Which Ride On Mower

[echnidna]

We need a new ride on mower at the scout camp as the oldie's about to die.

Need one with a 36" or over cut width.

What mower would you recommend? (and why?)

All donations gratefully accepted
(well I gotta try) :cool:

[Grunt]

Get a tractor. Don't around with a ride on.

[ozwinner]

Get a tractor. Don't around with a ride on.

Grunt!!
As the forums conservationist I would have thought you would have recommended a goat, or at least a sheep.

Al :p

[echnidna]

Already got a tractor and slasher, need a mower as well.

[Grunt]

Grunt!!
As the forums conservationist I would have thought you would have recommended a goat, or at least a sheep.

Al :p
No, make it a diesel and run it on vegie oil.


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Already got a tractor and slasher, need a mower as well.


Rip up the grass.

[ozwinner]

No, make it a diesel and run it on vegie oil.

The sheep or the goat?

Al :confused:

[echnidna]

So the ragwort & blackberries can grow without competition?

[ozwinner]

So the ragwort & blackberries can grow without competition?

The goat will take care of all of that for you Bob.

Al :D

[echnidna]

They love blackberries but I dunno bout ragwort, dead goat I expect.

[Grunt]

Originally Posted by Grunt
No, make it a diesel and run it on vegie oil.


The sheep or the goat?

Al :confused:


The goat of course.



So the ragwort & blackberries can grow without competition?

Plant some wattle. Grows fast and improves the soil.

[echnidna]

Already plant a few thousand trees each year

[Bodgy]

I had a Deutscher, twin blades and cut very well. So well, in fact, that I now have 6 toes on my left foot (true!)

Couldn't cope with the slopes tho (no, no no, I mean the hills), so I exchanged it.

Good mower tho

[Harry72]

How bout this puppy... http://www.streetrodstuff.com/Studio/Others/View_Ride.php?id=907

[Cliff Rogers]

Nice one Harry, I like feature number 30. :D

I think we had a hijack like this once before... ended up with jet powered barstools. :cool:

& more, I found the thread.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=18871

[echnidna]

How bout this puppy... http://www.streetrodstuff.com/Studio/Others/View_Ride.php?id=907

Theres mower races at Portland each year and they race things like that.

[masoth]

Bob, I am checking models aas from today and have beside me a brochure for Greenfield Aussie owned and made in Brisbane.
* A selection of motors: Kawasaki, Honda, and Briggs & Stratton;
* 34 inch is the largest cut; and
* No plastic.
I priced one (the B&S motor which I don't really like) - a 32" cut 13 HP at $4150 including GST.

The biggest is a twin cylinder Kwaka 25HP with a lockable rear axle for bogs and hills - this is what I probably need but was afraid to ask the price.

soth

[Cliff Rogers]

If you have hills, make sure the motor is NOT a splash oiler.

DAMHIK :rolleyes:

[keith53]

Bob, I am checking models aas from today and have beside me a brochure for Greenfield Aussie owned and made in Brisbane.
* A selection of motors: Kawasaki, Honda, and Briggs & Stratton;
* 34 inch is the largest cut; and
* No plastic.
I priced one (the B&S motor which I don't really like) - a 32" cut 13 HP at $4150 including GST.

The biggest is a twin cylinder Kwaka 25HP with a lockable rear axle for bogs and hills - this is what I probably need but was afraid to ask the price.

soth

I've had a Greenfield with a 13 Kwaka twin for the past two years & its fantastic. Very reliable, more than enough power & quite versatile with a blade on the front. Not cheap but so robustly built that I figure I'll still have it in 20 years time.

Cheers,
Keith

[masoth]

The attachable blade is interesting (the property I'm buying has gravelled 'roads' which needed repair when I was there a couple of weeks ago) but certainly requirers the bigger version.
There are a couple of other attachments:
* A side catcher; and
* A trailer.

Now, because if Keith's post, I think I'll price the big one tomorrow with blade, trailer, and catcher.:D

[womble]

I've just gotten the honda 13hp greenfield rideon for our place, tackles thick bracky grass and hills easily, and the alloy deck wont rust like the steel ones do. Plus no plastic panels anywhere! Love it!!!!!!! 4 grand all up, and made in australia as well

[Christopha]

Got a 2 year old Cox, the yellow one, Cox call it a "Kingcat" they should call it KingCrap!". Heap of junk! Gutless wonder! Has spent the whole two years falling apart, seized once cos it blew a head gasket and pumped all of the oil out, exhaust has fallen off twice, I keep finding odd bolts lying around, haven't discovered where any of them come from..... yet! Ate a belt early on, valves on front wheels are on the inside.... Barstewards to get to to pump up constantly flat tyres, lights never worked properly and yes I do mow after dark! Only bright side is that the dealers seem to understand and have been very helpful.

[Auld Bassoon]

Borrow one of Al's Goats :D

[Grunt]

Borrow one of Al's Goats :D

He won't let them out of his sight.

[keith53]

The attachable blade is interesting (the property I'm buying has gravelled 'roads' which needed repair when I was there a couple of weeks ago) but certainly requirers the bigger version.
There are a couple of other attachments:
* A side catcher; and
* A trailer.

Now, because if Keith's post, I think I'll price the big one tomorrow with blade, trailer, and catcher.:D

Got the side catcher as well and... get this... two trailers. My off-sider rides in the front one and the second one is for 'stuff'. Current plans circling around in my head are 1. Fitting a radio and 2. A nice light roof of some sort to keep off the sun. Unfortunately, I've got a bit of steep ground as well so no stubby holder will get fitted on this one...;) Be prepared for a bit of a shock on price though. Remember, quality, quality, quality...

Cheers,
Keith

[masoth]

"Unfortunately, I've got a bit of steep ground as well so no stubby holder will get fitted on this one...;)"
Lateral thinking Mate, throw the beans out of a large can, solder/weld a spring to the base of the can, then the can within reach on the booze-mower.
Hadn't you noticed a beer can fits snuggly into a baked-beans can?

soth:rolleyes:

[craigb]

Get the made in New Zealand one.

[ptc]

I bought this for SWOMBO.
Its the Low priced ride on.

[goat]

Grunt!!
As the forums conservationist I would have thought you would have recommended a goat

Al :p
hey i got my own bloody lawns to do! I got a MTD ride on with a 6 pack esky bolted on it don't get one cause there crap ,the mower not the esky ,the esky works very well :D

[masoth]

I've been thinking more on this monumental problem for those who may have a very large area to be cut, and the need for regular sustenance. I think a second (third for Kieth) trailer in which one installs an Engel, or similar device - mind you, one may not have many straight cuts to brag about, but, well, who cares?

soth

[Iain]

If hills are a problem a trip to the chandler will find you a gimballed stubby holder.
I use a Viking 12hp with a little trailer for scooping up horse sh..... poo, works OK for me and going well for 4 years old.
Pretty sure it is a generic with a green cover, seen similar in red and yellow but don't recall the names.
Fairly confortable, headlights are about enough to find your way back in the dark, barely, big enough to drive with my 6'4" frame, blade height easy to adjust (one lever).
5 speed gearbox (I didn't opt for the auto, cost a lot more)
Full of safety cut offs, won't start unl;ess it's in neutral, stops when your bum is off the seat, won't start in gear.
Only little grizzle is the clutch/brake combo, one pedal push down gently to disengage clutch, another 1/4" and you seem to have 100% brakes:mad:
Would have liked to have got a Kubota 4WD with a FEL but budget didn't permit at the time and the slasher is not as clean as a mower.

[Cliff Rogers]

We have 10 acres, about 5 of them need to be mowed.
Also very VERY steep ground.
I killed a Cox Stockman 13.5Hp in less than a year. :cool:
Motor was a splash oiler, not good for hills, I stuck a conrod out the side, &, as Chris says, bolts fall out of them.
The new model has a different motor.:rolleyes:

We now have an 18Hp Kabota 4WD with a 3 rotar deck under.
It is good but as Iain says, it's doesn't do a super clean job.
This may have something to do with the very rough treatment it has had in the last 2 years. I managed to get it hung up on a bolder in long grass, it was balanced on the middle rotar for a while. :o

[echnidna]

We have 10 acres, about 5 of them need to be mowed.
Also very VERY steep ground.
I killed a Cox Stockman 13.5Hp in less than a year. :cool:
Motor was a splash oiler, not good for hills, I stuck a conrod out the side, &, as Chris says, bolts fall out of them.
The new model has a different motor.:rolleyes:

We now have an 18Hp Kabota 4WD with a 3 rotar deck under.
It is good but as Iain says, it's doesn't do a super clean job.
This may have something to do with the very rough treatment it has had in the last 2 years. I managed to get it hung up on a bolder in long grass, it was balanced on the middle rotar for a while. :o

And its still alive!!

Must have a looksee

[E. maculata]

I've had a ride-on dishwasher for years now.......................and she use to have a "stockman" and it seemed fairly reliable, used for council contract mowing for 2 years, never seemed to play up, but a cautious operator & meticulous maintenance may have helped

[keith53]

"Unfortunately, I've got a bit of steep ground as well so no stubby holder will get fitted on this one...;)"
Lateral thinking Mate, throw the beans out of a large can, solder/weld a spring to the base of the can, then the can within reach on the booze-mower.
Hadn't you noticed a beer can fits snuggly into a baked-beans can?

soth:rolleyes:

Nope, just being safe. I don't think there's anyone else on the planet who enjoys a beer as much as I do but you've got to be realistic. I never take anything stronger than cordial in the boat either, for the same reason. (Mind you, when we get back to the boat ramp - well, that's another story.)

But back to the mower, did you get a price? I think mine was around $7k so its a big decision. Also, Cliff has a very good point about splash oiling. That was one of my criteria when buying the Greenfield. The Kwaka engine has an oil pump, a good, deep sump, so no probs on steep ground. Let me also qualify this by saying I don't usually do things by halves. I like robustness, reliability & good engineering. So, OK, it comes at a price. Gawd, that's why I'm a Subaru devotee. :D

Cheers,
Keith

[powderpost]

Check out the Hustler mini Fastrack. Built like a brick dunny, no pressed metal panels, welded steel chasis, twin cutter bars and a welded steel cutter deck. 20hp twin cylinder Honda motor, 20 litre fuel capacity, 36, 42 and 54" cut and a stub... er cold water carrier and dual hydrostatic drive. Down side, made in America and sells for around $8k. No I don't sell them or have any other interest other than I have had a 36" model for 18 months now, just can't wait for the grass to grow. Love my hustler... :)
Jim

[Cliff Rogers]

And its still alive!!

Must have a looksee

Here it is loaded to the ears with Larry rubbish. :p
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=21003&d=1143115586