I mow a couple of acres with lots of trees and uneven ground. i would not be without my Z Toro.
Problem is it is a 1999 and not getting any younger.
Since I will never see 75 again, I am hoping this hog will get me to the end of my mowing days.
It has a 52 inch deck, which is what I need for the uneven terrain and road banks.
Edited by Dave H - 14 Dec 2018 at 7:06pm
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Ted J
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Posted: 14 Dec 2018 at 11:38pm |
farmboy520 wrote:
Jay, how would you build your perfect mower? |
Will NOT run unless a female use it.....got a better idea?
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"Allis-Express"
19?? WC / 1941 C / 1952 CA / 1956 WD45 / 1957 WD45 / 1958 D-17
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shameless dude
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Posted: 14 Dec 2018 at 11:54pm |
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rock or gravel or concrete the lawn!
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JohnCO
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Posted: 15 Dec 2018 at 12:08am |
I looked at a battery powered zero turn at the Ohio Power Show back in September. It was nice but $24,000. Always thought that electric GE one from the 60's would be fun to own.
I'll probably keep my '96 Dixon until it, or me, no longer works!
Edited by JohnCO - 15 Dec 2018 at 12:09am
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"If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer"
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tadams(OH)
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Posted: 15 Dec 2018 at 1:21pm |
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I mow over two acres and bought a Hustler 60" rear discharge with the intent that it's the last mower that I will ever buy figured it will out last me and all I should have to do is sharpen the blades grease it and change the oil cause it's 5 years old and I will never see 73 again.
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HaroldOmaha
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Posted: 16 Dec 2018 at 6:40pm |
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I bought a Country Clipper, made in Iowa, with a joystick drive, 20 years ago. My wife looked at that and asked" how does that work?" I told her to move the lever which ever way you want to go. She has mowed our 3 acres, sometimes twice a week ever since. I have to even beg her to let me drive it.
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DiyDave
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Posted: 14 Feb 2019 at 6:32pm |
Well, I do-ed it! Picked it up, today, drove it around a little, read the manual, gots a whole lotta checks to make on it, to see how well the dealer set it up... This thing is a tank, weighs about 3/4 ton, but floats on the ground, hard to make ruts, even in mud! 
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shameless dude
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Posted: 14 Feb 2019 at 9:17pm |
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congrats Dave! have fun with your new toy! i'm sure you'll be the talk of the town when anyone see's you out there on it! it's why we all work for a living...to buy toys that work for us! oh...and if you need a bigger testing ground, come on over!
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Ted J
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Posted: 14 Feb 2019 at 10:31pm |
jaybmiller wrote:
neighbour cross the road has a fancy ZT. Does 2 acres in 22 minutes..zip,zip,zip. |
If I can't do that in 10 minutes, somethings wrong. I have my CA and pull another finish mower that cuts 6' also. 12 feet at a crack. zip, zip, zip. And it'll outlast me by ,,,,,,,, oh,,,,,say another 70 years....
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"Allis-Express"
19?? WC / 1941 C / 1952 CA / 1956 WD45 / 1957 WD45 / 1958 D-17
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chaskaduo
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Posted: 14 Feb 2019 at 10:41pm |
But Dave will ya be able to use it in a couple years with AOC around, easier to ban mowers than cars. Yes I'm jellyous.
Edited by chaskaduo - 14 Feb 2019 at 10:43pm
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1938 B, 79 Dynamark 11/36 6spd, 95 Weed-Eater 16hp, 2010 Bolens 14hp
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DiyDave
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Posted: 16 Feb 2019 at 5:21pm |
Tried it out, on the hill back of the old chicken coop. Sticks like velcro, never slid a bit, even on the mud that is everywhere! Went to the copy store, and copied off a manual, to keep down the shop, fer it. Gonna keep it, and enjoy! Rides like a caddy, eats up the bumps, spits out grass clippings, and you don't have to chase it like cows!
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JohnCO
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Posted: 16 Feb 2019 at 8:18pm |
Did you get the one with the tracks? If so, how long are they expected to last compared to wheels and tires?
Looks like my closest dealer is in O Neal, NE, 450 miles away. I've seen several lawn services around here with propane mowers, talked to one guy, said they run better and cheaper then gasoline and a lot cheaper to buy then diesel. Also a couple guys have electric mowers. Haven't talked to them.
Oh and HAVE FUN!
Edited by JohnCO - 16 Feb 2019 at 8:30pm
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"If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer"
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DaveKamp
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Posted: 16 Feb 2019 at 10:13pm |
The ONLY time I'd mow with anything OTHER than a ZTR, is when only a 22" Lawn-Boy will fit (between my wife's lilac bushes, under the young spruce trees, etc), or if it's a ditch along the field (bush hog with stumpjumper).
My Dad is a staunch proponent of 'turf' tires... on my commercial 60" BobCat ZTR, I run Titan ag-tread tires full of fluid. If I hold one tire still, and pivot using opposite, it'll scuff the yard, and a little worse than if it was a 'turf' tread...
...So I don't do that!!!!
Tracks have enough surface area, that it doesn't need fluid in order to climb at an angle up an incline.
Hovermow... yeah... an idea begotten from someone at Husqvarna who had a flat yard 
My first time driving a hovercraft was when I was 9. It was a 14'er powered by a 6hp (lift) engine up front, and an 18hp (thrust) engine in back... and it'd cruise around 40mph on the river... it'd climb a 14% grade, but took a REALLY steady hand, and steel nerves to keep it under control. First time I took it up the beach, the nose fell off to the right, and I darned near flipped it over when it met the river sideways.
See... hovercrafts hover easily, and in ANY direction. On MY yard, it would NEVER work.
The real fact of a ZTR, is that because of it's agility, it doesn't need to move across the ground any faster than any other mower, in order to mow more lawn in less time... because you spend substantially LESS time changing direction, and mowing around obstacles. At the same ground speed, a ZTR will accomplish 10 passes in the time that a 'conventional' riding mower will accomplish FOUR... and you won't have to come back and clean up the corners.
This is fact, and the empirical proof is everywhere, and evident: You will NEVER, EVER find a commercial mowing outfit using a conventional rider. It can't come close to the ZTR's productivity and performance.
I do love the tracks, but they're way out of my budget... I'd hafta build a set for my BobCat.
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Ten Amendments, Ten Commandments, and one Golden Rule solve most every problem. Citrus hand-cleaner with Pumice does the rest.
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DiyDave
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Posted: 17 Feb 2019 at 5:33am |
JohnCO wrote:
Did you get the one with the tracks? If so, how long are they expected to last compared to wheels and tires?
Looks like my closest dealer is in O Neal, NE, 450 miles away. I've seen several lawn services around here with propane mowers, talked to one guy, said they run better and cheaper then gasoline and a lot cheaper to buy then diesel. Also a couple guys have electric mowers. Haven't talked to them.
Oh and HAVE FUN!
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Talked to the dealer when I bought it, he said the one out there with the most hours on it had 1200 hrs on 'em, and they still looked good. Price of tracks is $1k per set installed, about $300 per if you just buy the tracks. about the same than the $279 per set of tires, every 800 hrs that my dixie chopper consumes. Another tire option is the michelin tweel, that I have seen out there, at a ridiculous price..
From My experience, owning a ASV RC30 track loader, I have 2500+ hours on it, and the tracks are still good, and it wouldn't surprise me if these lasted that long, because they are always running on grass. there is something about running rubber on grass, grass seems to be beneficial to keeping rubber longer, look at a hay tractor, it keeps its tires longer, than tractors that are just tillage, or multi-use.
As time goes by, I am going to look and see if these tracks (320(?)mm X 11 inch wide) are used on any snowmobiles, out there. Would have to be a small one, with that length...
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Coke-in-MN
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Posted: 17 Feb 2019 at 1:20pm |
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Seems the old RAIDER - snow mobiles that had 2 tracks and rear mount with cockpit for driver might have short tracks
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Faith isn't a jump in the dark. It is a walk in the light. Faith is not guessing; it is knowing something.
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DiyDave
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Posted: 17 Feb 2019 at 4:57pm |
Coke, I looked up the tracks in the manual, specs page says 11 inch by 81.25inches, or 28 by 206 cm. Not in any hurry, and the mfr price seems reasonable, at $300 per. will start measuring any that I come across at auctions, junkyards, etc...
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CTuckerNWIL
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Posted: 17 Feb 2019 at 7:41pm |
farmboy520 wrote:
Jay, how would you build your perfect mower? |
Here is my Ultimate lawn mower! 
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DiyDave
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Posted: 25 Feb 2019 at 9:02pm |
Tried it out, cause I was bored, we had about an inch of rain, Saturday, into Sunday AM. ground oozin water, everywhere. I had been mounting a toolbox on it, got that done, and it was 50º out, and sunny, so I took a joyride, down the fence row, to the pond, mowed the edge of the dam. About a 35º angle, and did I mention it was WET! Was cuttin 18" tall broom sedge, and even hit the one small area of weeping lovegrass, that is so hard to mow. Mowed it all, no problems... Next up, mounting the easy reacher stick, and the radidio!
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Steve in NJ
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Posted: 26 Feb 2019 at 6:57am |
Bought my Bad Boy ZT used a couple years ago for 3K with only 400 hrs on it and never looked back! I have 3.5 acres, and 3 of it is lawn. knocked 1.5 hrs off my mow time. and last year with all the rain and storms, I was at work more than home and I couldn't keep up with the grass! Went through a lot of fuel last summer. Thank God I didn't fertilize the lawn! Didn't get nothin' else done except mow the lawn. Sheesh! That 60" deck and 27HP Kohler rock n' rolls man!! So far, the Bad Boy has been a great machine. Replaced a spindle and an idler pulley so far and put one them there bionic belts on it.
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39'RC, 43'WC, 48'B, 49'G, 50'WF, 65 Big 10, 67'B-110, 75'716H, 2-620's, & a Motorhead wife
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Brian Jasper co. Ia
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Posted: 03 Mar 2019 at 2:02pm |
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I have a Ferris that really flies which is a good thing because there are other things I'd rather be doing besides cutting grass. My only complaint on the Ferris is when you mow around a tree it leaves a ring. The Country Clipper doesn't do that.
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"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him better take a closer look at the American Indian." Henry Ford
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Brian Jasper co. Ia
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Posted: 03 Mar 2019 at 2:06pm |
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The best thing for the guy who hates to mow is Husqvarna's Mowbot. It's battery powered, has it's own charging station out side, and mows quietly 24/7 all by itself.
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"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him better take a closer look at the American Indian." Henry Ford
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