If I were you I would only look at ZTR's in the comercial line. Hustler, Gravely, Dixie Chopper etc. The commercial lines have two seperate hydro wheel pumps with filters and they are servicable. I was told by a dealer that the top of the line pumps are rated in the 1000's of hours.

With a yard as big as yours at least a 52" deck would be good. I looked at new Hustlers and ended up buying a 51" cut older model that was sitting there on consignment. I ahve about $1500 in it and it mows like a champ. I can mow an acre with about 20 trees and fences in less than an hour even bagging the leaves. Without bagging it takes about 1/2 hour.

Hustler make a very good unit the Fasttrack with a 18 honda and 52" deck for around $5600. I believe it comes with a lifetime deck and frame warenty with 2 years (commercial) on everything else.

I also saw that the Hustler dealers are working promos with Sam's Club and you get a pretty nice price break that way.

If your hustler dealer is not the best find the dealer who will take care of you in the long run. My advice is not to get buy with a unit too small and buy a unit big enough so you won't spend all day mowing good luck mike

Here is a link that might be useful: Hustler pricing link

LOL you got go back to all dealer to look at the cutaway they have of spindles all but one have seal bearing with grease fitting one of them have taper bearing like use in boat trailer wheel it has grease fitting that grease bearing and design of spindle so load on bottom bearing where most grease be the spindle be large more metal shaft be larger in spindle pickup them and hand weight them one be very heavy conpared to others. Look at deck it have more metal to make it stronger so want bent are flex so spindles stay straight the blade be best on market pulley be nocticeable stronger the discharge be larger so cut thicker and taller grass roller on deck be rollers not wheels brace on deck to the frame be strong. the engine be Generac. the seat be Gel_ride inprint on seat. Tires be tractor tread rims be go_cart design non slip so will tire bead to match with low pressure tire that good ride 7 psi in rear tires you will not need differial lock because the machine have highest pressure drive system on market 2400 psi velvet touch control you can push snow with it and steering be on back tire that have ground pressure on them all the other ones come up to 1400 psi some as low as 1000 psi the low pressure one don't work well on hill sides and they hydraulic sing very bad noise because there over releif a lot. Stainless steel well its best metal to last long time. length of ztr mower should be short as possible, but width should be wide as possible with wide tires ride best less slipe if complete bar thread they be ones do less damage to lawn over turf tires complete bar tread is one you put finger on tread on one side tire go to other sliding finger on bar all way across tire once slipe they dig in act like bar thread for good pulling. A mower like this one will elimanate push mowers a lot weed eating finsh mower and small rotary mowers tow rating 2000 pounds. 19000 ft per minute blade tip speed cut grass with dull blade so sharpen be less often

What wasmeneh said. The consumer machines will not last with that much usage. IMHO, dealer support is more important than brand. Look for a machine with good high back seating and comfortable, smooth controls.
Sales literature and specs can be overwhelming, the chaff can be hard for the uninitiated to cut through. Have the salesperson show you how to do maintenance like oil/filter changes and greasing. The points should be easily accessible. Are the belts easy to access and change? The controls should be dampened for smooth application of power and reduce jerky operation on rough ground. Do the controls return to the neutral position easily and do they feel tight, not loose and floppy? The salesman should demo proper turning and cutting speed techniques for best finish and no divots.Have fun with it.

Hi, I did the same thing in 2001 and after driving 20 different ZTRs on my own land, the one thing is was, was confused.

Many of them look alike, but they do not handle alike at all.

I am going to post a like below that will show you a completely different mower, one that was designed from the ground up to do a specific job, and do it very well. I would recommend you go to their page and read some of the back articles of actual users of the product.

I spent $7000 for mine in 2001, and can honestly say, it was the single very best purchase that I have ever made when it comes to outdoor power equipment.

Here is a link for their magazine also.
http://www.walkermowers.com/index.htm1?section=walkertalk

Here is a link that might be useful: Comparrison

davepaula,
Like yourself, I live in central Indiana and know there are tons of choices. I have owned (Deere, ExMark, Scag and now use a Hustler) and all of these machines based on my use are high quality machines. There are few features different when you jump from machine to machine, but the bottom line is they all cut/handle very well.

Tom, we sell the Walker and it is a top quality unit. It gives a great cut but is not for everybody. It would work well for Dave as he has a large open area but is not too nimble in tight spots. The controls take longer to get used to, not everyone likes them.

For 5 acres, I would recommend a 60" cut, at least. I have slightly less than 4 acres that I cut with a 60" ExMark Lazer Z. Quite a few obstacles to cut around so it takes several hours to cut, even with the 60" deck. ExMark and Scag are my choices; both make heavy-duty, but pricey, machines.

Canguy, Yes, you are correct, they are different in their controling and such. However, in my case after trying 20+ conventional ZTR's it probably took me 5 minutes to become comfortable with the handling. The ease of steering with just two fingers on one hand is very nice, also the relaxed posture that you sit in and no forward pressure on the steering levers is very pleasant.

Any way, the best way to learn is to just try one and not pre judge based on any kind of criteria. That may be skewed in any special direction.

I would check out the new Scag Freedom Z.Under $5000.00.

daveandpaula,
We have alot of customers come in with the same problem that you are facing. "So many choices" We are a dealer of several lines of ztr's. If you would like to give us a call we may be able to help. We try to qualify our customers needs and get them into the unit that best fits them. We are also located in Ft. Wayne, IN and have shipping options available if needed. You may visit our website link is provided below or call toll free @ 1-888-284-9606. We be happy to help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mutton Power Equipment

THANK YOU ALL! After lots and lots of consideration, we chose the JD Z425. It all came down to product reputation and maintenance. Our 17 year old tractor is a JD and has had to have very minimal maintenance (normal wear and tear stuff), so we just stuck to what we know. There are so many machines out there that it was just too difficult to decide, even after riding. JD had the power Dave wanted and the comfort Paula wanted. Dave has a background operating heavy machinery and it took all of about 3 minutes for him to figure out how to drive. Paula is going to be walking circles around the thing for a little while longer, building up the courage to get on and try. Once again - thank you all!!!!

After lots and lots of consideration, we chose the JD Z425????????? A home depot mower for 5 ACRES !! It might say JD but its not>>> A single drive motor for both wheels is not a good Idea!! Brand new for 2007, not even a history on those ZTR's GOOD LUCK !!

shalowhal they pick based on price and the label. That was what they wrote they were "afraid" to do in their original post. Got over that fear real quick, didn't they? I think price scares a lot of folks away from some really good commercial units, even models around the 5 to 6K range.
muttonpower advertises the Z425 for $3,799. The 425 has Parker wheel motors and Kanzaki Dup-10 pumps. That's not bad for the money, and probably just fine for a homeowner with no desire to be an LCO. However, it's just not going to be the same as that 17 year old JD, but in this day and time what is? After all Deere advertises a 30-Day At-Home Trial" The JD promise "Buy any John Deere riding mower. If you are not happy, bring it back within 30 days of purchase and we'll give you a full refund or exchange." I don't know all the details such as stipulations, exclusions etc.,.

Good Luck daveandpaula!

I stand corected, the JD ZTR I looked at had two pumps in one housing??which is new for JD

shalowhal you're right that there's no history to the JD425. Again, they got over their fear of picking from price or label. It's probably a good residential unit. If I was a first time buyer I would let others take the risk on no history and look at the tried and true that are around and in others hands for a year or two. But to each, his own.

I was looking at the Scag Freedom Z, and noticed there are no grease zerts for the spindles? a sealed bearing? hmmm.... sooner or later is this not going to fail??

Hey sometimes i put my big foot in my mouth!! I went to a dealership today (my dealer I work with) Who sells EXMARK, FERRIS, and JOHN DEERE and in his opinion he feels that the new resedential ZTR,s from deere are great machines. they have the same drive as the commercial units he sells only on a smaller size! Deere owns the rights on that drive and when the pattent runs out he expects an industry change to that same kind of system! Thats where his money would go also daveandpaula...Sorry sometimes Im an a..

Shalowhal, The term for a grease fitting is Zerk (not zert)from Austrian-born American inventor Oscar U. Zerk

The JD is great - not to mention a bit fun.... I didn't get the Home Depot model - I bought it at Deere (and they even gave a little on the price). So far, I am pretty impressed. The little slope in the yard is still getting mowed by the 17yr old JD, but he's used to it.

rdaystrom, actually the term for a grease fitting is a "nipple", from the latin.........well, never mind....

I have owned the Z425 for a full season and it is more than fine. OK, it isn't a $5,000.00 mower, get over it. For the price, it is by far the most solid feeling mower over all that I looked at from Husky, Toro, LawnBoy, CubCadet ETC.

I selected the 48" model based on storing it in the garage, and maneuverability. The seating position and comfort are markedly better than the competition except maybe the Husky was equal. I also needed the bigger wheels for better traction on slopes. The V-twin is a nice addition for smooth power and longevity over the Z225 one-lunger.

The controls are superb, and smooth, with ample adjustments. The cut is fantastic and even. I only use the highest setting to let the grass have a chance to support the root system. Most people cut their grass way too short. But even with a maxed out cut setting, it is smooth and even.

The engine? The ELS series engine is about $100.00 more than the Intek series when bought separate. I really don't think that the Intek will be an issue at all based on it's construction (oil filter and high pressure oil system). Throw some synthetic Mobile 1 in there after the first 50 hours to break the rings in and go. Could Deere have used the ELS? Yes, but they didn't. This isn't a deal breaker for me at all. The CubCadet has a Kawasaki, and it is not as nice to use. The controls are too loose and imprecise and the overall build is not as finished as the Z425 Deere. Is the CubCadet a "bad" mower? No, it just isn't as satisfying to use as the Deere, so the engine isn't all there is to it. Not to mention local Deere dealers to properly get parts or fix any nasty issues that might arise (machines do break eventually).

Oh, the 3.5 gallon tank? I can mow six acres on a tank (my 2 acre yard three times) before I run out of fuel. If you can stay on it long enough to run it dry, stopping for gas will be a relief.

My biggest nit is that the controls do not have a center point adjust and are slightly forward and back from one another in the straight ahead position at less than full speed, maybe an inch or so. I got over it and don't notice it much any more at all. So once you adjust the mower for even full speed tracking with the adjuster bolts, the less than full speed tracking is off some.

So, for the 3700.00 bucks, the Deere got my cash and I was glad to part with it.

In ten years or so I will probably change mowers just to do something! My only concern in their choice is a full 5 acres could have used the wider Z445, not so much any worry about the engine.