Grasshopper Mower Questions

[BSeyler]

I am considering a new mower. Has anyone owned our used a Grasshopper? How do they hold up? Quality? Breakdowns? Etc. Of course, the ads look good, but am looking for thoughts from those with personal experience using this mower.



Thanks!

Bud

 

[CBlack]

Well, my brother-in-laws father owns one, paid around $12k for it.

They had a lot of electrical problems with it but finally got it sorted out.

Other than that it is very durable and reliable thus far (approx. 3 years with it). They've been cutting 5+ acres with it during the season every 7-10 days.

I'm personally looking at the Dixie Chopper.

 

[BSeyler]

CBlack,

Thanks for the input. This mower is really for my wife and her mother. Together, they mow about 4 acres. They don't let me mow and I'm just fine with that. Any mowing I do is with my brushog on the old 1555 Oliver, or the 20' mower behind the 4440 JD. Time will tell what they do.

Bud

 

[Skydiver]

My cousin has a grasshopper. So far he likes it.
I have owned a Kubota ZD326 ZTR for 2 years now. Not one problem and only uses around 3 quarts of diesel per hour turning a 60" deck.
Check out how the Kubotas are made. The plush seat has 7 way adjustment. It has a real tractor type PTO, not an electric magnet. Mower deck weighs over 200 lbs. Hydraulic deck lift.
I made this investment because I grew tired of buying a lessor riding mower every 5 years. I wanted something comfortable and durable. Mowing 4 acres you need a diesel. Kubota stands behind their products. I ask my salesman how could Kubota sale such a fine mower for less than other top commercial brands. He said Kubota builds their own trannys and engines, where oher top brands have to buy their engines and trannys. It's all Kubota.
Kubota ZD326 Review, Price, Information

 

[CBlack]

CBlack,



Thanks for the input. This mower is really for my wife and her mother. Together, they mow about 4 acres. They don't let me mow and I'm just fine with that. Any mowing I do is with my brushog on the old 1555 Oliver, or the 20' mower behind the 4440 JD. Time will tell what they do.



Bud

No problem. Hope they have good luck with whatever they get.

My cousin has a grasshopper. So far he likes it.

I have owned a Kubota ZD326 ZTR for 2 years now. Not one problem and only uses around 3 quarts of diesel per hour turning a 60" deck.

Check out how the Kubotas are made. The plush seat has 7 way adjustment. It has a real tractor type PTO, not an electric magnet. Mower deck weighs over 200 lbs. Hydraulic deck lift.

I made this investment because I grew tired of buying a lessor riding mower every 5 years. I wanted something comfortable and durable. Mowing 4 acres you need a diesel. Kubota stands behind their products. I ask my salesman how could Kubota sale such a fine mower for less than other top commercial brands. He said Kubota builds their own trannys and engines, where oher top brands have to buy their engines and trannys. It's all Kubota.

Kubota ZD326 Review, Price, Information

I think Kubota's are a lot more expensive than the comparable brands. I've looked at them but their mowers are high priced. I don't doubt their quality, but I think they think a bit too highly of themselves. Kind of like CAT.



I do know that Grasshopper uses Kubota diesels as an option for their mowers.

 

[BDaugherty]

I've heard good things about Grasshopper and Dixie Chopper, but all of my experience has been with Exmark.

I do mechanic work for a small lanscape/lawncare business that uses nothing but Exmark. They seem to be very well built and have held up well to heavy year round use with minimal maintenance. The company is headquartered in Beatrice, Nebraska... although I'm not 100% sure that all their products are assembled there.

 

[BSeyler]

Thanks, All, for the input. I worked on the present mower - John Deere - today and found two blades to be bent, again. That accounts for the uneven mowing. I got a new set from the JD dealer and they made a big improvement. I looked at a Grasshopper while I was there. They look pretty nice and I think it would work fine for my place, but I think it's too big for the MIL's place. She has many big, old trees to mow around.

We ran the cows out of one of the pastures and built our house in it four years ago, so the trees are all newly planted and small. A bigger mower would be fine there. Seems like the bent blades are probably coming from the girls mowing where I should be brush hogging. Don't know how that will all play out.

Bud

 

[Dieselnut59]

My personal recommendation is to go with Kubota. There is a reason they cost more. One of those reasons is they come standard with a diesel engine. It is FAR superior to the "best" gasoline engines offered on other mowers. Kubota equipment is VERY well made. My little mower has been "abused" damn near every time it is run. The deck is incredibly strong. The engines are as close to perfect as there is. They run quieter and much smoother than the "equivalent" gasoline engines. They are also nearly twice as fuel efficient. The extra money spent to get the Kubota will pay off in cost of ownership and longevity.

 

[CBlack]

My personal recommendation is to go with Kubota. There is a reason they cost more. One of those reasons is they come standard with a diesel engine. It is FAR superior to the "best" gasoline engines offered on other mowers. Kubota equipment is VERY well made. My little mower has been "abused" damn near every time it is run. The deck is incredibly strong. The engines are as close to perfect as there is. They run quieter and much smoother than the "equivalent" gasoline engines. They are also nearly twice as fuel efficient. The extra money spent to get the Kubota will pay off in cost of ownership and longevity.

Not all of their models come with a diesel.

 

[SWC]

I own a 618 Grasshopper purchased in 2001. I have been pleased with the unit for its mowing qualities. I find it very maneuverable. We have many trees on our yard and working around them is always a pain but the Grasshopper handles that okay. The 18 horse Kohler has adequate power for the 52 inch deck. It is very easy to get on and off as well.

Now for the downside. The hour meter reads around 400 hours and I have to watch the engine oil closely. The dipstick for the oil usually has dust and junk on the top of the stick for about an inch. I know the cover for the tube on the stick is not tight on the stick and in the dirty conditions the motor works in lend very well to dirt getting everywhere. Our model does not have the option to lift the front of the deck to clean it out as I believe the new ones do.

I was very impressed with the drive on the Grasshopper. We have some steep ditches on our property and mowing the slopes can be entertaining. If I ever got in tight spot I would face the deck downhill and I could back up as long I had traction. The rear wheel would lift off the ground but I could always back up. That is until I got water in the oil reservoir. That situation was my fault and in no way reflects on the design of the Grasshopper.

I have no experience with other zero turn mowers to compare to.

Stan

 

[DMather]

I've been mowing 9 acres and snow blowing 800 feet of drive for the past 5 years with a Grasshopper 721D.

The tractor unit and 3 cylinder Kubota diesel engine has performed flawlessly. (attachments go on the front of the tractor. You can change from mower to blower or blade in 10 minutes. )

The 60" mower deck had a bearing go out in the gearbox and the snow blower needed a new drive chain. (both items were this year) Gearbox was from letting neighbor mow his rocks and cost me $300. Chain was normal wear and was $20.

I give the Grasshopper high marks based on my unit. I've had Deere, Cub, Kubota and even a Ford 8N and this is the most reliable that I've had. Even starting it up in the winter hasn't been a problem. (and I trailer to the next town to do my factory parking lot... It gets a good freeze. )

 

[Skydiver]

My personal recommendation is to go with Kubota. There is a reason they cost more. One of those reasons is they come standard with a diesel engine. It is FAR superior to the "best" gasoline engines offered on other mowers. Kubota equipment is VERY well made. My little mower has been "abused" damn near every time it is run. The deck is incredibly strong. The engines are as close to perfect as there is. They run quieter and much smoother than the "equivalent" gasoline engines. They are also nearly twice as fuel efficient. The extra money spent to get the Kubota will pay off in cost of ownership and longevity.

Very well said.
I just replaced the blades on my 60" deck yesterday. They use a 1 1/8" spindle shaft. The canister type air filter is a must. I still can't get over how well this mower is built. Look at other mower brands build integrity before you check the Kubota. You will see just what we are talking about. The 0. 6 to 0. 8 gallon per hour of diesel fuel per hour is the best in the industry. Now if I could just get my wife to allow me to use it. LOL

 

[MChildress]

I believe I heard Grasshopper started the zero turn craze. I went with a Kubota ZD326 3 yrs ago and have had no problems with 300 hrs on the clock. Like said above it sips the diesel fuel. My boys love it they can't get me off it.

 

[Skydiver]

Max Swisher in 1955 built the first zero turn. I own one of the last "Big Mow" Swisher mowers ever built. (4 sail) Very simple and heavy unit. 3 tires, no brakes, no reverse, no floating deck and one wheel drive. The deck operates by a belt driven from the bottom of the engine and the drive system gets the belt located at the top of the engine.
HowStuffWorks "How Zero-turn Mowers Work"
Not my swisher in the following photo
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#ad

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A video I found YouTube - big mow ebay
Hustler claims 1963 to have the first unit.

 

[Skydiver]

Almost a month later,,, I let my neighbor next door use our Kubota ZD326. He has an old riding mower that runs. Takes him about an hour to cut his grass with his mower and only 15 minutes with mine. Now every time he needs to cut his grass, he ask me to use our mower. 3 times so far. He loves it. I spent $11,000 so I won't have to buy another mower in my lifetime.
What would be a good excuse to stop him from borrowing our zero turn. I don't want to cause hard feelings. I very seldom ask him to borrow anything. Never anything of great value. I will never tell a lie.

 

[BSeyler]

We've been gone for five weeks and when we got back, my wife's mom had a new JD mower in the machine shed. A bearing was going out on the deck of the old one and she said when one thing fails, it's all downhill from there. That translates to - I want a new one and I will have it. I wanted to look at Kubota and some other mowers, but it's not really my deal.

Yesterday, I hooked my brush hog to my 1555 Oliver and cleaned up around the machine shed and corrals. Then, hooked the 4440 to the 20 foot mower and clipped a pasture so the horses don't have to work so hard. Finished that off with a with a little spin in my CTD. Not a bad way to spend a day!

Bud

 

[AABEN]

I thank the DIXON was the first with o turn.