Which lawnmower?

My back garden is about a 1/4 acre of woodland lawn and on quite a slope. I've not measured the degree of slope yet, but's its steeper than the 20 degrees Honda recommend as the limit for their mowers. I was thinking about purchasing a John Deere JX90CB which i understand has an oil pump and can be used on lawns with a slope of up to 30 degrees. Can anyone give me feedback on this mower or recommend another that'll cope with about 1 hours mowing a week on fairly rough terrain, on a slope!

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner TallPaul. Knowing the terrain you have to deal with wouldn't it be better to buy a ride-on mower?

 

The JD is manufactured by their German sister company Sabo and is designed for the longer use for pros as its got lower vibration levels, the kawi engine with an oil pump and construction is a bit better than the domestic version.
You mentioned rough terrain and the JD is not really meant for harsh conditions like areas covered in branches and twigs and wood land settings. it's more for large formal areas and the blades will not cope well hitting woody bits.
There are a good number of what's known as brush cutting mowers but the Etesia
Attila 51 Pedestrian Brush Cutter can do 38 degree cuts and a local dealer will offer a free demo as its part of their service. However they don't leave a nice formal cut.
Do you cut once a week due to your mower not handling the situation at the moment so it's needs to be cut to keep the growth under control?

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It's the same with the ride on mowers, many are designed for the more formal cuts and the blades are not really manly if it's rough cutting so again you are looking more towards the rough cutting machines but for a good low to ground mower as its slope work you are looking at quite a rise in cost.
The rough cutting mowers will have a chunky tire, not smooth like formal mowers which aid grip and tough blades to handle the more demanding cuts and a few other advantages for areas that need tough work.


I think your best bet is to talk to local dealers, see what they have as a 30 degree slope is quit a drop and you need a tool that's safe and not one that's prone to either sliding or rolling. Ask for demos before parting with cash and make sure spares are available as not all mower manufactures are equal.

 

Thanks for the comments so far. As you JWK states a ride is far from suitable for sloping lawn which is a shame as it's quite large. My lawn is kind of in a woodland, but i do pick up all debris before mowing, its more that there are a few undulations and rough spots. I'll look into the JD.

 

There is the Etesia Pro 53 which is a tad more expensive than the Deere but a much better mower. Better drive system, better collection and cut and is far more robust with the added ability to mulch.
The drive is also far different to the Deere, when going downhill the Etesia will not run away and will hold the speed you set where the Deere will need holding back. That's worth noting as its when the mower wants to run away is when you slip trying to hold the mower from rolling off on its own.
It will do 20 degrees too. Well worth a look at if you are spending the amount you are on a mower.
The only issue I have with Deere is that it's designed round a domestic machine and has had the bits added to lower vibration and strengthen the frame.
I run a small Deere rear roller and it's ok but bits do tend to break like height adjustment and the wheels that were an issue for mine and some of the larger mowers where as I use an Etesia 46 daily and it's built like a real work horse.
There's also the large Viking mowers which run off a Kawi engine the MB755 which would be worth a look at. Viking are part of Stihl so easy to get parts for. It's about the same price as the Deere too.

I will warn you that the handle design on the Deeres is awful and makes the mowers feel very heavy. It's one part I really hate on the RVE I use. Have a look and feel them before going for one and do take a look at the Etesia Pro 53 as its a much better mower for your slope work.

 

I've been to see a JX90CB today and it's a huge heavy thing so not ideal for what i want. As i mentioned before it does have an oil pump rather than using a splash feed so can cope with my sloping lawn. Does the Etesia have an oil pump? Is it only rated up to 20 degrees? The Etesia is quite a bit more money!! Does anyone know of other mowers that have an oil pump/rated for slopes steeper than 20 degrees.

The Gardencare that i'm using at the moment is on it's last legs (i think its the gearbox) but the engine seems ok (Briggs and Stratton 190cc), so has coped with slope. Maybe i need to get something a bit harder wearing and robust with the same engine.

 

Deals with slopes and very green!

 

Briggs makes lots of various engines and not all are manufactured in the same plant. Honda and Kawi are the same.
The options are you either find a 2 stroke unit with self drive, a pro unit that will last and work at cutting the grass quickly with a suitable drive or a basic one like you use and say replace it again or repair it if parts are available once it gives up.
How about posting a pic of the slopes to give a rough idea of what you are up against.

Those Deeres are heavy units and that handle design which I noted on my previous post is not the best design in the world. The others will also be similar and the Etesia has a reverse gear to help move it back.

 

You could keep an eye on adverts in your area and Ebay for picking up an Etesia secondhand.