[gundalf]

I've been through a mower every 2 years or so, due to trying to cut 7 plus acres with box store type mowers... I'm looking at two possibilities... An Ariens MaxZoom60 (60", with ZT-3100 hydro gear, 10 gauge fabricated deck and a 26 hp Kawasaki engine... I can get a new one delivered for under $3600.00... Know anything about this unit??? I guess Ariens and Gravely are one company these days...

OR

A used Allis Chalmbers 1010 3 cyl diesel with a belly mower for about the same price...

Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated... Educate me... Tom the Mowerless...

 

[gundalf]

OOPS!!! Massey Ferguson 1010... Duh... Anyone know anything about this unit...

 

[tmlong]

mower

Depends on the lot.Smooth,all well kept,go with the zero turn,much faster.I use a 60 "exmark on a bit over 7 acres,and love it.

 

[Mark777]

OOPS!!! Massey Ferguson 1010... Duh... Anyone know anything about this unit...

The MF1010 (and 1020) are Japanese built contract tractors for Massey Ferguson. A great machine and very durable Toyosha 3 cylinder diesel engine.

For serious property maintenance and landscape duties, I would say go diesel every, single time !

My only concerns with the MF 10XX series SCUT's are the availability of parts and support since AGCO took over. Some dealers do, still maintain an inventory of parts and consumable (glow plugs, etc.), and if the tractor has been will taken care of (well maintained) it should last decades, not just a few years.

Mark

 

[Wayne195]

Are you finish mowing the 7 acres, or rough cut?

Considering the amount of acreage you have I beleive you would be getting more for your money by getting the Massey Ferguson 1010. I have a little experiance with with a 1012 at work and I really like the way they operate. That would also be useful for many other things such as snow removal etc. as the zeroturn would only be for mowing.

Also, do you have trees on your 7 acres or is it open??

 

[dbear]

Wow, $3600 for a MaxZoom 60 delivered? Buy a dozen at that price and resell them 'cause you can't touch one around here for less than $5000. I like the specs on the MaxZoom/Gravely ZT HD (looks to be a beast of a machine for the money even at $5k), and I am considering one for a second 1.5-2 acre property I own rather than continuing to haul my Dixie back and forth. However, 7 acres might be alot to ask from any "prosumer" machine in the long run.

 

[gundalf]

Serious problem with the Ariens... The seller has no address or phone number... Further checks found that they are located in Indonesia... That puts it at $4800. delivered... Another option just came up... A 2005 Simplicity Legacy 25 V twin in real decent condition, with 488 hours, Kept indoors, liquid cooled With front PTO for $3500, that I may get down to $3000... I'm thinking that another zero cut in this terrain may be disastrous... Especially since my wife will be taking over some of the mowing and doesn't like the zero cuts... She likes the Simplicity though... Waddya think Guys??? Tom the mowerless...

 

[Mark / Ohio]

Serious problem with the Ariens... The seller has no address or phone number... Further checks found that they are located in Indonesia...

Uh-oh, that one smells of a scam just to get money.

..... I'm thinking that another zero cut in this terrain may be disastrous... Especially since my wife will be taking over some of the mowing and doesn't like the zero cuts... She likes the Simplicity though... Waddya think Guys??? Tom the mowerless...

Zero turns, even the ones built like tanks are not really designed (in my opinion) for rough ground. We are trying to use a Wright Stander at work to keep some vacant lots knocked down around the building and even at only 250 hours we've had to replace the front wheels and pivot axles (bearings shot, pivot axles bent) and a rim on the rear that came loose and sliced through a hydro line. This on maybe 4-5 acres of rocks and drainage ditches.

I'm not familiar with all the attachments that the Simplicity can run but you might look into a rough cut mower of some type for the really bad areas and save your finish mowing deck for the living areas closer around the house.

 

[dbear]

The Legacy is a top-of-the-line garden tractor, and Simplicity is known for its great, arguably unparallelled, quality of cut. They offer a whole bunch of attachments to include 3 pt hitch, FEL, and backhoe. The Legacy was at the top of my list if I hadn't gone the ZTR route.

 

[dbear]

The Legacy is a top-of-the-line garden tractor, and Simplicity is known for its great, arguably unparallelled, quality of cut. They offer a whole bunch of attachments to include 3 pt hitch, FEL, and backhoe. The Legacy was at the top of my list if I hadn't gone the ZTR route.

I had an additional thought but was too late to edit my post. So:

On edit: I thought it important to iterate that while the Legacy is certainly capable of performing a variety of different, ground-engaging tasks, it is still only a garden tractor, not a CUT. Just as with any CUT when compared to their bigger UT brethren, it is entirely possible to reach, and possibly exceed, the Legacy's limit of ability especially if in a hurry, and subsequently beat the snot out of it.

 

[Mark / Ohio]

The Legacy is a top-of-the-line garden tractor, and Simplicity is known for its great, arguably unparallelled, quality of cut. They offer a whole bunch of attachments to include 3 pt hitch, FEL, and backhoe. The Legacy was at the top of my list if I hadn't gone the ZTR route.

Also see a rear rotary brush mower listed there.

I had an additional thought but was too late to edit my post. So:

On edit: I thought it important to iterate that while the Legacy is certainly capable of performing a variety of different, ground-engaging tasks, it is still only a garden tractor, not a CUT. Just as with any CUT when compared to their bigger UT brethren, it is entirely possible to reach, and possibly exceed, the Legacy's limit of ability especially if in a hurry, and subsequently beat the snot out of it.

Haste makes waste.

Admittedly that is in large part the cause of the problems with our mower at work I spoke about above. Time spent on maintenance is generally only when something breaks rather then anything preventive. Clean oil in the crankcase, grease in the fittings, blades that are sharp, and driving like Ms. Daisy over rough areas rather then Bo and Luke Duke with Rosco on their tail goes a long way in helping in that regard.

 

[dbear]

Haste makes waste.

While speed can be an integral part of haste, I was thinking more along the lines of trying to do too much at one time - i.e. lifting/hauling more than the FEL, and tractor, was designed for, attempting to dig into hard-packed earth without first breaking soil, or even routinely cutting 2' tall grasses mixed with small brush down to 3" in one pass with a finish mower.

...driving like...Bo and Luke Duke with Rosco on their tail...

Ah yes, I can just picture it now...ramp to ramp jumping over streams on a Craftsman painted with Confederate flags. Gotta love it!

 

[HarryHarley]

Well, ya never did answer questions asked for the suggestions you're looking for.
Where do you live and are you wanting a finish cut on 7 acres??
If you mow year round and want a manicured look you better be looking way beyond a big box store mower of any king. Cheap ain't gonna do it.

 

[Mark / Ohio]

Well, ya never did answer questions asked for the suggestions you're looking for.
Where do you live and are you wanting a finish cut on 7 acres??
If you mow year round and want a manicured look you better be looking way beyond a big box store mower of any king. Cheap ain't gonna do it.

He mentioned part of that over in the introduction section:

http://www.mylawnmowerforum.com/forum/3-new-member-introduction/1067-hey-west-virginia.html

WV old strip mine area. A mowing job not for the faint of heart for sure.