Rough mower replacement Cancel The title field is required!

1. Beard Sean

   
   10/19/2014 6:10 AM

   We are currently using a 228- D with a 72 inch deck.And a national for green and tee surrounds. Both of this mowers are getting pretty tired. I am looking to replace both units with one mower. Some of the banks around the greens and tees are a little steep and mounded. I would prefer a rotary mower if it could do both jobs. Any suggestions would be a big help.- Sean Beard

   
   
   
   
2. Mark Van Lienden

   

   14 posts
   
   10/19/2014 6:10 AM

   I love the toro 4500. I felt they would climb trees and were light around greens yet large and fast enough to get great production.

   
   
   
   
3. Beard Sean

   
   10/19/2014 7:10 AM

   Thanks, Mark. Is that the rotary set up on a fairway chassis?

   
   
   
   
4. Mark Van Lienden

   

   14 posts
   
   10/19/2014 7:10 PM

   I am not really sure I just know it was one of the best mowers I ever had. I had four of them at different times and all were great.

   
   
   
   
5. James Kizer

   

   0 posts
   
   10/25/2014 5:10 PM

   Just purchased a Trimax Snake for all of our rough mowing including green and tee surrounds and very impressed with the design and quality of cut with this roller rotary mower , there is a video on you tube with this machine in action just google search Trimax Snake and watch the video, we are the first course in the U.S. with this mower , very simple to use and maintain , they are manufactured in New Zealand

   
   
   
   
6. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   10/26/2014 9:10 AM

   Toro 3500 or 4500.

   
   
   
   
7. Joseph Stelzer

   

   2 posts
   
   5/29/2017 9:05 PM

   Looking to replace rough units. Looking at ventrac with contour deck. Would consider zero turn but not familiar with all units on the market. Any recommendations for rough units or thoughts about ventrac or zero turns or other options. We are also running a Toro 4500-d also for large areas need to replace 2 JD 1445s with 1 unit.

   
   
   
   
8. John Moore

   

   0 posts
   
   5/30/2017 5:05 AM

   Replacing two JD1445's. IMO the Toro 3500. You already have the 4500. The 3500 has same cutting units as the 4500. It would be easy to match rough mowing HOC. Keeps your parts inventory simple also.

   
   
   
   
9. Ron Bradley

   

   63 posts
   
   5/30/2017 6:05 AM

   We run two Toro 4100-D's and a Lastec 100" zero turn and a Toro 3500 for fwy collars. The lastec is a very good mulcher for leaf clean up in the fall. Lastec is a 3300 Model. Hope this helps with options. Good luck.

   
   
   
   
10. Douglas Hoeh

    

    0 posts
    
    5/31/2017 9:05 AM

    I would say depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Just mowing grass then John and Joe are probably right. If you are looking for some versatility with one machine then the Ventrac is the way to go. We have 6 on property all with mowing decks but also have sweeper attachments, blowers, trencher, stump grinder, snow blower all that can be used on the Ventrac. Those other mowers cannot say the same.
    
    Another item to think about is % grade that you are mowing. We have demo'd a lot of equipment but the Ventrac is the only mower that will mow our roughs.

    
    
    
    
11. Dave Depp

    

    3 posts
    
    6/26/2017 8:06 AM

    The last couple of years we replaced our extremely worn and neglected 4700Ds with Lastec 4520s and we can mow around 100 acres of rough in a day if we run both machines. Some people don't like the belt driven decks, but they are cheap and easy to maintain. The price point is better than anything else on the market
    
    Dave Depp

    
    
    
    
12. Todd Bishop

    

    1 posts
    
    10/27/2017 9:10 AM

    We will be replacing our AR 5 rough mower and we are looking at the John Deere 8800 with the tier 4 diesel engine. We are looking for any feedback positive or negative from facilities that have been operating this machine. Thanks in advance!

    
    
    
    
13. Price Mark A

    
    10/30/2017 8:10 AM

    I've seen the JD 8800 demo at a neighboring course all summer long and the operators liked it. Didn't have too many issues other than a rear roller fell off. I think that was just a fluke. Its got to be light years better than the AR3. Our AR3 has had too many issues to warrant not buying it again. Good luck.
    
    Mark Price
    Country Club of Leawood

    
    
    
    
14. Roland McPhearson

    

    9 posts
    
    10/30/2017 8:10 AM

    The decks may separate and not overlap on side hills unless they've corrected that problem recently. Even if they do if you may be able to deal with it if you don't have a tremendous amount of hills. On a positive note, it doesn't seem to leave as many grass clumps behind as some competitors.

    
    
    
    
15. Joshua Sawyer

    

    0 posts
    
    10/31/2017 6:10 AM

    I have been running 8800's for 3 years on a lease. The decks will leave mohawks if the grass gets too high or if you are mowing a steep angle. We have issues with the quick adjust system for the decks-we have them locked down so they don't slip, but now it takes much longer for any necessary adjustment. We have also had some issues with the CPU running the entire mower (faults, operator education, etc.), but I think that is just gonna be the name of the game moving forward. Brakes are electronically controlled, so if they lock up you are stuck. All in all, an OK unit, but not great. I hear that the 9000 is a much better unit, but haven't used one.

    
    
    
    
16. Rodney Crow

    

    0 posts
    
    11/1/2017 6:11 AM

    I have two JD 9009s that are a year old, and honestly, I wouldn't give a wooden nickel for either of them. As Joshua said, the quick adjust design is a total POS, and like him, we have locked ours down so that they cannot move. Who adjusts their mowers so often that they need a "quick adjust" anyway?? The biggest problem for us however has been the front roller. WORST DESIGN IN HISTORY!! I cannot even tell you how much $$ we have spent on rebuilding front rollers due to a poor design. If you get this machine, tell your JD rep that the unit/units MUST have the Golfco rollers on them.

    
    
    
    
17. Sean Donnelly

    

    8 posts
    
    11/3/2017 10:11 AM

    Not sure if this would be an option for you but we purchased a Progressive Pro Flex 120 with a new tractor for what it would have cost us for a new Toro 4500. This was pre tier 4. The Pro-Flex itself is excellent and does not scalp even on undulating turf. We also gained versatility with another tractor added to our fleet and figured there is less depreciation this way as well. Only problem is that you need a skilled operator to run a tractor all day.

    
    
    
    
18. Tyler Mario

    

    0 posts
    
    11/3/2017 12:11 PM

    Toro 4500 or 3500 all day long, they are great no problems at all.

    
    
    
    
19. Kyle Fick

    

    4 posts
    
    11/6/2017 7:11 AM

    I'd Demo a Lastec if you haven't seen them in action. As one mentioned about the tractor and proflex, you could probably get into the 120" cut and a 60" cut for less than a red or green machine. I've found operators really like the single line of cut vs strattled front and back decks that are much more prone to skips, mowhawks, etc. Just my opinion, but man are they easy to work on without much diagnostics.

    
    
    
    
20. Holt Michael

    
    3/28/2018 8:03 AM

    Demo a Trimax Snake if you haven't bought a new unit yet. You will not be disappointed. Versatile and best cut on the market.

    
    
    
    
21. James Smith

    

    112 posts
    
    4/16/2018 9:04 AM

    I agree on the Trimax Snake. if you have not seen one, do yourself a favor and get a demo. I do not have one but saw one at the show last year and was impressed with the design and build of it over all the others. I'm from a mechanics background and this baby is built with simplicity and long lasting in mind. Their expensive but in my mind you may save that back in parts over the years as well as labor with its fast cut. At least look it up online.