…… Help is there a riding mower less than 40” across blades?

F

fi103r

Veteran Member
Just mowed back yard at new house I’m now looking for something that will fit through the 40” gate anyone know if John Deere or Troybuilt has anything like that? don’t know enough about other brands usually try to go with Deere I thought a D120/140/150 would work but all the craiglist D??? show 42/50+inch mower decks
If that’s all there is may have to get HOA to approve a double gate
Thanks
r
 
okie-carbine

okie-carbine

Veteran Member
I would move out of the HOA-controlled territory where I am free to build whateverthefuc size gate I want.
www.homedepot.com

Toro TimeCutter 34 in. IronForged Deck 22 HP Kohler V-Twin Gas Dual Hydrostic Zero-Turn Riding Mower with Smart Speed 75734 - The Home Depot

Don't let overgrown grass slow your summer plans. Toro's 34 in. TimeCutter allows you to create both a beautiful lawn and more time than ever to enjoy it. SmartSpeed Technology and built-in cupholder are just a few of many features on the TimeCutter designed to make your job as easy as possible...
www.homedepot.com

www.homedepot.com

Cub Cadet 30 in. 10.5 HP Briggs & Stratton Engine Hydrostatic Drive Gas Rear Engine Riding Mower with Mulch Kit Included CC30H - The Home Depot

The Cub Cadet 30 in. riding mower delivers the same strength, durability and Cub Cadet signature cut as our larger riders, but in a compact design to fit through smaller spaces like gates and tight storage
www.homedepot.com
 
West

West

Senior
And buy a old 70s lawn JD tractor. And use that one for parts for your new one.

I got a 50" cadet two + years ago with the stimulus check with a fabricated deck 24 horses. For only $1800. Now the same basic rig is $2800!

At the end of first season the throttle/choke cable tore out of the plastic piece of poop throttle linkage. All frigging plastic. So I cut the whole and all metal assembly out of my extra JD 12hp 1976 lawn tractor and installed that into the cub cadet. Works great!

And other parts I've used off the old JD tractors.
 
R

raven

TB Fanatic
There are. Short list.
I bought a 30” Murray. It’s MTD built - not happy about it. Lowes has a Craftsman 36“.
They’ll cost $2,000.
I have a small yard and have some experience keeping them running - it’s a risk.

But West is right, especially if you have a larger yard. You don’t need a double gate.
Move the latch post a foot. Probably have it done for $300.
If your 42” machine i reliable, $300 is less than a new machine.

And in the future, there is a better selection of 42” machines.
 
West

West

Senior
I'm seriously thinking about buying a electric lawnmower. For just the little front yard and upper garden. Maybe a 1/2 total acre that will be mowed only at a quarter of that at a time.

I'm waiting for the Dewalt version. Already have a few of those 9ah of 20+ volts. Runs the 16" chainsaw like a champ. Should work for a mower.
 
Millwright

Millwright

Knuckle Dragger
_______________
Bad Boy makes a 36", $7,200ish.

We have a 72" Bad Boy....it's a monster. 20 years old and no problems.



Gravely makes a 34" zero-turn.

It's $8-large tho.

www.gravely.com

Zero Turn Lawn Mowers | Gravely

Compact enough to slip through a 36” gate, yet powerful enough to pack a commercial punch, the Compact-Pro is perfect for managing multiple residential yards.
www.gravely.com www.gravely.com
 
BornFree

BornFree

Came This Far
38" decks used to be common. But because of the shoot they are wider than that. Rear engine riders tend to have the narrowest decks. But most of them are unreliable junk. And remember that brand names mean nothing anymore as they were mostly bought up by other companies who cheapened the quality. TroyBilt and Cub Cadet names were sold to MTD. Now MTD was sold to Stanley Black & Decker. Simplicity Manufacturing bought Snapper. Then Snapper was sold to Briggs & Stratton. Now Briggs & Stratton(Bankrupt) was acquired by KPS Capital Partners. The shell game goes on. Don't touch the newer Snapper rear engine riders. They have a very bad deck design(Loud and vibration, and the belt may fall off).
 
Milkweed Host

Milkweed Host

Veteran Member
The days of expecting many serviceable years out of a cheap lawn mowing machine
are gone.

In the mid 1970's, I worked on Cub Cadets when they were made my International Harvester.
I also worked on IH school buses, Farmall tractors and of course the IH tractors.
I was very impressed with the Cub Cadets made my IH. Cub Cadet was sold to MTD in 1981.
MTD has always had a poor product review.

We mow about 2.75 acres with three buildings in the middle. I use a Cub Cadet GT2542 (42' deck) and
my wife uses a rear engine rider Snapper, 30" deck. Both are about 15 years old. They are both OK, but
require a lot of maintenance. My Cub Cadet had some warranty repair problems, but the store owner
and mechanic were both stupid people. I had to repair the Kohler engine on the Cub myself,
even though it was still under warranty.

For both the GT2542 and snapper, I've purchased many repair parts to have on hand,
anticipating their future failures.

Many of the cheap lawn mowers were never meant for many years of serviceable life. They work for a while
and then you buy another one.

Anyway, the new Cub Cadets are nothing like the old Cubs made by IH, sad.

I should have considered a Kubota.
 
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Countrymouse

Countrymouse

Country exile in the city
We have an older JD riding mower that's 36" or 38" deck.

And for us, it's not our 'gate'--it's the DOOR of our TOOLSHED---that can't be made any wider.

I too have looked for older ones the same (or smaller) deck width.

They're not to be had.

As soon as one goes on sale--ANYWHERE in the country--it's gone.

Maybe you will get lucky and find one at some old person's estate sale.

Our neighbor, who was selling all his mom's stuff when she moved / downsized, sold us hers.
 
Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior
screw changing the whole mower - screw changing the gate - work on making a change to the fence - see if you can make a section removable or into an "invisible" gate - next season it'll be something else that's too big to move in or out of the backyard .....
 
20Gauge

20Gauge

TB Fanatic
West said:
And buy a old 70s lawn JD tractor. And use that one for parts for your new one.

I got a 50" cadet two + years ago with the stimulus check with a fabricated deck 24 horses. For only $1800. Now the same basic rig is $2800!

At the end of first season the throttle/choke cable tore out of the plastic piece of poop throttle linkage. All frigging plastic. So I cut the whole and all metal assembly out of my extra JD 12hp 1976 lawn tractor and installed that into the cub cadet. Works great!

And other parts I've used off the old JD tractors.
Click to expand...
Going for nearly $4k here
 
R

raven

TB Fanatic
Illini Warrior said:
screw changing the whole mower - screw changing the gate - work on making a change to the fence - see if you can make a section removable or into an "invisible" gate - next season it'll be something else that's too big to move in or out of the backyard .....
Click to expand...
He's in an HOA. I know about those. Your fence may have been built 20 years ago and is still quite functional.
But since it was built, they changed the rules and now mandate a different fence.

But since yours is still functional it is grandfathered in. But if you go to the Architectural Committee to ask for a modification to the fence, they approve with the caveat that you replace the entire fence. Which is very expensive.

At my last place, I had a riding mower which I used for the front yard and the two lots on either side of me AND I had a corded electric for the back yard (it was the size of a postage stamp) because they had changed the rules and I would have had to replace my wooden picket fence with an iron fence.
 
J

Jeep

Veteran Member
I just bought a new mower, it's a Craftsman 30" mowing deck. I got it at Lowes for $2100, free delivery. My old mower I gave to a friend, he wanted it to fix up and take up to his mountain property. It will go thru my single gate with no issues. One reason I got this one was the Briggs and Stratton engine which in the past has been reliable.
 
CaryC

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I don't think the size of the gate should be No. 1 on the consideration list.

It's size of the yard.

A 30" mower for a large yard will take a lot of time, upkeep, and gas. Mostly time.

Mostly time. IMHO a rule of thumb should be 1 hour 1/2 of mowing to a yard and house. So get what ever size mower you need to do that. Remember then comes weed eating, etc.

I'm right on the edge with 1/14 acres and a 48" cut takes right at 1 1/2 hours. So a bigger yard would mean a bigger mower deck.

If you don't want to put out the bigger bucks for the bigger mower deck, then down size the "yard".

However, also IMHO if the back yard is the size of half lot in the city, get a self propelled mower instead of riding one.
 
R

raven

TB Fanatic
CaryC said:
I don't think the size of the gate should be No. 1 on the consideration list.

It's size of the yard.

A 30" mower for a large yard will take a lot of time, upkeep, and gas. Mostly time.

Mostly time. IMHO a rule of thumb should be 1 hour 1/2 of mowing to a yard and house. So get what ever size mower you need to do that. Remember then comes weed eating, etc.

I'm right on the edge with 1/14 acres and a 48" cut takes right at 1 1/2 hours. So a bigger yard would mean a bigger mower deck.

If you don't want to put out the bigger bucks for the bigger mower deck, then down size the "yard".

However, also IMHO if the back yard is the size of half lot in the city, get a self propelled mower instead of riding one.
Click to expand...
Definitely agree with that.
And there is no law against having a Riding mower AND a walk behind.

And the lifespan of a mower is measured in operating "hours". If you get a smaller deck, you will put more "hours" on the engine each cutting which will reduce the number of years.
 
R

raven

TB Fanatic
BTW, from personal experience, as one gets older, an hour and a half of mowing can turn into an hour one day for the front followed by being worn out for the rest of the day and an hour the next day for the back and being worn out for the rest of that day.

Having a riding mower that will allow you to do both without being worn out gives you back two days of the rest of your life.

And when you mow 26 weeks of the year, that is 52 days you get back every year - a month and a half during the best time of the year - seems worth it.
 
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F

fi103r

Veteran Member
Finally got mower 30” Craftsman it is doing OK.
it was easier to operate than I expected,
about $2k out the door only went with that when I could not locate a Troybuilt.
Machine reminds me of the old 9N I learned how to drive on. Minus the clutch and differential breaking.
Pretty basic and mowing went from most of a day to about 30 min total.
Thanks for all the input helped weed out some machines.
r
 
BornFree

BornFree

Came This Far
fi103r said:
Finally got mower 30” Craftsman it is doing OK.
it was easier to operate than I expected,
about $2k out the door only went with that when I could not locate a Troybuilt.
Machine reminds me of the old 9N I learned how to drive on. Minus the clutch and differential breaking.
Pretty basic and mowing went from most of a day to about 30 min total.
Thanks for all the input helped weed out some machines.
r
Click to expand...
Do some research and you could find out who really made the mower. I don't know about now, but when Craftsman was owned by sears then they used the manufactures part numbers which made it really easy to determine who made it. It also opened up another way to get parts. Craftsman was just a name stamped on a product made by someone else. For years AYP was the major brand that sears used. I did some looking and it appears they are using MTD now. MTD owned Troybuilt for years. But I am not sure now as MTD was sold to Stanley and Black and Decker. In realty you probably got the same product as a Troybuilt.
 
Countrymouse

Countrymouse

Country exile in the city
CaryC said:
I don't think the size of the gate should be No. 1 on the consideration list.

It's size of the yard.

A 30" mower for a large yard will take a lot of time, upkeep, and gas. Mostly time.

Mostly time. IMHO a rule of thumb should be 1 hour 1/2 of mowing to a yard and house. So get what ever size mower you need to do that. Remember then comes weed eating, etc.

I'm right on the edge with 1/14 acres and a 48" cut takes right at 1 1/2 hours. So a bigger yard would mean a bigger mower deck.

If you don't want to put out the bigger bucks for the bigger mower deck, then down size the "yard".

However, also IMHO if the back yard is the size of half lot in the city, get a self propelled mower instead of riding one.
Click to expand...
We have a TWO ACRE yard.


With a LOT of trees / bushes / ditches / grapevines / flower beds.


The smaller-deck mower is FAR more maneuverable.
 
Countrymouse

Countrymouse

Country exile in the city
fi103r said:
Finally got mower 30” Craftsman it is doing OK.
it was easier to operate than I expected,
about $2k out the door only went with that when I could not locate a Troybuilt.
Machine reminds me of the old 9N I learned how to drive on. Minus the clutch and differential breaking.
Pretty basic and mowing went from most of a day to about 30 min total.
Thanks for all the input helped weed out some machines.
r
Click to expand...
Hope it will last a long time for you.

My daddy had a craftsman (when SEARS built them--Briggs-Stratton engine).

It lasted 20 years--ran it until the transmission just couldn't pull it uphill any more.

I heard they're made in China now.

Let me know how it does for you--I would think even in China they have to cut their grass....
 
West

West

Senior
First I just said I can do this in my 20s...


Then in my 40s I said this would work, a self propelled...


Then I'm my late 40s and ealy 50s....

CUBXT1-808x606.jpg
 
CaryC

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Countrymouse said:
We have a TWO ACRE yard.


With a LOT of trees / bushes / ditches / grapevines / flower beds.


The smaller-deck mower is FAR more maneuverable.
Click to expand...
The original question about size was not maneuverability but rather going through a gate.

And at 2 acres or 1 1/4 as mine is, it's still not about maneuverability, it's simply about ability. If you think you can do a lot with a manual mower, you should see what they do with zero turn, while you sit, instead of using your legs.

But again it was about getting a riding mower through a small gate. Everything else was besides the point. My point was it is also about how much you mow once you get through, should also be considered.
 
Southside

Southside

Has No Life - Lives on TB
BornFree said:
Do some research and you could find out who really made the mower. I don't know about now, but when Craftsman was owned by sears then they used the manufactures part numbers which made it really easy to determine who made it. It also opened up another way to get parts. Craftsman was just a name stamped on a product made by someone else. For years AYP was the major brand that sears used. I did some looking and it appears they are using MTD now. MTD owned Troybuilt for years. But I am not sure now as MTD was sold to Stanley and Black and Decker. In realty you probably got the same product as a Troybuilt.
Click to expand...
Yep, MTD.
 
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