Deck Size and H.P.

[Blackhawk]

I have a piece of property to cut 252' x 525' (approx. 3 acres). I am not sure what would be the appropriate Deck Size for this property (48", 52" or 61"). Also what would be the minimum horse power required for these decks. Would a 48" deck provide a better cut than say a 61" deck. Money is a factor in my purchase decision however if a 61" deck is recommended for property this size then I would go with the 61" as opposed to something smaller.

Currently I am looking at Scag, Exmark and John Deere ZTR's.

Thank-you all for your opinions and advice.

Sincerely,

Steve

[Fido]

First, let me say up front that I don't really know anything about the Deeres, so I won't comment on them.

Things like how many obstacles there are to go around, how far apart they are, roughness of the turf etc. are more important in deck selection than the overall acreage to be cut, IMO.

With that said, I think you'll find a 48 inch deck to be a little small for a property that big, and a 61 will have a tendency to scalp more than the 48 or 52 and may not fit where you need it too. So, my best guess for your needs would be a 52 incher. That would put you on a Scag Tiger Cub or Exmark Lazer Z HP as far as model line. You'd be at about $8K for either of those machines.

I have a 2003 52 inch Lazer Z HP with the 23 HP Kawisaki engine, and about the only thing bad I can say about the machine is that I wish the fuel tanks were bigger. The thing cuts and moves awesome!

I'm not sure, but I think Exmark makes the new Lazer CT in a 52 and it's considerably cheaper. You might want to look into those. They're not as heavy duty as the commercial line, but you could probably cut 3 acres with it for the rest of your life.

[Rustic Goat]

Fido has it covered pretty well.
Is this the only property you're mowing?

The good named mowers you mentioned aren't going to let you be underpowered, so the question is really deck size. Go with the largest that's still user friendly for steering around any fixed obstacles. Again- If this is your only property, if it's just 'one of', then you need to consider the same physical factors for all the properties.

Scag's are hard to beat, think you can get into one for less than mentioned by Fido, esp this time of year.