Tractor Lawnmower?

Shefwedfan

I was wondering if anyone had any tips. Need to invest in tractor lawnmower. It will be for cutting lawn area of around an acre. I have no idea on prices/models etc

Which are the best models? and how much should I look to spend? Is there anything to look out for? like blade width etc?

Is it worth looking at second hand market?

fox0512

Hi

Its a big market to choose from nowadays..you need to: what have you to spend, what type of garden is it, is there many flower beds and so on...IMO a garden that has many twists and turns, decorative garden etc needs a mower with cutting deck to front as apposed to the cutting deck center of the machine... this will eliminate all that edging with a small mower...regarding make model, again its down to bucks. there are mowers out there once considered a poor mans mower but I can tell you they will give most of the top brands a run for their money that have cut back on body quality... if theres a lot of straight runs ish and you have a full acre of grass to cut i would go for a 42-48" cutting deck with a nice 22hp v twin engine on board to back it up, one of the best engines out there without a doubt.... most of these mowers will carry a Briggs and Stratton or a Kohler engine and you cant go wrong with both...

The second hand market is a good place to look as long as you stay in the 2/3 year old bracket ish... ALWAYS bring someone in the know when picking out a ride on if possible... some briggs engines will suffer from worn cam shaft lobes (500hrs +) which will cause the engine to struggle in idle with back firing, considering all else it ok... any mower given a knock sound has most likely has been run low on oil more than once......list goes on

Shefwedfan

Thanks for info, garden is mostly open space. Not many twists or turns. So mostly just open space

I dont know about money yet, really trying to work out how much I should be spending. Don't want to go mad and spend 5k, from what I can see it will probably cost me circa 3k?

Shefwedfan

I have thought about it and will probably just buy new as no point getting second hand and then having problems.....

Also I am based in Meath, anyone know good places to buy?

fox0512

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Thanks for info, garden is mostly open space. Not many twists or turns. So mostly just open space

I dont know about money yet, really trying to work out how much I should be spending. Don't want to go mad and spend 5k, from what I can see it will probably cost me circa 3k?

You would pick up a nice Castel Garden mower for about 1500ish...Now, some posh folk might say to always go for the "Top brands".... I get as many if not more orange ones into workshop if you follow ....if buying second hand, no knocking from engine,ticking over nice and easy/smooth...lookat cutting deck for any previous repairs, rust or heavy paint loss...if previous owner kept the body in good order..

Shefwedfan

fox0512 wrote: »

You would pick up a nice Castel Garden mower for about 1500ish....

I done a quick google and cheapest I seen was around 2,400.....

If I could get for 1500ish I would be very happy.....

fox0512

Edit...second hand C. G. for 1500

fox0512

havin a quick snoop now

_Brian

fox0512 wrote: »

You would pick up a nice Castel Garden mower for about 1500ish...Now, some posh folk might say to always go for the "Top brands".... I get as many if not more orange ones into workshop if you follow ....if buying second hand, no knocking from engine,ticking over nice and easy/smooth...lookat cutting deck for any previous repairs, rust or heavy paint loss...if previous owner kept the body in good order..

Not a thing wrong with castle garden.. have a 13HP Castle garden ride-on that hasn't missed a beat in maybe 10 years of ownership cutting an acre of lawn, also have a 19inch castle garden self propelled that's about 16years cutting bit over half acre at a house I've rented out. Briggs and Stratten engine in both and once regularly serviced they give excellent service.

fox0512

_Brian wrote: »

Not a thing wrong with castle garden.. have a 13HP Castle garden ride-on that hasn't missed a beat in maybe 10 years of ownership cutting an acre of lawn, also have a 19inch castle garden self propelled that's about 16years cutting bit over half acre at a house I've rented out. Briggs and Stratten engine in both and once regularly serviced they give excellent service.

Yep..Id take one over any others... lots of these poor ride ons suffer wicked abuse...clean filters and change oil twice in a cutting season...keep damp grass off deck

Shefwedfan

I have been looking around and seen option with mulching and not collection box?

Does that really work? I would have always thought you need the collection box?

I want the garden for the kids to play in

fox0512

Shefwedfan wrote: »

I have been looking around and seen option with mulching and not collection box?

Does that really work? I would have always thought you need the collection box?

I want the garden for the kids to play in

All of them come with a box...if not stay clear...mulching works if you have correct blades, dry ish grass and a powerful enough engine...most of these machines are fitted with a mulching/collecting blade all in one

Shefwedfan

fox0512 wrote: »

All of them come with a box...if not stay clear...mulching works if you have correct blades, dry ish grass and a powerful enough engine...most of these machines are fitted with a mulching/collecting blade all in one

I seen a few like this:

http://tennysonlawnmowers.ie/ride-on-mowers/mulcher-ride-on-mower/john-deere-honda-husqvarna-kubota-kilkenny-waterford-tipperary-carlow-wexford-ireland-ie-mulcher-collector

They are just listed as Mulcher, do they just cut up the grass really fine and blow it out? any good?

Shefwedfan

I found the following

https://www.donedeal.ie/gardenequipment-for-sale/rally-ride-on-mower-great-value/11649687

Just wondering with a 42" blade would the 17.5Hp engine struggle to drive it?

I guess as the blade size moves up the engine requires a lot more power?

fox0512

Shefwedfan wrote: »

I found the following

https://www.donedeal.ie/gardenequipment-for-sale/rally-ride-on-mower-great-value/11649687

Just wondering with a 42" blade would the 17.5Hp engine struggle to drive it?

I guess as the blade size moves up the engine requires a lot more power?

that john deere come with a bag so not a bad price at all.

the other looks like a used machine so depends on price....yes, as a rule engine size will increase with blade size... at the very min a17.5hp is needed IMO for successful mulching but you would want to keep blades nice and sharp...the 17.5 on that mower in pic will drive a 42inch blade no problem but you wont cut or mulch an acre of grass as quick and clean as a mower carrying a 22/23hp v twin...

Water John

It might be outside the box, but could you consider a robotic lawn mower?
The Honda is rated at 3,000 sq mts. That might fall a little short of your area.
Worth looking at I would think.

Shefwedfan

Water John wrote: »

It might be outside the box, but could you consider a robotic lawn mower?
The Honda is rated at 3,000 sq mts. That might fall a little short of your area.
Worth looking at I would think.

I was looking at husquvana version on paper the other day, I can't see if working with the area but I don't know much about them to be honest

Water John

I researched them last year. Two things for me is that, I needed to change some things on my lawn and also the finance issue.
I would get by with a smaller model. May buy this year.
The quality of the lawn is supposed to be much better. You are in effect mulching all the time. Also factor in the time and fuel cost with a ride on.
Cutting an acre without having a big animal to do it will take a significant amount of time.
The robot is cutting every day.
Sites to check:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningequipment/9960597/The-best-robotic-lawnmowers.html?frame=2522683

http://www.honda.co.uk/lawn-and-garden/products/miimo-2015/overview.html

Happy browsing. May or may not be for you.

Meursault

Hi All,

looking to buy a ride on lawnmower this weekend. I was speaking to someone who is selling their castlegarden for 1500. it is 4 years old and it was serviced at the end of last summer. it sounds like it is in great condition.

does 1500 sound reasonable for a 4 year old mower?

can anyone advise on what i should look out for when looking at the mower, before buying? is there any tell tale signs that the mower was treated well?

based on the conversation above, castle garden sounds ideal for me. just looking to buy something that will keep the grass short and will last another 3 - 5 years at least.

any thoughts/advice would be great.

thanks

fox0512

A really clean one will make that but push push on price and compare price to the same new model today... first thing is to check for any knocking from engine....you want it idling nice and smooth at low rpm, slight pulsing at low rpm is normally just a dirty carb so no real issue...check condition of cutting deck...run engine until it reaches working temp (10min ish at low rpm) remove dipstick and observe if any smoke is rising.......again, no knocking!

Shefwedfan

Thanks for all the advice, just wondering would the following do a job

http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/qualcast-tractor-lawn-mower---q36125-264384

Or the blade area a bit small?

roroliam

J. P. Mckennas . Clane. Co Kildare . We bought from them seven years ago, they service and always have or can get the spare parts that we have needed no problem. Tony is the man (owner) we talk to, the truck calls to collect when they say it will and it's always back clean and ready to go. They have a large display and range.

737max

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice, just wondering would the following do a job

http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/qualcast-tractor-lawn-mower---q36125-264384

Or the blade area a bit small?

http://www.obi.de/decom/product/MTD_Heckauswurf-Rasentraktor_Mastercut_155-92_H_teilmontiert/9035718&position=1&pageNum=1&pageSize=72

Same mower but considerably cheaper although a bit further afield.

12.5hp with a rear discharge on only a 36" deck is perfectly fine.

There are youtube videos for assembly of that lawntractor and they seem to be find.

Shefwedfan

Ok I am back on this

My budget has been killed a bit. But I have more details. The site is 0.7 acre so there is probably only about 0.5 of an acre garden. I have about 2k of budget due to a couple of repair jobs I need.

Based on the area been only 0.5 acre what would recommendation be on size?

Thanks

fox0512

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Ok I am back on this

My budget has been killed a bit. But I have more details. The site is 0.7 acre so there is probably only about 0.5 of an acre garden. I have about 2k of budget due to a couple of repair jobs I need.

Based on the area been only 0.5 acre what would recommendation be on size?

Thanks

how about a Toro Timemaster 30" cut push mower...1500eur and you still have some dollars left....there are some mixed feelings bout these but ive used one and find them very good...

https://www.toro.com/en/homeowner/walk-behind-mowers/timemaster-20199

Shefwedfan

fox0512 wrote: »

how about a Toro Timemaster 30" cut push mower...1500eur and you still have some dollars left....there are some mixed feelings bout these but ive used one and find them very good...

https://www.toro.com/en/homeowner/walk-behind-mowers/timemaster-20199

I seen one the other day and they look huge

But the lazy bones in me would rather a ride on job.....

fox0512

u should pick up a nice ride on for 2k

SoupyNorman

Shefwedfan wrote: »

I seen one the other day and they look huge

But the lazy bones in me would rather a ride on job.....

I bought a ride on last week, I was VERY close to buying the Timemaster but as soon as I cut the grass on the ride on I knew I made the right choice.

I was looking at a hydrostatic drive ride on which were coming in at about €2,600 so the Timemaster was over 1k cheaper which was the real appeal but there sales guy smelled the money in my pocket and offered me this for €2,300 http://www.douglasforestandgarden.ie/product/mountfield-1530h-33/ (I didn’t buy from here just showing an example). I had done my research and that Mountfield was one on my shortlist.

To be honest, the world of ride-on’s is a big headache when you enter the market for the first time. End of the day I needed something to cut the grass so I bit the bullet and it has a 5 year warranty, in a few years I may upgrade to a more upmarket brand but for now she’s cuttin’ mightily.

Shefwedfan

SoupyNorman wrote: »

I bought a ride on last week, I was VERY close to buying the Timemaster but as soon as I cut the grass on the ride on I knew I made the right choice.

I was looking at a hydrostatic drive ride on which were coming in at about €2,600 so the Timemaster was over 1k cheaper which was the real appeal but there sales guy smelled the money in my pocket and offered me this for €2,300 http://www.douglasforestandgarden.ie/product/mountfield-1530h-33/ (I didn’t buy from here just showing an example). I had done my research and that Mountfield was one on my shortlist.

To be honest, the world of ride-on’s is a big headache when you enter the market for the first time. End of the day I needed something to cut the grass so I bit the bullet and it has a 5 year warranty, in a few years I may upgrade to a more upmarket brand but for now she’s cuttin’ mightily.

Got a bit lost there, did you end up buying the Mountfield for 2,300?

SoupyNorman

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Got a bit lost there, did you end up buying the Mountfield for 2,300?

Apologies, yes.

Shefwedfan

fox0512 wrote: »

u should pick up a nice ride on for 2k

Thanks, any idea of types/models? I am just thinking if only 0.5 acre do I need a full 43"