Thinking about a LoBoy......

[PsRumors]

We have 5 acres we keep cut. 2 acres is our "lawn" that gets cut every week dependent on rain. 3 acres gets cut just a few times a summer as the goats keep it maintained pretty well.

Our current cutting setup is a John Deer 322 garden tractor, it has a 3 cylinder Kubota gas motor, 48" cut, hydro, and powersteering. A rather plush little mower. It pulls a 5' Swisher offset mower.

I have always wanted a LoBoy, not sure why, guess based on looks as I don't really know much about them. I do know as a kid I would see them and was impressed with the size of the "lawn mower".

Anywho, how nice of a cut will a LoBoy with a 60" deck give? We are rather open with not a lot of obsticals. The obsticals we do have I can get our current setup around no problem.

[v w]

You might also want to consider a flail mower. Others can tell you what kind of a finish they give but I believe it is pretty good. A flail mower is offse to the right and would be able to slip under things even if there isn't a lot of obstacles. The most are only 4 foot but a few were made at 5 foot. Vern

[seahaul]

I cut my two acre yard with a LoBoy that has a 60" rotary mower and I think it does a great job. I have a fairly smooth front lawn with Centipede grass and that mower cuts just as smooth as any "riding mower" you'll find. I also cut about 1/2 acre of wild grass that grows pretty fast that sounds similar to your goat pasture. I cut this area not quite as closely as the centipede by raising the mower up a little. I'm totally sold on using a LoBoy if you have more than an acre to cut each week. It's the most comfortable way to do it and the mower does neat work.

[Phazer]

I started out with a 3160, (similar to a C3), and switched to a 3260. 3260 looks/mows more like a conventional mower deck. I'm very very happy with mine. I have it set at 3" to match my Ariens ZTR height. I pretty much use the Ariens to trim only.

[outdoors4evr]

Passions are difficult to ignore and are easy to justify.
It's hard to beat a nearly 9' cutting swath. Let's see what is different.

Green Tractor
approx. 20 years old
Engine: 18HP
PTO: Electric Clutch 2000 RPM
Options Available: Blade, Mower, Snowthrower, Front End Loader
Mower: 38"-50" Deck Available

Red 184 Tractor
approx. 32-37 years old
Engine: 15-18 HP
PTO: Electric Clutch 2000 RPM (opposite direction)
Options Available: Blade, Mower, Snowthrower, 3-point tiller, Front End Loader
Mower (3160 or 3160a or Woods): 60" Available

I think it boils down to this.... Do you want an older tractor with bigger tires?

[PsRumors]

Your right, 9' is huge, of course there is no reason the LoBoy couldn't pull the 5' mower and we'd be talking about nearly 10' swath.

I am a big guy, 6'2" 240 and often times feel cramped on the 322, not bad but cramped none the less. Also, I would imagine, the LoBoy has a little more room available around it when tinkering. THAT would be nice.

[Landreo]

Something to think about:
A numbered series has 3 speeds, way too slow, too slow, and too fast. Your JD mower likely will mow faster since you can vary the speed, and use less fuel.

[gitractorman]

The guys on here hate it when I do this, but honestly, I wouldn't advise anyone in purchasing a number series (or a standard Cub or Lo boy for that matter) for the sole purpose of mowing. They are NOT great mowers. Never were. They're either too slow or too fast. Big and bulky, HUGE turning radius, PTO stops when you push the clutch (except the 184), too tall to get under trees way too heavy, etc. Besides that, unfortunately, if you do put them into regular service, plan on working on them. They're old! Sorry, but that's the truth. 99% of the guys on here that do have them for mowing, LOVE them, but they also love working on them, restoring them, taking them to shows, etc. It's more of a passion rather than want or need. That same 99%, like me, have owned MANY Cubs, Lo Boys, and number series Cubs. We know them inside and out, and routine maintenance and work is not a big deal. That same 99% will also likely tell you that their everyday mower is something new, more fuel efficient, smaller, lighter, tighter turning radius, hydrostatic drive, diesel, etc. It's just not fun to need to mow the grass, and a battery is dead, or a belt is thrown, or a starter won't work, or it's too wet and the heavy SOB will tear up the lawn, etc. Sorry, it's all true. My guess is that if you got on one after using you're JD, you'd be dissapointed.

[Phazer]

Expensive to repair, fragile, & under powered . . . but I love it.

[Denny Clayton]

The guys on here hate it when I do this, but honestly, I wouldn't advise anyone in purchasing a number series (or a standard Cub or Lo boy for that matter) for the sole purpose of mowing. They are NOT great mowers. Never were. They're either too slow or too fast. Big and bulky, HUGE turning radius, PTO stops when you push the clutch (except the 184), too tall to get under trees way too heavy, etc. Besides that, unfortunately, if you do put them into regular service, plan on working on them. They're old! Sorry, but that's the truth. 99% of the guys on here that do have them for mowing, LOVE them, but they also love working on them, restoring them, taking them to shows, etc. It's more of a passion rather than want or need. That same 99%, like me, have owned MANY Cubs, Lo Boys, and number series Cubs. We know them inside and out, and routine maintenance and work is not a big deal. That same 99% will also likely tell you that their everyday mower is something new, more fuel efficient, smaller, lighter, tighter turning radius, hydrostatic drive, diesel, etc. It's just not fun to need to mow the grass, and a battery is dead, or a belt is thrown, or a starter won't work, or it's too wet and the heavy SOB will tear up the lawn, etc. Sorry, it's all true. My guess is that if you got on one after using you're JD, you'd be dissapointed.

You won't get any arguments out of me, Bill. I agree with everything you said above. I've owned many Cubs over the last 25 or so years. I mowed my 3 or 4 acres for about 3 years with my first Cub and it about wore me out when I was in my 40's. I switched to the below pictured "green thing" 20 years ago and would never go back and I hardly EVER have to work on it. Everything wears me out now in my 60's.

[Mr E]

Denny, does that thing have left and right individual brakes?

[Barnyard]

Denny, does that thing have left and right individual brakes?

It looks like they are unlocked in the picture.

[Landreo]

One of my jobs years ago was mowing with both a 154 and offset cubs. Many thousands of hours with each type. For me and for mowing, the numbered series is much better. I would not mow my 4-5 acres with a offset cub, not worth the effort for me. The numbered series is very good for mowing. They all have an independent PTO not just the 184. The longer wheel base and greater weight makes the ride much better than a small lawn or garden tractor. The 4 cyl water cooled engine is also quiet. None of my 4 numbered series have had significant work done on them once I got them to running condition. My main mower, a 154, does 4-5 acres weekly and no issues for the past 7 years or so I have had it.

I had a Kubota diesel lawn tractor I found rusting on a SC island. Got it running and cut a few times with it prior to cutting it up for scrap. I liked the 154 better.

Each have their own needs but for me and using as a mower:

Off set cub: no plus, lots of minus.. slow, no live pto, not much power, poor fuel economy, hard to get on and off.

Numbered series plus.. live pto, heavy duty mower, heavy and long wide wheelbase for a smooth ride, quiet engine, plenty of power, good resale value.
minus....old with potentially more breakdowns, poor fuel economy, slightly harder to get on and off, slow but still faster than an offset cub

Lawn tractor plus... new warranty, faster hydrostatic to match the speed to the lawn, smaller turn radius, small to fit into smaller areas, gear/belt drive better fuel economy.
minus...hydrostatic poor fuel economy, hydrostatic expensive to fix, poor ride, noisy, vibrates too much, off road diesel still higher than gasoline

I get on a tractor to do something i.e move something, cut grass etc...I want to get finished with the job in a reasonable time. I don't ride a cub because it is some great thrill to ride around on a cub. If I had a JD lawn tractor that was doing the job with a time and comfort level I was happy with then I would just stay with it. There is nothing wrong with getting something just because...I do that all the time but there are some disadvantages to all the cubs when it comes to mowing.

[Denny Clayton]

Denny, does that thing have left and right individual brakes?

Yep, the two pedals showing on the right side.

[BigBill]

I have 2 acres of grass too. I love the int154 because its so comfortable to drive while mowing i could fall asleep on it. The 3260 60" deck is awesome too.