# Riding Mower Recommendations



## rockwalltxguy (Oct 1, 2021)

So I caught the lawn care bug and infected my dad with it a bit. He has about 23,000sqft of Tif419 lawn to cut. Right now he's paying a guy $65 a week which based on my calculations puts him at about $2K a year just to cut his grass. I told him if he bought a riding mower he could cut it in about an hour to an hour and a half and pick up the hobby when he retires in a year or so. Now he's sent me on a quest to pick out a mower that would work for him. He wants something new with a warranty and something that he can maintain somewhat himself. I live down the road so I can help with this also. His yard is flat in the back and on the side but the front has a pretty good slope towards the street. His Budget is max $5k. Im sure he will want something that has a grass catcher. But I dont know anything about riding mowers so not sure what else he would need. He doesn't plan on maintaining reel mower heights but probably more like 1"-1.5" or so the whole season. Any suggestions? Below is a picture of his sloped front yard.


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

There alot of mowers in his range the main problem he will face is the grass catcher. They make catchers but they tend to be expensive. Anyhow look for something that's commercial if possible. Scag, bad boy, ferris all make great machines


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## rockwalltxguy (Oct 1, 2021)

Bump


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## david_ (Aug 22, 2019)

I don't know much about new riders. I bought mine used and have done a lot of maintenance and some repairs. I use my grass catcher fairly often for scalping, mowing, and leaves. It's great for me.

My neighbor has a newer husky which drives and bags nicely. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Husqvarna-YTH22V46-22-HP-V-twin-Hydrostatic-46-in-Riding-Lawn-Mower-with-Mulching-Capability-Kit-Sold-Separately/1000368431

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Husqvarna-9-Bushel-Triple-Bagger-for-46-48-in-Tractor/1000356757

Might check local mower shop.. I'd trust them on repairs and warranty more.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

I'd say he's a good candidate for a Deere X300 series. Buying a "commercial" machine is massive overkill for 20-30,000 sq ft of lawn that's going to get mowed 1-2x week for 6 months out of the year.

I'd say 42" is just fine for under 40,000 sq ft. But with lower cut heights (under 2.5" or so) there are drawbacks. The 42" deck options do not have rear gauge wheels. This isn't really a big deal if mowing at 3"+ and the deck drops a .5" or so, especially on cool-season grass where it's unlikely to show as a big brown scalp mark. But unless that lawn is super-smooth, you are probably going to get the occasional scalp mark on Bermuda at 1"-1.5". For that reason, I'd lean towards a 48" machine, which has gauge wheels at all four corners of the deck. Here is the catch 22 though - a 48" deck (with the X300 series) does not accept an un-powered bagger. The only option is the PowerFlow bagger and while it works incredibly well, it's very expensive @ $900 vs $500 for the 42" bagger. (Still pricey, I know)

Looks like he's got a couple trees to mow around on the sloped front yard. I'm a fan of four-wheel steer lawn tractors vs zero-turn units where there is a bunch of stuff to mow around, especially on slopes and where turf wear is a concern. A 4WS machine moves the pivot point of the machine to dead center instead of centered on the rear axle, which makes following curves and trimming around objects effortless. One caveat here though - budget. More on that in a minute. Manual (Armstrong :roll: ) steering is just fine for most, but power steering is also available in this model series. That may be a real benefit if strength and joint pain are concerns. Note that all of the power steering units also come with power lift for the deck, which is normally foot-operated. This machine will easily last 20+ years, my head is certainly in a different place buying a machine at 30 years old vs 60.

Within the X300 lineup, there are a bajillion models. The major differences are Briggs vs Kawi engines, 42" vs 48"+ mower decks, and two-wheel vs 4-wheel steer. Let's pair the list down based on my previous comments to just 48" models.

X330:42 - 42", Briggs, 2-Wheel Armstrong Steering $3,400
X330:48 - 48", Briggs, 2-Wheel Armstrong Steering $3,800
X350:42 - 42", Kawi, 2-Wheel Armstrong Steering $3,600
X350:48 - 48", Kawi, 2-Wheel Armstrong Steering $4,000
X350R - 42", Kawi, 2-Wheel Armstrong Steering, Built in rear bagger w/dump. $5,000
X354 - 42", Kawi, 4-Wheel Armstrong Steering $4,400 
X370 - 42", Kawi, 2-Wheel Power Steering $4,500
X380 - 48", Bigger Kawi, 2-Wheel Armstrong Steering $5,000
X384 - 48", Bigger Kawi, 4-Wheel Armstrong Steering $5,800
X390:48 - 48", Bigger Kawi, 2-Wheel Power Steering $6,000
X390:54 - 54", Bigger Kawi, 2-Wheel Power Steering $6,300
X394 - 48", Bigger Kawi, 4-Wheel Power Steering $6,800

A special note on the X350R - this is pretty much a dedicated bagging machine. While that sounds like just the ticket, it's not for everybody. My experience in selling similar models (back in the LTR-180 and the X300R days!) was that these work best when you have a place to dump all clippings on-site (vs bagging for trash pickup), never want to do anything other than bag (although mulching is an option), and are not really interested in lots of attachments or accessories as there are compatibility issues. My experience was that maintenance and keeping the machine clean were critical with these vs. a conventional lawn tractor w/bagger. It very well may work for you, but I'd want to have a conversation with the dealer(s) in your area to see if they have sold any and if they were a success.

Regarding bagging and riding equipment, it's certainly a nice option to have. But it's pretty labor intensive and slows down the mow time considerably. From a lawn-care hobby perspective, If we're faced with bagging and mowing 1x week vs mulching and mowing 2x week, The mulch mowing is probably going to be a wash time-wise, and result in a better looking lawn. The mulch kit is less $$$ typically and on these newer units, they switch between discharging and mulching with the push of a button. Also, mowing 2x week with a mulch kit is an all-power operation vs manually emptying bags. Just food for thought.

The X330, X350, and X390 are going to be the volume sales models for sure. The X330 has a Briggs engine, to which I'm indifferent. The Briggs engines with good filtration have historically been great engines and often punch above their weight when it comes to power. But for +$200, the Kawi is a slight upgrade and sounds glorious.... :lol: The 390 is pretty far over the stated budget, although perhaps worth considering if power steering appeals and 4-wheel steer does not. The 394 has it all of course. :mrgreen: So let's filter this list again.

X330:48 - 48", Briggs, 2-Wheel Armstrong Steering $3,800
X350:48 - 48", Kawi, 2-Wheel Armstrong Steering $4,000
X350R - 42", Kawi, 2-Wheel Armstrong Steering, Built in rear bagger w/dump. $5,000
X380 - 48", Bigger Kawi, 2-Wheel Armstrong Steering $5,000
X384 - 48", Bigger Kawi, 4-Wheel Armstrong Steering $5,800
X390:48 - 48", Bigger Kawi, 2-Wheel Power Steering $6,000
X390:54 - 54", Bigger Kawi, 2-Wheel Power Steering $6,300
X394 - 48", Bigger Kawi, 4-Wheel Power Steering $6,800

The X350 and the X380 at first glance look awful similar, with the X380 having a slightly larger engine. More power is always welcome with Bermudagrass. The biggest difference will be comfort. Larger tires, a better seat, these will be differences that can be felt. One that you won't feel, is the transmission. The X380 has a K58 vs the K46 in the X350. The K58 is a better trans, especially if towing or snow removal is in the equation. For just mowing, eh, the 46 is plenty good, but bigger is better in this case for sure. This is where the majority of the cost increase is as well.

I think I'd try to put him on an X380. If you can stretch the budget, you may find that you/he love the way a 4WS machine (X384) handles and trims, especially on slopes. The system has been around for 25+ years now and has certainly found it's niche. If he just wants a nice machine to mow with, the X350:48 should serve him well too.


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## rockwalltxguy (Oct 1, 2021)

Wow, Now that's detailed! Thanks for the great write up.


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## tommyboy (Aug 20, 2019)

I bought an X350 Deere with a 50" deck and power flow bagger last spring. Do not regret it one bit. Every other bagger (Cub and Scotts) would plug often. Mostly spring and again in the fall with leaves. The Deere has not plugged up once. If money isn't a big problem, consider 4whl steer and maybe power steering.


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## FedDawg555 (Mar 19, 2020)

MasterMech said:


> I'd say he's a good candidate for a Deere X300 series…


I wonder if JD has a kit or aftermarket to add 2 rear anti scalp wheels to that 42" deck? That would almost make that 570 with power steering perfect. Has anyone done this or is it possible?


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

FedDawg555 said:


> MasterMech said:
> 
> 
> > I'd say he's a good candidate for a Deere X300 series…
> ...


Not sure if there's an aftermarket kit available. I don't think the 42" decks ever had 4 wheels. Back on the LX/GT machines, they had a good 3-wheel setup. The 4th wheel wouldn't fit due to right rear tire interference.

https://www.greenpartstore.com/John-Deere-42C-Mower-Deck-Housing-AM128570.html

Take note of the doubled over gauge wheel brackets too. They had a more gooder, durable, setup then too. (With an easier front hangar bracket also.)

I've added a 3rd wheel to 42C decks before. Just need a bracket, homemade is usually the way. Can bolt it on, but I've always welded it like the front two.

Back in the early years of the X300 machines, there was a 38" deck offering. 3 gauge wheels, powered and non-powered bagger option. Better for small properties and low cut heights than the 42C/42X options. You (if you were a dealer) also used to be able to order the tractors "less deck" and order a complete mower deck separately. If that's still an option, then in theory, one should be able to order an X370 less deck and install the 38" mower deck at the dealer provided complete 38" decks are still available and your dealer is willing.

Looking back at a few photos - these are all 2 gauge wheels like the 42C/X. I must be remembering the LX/GT 38" machines.


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