Lawn Equipment

[Snowboy]

Anyone use Scag or Toro Or Ferris Walkbehing mowers.

I am looking at getting a Scag or Toro mower. I was thinking Hydro but that might be a lil much. What are your opnions on these machines.

Why would i want to invest more in Hydro then Gear. I want one the bags for fall cleanups and spring cleanups and larger residential maybe.

Comment Questions Opnions ? :confused:

Dave.

[W-n-K Landscaping]

Snowboy-
Gee we meet again!!! LOL!!
I own a 48" Scag walkbehind. So far it's been a great mower(first season) I got a decent deal from the dealer- he got it from a customer in trade for a zero turn- so I saved over $1000 and got a 2003 mower. I run te mulching blades on it, and I am happy with it's performance so far. I would look into Toro also- depending on your budget you might want to go that route to start out with. I would also recomend Husquvarna as well- I own one of their saws and it's a monster!!! Either one would be good to start out with.

Bill

[DanG]

I've got 4 Toro walk behinds. Three of them are belt drives(37",44",52") and one is a hydro(52").

Do yourself a favor and buy a hydro if you can swing it.
The increase in production will pay for itself in a very short period of time. And if you buy a sulky to tow behind it, having a hydro will make using it alot easier.(no shifting)

Dan

[BRL]

"Do yourself a favor and buy a hydro if you can swing it.
The increase in production will pay for itself in a very short period of time. And if you buy a sulky to tow behind it, having a hydro will make using it alot easier.(no shifting) "

Can't say it any better than that. Go to the dealer that you know has the best service\reputation, and then demo the ones you are considering so you can decide which one you might prefer the most. Good luck!

[Snowboy]

cnypropertysvcs

Yes we meet again...


I havent called for priceing yet but i know i will be shocked. I am a one man show and want to take on some commercial clients. I will be operateing the unit 2 days out of the week so a Scag would be nice but for the amount of work i am doing it wouldnt be a smart investment. I would like to get a Hydro so i would assume that i would go with a Toro beeing its ligther on my pocket and i could upsize the machine for the price of the scag.


So next question is if its a Toro do i go with T bar or Pistol Grip. I have used T bar toro gear drive before. I wonder which is easier to controll when mowing the side of a hill, what will go straighter and that i wont have to fight to keep it in a reasonably straight line. The properties i am eyeing dont have and hill so i dont have to worry about that now.

Dealer support thats another issue.. 2 dealers that are close that sell both. I dont like either of there service, i have even given one of them bussiness with a former client and he went and sold her his floor model and said it wasnt. The other dealer i gave them my presure washer to fix and they were going to charge me to clean the rust out of the carb bowl. I think it should have been under warranty but they say honda refused..

So i might have to go further out of my way to look for a unit.

[razor]

I have a 32 inch Toro gear with t-bar, it is about 10 years old now and has been great. I don't use it much anymore since I bought my Walker but I still use it where the Walker won't fit through the gate. If this is going to be your primary mower I would get a hydro, belt drive is a pain in tight places.

If you don't like the service at your closest dealerships find another. There are many places that sell Toro in the GTA. I can highly recommend a dealer in my area in you PM me.

Ray

[Snowboy]

I was thinking Hydro and was recomended Scag or Exmark. I know WE Enterprises sells or stocks exmark.

I want to get into the commercial market but i dont know since i wont be doing alot of places i am thinking i could do 5 places and i think i would require some help.

I would be operateing the machine 2 or 3 times a week maybe for 8 hrs a day twice a week and maybe once a wile in the evening.

I do residential but i wana drop the ones that haggle with me for a price or ask can you do this and can you do that for me and still when i skip a day they say well you didnt cut 1 week.

Entry level Hydro Toro or maybe it was exmark 48" floating deck hydro was $7000.

I wana make up what i spent on the unit in one season so i can buy a plow in the fall if insurance goes down.

[windmill]

Snowboy, I don't think the dealer was stearing you wrong on the Honda warranty issue. My son had the same problem, Honda blamed it on the gas he was using. Of course it is the same gas he uses in all of his equipment and couldn't have been the problem. The motor was still on its first tank. It took a few months but we did get Honda to cover it. Probably cost us as much in time but we got our pound of flesh. :)

[jt5019]

I have a 48 scag walk behind and a scag ztr rider.They are built super strong and i havnt had any major problems with them.They stripe very good.If you are gonna use it for a number of lawns i would definetly go with the hydro.Hydro units usually have a bit faster ground speed.You dont have to worry about shifting if you need to make a quick stop.The hydro system usually outlasts the gear drive transmissions.If you have just a few accounts the gear drive will be fine.My first was a gear drive and its lasted me years without any transmission problems.

[phillyplowking1]

EXMARK:D

[Snowboy]

A gear looks like my choice for the amount of places i do.

You guys use the bags for your mowers ? I do Dethacthing in the sprig and that would help collect it all instead of hours on the backpack blower.

[jt5019]

I have a bagger for my walkbehind but not the rider yet.We normally dont bag lawns unless there is a special reason. Such as leaf clean up in the fall.During the regular mowing season if you mow on schedule there is no need to bag.Whatever mower you choose the dealer should be able to get a bagger for you no problem.

[phillyplowking1]

I have 2 exmark 27hp liquid cooled laser setup with ultravacs,they work wonders with wet grass,leaves or anything.

[pro property]

I have the 36" exmark walk behind. Belt drive, fixed deck. Its awesome. A real workhorse.. Im thinking of buying another one, with a bigger deck...
:canada

[Snowboy]

jt5019

I have used Ferris mowers and from what i have seen i cant get a bagger for it.

I wouldnt bag in the summer just for fall / spring cleanups and for my own house.

[Snowboy]

Originally posted by pro property
I have the 36" exmark walk behind. Belt drive, fixed deck. Its awesome. A real workhorse.. Im thinking of buying another one, with a bigger deck...
:canada


Why fixed Deck, doesnt it scalp ? Do you have a bag for it metal or fabric ?

Where are you located Pro Property ?

I'm From Mississauga. :canada

[NovaLC]

Originally posted by Snowboy
jt5019

I have used Ferris mowers and from what i have seen i cant get a bagger for it.

I wouldnt bag in the summer just for fall / spring cleanups and for my own house.

Not a bag, but a cage. Grass Gobbler, have two friends who use them on their 36" Ferris.

I'll be getting one for my Ferris Hydrocut in the spring for cleanups, during the regular season I run double blades and run a OCDC (operator controlled discharge chute) to save from making a mess.

IMO bags/cages are a huge waste of time/money.

[pro property]

I dont have a lot of problems with it scalping, being a 36. If I buy a larger deck , i would buy the floating deck.. I dont think i would go for the hydro though. I like the belt. Bu shouldnt say that, I have never tried the hydro walk behind. I have a 52" exmark lazer hp also.... both are excellent machines.
I use the exmark bag. It fits on most exmark mowers. Goes on and off in no time...

Im 10 min outside of sarnia, in a town called courtright.
Im rihgt on the st clair river. I can see st clair michigan from my front porch...

:burnout :canada

[Snowboy]

I was looking for a 42 or 48" floating mower. I gues i can switch blades to give me high lift so it stripes better, or just add stripers to the mower eh ?


I can see a bag a waste and a helper. For Dethatching i would help for leaves it might get full to quick. Going over with the mower and emptying the bag on a tarp is faster then blowing it into piles and rakeing it on to a tarp then hauling the tarp to the truck i would think.


Pro Property- I have heard of sarnia but i have never gone there. [/COLOR]

[NovaLC]

Originally posted by Snowboy
I was looking for a 42 or 48" floating mower. I gues i can switch blades to give me high lift so it stripes better, or just add stripers to the mower eh ?

This is what I use. Ferris 'Eliminator' mulching blades on top of regular lifts. I usually discharge all summer long and never have to blow the clippings off the lawn. Sometimes I'll double cut, but that's only one or two over-irrigated properties.

Stripping is done by a home made chain kit.


I can see a bag a waste and a helper. For Dethatching i would help for leaves it might get full to quick. Going over with the mower and emptying the bag on a tarp is faster then blowing it into piles and rakeing it on to a tarp then hauling the tarp to the truck i would think.


We used to dethatch during the spring clean-up, but after doing more research on it, I found that it was doing more harm than good. But we'd usually end up blowing the lawn even after going over it with the mower and bagging. So it's probably easier to just blow the whole lawn once into a corner or somewhere and pick it all up, this isn't very difficult with a good blower.

[Snowboy]

Peter i have seen that idea with the chains. Looks like it would be good for clearing land mines. Small ones anyways.

I dont know how to compaire Ferris, Scag Toro & Exmark.

I know Ferris and Scag and Exmark will be more money then Toro but im willing to spend more for quality.

[NovaLC]

Originally posted by Snowboy
Peter i have seen that idea with the chains. Looks like it would be good for clearing land mines. Small ones anyways.

I dont know how to compaire Ferris, Scag Toro & Exmark.

I know Ferris and Scag and Exmark will be more money then Toro but im willing to spend more for quality.

I don't know what it's like in the west end, but up here Ferris dominates the walkbehind market.

I've never seen or heard of a Scag other than on the Internet.

I'm sure Toro makes good mowers, but as far as reputation goes, I haven't heard anything. I have a 21" Proline, but that's about it, best on the market IMO.

I "grew up" with Ferris, they're good mowers, so natuarally that's the brand I'm sticking too. I'm planning on getting a ZTR in the spring, and it's going to be a Ferris 1000Z.

[Snowboy]

Here in the west its Ferris, Toro, Walker, Exmark is getting popular dont see many Scags thou.

Doesnt walker make Walk Behinds ? Think they are as good as there ride on's ?

Allot of people use the stand up mowers too. I heard of a WB called Gateway its made by Great dane. The mower has a wing that folds up from 56" to 37" and i think you can mow in the 36" size..

[Snowboy]

Picture # 2


I think i know a dealer that has a demo unit for sale for a good price i think.. I cant use one yet or else i would buy it. I hope to get my contracts in my February.

When is the time to bid on Green season work ?

[Snowboy]

I think this is called a scamper..

These are popular here or starting to be.

I womder if she comes with the mower ? :D

[razor]

Nova

There is a Scag dealer right here in Richmond Hill. He says they are tough mowers but they don't sell too many, I think he said Scag doesn't market them the way they do in the US. I guess our market is too small for them.

You are right there are many Ferris around it may be due to a large dealership in the area leasing them out cheap.

Ray

[Snowboy]

What you think of that gateway machine i posted pics of 1st 2 pics's ? 17hp Kawi engine 37 3/4 deck folded up and 57 with deck down. They want $4500 for the unit it was a demo model. It's a Hydro. :canada

[Snowboy]

Nova and Razor what are the going hourly rates for property mainteance there ? A friend of mine here said he bills $85 / hr for a crew of 3 and he uses walker's. Thats is like $30 a person sounds kinda cheap espcially if your useing $15'000 a piece equipment.

If your not comfortable posting it here please just PM me.

Thanks Guy's.

Dave. :canada

[capt.craig]

I was in the same situation as you last season 2003 but you will never look back after getting a walk behind. i have tried a hydro exmark and find my toro tee bar much easyer and less fatiquing to use. defently like the tee bar

[Snowboy]

I think either one you will get fatiuge or carpel tunnel sysdrom. I wonder which is easier to opertate on the side of a hill. I used to mow a hill with a toro T bar and all i had to to was squeaze it to what side i wanted it to cling to. I dont want to be fighting with the damn thing but i wasnt a reasonable straight line, just dont know which will do it best.

Dont have any hill to try it out on but who knows later down the road.

Dave. :headwall

[capt.craig]

not sure but that picture of the scamper may actually a unit they call a Wright stander common in the US but saw a local dealer in Niagara Falls has this line now

[Snowboy]

I have heard of the Wright Stander i see standers beeing used here. I would go for the Gateway since its folds up to 37" and then i can put it in my truck and dont need the trailer.

[Earthscapes]

Don't buy the gateway unless you demo it first.

I took a demo out for a week,,,very bad design in my opionion. The hinges are weak, the motor is way to small,it will not fit through a 36" gate(37 3/4" wide) a few other things that i can't recall at this time.

just demo it first dude

[Snowboy]

Earthscapes


I dont think it would fit in many of places i mow now bit im sure i could squeaze it into some of them. I was looking at it mainly for stip malls and small plaza's but if it does both Residential and commercial that would be a bonus. I like the fact its hydro and that a dealer is selling there demo for $4500 cdn i cant get anything hydro with that size deck for that price.

They now will be comeing with a 22hp Kohler engine and not the 15hp Kawi.

I wana demo it but there isnt much places to use it at this time of the year beeing the grass is on its way to beeing dormant.

[Earthscapes]

I finally found the paper work I was looking for. The price was $4700 (USA dollars lol) and I talked him into a free bagger. The other things were it's really bad on hills & the stripes look weird.

You cannot mow with the side deck in the up postion. Well you could try it but, the belt would come off and there would be a big mess from the grass blowing out both sides of the mower.

At least take it home and try it out before you buy it. To be honest with you I don't know of anyone who owns one in my area.

I bought a 48" hydro and a 32" belt instead of the gateway. I still own both and added a 60" rider in 02'. Now I own a mower for every yard,,,mainly the rider took over everything the 48" used to cut. So now thats basically my backup mower.

Good luck

[Snowboy]

Thanks Earthscapes..

I will use the info you gave me wisely.

Dave.

[capt.craig]

Okay call me stupid Peter but what's with the chains does that help lift the grass for the striping effect? thanks Craig

[NovaLC]

Originally posted by capt.craig
Okay call me stupid Peter but what's with the chains does that help lift the grass for the striping effect? thanks Craig

Close... not lift, but lay down.

[NovaLC]

I know of two dealers who sell Wright Standers. One in Scarborough and one in Thornhill.

They are very good machines from I hear, but they are expensive. They are pretty close in price to a ZTR.

Although I've never used any other kind of mower, I would think that the Ferris Dual Drive system would be easiest to operate since it only requires your thumbs.

[NovaLC]

Originally posted by Snowboy
Nova and Razor what are the going hourly rates for property mainteance there ? A friend of mine here said he bills $85 / hr for a crew of 3 and he uses walker's. Thats is like $30 a person sounds kinda cheap espcially if your useing $15'000 a piece equipment.

If your not comfortable posting it here please just PM me.

Thanks Guy's.

Dave. :canada

I'm solo, so I just charge what I need to cover my overhead and make a profit. I don't really care what the going rate is because I know the low ballers are making it up. I only serve people like myself, who want quality and are willing to pay for it.

But from what I've heard, it's very low. I don't think anyone around here understands the need for a minimum price, I've heard people getting away with as low as $60/month! $15/visit!

[Snowboy]

I wouldnt do it for $15.. No way.. Thanks thou.. What ya think of great dane mowers seen any around there ?

[NovaLC]

Originally posted by Snowboy
I wouldnt do it for $15.. No way.. Thanks thou.. What ya think of great dane mowers seen any around there ?

Never seen one. I only see Ferris, Exmark and Toro around here.