Large Mowers

[reb78]

We have a fairly large area of land to mow. 2/3 of it are lawns, 1/3 rough and uneven ground. Its not large enough for a ride on really and most ride ons wouldnt be suitable around the trees or cope with the rough areas.

At the moment I am using a Hayter Double 3. It is large and copes with the rough and the smooth, but it is old and needs a lot of TLC/a rebuild.

I am considering a second machine. What would you recommend from your experience? I am looking for a big self propelled all rounder mower, that will do lawns well but also cope with rougher ground. Needs to pick up on the lawns so the larger the collection bag the better. Be good to mulch as well. I dont mind secondhand but am thinking aomething new might be better, budget I suppose I would rather keep sub £500

 

[maz0]

Honda all the way. Still get parts for 20 year old models. I have a ride on for an area that could be done with a self propelled but I ain’t walking about with a lawn mower when I can sit in a chair and drink a beer.

 

[armalites]

I have a John Deere JS63, I bought it secondhand. It's a beast of a thing. It mulches so no messing around with bags. It copes with rough stuff very well. I do my road verge with it, I've hit a few drinks cans and it doesn't blink just rips them to bits. I think it's got an 8-9hp motor on it. If you buy secondhand be aware they are a commercial level machine that could have been running for 8 hrs a day. Early ones had a 3 speed box, make sure it works because they can be a be funny. Later ones were variable drive. There is also a version with casters on the front. My friend ones one but he says he runs with them locked all the time so may as weell have got a standard one.

Don't discount a ride on, I have a John Deere and it has no isses with rough ground, I can get the blades pretty high anud with side discharge it does really long stuff well. Just don't buy an old dog. I have friend who does gardening/mowing for a living and when I asked his advise he said if you do it buy new of a decent brand. I've never regretted taking that advice. In probably 13-14 years all I've done is oil changes/services and replaced the battery. Mine has full pressure lubrication so banks and hills are not an issue.

The only thing I found is it became a bit of an anticlimax as I was able to get everything done in about 30mins. Now I don't do it at all because eldest lad loves doing it.

 

[Shox Dr]

X2 for Honda. While I haven't personally used them, a friend works for Waterways and canals (or whatever they are called) a few yrs ago the penny pinchers decided Honda mowers were too expensive. So replaced them with an-other brand. They didn't last the year out. Soon got changed back to Honda.

As for rideon mowers, I looked after two for the last 3yrs. while the guy using them was an ape. They broke down constantly, mainly wear in shafts, pulleys etc. Everthing is so compact you end up stripping half the machine to get a wheel hydraulic pump of them.

 

[8ob]

Two wheel tractors are good, can swap between various attachments and turn on a sixpence.

Bob

This one is a 4` boot flail cut, good for grass and anything woody up to about 50mm.

 

[maz0]

Don't discount a ride on, I have a John Deere and it has no isses with rough ground, I can get the blades pretty high anud with side discharge it does really long stuff well. Just don't buy an old dog. I have friend who does gardening/mowing for a living and when I asked his advise he said if you do it buy new of a decent brand. I've never regretted taking that advice. In probably 13-14 years all I've done is oil changes/services and replaced the battery. Mine has full pressure lubrication so banks and hills are not an issue.

The only thing I found is it became a bit of an anticlimax as I was able to get everything done in about 30mins. Now I don't do it at all because eldest lad loves doing it.

I have the John Deere X300R. I actually don’t get to do much mowing these days. The missus is the gardener and she loves mowing with the JD, getting her “lines all straight”. Batter in I say, more time in the shed for me.

 

[Rig Pig]

Think hard before you get rid of the Hayter, ours was worn out like yours, we replaced it with a new Mountfield, a tinny Chinese piece of junk. I now have an older B&S powered Mountfield awaiting a carb rebuild that will swap out for it shortly. Still not as good as the aluminium deck Hayter but much lighter without the iron roller so the wife has no excuse not to cut the grass when I'm offshore

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@reb78 Sometimes golf courses have old sets of these knocking about [or groundcare supply companies might have taken in as trade-ins],

Basic but easy to service/repair.

 

[Fraserb]

Two wheel tractors are good, can swap between various attachments and turn on a sixpence.

Bob

This one is a 4` boot flail cut, good for grass and anything woody up to about 50mm.

I've got a Turner flail mower like that and nothing beats it for cutting the banking and around the trees

 

[Cobbler]

I bought a second hand Mountfield mower with a Tecumsa? Engine & an alloy frame about 25 years ago, still using it. I went into the garden centre with the idea of changing it for a lighter one. Guy said “don’t change it, keep it going, you won’t get a anything as good today” so I’m still using it, see me out I think

 

[Fraserb]

The mower I use on the lawn area is an ancient hayter, it became a pig to start a few years ago so bought a new mower, can't actually remember the name but it didn't last 3 years so went back to the hayter, it was still a pig to start them one day the wife was using it and I got a phone call, the lawnmowers let out a huge bang and won't go anymore. When I got home pulled it over and there was no compression, figuring I had nothing to lose I took the head off and the valve seat on the exhaust valve had came out and was holding the valve open, hammered it back in and it now starts as good as it ever has.

 

[reb78]

I have a John Deere JS63, I bought it secondhand. It's a beast of a thing. It mulches so no messing around with bags. It copes with rough stuff very well. I do my road verge with it, I've hit a few drinks cans and it doesn't blink just rips them to bits. I think it's got an 8-9hp motor on it. If you buy secondhand be aware they are a commercial level machine that could have been running for 8 hrs a day. Early ones had a 3 speed box, make sure it works because they can be a be funny. Later ones were variable drive. There is also a version with casters on the front. My friend ones one but he says he runs with them locked all the time so may as weell have got a standard one.

Don't discount a ride on, I have a John Deere and it has no isses with rough ground, I can get the blades pretty high anud with side discharge it does really long stuff well. Just don't buy an old dog. I have friend who does gardening/mowing for a living and when I asked his advise he said if you do it buy new of a decent brand. I've never regretted taking that advice. In probably 13-14 years all I've done is oil changes/services and replaced the battery. Mine has full pressure lubrication so banks and hills are not an issue.

The only thing I found is it became a bit of an anticlimax as I was able to get everything done in about 30mins. Now I don't do it at all because eldest lad loves doing it.

I dont think I would be able to manouvre a ride on around some of the areas i need to mow. I would love one, but not sure it is practical. Its out of budget too.

Two wheel tractors are good, can swap between various attachments and turn on a sixpence.

Bob

This one is a 4` boot flail cut, good for grass and anything woody up to about 50mm.

Not great for properly lawned areas though i imagine? I dont have enough rough or enough lawn to justify one for each area really. The fields are done by horses!

Think hard before you get rid of the Hayter, ours was worn out like yours, we replaced it with a new Mountfield, a tinny Chinese piece of junk. I now have an older B&S powered Mountfield awaiting a carb rebuild that will swap out for it shortly. Still not as good as the aluminium deck Hayter but much lighter without the iron roller so the wife has no excuse not to cut the grass when I'm offshore

The Hayter isnt going anywhere . I have parts to rebuild it, but think it could do with an easier life - it has taken a hammering!

@reb78 Sometimes golf courses have old sets of these knocking about [or groundcare supply companies might have taken in as trade-ins],

Basic but easy to service/repair.

Ha. Way too big unfortunately!

Re the Honda's, B&S are the same - the spares for these go back to the early 70's and I know most of them inside out!

 

[Barking Mat]

@maz0

Honda all the way. Still get parts for 20 year old models. I have a ride on for an area that could be done with a self propelled but I ain’t walking about with a lawn mower when I can sit in a chair and drink a beer.

Sheer brilliance!

Hadn't thought of that, two birds one stone...

 

[8ob]

Fair few options with a two wheel tractor Reb, they will cut grass with a flail, take off the front roller and lower the side skids and it will go in the rough. If you don't fancy walking they do a tow along seat. Also run lots of other gadgets like a snow plough blade , rotavator , wood chippers, gennys and just about anything that will hang off a pto shaft.

Bob

 

[reb78]

Fair few options with a two wheel tractor Reb, they will cut grass with a flail, take off the front roller and lower the side skids and it will go in the rough. If you don't fancy walking they do a tow along seat. Also run lots of other gadgets like a snow plough blade , rotavator , wood chippers, gennys and just about anything that will hang off a pto shaft.

Bob

Ah, ok. I missed the detail of the roller. What kind of finish will it leave on a lawn? What sort of price would be reasonable?

 

[Agrismith]

Find your local agricultural collective auction and go and have a look when this is over
Can pick up petrol mowers for under a tenner and working ride ons start at 30 quid
You could afford to have something for every occasion

 

[jenki]

+ for Honda beware of going too big I did and it was a pig on the front lawn with the walls and bushes swapped it for next size down with the BIL much easier.

 

[angellonewolf]

honda first choise briggs & straton 2nd and mowers newer than 15/20 years dont bother

i got a mower now with a brigs engine old style one but as its only 11 yesars old the deak is paper thin and the handle mounts are made of chease

if i was paying money for one get one with ali deak dont rot and go with muching you dont have to pickup the grass

 

[Migmac]

This is what we use on rough ground. If it can knock it over it’ll cut it up. 4wd, difflock , it’ll go into some queer places. Used it once on our back grass, did a good enough job apart from not picking up the cuttings. All day comfort.

 

[angellonewolf]