# Possible Fairway Mower Purchase - Need Advice Please.



## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

Hey everyone, and Happy Friday 

So, I'm interested in making the jump to reel mowing. Looking out at my wonderful scalp marks this morning has further encouraged me. However, I am still very hesitant, because I've never owned one, and I'm specifically looking at the John Deere 3215B Fairway mower.

http://manuals.deere.com/cceomview/OMTCU16258_A2/Output/OMTCU16258_A218.html

Yes, it's a beast, but I do have over 16k sq feet of ever expanding bermuda to cut. My main concern is the maintenance and sharpening. What am I getting myself into? I'm gonna speak more with the golf course owner who's offering me the mower about this of course, but does anyone have any insight on how to go about this? I'm not exactly a mechanic, but I can figure things out eventually.

Thanks in advance for any advice / input!


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

That's a lot of mower for 16k. For anything less than a few acres, I would probably be looking for a trim/surrounds triplex.


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## The Anti-Rebel (Feb 16, 2019)

5 cutting units to maintain can get expensive. It's also going to take up a large amount of space. I'd try to find a triplex.


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## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

Thanks for the replies.

Ok, so what about HOC on a triplex? Aren't those green/apron mowers? I'm looking to be able to cut everything at around 1.5", 1" minimum. I still have a backyard that I'm converting to zoysia and lower yard across a ditch that's basically neglected but cut at the highest rotary setting (3.5")so to not block my view of the Ohio river. So then my original figure of 16k is technically wrong. I'd have more like 20-22k to mow overall, IF I sell my rotary and go large riding, and push reel and trimmer.


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## The Anti-Rebel (Feb 16, 2019)

A toro 3100, John Deere 2653 or a Jacobsen triking will cut that high.


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## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

The Anti-Rebel said:


> A toro 3100, John Deere 2653 or a Jacobsen triking will cut that high.


Ok, thanks @The Anti-Rebel, I will look those up.


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## MrMeaner (Feb 21, 2017)

Way overkill..No way will you need a fairway mower with 5 reels on your small property. Will be a pain adjusting 5 reels for anythings such as height of cut and more expensive replacing bed knives or reels etc...

Get a Toro 3100d or the John Deere equivalent which I think is a 7200 series and be done with it. The Toro 3100d is a workhorse and an all around great Utility Trim/Surrounds Triplex mower. Will mow from 3/8" up to 2" depending on which reel blade count(higher blade count = lower cutting heights), it has powered steering, can cut 72"(27" reels)or 84"(32" reels) wide. I went with 27" reels as the over all width on the machine fits on my pipe top utility trailer if I ever need to transport it.

For your yard, grass type and cutting height - I would look at a machine with 7 or 8 bladed reels with high HOC adjustment already installed. You will want to cut the Yukon, common and zoysia all at the same height. Adjusting reel HOC, you will quickly learn is a project you only want to do a couple times a year at most and that's for 3 reels much less 5reels.


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## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

MrMeaner said:


> Way overkill..No way will you need a fairway mower with 5 reels on your small property. Will be a pain adjusting 5 reels for anythings such as height of cut and more expensive replacing bed knives or reels etc...
> 
> Get a Toro 3100d or the John Deere equivalent which I think is a 7200 series and be done with it. The Toro 3100d is a workhorse and an all around great Utility Trim/Surrounds Triplex mower. Will mow from 3/8" up to 2" depending on which reel blade count(higher blade count = lower cutting heights), it has powered steering, can cut 72"(27" reels)or 84"(32" reels) wide. I went with 27" reels as the over all width on the machine fits on my pipe top utility trailer if I ever need to transport it.
> 
> For your yard, grass type and cutting height - I would look at a machine with 7 or 8 bladed reels with high HOC adjustment already installed. You will want to cut the Yukon, common and zoysia all at the same height. Adjusting reel HOC, you will quickly learn is a project you only want to do a couple times a year at most and that's for 3 reels much less 5reels.


Ok @MrMeaner thanks so much for the good info. I've definitely gathered so far that changing HOC can be a chore, so I'd like to avoid that altogether. So, what about if we go on vacation, come back and the grass is 3"? I'm assuming the powered reels alone would be enough to cut it down fine, even if I had to go over it twice.


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## HoosierLawnGnome (Sep 28, 2017)

Too big. I'd even consider a single reel setup.

Every reel is that many times the maintenance.


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## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

HoosierLawnGnome said:


> Too big. I'd even consider a single reel setup.
> 
> Every reel is that many times the maintenance.


Phew, yeah I don't know. lol. To mow everything with my 44" Husqevarna it takes over an hour. Not sure I wanna walk behind a 20" reel for over two hours, especially in these 90 degree days in mostly full sun. :/ I'm a wimp I guess.


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## dkggpeters (May 31, 2019)

:roll:


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## MrMeaner (Feb 21, 2017)

andymac7 said:


> MrMeaner said:
> 
> 
> > Way overkill..No way will you need a fairway mower with 5 reels on your small property. Will be a pain adjusting 5 reels for anythings such as height of cut and more expensive replacing bed knives or reels etc...
> ...


A Plant Growth regulator like Tnex or the generic would be your best friend in the case of going out of town on an extended vacation. first time I applied it I didn't have to mow for three weeks, albeit I applied it just a smidge over the recommended rate.


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## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

dkggpeters said:


> :roll:


Lol! Well before you roll your eyes there too much, there's also the wife and kid element. By the time I'd get the lawn mowed, then trim, then do other yard/landscaping work, I'd be feeling like I neglected them. But, to each their own. I'm hen-pecked I suppose.  But anyway..


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## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

MrMeaner said:


> A Plant Growth regulator like Tnex or the generic would be your best friend in the case of going out of town on an extended vacation. first time I applied it I didn't have to mow for three weeks, albeit I applied it just a smidge over the recommended rate.


Yes, I know, I've been admonished many times on this forum to get PGR. Lol. I would love to have it, but, ya know, I've spent enough so far this year on Celsius, fungicide, seeding zoysia in the backyard, fertilizer, liquid aeration, a complete backyard reno with stone, pavers, etc etc.. So yeah, I need to cool it for a bit for now . PGR as you know ain't exactly cheap. But I'll get there.


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## MrMeaner (Feb 21, 2017)

andymac7 said:


> dkggpeters said:
> 
> 
> > :roll:
> ...


My ex wife use to gripe about me being out in the yard too much mowing twice a week!! I was like, its not going to mow itself and asked her if she thought i actually liked sweating my butt of in 100 degree temps in July and August.

As to a Vacation and grass growth.... I mowed on the Saturday before the 4th of July intending on mowing again on Wednesday before leaving for the lake for 4 days. One thing lead to another and did not have time to mow on Wednesday, July 3rd. We spent 4 days at the lake getting home tired and wore out the following Sunday. I sucked it up and managed to mow the front lawn which at that point had been 7 days of growth. Mowed the back the next Monday evening on 9 days of growth.... I keep my yard at .550" with the Toro 3100d Triplex and while it was longer than normal it was very managable with a few spots i went over twice as there was a lot of clippings. Unless your taking a two week vacation/cruise somewhere I think you would be fine.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

andymac7 said:


> Yes, I know, I've been admonished many times on this forum to get PGR. Lol. I would love to have it, but, ya know, I've spent enough so far this year on Celsius, fungicide, seeding zoysia in the backyard, fertilizer, liquid aeration, a complete backyard reno with stone, pavers, etc etc.. So yeah, I need to cool it for a bit for now . PGR as you know ain't exactly cheap. But I'll get there.


C'mon now - you're the one here talking about buying a fairway mower. :lol:


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## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

MrMeaner said:


> andymac7 said:
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> 
> > dkggpeters said:
> ...


Haha!  (I will resist the bad joke about "curb apeal") . Ok well that's good to know. Here's dreaming about PGR and dark green lateral growth...


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## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

Ware said:


> andymac7 said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, I know, I've been admonished many times on this forum to get PGR. Lol. I would love to have it, but, ya know, I've spent enough so far this year on Celsius, fungicide, seeding zoysia in the backyard, fertilizer, liquid aeration, a complete backyard reno with stone, pavers, etc etc.. So yeah, I need to cool it for a bit for now . PGR as you know ain't exactly cheap. But I'll get there.
> ...


Touche Mr Ware, touche. :thumbup:

However, in my defense, the narrative is that we NEED a new mower. Period. Which we do. My Husqy is on it's last gasp. We can't exactly have an acre of tall bermuda, blackberries and sweetgum saplings now can we?


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## Art_Vandelay (Nov 20, 2018)

Look for a nice utility triplex. A Toro 3100d or a John Deere 2653. And keep a rotary mower around to use if you need it. If you go on vacation and come back to 3" grass and want to cut it down to 1", a reel mower is not ideal. Even a fairway mower will take several passes to make it look good. If you let the seed heads get out of hand, the reel mower won't do well with those either. 
I mow 3 acres with a fairway unit and I can almost cut it twice in an hour


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## Kmartel (Feb 12, 2019)

Agree on a utility triplex, will crank out 22k in 20 minutes max.

In most residential settings consider a rotary mower essential, and the reel mowers bonus. Use rotary for debris clean up, vacations and leafs if you have them. Also when purchasing an old triplex breakdowns will occur, though very infrequently, so a back up is good.


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## HoosierLawnGnome (Sep 28, 2017)

andymac7 said:


> HoosierLawnGnome said:
> 
> 
> > Too big. I'd even consider a single reel setup.
> ...


Yeah I get that. You're kind of in a weird spot there sizing wise.

Not a wimp. I love to mow but not for several hours.


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## dkggpeters (May 31, 2019)

andymac7 said:


> dkggpeters said:
> 
> 
> > :roll:
> ...


lol, and you will spend double the time just adjusting and maintaining the thing.


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## silvercymbal (Sep 17, 2018)

andymac7 said:


> Hey everyone, and Happy Friday
> 
> So, I'm interested in making the jump to reel mowing. Looking out at my wonderful scalp marks this morning has further encouraged me. However, I am still very hesitant, because I've never owned one, and I'm specifically looking at the John Deere 3215B Fairway mower.
> 
> ...


I have had a few opportunities to buy one of these machines and if you watch some of the folks on YT they always seem to be riddled with issues. The problem is that golf courses usually get the best years from them and it's certainly not impossible to get a good machine used but you need to remember on a $35k+ mower, parts are very expensive and the market is small. I have owned a lot of gear and I would be very careful about it and if you want to sell it later they are not an easy sale. I also am seeing a large drop in the price of reel mowers on the used market, not sure if its just timing or the market cooling off but be very careful with what you do so you don't get stuck. It can seem very alluring but it wears off quick when you are the one one in town with a mower that breaks unless you can do it all yourself.

If I was you I would buy a Swardman for that size or maybe an Allett if UK is more your choice. The Swardman is popular with a lot of options and can easily do your space.


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## UFG8RMIKE (Apr 21, 2019)

silvercymbal said:


> andymac7 said:
> 
> 
> > Hey everyone, and Happy Friday
> ...


Would like to hear more 1st hand buyer experiences with used golf course triplexes. I plan to get a 3100D when we build our new home. 1200hrs is a lot of hours and this is about what I see on average. Sure they can last longer but these places don't normally have the kind of ppl running them who care about the equipment like a homeowner would.

.


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## The Anti-Rebel (Feb 16, 2019)

1200 hours is nothing when it comes to used golf course equipment. If you are buying from a reputable dealer you can pretty much rest easy knowing you are getting a clean and reliable machine. A lot of folks here have brought mowers from an auction stocked with machines even the dealers don't want. And the craigslist/FB marketplace listings are a crapshoot just like like any garage sale.


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## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

dkggpeters said:


> andymac7 said:
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> 
> > dkggpeters said:
> ...


I'm starting to understand that now. One of the reasons I started this thread. The fairway mower clearly isn't the way to go.


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## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

I appreciate all of the responses everyone. It looks like I've narrowed it down to the John Deere 2653A or Toro 3100D, as suggested above. I spoke with a guy Friday who sent me these quotes over the weekend:



And just fyi, the other fella quoted me $2,800 for the fairway mower. 1600 hrs, John Deere 3215B, said it was his best cutting one he had. Now maybe you all can realize why I was so intrigued in the first place by it.

So anyway, it appears I will have to wait until next year, but no biggie. For now, I'm gonna try resetting those stems today and do a summer scalp followed by a 16-4-8. Wish me luck.


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## Art_Vandelay (Nov 20, 2018)

Those prices are HIGH for a 2653A. You can get a B for those prices


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

I do 20k with a 26" walk-behind reel, takes about 1hr 15min depending on how heavy the clippings are and how many times I need to dump.


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## smusgrav (Oct 31, 2018)

I have enjoyed my Toro 3150!! I have about 15.5K sqft of grass. I bought through Weeks Auction this spring and this is my first reel mower. You can cut as slow or as fast as you want with it. There is a little bit Maintenance involved with it and I still am working to dial it all in but I am having fun with it. I have been cutting at about .75 and it looks pretty good. It did have 4500hrs on it when i got it. It is worn but it still works.


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## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

smusgrav said:


> I have enjoyed my Toro 3150!! I have about 15.5K sqft of grass. I bought through Weeks Auction this spring and this is my first reel mower. You can cut as slow or as fast as you want with it. There is a little bit Maintenance involved with it and I still am working to dial it all in but I am having fun with it. I have been cutting at about .75 and it looks pretty good. It did have 4500hrs on it when i got it. It is worn but it still works.


Ok, thanks @smusgrav, that's encouraging 

When I do make my choice, I'll have to figure out a good height for cutting both zoysia and bermuda, because I would really like to just set it at something and leave it there. The general consensus seems to be 1.5" for zoysia and 1" for bermuda, so I'm hoping I can cut at 1.25".


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## sanders4617 (Jul 9, 2018)

I'm looking at a Jacobsen 1900D for sale... 3-30" reels with Kubota 18.5hp diesel engine.

Anybody have experience with this mower? I'd prefer something like a Toro 3100 or JD, but just not a lot in the used market that looks in decent shape. This one has 2500 hours or so and looks in really good shape from what I can tell. Haven't seen it in person yet though.


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## dpainter68 (Apr 26, 2017)

sanders4617 said:


> I'm looking at a Jacobsen 1900D for sale... 3-30" reels with Kubota 18.5hp diesel engine.
> 
> Anybody have experience with this mower? I'd prefer something like a Toro 3100 or JD, but just not a lot in the used market that looks in decent shape. This one has 2500 hours or so and looks in really good shape from what I can tell. Haven't seen it in person yet though.


I believe I know which one you're talking about. I'm leaning more towards a Toro 3150 myself. I'm not that familiar with JD or Jacobsen.


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## MrMeaner (Feb 21, 2017)

dpainter68 said:


> sanders4617 said:
> 
> 
> > I'm looking at a Jacobsen 1900D for sale... 3-30" reels with Kubota 18.5hp diesel engine.
> ...


Have a 3150Q Greensmaster for sale if you're interested


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