Diesel mowers - any opinions?

[graduate_owner]

Hi all,
I am thinking of buying a replacement ride on mower and was wondering about a single cylinder diesel. I have been told single cylinder diesels are 'lumpy and vibrate a lot'.
Does anyone have any experience of this?


K

 

[AJB Temple]

Yes....I have a diesel John Deere with ejection chute to a big bag, and a petrol mulching Stiga with front deck that articulates in the centre. 90% of the time I use the Stiga because it is very easy to get round trees.

However, red diesel is very cheap. On my machine I don't find vibration to be an issue.

 

[Oddbod70]

Second vote for the Stiga - Mine is 10 years old with over 1500hrs on it and has been well used and abused yet proved pretty bullet proof. Mainly just occasional blades, various drive belts, and annual (quite expensive) servicing. Only big item was the hydraulic steering cylinder – and that only went ‘cos I rammed the steering column into a low tree branch. Duh!!

I’ll often use it for hauling stuff instead of the 30hp Kubota tractor.

They do look a bit weird tho. I have the earlier version of PARK 540 DPX

 

[Daniel2]

I don't yet have a diesel mower.
What I do have is the Kubota tracked dumper, and that is a single cylinder diesel.
I don't find vibration to be an issue. Only if you set the tick over too slow.
Otherwise, it's brilliant.
The next mower will almost certainly be a deseasal.

 

[AJB Temple]

Mine is similar to that but 4WD. It is dead easy to lift the deck (1.4m wide on mine) by removing two pins. This enables occasional jet wash and blade (3 of them) sharpen. This is one reason why I prefer it to the centre deck John Deere.

 

[artie]

Get the Three cylinder.
https://www.lawnmowersdirect.co.uk/product/iseki-sxg-323-diesel-ride-on-lawnmower/
Obscene amount of money for a lawn mower. but I can cut in practically any weather conditions.

 

[Tris]

Get the Three cylinder.
https://www.lawnmowersdirect.co.uk/product/iseki-sxg-323-diesel-ride-on-lawnmower/
Obscene amount of money for a lawn mower. but I can cut in practically any weather conditions.

We've got the earlier model where I work and it has been absolutely reliable over 12 years. I'd recommend the high tip kit for dumping grass into trailers

 

[siggy_7]

Used to have a Westwood with a 1cyl Lombardini diesel in it. Yes, they do vibrate a lot, especially at idle, but on that particular machine it didn't affect how it was to use particularly (possibly had very accommodating engine mounts). When running at high speed during operation, it was a lot smoother than at idle.

 

[gog64]

I’ve got a Kubota GR1600II. Brilliant machine & no complaints about the engine.

 

[graduate_owner]

Thanks for all the info guys

K

 

[doctor Bob]

I have a kubota G26-11, 3 cylinder diesel. Great piece of kit. I did look into getting red diesel by the barrel but it's not worth the hassle at present, may get a tank installed at some point. Ride on mowers are an obscene amount of money.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

Does no one use robot mowers? I thought they were the dogs' doo-dahs. (I don't have one, obviously, but I have a relative or two who swear by them).

 

[AJB Temple]

Does no one use robot mowers? I thought they were the dogs' doo-dahs. (I don't have one, obviously, but I have a relative or two who swear by them).

Useless for large or complex gardens. No one who needs a ride on is likely to have much use for a battery robot unless they also have a bowling green or croquet lawn.

 

[doctor Bob]

Does no one use robot mowers? I thought they were the dogs' doo-dahs. (I don't have one, obviously, but I have a relative or two who swear by them).

Looked at one but my areas are split and complicated by trees, slopes and ditches, the lay out for the wire is too complicated..

 

[Trainee neophyte]

I had much the same thought, so will be sticking with sheep. The layout for the wire can be complicated for them, too.

 

[Inspector]

A robot would drop into one of the holes in the lame excuse we have in the 5 or so acres of lawn and even mission control couldn't maneuver it out again.

We have a JD gas mower with a 48" mower deck that takes 5 or 6 hours of cutting because we can't get up to full speed. Just got a Mahindra 25.9 hp 3 cylinder diesel (Mitsubishi). In the spring we will get a 6' mower to do the large areas and leave the smaller one for the fence lines etc. I must say that I do like the diesel in the tractor with the exception of having to climb up on it with a jerry can to fuel it. It does burn less fuel than the JD with 17hp.

Pete

 

[doctor Bob]

.

We have a JD gas mower with a 48" mower deck that takes 5 or 6 hours of cutting because we can't get up to full speed.

Thats a long time, my record to mow our 7 acre field is 2.5hrs. Average is about 3hrs.

 

[artie]

We've got the earlier model where I work and it has been absolutely reliable over 12 years. I'd recommend the high tip kit for dumping grass into trailers

I just tip it in a compost pile, but the hi tip does look impressive.