What to do about my mowers?

[brandonstclair20]

I’m trying to mow a few yards on the side, about 3 yards a week is my goal. I started out using push mowers, then I bought a used 36” walk behind (hours unknown) and then a used 32” walk behind. Then a 48” Ferris zero turn but it’s too big for my trailer and too big for a lot of gates around here. Then a 42” Yazoo Kees zero turn (2006 model with zt2800 hydros and a Kawasaki FH541V engine) with the hour meter showing at 1069 hours when it was disconnected. Then I bought a 40” gravely ZT 1840 XL (zt 2200 hydros) with 1170 hours with a bad engine, I installed a used engine I had and that engine quit after 15 minutes so I bought a Briggs intek twin engine for it. Then I bought a old gravely, pro master 100 with 750 hours on it for $50. It’s a 50” cut and again too large for trailer and too large for a lot of gates around here. So in the spring, should I just sell most of this stuff and buy a new 42” mower with around a $3000 budget. Or should I just keep most of this? I just would hate for all this old stuff to start breaking down on me when I get to using it.

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[alleyyooper]

Were it me I would try to finish off this year with what I HAVE. Spend the winter taking the best of th lot and trying to repair any badly worn parts and then taking the worst of them and fixing them enough to sell for what I could get from them.

Your talking about 3 lawns a week but fsiled to give the most important details and that is the lawn sizes and the shrubs and flower gardens you need to work around.

My biggest lawn took me 4 hours to mow when I first started out with a 12hp lawn tractor with a 42 inch deck. Today I have cut a 1/2 hour off the time with a 60 inch deck and 20plus HP engine zero turn.
There is not a lot of shrubs or flower gardens to work around is why I am only able to cut a 1/2 hour off the mowing time.


Al

 

[FergusonTO35]

Seems like gates and your trailer are the limiting factors here. Like Alleyooper said, finish the year with what you have and then consider your needs over the winter. Sounds to me like a small pro-line zero turn or walk behind would handle 3 yards a week quite nicely. A 3k budget should get you one no problem.

 

[Larry B]

If it was me i would finish the year with what you have then look for a good small stander mower. Don't know how much you want to walk but large yards and a walk behind will get old quick. Even with a sulky a walk behind doesn't compare to a stander mower. Deck size is productivity but gates are an issue. Get a bigger trailer and a cheap push mower for trimming, a 42" stander and keep the biggest Z for the big yards.

 

[brandonstclair20]

Were it me I would try to finish off this year with what I HAVE. Spend the winter taking the best of th lot and trying to repair any badly worn parts and then taking the worst of them and fixing them enough to sell for what I could get from them.

Your talking about 3 lawns a week but fsiled to give the most important details and that is the lawn sizes and the shrubs and flower gardens you need to work around.

My biggest lawn took me 4 hours to mow when I first started out with a 12hp lawn tractor with a 42 inch deck. Today I have cut a 1/2 hour off the time with a 60 inch deck and 20plus HP engine zero turn.
There is not a lot of shrubs or flower gardens to work around is why I am only able to cut a 1/2 hour off the mowing time.


Al

All of my yards are 1/4 to 1/2 acre. Some have a little stuff to work around but most are pretty simple yards .


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[brandonstclair20]

I think what I’m going to do is in the spring sell most everything I have and get a brand new 36” Bradley stand on mower. Thanks everyone


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[ammoaddict]

It just seems to me like you are spending a whole lot of money to mow 3 yards a week. How long is it going to take to recoup your money before you start making any profit?

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[FergusonTO35]

Profit? People actually buy and use OPE to make money and not just for fun? What's next, getting paid to go to the beach?

 

[Larry B]

Profit? People actually buy and use OPE to make money and not just for fun? What's next, getting paid to go to the beach?

Many years ago a wise man told me there is no money in owning a boat but there is lots of money in fixing other people's boats. That's why i run a small mower shop.

 

[brandonstclair20]

Profit? People actually buy and use OPE to make money and not just for fun? What's next, getting paid to go to the beach?

I can sell most of the mowers I’ve accumulated over they last two years and come up with most of the money, so why not? It will be a nice fun mower, and it should last me a long time.


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[ammoaddict]

Profit? People actually buy and use OPE to make money and not just for fun? What's next, getting paid to go to the beach?

I do enjoy using my chainsaws. But lawn mowers and weed wackers, I do not enjoy at all.

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[Guido Salvage]

You are not going to get much in a zero turn for $3K. That will put you in an entry level Gravely with a ZT- 2200 gear set. Spend another grand an you move up to a servicable 2800 transmission. If you are looking to expand your business I would suggest at least a ZTHD-48.

 

[brandonstclair20]

You are not going to get much in a zero turn for $3K. That will put you in an entry level Gravely with a ZT- 2200 gear set. Spend another grand an you move up to a servicable 2809 transmission. If you are looking to expand your business I would suggest at least a ZTHD-48.

My 42 will only fit through the gate at one of the places I mow at. Looks like I’m limited to 36” or smaller. a used 36” stander may be my best bet.


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[Guido Salvage]

Gravely makes a Compact Pro zero turn that has a 34” cut.

 

[Al Smith]

I have a graveyard of cheap old mowers I've bought over years .Most would run but all they are now is a parts source .I now have a 54" Toro Titan that set me back nearly 6 grand .No gates no trailer just 2.5 acres of lawn .6 years old with 145 hours on it .It should last as long as I do at that rate .

 

[brandonstclair20]

I’ve made some progress on this since I made this post. Fortunately I do have some storage at my parents place. I do plan to upgrade to a 5x8 trailer.

1. I got the old 50” gravely fixed up and going for not much cost. (I may or may not keep it.)
2. I sold the newer model 40” gravely and broke even after putting on a new engine.
3. The Husqvarna walk behind had engine troubles and I sold it for $250 with a bad engine.
4. I’ve decided to sell the 42” yazoo kees in the spring.
5. I may or may not hang onto the MTD pro walk behind as a spare
6.I picked up a 44” exmark phazer with 600 hours for $200 and it just needs minimal repairs.
7. I picked up a 36” wright stander used for small gate yards.

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[JohnnyBlade]

Them Wrights r BA. I had a 48” stander with a 17hp Kawasaki on it that i used to manage a tree farm on an old hunting property. I called it the stump grinder! Bump the stump with the front tire and if it wiggled it was good to grind
Make sure to keep a good filter on it and it will be fine. I know mine had an issue if the filter got to dirty it would suck it right in the carburetor and then it wouldn’t run, Easy fix. Enjoy ur stump grinder

 

[FergusonTO35]

Sounds like you got it all figgered out!