If you drive one, then drive scag, exmark, toro commercial, and a cub tank, youll notice alot more boune on the dixie chopper, not to mention a way higher center of gravity wich makes their hill side stability way less. Then if you can set the mowers together youll notice the deck isnt that on the chopper as it is on other mowers stated above, youll also notice the frame is smaller/weaker, not to mention they utilize most the time a generac engine, generac is nealy non existant in the commercial machiene, no way comprable to a kawasaki. Their mufflers are not baffled much/high levels of noise. You noted groung speed, its ridiculous and unusable in the real world, their blade tip speed is unsafe in my opinion,
Commercial lawn mowers
- Thread starter yard_kid
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Thanks for the input everyone. It has been amazing. I am looking at an exmark vantage. However I could use some suggestions for a unit that is small enough to get through an average backyard gate. As for trimmers I will propably by an echo srm225. I would really appreciate some input on that. ( don't worry about the head I am planning on buying a rapid loader anyways). The main thing I am worried about is durability. I do about five or six yards a week in the summer and I am looking to expand. I am also looking at Stihl. If anyone could give me solid information either way I would be very grateful.
Thanks alot. These are all things that I have considered myself. I am already offering my clients service that is very far above the rest for a much cheaper price. This is the beauty of capitalism, there is always a risk, sometimes you just need to measure whether the risk is worth the reward. And that is exactly what I'm doing. I'm gathering information to see if lawncare is something worth pursuing. I figure I'd rather be doing this now while I have time to think about the pros and cons vs a couple weeks before I head of to college. Lol. So about how much would it cost to maintain the average walk behind or zero turn mower for one season?
wichever mower you decide on, id make sure its powered by a kawasaki engine, eiter air or liquid cooled. as to the trimmer, stihl makes a decent saw but a not so good trimmer, my opinion. Id select from Husqvarna, Red Max, Schindawa, or as your leaning to Echo. Red Max isnt commonly known to homeowners, but alot of commercial cutters use them, i have one and it is excellent, not the most powerful, but has the best balance ive ever used
Originally Posted By: yard_kid
Thanks alot. This is the beauty of capitalism, there is always a risk, sometimes you just need to measure whether the risk is worth the reward.
Now youre making good sence! In my town so n so is mowing that Large hospital, then so n so cut his price by 5 bucks so hes out! and as to maintence, thats up to you, are you gonna let 10 lbs of dead grass build up on the deck, killing the belt? seriously, the amount of yards your talking, id be talking the best used/not wore out i could get for 2,500 or less. on a side note, i have a buddy who quit optomitry school to do lawn wrk, he also installs high dollar irrigation systems to big companies, hes does well, but kicks his self daily for not holding out
Thanks alot. This is the beauty of capitalism, there is always a risk, sometimes you just need to measure whether the risk is worth the reward.
Now youre making good sence! In my town so n so is mowing that Large hospital, then so n so cut his price by 5 bucks so hes out! and as to maintence, thats up to you, are you gonna let 10 lbs of dead grass build up on the deck, killing the belt? seriously, the amount of yards your talking, id be talking the best used/not wore out i could get for 2,500 or less. on a side note, i have a buddy who quit optomitry school to do lawn wrk, he also installs high dollar irrigation systems to big companies, hes does well, but kicks his self daily for not holding out
Originally Posted By: kcfx4
Originally Posted By: yard_kid
Thanks alot. This is the beauty of capitalism, there is always a risk, sometimes you just need to measure whether the risk is worth the reward.
Now youre making good sence! In my town so n so is mowing that Large hospital, then so n so cut his price by 5 bucks so hes out! and as to maintence, thats up to you, are you gonna let 10 lbs of dead grass build up on the deck, killing the belt? seriously, the amount of yards your talking, id be talking the best used/not wore out i could get for 2,500 or less. on a side note, i have a buddy who quit optomitry school to do lawn wrk, he also installs high dollar irrigation systems to big companies, hes does well, but kicks his self daily for not holding out
Sounds like the would be optometrist was a bit "short sighted".
Originally Posted By: yard_kid
Thanks alot. This is the beauty of capitalism, there is always a risk, sometimes you just need to measure whether the risk is worth the reward.
Now youre making good sence! In my town so n so is mowing that Large hospital, then so n so cut his price by 5 bucks so hes out! and as to maintence, thats up to you, are you gonna let 10 lbs of dead grass build up on the deck, killing the belt? seriously, the amount of yards your talking, id be talking the best used/not wore out i could get for 2,500 or less. on a side note, i have a buddy who quit optomitry school to do lawn wrk, he also installs high dollar irrigation systems to big companies, hes does well, but kicks his self daily for not holding out
Sounds like the would be optometrist was a bit "short sighted".
Trust me. I do best to take very good care of the equipment I already have. I clean the oil regularly and clean the deck almost every time I mow, etc. I am also incredibly picky about how good the cut quality is (it was painful to choose a lawn mower, haha), I never let grass build up.
Year #5 in the lawn biz here. The uncool secret is frankly sticking with smaller properties for residential. Depending on your area you might have all but large estate properties but anyhow margins are better going smaller and put the biggest mower through the gates as possible. My biggest mower is a "Quick 36" made by Better Outdoor Products and made in the USA it fits through all 40" gates. Bigger mowers require more money, bigger truck and trailer greater overhead capital expense etc. Also don't forget commercial insurance etc.
All the best
All the best
Toro is the way to go due to the amount of dealers around.
A cool cheap way to do it is to buy one used with few hours on it and a bombed engine. Then look for a vanguard v-twin generator engine online, and replace the regulator with the mower app. 19 hp is plenty. If your into that sort of thing.
p.s. when you do get going, don't forget to lube that thing.
A cool cheap way to do it is to buy one used with few hours on it and a bombed engine. Then look for a vanguard v-twin generator engine online, and replace the regulator with the mower app. 19 hp is plenty. If your into that sort of thing.
p.s. when you do get going, don't forget to lube that thing.
just an aside, I do larger 'custom mows' with my equipment (diesel tractors with cat1/2 hitches)
fuel is a killer and all the gas engine mowers suck gas more than the pickup truck that hauls them.
'custom mows', in the biz, are the city folk who buy farmland and want it to look like lawn. they pay the bill, we will cut it down every 2 weeks.
as an example, my personal garden tractor is a craftsman (maker unknown) from 1997 with a 20hp b&s twin and 46" cut. It burns 2 gallons per hour. My cub 7275 (3000lb 4x4 D) has 27hp, burns 3/4ths galon per hour and can drive a 72" belly mower as an afterthought. plus it can go twice as fast.
for the really big stuff, try a 52hp massey 65D swinging a 8.5ft rhino - I can idle back to 2.5gph, but it cuts aircraft runways at 11mph
granted you need trucks and trailers to get stuff like this onsite, but look at satoh (grey market) or older kubotas like the BX1800/8100 size. at 17-19hp, the D's burn 1/2gph and can swing 60" belly mowers, have a cat0/1 hitch and pto for 48" hogs or 60" hogs in lighter brush, and since they are 4x4 can push a plow in the winter.
used, you can get a complete outfit for 5000 or less and will have a good 3-5 years before you start overhauling.
If you are truly in the biz, in a 10 hour day, 5 gallons of D beats 20+ gallons of gas, especially when the price charged is the same.
fuel is a killer and all the gas engine mowers suck gas more than the pickup truck that hauls them.
'custom mows', in the biz, are the city folk who buy farmland and want it to look like lawn. they pay the bill, we will cut it down every 2 weeks.
as an example, my personal garden tractor is a craftsman (maker unknown) from 1997 with a 20hp b&s twin and 46" cut. It burns 2 gallons per hour. My cub 7275 (3000lb 4x4 D) has 27hp, burns 3/4ths galon per hour and can drive a 72" belly mower as an afterthought. plus it can go twice as fast.
for the really big stuff, try a 52hp massey 65D swinging a 8.5ft rhino - I can idle back to 2.5gph, but it cuts aircraft runways at 11mph
granted you need trucks and trailers to get stuff like this onsite, but look at satoh (grey market) or older kubotas like the BX1800/8100 size. at 17-19hp, the D's burn 1/2gph and can swing 60" belly mowers, have a cat0/1 hitch and pto for 48" hogs or 60" hogs in lighter brush, and since they are 4x4 can push a plow in the winter.
used, you can get a complete outfit for 5000 or less and will have a good 3-5 years before you start overhauling.
If you are truly in the biz, in a 10 hour day, 5 gallons of D beats 20+ gallons of gas, especially when the price charged is the same.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Originally Posted By: QuadDriver
.. my personal garden tractor is a craftsman (maker unknown) from 1997 with a 20hp b&s twin and 46" cut. It burns 2 gallons per hour.
Is that an old horizontally opposed, flathead Briggs twin? Reason I ask is, they suck fuel worse than an OHV V-twin will. Any V-twin I've used (Briggs, Kawi, Kohler) blows through about a gallon an acre (just under a gal usually).
Joel
.. my personal garden tractor is a craftsman (maker unknown) from 1997 with a 20hp b&s twin and 46" cut. It burns 2 gallons per hour.
Is that an old horizontally opposed, flathead Briggs twin? Reason I ask is, they suck fuel worse than an OHV V-twin will. Any V-twin I've used (Briggs, Kawi, Kohler) blows through about a gallon an acre (just under a gal usually).
Joel
Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: QuadDriver
.. my personal garden tractor is a craftsman (maker unknown) from 1997 with a 20hp b&s twin and 46" cut. It burns 2 gallons per hour.
Is that an old horizontally opposed, flathead Briggs twin? Reason I ask is, they suck fuel worse than an OHV V-twin will. Any V-twin I've used (Briggs, Kawi, Kohler) blows through about a gallon an acre (just under a gal usually).
Joel
nah its a vtwin OHV van laydown
Originally Posted By: QuadDriver
.. my personal garden tractor is a craftsman (maker unknown) from 1997 with a 20hp b&s twin and 46" cut. It burns 2 gallons per hour.
Is that an old horizontally opposed, flathead Briggs twin? Reason I ask is, they suck fuel worse than an OHV V-twin will. Any V-twin I've used (Briggs, Kawi, Kohler) blows through about a gallon an acre (just under a gal usually).
Joel
nah its a vtwin OHV van laydown
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JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Originally Posted By: QuadDriver
nah its a vtwin OHV van laydown
Wow. I've never had one use more than about a gal/hour while mowing. Even my Z-Force with the Kohler Courage 20hp twin doesn't burn more than 1gal/hr and that engine is taxed pretty hard having to run the twin hydros and deck.
Joel
nah its a vtwin OHV van laydown
Wow. I've never had one use more than about a gal/hour while mowing. Even my Z-Force with the Kohler Courage 20hp twin doesn't burn more than 1gal/hr and that engine is taxed pretty hard having to run the twin hydros and deck.
Joel
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