Tractor Mowers
21 January 2006, 01:04 PM
#1
Tractor Mowers
Spring is coming as is the advent of the grass needing cutting every week 
Got about a half acre which takes me approx 90-120 mins using our trusty Honda 18" motor mower. That includes grass collection, emptying etc.
This is too much time on this particular exercise as weekends are precious, so want to cut (boom boom) down the time taken.
So, can SN help me on a good choice of tractor mower suitable for 1 acre, with grass collector. Looking at reliability, economy, ability and I guess cost.
Looking at a Lawnflight MTD 603 at the moment. Best Price so far is £1200.
Any other recommendations? Experiences? Comments? Helpful advice?
Cheers
Puff
Got about a half acre which takes me approx 90-120 mins using our trusty Honda 18" motor mower. That includes grass collection, emptying etc.
This is too much time on this particular exercise as weekends are precious, so want to cut (boom boom) down the time taken.
So, can SN help me on a good choice of tractor mower suitable for 1 acre, with grass collector. Looking at reliability, economy, ability and I guess cost.
Looking at a Lawnflight MTD 603 at the moment. Best Price so far is £1200.
Any other recommendations? Experiences? Comments? Helpful advice?
Cheers
Puff
21 January 2006, 01:15 PM
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21 January 2006, 02:30 PM
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I have used a Lawnflite for several years and funnily enough have just used it to collect some leaves and take the top off the grass. Started 2nd go after about 3 months as well. Couldn't recommend enough. Our previous house had about 2 acres including some rough stuff and the old girl coped wonderfully.
Note as above you can put it on a high cut setting and it will tidy up all the leaves and winter bric-a-brac. You won't get stripey lawn though. Servicing can be relatively expensive what with new belts and blade sharpening.
Dealers often have some reasonable 2nd hand ones at about 1/2 price so might be worth considering? dl
Note as above you can put it on a high cut setting and it will tidy up all the leaves and winter bric-a-brac. You won't get stripey lawn though. Servicing can be relatively expensive what with new belts and blade sharpening.
Dealers often have some reasonable 2nd hand ones at about 1/2 price so might be worth considering? dl
21 January 2006, 02:40 PM
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http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LAWNFLITE-GARD...QQcmdZViewItem
I think above is same model as mine. Note some damage to front.
I think above is same model as mine. Note some damage to front.
21 January 2006, 04:24 PM
#5
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Tractor mowers: fun, time consuming, need refilling, need servicing, etc.
You want a robot: http://www.friendlyrobotics.co.uk/robomow/
Someone I know has got one. It's out every day, for about an hour or two. Frankly, bloody amazing. Buy the one with the program, and you just switch it on at the start of the season and forget about it. Apart from purchase and maintenance, I think he calculated charging costs as making it about 4p a day. It mulches, so you don't need a grass collector.
Disadvantages - you spend a bit of time setting it up at first (you have to peg a cable round the edge of your lawn
- you need to run it more often than normal as it doesn't know where it's been, so no guarantee it won't just go over the same place again.
- you don't get a stripey lawn (but you probably won't with a tractor)
- the lawn edge all leans one way, as it goes "home" (to the charger) by hitting the boundary and turning left. Always.
If your time is valuable, it's worth a look. He loves it. And he's retired!
You want a robot: http://www.friendlyrobotics.co.uk/robomow/
Someone I know has got one. It's out every day, for about an hour or two. Frankly, bloody amazing. Buy the one with the program, and you just switch it on at the start of the season and forget about it. Apart from purchase and maintenance, I think he calculated charging costs as making it about 4p a day. It mulches, so you don't need a grass collector.
Disadvantages - you spend a bit of time setting it up at first (you have to peg a cable round the edge of your lawn
- you need to run it more often than normal as it doesn't know where it's been, so no guarantee it won't just go over the same place again.
- you don't get a stripey lawn (but you probably won't with a tractor)
- the lawn edge all leans one way, as it goes "home" (to the charger) by hitting the boundary and turning left. Always.
If your time is valuable, it's worth a look. He loves it. And he's retired!
Last edited by Brendan Hughes; 21 January 2006 at 04:33 PM.
21 January 2006, 05:13 PM
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Is the land flat and generally an easy mow? If so a Lawnflite will be OK.
Personally I would always go for a hydrostatic rather than a gearbox. Once you've ridden a hydrostatic you won't change.
I'd always go for a bigger engine too than 12.5hp for an acre of land that isn't a flat easy mow.
I've had an Iseki for the last 13 years from brand new, regularly serviced it was faultless. However it was time to change it last year.
I looked at quite a lot but just new the majority of the 'pretty' looking models would last a month, tops.
My Iseki was £3,500 when new but like everything, prices have come down.
After much consideration I plumped for the Husqvarna YTH 150XP with a 15hp Kawasaki engine and a much better cutting width than the cheaper models. (Which makes a big difference). It has a collection box too.
Picture half way down here but I never bought from here.
http://www.abbeygardensales.co.uk/su...s-0001139.aspx
Retail they are £1900 but can come a little cheaper.
Personally I would always go for a hydrostatic rather than a gearbox. Once you've ridden a hydrostatic you won't change.
I'd always go for a bigger engine too than 12.5hp for an acre of land that isn't a flat easy mow.
I've had an Iseki for the last 13 years from brand new, regularly serviced it was faultless. However it was time to change it last year.
I looked at quite a lot but just new the majority of the 'pretty' looking models would last a month, tops.
My Iseki was £3,500 when new but like everything, prices have come down.
After much consideration I plumped for the Husqvarna YTH 150XP with a 15hp Kawasaki engine and a much better cutting width than the cheaper models. (Which makes a big difference). It has a collection box too.
Picture half way down here but I never bought from here.
http://www.abbeygardensales.co.uk/su...s-0001139.aspx
Retail they are £1900 but can come a little cheaper.
Last edited by Spoon; 21 January 2006 at 05:20 PM.
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21 January 2006, 05:52 PM
#8
Not worried about stripey lawn lol - too many rabbits and moles have access for that Its never going to make chamspionship bowls but ok for coarse croquet.
Some flat but the rest is a gentle slope west to east but I generally cut north to south. So what is this hydrostatic transmission? And will 2.5hp make all the difference? I know we're not talking scoob power here!!
Its never going to make chamspionship bowls but ok for coarse croquet.Some flat but the rest is a gentle slope west to east but I generally cut north to south. So what is this hydrostatic transmission? And will 2.5hp make all the difference? I know we're not talking scoob power here!!
21 January 2006, 06:19 PM
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Just defending my Lawnflite (12 hp) to say it certainly coped with slopes. And molehills although take the top off them so mower blades don't get blunted by churning through earth. Ant hills were the big problem if they were hidden by long grass as they could get rock hard.
I would say the Husqvarna is a much classier machine though but at a price. dl
I would say the Husqvarna is a much classier machine though but at a price. dl
21 January 2006, 07:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Puff The Magic Wagon!
.Some flat but the rest is a gentle slope west to east but I generally cut north to south. So what is this hydrostatic transmission? And will 2.5hp make all the difference? I know we're not talking scoob power here!!
As David says his 12hp works for him. I have just over an acre of garden with 2 large ponds at the top on a steep incline. For me the extra horsepower does make a difference if I don't want to go swimming, plus just like a car, the engine's under less strain so it should last longer.
My guess is 12hp will be fine for you on a relatively flat surface with just a gentle slope.
Get the widest cutting deck for your money though.
22 January 2006, 11:58 AM
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James don't be so tight "pay someone else to do it" 
There must some old duffer that can do it for you?
There must some old duffer that can do it for you?
Last edited by Huxley; 22 January 2006 at 02:08 PM.
22 January 2006, 04:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Huxley
There must some old duffer that can do it for you?
HID's
carry your shot gun & you can lamp the rabbits @ the same time 
14 March 2006, 07:32 PM
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Originally Posted by ALi-B
Cheap fix: Remove governor from engine so it'll rev above 3200rpm
6000rpm = lawn mowed in almost half the time
6000rpm = lawn mowed in almost half the time
it also has a touch of piston slap by the sounds of it
15 March 2006, 12:03 AM
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Uncle Bobs useful advice number 213:
Once you've cut the lawn sprinkle whiskey on the grass.
When it grows again it comes up half cut!
Once you've cut the lawn sprinkle whiskey on the grass.
When it grows again it comes up half cut!
15 March 2006, 07:57 AM
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We got the Lawnflite 703 last year (£1700 - got a local dealer to match the web price) and a trailer for it too. It's great and very handy for towing rubble and stuff down the garden (trailer takes 4-5 wheelbarrow loads).
It's pretty bomb-proof as well - it's 'made friends' with a number of tree stumps etc and I regularly reverse it up the compost heap at speed
Gordo
It's pretty bomb-proof as well - it's 'made friends' with a number of tree stumps etc and I regularly reverse it up the compost heap at speed
Gordo
15 March 2006, 02:55 PM
#28
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Ah, big boys toys thread 
My ride?
Honda HF2417HME
40" cut
17.5hp
Hydrostatic drive
The purpose of hydrostatic drive is that the blades move at a constant speed irrespective of the ground speed of the mower.
Puff, as said get the biggest deck you can and Honda engines are best
I haggled £325 off at Newmarket Garden Machinery.
Trailer? £230 from Easybarrow.
As you are only 2 miles away, why don't you come and have a nose at the weekend
My ride?
Honda HF2417HME
40" cut
17.5hp
Hydrostatic drive
The purpose of hydrostatic drive is that the blades move at a constant speed irrespective of the ground speed of the mower.
Puff, as said get the biggest deck you can and Honda engines are best
I haggled £325 off at Newmarket Garden Machinery.
Trailer? £230 from Easybarrow.
As you are only 2 miles away, why don't you come and have a nose at the weekend
15 March 2006, 07:21 PM
#30
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Originally Posted by Puff The Magic Wagon!
Is that an auto? I think the term is "transmatic"?
How much a trailer? I love the sound of this idea - I've been barrowing tons of stuff around the garden over the last 2 years
How much a trailer? I love the sound of this idea - I've been barrowing tons of stuff around the garden over the last 2 years