Best mower

[Mowindowntheroses]

Hi fellas, new here and new to garden tractors. I'm looking for advice from those of you that may have been in my shoes. I have 3 acre yard that is rough to mow. I have used Snapper rear engine riders to push mowers. My last decent mower was a Cub Cadet ZTR 48 and the hydrostatic drive is already out. I need a heavy duty mower. I have been looking at a Cub Cadet 104. It seems to be a stout build unit. My yard has holes, steep hills, exposed roots, mud, and all manner of ailments that beats the fire out of a mower. I don't want anything that is hydrostatic drive. What older Darden tractor/ mower would you suggest for my yard and Why? Thanks, Jason.

 

[Russ from MN]

I think you need to improve your yard or you will always have trouble! We have a 20 year old Husqvarna that has been a great tractor/mower,
but it might not stand up to your use.

 

[kencombs]

Old Cub Cadet hydrostats (129/149 etc), or Case/Ingersoll 446/4016 448/4018 are as tough and simple to repair as anything. Much cheaper to fix than any newer stuff.

 

[gab]

My two newest garden tractors were built in 1988 and the mower deck is a 1969. Don't have many problems but they do get
their share of preventive maintenances.

 

[old]

For something like that I would find a used Farmall Cub or Super A with belly mower. Both are old but both will hold up better then anything you can buy now days

 

[DoubleO7]

The 104 would be pretty stout.
Manual tranny, very simple, many sources for parts.

Except for mower decks and some of the blade spindles.

But with small tires, it will be a rough ride.

An IH built Cub Cadet like a 127 hydro would and will outlast any modern day hydro built in the past 25 years.

 

[gregww]

If you could find one, and was willing to pay for it, I don't think you could find a tougher garden tractor than the Wheel Horse D-250. They are just about indestructible. If you were to have a problem they are very simply built, and very easy to work on. Like mentioned earlier, the hydros of the 70's and 80's are not todays hydros. The D-250 is however a gear tractor.

 

[gab]

A couple of days ago there was a D 250 on Craig's list, Madison Wi. I think.

 

[Mowindowntheroses]

forgive my inexperience, but what makes the hydrostatic drived of the 70's and 80's better than that of say, a ZTR mower of today?

 

[DoubleO7]

(quoted from post at 21:06:29 07/08/21) forgive my inexperience, but what makes the hydrostatic drived of the 70's and 80's better than that of say, a ZTR mower of today?

My take?
It was a rather new technology and they built them conservative and robust and the bean counters were excluded from the engineering desicions.

 

[tractorguy2]

I would stay away from any newer MTD made Cub Cadet.

If it was me I would only look at commercial grad zero turns. If you don't want that then I would look at belly mowers on a small tractor like the Farmall A, 130,
or 140. Allis Chalmers B or small D series.

 

[DR. EVIL]

The cheap consumer grade toy tractors made by Cub Cadet are probably trouble-prone, but I bought a Commercial grade Cub Cadet TANK LZ zero turn 6 years ago, about 220 totally trouble-free hours on it, with only an oil/filter change before first mowing every spring, and greasing it every 25 hours as per the book. I have seen pictures on-line of the Kawasaki engine with cooling shields removed and the block was packed with grass, that engine had siezed due to over-heating. My engine had NO, ZERO accumulated grass on the engine. No over-heating. No seizing.
When I mowed with IH Cub Cadet tractors, like a #70, #72, #129, #982 I had to sharpen the blades every 3-4 mowings of my 2.3 acres, with the TANK, SIX years and sharpened the blades ONCE, yes, they could use another sharpening.
The new Cub Cadet zero turn deck, 54 inch fabricated deck, spins the blades much faster than ANY IH Cub Cadet tractor deck ever did, greatly improves quality of the cut, lawn looks much nicer now.
I see Cub Cadet bashed frequently for their cheap bargain priced plastic tractors. They DO make good machines also, my TANK weighs 100# more than my 1980 #982 Cub Cadet.

 

[timcasbolt]

(quoted from post at 00:01:50 07/08/21) Hi fellas, new here and new to garden tractors. I'm looking for advice from those of you that may have been in my shoes. I have 3 acre yard that is rough to mow. I have used Snapper rear engine riders to push mowers. My last decent mower was a Cub Cadet ZTR 48 and the hydrostatic drive is already out. I need a heavy duty mower. I have been looking at a Cub Cadet 104. It seems to be a stout build unit. My yard has holes, steep hills, exposed roots, mud, and all manner of ailments that beats the fire out of a mower. I don't want anything that is hydrostatic drive. What older Darden tractor/ mower would you suggest for my yard and Why? Thanks, Jason.

or the kind of mowing you describe, a Ferris or other high end commercial unit might be your best choice. Good ones don't come cheap, but the ride sells it.

 

[Blackhole49]

Take your pick. I got them all used and they have been excellent. BTY, hydrostatic is the only way to go in my opinion.

 

[Steve@Advance]

If you are happy with the zero turn, stay with it, just get a commercial grade.

But zero turns don't like hills or inclines. You may need zero turn for the obstacle course, a regular belly mower for the hills.

Don't wast your time looking for a 'good used commercial', when they come up for sale there is good reason they are selling it!

I had some property that was really rough when I bought it. Made a drag out of an old chain link gate and piled rocks on it. Drug that around a few times while mowing, picked up the rocks and limbs, ground out the stumps. Wasn't long it was leveled out and much easier to mow.