Riding mower suggestions?

[FlatBottom]

Well here's the deal. I'm looking for a multi-purpose sized mower to obviously mow the lawn (1.5 acres), blow the driveway ( 30'x75'), and pull a small sprayer around the pasture (6 acres). Sprayer not purchased yet either. What do you think would be a good mower to get? Size? Brand? Horse power? I was thinking of getting a four wheeler, but price and inability to mow a lawn put the cabosh to that. I figure I could get one heck of a mower for the price of a wheeler.

[LwnmwnMan2]

For the sprayer - I'd suggest heading to a large box like Fleet Farm. They're usually pretty decent on having parts (spray tips, pumps, hoses on hand. Plus, they have a large variety at a fairly decent price.

You could also buy one used, but the biggest issue with doing such a thing, is you never really know what the person had in the tank, or how long it's been in the pump. The chemicals are very hard on pumps, and if not cleaned out each year, it is much like an engine that sits too long without running, will just gum up on you.

I'm not sure how you mean blow the driveway with a mower. I know I'll do it with my mower on commercial lots sometimes if I've got some grass clippings on an edge away from everything else, but that's just using the wind generated by the deck, not an actual blower attached anywhere to the machine.

As for a mower, I would suggest going to an actual dealership, rather than a big box. The 2 biggest issues with the big box stores are:

1) The machines are of less quality than at a dealership. It doesn't mean they won't work, it doesn't mean they aren't completely suitable for your applications, it just comes down to the box stores are paying for a certain price point.

2) Service and repair. If you buy it from a large box, you're going to have to find another dealer to take it to. If you decide you're going to have a small engine guy work on it, then he's going to have to track down the parts to it, which will mean more money and less time of having the machine.

IMO, as long as you're comparing apples to apples, ie Horsepower, Mower Width, type of drive system (hydro or gear), that most of the mowers, for the homeowner are going to be about the same from brand to brand.

Again, just make sure you're comparing apples to apples, and make sure you check the service department. Your mower breaks down after you fertilized in the spring and you don't have it for 3-4 weeks, that 1.5 acres is going to get fairly large with a push mower.

[FlatBottom]

What I mean by blowing the driveway is that I'd get a snowblower attachment. All in all, I'd purchase a riding mower, snowblower attachment, an a pull-behind sprayer. I'm gonna put that tax return to use.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Gotcha... I guess I'm looking forward to spring so much, forgot about the white stuff....

[FlatBottom]

LwnmwnMan2---What do you suggest for a horsepower? I don't want something too underpowered that it can't handle a good snow (I tend to get a nasty drift in front of the garage, a 6 inch snow with a stiff NW wind can leave a 3+ foot drift) I don't want to have to beat on the machine to move it. Yet, I don't need something huge for mowing the lawn.

[LwnmwnMan2]

I'll be honest, I have no idea.

I've got snowplows and Toro 3650 snowblowers. I've never had an experience with tractor mounted snowblowers.

[Powerstroke]

I don't know about specific brands, but when I was considering a mower-mounted blower, everyone said that its very hard on a mower to run a big snowblower. Also, its at least a $1000 option. You can buy a very nice 2 stage snowblower for $1000 and not have to worry about a mower with front PTO and the wear and tear issues involved.

Now I've got a nice 2-stage craftsman walk-behind blower with 24" height and I think 24" width. Self-propelled and very solid. I paid $700.

[sparcebag]

The attached blower works great! BUT even with chains if there is much of a incline ya just spin out.Flat drive I'd go with it mine is 1987 model Tractor & blower both work and run fine.I was doing 500 ft. a year till a neighbor moved in with a bobcat 4 yrs ago.

[Bryce]

Have a Cub 2554 for mowing and blowing about the same as you're looking at. Chains and weights and it will blow like no tommorrow. About a 50' throw with the right snow. Not the ideal mower for us. We bag almost every time and their bagging system is a joke. I'm sure it would work better if we had the time to mow every 4 days instead of once a week but in that case, we wouldn't need to be bagging. Got about 175 hours on it and no problems other than the plastic headlight assembly needing replacement. Like the option of only one motor to maintain.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I have an Ariens 1540.

It moves snow terrible. It mows great, however, it's a bumpy ride.