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APS_QLD
13-11-2004, 07:09 PM
This field is new to me as most would know this is my sons business however he has slipped to Darwin to get some experience is horticulture and i am holding the fort and building up the business in the mean time andd its getting to the stage i need a ride on.

I do intend on buying a ztr but what has slowed me down apart from some issues i have to sort out from my main job.

I have asked as many have about mowers be that pushies, midmount ztr's etc. What I want to know is what do you look for in a cut everyone seems to say the walker makes a better cut and is a better finish than all the others? So what makes the walkers so much better.

I had a run on phils ariens and it cut the grass and looked good and i would be happy with this cut.

Does anyone run a walker and have you any photos of cut lawns?

Brian

Stuie
13-11-2004, 07:24 PM
Also for other info go to www.lawnsite.com and do a search on walker mowers for info good, bad and indifferent

pbm
13-11-2004, 08:01 PM
I run an 18 hp Walker with 42 inch GHS deck and 42 inch S/D deck. I find the cut is as good or if not better than a pushie. You also save time on blowing as it vacuums the paths. I will try to remember to take my digi gamera with me next week and take a few snaps.

Tonyr
13-11-2004, 09:53 PM
AK, the way I understand it is....Walker is a Finish mower, i.e collects grass is it's it's primary purpose, with the addition of extra decks. Walkers do leave a nice stripe, and when well maintained work great!

If you don't need to collect clippings, go for a midmount style, mush more industrial, designed for a wider variety of works, and as far as cut quality, this is only governed by design, most commercial machines are good, ground speed, grass hight/ dampness etc.

I've owned a Walker, great for house yards, costly to repair.

In town work they are the pick, if colletion was needed and lawns were not rough. gota look after those timed gearboxes!

If more general mowing is the go, most modmounts will mulch and side discharge and cut as nice as walker.

The way it usually goes is, blokes who want to speed up production from push mowing buy a Walker as they are compact and collect, and light, then as work scope increases and ya need more durability ya go midmount....

Not wanting to sound like a wanker here but I really honestly can say I would quite happily put my big Toro up against a Walker anyday, bet the Toro leaves a cleaner cut!

No, not bashing Walker, my toro is hopeless in places where walker shines, but talking cut quality, walker is no better than most commecial mowers out there.

The Walker is the one most buy after pushing mowers, the walker fits right into the same job scope, that's the way it was meant to be, not a grass bashing brute like my thing.

Walker is good....expensive though, and hate slopes, there are other options, but I still miss the feature of lifting the deck for maintenance instead of being under a 800kg machine!

Walker is a well designed mower for it's intended purpose, nice cut and grass/leaf collection, but I'm a strong believer in mulching, not carting stuff to tips.

If you buy one, you will like it, but learn how to get the most out of it, here in hillbillyville there are several walkers, only know 1 or 2 opperators who can do a nice job, all others i'm sure dunno about sharp blades, they make walker look worse than an a cox etc!
Mine cut great, but some blokes just dunno how to cut I guess!

Wish they had a 3 way deck! Or 2 way way, collect and mulch even! I bought the Toro Z355 because it was 2 way deck, then found I never caught grass again after mulching!

NLALM
14-11-2004, 04:21 PM
pbm


Im about to upgrade to an 18hp Id like to hear your thoughts on the machine I have run both a 20 and 11.5hp both great machines but now is the time for a brand newy love some feedback

pbm
14-11-2004, 07:20 PM
Hi Mark
So far so good with my 18 hp Walker. I have only had it since May and done around 81 hours on it. I do mainly suburban residential lawns, 1 acreage, a school including oval, a handful of body corporates and a few larger residentials. I find it so versatile and the cut is great. Feel free to message me or e-mail me on pbmowing@optusnet.com.au if you want a chat.
I will post a couple of pictures of a lawn I did with it today later.
Regards
Phil

pbm
14-11-2004, 07:40 PM
A lawn that I mowed with the Walker today...there are about 13 trees to get around....no problem..eh eh

Topcat
14-11-2004, 09:52 PM
Nice job...

? how much do you charge to mow that lawn with the walker.

APS_QLD
15-11-2004, 07:59 AM
How long did it take to do that job and what did you charge?

No matter what ztr i get maintenance will be at the forefront, I need something that takes minimial to look after apart from checking the bolts, oils and fuel and air filters.

The last thing i need is anything that will be costly to keep going. How does the walker go in relation to running costs?

Brian

pbm
15-11-2004, 10:53 PM
Don't ask how much I charge to mow that one!!! He is a friend and I ONLY charge him $25....should be about $40......takes me about 30-35 mins to edge depending on how many times he comes out and talks to me. Takes me about 8 mins to mow the front with the Walker and about 10-12 mins to mow the back yard by hand. :i dunno:

Brian as for running costs, it is a bit early to tell but in the 6 months that I have had it the running costs have been reasonable with no break downs yet. Overall I am very happy with it.
I will take a few more snaps tomorrow if I remember to take the camera.

dexpress
16-11-2004, 05:11 PM
There are only 3 mowers in the build style of a walker. Walker, Scag Cougar and Toro makes a machine. I own 2 Scag Cougars now and find they can go anywhere a walker can. They are heaps stronger than the walker and a bit cheaper too. Scag are belt drive to the blades. Mt Cootha Botanical Gdns has 1. Worth checking out

APS_QLD
16-11-2004, 05:43 PM
I can see a visit to the gardens coming up. Have to say at the moment not a happy camper with Toro at this stage have asked for a demo and still they have not got back to me. Then again maybe a good thing a bit to busy at the moment to down tools although i could demo on a job :D :D :D put the rep on the whipper snipper.

I will chase up the rep, now that it seems my main job has sorted itself out and i can still maintain my current position.

One most also wonder is the walker worth the extra $$$$ for the
finished cut.

A few more shots will be good. If i could find a mower guy in Brisbane close to me with one i would check his out when he cuts.

Brian

mojo111
16-11-2004, 06:53 PM
I can see a visit to the gardens coming up. Have to say at the moment not a happy camper with Toro at this stage have asked for a demo and still they have not got back to me. Then again maybe a good thing a bit to busy at the moment to down tools although i could demo on a job :D :D :D put the rep on the whipper snipper.

I will chase up the rep, now that it seems my main job has sorted itself out and i can still maintain my current position.

One most also wonder is the walker worth the extra $$$$ for the
finished cut.

A few more shots will be good. If i could find a mower guy in Brisbane close to me with one i would check his out when he cuts.

Brian



Hey Brian
Got the new mulch kit for the Ariens the other day,
man its awesome. its unbelievably impresive :cool:

can mulch up to 8inch grass on problem---- except wet grass :laughing:
come up and give it a crack mate.
You'll be sold on it

Cheers

pbm
16-11-2004, 07:37 PM
There are only 3 mowers in the build style of a walker. Walker, Scag Cougar and Toro makes a machine. I own 2 Scag Cougars now and find they can go anywhere a walker can. They are heaps stronger than the walker and a bit cheaper too. Scag are belt drive to the blades. Mt Cootha Botanical Gdns has 1. Worth checking out

There are no less than 5 mowers in the Walker style. You didn't mention the Grillo BeeFly and the Gianni Ferrari. I checked them all out before buying the Walker mainly because all the other machines were bigger and heavier than the Walker. I considered the Scag Cougar but there were a few things I didn't like about it and the dealer was hopeless.

matder
16-11-2004, 08:19 PM
i have run a 16 hp walker for 4yrs now had a lot of trouble with the 16 hp motor had three motors replaced under warranty the 4th was replaced with and 18 hp have had no more problems with it touch wood. Has 2100 hrs on clock have put 1 blowers in it 1 feed shute and thats about it. when using walker blades could get 200 hrs out of aset with hard facing but went to APS blades and get the same hrs out of them and cheeper by about 12 dollars.But agree with you tony the toro will eat walker on the big grass ,but saying that i would hate to pull the toro out of a bog at 800 kg .As for finsh a mate has had 3 greenfeilds in total 4000hrs and he does a bloody good finsh with that mower so it comes back to some can operate amower and others cant best of luck with what you purchase just keep demoing :i dunno: matty

APS_QLD
17-11-2004, 07:06 PM
Thanks for that great reply Matder. Of course i would also expect people to view things the other way but i have heard walker have a big issue with maintenance. No one can say what but you may have helped, the last thing i want is issues with companies i am not a happy man when pissed off if things fail (no fault of mine) and i'm doing $$$$$


I will take you up on that Mojo may get the big goat (oh and Tony) from north to meet us and have a mow off in yeah yard :laughing: :D :D :D :laughing:

I will keep looking.

Brian

mick
17-11-2004, 08:00 PM
I was told by the Walker service agent the Walker used to make 100% profit on every mower! :i dunno:

For what its worth!

APS_QLD
17-11-2004, 09:29 PM
That would explain the price tag i guess.

Brian

mick
18-11-2004, 05:07 PM
That would explain the price tag i guess.

Brian

YEP! hehe shhhhh

matder
19-11-2004, 02:45 PM
yes thats quite right they are dear especially when you see them sold in the states for 8000 grand.Why hasnt and australian made asimliar mower with a lighter frame hyd driven it would have to be cheaper, yeh and they really arnt much dearer than the others just add the price of acatcher to the rest :i dunno: :i dunno: matty

administrator
19-07-2008, 11:37 AM
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lethal
20-07-2008, 11:42 AM
APS_QLD where abouts are you located?
As my bus name is also APS(Absolute Property Services) and was just wondering if you are anywhere near either the Gold Coast or Hervey Bay as I am operating out of the Gold Coast now and when I get back from NZ will be living in Hervey Bay and starting from scratch there and just don't want to conflict with anyone.