Six Things to Consider When Buying a Riding Lawn Mower

Six Things to Consider When Buying a Riding Lawn Mower

Whether you’re a first-time homeowner wanting to invest in lawn care gear or a seasoned pro looking to expand your power equipment arsenal, you’ll need a lawnmower to make landscaping a faster and easier process. You’ll be able to trim the grass in your yard in less time and with more accuracy if you have a good lawnmower in your shed, saving your money on a professional landscaper. Find the best riding lawn mower for sale using professional assistance.  

If you have a tiny yard, a riding lawn mower is ideal. If your yard is more than a quarter of an acre or you want to spend less time mowing it, you might consider upgrading to a riding lawnmower. This article will assist you in selecting the best one by looking at aspects like the size of your lawn, the kind of terrain, and particular features to look for.

If you’re thinking about buying a riding lawn mower shortly. Here are some of the factors you need to consider before buying:

Read More: Riding Lawn Mowers vs. Push Mowers: Which Should You Choose?

Understand the Different Types of Riding Mowers

There are two main types of riding lawn mowers. The tractor-style riding mower is the most popular, with either an automatic or manual gearbox steering wheel and pads. Compact variants of tractor-style riding mowers are more agile and easy to maneuver in tight spaces. For larger operations, there are larger models that are more powerful and offer broader cutting widths.

Riding Lawn Mowers - Diamond B Tractors & Equipement

A zero-turn riding mower, on the other hand, has left-right steer-drive handlebars for more versatility. Zero-turn lawn mowers are better suited to backyards with a lot of obstacles, trees, or oddly shaped garden beds. Also, it has an extremely tight turning radius thanks to a rear-mounted engine and rear-wheel-brake steering.

Consider Your Budget

Looking at secondhand riding lawn mowers, if you have a limited budget, may be a good idea. When properly maintained, a used mower will last for many years and will likely cost less than half as much as a new model. If you are unfamiliar with mowers, it is a good idea to bring someone who is.

If you decide to explore any older riding lawn mowers, it is a good idea to bring someone who is an expert in identifying the quality of the tractor. This will make it easy to assess the mower’s overall condition and establish whether the asking price is reasonable.

Ensure Mulching Feasibility

If you own a mower, chances are you have had to deal with mowing your lawn and dealing with the time this takes. While there are many different types of mowers, whether riding or pushing, of course, one common problem that most people faced in the past was how to best handle the clippings. 

A number of lawn mower models offer mulching options. Front-discharge and side-discharge models work well with medium or long grass. Models with larger cutting decks (61 cm/24 in.) can mulch longer grass than those with smaller cutting decks (50 cm or 20 in.).

If you have a short-cut lawn, rear-rear discharge works best. Rear-catcher mowers collect the clippings as they cut them, making it perfect for lighter cutting conditions. Some walk-behinds may be converted to rear discharge by installing a special mulch plug into their mowing deck.

Inspect the Weight of the Riding Lawn Mower

Ride-on lawnmowers are very heavy, weighing approximately 150kg. The center of gravity is raised when the rider’s weight is on top of the lawnmower, especially with tractor-style versions. While side-mowing is possible and convenient, you will find that steep slopes over 10 degrees are not doable on a ride-on lawnmower.

If you’re planning to use your ride-on for areas of steeper grades than this, it may be better to invest in a walk-behind lawnmower – though if you need something versatile that can both side-mow and go up embankments (making it very useful as part of a gardening business) then getting a pair of either standard or high capacity rear wheels might just be the answer!

Explore Mower’s Transmission Type

When shopping for a new lawnmower, it’s important to consider how quickly you need to mow your lawn. For larger jobs or uneven terrain where ramps are needed, try a self-propelled mower with variable speeds and high wheels that can better maneuver around objects.

You may also want to incorporate various add-ons to get the kind of results you need. For example, if you want your lawn mowed evenly, think about a model that includes height controls so you have precision when choosing how tall of a blade you wish to use for your yard.

Some models even include advanced settings for each wheel, so there’s no guesswork when attempting different types of terrain. It would be wise to pick one that allows speed adjustments on each wheel independently so that one side doesn’t creep ahead as the other drags (this is especially useful if you are ever having problems with traction).

Consider Size of the Your Lawn & Engine Power

Riding Lawn Mower for Sale - Diamond B Tractors & Equipment

The size of your lawn will play a huge part in deciding which tractor will suit your needs. Depending on the sizes of your lawn, different sized tractors with varying Horse Power are needed to meet the varying demands.

So, make sure you obtain the correct tractor for the size of your lawn.

  • 1/2 acre to 1 acre: You’ll need a riding lawn mower with a cutting width of up to 42″ and a 14 HP engine for a lawn this size.
  • 1 – 2 acres: A riding lawn mower with a 42″ or 46″ deck and a 14 – 16 HP engine is required for yards in this size range.
  • 3 Acres or More: You’ll need a garden tractor with a 46″ – 54″ deck and an 18 – 24 HP engine for this size lawn.

Recommended Reading: Common Zero-Turn Problems & Solutions: A Complete Guide

Find the Best Riding Lawn Mowers for Sale in Texas

Knowing what you need, how much you can spend, and what sort of protection you can get against breakdowns and system malfunctions are all important considerations when purchasing a riding lawnmower.

Take your time and look at a number of models that are within your budget and have the features you need to make lawn care easy. By weighing all of your options, you’ll have a better chance of finding a mower that you’ll like for many years to come.

At Diamond B Tractors & Equipment, we help our clients choose the best tractor model that helps to augment their experience by providing hassle-free customization & maintenance. Let it be a small tractor for sale in Texas or high-end maintenance; we provide you with the best-in-class tractor sales & services all across South Texas.

Are you looking for the best Mahindra Tractor Dealers and Mahindra tractor parts in Texas? Get in touch with us to get the best deals possible on your new ride!