Gravely or Bad Boy zero turn owners?

[Smokey 30]

I mow about 3 acres every summer and I've used a Toro Time Cutter since 2006 or 7 and I'm thinking it's time for a newer zero turn.

 

 The Toro is still working ok but the Kolher Courage 21 hp is probably on borrowed time (Not one of Kolher's better engines imo.) but it still runs and cuts well enough that I could get a few bucks out of it.

 

  The dealers I have locally carry Gravely, Bad Boy, Grasshopper, Hustler and Husqvarna.  Out of the mix I'm kind of leaning towards the Gravely or Bad Boy. The prices are within a few hundred bucks of each other.

 

 Anyone here own a Gravely or Bad Boy? If so, Are you happy with it?  Any models to steer clear of?

 

            Thanks, Allen

[baerpath 517]

We tried out a Bad Boy Wasn't terribly impressed didn't think it was very comfortable. Ended up buying a Dixie Chopper that was a yr old off craigslist for his payoff on it.  Saved both of us money

[Rollerman 290]

My father in law has a 60" Bad Boy.

It's held up very good & the only problem he's had are one of the hydro's started leaking after about 6 years, ended up being an O ring seal that a dealer fixed for a reasonable amount.

I will agree with Duane, the rides not all that good & I blame that on the smallish 20" rear tires.

 

[Smokey 30]

Thank you both. I appreciate the information.

[rjg854 11,387]

I've got a bad boy with a 42" cut, I use for my mowing.  It's been a fine machine, well built and solid.  Good welded deck and it's held up real well.  I service it every year.  I've had probably 5 or 6 years now and no problems.  It's got a Briggs 21hp professional engine and no problems with that, but I only mow less than an acre.  I think it mows a lot better than the old Dixon I had.  And it's fast and still yields a nice cut.

[Smokey 30]

Thanks ranger13148, All I've known about the Bad Boy mowers is that they are made here in Arkansas.

[Smokey 30]

Hmmm, I was just at Home Depot and they had a 50 inch Toro with a welded deck with a Kohler 7000 engine left on the lot. Don't know anything about the 7000 series engine though.

[CasualObserver 3,408]

It really depends on the grade you're looking at?  I have a Gravely ZT-XL (Kaw powered) and my in-laws run a Gravely Pro-Turn 260 (Kohler powered) at the tree farm.  Been happy with them both for many years.  My XL is a homeowner level product, and the Pro-Turn is Commercial. What level of unit are you looking at in the Gravely?  It makes a difference. If I had it to do over again, I'd still buy a Gravely, but I would have stepped up to the ZT-HD model instead of the the XL. The HD is a light commercial grade unit. I'm not in the market so I'm not up on what the specifics are of the current models, I can only tell you what I had in my research five years ago.  I went with the XL model for price. I didn't see the need to spend the extra few hundred bucks (I think it was $300-400) to go up to the HD model. However, after getting plenty of seat time, I've come to appreciate the difference. The XL model (similar to the Timecutters if I remember right) has a single pump driving both wheel motors or something like that. It uses the ZT2800 HydroGear. The HD had independent pumps on each wheel allowing for better control, and used the better ZT3100 HydroGear. In the grand scheme of things my lot is fairly flat so it's not really an issue, but I do notice in some circumstances that I have had only one wheel spinning because that wheel motor is robbing all power from the pump that they're supposed to share.  I have no experience with Bad Boy... seen them at TSC. Never seen anyone using one around me. My neighbors have Scag, Deere, Gravely and Snapper zero turns. Everyone seems happy enough with them. There are 3 Gravelys in my neighborhood though.  Lots ranging from 1.5-3 acres. 

 

We used to have a Hustler dealer in town, so there are a few of those in town, that people seem to like but the shop that was selling them closed up before I was in the market. He was just doing it as a a side-line business much like Wheel Horse use to be. None of my immediate neighbors own a Hustler.

[clueless 3,005]

Couple years ago looked at both the BB and Hustler. went with a Hustler FasTrax SuperDuty 42, with the Kawi engine, IMO the best small engines made in the past 20years. Needed the smaller deck because of three gates in my yard. At the time the Hustler looked to be better built, and with the 4 year warranty it was a no brainier. Other than a little rough ride it is the best thing next to my 2004 Toyota truck I've bought in the past 10 years. This summer put a suspension seat and a front wheel suspension wheel assembly Hustler makes on it, what a difference. If you go with a Hustler go with the FasTrak, or larger, I don't think the raptor,or the sport models are as heavy duty. My neighbor who is on his second Timecutter in 9 years used my Hustler twice this year to cut his 2.5 acres while his was in the shop, says next one is going to be a Hustler. 

 

Chris in Florida.

[Smokey 30]

Good posts!  I haven't really made up my mind if I need a commercial or semi commercial grade mower or if a residential grade is what I need.

 

 The Toro I've got now is a residential or homeowner grade mower and I've used it for weekly mowing and every so often mowing my barn lot which is thick fescue. I've replaced 2 front tires, A couple of batteries and one blade spindle, and blades of course. Changed the oil (Mobil 1) and filter a little earlier than called for in the manual. I feel like I've gotten my monies worth out of it easily.

 

 So, I got 8 years out of a residential mower, How many more could I expect out of a higher grade zero turn?  Not trying to be a smart a## with that question at all, Just wondering if the extra money would be worth it.

 

 Something else to throw into the decision I guess. I can retire from my second career in mid 2018 and I've been thinking pretty seriously about starting a part time lawn mowing business 3 days a week. At that point I know for sure I'll be buying a commercial grade mower.

Edited November 24, 2015 by Smokey

[SPINJIM 1,981]

I have a 6 year old Gravely ZT XL54, and I love it.  It was the least expensive commercial unit.  It has a Kohler Command 23hp, and does a great job on my 2 acres.   Do yourself a favor and avoid any Kohler Courage.  It is made in China and takes 'courage' to buy it.   It's their low end engine.    Gravely also has Kawasaki engines on some of their ZTs, and that's a very durable engine.   Gravely also offers a Kohler with fuel injection instead of a carburetor ;  more $, but worth it.

 

Toro now owns Gravely, and has some of the same ZTs just with different names on them.   I think they might be a few hundred dollars less for the same features.

 

Also, might want to look at eXmark mowers.   That's all a friend will use for his for his lawn mowing business.  I did a comparison of most ZT mowers for my church recently, and decided on the 60" eXmark with a Kohler Command fuel-injected.   It does a great job on 5 acres.

 

Good luck.  Let us know what you decide.

  Jim

 

Edited December 1, 2015 by SPINJIM

[Smokey 30]

I spent some quality time at the dealer's and decided on this Gravely model- Gravely HD 

 

 I'll have it in time for mowing season. Kinda' looking forward to mowing some grass now. 

[Pullstart 62,913]

By the weather forecasts, you've probably got 2 more months of fall if you get it quick enough!  I bought my latest plow truck before the garden was in this spring, I can feel your urge to get out and use it... completely in the wrong season.